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Closure
September 20, 2022
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“The only way to fix the problem is to go back and re-do everything that was done, returning the brand to its original strategy that is consistent with its listeners’ expectations”
It’s a quote from a column I wrote in July of 2021 called “Crisis Prevention Vs. Damage Control.” The column was about one of my favorite radio stations of all time. X107.5, KXTE in Las Vegas. Yes, I have a lot of history with its sister station, Mix 94.1, KMXB Las Vegas, having programmed it on and off for over 10 years. But that station was my oldest child, and I was, and am very proud of it and its team. But KXTE was my “baby.” We started from scratch when I stepped in. Our team was amazing, and we worked together to take that station from the bottom of the barrel to Top 3 with Adults 18-34 and Top 5 A 18-49. A major accomplishment for a station coming off the loss of Howard Stern, the debacle of Free FM and the re-branding from Xtreme Radio to X107.5.
At the height of the ratings for both Mix 94.1 and X107.5, I was “strongly encouraged” to go to another market for CBS radio to fix a few stations and was away from Vegas for several years. When I returned almost four years later, post merge, the station was still in good shape, the Dave & Mahoney Morning Show was still performing and generating revenue and the music was still pretty much on point. It’s parent company however, had just been taken over by another major radio company and sadly, things were about to change, and fast. The new company began to streamline everything, including the Alternative and Country formats, Management and Talent and a large percentage of support positions, in order to cut costs.
The station (KXTE) was re-branded, practically re-formatted based on a corporate strategy, and stripped of all its local talent, except for the morning show. This was a devastating blow to the brand, it’s ratings and revenue and a set up for failure for a successful morning show with history in the market.
“Why would someone make the decision to fix something that wasn’t broken?” I asked? “Not only was this a death sentence for the overall brand, but it was also bad timing. The pandemic hit a few months after the rebranding, and a new Classic Alt Rock station entered the market. Between the Classic Hits Station, the Rock station and this new brand, the bottom fell out for one of the few successful Alternative stations in the country.”
The station’s name and brand were changed to match the rest of the stations across the country, which was the first mistake. The brand was already a market fixture. Then the station’s new music strategy was moved to a more pop leaning playlist, coming from the Ivory Tower, dumping all the gold records that matter in the market and going after a TikTok audience. These music changes allowed for the Classic Hits, Classic Alt Rock and even the Rock station to pick up all the gold that mattered in the market. Next, Middays and PM drive were syndicated, while the new competitor brought in “The Woody Show” from LA, for mornings, a highly successful show, potentially perfect for Vegas not only because of its success, but also because of the familiarity, connection and proximity between Los Angeles and Las Vegas.
This broke my heart, and I wasn’t the only one to notice. The station fell off the face of the earth, and its competitors rose to the occasion. I couldn’t listen for almost two years. And then one day, the station fell back into the hands of Ross Mahoney. The guy they originally let go when they made the changes after the merger in the first place. So, I gave it a few weeks, then punched it up on the dial to take a listen. And wow, my prayers had been answered.
The music was so good, and the energy of the station was fifty times better than it had been in a few years. It sounded like West Coast Radio again. I was compelled to sit in my car and listen, even when I had to get out, just to hear what was coming up next. That’s what radio is supposed to do for its listeners. I must have texted (annoyed) Ross Mahoney twice a week to tell him how awesome the station sounded. They were bangin’ the hits, with a wide variety of familiar songs from the grunge era surrounded by hits from the early and late 2000’s, and the perfect mix of new music surrounded by the likes of Pearl Jam, Nirvana, Foo Fighters, Chili Peppers, Nine Inch Nails etc. Throw in some Temper Trap, Kris Kross, Depeche Mode, Of Monsters and Men and it was a giant Alternative Orgy.
Not that I personally matter. But I was a die hard P1 for KXTE even when I wasn’t programming the station. I have to believe that it’s not too late to re-convert the rest of the stations Original P1’s (while at the same time converting new listeners) and restoring some of the ratings for the station. I hope the company is willing to invest in the marketing, promotional and strategic tools needed to put this station back on the map. Call me selfish, my wants and dreams for this brand and its team are “very” selfish. Not only because I mentioned before that this station was my “baby,” but also because I needed closure. As I leave Las Vegas for the fourth or fifth time in my career and take on a new adventure in Nashville with All Access, at least I can do so with some kind of closure. Knowing that my child is beginning to sound the way it’s supposed to again and restoring my faith in the industry and its commitment to live and local radio (at least somewhat). I’ll be leaving Las Vegas again soon, driving out of this town for the millionth time in my career, but I’ll be listening to KXTE for as long as the signal will take me.
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