Another L.A. Radio Shakeup Is On The Way

Expect a format change soon on R&B “V100″ 100.3 FM, KRBV-FM — the station that was once hip-hop “The Beat.” Since becoming a more mellow urban AC, the listenership on 100.3 has plunged.

Enter Bonneville, the radio group (owned by the Mormon church) that once had a presence here in L.A., owning outlets such as KBIG-FM 104.3 and country KZLA 93.9. Bonneville is back in L.A. and the new owner of 100.3, in a $137.5 million transaction.

Early rumors have hinted that Bonneville might flip 100.3 FM to a news/talk format. The company has had success with FM news/talk in other markets, including D.C.

If that happens, expect some real shuffling, as pundits believe Clear Channel would be prepared to put KFI on FM, dumping one of its music formats (such as Hot 92.3 or Star 98.7) in the process. Clear Channel would want to protect its news/talk franchise, the scuttlebutt goes — and the idea of a KFI-FM has been floating around for years.

But the message boards over at Radio-Info wonder if Bonneville will go news/talk, given how saturated L.A. already is with two news stations and countless gabbers.

That’s why another rumored format is making the rounds: Country. Would Bonneville bring some twang to the 100.3 frequency? And if so, what would independent owner Saul Levine do with his KKGO-FM 105.1, which flipped to country when KZLA 93.9 dropped the format?

With all this mixing and moving, perhaps there’s an opportunity for an underserved radio format to also return to L.A. airwaves. What would you like to see — a real album-oriented rock station? Dance? Adult alternative?

Early Winter Arbitron Trends: Univision’s Winning Duo

Spanish contemporary remains king in L.A. radio, as the first set of winter Arbitron trends have Univision’s KLVE-FM still on top among listeners 12 and older.

This time out, KLVE is tied with another Univision outlet, the regional Mexican outfit KSCA-FM (which features the top-rated morning program hosted by Eddie “Piolin” Sotelo). Both stations attracted a 4.8 share of the market aud.

Among English-lingo stations, KIIS-FM remains on top (along with its KVVS-FM simulcast), posting a 4.4 share. That’s followed by adult contemporary KOST-FM (4.3) and talker KFI-AM (4.2). All three are owned by Clear Channel.

Posting a healthy gain: Emmis’ hip-hop KPWR-FM (4.2, tied with KFI), showing its best numbers in more than a year.

Rounding out the top 10: Spanish-language KLAX-FM (3.8), alt rocker KROQ-FM (3.7), the Spanish simulcasts KBUE/KBUA-FM (3.5) and oldies KRTH-FM (3.1).

In its last showing as a classical station, Mt. Wilson’s KMZT-FM posted a 1.5 share, good enough for 20th place (tied with KHJ-AM and KNX-AM). Meanwhile, Emmis’ KMVN-FM — the station that flipped from country to a rhythmic AC format last fall — has yet to make a splash, sitting in 34th place (and posting lower numbers than when it was still KZLA).

Take all of these ratings with a grain of salt, however: Advertisers don’t look at a station’s 12-plus performance when making buys, which means the numbers rep more of a popularity contest than any meaningful yardstick of how a station is performing.

(First published on Variety.com on Wednesday.)

It’s Official: Country Returns to L.A.’s FM Dial

As LAist first reported yesterday, classical KMZT 105.1 FM (“K-Mozart”) is dumping its format and going country.

The new station, dubbed Go Country 105, has actually been airing on Mt. Wilson FM Broadcasters’ AM signals (540 and 1260). In a swap, Mt. Wilson will move classical to 1260 instead.

Here’s what I just wrote for Variety:

Country is back on FM radio in Los Angeles, six months after the boot-scootin’ format lost its key outlet here.

But in the process, L.A. has lost its last commercial classical station – at least on FM. Mt. Wilson FM Broadcasters will flip KMZT-FM (105.1) from Brahms to Brooks – Garth, that is – on Monday.

L.A. radio lost its twang in August, when Emmis dumped its long-time country format on KZLA-FM (93.9) in favor of a rhythmic-leaning adult contemporary sound. Emmis recruited legendary jock Rick Dees and renamed the station KMVN-FM (“Movin’ 93.9″).

At the time, Emmis noted the changing demographics of Los Angeles, arguing that a country format didn’t attract a broad enough aud in this multicultural city. New York has also been without a country station for several years.

But the KZLA flip opened the door for a potential flip to country elsewhere in the market – including a rumored one at KYSR-FM (“Star 98.7″) that failed to pass. The flip also gave Riverside-based country outfit KFRG-FM (95.1) its strongest showing in recent memory (if ever) in Los Angeles, where its signal partly reaches.

In the meantime, Mt. Wilson began flirting with the country format. It first swapped out its Tijuana-based XESURF (540) for country, then dumped adult standards off L.A’s KKGO (1260) in favor of the sound.

Mt. Wilson also recruited several former KZLA employees, including Shawn Parr, who took on mornings. The “Go Country” format of the AM stations will now migrate to KMZT (which will take on the KKGO call letters).

Mt. Wilson owner Saul Levine is more or less swapping his AM and FM formats, meaning KMZT’s classical sound will now move to 1260 AM.

Levine has a history of frequently flipping his AM stations, but the FM outfit has carried classical music since 1989. It dumped jazz for classical that year after KFAC-FM dumped its longtime classical format.

KMZT’s HD-2 channel had already carried country; now, as KKGO, its HD-2 channel will air classical.

As you many remember, we broke the original KZLA story here last August.

Previously on Franklin Avenue:

Classical K-Mozart to Go All-Country? (Feb. 22, 2007)

KZLA: Dead for Good (Dec. 13, 2006)

No More Tears in Their Beer (Oct. 19, 2006)

Today’s (Country) Music Alternative (Sept. 28, 2006)

Number One Quote of the KZLA Switch (Aug. 22, 2006)

Rate-A-Radio-Station: Movin’ 93.9 (Aug. 21, 2006)

Country Fans Protest — Well, Three of ‘Em Do (Aug. 18, 2006)

KZLA Dumps Country and Goes Dance/Rick Dees (Aug. 17, 2006)

Classical K-Mozart to Go All-Country?

News flash: LAist is reporting a rumor it’s hearing that Mt. Wilson Broadcasting’s KMZT-FM may dump classical for country.

Here’s what LAist’s Tony Pierce is hearing:

We are hearing murmurings that LA classical FM station http://www.kmzt.com/index.asp K-Mozart is about to go the way of its other Mt. Wilson Broadcasting sister-stations by trading in their bowties for bolos and go country.

When KZLA stopped bootscootin to country music and switched over to the soulful jamz of Movin’ 93.9 in August of ’06, it left a twanging void on LA’s FM dial.

Mt. Wilson’s KKGO (1260 AM) tried to pick up the slack on the AM dial but why wouldn’t you want to hear the song of the year in mono, the Dixie Chicks should be in stereo and that’s possibly what 105.1 FM will become if K-Mozart decides to shift gears.

The other radio station in the Mt. Wilson Broadcasting group is the Tijuana-based, Country 540.

We tried to call K-Mozart but their answering machine said that they close their business day at 5pm. It was 5:45pm. Our tipster tells us that the changeover could happen as early as tomorrow. Developing…

The move would cause a stir: KMZT is the last remaining commercial classical station in Los Angeles. But it’s possible, given Mt. Wilson owner Saul Levine’s history of frequently flipping his AM stations. Most recently, he dumped adult standards on the AM outlets to run country music instead — so country’s definitely on his mind.

KMZT also isn’t a heritage classical station; it dumped jazz for classical in 1989 when KFAC dropped its longtime classical format.

By the way, KMZT’s HD channel already programs country (I’m assuming the station’s sister AM country feed, but in stereo).