OK95 @ 96.1 changes to Classic Rock

[easternoregon]

OK 95 radio live @ 96.1 has changed formats.   They are now URock 96FM playing a Classic Rock format.   website:  http://www.ok95radio.com/

call leters are:  KLKY Stanfield, OR  (Hermiston-Pendleton, OREGON)

~E~

[Stephanie Sandlin]

Yup, was going to post this.

Its interesting to listen to. "U-Rock" imaging. I'm not sure what they are trying to be. Dare I say it sounds like a CHR programmer trying to do classic rock and failing badly.

Tears for Fears, Mr. Mister, The Cure, Kiss, Duran Duran, Power Station, Ozzy Osborne, The Eagles.... thats just a few artists I heard while rolling through. Not classic rock fare many of those by any stretch.

U Rock sounds to me like a ROCK station. This is some wierd hybrid. Not programmed well - very unfocused.

Lets look where KLKY is. KEGX from The Tri-Cities booms in. So does KXRX from Wally World. They can't copycat. They aren't, but they aren't living up to the imaging either.

Two things here - bail on imaging (doesn't fit) or position themselves as a alternative to those two with deeper album cuts and more core artists from the 1980s.

I hate to say I said so - but OK95radio.com didn't last - as many of us knew.

OK 95 radio live @ 96.1 has changed formats.   They are now URock 96FM playing a Classic Rock format.   website:  http://www.ok95radio.com/

call leters are:  KLKY Stanfield, OR  (Hermiston-Pendleton, OREGON)

~E~

[easternoregon]

Any thing is better than Top 40 crap or another spanish station.  I have a friend that loves Classic Rock and he likes that station.  106.5 KEGX and 97.1 KXRX with a more powerful signal is not going to help the station in ratings but again anything is better that Top 40 or Spanish.  More businesses might look at advertising on a Classic Rock station than a Top 40 station in Eastern Oregon or Eastern Washington.

Anyone else think that there is a lot of spanish stations in the area???

~E~

Also, Stephanie Sandlin, were do you live?  Can you pick up Oldies 92.1 and if you can, have they done anything with the station???   I'm out of range of the signal for 92.1 but they play the same satelite oldies channel in The Dalles at 97.7..

[Stephanie Sandlin]

RE: U-Rock 96 - I'm pretty neutral as to the format wars. The whole crux of Urock is - what the hell is it. Maybe time will tell or they'll tighten up where they are going with it. For now, its a not a rock station. Its really bad. No focus.

Alexandra might indeed serve Northern Oregon better as a Classic rocker. Its a interesting choice. They better give people a compelling reason to tune in. Being the last one in the gate - you are in for a major uphill battle for recognition.

RE: Spanish stations. Easy BIG spanish audience and they spend money.

My parents live in Richland. I live in Spokane. I have heard 92.1 - not a great signal but its there.

Any thing is better than Top 40 crap or another spanish station.  I have a friend that loves Classic Rock and he likes that station.  106.5 KEGX and 97.1 KXRX with a more powerful signal is not going to help the station in ratings but again anything is better that Top 40 or Spanish.  More businesses might look at advertising on a Classic Rock station than a Top 40 station in Eastern Oregon or Eastern Washington.

Anyone else think that there is a lot of spanish stations in the area???

~E~

Also, Stephanie Sandlin, were do you live?  Can you pick up Oldies 92.1 and if you can, have they done anything with the station???   I'm out of range of the signal for 92.1 but they play the same satelite oldies channel in The Dalles at 97.7..

[Stephanie Sandlin]

I am in the Tri-Cities at the moment.

I did pick up 92.1 last night coming in. Yes, it is still the spoonfed oldies satellite.

Fringe signal too. Most of the time its reasonably stable, but noisy. Worst spot for tearing was going over the I-82 bridge between Richland and Pasco. On George Washington Way in Richland it started to tear also.

SS

Also, Stephanie Sandlin, were do you live?  Can you pick up Oldies 92.1 and if you can, have they done anything with the station???   I'm out of range of the signal for 92.1 but they play the same satelite oldies channel in The Dalles at 97.7..

[Stephanie Sandlin]

Update:

When I was in the Tri-Cities last week I listened to URock.

Appears to be spoonfed classic rock of the bird now.

"Northern Oregon's Classic Rock Automation Station"

[searadiofreak]

Never really understood the whole re-branding of OK-95.  They were a very good radio station in the 80's as "rock hits", and evolved into a a very good sounding rock/pop-oriented Top-40 in the 90's that did very well.  New owners came in and had a desire to take on KORD, and OK95 went away, in many minds, prematurely.   Tri-Cities historians may recall this as one of the worst format changes ever in that market.

[Stephanie Sandlin]

So, I'm posting this just because I happened to reading about about Tri-Cities FM radio again. I've been reading on KLKY and its little translator empire that's been built with this spoonfed classic rocker.  I've come to a conclusion.

Its a waste.

I've been out of the industry for years, but I'd come up with a more innovative use for the frequency. (more on that in a moment)

KUJJ does something very cool being a smooth jazz outlet and its translator coverage. Its a unique format in Eastern Washington and Oregon. U Rock? Not even close.

If they are wanting to peel off .5 share from KATS and KEGX fine, but I've always found that dubious to throw a signal up just to erode the top rated rockers. Especially one that's reliant on translator service.

I'm much more of the school that advocates something innovative and unique - they will come. That uniqueness is AAA.  I've not seen the Tri-Cities demographics in awhile, it'd be worth a long HARD look to see if AAA would fly. My hunch is that market is ripe for a AAA. Wouldn't be bad for Walla Walla either.

Why I posted this I dunno, a lightbulb went off while putting away the dishes. So if Jeffy is reading this, consider this a freebie.

[radioxpert]

Jeff Jacobs is insane to put Classic Rock on 96.1 KLKY!  We already have that format well covered by Eagle 106.5 KEGX!  As much as I enjoy AAA, it would be more expensive to run, since there isn't a 24/7 satellite option available.  What would the RadioXpert do with KLKY?  The answer is simple.  Since NNW was moronic enough to dump "Bob FM" from 95.7, I would put the syndicated "Bob" or "Sam" format on 96.1 KLKY!