Did Impact make the right call?
Don Day | August 4, 2008Interesting results so far on our Impact Radio polls from last week. It’s a 50/50 tie on wether KTMB/99.1 The Man should have been given more time to find his sea legs. But folks aren’t so split on the idea of another Spanish-language station, with 65% saying it won’t work.
Right now, the Treasure Valley is loaded with Spanish stations: Bustos Media has two and KWEI has two. While Hispanics are clearly a growing force – will five stations (four FM) be too much for a population base that is still relatively small?
If Spanish isn’t the right direction (for 100.7 FM), what would you do?
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None of the above…Try an FM stereo Talk station. Target towards adults with an emphasis on LOCALITY. People in this valley are craving local news. The “local” paper is at deaths doorstep thanks to the fact they are totally out of touch with what is local.
We don’t need more clones of what we already have on the AM bands or on the BSU side either. It will work if done correctly and given the time to play out…which means Impact or whatever they are currently calling themselves this week -wont be the group to give it a whirl.
Has anyone out there noticed that The Man was one of the few totally new attempts at a inovative format? Not that I liked the way it was done. I did not. It needed quite a bit of tweeking to be successful in this market, BUT the opportunity for novelty was there, uniqueness and cutting edge formatics was at least being attempted.
PLEASE, if you are going to program a station, give us listeners some hope, give us something different from the same old tired and blue menu of “stuff” we have to endure year after year…after year….THINK OUTSIDE THE CAGE!
(I didn’t include FM Talk simply because that’s what was swept away just now – but you make some solid points)
It would be expensive, but I would agree with RadioActive. A news/talk station with local hosts talking about local issues. One format that works well is on KIRO, Seattle (http://www.mynorthwest.com/?nid=134). I think with some clear commitment on the part of a station owner, it could build an audience and become profitable. It would certainly be a change of direction in our cut and slash business environment.
It’s interesting that modern rock is receiving so many votes, at least initially. In the Treasure Valley, KQXR 100.3 is holding down the fort pretty good. In the Magic Valley, KIRQ 102.1, and KSKI 103.7 pretty much have it covered. Looking at rock ratings here recently, could there really be room in this area for another modern rock station? I personally doubt it. If another alt/modern rock station went on-air, it’s possible someone would get forced out of the market. So, I suppose the question is: Are listeners really that unhappy with what the existing stations are delivering?
Without decent outside promotion (and plenty of it!) no station is going to do well. I don’t believe you can expect people to tune around and just find a station, tell their friends about it and expect it to grow to any depth.
In regards to a format for the valley, my first choice would be to go with a country/southern rock type sound…somewhat like what J-105 does on the rock side. GOOD modern country, not just the hit singles either…and a GOOD mix of southern style rock/country. I know, sounds a bit bizare…but listeners don’t necessarily think within “format” boundries! Perhaps if KQFC doesn’t fare so well in the Spring book…they could roll with that when they switch to the new frequency…yah I know, not going to happen.
This sucks we finaly got a sports talk radio in twin falls and boom gone! should have been more sports and less crap like tom likus or what ever his name is but was a good attempt and was nice to have!!!
One of my concerns about network TV is that when the reality TV fad began it was a format that seemed to work. Therefore, everyone jumped on the bandwagon and flooded the networks with all sorts of crazy reality formats. Radio is guilty of flooding stations with talk radio and other workable formats. Why? Because it sells. There is nothing wrong with that. Capitalism is alive and well.
However, I would like the Boise market to say we have plenty of proven format stations in the market. Let’s try something fresh that will appeal to the conservative sensibilities of the area. Local talk could be the answer if it maintained a community minded approach as it’s original mission and did not budge from that position whatsoever.
It’s all about being the best in your format. Piolin is one of the most dynamic personalities in radio today and is winning everywhere. With great coverage of Hispanics, 100.7 is poised to be successful with one of the most listened to morning shows in America as the anchor.
I know it may be hard because most of the people who read this site cannot listen to it. KTMB was definitely unique, it never resonated with the listener or advertiser.
KTMB was a lost cause, before it even hit the air.
With Piolin, 100.7 has the chance to succeed in Boise, as well as Twin Falls. The Magic Valley has been in need of Regional Mexican on FM, and 100.7 will fill that void.
100.7 has a signal that reaches both metros and you are right Xpert – it will have a chance to succeed with Piolin. He’s much more viable than Carolla or Leykis to bring big shares.
Bring back the boys, Iam talking Adam, Mike, Dan, and especially TOM LEYKIS !!! Idaho finally had a radio program that was entertaining for all, then you replace it with oldies, BAD CALL. Leykis has a good message for our youth, they need to listen, maybe if they did the Magic Valley wouldn’t be the single mom capital of the world.
None, just dead air.
Looks like Impact made the right decision to pull the plug on “The Man” since it didn’t even show up in the ratings.
You should have put another option for, “OTHER.” Seeing how I have pitched ideas to certain stations, and I get no response but months later, I see that they have taken some of the ideas and made it their own. I won’t go into details about what I would do. I am still trying to get something together of my own that I know would work here in the Valley. In the meantime, I guess we all have to settle for what we have.
You know, 100.7 has gone Spanish several weeks ago now, but I still can’t help but wonder how successful it will be. I think, especially in the treasure valley, Spanish radio is going to go through some tough times. All radio formats will. Our economy is in the toilet, and the unemployment rate is rising- snowballing, even. Several mortgage lenders are depending on Federal assistance including Wamu, as of yesterday. Construction is all but halted.
Many of the hispanic laborers in this area were depending on construction jobs to pay their house payments, car payments, and to feed their families. Many were making incredibly good money.
Those jobs are now gone. Sure, many hispanics will still be empoyed in maintenance, manufacturing and agriculture jobs, but agriculture is going out of season about now, and manufacturing is minimal in this area. That is forcing unemployed hispanics to compete in a very tight job market for relatively low paying jobs.
Americans born and raised here have nowhere to go. They will be forced to stay and face this economy. Many hispanics still have a home and family down in Mexico. I wonder how many, who are unemployed, will opt to stay here when the bill collectors come a’ knockin’.
The effects of this market are now being felt throughout radio, but I just wonder if the effects will be more devastating for Spanish radio? Will this market even be able to support the Spanish stations it already has?