What stations should do to get it right

[CAwasinNJ]

This is a followup to David's link to the Ross on Radioinsight article. Those stations get it right. What should stations do so they CAN get it right?

I'll start by telling you about two stations I think got it right even though both are long gone. First was the first version of 105.7 The River. They had a wide variety of classics without being too hard. Second was Utah's 104-7. Terrible name, good station, nice wide variety of music. (Sensing a pattern?) I'd really love to see someone try a REALLY wide playlist like the prototype Jack online stream. The idea would be that any song that was a hit from any time in the last 65 years could be in the playlist. The likelihood of anyone in corporate radio trying that is very slim, but wouldn't it be wild?

[David]

As far as musical variety like the kind you've described, I don't think it gets any better than KWLO 1580, "Utah's Goat". I listen online because I can't receive the broadcast signal in Ogden, but where else in the Salt Lake/Ogden/Provo area are you going to hear Johnny Horton, Eric Clapton, Bobby Hebb, Nancy Sinatra, and Thin Lizzy in the same music set? My only wish is that Frank could LMA KDYL and re-broadcast KWLO on 1060 so I could hear it over the air in Ogden, but it sounds like he's got his hands full working on getting KSRR and KQMB resurrected.

[oldiesfunhouse]

I can't wait to hear what Frank does with KSRR and KQMB.  I'll be listening on the internet as well.  This might be bordering on sacrilege in this group so I apologize in advance for what I'm about to say. I probably do about 90% of my listening with the internet, using my iPhone mostly as a portable and my Alexa speaker at home.  In fact, when KDYL switched from real oldies to China Radio, I didn't know it for a wile because they kept the real oldies format on their internet stream.  A buddy of mine actualy told me and I had to hunt down one of my radios to hear that the over the air broadcast was different than the stream. I'm going to be in the market soon, though, for a little portable digital AM FM radio.  Not HD, but just a little pocket portable AM/FM with a digital tuner.  I'm going to a Jazz game in April and will want to listen to the game broadcast in the arena.  That wouldn't work on my phone because of the delay inherent to streaming audio.  I had a little AM/FM/cassette Walkman type radio but it got to the point where you have to push the buttons down so hard to get them to work that it's no fun to use anymore.  It sure had nice AM sound.  I think it was an Aiwa.  I hope I can find another one with good AM.  Although, there's getting to be less and less of a need for it as the Jazz's main signal is on FM.  The Utes are still on AM only.  Well, other than that 92.1 transmitter, but I've never gotten a good signal from that anywhere I've been.  I wouldn't have even known about it if it hadn't been for you guys.  Well, as per usual, I've wandered off topic so I'll sign off.

[fmdj1]

Thank you both! I hope we get it right, at least sometimes. It's still a work in progress, but as I told a potential advertiser the other day, we're kind of like the Jack of the oldies format. I would love to get it on KDYL but this radio business sure is getting expensive Ah, someday maybe... I will have some news about KQMB very soon as we're finally getting that done. Once it's on, I'd love to hear feedback on adjustments on that format to get it right too. KSRR is a different story. I'm not sure what I've done to anger the heavens, but trying to get that station back on has become a nightmare. Still, I think it will be worth it in the long run as it will have a format that I think will be especially important for serving the local community in a way other stations can't or won't. (Sorry to be vague, but I can't put too much out in public yet)

[David]

It's really tough to find suitable land for an AM tower at a reasonable price these days, especially in Utah where real estate prices are skyrocketing. Hardly a month goes by that I don't read about an AM station selling its tower site land and diplexing off of another station's tower because land is so expensive, especially in the larger radio markets. I don't know if it would be possible to diplex KSRR from another AM tower, but that might be one solution that wouldn't break the bank. In the meantime, I'll keep listening to Utah's Goat online. Best of luck to you, Frank!

[CAwasinNJ]

OFH, I think looking at the topic in a broad sense you've touched on some doing-it-right areas that I hadn't considered. I don't think either 97.5 or 1280 run HD, is that right? For fans in the seats some arenas take a feed directly from the board in the broadcast booth and relay it on a part 15 transmitter. I don't know if the Jazz do that but that could be considered getting it right, especially if there's an HD signal involved.

Frank, you touched on something I was wondering about as I was listening to The Goat the other day. In both the on air spots and on the website the only way I've seen to get information on advertising is to call or leave a message on the site. What about posting your media kit online? I was in advertising for a while so I know how valuable a lead's details are, but the less friction there is the more likely someone will do it. A potential advertiser might not want to leave their details up front for fear of sales calls but still might be interested in the information. Downloading it would let them see what's happening and then follow up with you if it meets their needs. Having options is getting it right in my opinion.

[oldiesfunhouse]

97.5 nor 1280 run on HD.  Thank goodness.  As a blind person, trying to listen to a game when you're at it with a delay is annoying.  My friends and I went to a Jazz game a couple of years ago and they had forgotten to turn off the delay.  I couldn't get an answer when calling their studio line but my mor social media savvy friends tweeted to several of them explaining the situation, and the delay was turned off a few minutes later so that was cool.  KALL makes sure their delay is off during Ute games as well most of the time.  I've never been to a BYU game.  I imagine Cougar fans are kind of out of luck with both of KSL's frequencies running HD unless they have in arena and in stadium feeds. The Jazz don't have an in arena feed but 97.5 actually comes in quite well in the arena.  Or it did.  I haven't been to a game since they remodeled it.  I'll let you guys know in April how it is now.

[David]

KSL-AM turns off their HD during BYU games because of the delay, but I'm not sure if they do the same on 102.7. In fact, 1160 has had their HD turned off on Sunday nights two weeks in a row now, and I'm not sure why.

[CAwasinNJ]

I would doubt 102.7 ever turns off the HD because that would also terminate the subchannels. Isn't the Latter Day Saints Channel still on HD2?

[oldiesfunhouse]

Yes, 102.7 HD2 is still the Mormon Channel.