On Radio:
AM stations aim for niche markets


by Bill Virgin
SeattlePI.com
January 9, 2008



When attention turns to the AM dial, most of it focuses on the big-name news, talk and sports stations.

But in between those are lots of smaller stations serving niche markets including kids (Radio Disney), foreign-language communities (principally Spanish and Korean in this market) and religious. Some carry syndicated programming, while others operate on a brokered basis (the producer or sponsor buys airtime).

On occasion, a station uncovers a new niche that has been overlooked by or isn't large enough to warrant the attention of the big stations. Such is the case with the growing presence of sports programming on KKNW-AM/1150, operated by Sandusky Radio.

KKNW has been the regular home of Seattle Thunderbirds hockey broadcasts, but in recent years it has added University of Washington women's basketball, men's baseball and softball. The station carried the Seattle Storm games last year and hopes to again. With Seattle University planning a move to NCAA Division I in collegiate athletics, KKNW has been carrying some of the school's men's basketball games. Meanwhile, the regional alumni chapter of the University of Nebraska sponsors Cornhusker football broadcasts.

Marc Kaye, vice president and market manager for Sandusky's Seattle-area stations, said the intention isn't to remake KKNW into a sports station or to challenge the region's dominant sports outlet, KJR-AM/950. But since KJR's focus is on professional and major college teams, KKNW has found an unserved corner of the local radio market, he says, and local sports provides good programming for the station's evening hours.

KKNW is making a foray into sports talk with "Sports Tangle" at 8 p.m. Mondays, hosted by Gary Hill, Matt Zarter, Bryan Bacon and Brian Abker.

"It's an offshoot of some of the sports programming," Kaye says. "There's a need for a program that would focus on the sports we carry." KKNW also carries "S.U. Sports Tonight," looking at Seattle U athletics, at 9 p.m. Mondays.

Salem Broadcasting operates five AM stations in Seattle, including conservative-talk KKOL-AM/1300, Spanish-language Radio Sol KKMO-AM/1360 and religious-oriented KGNW-AM/820. Its other two stations, KLFE-AM/1590 and KDOW-AM/1680, have been primarily brokered-time stations, KLFE primarily religious, KDOW mainly Spanish-language programming.

KLFE-AM attracted some attention last year when it began carrying one of the top syndicated talk shows in the country, Laura Schlessinger. Late last year that program moved to KVI-AM/570.

Joe Heslet, manager of Salem's Seattle-area stations, said the move was "fine with us," since placing the Dr. Laura program on KLFE was always a temporary move to get the show back in the Seattle market. In the meantime, KLFE is now running large blocks of Russian-language programming during the day. Heslet said that resulted from an agreement with an existing customer who wanted a larger block of time for Russian-language shows, primarily talk, news and public affairs.

In other radio notes:


Following up on its previous hints, KING-FM/98.1 has launched its opera channel on its Web site, king.org, in conjunction with the Seattle Opera. KING-FM has also said it will be looking at its second HD channel for specialty programming such as opera; during the holiday season it used that channel for Christmas-themed classical music.


KIRO-AM/710 said the previously announced new evening talk show hosted by Luke Burbank, formerly of KUOW-FM and National Public Radio, now has a name: "Too Beautiful to Live." In a news release KIRO says the program will bypass the big events of the day to talk about "the little things that happen between the big moments." That show runs 7-10 p.m. weekdays.

KIRO also has added the nationally syndicated Phil Hendrie show 10 p.m.-1 a.m. weeknights (most recently it had been on sister station KTTH-AM/770). Hendrie is renowned for creating the voices of the "guests" on his talk show. Frank Shiers, who had been hosting in that slot, will continue as a fill-in host for KIRO.


The Metropolitan Opera performs Verdi's "Macbeth" at 10:30 a.m. Saturday on KING-FM.


Gregg Keplinger and Rick Mandyck perform on "Sonarchy" at midnight Saturday on KEXP-FM/90.3.


Jim Wilke's "Jazz Northwest" at 1 p.m. Sunday on KPLU-FM/88.5 features a performance by the Alma College Percussion Ensemble.


Republican gubernatorial candidate Dino Rossi takes listener calls at 1 p.m. Tuesday on KUOW-FM/94.9.


Jazz organist Joey DeFrancesco performs live on KPLU-FM/88.5 at 12:20 p.m. Wednesday.



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P-I reporter Bill Virgin can be reached at 206-448-8319 or billvirgin@seattlepi.com.