Local Radio

[Tydude]

Not Surprised that The Sports Animal once again beat The Franchise in Ratings.

[5alive]

??

[Bunty]

I won't be surprised if FM stations eventually shut down and broadcast entirely from the Internet. The electricity bill to power a 100,000 watt station is surely more than the Internet service bill. The only thing keeping it from happening for now is that it costs listeners to get their music and talk from the Internet.

[scottk]

I won't be surprised if FM stations eventually shut down and broadcast entirely from the Internet. The electricity bill to power a 100,000 watt station is surely more than the Internet service bill. The only thing keeping it from happening for now is that it costs listeners to get their music and talk from the Internet.

I think the royalties for radio stations to stream music are comparable? While FM performance royalties currently are still low compared to the audience potential in a given market.

Additionally, there is still a huge in-car audience that does not have a smart dash or data plan to stream. Additionally, many larger companies block streaming sites to reduce overall bandwidth usage. While FM radio may seem dated, it still impacts a large population, much like OTA TV making a strong comeback with younger audiences who are "cord-nevers"

[baralheia]

I'm a millennial and I stream Z104.5 The Edge out of Tulsa for their excellent alternative playlist fairly often, as well as 95 WIIL ROCK out of Union Grove IL (roughly halfway between Chicago and Milwaukee) for their active rock playlist as well as the Tom and Emily morning show. I do still listen to FM radio in the car, but for my preferred genres of music we don't have a lot of good local options. 92.9 The Edge is fairly decent for modern alternative, but if I'm in more of an active rock kind of mood I'm rarely satisfied with 100.5 The KATT or 94.7 The Brew... I'll stream 97.5 KMOD out of Tulsa before putting up with those two. I still sorely miss 94.7 The Buzz. And we have zero options for EDM (trance/progressive) that I'm aware of, so that's all podcasts or streaming for me too.

I often find terrestrial radio less hassle than streaming and would honestly listen to FM radio more if our stations were more to my liking.

[Edmond Hausfrau]

97.7 The City is nice for easy listening. KOSU has the Spy and while it's not my bag, at least it's local and not Top 40.

[Edmond Hausfrau]

I really miss the old smooth jazz station that had the late night programming. "Lights Out", was a female DJ. I forget the station call letters, but her voice was like a tonic.

[baralheia]

I really miss the old smooth jazz station that had the late night programming. "Lights Out", was a female DJ. I forget the station call letters, but her voice was like a tonic.

I think that was 97.9 KTNT-FM. That was a really nice station, my Dad used to listen to them all the time and was supremely confused and disappointed when they flipped to Wild 97.9 (Rhythmic CHR).

[bchris02]

https://www.cnbc.com/2019/08/09/woul...-fm-radio.html

You are already seeing this start. FM talk stations are becoming more and more common and the music formats are increasingly appealing primarily to older audiences.

Is saving FM radio even possible? I still think FM has an "ease of use" advantage, it's always available, and isn't going to drain your data plan, but when you consider the commercials and the fact that the government requires explicit language be censored, it's easy to understand why streaming and satellite services are replacing FM radio.

[Edmond Hausfrau]

I don't know if 104.1 Christmas programming is done locally or from a national HQ, but they should really consider some new holiday songs. KEXP and KBC in Seattle are killing it when it comes to fun Christmas songs. OKC has enough diverse music lovers to stop the Mariah Carey auto-play.

[scottk]

I don't know if 104.1 Christmas programming is done locally or from a national HQ, but they should really consider some new holiday songs. KEXP and KBC in Seattle are killing it when it comes to fun Christmas songs. OKC has enough diverse music lovers to stop the Mariah Carey auto-play.

KMGL is programmed and owned locally by Tyler Media.

Four large groups/owners basically control the majority of the OKC Radio Market. iHeart, Cumulus, Tyler, and Perry Broadcasting. Two are national groups, two are locally owned.

As for KMGL and their Christmas playlist, it's pretty generic, but it gets played in area retail stores and fits into most 15 minute commutes. If you do listen to it continuously, there can be a high "burn-out" rate on the same music being played hour after hour. Other than a few new songs this year, the playlist probably is the same year after year because it has worked for them....and it's easy.

Since only 4 major owners in OKC Radio, there is little desire to compete when most formats have their defined audiences with maybe only one competitor in a similar format. (KJ vs Wild, Animal vs Franchise, Magic vs Kiss, Twister vs Jake, KXY vs Hank, KOMA vs Alice, KTOK vs KOKC, etc)

If you listen to OKC radio from 2004 and now in 2019, stations sound literally the same. Almost identical talent using the same jokes/bits, and even some stations still use the same jingles and voice over people.

Larger radio markets like Seattle with probably a longer commute time, and potentially more owners in the market can risk being more innovative with creative playlist and live personalities. They also probably have to invest more money in their sound and talent to gain market share.

Mid-Market radio, like OKC, is mostly pre-recorded by local talent or voiced generically by someone out of market.

Talk radio taking over on FM in other markets is done because of sound quality vs AM and its engaging radio compared to music. Live personalities having conversation over numerous topics from political to local issues. The same reason people love listening to podcast. If you want music, there are many other ways to get a continuous playlist with little to no interruptions.

[thunderbird]

I've been a diehard NPR person since about 2004, I recently and accidentally started listening to the KATT morning show and it's really good if you're not in the mood to think. The commercials are pretty bad but the guys and gal running the show are good.

[bchris02]

94.7 KQSR set the standard for me for Christmas music back in the day. It does seem like KMGL over the past several years doesn't have quite the variety in its playlist.

More and more though that's how terrestrial radio is becoming. Tighter playlists and more syndication across markets.

[theparkman81]

Looks like IHeart went in yesterday and cleaned house at the radio stations, gone are:

Frito from KJ103
Kathi Yeager from the Twister
Tom Travis, Bill Reed and Shawn Carey from KXY
Don't know if anybody from 94.7 the brew got the ax, I think it's mostly voicetrack except for JRod.

[scottk]

Looks like IHeart went in yesterday and cleaned house at the radio stations, gone are:

Frito from KJ103
Kathi Yeager from the Twister
Tom Travis, Bill Reed and Shawn Carey from KXY
Don't know if anybody from 94.7 the brew got the ax, I think it's mostly voicetrack except for JRod.

This is disappointing. Whether you listened to these particular personalities or not, they spent years (some decades) of their lives entertaining, informing, and most importantly being local in Oklahoma City. From toy drives, blood drives, Children's Miracle Network telethons, tornado relief fundraisers, these individuals cared about Oklahoma City and worked hard every day to impact lives in the metro.

Unfortunately, as Bill Reed from KXY put it, they were a "a victim of budget cuts." This was a nation wide impact and many medium size markets like Oklahoma City lost a lot of local air staff to usher in automation. Hopefully, the local owners of stations try to get some of these talented individuals to keep radio local.

[bchris02]

Looks like IHeart went in yesterday and cleaned house at the radio stations, gone are:

Frito from KJ103
Kathi Yeager from the Twister
Tom Travis, Bill Reed and Shawn Carey from KXY
Don't know if anybody from 94.7 the brew got the ax, I think it's mostly voicetrack except for JRod.

iHeartMedia is slowly moving all of their stations to nationally-syndicated feeds. It wouldn't surprise me to if KJ103 becomes a simulcast of 102.7 KISS FM in Los Angeles. iHeartMedia has already taken most control away from the local stations anyways.

These days, it seems like radio isn't even trying to compete with streaming services. It's a shame because FM radio is and always will be more accessible. You can just turn it on and it works; no worries about data usage or dealing with buggy phone apps.

[TheTravellers]

https://www.thelostogle.com/2020/01/...ed-by-layoffs/

[Pete]

^

It's all about advertising revenues. Virtually the only source of income for radio.

And like newspapers, radio advertisers are moving in droves to digital platforms.

[PaddyShack]

^

It's all about advertising revenues. Virtually the only source of income for radio.

And like newspapers, radio advertisers are moving in droves to digital platforms.

I wish they wouldn't... I really hate having to listen or watch commercials on digital platforms that I pay for, i.e. YouTube TV. When we first got it the commercials were whatever were playing on the TV channel, now I see that more and more commercials are YouTube ads that are non-skippable... But I guess it was inevitable really.

[bchris02]

^

It's all about advertising revenues. Virtually the only source of income for radio.

And like newspapers, radio advertisers are moving in droves to digital platforms.

How much longer are they are going to keep getting advertisers if they are selling a product that nobody wants? Eventually that advertising revenue is going to dry up.

[Bunty]

How much longer are they are going to keep getting advertisers if they are selling a product that nobody wants? Eventually that advertising revenue is going to dry up.

I don't know, but I would hate to see the electric bill after running a 100,000 watt FM radio station 24 hours a day every day.

[theparkman81]

Just read that Wild 104.9 has let go of the morning show crew and now airing a syndicated show in the mornings, guess it happen last week, heard that Bill Reed from KXY is now on Hank FM in the afternoons, glad that he got a job right quick after he was let go last week.

[bchris02]

Just read that Wild 104.9 has let go of the morning show crew and now airing a syndicated show in the mornings, guess it happen last week, heard that Bill Reed from KXY is now on Hank FM in the afternoons, glad that he got a job right quick after he was let go last week.

A lot of people said that others would follow suit after what iHeartMedia did and it looks like that's exactly what is happening. Here is an interesting article and I agree with all of it's points.

https://www.dailynews.com/2020/01/20...ng-radio-jobs/

As for Wild 104.9, I'm surprised that station is still around. My guess is that it survives because Power 103.5's signal is so weak in the OKC metro it's nearly unlistenable. Still, the station today is a shell of what it was back in the 2000s when it was on 97.9. That ties directly back into what the article above gets at. Wild 97.9 was interesting because it took chances and offered something different. It pushed the envelope for it's day. The biggest problem with radio today is it seems like it doesn't even want to try to compete with streaming. It's a shame because I still believe FM is a better format in a lot of ways because it's so accessible.

[baralheia]

As for Wild 104.9, I'm surprised that station is still around. My guess is that it survives because Power 103.5's signal is so weak in the OKC metro it's nearly unlistenable. Still, the station today is a shell of what it was back in the 2000s when it was on 97.9. That ties directly back into what the article above gets at. Wild 97.9 was interesting because it took chances and offered something different. It pushed the envelope for it's day. The biggest problem with radio today is it seems like it doesn't even want to try to compete with streaming. It's a shame because I still believe FM is a better format in a lot of ways because it's so accessible.

That is 100% exactly why I miss stations like 94.7 The BUZZ. They pushed the envelope, played a ton of great music instead of just trying to clone the KATT, showcased local bands and pulled them into into their rotation... The stations that replaced the BUZZ are just flat and lifeless... a corporate, homogenized product that just sucks. Tulsa's Z104.5 The Edge (Stephens Media Group) and north Chicago's 95 WIIL Rock (Alpha Media) are both owned by smaller media companies and they're both super fun to listen to because they aren't some big homogenized product. 92.9 The Edge (Tyler Media) here in OKC is also pretty good, but I feel they need a bit more in the way of on-air personalities and local community involvement outside of just ticket giveaways.

[Plutonic Panda]

I was listening to 104.9 today and it wasn’t bad. They had a decent playlist going. I wish 103.5 was on a stronger frequency though.