There is considerable industry buzz about the changes occurring at KZPS – their format and their commercial policy. A few thoughts and initial observations.
First, good for them, trying a different way of selling their time. I recall Pirate Radio trying to do something similar back in their early months. It felt like it was actually working for a while. And the NPR model has always been intriguing – using less obtrusive "credits" to generate revenue, but not piss off their listeners. But then there are those "Pledge Drives."
Second, it may be hard to judge the effectiveness this policy has on ratings. This is because their format doesn’t have a track record. Had they tried this on their Classic Rock format, we would have had a clear indication of how much this new architecture might drive listenership. With a new format, we may be asking whether it’s working because of the music or the commercial policy.
Finally, a few words about Classic Rock. It is ironic that Clear Channel is trying this in place of the former KZPS. Back at the turn of the millennium, this was a very successful Classic Rock station. Programmer John Larson really had the station going, and it did extremely well among both Adults and Men 25-54 – even in a Country music mecca. For the Metroplex to lose its main Classic Rocker is somewhat amazing, given how strong Classic Rock continues to perform in market after market. Today, it is the most successful Rock-based format, featuring more stations than Mainstream/Active, Alternative, and Triple A combined.
Maybe Clear Channel knows something we don’t know. Or maybe they don’t.
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> For the Metroplex to lose its main Classic Rocker is somewhat amazing, given how strong Classic Rock continues to perform in market after market.
KZPS was hard to listen to as they recycled the same old Classic Rock tunes (Lynyrd Skynyrd, SRV, Allman Bros, et al) over and over. Some of their “Deep Cuts” should have been in normal rotation. And, some of their on-air talent left much to be desired.
I welcome their new format as I listened for quite some time yesterday. I heard everything from Lyle Lovett to Willie Nelson, Robert Earl Keene to Bruce Springsteen. Not sure where the Rolling Stones fit in (Tumbling Dice), but they were there, too.
I think they’d really have a winner if they slightly expanded the playlist by adding some Texas Blues — a genre you can only find here on public radio.
scosio
Mansfield, TX
Oh, yeah. Clear Channel knows something we don’t.
Let’s see now. Adopt the business model of your average NPR affiliate, a known motherlode of profit. OK, now combine it with a niche format that will get a 1 share. Sounds like a top biller to me.
Clear Channel tipped it’s hand when they came up with the ridiculous “Less is more,” which is true only when discussing the Laffer Curve with regard to taxes, and in the abstract to works of art. In business, less is still less. They don’t give a rat’s ass about listeners and it shows.
Less effort, less talent, and less mainstream has predictably resulted in the ratings and revenue drop-offs that Clear Channel has been getting for several years. The emperor has less clothes. The sooner the greedy Mays family gets out, the better.
I see better days ahead for radio, but large companies such as Clear Channel and CBS are not part of it.
It’s no wonder that radio in the DFW area is so poor that even a market covering Milwaukee Wisconsin has a better offering. First 93.3 changes, then the ROCK of Texas becomes some smattering of musical hodgepodge covering 40 years. When will DFW get a real radio station that plays ROCK music later than 1988?
I’ve been listening off-and-on to Lone Star 92.5 this week and, what I thought was once a cool format is now just another ho-hum station.
Too much Lynyrd Skynyrd and ZZ Top (played once an hour). And, I’ve heard some song called “Copperhead Road” three times. Then it struck me…it’s a commercial radio station…they play the hits. Sure, some of the music’s obscure, but you’re still going to hear the same old hits from the Southern Rock playlist.
My tuner’s going back to Texas Renegade Radio.
KZPS was in my opinion the best radio in Dallas. They played what I wanted to hear, and ALL of it was great. Sure it was a nich radio station, but my personal choice of music was from a small nich also and KZPS did what I wanted from a radio station. I heard only what I wanted to hear and no bullshit. My radios never strayed from KZPS, now my radio never turns on. I will listen to my CD’s. Radio need never exist again.
KZPS 92.5 TEXAS BEST ROCK! R.I.P.
Bring back KZPS. Country stinks.