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Post by David on Apr 17, 2017 20:43:58 GMT -7
I'm not sure if the audio feeds for KTKK and KBJA have gotten crossed somehow, but for some reason KBJA 1640 is simulcasting KTKK 630 tonight instead of airing KBJA's usual Spanish language programming. The only recent info I could find on KBJA or KTKK at the FCC's database is a letter dated April 12, 2017 from the FCC to KTKK concerning the station's application to change its community of license from Sandy to Kearns. The letter concerns registration numbers for three radio towers at the Kearns site and can be viewed here: licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/getimportletter_exh.cgi?import_letter_id=73358Any thoughts on this? It might be just a fluke, but I'm wondering if United Broadcasting is planning on taking the 630 frequency silent and moving KTKK's programming to KBJA on 1640. |
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Post by CAwasinNJ on Apr 18, 2017 2:08:52 GMT -7
I believe that KBJA was being leased to the programmer. Is it possible that's the mystery potential buyer for KEGH?
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Post by David on Apr 18, 2017 12:43:51 GMT -7
I believe that KBJA was being leased to the programmer. Is it possible that's the mystery potential buyer for KEGH? I think it's a distinct possibility. KBJA is still simulcasting KTKK as of this writing, and both stations are ID'ing as KTKK 630 AM. Either KTKK's request to change their community of license has something to do with the simulcast, or the audio feeds got crossed and no one's aware of it. I still don't understand how United Broadcasting has managed to keep both KTKK and X band KBJA on the air for so many years. Don't the FCC rules for expanded band AM stations state that the non-X band station has to be shut down within a few years after the expanded band AM station signs on? I think 1640 is actually a better frequency at night for KTKK since there's much less interference than on 630. After sunset 630 kHz is a jumble of KTKK and at least two or three other stations within propagation distance of the Salt Lake metro. |
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Post by CAwasinNJ on Apr 19, 2017 21:30:32 GMT -7
The rules about not keeping both an old band and an X-band station went out the window ages ago, so that's not a concern anymore.
You're right about 1640 being a better signal. Reducing interference on the old 540-1600 band was the whole point of X-band. Of course we have to remember that KTKK hasn't been running from a licensed site for forever, so whether it would have a better signal if everything was as we'd like it to be is unknown. I don't remember that far back about what their night signal was like. Come to think of it, that could be another explanation. Maybe United decided to throw in the towel and just move K-Talk to 1640 and give up on the 630 signal since 1640 is better anyway and virtually everyone has an X-band capable radio now.
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Post by David on Apr 22, 2017 8:58:03 GMT -7
The Spanish news/talk format of KBJA is officially history on 1640 AM. I just heard a promo spot on KTKK announcing the station's "official" move from 630 to 1640 kHz on May 1st. The promo mentioned that KTKK would be powering up "from 1,000 watts to a mind-bending 10,000 watts" and reminded listeners to "reset the preset" for KTKK. Based on the promo spot, I think it's safe to assume that 630 AM will be silent within a week or so unless United Broadcasting plans on selling the license for that frequency.
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Post by CAwasinNJ on Apr 23, 2017 3:33:27 GMT -7
I guess the next question is whether this would make any difference in the ratings. KTKK hardly shows in the ratings. Will they do a promotion blitz? They should.
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Post by David on Apr 23, 2017 6:36:50 GMT -7
Being on a frequency which allows for higher power might help a bit in the ratings. Even the nighttime power for KTKK on 1640 is double what they're allowed after sunset on 630, and as noted previously there's much less interference in the X band portion of AM. The station's new "KTKK 1640" logo and notes about the frequency change are prominently featured on KTKK's Facebook page, which in addition to the promo spots they're presently running is probably the best way to notify their loyal listeners of the switch. As for promotion in other forms of media, I couldn't really tell you. I haven't looked at a newspaper in years, and the last time I had my TV on was over a month ago. As you may have already guessed, I'm more oriented towards radio than any other form of media.  However, I wouldn't be surprised to see some ads on UTA buses or locally produced spots inserted on the local cable TV systems. It will be interesting to see if the former KBJA programming shows up on KEGH. As of this writing 107.1 is still broadcasting a dead carrier, which I assume is to keep the station "on the air" until the FCC gives approval for the station to go silent. |
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Post by CAwasinNJ on Apr 24, 2017 3:59:10 GMT -7
Stations don't need approval to go silent as far as I know.
Letting existing KTKK listeners know about the change is fine, but what they really need to do is to get NEW listeners. That's where promotion outside of where their existing listener base is key. Whether that actually works is a different matter. I've never been personally impressed with what I've heard there when I've tuned in, but that was quite a while ago.
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Post by David on Apr 24, 2017 16:04:27 GMT -7
What I meant to say was that if a station plans on remaining silent for more than 30 days, they are required to notify the FCC with an STA (Special Temporary Authority) application. KEGH's STA request to remain silent while negotiating the sale of the station still hasn't been granted by the FCC, and I know that 107.1 has been broadcasting a dead carrier for well over 30 days now.
I think KTKK has always more or less relied on word of mouth for advertising. I've lived in Utah for 30 years, and I don't recall ever seeing or hearing any ads for KTKK beyond its own self-promotions. The station has never really been a factor in the ratings, so I suspect their advertising budget is peanuts compared to other stations in Salt Lake. They were at Preppercon this past Friday, but the only reason I know that is because it was mentioned on their Facebook page. I'm not really sure their management cares about making more money than what's required to pay the bills.
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Post by CAwasinNJ on May 1, 2017 2:25:51 GMT -7
I think they might have jumped the gun a little bit. 630 was on the air Saturday but off on Sunday. Not even a loop pointing people to 1640? Maybe they'll do that Monday.
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Post by David on May 1, 2017 18:12:34 GMT -7
I think they might have jumped the gun a little bit. 630 was on the air Saturday but off on Sunday. Not even a loop pointing people to 1640? Maybe they'll do that Monday.
Nothing heard on 630 today, so I think it's gone for good. KTKK still hasn't updated the logos on their main page to reflect the frequency switch: they'd better get on the stick or they'll lose the few listeners they have: 
ktalkmedia.com/ktalk-radio/ |
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Post by David on May 5, 2017 16:37:50 GMT -7
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Post by CAwasinNJ on May 9, 2017 2:10:48 GMT -7
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Post by David on May 9, 2017 12:14:37 GMT -7
I doubt it, unless the FCC is willing to return the license for 630 (which has supposedly been surrendered) to United Broadcasting. A poster on the Utah Radio Chat group on Facebook said that KTKK moved to 1640 because the tower which belongs to KLLB that K-talk has been diplexing off of is slated for demolition soon, and KTKK only had a few weeks notice of the impending demolition. The area where the KLLB/KTKK tower is currently located will be the new home of yet another housing development; and from what I understand, KLLB has already applied to the FCC to move their tower to Mapleton. The current location of the tower is at the end of a stub street near an existing housing development in West Jordan, so I tend to believe the post on the other Utah radio discussion group but I can't verify it for certain. My guess is that United figured it was too much hassle to try and sell the license for 630 because of the number of AM stations that have lost their tower sites to development recently, and because they already had plans to move KTKK to 1640. They are still ID'ing with Sandy as the city of license, albeit with the KBJA call letters instead of KTKK. |
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Post by CAwasinNJ on May 10, 2017 0:27:45 GMT -7
There are no applications currently showing on file for KLLB. If anything does show up it will be easy enough to find out when it was filed.
1640 does also have a COL of Sandy, so that ID is absolutely correct. I'm not sure if they've filed to move the KTKK callsign to 1640 but they'd better before 630 gets deleted (assuming that's what's happening.) It really doesn't make a lot of sense that the callsign request wasn't put in already, but a lot of this isn't making a lot of sense to me.
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However, I wouldn't be surprised to see some ads on UTA buses or locally produced spots inserted on the local cable TV systems.
