Are stations copying the mainland market in names?

[adrian]

I just read in an article about a "rap battle" and it mentioned a station in NY, which has the same name as a station here in Hawaii (different frequency number, but you get the idea). I've heard similar station names in various places for sometime now, and I'm thinking that Hawaii names some of their stations the same as their mainland counterparts (atleast for the mainstream folks, and not the local-music playing ones). Names such as "Power", "Da bomb" (especially that) and others are similar in other markets.

Is it the trend to have similar names in different markets, or is it just coincidence?

EDIT: I found the article here and I found it funny that the stations with "power" in that article are CC stations, not Cox (or whatever Power 1043 is here)

[mel]

Re: Are stations copying the mainland market in names?

This has been going on for quite some time... probably more than 25 years maybe? I remember back in the early 1990s there were several stations across the U.S. that went by the name "The Edge". We had one for a few years... KPOI 97.5 dumped its all classic rock format in 1993 and adopted alternative rock and called themselves "The Edge." When that format was modified, they mixed up the music programming and called themselves "The Rock You Live On" until they were sold last year and 97.5 became a talk station.

A lot of times a local station will take on a common name like "Z-Rock" or "Bob FM" because they get all or most of their programing from a service on the mainland.

And yes, we have had a couple of "Power" stations in Hawaii over the years. Anyone remember "Power 92" or was it the "Power of X" where they had a promotion to show the power and someone put a big banner on top of Diamond Head? That was for the then Heftel owned KPXW 92.3 FM which after its short stint as Power 92 became KSSK FM.

[adrian]

Re: Are stations copying the mainland market in names?

But why can't stations have "original names"? Is it to comply with the FCC rules or something?

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Are stations copying the mainland market in names?

I think it all comes down to the Jingle package a radio station leases or purchases. I've seen packages with those terms used. Whatever Jingle package used is what the station becomes, or the station uses whatever Jingle package to suite their monicker.

A good example was "Quiet Storm". I first heard that used in the lyrics from Sade's Sweetest Taboo single. Then I heard it used in KHUI's Breeze format.

[adamcarr]

Re: Are stations copying the mainland market in names?

I think what Craig said is a big part of it... I've seen it at least a couple times with KISSFM & SUNNY stations...

Good to hear from you Craig. Hope the family's well.

AC

[arturo_h]

Re: Are stations copying the mainland market in names?

There are about a million 'STAR's in California. It's like almost every county has a station called "STAR." Some of the time the station will get it's name from the call letters. Like one station where I grew up had the call letters, "KSLY" and called themselves SLY 96.1. Another had "KWSR" called "STAR" 92.5 (SR = STAR). And a Christian radio station with "KLFF" called themselves K-LIFE (LFF = LIFE). "KLVE" = K-LOVE. I don't think is how it's done everywhere, but it's done a lot like this in California.
Arturo

[Howard Dicus]

Re: Are stations copying the mainland market in names?

Radio programmers are notoriously thieving. They never invent a contest, slogan or program concept when they can steal one from another market.

The thinking, if one can dignify it with that word, is that it worked in Los Angeles so let's do it in Duluth.

Of course, there are always differences between the major market where the concept originated and the myriad other markets where it's copied, beginning with these two things: (1) in Los Angeles actual money was spent promoting it, and (2) in Los Angeles there are so many stations and so many people that you can make money with a 3 share.

If there is a consultant involved, the consultant's role is to dismiss complaints that "things are different here" on the grounds that all of his clients tell him that. This logical fallacy, that since everyone raises the same objection then everyone must be wrong, is the motive power behind such brilliant ideas as promoting severe weather coverage in a market that has so little severe weather that it will be the lead news story when it does happen.

So a Los Angeles station calls itself the best mix of the seventies, eighties and nineties, then has a good book, and suddenly 100 stations are mixing it up all over the country, many of them with poor ratings results.

[islands]

Re: Are stations copying the mainland market in names?

And yes, we have had a couple of "Power" stations in Hawaii over the years. Anyone remember "Power 92" or was it the "Power of X" where they had a promotion to show the power and someone put a big banner on top of Diamond Head? That was for the then Heftel owned KPXW 92.3 FM which after its short stint as Power 92 became KSSK FM.

It was actually KXPW "Power 92X." I don't remember any of the local announcers but I remember them carrying syndicated Scott Shannon Rockin' America Top 30 Countdown and John Lander's Hit Music USA.

['79 KUAI Jock]

Re: Are stations copying the mainland market in names?

is the motive power behind such brilliant ideas as promoting severe weather coverage in a market that has so little severe weather that it will be the lead news story when it does happen.

RU pokin' fun at a certain TV station?... har har har


btw- loved reading your take on "consultants" boy have I heard those
lines before... "it worked- back home"...




Paul

[kimo55]

Re: Are stations copying the mainland market in names?

If there is a consultant involved, the consultant's role is to dismiss complaints that "things are different here" on the grounds that all of his clients tell him that. This logical fallacy, that since everyone raises the same objection then everyone must be wrong,

again;
it's no accident that when you add the words;
con
and...
insult
you get a consultant.

[Howard Dicus]

Re: Are stations copying the mainland market in names?

I have known some very nice consultants. But generally even the nice ones have this tendency to want to plug in off-the-shelf solutions.

It's a substitute for the work that would be required to study a new market in search of its particular foibles.

No outside consultant would ever have thought of the KHON shaka. If he had, he would have caught the next plane to Pittsburgh and tried it on KDKA.

The station I gently tweaked in my last post is very lucky to have Guy Hagi. I think he's very good and people watch him, not because of, but in spite of, that whole business of protecting us from weather.

I suspect the management may covertly agree. Soon after the "run for your lives, it's windward and mauka showers!" campaign began, the promos subtly shifted so that they focused more on how kama'ainas like to get their weather from Guy. Very astute, that.

In the meantime, we're under an excellent weather warning for the islands, so be sure and drink all your bottled water and make sure nothing on your lanai is tied down. Makapu'u, one to two'oo.

[LikaNui]

Re: Are stations copying the mainland market in names?

I have known some very nice consultants.

Me too. But I've never hired one that was nice.

and make sure nothing on your lanai is tied down.

Oh, damn. I just got her to agree to being tied up yesterday.

Makapu'u, one to two'oo.

Yeah, Gary has said that so often over the years that it's a shock when he doesn't say it.
By the way, Howard, did you see the post about Jamie DeMatoff splitting from SNN and creating his own surf website and hot-line? It's here: http://www.hawaiithreads.com/showthread.php?t=6666

[lurkah]

Re: Are stations copying the mainland market in names?

Makapu'u, one to two'oo.

Yeah, Gary has said that so often over the years that it's a shock when he doesn't say it.

Seeing that phrase immediately reminded me of Rell Sunn, who I think originated that phrase when she used to drive around 'Oahu and call in her live surf reports to different radio stations.

[craigwatanabe]

Re: Are stations copying the mainland market in names?

The station I gently tweaked in my last post is very lucky to have Guy Hagi. I think he's very good and people watch him, not because of, but in spite of, that whole business of protecting us from weather.

I suspect the management may covertly agree. Soon after the "run for your lives, it's windward and mauka showers!" campaign began, the promos subtly shifted so that they focused more on how kama'ainas like to get their weather from Guy. Very astute, that.

In the meantime, we're under an excellent weather warning for the islands, so be sure and drink all your bottled water and make sure nothing on your lanai is tied down. Makapu'u, one to two'oo.

I still remember that time when Guy did the weather stinger heading into a commercial break: Better get your umbrella's out, I'll tell you why after this break.

Ummmm...because it's gonna rain?

[Doctah]

Power 92X

KXPW was first known as "Power 92" as a mainstream top 40, going after KQMQ. It later moved more rhythmic (and started aping Hot I-94) and became "Power 92X"... and then simply "92X."

If I remember correctly, Cliff Richards and Myk Powell did the morning show (remember their TV ad, in which they stuck a fish in a blender?) and Rob Fukazaki, now the lead sports anchor at KABC-TV in Los Angeles, did evenings.

As for stations across the country using the same monikers, that's been the case since almost the dawn of music radio, but especially since the 1970s. Hot I-94? There are still "hots" across the country. Use of the letters Q, Z, etc. are still very common. This is nothing new. Just every few years, a new name becomes popular -- "Party," "Blazin'," "Jammin'," etc.