SpringsTV Talk

You're missing out

2009-10-14T07:57:00.001-07:00

All the good stuff is happening over on http://springstvtalk.freedomblogging.com/.

Wanted: Someone to watch TV - for cash!

2009-10-02T14:05:00.000-07:00

I mentioned last week that we had plans in the works to rectify what a worthless, non-TV blogging bum I've become. Well, this is it. We're hiring a freelance TV/radio writer. It could be you, assuming you watch a lot of TV, listen to the radio and have a well broken-in La-Z-Boy.

Here's the ad:"The Gazette is looking for a freelance writer and blogger who's interested in covering local TV and radio. Some writing experience is required. Please send clips to warren.epstein@gazette.com."

Sixthirty

2009-09-23T09:53:00.001-07:00

Oh, and well I was off changing diapers, I see KXRM began a 6:30 p.m. newscast.

I'd always wondered why they didn't do an early newscast from the get-go.

Anyhoo: 6:30. Discuss.

A good question

2009-09-23T08:50:00.001-07:00

A commenter asks: "are you really a BLOG when you posts something every 2-3 weeks? BLOG insinuates daily or at least WEEKLY updates. Otherwise you are simply posers trying to cash in on the stupidity of the facebook nation."

Now, in my defense, I've been out the last couple of weeks with a newborn baby (he's cute, he cries a lot, he poops a lot, he apparently requires no sleep to perform those primary functions).

But obviously, in recent months the TV blog has become a poor stepchild of the other Gazette blogs I contribute to (Out There and Business). I don't exactly have an announcement yet, but I will say we're taking steps to rectify the situation.

More to come...

Sawyer to replace Gibson

2009-09-02T09:23:00.001-07:00

Charlie Gibson is retiring and Diane Sawyer will step behind the anchor desk.

My question: What does this mean for KRDO?

I think no change is good change for network news, which is clearly heading toward its last roundup. It will, nevertheless, be interesting to watch Sawyer's ratings relative to Couric and Brian Williams.

Summer ratings: A return to form

2009-08-27T08:06:00.001-07:00

After KRDO leapt to the No. 1 spot in demos in the Spring book, the Summer numbers look much more like our usual pattern - with KOAA on top at 5 p.m., 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. in both overall and demos.

There were a few smaller surprises in the book: KKTV was second at 5 a.m. and 6 a.m. in the overalls, and won at 5 a.m. and tied KOAA at 6 in 25-54. (Note that the morning numbers don't reflect KRDO moving Jon Karroll to mornings a couple weeks back).

Last time out, KXRM had a better 25-54 number at 9 p.m. than KRDO did at 10 p.m. This time, KXRM dropped, with a 9 p.m. number slightly ahead of KRDO's 10 p.m. in both overall and demos (and slightly behind KKTV in both categories, too).

What to make of it? Summer can sometimes get a little wonky, because people are out and about and the regular shows aren't on. On the other hand, these numbers look a lot more like what we're used to than the last book did. The Fall book will give us a stronger read on which way the trends are really pointing (if there's real movement going on at all), but I think the Summer book means that KRDO has farther to go than it appeared (and they were no doubt hoping) after the Spring book.

Denver tests new radio ratings system

2009-08-19T07:34:00.000-07:00

Interesting story in the Post today on Arbitrons new people meter system, which goes live in October and is already making waves as tests show that it will radically reshape the ratings.

The biggest losers appear to be the talk stations (with KHOW dropping clear out of the top 20). The biggest winners? Soft rock.

Naturally, I wonder what this system would mean here in the Springs, where KKLI is already a top 5 station and only KVOR breaks the top 10 with talk.

The story makes some intriguing points about potential problems with the methodology (does the wearable monitor pick up stations through a purse? What if you listen while you're in the shower?).

I dunno if this system will ever make it to the Springs. We still don't, and may never get, metered TV Nielsens. But if the system takes over the big cities, I expect Arbitron will adjust its diary methodology to reflect the metered ratings - and that will mean changes for the Springs.

Hey Jon Karroll, can I buy you a cup of coffee?

2009-08-17T07:59:00.000-07:00

What do my bleary eyes perceive on this fair Monday? Why it's Jon Karroll holding down the desk on KRDO's morning news. Where's Zach Thaxton (where, for that matter is Marty)?

This is interesting for a bunch of reasons. KRDO's morning news has always been the station's strongest daypart. Messing with success is a bold move. Where do the other chips fall? Is it a good move? Is it even a permanent move or just a tryout?

KILO tops Arbitrons... for the last time?

2009-08-03T07:42:00.000-07:00

KILO (94.3 FM) won its fifth straight book in the Arbitron radio ratings. The question becomes: How big a bite does KDZA's switch take out of the top dog?

OK, so the top of the list is same-old, same-old. The rest of the top 10 is kinda weird. KVOR No. 2 in a non-election book? KATC jumps to third? The old KDZA goes out with a bang at 4? KKLI falls all the way to 9?

It's not much clearer in the 25-54 numbers, either, with KILO followed by KKFM, then KATC, then KKPK and so on.

If you've got a theory other than "Arbitrons are whacky," feel free to throw it out.

And, by the way, I'm back from a baby shower in Seattle followed by a really exhausting move in town. Scraping wallpaper sucks.

KRDO wins three regional Emmys

2009-07-20T15:21:00.000-07:00

KRDO/Channel 13 won three regional Emmy awards from the Heartland Region of the National Television Academy.

KRDO won for its morning newscast, Rob Namnoum won best sports anchor and the station won the community service award for its series on sex offenders.

The awards were presented Saturday in Denver.

Totally uncool

2009-07-17T15:30:00.000-07:00

Obviously, part of the fun of "American Idol" is watching the delusional, narcissistic jerks get a reality check. It's less fun when those jerks make their dogs suffer along the way.

I mean, seriously, it was 90 degrees in Denver all week. How much of a moron do you have to be to leave your dog in the car while you audition?

Indy looks at radio

2009-07-16T09:08:00.000-07:00

The Colorado Springs Independent's Bill Forman looked into the decline of local radio today.

I think it's a decent overview - he focused on Buzz Corona, formerly of KPHT (95.5 FM), Vicky Gregor of KRCC (91.5 FM) and CK from KDZA (107.9 FM) (well, I'm not sure if he's still of KDZA, but CK will always be around somewhere).

However, he doesn't really address whether Clear Channel and Citadel played a role in the decline of radio, or if it's a technology driven decline and the big radio conglomerates are simply the ones left holding the bag (I'd argue that's mostly the case, although see my note about KILO below).

I think KCME is a better example of the toll internet streaming is taking on local radio. It lacks KRCC's news and popular syndicated programs, so it's more heavily reliant on people tuning in just for the music - and more of those people are finding their music through other sources. KCME recently held an off-season fund drive to make up for falling donations (although so did KRCC).

On the other hand, Forman doesn't really explore what KILO's comparative success means, although he has a quote from Ross Ford in the box. Obviously, part of that success comes from lack of competition in the last couple of years, but even when it wasn't on top, KILO was pretty much always top three. You could make a couple arguments here: the importance of listener loyalty and brand strength - both of which would argue against the frequent format flips Clear Channel and Citadel are known for, and maybe the importance of local jocks (which, sorry guys, I think gets overplayed, but it may have a role).

KCMN (1530 AM) is an interesting case, too, making a go of things as a near-independent (Don Crawford Jr. owns KCBR, too, but it's a very small operation).

What's the model that will give radio a future, either for-profit or not? Heck, I dunno. As I'm always saying on here, though, it was newspapers first, now it's radio, next it will be TV. Is "local" dead, or does it just need a heart transplant?

The best thing I can come up with right now is that local media will have to deal with falling revenue for several more years, but that there will be a plateau at some point and that, at some level, local newspapers and radio stations and TV stations will stick around for awhile.

Mo mo

2009-07-15T13:10:00.000-07:00

Ross and Mo in the Morning may just be Ross these days, but Mo is still a KILO believer and a homecoming queen - with a sharp elbow for KILO's new competition from KDZA. She sent me this after my earlier post:

"I was reading about the station in the paper and I noticed you mentioned that I was gone and you didn't know where I went. I've been gone from the morning show since April...nothing like everybody noticing I'm gone to boost the ol' ego...3 months later. lol

I decided to spend the summer with my kids. I have an 18 yr old daughter who is just about to fly the coop and I'd been at KILO for over 11 years, hadn't spent much time with her.

So I decided to take the summer off. The toughest decision I've ever made.

The KILO Morning Show was my dream job. Not as much a job but an event...everyday.

Although, from what I understand, Lewis and Floorshine are funny but Ross Ford, even all by himself, is the funniest man I have ever known...or listened to.

The ONLY regret I have about leaving KILO is that I don't sit next to Ross everyday and laugh my ass off...I really do miss that. I still listen and laugh but it isn't the same.

Also, with Ross Ford, you have the advantage of a local voice. Not a bunch of guys from another city who really don't know what's going on right here in Colorado Springs. I, personally, take a lot of pride in the fact that KILO has never dipped low enough to go the cheap way out and syndicate a morning show from somewhere far far away. They have stayed true to the original idea of radio...local news, weather, sports and local interest all the way around.

Sure, fiscally it may cost a bit more, but KILO has the local listeners interest in mind. In turn, KILO Listeners, the KILO Nation, are THE most dedicated and loyal listeners in the world. L! ong live the KILO Nation!

Look out KILO? KDZA wants to rock

2009-07-14T14:18:00.001-07:00

Oldies station KDZA (107.9 FM) dropped the "Jet" moniker and the dusty discs on Monday in favor of an active rock format.

The station is also syndicating morning duo Lewis and Floorwax from Denver classic rock station KRFX (103.5 FM).

The morning show is not the only thing the local Clear Channel station is borrowing from its big brothers up in Denver: It's also appropriated KBPI (106.7 FM)'s slogan "KBPI Rocks the Rockies." Only, you know, with KDZA in there.

Nobody's really taken a run at KILO (94.3 FM) since the KMOM days. KILO has been pretty steady at No. 1 in the local ratings, so we'll see what KDZA can do. (Speaking of which, I hadn't even realized KILO broke up Ross and Mo in the mornings. Did that just happen?).

UPDATE: Mo took me to task for my up-to-the-minute radio knowledge. She says she left the morning show in April to spend time with her daughter. I plead unhipness and a severe Tool allergy.

UPDATE 2: Reader Brian M. reports that all is not lost for fans of the "old" KDZA - "You oldies lovers can rejoice...and buy a HD radio. KDZA 107.9 HD2 is ALL OLDIES. Its time to throw away your old analog radios!"

A straightened paper clip will lead you to digital nirvana

2009-07-09T10:01:00.000-07:00

KOAA chief engineer Quentin Henry posted this in comments, but it's much too interesting not to pull out to the main page:

Too large of an antenna is a common problem...

Gone are the days (and practices) of analog Television. "Back in the day" (of analog) More antenna was better, no longer is that the case.

TOO LARGE of an antenna can cause the stronger signals to cancel out themselves due to "reflections" of it's own signal coming in 180 degrees out of phase from the side gain of the antenna.

Digital is NOT as forgiving on "Ghosts" (reflections) as analog was. Analog "Ghosts" used to look like echos, or shadows in the video. In Digital the signal just kills it's self.

Flat antenna wire will cause problems too. It is NOT shielded and it DOES act as an additional ANTENNA picking up signals (reflections) out of phase killing the digital signal. Too high of a signal into the receiver can cause the digital receiver to NOT demodulate (receive) the Digital signal, a $2 20db attenuator can help in some cases.

SOME RABBIT EAR antennas have a built in amplifier and that amplifier can cause MORE problems that it solves. MANY cases we have the viewer "un-plug, or by-pass" the amplifier to get perfect signal on ALL digital channels.

Rabbit ear antennas have performed very well in Black Forest, Monument and other areas we have had difficulty with analog in the past.

SUMMARY: Old analog antennas WILL work IF they are not TOO LARGE, and do not have flat antenna wire more than 3 inches on the system.

StationsIn order of strength:

KOAA-42-880,000 watts
KRDO-24-200,000 watts
KXRM-22-51,000 watts
KTSC-26-39,000 watts
KKTV-10-20,000 watts.

Here are some actual case studies:
1.) Black Forest can get KOAA and many others using a straightened paper clip instead of an antenna.
2.) Trinidad (120 miles away) gets us with a small 19"X22" panel antenna that is mounted in the rafters with no amplifier.
3.) Limon gets us with a small 3' antenna no amplifier, and can not see Cheyenne Mt., just the top of Pikes Peak.
4.) La Junta gets us with a small 12"X12" panel antenna no amplifier.

TIPS:

1.) Do NOT use any flat wire longer that 3 inches.
2.) Do NOT use any amplifiers with in 60 miles.
3.) You can Reduce Rabbit ear gain by making the rods as small as possible.
4.) If you can receive channel 30 ANALOG, even a weak signal with sound, you should be able to receive all the digital channels.
5.) An out side antenna MIGHT be needed IF you can not see Cheyenne Mt. due to local terrain, hills, mountains, but not due to vegitation, trees etc...

Do touch that dial!

2009-07-06T07:30:00.001-07:00

In other channel-swapping news, someone sent me this interesting item about KKTV eyeing a signal switch.

I don't get this: Who has trouble getting KKTV digital? When I lived up in Larkspur a few years ago, KKTV was the only one that came in clearly (admittedly, it seemed to get broken up by the omnipresent Palmer Divide snow more than the other ones).

It would be kind of handy for everyone pulling in TV off their rabbit ears if everyone would go UHF, but even if KKTV switched, we'd still have KTSC on Channel 8.

Hopping frequencies now would confuse the hell out of a lot of old people with converter boxes.

Also, if KKTV goes to Channel 47 [correction: 49], would that mean that they'd take KOAA's spot as "Southern Colorado's Most Powerful Digital Signal"?

30 gets 86'd

2009-07-02T09:48:00.000-07:00

This happened yesterday, but I didn't really notice until I was up in Cripple Creek at 1 in the morning and saw KOAA's sat truck with the new "5" wrap.

It's a little funny, because channel 30 is still alive and well (and, well, analog).

Times they are a changin'.

KOAA's Jarman wins national Murrow award

2009-06-29T10:12:00.000-07:00

Congratulations to KOAA reporter James Jarman, whose undercover investigation into former District Attorney John Newsome drinking on the job won the national Edward R. Murrow award for investigative reporting from the Radio-Television News Directors Association.

Here's a link to the winning story.

Kinda neat

2009-06-26T08:36:00.001-07:00

KRCC has an online tour of the transmission towers up on Cheyenne Mountain.

Also, Colorado College's public station is doing a special one-day fund drive this Sunday to fill the gap in the station's budget created by the recession.

The Fox is in the hen house

2009-06-19T08:37:00.000-07:00

Folks at KXRM are mad at me because they say the real story from the May book is who had the top-rated late-night newscast in demos. Which would be them: Their 9 p.m. scored a 4.9 to KRDO's 4.6 (at 10 p.m.) in adults 25-54.

OK, that's a good number (especially because their overall number for 9-9:30 was 6.6, dropping to 4.9 in the second half-hour, which means an astoundingly high percentage of their viewers are in that demo).

In my defense, I believe KRDO's breakout at 10 is still the more interesting storyline, both because it hasn't happened in living memory (well, recent memory) and because the 10 p.m. horse race is head-to-head, while KXRM is competing on a different playing field at 9.

Whoa. KRDO No. 1 25-54 at 5, 6 and... wait for it... 10 p.m.

2009-06-18T10:34:00.000-07:00

The latest Nielsen numbers are out and they are... unexpected. Unprecedented might be the better word.

Perennial third-place finisher KRDO/Channel 13 jumped the field to take the lead with 25-54-year-old viewers at 10 p.m., and also beat head-to-head rival KOAA/Channels 5&30 at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m.

Now, these are the 25-54's demos, not the overall 12+ numbers. TV stations and advertisers seem to only pay attention to the demos, but, as a newspaper reporter, I think the broadest measure is still, well, the broadest measure.

So please note that, in 12+, KOAA still had wide leads at 6 p.m. and 10 p.m. But not, interestingly, at 5 p.m., where it was just a hair ahead of KRDO.

Now, KKTV has beaten KOAA at 10 p.m. within the last few years in both 12+ and demos (I want to say the last time was maybe three or four years ago), but I don't think KRDO has had a No. 1 10 p.m. newscast, by any measure, since the '80s. Maybe farther back than that.

What's going on here? It's hard to say. There were some weird, DTV transition-related shenanigans going on that pushed the winter book into March, but, to the best of my knowledge, those were sorted out by the May ratings period.

Certainly, new KRDO owner the News-Press & Gazette Company has been pumping money into its flagship station. That hadn't paid off before this point, but perhaps it laid the groundwork for a surge.

Perhaps the DTV transition combined with KRDO's first-in-market HD newscast to swing viewers its way (which would help explain why the demos look so much different than the 12-plus numbers: Far fewer older folks have HDTV's).

Just strictly looking at the 25-54 numbers, KOAA's ratings seem to have dropped by nearly half at 10 p.m. KKTV was down as well, although not as much. And KRDO was up solidly, which was enough to take the lead. It was a similar story in other dayparts: Fewer viewers watching local news, but KRDO getting more of them.

Is this an epochal change? A passing of the torch? A fluke? It's going to be a long, long time before we can really be sure. Nobody pays much attention to the summer book, which means that the November book will be the next real data point.

UPDATE: One other interesting ratings data point is that KOAA's mini-me, News First Now, showed up in the ratings for the first time, posting 1's in the morning. The channel started out just on Comcast, but is now on cable and over-the-air on KOAA's digital subchannel, 5.2.

KOAA's John Gilbert passes away

2009-06-16T15:27:00.000-07:00

Legendary KOAA general manager John Gilbert died on Sunday in Arizona. You can read KOAA's story here.

Gilbert was 81. Gilbert was as well-known locally for his fiery on-air editorials as for his successful leadership of the NBC affiliate. He managed television stations in New York city and was ABC’s vice president of affiliate relations before coming to Colorado Springs. He served as KOAA's general manager from 1977 to 1998, and was named the Colorado Broadcasters Association’s Broadcaster of the Year in 1996.

DTV - no big deal?

2009-06-12T14:10:00.001-07:00

In the end, Friday’s digital television transition went a lot like Y2K: Months of dire warnings and panicky preparations meant that nearly everyone seems to have made the switch without a hitch.

Between 7 and 9 a.m. on Friday, all the major local TV stations shut down their analog transmitters for good and viewers could only receive the signals with a digital TV, a converter box, cable or satellite. The transition was supposed to take place in February, but was pushed back to June to give viewers more time to prepare. It seems to have worked. At KXRM/Channel 21, the station had one call Friday morning, general manager Steve Dant said. The only glitch at the Fox affiliate was that it took five extra minutes to actually shut off the old transmitter.

“The gremlins were loose,” Dant said.

At KOAA/Channels 5&30, about 100 people had called by Friday afternoon. At the DTV walk-in assistance center at 129 N. Wahsatch Ave., Gary Marshall said Thursday was busy, with about 34 people looking for assistance, but only eight had come in on Friday.

If you do have an old TV, it’s not quite a museum piece just yet. You can, of course, hook it up to cable or satellite service, or to a digital converter box. And, for a little while at least, there are a few things to watch in good old analog television: KOAA/Channels 5&30’s transmitter on channel 30 is still up and running, along with local CW affiliate KXTU/Channel 57 (which can also be seen on KXRM’s digital subchannel, 21.2), along with a few other low-power stations.

Those stations will gradually switch over, too, and then analog television will truly go the way of 8-track tapes and Betamax VCR’s.

My TV reception sucks this morning

2009-06-12T07:29:00.001-07:00

No, really, it does. I hooked up the antenna to the analog tuner of my HDTV for the first time this morning so that I could properly commemorate the waning moments of analog television. Reception was terrible.

But not so terrible that I missed poor Tim Elbertson at KXRM/Channel 21 announcing that the station had switched off its analog transmitter and, if viewers were still watching him, they had successfully navigated the digital divide.

Psych! I was watching him in analog. It took them another five minutes to turn the darn thing off. Which is funny, because on Wednesday I was talking to KXRM general manager Steve Dant about the DTV thing and I asked him, "So, how do you actually turn off your analog transmitter?" And he said he'd talked to engineering about it and all that was required was the click of a mouse. Doh!

Anyway, funny, but not the end of the world. KXRM did eventually get up a rotating informational segment that explains how to hook up a converter box, KKTV/Channel 11 put up a static display telling people to get with the program, KOAA/Channels 5&30 went with static on 5, but is leaving 30 up as a simulcast (it's a low-power transmitter, so they're not legally required to switch it off), and KRDO/Channel 13 was waiting until 9 to switch...

So, once that happens, I guess we will be in a brave new digital world.

More digital TV silliness

2009-06-02T15:06:00.000-07:00

So the FCC sends out a news release earlier today about this cool new program: Local firefighters will actually go out and do house calls to help TV viewers hook up digital converter boxes ahead of the June 12 digital deadline.

Quirky! Fun! Potentially useful!

So I cal the Springs fire department and they get back to me: Hey nobody told us about this.

They may still do it, they just need to figure out what it entails.

Just thought that was a fitting anecdote for how seamless the whole transition has gone.

(I may just be bitter because the NTIA sent out a list of walk-in assistance centers right before I went on vacation two weeks ago. We ran the list and then they called and were like, 'Sorry, we changed all those locations.' Admittedly it's the FCC messing around this time, but shouldn't there be a little more coordination going on?)