e-mail Hawk
hawk@houstonhawk.com
|
If you are a regular reader of the Houston Chronicle or
www.chron.com
you surely have had to have stumbled on to at least one of the dozen
or so stories they have printed in the last several months about
KGOW/1560am. It is called "The Game" and the format was supposed
to be a cutting edge combination of talk, entertainment and sports.
It's here. It's not. Plagued with a weak signal, and an even
weaker lineup of milquetoast talent, I do not see this thing lasting
18 months before people like John Granato and Ken Hoffman will be
replaced by Hindu flutes, rants and chants, which is what occupied
the frequency previously.
There was more movement on the AM side of the dial as KPRC/950
made some programming adjustments and re-branded as "The 9-5-0
Radio Mojo", The new lineup features Walton and Johnson, Mancow,
Michael Savage, Dave Ramsey, Chris Baker, who then segues over
to KTRH for a few hours and Phil Hendrie. I am not much of a
fan of the promos, how they are positioning the station or their
incredibly ugly billboards, but I think they did a wise thing by
breaking out of (with the exception of Savage) the extreme right
wing, radical, conservative rut that this town had as far as
talk goes, and are offering up a non political, entertaining
alternative. I would like to say how much I miss Sam Malone.
When Sam left KRBE to go to work for Clear Channel, part of his
deal was a short morning show on KHMX and a talk slot (then) on
KTRH. He was moved to KPRC after a while, and now not on the AM
band at all. I personally though that he did a wonderful job as
a talk host, and hope that if that is his true passion he will
find a way to do it again.
Flashback! June, 2006 - One
wonders if the second short stick that Cumulus owns at 103.7 is
in line for some trimming as well. The station really set
itself up as a second coming of legendary KLOL, complete with
it's last 6am-7pm lineup, but their programming is tired and
outdated, a lot of the promotions are just a re-hash of old KLOL
promotions, the music seems even older a lot of the time, and oh
yes, the signal stinks. So do their ratings.
Jack-FM arrived a few weeks ago. Probably their best bet.
It's
beginning to look a lot like Christmas! One thing you can count
on in Houston in the fall is the annual trimming of the staff by
the Houston Clear Channel group. Most notably Zoe Bonet, who
has been at KODA/99.1 for years. She has been replaced by the
syndicated Delilah show, which is distributed by Premiere-a
Clear Channel company. Zoe will be missed.
Cox also had to cut a few folks loose due to budget woes.
Michael Valdez and Tubby were asked to leave. Dave E. Crockett
walked out the door too. While we are on the subject of Cox, I
heard Dan Gallo on 97.1 the other morning. Gallo, the long time
middle of the day man at KILT/100.3 has surfaced at the Classic
Country station doing morning drive. I miss the kind of chatter
that Dan provided during the day, in the day, and he is
certainly an improvement over what was in morning drive. As for
the rest of the day, "Country Legends" have no personalities
whatsoever, just commercials, promos, jingles and a mountain of
music.
We are officially into the Personal People Meter world in
Houston-and get used to it. It is coming to your town. The
device and the data it delivers have shown that stations in
Houston have much bigger cumes, but the week to week and month
to month fluctuations for some stations seem hard to believe. I
will say for my listening habits and taste, most of the stations
are about where I thought they would be. Stations like 106.9
and 107.5 are proof that old or gold based formats are not dead,
but a hell of a lot stronger than they were getting credit for
with the old diary system. I think it will also show that
stations who for years have let greed get in the way of good
programming will get what they've got coming to them.
Hawk August 8, 2006 There are more morning shakeups in Houston as Larry Jones, probably best remembered during his "Funky" days at KMJQ has hung up his headphones at 95.7 The Wave. Word is he is going to the new Praise 92.1, the Radio One owned gospel station that signed on a few weeks ago. Reportedly alongside him will be Houston native gospel diva Yolanda Adams.
740 KTRH adjusted their lineup again. Deborah Duncan is gone. I do not
know if that was her choice or theirs. I never did mention, and I do
not know if this had anything to do with it, but Deborah seemed to be
gone a lot. In her defense, that had to be a tough day for her, for if
you don't know, she is one of the anchors on KHOU TV 11 in the early
morning hours.
Joe 'Pags' is now filling the 1-3pm slot, presumably from Clear
Channel's WOAI in San Antonio where he does the morning show. He is
very strong, and I am assuming the thinking was to have a nice balance
between Chris Baker, who I find to be more of an aloof talk host , and I
don't mean that in a bad way, and Sam Malone's more water cooler
friendly, far from hard hitting talk show. People think I pick on KTRH
too much. I do. But that still does not mean I don't listen.
Then there is the new Scott Sparks morning show on K-Hits 107.5.
The radio station formerly known as KLDE. After a few weeks, I have
figured out that this guy is probably not going work out. I do not
wish him failure, and for the record, he is said to be one of the
nicest men in Houston radio. But at K-Hits in morning drive,
he just seems lost. Out of touch with the audience, the music, the
mood, and even sounds like a different person completely. You might
remember a few weeks ago I polled readers to suggest who might be a
good jock to talk host in Houston, and he scored very well. He's
just having a lot of trouble tying it all together. I am sure he saw
the writing on the wall at KRBE, where he has spent the better part
of his career and life, but this move was a bad one for all
involved.
Speaking of KRBE, despite the bad press (and there has been a bunch of
it) I think things there are sounding real good. Different, but good.
Roula and Ryan worked out the kinks pretty early on and came out of the
gate really strong. I have heard and read the responses from fans and
radio types who complain that KRBE just does not sound like they used
to, and they are right. HINT: I think that is what new management is
going for. If new management or KRBE employees who are fighting the
good fight are reading this, I say stay the course. Just last week I
was running my Friday afternoon errands. I stopped into a gas station
to fill up, grabbed the dry cleaning, picked up the kids, got my hair
cut and an oil change. Guess what radio station was on at EVERY
location? 104.1 KRBE.
Hawk |
|
Ed Chandler, the most recent morning man at KLDE and Atom
Smasher and Maria Todd from KRBE's morning show were shown the
door about the same time last Friday in Houston radio land, and
that set off a chain reaction of surprises and speculation that
continue to evolve on this Monday.
Already known is that long time KRBE personality Scott Sparks
will take the morning job at KLDE.
Just a day or two after that announcement, I wake up today to
hear that KLDE is no longer KLDE. While still oldies, they have
re-branded as "K-Hits 107.5 The Biggest Hits of the 60's and
70's" They did get new jingles, and a new voice guy, but if
you add those new elements by the second still better than 90%
of the stations' product is the same, which makes me wonder why
they made the change in the first place?
Now back to KRBE. They have just been acquired by Cumulus, and
Cumulus wasted no time changing things up and doing them the way
they wanted them done. There simply was not enough
differentiation between KRBE, KPTY and KBXX. Perhaps Tracy
Austin, KRBE's PD did not agree with that, for prior to the
dismissal of Atom and Maria, she tossed it in to take PD job at
NOVA, a Top 40 network of stations overseas. She will be based
in Australia and is leaving next month. Speculation here is
that a syndicated program may take the morning slot at KRBE.
The top two names being tossed around are the Kidd Kraddick
show, or the new Whoopi Goldberg radio show. Whoopi will
actually have a Houston tie as former KRBE jock Paul "Cubby"
Bryant (most recently of Z100 New York) was named as her
sidekick. Not that I think his presence or name would garner any
significant audience gains.
I am sure there will be more surprises later in the week, so
I'll keep you posted.
e-mail hawk@houstonhawk.com June 21, 2006 Almost a year to the day that I suggested KFNC pull the plug on FM News Channel 97.5 they have. It is unfortunate that a few talented folks have been handed their walking papers in the process. But with the signal, or lack thereof, and the drivel that was pouring out of the speakers for most of the day, doom was forecasted early on for the Cumulus owned station.
Mike Shiloh, Jim Carola and most of the news staff were shown the door,
and what is left of the only real ratings winner on the station, Jim
Pruett and Brian Shannon aka "The Boner" have moved to morning drive.
The rest of the day is filled with syndicated talk programming, most of
it on the B and C grade level as KPRC, KTRH and a few others have
gobbled up the rest of the good programming.
One wonders if the second short stick that Cumulus owns at 103.7 is in
line for some trimming as well. The station really set itself up as a
second coming of legendary KLOL, complete with it's last 6am-7pm lineup,
but their programming is tired and outdated, a lot of the promotions are
just a re-hash of old KLOL promotions, the music seems even older a lot
of the time, and oh yes, the signal stinks. So do their ratings.
I have heard a lot of talk about all the things that Cumulus has done
wrong since taking control of the Susquehanna properties. I will say in
the case of KRBE, things are sounding better. I think KRBE like a lot
of Top 40 stations, has been bogged down in indecision as far as which
direction they should go. Sure, they play pop hits, but they played a
lot of hip hop, and other music that I felt leaned a bit too urban for
the station. When you consider that there is Urban KBXX who gets most
of that pie, their sister station KMJQ who gets the older R&B ratings,
and a Latin flavored Hip Hop station at 104.9, somebody making the
direction to cater to young Anglo Americans was a bold move on the part
of KRBE, and I think things will improve for them. I hope so.
Finally, last time we visited, I asked you to e-mail suggestions of
Houston radio talent, who had the talent to trade in their tunes for
talk. Like Sam Malone, what Houston DJ could make that transition and
be good at it?
Winner-Larry Jones, from KHJZ "The Wave" Larry is smooth and silky, and
far less funky than during his glory days as top dog on Magic 102, but
your e-mails suggest he is the guy who could be the next top talker in
town. Coming in a close second was Dan Gallo, who I mentioned is waking
up the Woodlands at BOB-FM. Third place went to KLDE's Ron Parker.
Honorable mentions include Outlaw Dave, Rowdy Yates, Scott Sparks, and
Dave E. Crockett.
Hawk
e-mail hawk@houstonhawk.com
|
|
Ed Chandler, the most recent morning man at KLDE and Atom
Smasher and Maria Todd from KRBE's morning show were shown the
door about the same time last Friday in Houston radio land, and
that set off a chain reaction of surprises and speculation that
continue to evolve on this Monday.
Already known is that long time KRBE personality Scott Sparks
will take the morning job at KLDE.
Just a day or two after that announcement, I wake up today to
hear that KLDE is no longer KLDE. While still oldies, they have
re-branded as "K-Hits 107.5 The Biggest Hits of the 60's and
70's" They did get new jingles, and a new voice guy, but if
you add those new elements by the second still better than 90%
of the stations' product is the same, which makes me wonder why
they made the change in the first place?
Now back to KRBE. They have just been acquired by Cumulus, and
Cumulus wasted no time changing things up and doing them the way
they wanted them done. There simply was not enough
differentiation between KRBE, KPTY and KBXX. Perhaps Tracy
Austin, KRBE's PD did not agree with that, for prior to the
dismissal of Atom and Maria, she tossed it in to take PD job at
NOVA, a Top 40 network of stations overseas. She will be based
in Australia and is leaving next month. Speculation here is
that a syndicated program may take the morning slot at KRBE.
The top two names being tossed around are the Kidd Kraddick
show, or the new Whoopi Goldberg radio show. Whoopi will
actually have a Houston tie as former KRBE jock Paul "Cubby"
Bryant (most recently of Z100 New York) was named as her
sidekick. Not that I think his presence or name would garner any
significant audience gains.
I am sure there will be more surprises later in the week, so
I'll keep you posted.
e-mail hawk@houstonhawk.com June 21, 2006 Almost a year to the day that I suggested KFNC pull the plug on FM News Channel 97.5 they have. It is unfortunate that a few talented folks have been handed their walking papers in the process. But with the signal, or lack thereof, and the drivel that was pouring out of the speakers for most of the day, doom was forecasted early on for the Cumulus owned station.
Mike Shiloh, Jim Carola and most of the news staff were shown the door,
and what is left of the only real ratings winner on the station, Jim
Pruett and Brian Shannon aka "The Boner" have moved to morning drive.
The rest of the day is filled with syndicated talk programming, most of
it on the B and C grade level as KPRC, KTRH and a few others have
gobbled up the rest of the good programming.
One wonders if the second short stick that Cumulus owns at 103.7 is in
line for some trimming as well. The station really set itself up as a
second coming of legendary KLOL, complete with it's last 6am-7pm lineup,
but their programming is tired and outdated, a lot of the promotions are
just a re-hash of old KLOL promotions, the music seems even older a lot
of the time, and oh yes, the signal stinks. So do their ratings.
I have heard a lot of talk about all the things that Cumulus has done
wrong since taking control of the Susquehanna properties. I will say in
the case of KRBE, things are sounding better. I think KRBE like a lot
of Top 40 stations, has been bogged down in indecision as far as which
direction they should go. Sure, they play pop hits, but they played a
lot of hip hop, and other music that I felt leaned a bit too urban for
the station. When you consider that there is Urban KBXX who gets most
of that pie, their sister station KMJQ who gets the older R&B ratings,
and a Latin flavored Hip Hop station at 104.9, somebody making the
direction to cater to young Anglo Americans was a bold move on the part
of KRBE, and I think things will improve for them. I hope so.
Finally, last time we visited, I asked you to e-mail suggestions of
Houston radio talent, who had the talent to trade in their tunes for
talk. Like Sam Malone, what Houston DJ could make that transition and
be good at it?
Winner-Larry Jones, from KHJZ "The Wave" Larry is smooth and silky, and
far less funky than during his glory days as top dog on Magic 102, but
your e-mails suggest he is the guy who could be the next top talker in
town. Coming in a close second was Dan Gallo, who I mentioned is waking
up the Woodlands at BOB-FM. Third place went to KLDE's Ron Parker.
Honorable mentions include Outlaw Dave, Rowdy Yates, Scott Sparks, and
Dave E. Crockett.
Hawk
e-mail hawk@houstonhawk.com
|
|
May 31, 2006
Call it instinct, karma, intuition or some other kind of vision, but whatever voice in Sam Malone's head said 'make the move' was right in saying so. This guy has hit his stride not only as a high profile morning show host on KHMX, but as a talk show host on KTRH. Sam sounds as if he has been there for years instead of months, and is not only quite comfortable talking about water cooler topics, but can tackle the tougher issues and speaks with an informed mind and an educated mouth. For those who are out of the market, or not familiar with Mr. Malone, he spent over a decade at CHR KRBE/104.1 before sitting out a non-compete clause so he could cross the street and go to work for the Clear Channel stations in a dual capacity. He is on KTRH/740 from 10 am-12 noon, and on KHMX 96.5 from 6 am-9 am.
Now, here is where you come in. What other Houston radio
personalities have the talent to pull off this type of job?
E-Mail me at
hawk@houstonhawk.com.
I'll have the results on our next visit.
KTRH had been evolving to more of a News/Talk format, while KHMX
has been in need of a high profile morning show to put it over
the ratings hump. It did not take long for his arrival to be
noticed on KHMX especially. As for the former residents of that
time slot, Roula and Ryan, it is my understanding they are still
wanting to work as a team, but have not landed anything. There
was much talk that they would resurface on Cox owned KHPT/106.9,
the all 80's station, but that has not happened yet, and
probably won't. KHPT did hire a new Program Director out of
Salt Lake City, but the stations' uncreative approach and
extremely tight play list still exist.
Does the name Sue Williams ring a bell? Sue Williams probably
logged more years at KILT am/fm than anybody else. She is
probably best remembered as the longtime Executive Secretary to
Dickie "Podnah" Rosenfeld. Sue retired a few years ago, and had
a stroke a week ago Saturday. While her mind appears to be
fine, recovery appears to be a long road. If you'd like to send
her a get well card care of KILT Radio, they'd be sure to get it
to her.
Speaking of ex-KILT'ers, Dan Gallo has a new job. Dan is the
morning show host on "Bob-FM" a station that is actually
licensed to Hempstead, Texas and serves The Woodlands, the
affluent neighbor just to the north of Houston. Bob is a
knock-off of "Jack" as far as music and presentation are
concerned, but unlike the jockless Jack's, Bob has
personalities. At least a few. I heard that Weaver Morrow had
orchestrated the launch and was the first Program Director of
KTWL, but has already exited the Roy Henderson owned station.
In addition to The Woodlands getting their own radio station,
they have their own Internet station too.
www.TheWoodlandsRadio.com hit
the cyber airwaves a few months back doing a very nice job of
serving that area in ways that a commercial outlet cannot. They
are not the first to try serving a local or growing area outside
of Houston proper.
www.KingwoodRadio.com
is on the air, as is
www.RadioKaty.com and
a resurrection of former radio station KFRD is now being heard
at
www.KFRDradio.com.
To my knowledge none are connected, all are separately formatted
but all appear to be more professional sounding efforts versus
amateur run radio stations.
The HD effort seems to be off and running in Houston, with Clear
Channel stations in the lead. Or, as much in the lead as they
can be. I have no idea how many HD radios are being used in
Houston, and not much effort seems to be put into their
programming as of yet. Your typical programming in-a-box is
what I am hearing. Love Songs, The Loop, and Kiss occupy many
of the secondary frequencies, but if there is one cool thing I
enjoy, is hearing KTRH on FM. KLOL-FM (which is now a Spanish
station) utilizes their HD-2 frequency to simulcast KTRH-AM,
which at least for now provides me with a static free commute
each morning, with Lana Hughes and J.P. Pritchard, two of the
least recognized, but best sounding news anchors that ever
opened a microphone in this town.
Random Observations: Isn't it funny how the rim shot stations
always use "Houston" in their slogan's? Houston's Rock Station
(from La Porte), Houston's 107.5 KLDE (from Lake Jackson),
Houston's 106-9 The Point (from Conroe). I do not think that
KKRW's "The Fabulous Jennifer Tyler" is that fabulous at all.
Has anybody heard the pirate station at 101.5 on the dial?
"Bandito" is all I can clearly understand out of this screaming
Hispanic preacher on the southwest side of town. It also sounds
like our pirate radio station is back at 95.3. I know that the
Feds were close to nabbing these guys and their explicit brand
of radio a few years back. I am guessing it's the same guys in
the same place, and I'm guessing they'll be more careful this
time around. Hint: Don't give out phone numbers for requests,
or do any more club gigs! KRBE's new ownership and Management
continue to evolve the station. A new moniker, and "10 in a
row" are apparent, as well as more digital frequency references
as 104-point-1. More Houston stations are using those canned
listener testimonials. I hate them. "You guys are great", "I
love the music your play", "I listen to you all day
long"-please. It is about as compelling as "The Biggest Contest
in <insert city> Radio History" or "The Most Music" or "Your
Official at Work Station". If we can't come up with anything
better than that, we deserve to lose 10 million listeners or
more to satellite. The audience is smarter than we think. I
hope Program Directors and General Managers are smart enough to
take notice.
KKBQ/92.9's free country concert was a whopper! An estimated
40,000 showed up for the event in rural Damon, Texas. Even back
in the KIKK Free Country Concert days at the Montgomery Country
Fairgrounds, I never heard, saw or read about a crowd like
that.
Finally, congratulations to the Houston nominees for this years'
Texas Radio Hall of Fame. I am happy to see that there is a
space for write in candidates. If you find yourself with an
extra space, might I suggest Wash Allen from KCOH. Wash and his
show "Confessions" at 1430 on the dial remains one of the hidden
treats in radio that is as provocative and entertaining as they
day it went on the air.
Hawk
|
|
August 8, 2005 It sounds to me like KRBE has
given Atom Smasher the morning job. I am glad
they did. Susquehanna has a long tradition of
bringing up employees through the ranks, and
Atom is one of them. He started off as their
night jock, moved to afternoons and was thrust
into mornings when Sam Malone departed. I find
it funny that most radio companies spend a lot
of time blowing sunshine up the butts of their
employees telling them how good they are, how
important their contributions to the effort are,
how vital they are to the operation, then when a
prime spot opens up, they go out of house, out
of market, out of format or out of industry for
replacements. Susquehanna did not do that. I
applaud them and Atom.
June 10, 2005
So, what is the scoop on the Rock-Talk combo? That is what most of my e-mail has been about. Cumulus is now the proud owner of TWO short sticks outside of Houston, and here is how it is playing out:
Most people I talk to really like the
programming on KIOL 'Rock 103-7" since they
adopted the format and relocated dial
positions. But (as predicted here) it is
peppered with problems signal wise that I
believe will keep them from truly ever
becoming a player. I will even go on record
now saying that the first year of Rock 103-7
will probably be their best. I just cannot
see folks putting up with all that static
for an extended period of time no matter how
well it is programmed.
Speaking of static, there is even more of it
on 97.5. In the signal, and on the air.
This was the first foray into Houston by
Cumulus. At first an urban signal, then
quickly changed to rock when KLOL abandoned
the format, now it hosts the third format
since upgrading and moving in from
Beaumont. "News Channel 97-5" was
*supposed* to be an FM news radio station.
I'm still waiting. They did hire some
anchors. Mike Shiloh, Jim Carola and Martha
Martinez. They hired some talk show hosts.
A. W. Pantoja, Brian Shannon, and Jim
Pruett. Laurie Kendrick is on the air, and
holds a management position as well. They
have very slick, officially 'newsy' sounding
production and promos. But is it a NEWS
station? No. Is it close? Not even. I
am wondering why they even branded the
station this way. During live segments, it
is a boys club at best, and not a very good
one. I do not see them taking much audience
away from the other news/talk stations in
town, and I do not hear much compelling
content that would cause much chatter in the
marketplace. As for attempting to be a
younger, hipper alternative to KTRH, I do
not see that happening. I also do not see
the gang at KTRH spending any time at all
trying to figure out the plans for News
Channel 97-5. If what is on the air is any
indication of what is to come, I think
they'd better head back to the drawing
board, and blow it up.
Random
thoughts: I can't wait for Sam Malone to
get back on the air. The jury is still out
on the hip-new-young KKBQ morning show. I
am stunned that Biz Radio 1320 didn't really
hit the Arbitron radar considering the money
they spent launching it. Will Infinity put
JACK on in Houston? Will Cox beat them to
it?
The other day, former KILT staffers of the Dickie Rosenfeld era, General Manager of KILT from the 1960’s until his death in 2000, had a reunion at Houston Barbeque Company on Eldridge Parkway, owned by former sales executive Treca Craig.
On hand for the festivities were Dickie’s wife, children & grandchildren, former News Director Jim Carola, D.J. Rowdy Yates, long time assistant Sue Williams, former Program Director Debbie Brazier, Jerry Creed, former KILT Band leader for 15 years, and Mac Hudson of Hudson & Harrigan fame.
Everyone celebrated Dickie’s life with pictures and “Pod’na” stories remembering great times and great events. Dickie, famous for his “Howdy Pod’na” greeting, brought the Beatles & Elvis to Houston. And of course, there were the “Luv Ya Blue” and the "Phi Slama Jama" days.
Family in attendance:
Wife: Denise Children: Moose, Margaret, and Jim Grandchildren: Buffy, Muffy (Muffy is writing a book and the life and times of Dickie)
Other former staffers in attendance included:
Jerry Creed (leader of the KILT Band for 15 years) Pat Hernandez: Dan Woodard Dave Weise, Patti Rodgers Dené McShay Jerry Mueller Bob Presley Harry Rodgers Steve Johnson Matt Reiff Mike McShay Richard Topper Mike Guerro Mike Schneider Judy Hart Lonzo Bryant Donna Butcher Tyree Tucker Gary Evans John Neeson Patti Kay Debra Aiken Ron Burgess Fred Peavey Jeff Peden
Hawk
April 5 Sam Malone left KRBE after 12 years. That was the shocker story out of Houston radio. Sam is going to Clear Channel, reportedly to do a talk show on KTRH as soon as his non-compete runs out. I like Sam, think he is quite talented, and will fit well with the new direction of KTRH, if that is where he winds up. Sam has potential far beyond this market, and maybe CC has plans for him in that regard. He will make the transition smoothly and I wish him the best in this new phase of his career. I know a lot of his fans would like to reach out to him, and I think you should. Go to www.sammalone.com and drop him a note. He’s got the time to return all of those e-mails for the next few months at least. I must say that I am a bit disappointed in how Maria Todd handled Sam’s departure. Maria was Sam’s sidekick for those years he was at KRBE, and had worked with Sam before coming to Houston. I will admit that I did not hear word for word her response the day after his departure, but I did read a transcript of it. For Maria to be so bold as to proclaim she helped ‘build this house’ at KRBE is laughable. Clearly, she sees herself in a bit brighter light than the rest of us. After all, it was not the “Sam and Maria” show. It was the Sam Malone show. Maria is quite talented as well, but not quite the glue that held things together as she obviously perceives. I guess she never heard of Bill Hill, Miles Chandler, CC McCartney, Weaver Morrow, Roger W. Garrett, Barry Kaye and the others that guided that ship much longer than when you were the first mate. As for your architectural proclamation, compared to the aforementioned, you wouldn’t be allowed to hold the hammer, Maria. The big rumor swirling around town is that there is about to be a swap with Infinity and Cox. Infinity will wind up with the Cox signals in Houston, and Cox will get Infinity’s sticks in Atlanta. I would chalk this up to hearsay, but there might be something to it. Cox is running Houston worse than they ever have, and cheaper than they ever have. There are openings for two major positions on their country station KKBQ, they recently cut back talent on KLDE, then let their new female addition Kelly Ryan go. Paul Christy is now on the air for a 6 (yes, SIX) hour afternoon air shift from 3 to 9, and while I am sure some of that is voice tracked, I think it still sounds bad. I really do not think they care. I recall this same scenario playing out in the early days of “Arrow” in this town. It was owned by CBS briefly, but being swapped to AMFM. Once CBS new it was a done deal, all attempts were made to squeeze every dime out of the joint prior to closing. I view Cox’s reluctance to recruit and hire new people as their way of running it ‘on the cheap’ until this rumored deal with Infinity plays out. Speaking of Infinity, KHJZ “The Wave” hired Funky Larry Jones to do mornings, and Greg Morgan took the afternoon slot. PD Maxine Todd comes off the air. Keith Miles was asked to leave his night slot a few months ago, and was replaced by Quinn Dalton. On the other side of the building, KIKK-A/650, the station I thought would at least have some sort of a showing with Howard Stern, hasn’t shown up at all. Word is they are considering new programming on the frequency soon. The rim-shot renegades at KIOL are firming up their staffs. Not only for the switch of their new rock station that will move from 97.5 to 103.7, but we hear talk of *Talk* by the Cumulus owned stations. Still no word on who will be programming the outlets, but we hear market veteran Pat Fant has wasted no time recruiting some pretty solid players for both of his stations. We believe the switch from the Beaumont licensed 97.5 to new La Porte signal 103.7 could happen by the end of this month, with the new mystery programming to debut on 97.5 two weeks after.
Hawk
February 9, 2005 Much has gone on in Houston radio
since we last talked. BizRadio1320 signed on their
air, with a wonderful daytime signal and 12 hours a
day of financial talk from syndicated and local
personalities. Most of the voices were heard on the
stations’ previous incarnation at 650 on the dial.
It went away when Infinity pulled the plug on
several formats in several markets in order to clear
Howard Stern. After that half-hearted attempt at
appeasement, Howard announced his defection to
satellite radio. The new station is operated under a
time brokerage agreement. That means they buy 12
hours of time per day, and are free to program, sell
and promote it any way in which they see fit.
They’re doing a good job. I spend a lot of time in
the car, and I have seen at least 5 billboards
around town, and even a TV campaign to promote the
stations’ return, or introduction to those who never
knew it existed. My guess is that KTRH felt some
sort of a threat prior to the station signing on the
air, because for a few weeks now I have heard them
really beefing up the promotion of their business
news. Speaking of KTRH, Pat Hernandez landed a job
there as a reporter. He was with KILT until they
pared down their news operation last year.
Hawk
December 29, 2004 Usually at this time of year you begin to see and read a lot about the year in review. Since I have been a bit negligent on my monthly column, I have enough information to write a book on Houston radio. The bulk of it has happened since our last visit in September.
Radio One's KROI/92.1 "Best of the 90's and Today"
format was a smokescreen. Some fell for it, others
did not. If it did nothing else, it probably made a
few butts pucker at KRBE and KHMX. Those folks
relaxed just a bit whenever the real format rolled
out a few weeks later that sticks it directly
between KLTN/102.9 and K-LOVE/106.5, the two
established and most listened to Hispanic formats in
Houston. "La Mera Mera" is what it is called, and I
am told it means "The Best." I wish them the best
of luck, as well as the others, for a new, more
powerful and formidable competitor entered the
market that I believe will have the most significant
impact in 2005, we'll talk about that later.
Clear Channel had its annual holiday firings. On
our side of the speakers, Cody Robbins was shown the
door. She was replaced by Steve Fixx, an ex KLOL
jock who now gets his turn with the heavy headset of
Houston's PM Drive.
Cody did land a gig. I heard her over the holidays
at KILT/100.3. Speaking of them, they had a few
dismissals of their own, as News Director Jim Carola
and reporter Pat Hernandez left the building. I do
not know if KILT was the last FM music station in a
major market to have a full time news department,
and news in PM Drive, but Jim Carola had occupied a
spot on KILT AM and FM according to the Houston
Chronicle for 40 years. End of an era to say the
least. Robert B. McEntire is now the lone occupant
of the KILT news room, mornings with Hudson and
Harrigan.
Across the hall at KILT/610, Charlie Pallilo left.
He went across the street to the new Clear Channel
owned KBME/790 "The Sports Animal." Charlie did
have to clear a hurdle with a noncompete clause he
had with Infinity. He won. Three times. On a side
note, I believe the numbers quoted in the paper
about his salary were greatly exaggerated. Charlie
is good. He's not that good.
I will say that the radio station he's going to is
great. When KBME flipped from standards to sports,
they came out of the gate guns a'blazing, and is
probably the best sounding sports station I have
ever heard. Slick production, great imaging, and an
attitude that set them apart from KILT/610 from the
get-go. Charlie was not the only person to defect
to KBME, sports reporter David Dalati went as well.
That did leave a hole or two to fill at
KILT/am. The chair vacated by Charlie has been
filled by Mark Vandermeer. Mark is the play by play
guy for the Houston Texans, and now shares the
booth with Rich Lord from 2pm to 6pm.
I would say the biggest bit of news had to be the
passing of KLOL. The heritage rock station that had
been in Houston forever went away. Not that there
was much of it left. They had a syndicated morning
show, a voice tracked night show, and more shoulder
shrugging and sighing going on in that place than
anyone wanted to admit. 101.1 was flipped to a
young skewing Hispanic format called "Mega 101fm."
It is now the most powerful Hispanic signal in the
market. I think it will take a little bit of
audience from a number of stations, and will
probably be the ratings success story I'll be
writing about a year from now.
That probably isn't what Outlaw Dave, KLOL's
afternoon drive guy wants to read, but it's true. I
hope somebody in Houston will give Dave a shot.
He's a rock personality, and a good one. KLOL midday
gal Wendy Miller was offered a job at KTBZ/94.5 "The
Buzz" which was a sister station to KLOL, but to
tell you the truth, I have not tuned in to see if
she made the cut or not. It is my understanding
that Walton and Johnson still originate their show
from Houston to their affiliates along the Gulf
Coast of Louisiana and Mississippi. I did see where
their website says they will be on the air in
Houston around mid February. I'd love to know
where. They probably do too.
The AM band in Houston had a few other big
happenings. Clear Channel moved Chris Baker from
KPRC/950 to KTRH/740. Deborah Duncan, who is part
of the morning crew at KHOU TV/11 also has a new
talk show on KTRH. Again, far less news on the
"News Radio" station. Sure hasn't seemed to hurt
them in the ratings. Of course, this election sent
news and talk stations surging nationwide. Speaking
of talk stations, we have another one! Salem
flipped the switch on KNTH/1070. "News/Talk" is the
format, made up of many of the same voices you have
heard in other markets where Salem took their
religious properties and made them talk outlets. I
like the news and traffic reports at the top and
bottom of the hour, and despite the programming
being syndicated, KNTH programing folks have done a
wonderful job at localizing the product. Still, I
really do not see this station being a big ratings
winner. In fact, it is just one of four stations
that now airs conservative talk in Houston.
And we aren't done yet.
In 2005-Business Radio 1320! The second coming, a
stronger signal, an axe to grind. I made up that
last part, but it is probably true.
Happy New Year
Hawk
September 2, 2004 Classical KRTS/92.1 will be going off the air soon. It was sold to Radio-One. They have kept very quiet on what format they will debut on the Seabrook, Texas move-in, but you can bet it will compliment CO-owned Urban AC KMJQ/102.1 and Urban KBXX/97.9. We hear that the new studios are almost complete, but no new faces have been seen in the building.
Cox owned 80's station KHPT/106.9 "The Point" will be
getting a new PD. Ken Carson is being transferred here from
the Cox 80's station in Birmingham. He takes the place of
Johnny Chaing who segues to the PD slot across the hall at
country combo KKBQ/92.9 and KTHT/97.1. I have heard some
musical changes on "The Point" as of late. They are now
hyping three decades of music, instead of focusing on the
80's.
As far as eyebrow raisers there are three: Why is KRBE/104.1
morning personality Sam Malone reporting for KPRC/Channel 2?
Second, why was KILT/100.3 midday personality Dan Gallo cut
loose? Third, was the latest Arbitrend for real? Several
stations are smarting from the most recent release.
There are some rumblings about changes at CC's KBME/790. If
they are true, you can expect LEFT out of both speakers.
Now it's time for the "Houston Hawk Most Improved Station
Award" and the winner is: KKRW "Classic Rock 93.7 The
Arrow"
I don't know if the rest of the morning shows have gotten
less funny, or management got smart and finally let Dean and
Rog go, but either way they sound great. Kudos to the
support staff of Sue Hanks and Intern Tony for helping to be
a great way to start the day on this radio station. There
is caller interaction, news and information, traffic,
sports, weather, bits, including the now famous "Birthday
Scam" and they are even able to crank in a few tunes an
hour.
I have also heard a few new features that I really like.
They have added a show on the weekend called "Saturday Night
Live" that features live cuts for classic rock artists. It
is well put together, and is a great way to reinvent songs
that some would say are a bit tired and old.
They have also started "All Request Monday's." Now, before
you roll your eyes, read on. We know that KKRW, as well as
many of the other CC stations utilize voice tracking. They
have managed to take the time and put forth the effort to
make those shows sound more interactive and local. I know
Jon Dillon is in Dallas, and has recorded this show earlier
in the day, but a KKRW listener does not. When they hear
"Sam from Spring" call in, that is just icing on the cake.
I don't know who it was that pushed for that to happen, but
it is making for better radio. Whoever is doing the editing
on those breaks deserves a slice of pizza on the station
trade.
Then there is the music. Like KHPT, KKRW has now started
playing a few more 80's songs. They have also added some
60's songs. Experts may argue that the softer side of the
60's rock scene does not belong on a "Classic Rock"
station. Arrow pulls it off. They also do a much better
job setting up those songs with promos that paint a picture
of the time before playing the song from that era. Good on
you KKRW.
Other personalities include Jennifer Tyler, Cody Robbins,
Harley Colt and Joannie Maverick.
I know I am late on this, but as I close, let me
congratulate the Houston winners of the 2004 Texas Radio
Hall of Fame. Dave Morris earned it from day one. There
were few folks that ever gave Gordon McClendon a headache.
Dave Morris did. Considering he was being that much of an
irritant with a mere 250 watts speaks volumes for him and
his staff at KNUZ/1230 when they battled KILT/610 all those
years. Dave is no longer with us, but he leaves a legacy
that will never be forgotten in Texas Radio.
Then there is Skipper Lee Frazier. He went by a few names.
He worked at a few stations. Even if you never heard of
him, if you were a kid of those times, you danced to a tune
called "Tighten Up" by Archie Bell and the Drells. Skipper
produced that song, and it left a mark on rock and roll
music, and it was all done in Houston. Skipper is still
with us today, hosting a gospel radio show and along with
his sons, owns a funeral business.
Laura Morris is no relation to Dave. From all accounts she
worked her way from the bottom to the top at KTRH/740.
Afterward, she worked with the Houston Texans before
returning to radio. She is a former President of the TAB,
one of the most influential women in radio according to
Radio INK. Laura is currently the VP/GM of Infinity Radio
Houston. She oversees KILT/610 and KILT/100.3, KHJZ/95.7
and KIKK/650.
Speaking of the TRHOF, I know a lot of you will not be able
to attend. For those who are not, and even for those who
are, are you interested in a little social hour on the week
leading up to the event here in town? If so, e-me and we'll
see if we can't get something going.
We'll see you in San Antonio in October.
Hawk July 16, 2004 Howard Stern is coming to Houston. It's about time. If you are ready to watch one of the most classic uphill battles in radio history, I think it will unfold in Houston soon.
KIKK-AM 650 will debut a format they are describing as "Hot
Talk" on Monday. Howard at the helm.
The AM dial here is pretty crowded. KPRC is talk, and right
wing, they have Rush. KTRH is the closest thing to an all news
format and is the flagship station for the Houston Astros.
KILT-AM is sports, with Houston Texans football, as well as
Rockets and Comets basketball. Then there is local conservative
talker KSEV picking up the bits and pieces. Standards station
KBME will get an honorable mention here, but the rest of the
signals for the most part are religious, ethnic of the Asian or
Middle Eastern variety or time brokered.
Enter KIKK-AM 650, a 250 watt daytime frequency licensed to
Pasadena, south of Houston. The past few years they have
enjoyed moderate success as a business radio station. According
to industry types, it made money. Not much by Infinity
standards, but for a quarter-kilowatter that broadcast from
sunup to sundown, a reported million bucks a year is not bad at
all.
It is a bold move to attempt this type of a format with those
kind of odds. Will it work? Bet your bottom advertising
dollar. I give Infinity credit for having the balls to do it,
even though it was probably Howard himself that forced the
company to clear him in markets like Houston where he has never
had an outlet. Or, clearing him in other markets where his
employer (Infinity) had stations where he may have occupied
another frequency not owned by them. Namely, the Clear Channel
markets that pulled the plug on him.
Howard is an acquired taste. Howard will shake things up.
Howard will bring folks to the AM band, and Howard will make
radio better for a lot of people. How? Are you a Houston GM or
PD who receives a lot of complaints about racy comments, edgy
material, offensive remarks or suggestive lyrics? You probably
won't be getting those calls and e-mails anymore. Even those
listeners will be tuning in (and complaining about) Howard.
I think that Howard will bring out the best in personalities in
the Houston market. They will listen to him, see his success
and determine that aspects of their own personal lives should
also be a part of their shows. Howard is the master of this.
Their listeners will become more intrigued and engaged by what
they hear, and the station will benefit from increased
audience and ratings-if their bosses have the guts to let them
explore those uncharted waters. We'll have to wait and see on
that one.
I am not hoping for a dial crammed with lesbian dating games and
Bush bashing, but there are many things about Howard that
Houston radio has been missing for a while.
The personality and sparkle that made this market such a
desirable place to work or listen to just isn't here anymore.
True, the demographics and ethnic makeup of the market have
changed. There was deregulation. But it seems to me that the
only real personality left on the radio, and the only battles
really being waged are what we now hear on the ethnic or ethnic
leaning stations. KRBE,KBXX,KMJQ,KLTN,KPTY to be specific.
There are a lot more signals here than that.
No longer is the dial filled with vibrant personalities who made
you dial in, even if the music they played was not to your
taste, or the fact that they jammed in twice as many commercials
as the competition. We wonder why audience erosion is at an all
time high, it is because we aren't giving them much worth
listening to. Howard will change that.
Howard will demonstrate in time that a heavy spot load, on a low
power station (on the AM band) can get listeners. More in time
than some of the successful FM's in the market. It will make
money, it will get attention, it will get press, and it will
generate a buzz around town. And whether you like his politics,
his people, his patter or not, it is PERSONALITY that will make
Howard, KIKK-AM 650, it's advertisers, Infinity,
the broadcasting community, and most importantly Houston radio
listeners, winners.
Hawk
June 8, 2004 There is a ratings embargo in Houston. They pay for them, we don't, and I understand. But, it is not a crime for me to offer my observations in radio over the past month or so, so here goes:
There must be a fiesta going on at one radio office, as two short
sticks continue to do the most damage. One is top dog, while the
other continues to dismantle an incumbent bit by bit, or is it beat
by beat?
There is one station that most counted down and out, but a buddy
came in and it has made a mix-raculous recovery.
One wonders if a certain bright spot at night will be sacrificed for
a satellite delivered salary reducer? But this is a big bunch, and
they have made many a mess by swapping products and people that
actually drew ratings and revenue with regurgitating rhetoric and
warmed over radio talent.
One group that offered a fairly competitive combo has reason to
laugh and cry as one of their stations took top spot in the format,
while their other station is barely a blip on the radio radar.
Down the street, the electric slide is not a dance, but a decrease
in audience for a once station, and across the hall things are not
going as smoothly as they had hoped. But a sporting chance has
worked well for one of their outlets, and actually showing up in the
ratings consistently could mean good business for their other
property.
I doubt the skies will become any clearer for a grandiose move-in
from the golden triangle. That is unless their newest acquisition
beams a better broadcast back into the city. The first stick
was not as powerful as they thought, and despite hiring a show that
their audience was truly jonsing for. I do not think the new station
will be a star either.
Lots of folks e-mailing me wanting news from the fringe markets
around Houston. Primarily College Station and Beaumont/Pt.Arthur,
Victoria, Huntsville, etc. We'll print it if we get it, so SEND IT
to us.
hawk@houstonhawk.com
Also, my congratulations to the list of nominees to the 2004 Texas
Radio Hall of Fame. Many on the list have cracked a microphone open
in this town, and there is not a single name on the list who is not
deserving of the honor. In my book, you are all already winners for
gracing the airwaves with your presence in the Lone Star State.
We'll see you in the Alamo City!
Hawk
|
|
May 11, 2004
Not since the demise of
Weaver Morrow have I received so much e-mail. My report on KTRH
drew many notes of praise and a few notes of a poisonous nature and I
appreciate them all. Most who read this column think I am an anti-Clear
Channel person, and that is not the case. I am an anti-bad radio
person, and in the number 7 market, in the 4th largest city in
America, there should not be much room for bad radio, but there is. But,
there has been some good radio too.
I have seen some significant
marketing on the part of CC stations in the past few months. KODA
blasted us with billboards, and KHMX and KKRW went heavy on the TV. The
ratings reflected significantly for at least two of the stations. I
would like to share a bit more of that with you, but you may have
noticed that the ratings are under an embargo. A strange term,
especially since those numbers are not delivered via ship, but hey, it
their ratings, and their word. All it really means is that we cannot
publish the numbers, and if we do, they will whack our hands with a
ruler.
I can't recall if I have
written about Carey Edwards? He is the new afternoon guy at "The
Point"-it is an 80's station owned by Cox. He sure is good. Speaking
of changes over there, while I have not read anything official, I hear
that Johnny Chaing is the new PD of country station KKBQ. He is already
"The Point" PD, so it should be a nice fit for all. I have not noticed
much in the way of changes in KKBQ's programming, as they follow a
fairly strict mandate of how to execute from the corporate level.
Johnny is a nice guy, and that alone will be a change for the better.
One would assume that his position will have oversight of KTHT, the
Classic Country outlet that has done remarkably well with not a whole
lot, and Ron Parker will continue as PD/Morning Man at KLDE.
I sure like what I hear at
night on KLDE. One might argue that Michael V. might be a little young
for an Oldies outlet, but his shtick and interaction with callers is
pretty entertaining. I must admit that when tuning into night time
radio, I used to be a KRBE and Atom Smasher addict. But I cannot even
tell you the name of the guy who replaced him when he moved to
afternoons. I am listening to Michael and getting a good laugh out of
it. I think everyone else is too.
According to their website,
KILT-FM raised over half a million dollars for St. Jude's Hospital. They
had a radiothon last week. It was well put together, quite moving,
often times depressing, but very uplifting when I tuned in. The country
music industry has been squarely behind this organization for years
now. This was KILT's first year to participate.
Since the spring book is on,
there is much in the way of major contesting, and most of it is pretty
unimaginative. Between national contests and insurance contests, it is
all pretty unbelievable or unachievable, and a waste of valuable air
time as far as I am concerned. I will not dignify it with any
more space than I already have.
E-Mail me! Let me
know what is going on at YOUR Houston radio station.
See you next month-
Hawk
April 7, 2004
So, I read yesterday that
KTRH in Houston picked up an "Overall Excellence" award this weekend at
the TAPB awards dinner. If they are the gold standard in which Texas
news stations are to model themselves after, our business is in more
trouble than some predict. KTRH has history, and there were many years
in which they earned the distinction of being a top flight, highly
regarded award winning news organization. Not now. Which is why this
award came as such a shock to me.
The fact that KTRH still
bills themselves as "NewsRadio" is laughable. With the arrival of Sean
Hannity in afternoon drive, Tom Martino in the middle of the day, Astros
baseball eating up airtime in the spring, and Coast to Coast AM at night
and overnight, I'm wondering just how much "news" they really cram in?
They do have a news block in
the morning, one in the middle of the day, and a few hours in the
afternoon, presumably to target those in their cars during peak times.
They even have Paul Harvey three times a day-sometimes. More than once
I have heard technical problems that render the broadcast inaudible, and
once I even heard the wrong days' report air.
While they are quick to
boast the only 24 hour news source in town, they are regularly scooped
by the news and sports departments at other radio stations. Especially
the BIG stories. Tropical Storm Allison, the capture of Saddam
Hussein, and the war in Afghanistan come to mind when KTRH was beaten
like a drum or asleep at the wheel. Sad case for the only "NewsRadio"
station in town. I will say that the reporters working the courthouse
beat for KTRH contribute more to the late breaking aspect of the station
than anything else.
Then there is the traffic.
As I understand it, the traffic service they use is in house. Meaning,
they probably have an opportunity to at least see the person who will be
anchoring traffic for that time slot, but they routinely introduce the
wrong anchors. Which is extremely funny when they introduce a female,
and a male begins the report, usually with no mention of the mistake. I
know most of us were taught never to recognize such errors on the air,
but in this case, not recognizing it may lead to some credibility
issues. Or, just make listeners laugh at you. A lot.
Maybe they just need a
window. No, make that two. A few weeks ago I was in the car a bit more
than normal, and wanting to be up on the weather, I tuned to KTRH. Two
days in a row I heard them introduce the meteorologist and begin some
light chitchat about the beautiful weather we were having. There was
only one problem; we weren't. One day I was rolling though the
blackest, nastiest daytime storm I had seen in a few years, and the next
day was so overcast and humid, that it looked like fog was setting in.
I guess if they had a window, they could have seen that.
KTRH is just sloppy that
way. Tuesday, I heard them do over four minutes of coverage about
opening day of baseball season. Reporters downtown at the parade,
reporters at the ball park, audio from fans, and a great cross promotion
of the game later that day. They gave the time, they reminded us that
we could only get it there, but made not one mention of who the Astros were
playing. It was the Giants. We lost 5-4. Preparation should be
paramount with the "NewsRadio" station. It just isn't there.
I also do not get the terms
that KTRH uses. Like "live" and "exclusive." If it is an exclusive,
shouldn't it only be on one radio station? While they boast the fact
that they are "the exclusive home for Astros baseball" many of the
preseason games were shoved off on their sister station KBME. I also
find it strange how they promote "traffic and LIVE weather, together."
Being in the industry, I know that what they are promoting is a live Q
and A with the Weather Channel anchor, as opposed to one that has been
prerecorded. But, why bring light to that? They never say "traffic and
TAPED weather together" do they? No.
I guess their continued
success just comes down to longevity. They've been here the longest,
doing the same thing at the same place on the dial. They have no
competition, so they are allowed to get lazy and complacent. That is a
shame. I know there are many hard working and talented people at KTRH.
J.P. Pritchard and Lana Hughes still sound great, Carmen Rodriguez will
be a network anchor someday, News Director Bryan Ericson sounds great in
an anchor chair. Although he does not occupy one that often, and Rob
Milford is a heavyweight reporter that they have needed for some time.
It is their daily ineptness
that overshadows most of the good work being done, and the sterile,
syndicated feel of a Clear Channel property is slowly creeping in to the
sound of KTRH.
So why not take them on?
Well, going up against a 50,000 watt giant such as KTRH would be quite a
challenge. I can only think of two groups with the resources to do it,
and I do not see either of them trying it. I also do not see KTRH being
swapped or sold. So KTRH wins. The listeners lose.
E-Mail me! Let me
know what is going on at YOUR Houston radio station.
March 3, 2004 It's been an interesting week for the country radio stations in Houston. Normally, this time of the year, they are knee deep in the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo, and nothing else. But before they could let the first bull out of the chute, a few things happened. Michael Cruise parted ways with Cox owned KKBQ, and KILT's APD/MD Steve Giuttari left the Infinity property after less than a year to take the OM job at Clear Channel's KBQI in Albuquerque.
I know it has been a while
since we really looked into the country scene in Houston radio, so let
me get you up to date.
KILT 100.3 continues to be
the dominant country station in town. They have maintained their solid
lineup of talent around the clock. As of late, they have managed to
reposition themselves in the music department. Boasting "100 Minutes of
Commercial Free Music" which airs around 9:30, 2pm and 7pm, they have
started to drive a music quantity issue home that has not been heard
since KILT's 12 share, 12 in-a-row days. We have read much about
Infinity properties trying to cut back spot loads. KILT needs to do
that. KILT still has a heavy commitment to news. Jim Carola and R.B.
McEntire are still there, sounding as good as they ever had. I still
prefer KILT's blend of tunes. Playing the best of today and yesterday
proves to be the taste of most Houstonians.
KKBQ 92.9 continues to count
KILT's commercials on the air. "Last hour, KILT played 18 :30 and :60
second commercials, and the new 93Q played only 8...52 minutes of Q
Country every hour, we're the new 93Q." Calling the KILT baby ugly has
been the main focus of the KKBQ campaign for several years now. KKBQ
does play far less commercials, but brings nothing else to the table. I
thought that might just be due to the programming inadequacies of
Michael Cruise, but after listening to other Cox owned country stations,
that just seems to be the way they do things. Sorry, Michael.
Musically, KKBQ continues to be the more current sounding country
station, never reaching too far back in the oldie bin. I will say this,
when you turn on KKBQ, you will hear a hit country song. And a good
thing too, because KKBQ does not really offer anything to write home
about in the personality department. But again, this may be by design.
KTHT 97.1 was the come from
behind, David -vs- Goliath kind of radio fight last year. For a
fleeting moment, Country Legends 97.1 was THE station that everyone was
talking about, and listening to. It did have a shining moment in the
sun defeating KILT for one book with their country oldies format. But,
it did not last long. However, they have not settled back into
oblivion. Matter of fact, they maintain a number two position,
12+ among country listeners in Houston (that was a tie with sister
KKBQ) and with a rimshot signal, and no live personalities past 10am,
they do deserve some kudos. They also decided to get in on the music
quantity game by counter programming KILT's 100 minute music sweep in
morning drive with a two hour block of commercial free tunes that begin
at 8:30. Will it make much of a difference? Who knows. It is clear to
me that any substantial growth is not in the plans for KTHT.
Let's take a look at who is
behind the microphones:
KKBQ
---------
5a-10a Johnnie Ray, Christie
Brooks, Tom Bigbee "The Q Morning Zoo"
10a-3p Rick Lovett
3p-7p Cactus Jack
7p-12m Lia (Syndicated from
JRN-Seattle)
12a-5a Jenny Law
KILT
-------
5a-10a Hudson and Harrigan,
with R.B. McEntire, T.J. Calahan, and Marc Vandameer
10a-3p Dan Gallo
3p-7p Rowdy Yates, Jim
Carola and Laura Reynolds
7p-12m Tom Fontaine
12a-5a Bruce Williamson
KTHT
-------
5a-10a Tubby
10a-5a Automation
I did mention earlier that
it is Rodeo time here in Houston. Both KKBQ and KILT are on the scene,
as an expected 4+ million feet will pound the pavement around Reliant
Stadium. KILT's Rowdy Yates and Tom Fontaine will do their shows from
Budweiser Plaza this year, and KKBQ's Cactus Jack is live from Reliant
Center. In addition to rodeo action and exhibits, a carnival, and
everything bad for you to eat and drink, there will be a total of 29
stars performing. George Strait is there tonight. Trends are out at
1:30 today.
E-Mail me! Let me
know what is going on at YOUR Houston radio station.
|
|
January 27, 2004
I would like to think that when
alternative music really hit, while I did not really get it, I was able to
identify those who did. The people that listened to alternative music
were not the most popular, nor the most handsome or pretty, they probably
possessed more intellect than Top 40 listeners like myself, and they looked
a little different. They had strange haircuts, wore strange clothes,
actually danced to their favorite music, and hung out with like minded
people. They possessed a broad knowledge of the music they enjoyed,
and went to great lengths to get it. Others who were into alternative
music could be perceived at "too cool for the room," or rebels who
did not follow the "in crowd." So, when a radio station
signed on the air playing what most of my friends thought was weird music,
the kids that were into the Punk, New Wave or Alternative scene were in hog
heaven. Now, let's fast forward 20 years.
KTBZ-The Buzz/94.5 is billed as
"Houston's New Music Alternative," and at one time, had a few
jocks that had the sound that zeroed in on what I have just described.
They did well. In the "rock wall" of Clear Channel stations,
which includes heritage rocker KLOL, and classic rock KKRW, you would think
that a more modern approach to rock music would fit like a glove. The
dialogue was different, the music certainly was, and according to Arbitron
figures I have seen, their 12+ numbers were higher than any of the other
rock formatted stations in their Houston cluster. So, what do you do?
Blow it up! Fire the morning team, the midday girl, the afternoon guy,
and bring in a few fresh faces to reinvigorate the sound.
Let me share with you a bit of
what I have heard. Many references to marijuana smoking, masturbation,
passing gas while receiving oral sex, awaiting the size of your penis
to magically grow because "everything is bigger in Texas,"
and that was just in the first full week of their new staff. I will
say of the new jocks, the morning guy is probably the least abrasive.
He hits all the basic stuff, and is working his tail off to bring in some
quality guests, but other than that, I do not hear much imagination, prior
planning or preparation on the part of any of the personalities.
Will this recent transfusion
help the radio station? Or, did management jump the gun on a
wobble in one single Arbitron? Non radio readers have to
understand that ratings do not come out overnight. It takes about a
month and a half to process all the data. So, from a point of action
to reaction takes a few weeks. With that being said, The Buzz had seen audience
gains in the final phase of the most recent Arbitron, and went up 2/10ths of
a point in the book. So, in essence they bounced back. Only
problem is, during that few weeks waiting period, they launched almost
an entire staff. Way to go.
Not all things stink at Clear
Channel Houston. I think that KHMX sounds great! "Mix
96.5" has made a few tweaks, got a new jingle package, adjusted their
playlist, and I think will do very well in 2004. Their new morning
show "Roula and Ryan" has really come together, and will probably
begin to impact the stronghold with women that Sam Malone and KRBE have had
forever. Speaking of morning shows, not enough credit is given to
morning guy Raul Brindis and Peppito at KLTN/Esterio Latino 102.9.
He's pulling double digits in Houston at a time when ratings compression has
had a mostly negative impact on every morning show, and every station for
that matter. Congrats!
Finally, Weaver Morrow, the
longtime morning guy at KODA/ "Sunny 99.1" has surfaced. He
says he's ready to go back to work. I know he would love to hear from
old friends, fans and employers. You can e-mail him at wmorrow@houston.rr.com.
You can e-mail me too, at
hawk@houstonhawk.com
|