Will The Virus infect the X?
Don @ IdahoRadioNews | September 5, 2009Earlier this week, more than 100 Idaho Radio News voters weighed in on the relaunch of KQLZ. In one poll, we asked what format everyone though WOULD launch – and country was the overwhelming answer.
Then for some reason we also asked what format you actually wanted to hear – and modern rock took the day. So I guess everyone gets some satisfaction.
After about three hours of “99.1 The Bronco,” Impact segued to The Virus – which surprised many, but in hindsight the group has a pattern of doing this… so maybe it should not have.
Let’s look at the potential impact of the move. The first and most obvious station in the cross-hairs is KQXR/100.3 The X – which is just up the dial and has similar (for now) call letters to The Virus. KQLZ is making noise about bringing alternative music “back” to the Treasure Valley. I could try and formulate a long in-depth look at the music – but KQLZ’s mix seems to be a bit less hard core. I’ll let you listen and decide for yourself beyond that.
The X has never really seen a serious threat – and with nearly 15 years playing some form of new rock, is the heritage player.
Impact also appears to be using The Virus to put pressure on other competitors to boost its other properties. While KQLZ has no overlap with KWYD/Wild 101 – it has quite a bit of overlap with KSAS/103.3 Kiss FM and KZMG/Magic 93.1. If The Virus can take even a small portion of audience from these stations, it could help increase Wild’s lead over the other pop stations.
The Virus also could take some listeners from KJOT and KKGL/96.9 The Eagle – and that might give KSRV/96.1 Bob FM better positioning among rock stations.
Will this work? Time will tell. The 99.1 frequency has been very unstable over the past decade and has seen very little success. The best number I have for 99.1 is fall 1998, when The Music Monster scored a 3.8 12+ rating, before quickly falling back to a 1.9. The frequency has not broken the 2.0 barrier since then.
The X has seen a general downward trend, with the days of 7.0+ ratings long gone. However, the latest series of moves on the station have moved the needle from a low of 3.1 back to a respectable 4.6 this spring.
I don’t really think the X has wanted to be alternative for a while. I think it may have much less impact (no pun intended) on them than a few other stations, like magic and kiss. It’s more about the type of listener than it is the type of music.
Also, I have been listening all day, driving all over boise and to meridian and I had not one problem with the signal, where is it people are having problems?
I live in Meridian, and my signal does fade somewhat depending on where I go, but I do not lose the station completely, unless I’m driving my old Maverick, but that car has a weak antenna or something anyway, since it has trouble pulling in The X and J105. My home stereo gets the station fine as well.
The X is Mainstream ROCK from the last 20 years…with a little heavy edge of Today’s Rock.
They lack proper presentation of the product. Plain and Simple.
Had a few issues on Glendale otherwise……
Driving northwest past Eagle, the station gets weak. I live in Meridian, and with a portable walkman stereo, the signal fades in and out, but only for brief seconds (where as the other Boise stations come in crystal clear). The signal has slight fuzz when driving around downtown Boise, but will never fade out when in the car. And, my clock radio at home picks up the station clear as day.
So, if you are into radio stations with CD quality sound, stick with J105 or The X. If you don’t mind hearing a station with dulled treble (resulting from loss of the stereo signal), then 99.1 will serve you well.
Well… The 60 dBu contour only reaches to the middle of Meridian from it’s mountain top location on Bennett:
http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/FMTV-service-area?x=FM256506.html
Expecting to maintain pilot lock any further west or in any area where the eastern Boise ridge line (i.e. Table Rock east) gets between Bennett and the listener is kind of a crap shoot…
What happened to the X there between Fall 03 and Spring 04?