Spokane Radio War

[Spokane Radio DJ]

KEZE is shaving some ratings off of both ZZU and KZBD... but unable to hold of spikes from KGZG. They will not grow as fast as expected unless they can get them to close up shop. Now lets just hope they actually stay in format this Christmas!

Interesting battle brewing in Spokane!

[Stephanie Sandlin]

Fascinating stuff. The headline to me is: Mapleton takes 3 of the top 5 spots with KBBD leading the way.

KKZX, KISC, KZZU, KCDA - all down. KIXZ plunging from a 6.1 share to a 2.7 in a year.

Talk about realignment! Makes me wonder what Clear Channel will do with KIXZ. That trend is brutal. If it was one book, but it's been a steady decline.

The CHR war isn't has hot as it would seem. KBZD is doing nicely gaining, KZZU only lost a little - that isn't a surprise though with KEZE across the hall.  KEZE only coming up .7 share, that's about what I originally thought.  The CHR field is crowded and KEZE was last in, further Rhythmic CHR has a checkered history in Spokane, plus someone is already doing it (KGZG).

I'll come out and say it, rhythmic CHR is best left to KGZG - a smaller operator. It's not a format that has big legs in Spokane. It's a niche. You won't win big with it. There's a reason it's been abandoned several times already during the last decade.

Frequencies to watch:
KIXZ/96.1
KCDA/ 103.1

Both are on the bubble.

[LookingForJob]

I think these ratings finally represent Spokane. 

Looks like the KXLY group has finally done enough damage to really screw themselves. Signing on Hot96.9 was a waste of a frequency. Rock 94 1/2 needs work. The ZOO is rediculous. Coyote is the only one that is decent, and KDRK bounced back - I think the rebranding will give them a run for their money.

Looks like Mapelton is the group in charge!

[Bongwater]

Looks like Mapelton is the group in charge!

W...T...F?

[LookingForJob]

Looks like Mapelton is the group in charge!

W...T...F?

Yes...I SAID...Looks like Mapleton is the group in charge.

Have you seen the ratings posted on AllAccess bongwater?

Maybe you should go look at them, then re-read my statement. Which by the way was:


Looks like Mapleton is the group in charge.

[jockeyjohn]

what happens now at 'kiss' since CC blew out Rob from the AM show?  How many years has he been there??  A TON??  Maybe more Premium Choice?

[Bongwater]

Looks like Mapelton is the group in charge!

W...T...F?

Yes...I SAID...Looks like Mapleton is the group in charge.

Have you seen the ratings posted on AllAccess bongwater?

Maybe you should go look at them, then re-read my statement. Which by the way was:


Looks like Mapleton is the group in charge.

Was it was only a year ago the whole cluster looked doomed?

Wow.......

[Stephanie Sandlin]

That dark cloud we talk of, really settled in 2002 or 2003.

KGA's newstalk pretty much died when Rush Limbaugh went to KQNT as Premiers programming by contract went to the local Clear Channel AM talkers. Sure, KGA kept it going, but as a reasonably performing talker, KGA's days were done. Now, KGA almost doesn't even show in the ratings as a sports it's that bad.  Today, KJRB carries on KGA's legacy of poor talk performance. This is one I'm interested to see how this is fixed.

KZBD/105.7 since it's original incarnation as the Peak it has rebranded and tweaked it's rock playlist over and over. Ratings never really connected. Only now, as a CHR is the frequency performing on level when it was KEZE/Rock 106.

KBBD/103.9 has been another journeyman frequency which never connected until the Bob format launched.  Under Mapleton, it's really shot up. A bright spot in Citadel's twilight of owning the cluster.  Great format for the ownership too - cheap to run!

A PD of a station in another Citadel cluster in the mid 2000s told me, the whole Spokane cluster was a wreck and the company internally acknowledged very little was and had been working.

The only station that defied the dark cloud was KDRK/93.7 traditionally.  That's why I like Mapleton's move to rebrand and tweak. Reintroduce the brand, people will give it a new chance. The slide should stop cold and reverse if they play their cards right.

I wasn't entirely sold on CHR on KBZD, but it's absolutely been the right move. It's working for them. Since then, they've been making great moves.

Was it was only a year ago the whole cluster looked doomed?

Wow.......