Why do they do that?

Why do they do that?

They can't get a 100kW signal closer to the metro. If they did it would be too close to Magic 104.1 on the dial per FCC regulation. If they moved it to 103.3 it would be to close to KJ-103. To properly cover OKC, Russell Perry would either need to put it on a much weaker stick or buy out one of the existing frequencies which wouldn't be easy. I wonder how difficult it would be for them to set up a translator and simulcast. I am sure if it was doable it would have already been done.

Well, they do have a translator, at 92.1, but it's for their AM daytimer KRMP 1140; this allows them to run the format 24 hours.

When they handed out FM allocations back at the Dawn of Time, OKC got just a handful: 92.5, 94.7, 96.1, 98.9, 100.5, 101.9, 102.7, 104.1. 107.7 came along in the 1970s. All the rest were move-ins from somewhere else or translators that sprang up recently.

Can they just move the transmitter to a different tower, say in the OKC tower farm?

I see construction permits on some stations where they're switching towers or simulcasting or whatever, is this a possibility for them? I think it is weird for OKC to not have 103.5 coverage yet have a station based in OKC with that frequency; couldn't they simulcast the same frequency with a smaller transmitter IN OKC?

I seriously doubt the target audience for that station resides anywhere west of El Reno. No offense to anybody, but western Oklahoma is hardly urban and hip-hop.

Can they just move the transmitter to a different tower, say in the OKC tower farm?

I see construction permits on some stations where they're switching towers or simulcasting or whatever, is this a possibility for them? I think it is weird for OKC to not have 103.5 coverage yet have a station based in OKC with that frequency; couldn't they simulcast the same frequency with a smaller transmitter IN OKC?

I seriously doubt the target audience for that station resides anywhere west of El Reno. No offense to anybody, but western Oklahoma is hardly urban and hip-hop.

No they could not without substantially reducing the power of the signal. Right now its a 100kW signal. Moving it to OKC would put it too close to 104.1 on the dial, another 100kW signal. There would be interference. There are no frequencies available in OKC that are 100kW so they would have to reduce the power. I am not certain but my guess is it would have to be something meager like 6kW before they could do it. If they did that though, the station would fade out west of Yukon and east of Choctaw. From a business perspective, I am not sure if better coverage over OKC would be preferable to the much larger coverage the station currently has.

Even if they downgraded to Class A (6 kW maximum), they'd still have to be 95 km away from KMGL, so the OKC antenna farm is out. Unless they can work up some complicated scheme with competitors, they're stuck where they are.

From my own notes:


[T]he deal that allowed the Sports Animal (WWLS) to move from 97.9 to 98.1 was somewhat complicated: it required the moving of a Stillwater station (KVRO) from 98.1 to 101.1, and a substantial reduction in power at the KATT (100.5) to reduce interference to the new Stillwater signal. The FCC has overseen swaps much more complex than this, though.

I think that "radio landscaping" is far too poetic for this topic.
Kudos to the OP.

Last three times I've been in Dallas I've listened to KXT, 97.1, listener supported commercial free. Best radio station I've ever listened to. When you have time go to their web page and click on playlist. You'll find they may play an Avett Brothers song followed by U2 and then Johnny Cash. this is what OKC needs.



I think that "radio landscaping" is far too poetic for this topic.
Kudos to the OP.

Last three times I've been in Dallas I've listened to KXT, 97.1, listener supported commercial free. Best radio station I've ever listened to. When you have time go to their web page and click on playlist. You'll find they may play an Avett Brothers song followed by U2 and then Johnny Cash. this is what OKC needs.
Yea, 91.7 KXT is an awesome station, It's owned by KERA. Here's their website, KXT 91.7 | Independent Music Radio for North Texas (http://kxt.org/)

I noticed that NOW 96.5 is now on 92.9, listen to it this morning when I took my brother to the airport, I wish that we get a all news station, because yesterday during that hostage standoff in Norman, I was watching it on TV, but I had to go to work and I was hoping that either KTOK or KOKC was covering it, but they wasn't.

It looks like right now, NOW 96.5 is simulcasting on both 96.5 and 92.9. It looks like the goal is to move it permanently to 92.9. If they do that, they need to make some adjustments to the signal because it sounds muffled on 92.9. Once they get it worked out though that's a better home for it being that frequency doesn't suffer bleed in from Mix 96.5 in Tulsa.

It will be interesting to see what they do with the 96.5 frequency.

Magic 104.1 is having a "Christmas preview" weekend this weekend. Personally I don't understand their need to do a "preview" of their Christmas format especially since there is no competitor in the OKC market. Unlike a lot of people, I support stations changing to all Christmas but wish they would wait until Black Friday or at least the Wednesday before Thanksgiving to do it. When 94.7 KQSR used to do it they would start the day before Thanksgiving.

When will I heart pull the plug on the Brew, the last ratings that came out show that they had a pathetic 1.5, heck WKY is almost 0catching up with them, it's time for them to change.

When will I heart pull the plug on the Brew, the last ratings that came out show that they had a pathetic 1.5, heck WKY is almost 0catching up with them, it's time for them to change.

I wish I knew. It's stayed long past its welcome. Maybe they will go all-Christmas over the Holiday season and then change formats come Dec 26th (here's to wishful thinking!). That would be a perfect frequency for iHeart to bring something new to the market. Alternative rock has to be one of the most requested but they already tried that and it failed. Do you think they could give it another go? If not that, then what format? It's a 100KW signal so it cannot be a niche format. It needs to be something with mass appeal.

I also wonder what is going to become of the 96.5 signal once Now 96.5 migrates permanently to 92.9. For those wanting a more niche format like EDM, a translator like that would be perfect for it.

I also think Wild is starting to become more listenable. There are still times when I am shaking my head thinking "really, you are going to play that in 2014?" but overall its been sounding less like an iPhone on shuffle lately than it did after the Cumulus takeover and more like a rhythmic Top 40.

I wish I knew. It's stayed long past its welcome. Maybe they will go all-Christmas over the Holiday season and then change formats come Dec 26th (here's to wishful thinking!). That would be a perfect frequency for iHeart to bring something new to the market. Alternative rock has to be one of the most requested but they already tried that and it failed. Do you think they could give it another go? If not that, then what format? It's a 100KW signal so it cannot be a niche format. It needs to be something with mass appeal.

I also wonder what is going to become of the 96.5 signal once Now 96.5 migrates permanently to 92.9. For those wanting a more niche format like EDM, a translator like that would be perfect for it.

I also think Wild is starting to become more listenable. There are still times when I am shaking my head thinking "really, you are going to play that in 2014?" but overall its been sounding less like an iPhone on shuffle lately than it did after the Cumulus takeover and more like a rhythmic Top 40.

Like I said before, either Alternative or Adult Hits (Jack FM) type format could work on 94.7. I think Classic Rock has worn out it's welcome there.

Like I said before, either Alternative or Adult Hits (Jack FM) type format could work on 94.7. I think Classic Rock has worn out it's welcome there.

I am pretty sure most of OKC would agree with that given their ratings. I wonder what it will take to send that message to iHeartMedia though?

wish I had the capital and knowledge, I'd work a EDM station. It could play the various sub genres of EDM throughout the day; more house and trance at night, more NRG and techno in the day. ...

Or, I'd just copy C-89.5 here in Seattle; we're blessed (and it's Seattle Public Schools-Nathan Hale HS running it).

wish I had the capital and knowledge, I'd work a EDM station. It could play the various sub genres of EDM throughout the day; more house and trance at night, more NRG and techno in the day. ...

Or, I'd just copy C-89.5 here in Seattle; we're blessed (and it's Seattle Public Schools-Nathan Hale HS running it).

Do you think OKC has the demographics to support a commercial EDM station? I love the format and would definitely listen but I wonder if it would work from a commercial perspective.

It might work as a college/public station, which is what it looks like that Seattle station is. That's how a lot of other niche formats like classical and folk are also supported that are not popular enough to generate a lot of ad revenue.

The reason why they changed formats was the 24/7 comedy that they were using ended its run, other station across the country that use 24/7 comedy also flipped formats, so we wasn't the only ones.

I still listen to that station on the iHeart Radio app and my computer. It doesn't seem to be going away, are they just refusing to broadcast on radio now?

actually our station is a high school station here. and I'd probably think OKC's should be the same, not commercial or not AS commercial.

OKC is seeing an influx and retention of young people/professionals, which means there likely is a rising audience for EDM at least part time.

OKC is seeing an influx and retention of young people/professionals, which means there likely is a rising audience for EDM at least part time.

This is probably why you have EDM on KJ-103 late nights on Fridays. Wild is now doing it on Saturday late nights.

cool, its a start.

OKC Top 40 Now 96.5 To Now 92.9 ... Soon! | AllAccess.com (http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/135641/okc-top-40-now-96-5-to-now-92-9-soon)

It looks like after the first of the year, as speculated, Now 96.5 is going to be exclusively on 92.9. Has anybody heard any rumors as to what they plan on doing with the 96.5 frequency?

The only thing I have heard that 96.5 was going to simulcast the Franchise 2 1560, I hope that's not true, We need something different.

The only thing I have heard that 96.5 was going to simulcast the Franchise 2 1560, I hope that's not true, We need something different.

That would really suck but given the state of radio in this town it wouldn't surprise me.

I really wonder, why can't OKC support the following?

An urban/hip-hop station
An alternative rock station
A second full-powered Top 40

A lot of people are wishing for outside the box formats such as EDM or Comedy, but there is satellite radio for that and OKC is hardly alone in lacking innovative, outside the box stations. However, the above three formats are present in almost every other major city except OKC. This market has more country, classic rock, and sports stations than it can handle, some of them currently doing quite poorly *cough KBRU* yet nobody wants to try anything different. Why is that?

The last ratings for KBRU was a 1.4, it's time for a change please.

doesn't OKC already have an urban contemporary station at 92.1 and a hip-hop station at 103.5? I thought WILD was a Top - 40 station (whether you like the program director or not) as an alternative to KJ, and I also thought OKC had an alternative station or two already.

I think these formats are covered, and every other format except EDM and ethnics besides spanish. I totally agree that OKC has a ridiculous amount of religious, country, and sports channels on FM. 5 country stations?? OKC is much more diverse than that.

Our radio stations suck ass. I wish we'd get something like 97.9 The Beat

I really wonder, why can't OKC support the following?

An urban/hip-hop station
An alternative rock station
A second full-powered Top 40

A lot of people are wishing for outside the box formats such as EDM or Comedy, but there is satellite radio for that and OKC is hardly alone in lacking innovative, outside the box stations. However, the above three formats are present in almost every other major city except OKC. This market has more country, classic rock, and sports stations than it can handle, some of them currently doing quite poorly *cough KBRU* yet nobody wants to try anything different. Why is that?

In addition to Satellite radio iPods (and eventually smartphones) and bluetooth enabled stereos in cars becoming mainstream has been a problem for marketing to the under 40 across the county.

Satellite can do the music without ads because they are paid directly by the listener. MP3 players in even the most basic smartphone means most peoples entire music library can be available to them in the car, is tailored better to the users song preferences than any station could ever hope to achieve, on top of that you also never have adds, annoyances from DJs and can skip songs on demand. No doubt illegal downloads helped start making the MP3 systems more viable but now you can get high quality streaming/local storage services at affordable monthly rates.

doesn't OKC already have an urban contemporary station at 92.1 and a hip-hop station at 103.5? I thought WILD was a Top - 40 station (whether you like the program director or not) as an alternative to KJ, and I also thought OKC had an alternative station or two already.

I think these formats are covered, and every other format except EDM and ethnics besides spanish. I totally agree that OKC has a ridiculous amount of religious, country, and sports channels on FM. 5 country stations?? OKC is much more diverse than that.

103.5 broadcasts from out west of Anadarko and many days is difficult to pick up in OKC especially north of I-40. Wild 104.9 is specifically programmed according to Cumulus' rural small-market Top 40 format, playing primarily older hits from 3-5 years ago. Wild is the stereotypical outdated, small town top 40 people used to joke about that I am surprised still exists in the age of the Internet. OKC had two alternative stations but lost both of them a few years ago, one changing to classic rock and the other changing to sports.


In addition to Satellite radio iPods (and eventually smartphones) and bluetooth enabled stereos in cars becoming mainstream has been a problem for marketing to the under 40 across the county.


I do agree the trend is towards satellite radio. However, these formats I am speaking of that are lacking in OKC are pretty mainstream and are consistently heard in pretty much any other city.

I listening to NOW 92-9 right now and they have the 90's 2K hour on right now, I guess they just start doing that for the lunch hour.

Spotify, Pandora, Iheart, XM, Sirius, TuneIn, Slacker, Youtube, etc......

All of these will provide a superior listening experience than the FM dial, and that's just about true in any city. I live in a much bigger market, and I find the radio here no better than in OKC, especially since they've canned the one old school station I used to listen to. Any creativity on over-the-air radio is over; that ship sailed a loooong time ago.

Also, what's wrong with Power 103.5? That's one of the more underrated hip hop stations in this part of the country IMO. Yes there antenna is in Anadarko, but their signal is fine in the majority of metro OKC. I could pick it up just fine well out to Guthrie and Shawnee. Sounds like something is wrong with your car.

I can get Power 103.5 here in Ada sometimes despite interference from 103.7 in Okemah, and even BOB FM comes in good down here.

I can get 103.5 decently in our cars on NW 164th, haven't checked to see if it comes in great at the house, though.

I could get Power 103.5 pretty clearly in my old car in NW OKC but in my new car I can barely hear it unless I am south of I-40. I do listen to it when I can though and it's pretty good. OKC is in the distant area of their coverage so it all depends on how good your antenna is. I agree with ADaniel that it's an underrated station, but I am sure it's coverage is a big part of why.

From a business perspective, I don't understand why radio broadcasters would choose to add a fifth country station or sixth sports station rather than try one of the formats I mentioned above. Do urban or alternative rock and you will own the format in this market. Do Top 40 and you will only have one real competitor and that competitor is currently #1 in the market. To me, that seems like a better strategy than further saturating an already saturated market. Obviously the people at Tyler and iHeart don't agree.

If the Brew has such horrible ratings, Why not flip it??

If the Brew has such horrible ratings, Why not flip it??

To what? It was The Buzz, a more modern rock station and that didn't do well, so they went with a KATT type of setting.

On a different note, I am curious if The Criterion and The Chevy (it's going to catch on, I promise) will bring in the kind of concerts like the Cains and Brady where there will have to be a modern rock station. For God's sake, Black Label Society, Bush, OK Go and They Might be Giants are playing at The Diamond. We deserve a better venue for higher tiered bands.

Why not bring back Jack FM?? Yea I know OKC had one at one time but it had a horrible signal or maybe alternative like 102.1 The Edge out of Dallas!!

It's pretty sad that Tulsa has an alternative station and OKC doesn't

It's pretty sad that Tulsa has an alternative station and OKC doesn't

Alternative stations are pretty standard in most cities, its just OKC doesn't have one at the moment. The Buzz was on the air for almost ten years though so I wouldn't say it was a complete flop to have lasted that long. I personally miss 105.3 the Martini. Stations like that are rare in this day and age.

Tulsa also has an urban station and two quality Top 40 stations. Right now their FM dial is well balanced I would say, moreso than OKC's. It wasn't always that way though. OKC's FM dial was fairly diverse around 10 years ago.

The Buzz was not a real alternative station though, they were basically just new rock, which you can get on the KATT in between their old stuff.

The only alternative station we had here in OKC that i can ever remember was 95X (i think thats what it was called) back in the late 90s. That was a great station. Even the Spy FM only comes across FM at certain hours of the day.

I guess thats why i dont bother and just listen to XM.

I think a station like 91.7 KXT out of Dallas would be awesome for OKC!!

I think a station like 91.7 KXT out of Dallas would be awesome for OKC!!

looking at their playlist i would definitely listen to that. :band:

Yea, KXT is listener supported (it's owned by KERA) So they really have no ads on there. They do play some awesome music.

Most creative, innovative radio on the FM dial today is always going to be your college or listener supported stations. Corporate radio is pretty generic and cookie cutter everywhere, though certain broadcasters are worse than others.

What has really DECIMATED OKC's radio dial is the fact Citadel, which was a great broadcasting corporation, was purchased by Cumulus. Cumulus has historically been one of the worst. Their primary focus has always been small market and running stations as low-cost as possible. Upon merging with Citadel, they implemented that vision on their newly acquired stations. That's why OKC has stations like KKWD and KATT that were once good that now sound absolutely atrocious.

Here's KXT's website if you want to listen to them. KXT 91.7 | Independent Music Radio for North Texas (http://kxt.org/)

Time for OKC to get an independent, listener supported and/or college/school owned station or two/three? Say, replace two country and one religious station with one OCU owned station, one listener supported station, and one OKCPS owned station (like C-89 in Seattle). ...

OKC would then be complete IMO; particularly (as Bchris points out) if 103.5 could somehow get its signal to better cover the OKC metro (and particularly its core audience in the Eastside).

One thing that is annoying about college radio here in OKC is that it isn't like college radio elsewhere in the country (could've changed by now, but I don't think it has much, if any). I always heard the term "college radio" and thought indie, cool, new, weird music (like WMSE), but here it seems to be all NPR or classical. KGOU has a good blues show on the weekends, and The Spy is now on KOSU at night, but I believe that's about the only "college radio" (as defined above) around... Someone please correct me if I'm wrong, I'd love to be...

I wonder if iHeartMedia is ever going to pull the plug on 94.7 The Brew and do something different. That frequency would be great to fill one of the gaping format holes in OKC radio. It probably isn't going to be anything too innovative or creative like many want to see but if I were iHeartMedia I would go alternative or urban on that frequency. Classic rock has long overstayed its welcome there. In a market like OKC where there are mainstream formats that aren't represented, I don't understand why broadcasters don't jump on them and instead do classic rock or country. An even bigger question is why continue a failing format like 94.7 The Brew when you could flip it to something that would have no competition in the OKC market?

Spent the weekend in Tulsa. Opted to listen to 104.5 The Edge instead of XM or the iPod. I enjoyed their mix of old and new Alternative. Really wish we had something in okc like it.

Spent the weekend in Tulsa. Opted to listen to 104.5 The Edge instead of XM or the iPod. I enjoyed their mix of old and new Alternative. Really wish we had something in okc like it.

That would be perfect for 94.7!!

Does anybody know if iHeartMedia even has a format flip in the cards for 94.7? Given the station's low ratings and market saturation for classic rock it would make sense that it would, but when it comes to corporate radio the business decisions made aren't always the ones that make the most sense.

Does anybody know if iHeartMedia even has a format flip in the cards for 94.7? Given the station's low ratings and market saturation for classic rock it would make sense that it would, but when it comes to corporate radio the business decisions made aren't always the ones that make the most sense.

It needs to happen.

It needs to happen.

I wonder what they are waiting on. In the Q4 2014 ratings they are down to a 1.4 share.

I wonder what they are waiting on. In the Q4 2014 ratings they are down to a 1.4 share.

Yeah their last ratings was terrible, heck if it keeps on, KOKC and WKY will pass them.

I don't understand why they keep the Brew on the air!!

I don't understand why they keep the Brew on the air!!

Agreed. I think flipping it to anything, with the exception of another sports talk or country, would be an improvement. Sadly, I think more and more the corporate radio giants are writing off small markets, putting most of the stations on autopilot while raking in the advertising cash.

Turned The Spy on last night, heard Happy Mondays, Waterboys, and Chvrches (along with a bunch of other cool songs I didn't recognize) in the span of an hour. This is the kind of station OKC needs full-time 24x7!

^^^^^^^^^
100% agree. Ferris is one of the best alt/indie programmers in the country.