KAAY Signal Restored

In an e-mail from Doug Virden:

"The nighttime directional signal for KAAY has been fully restored after nearly 15 years.  The nighttime signal had to be cut back because a power plant was built a mile away from the towers right in the directional signals path.  This forced the signal to be reduced from 50kw to around 17kw at night.  According to Barry McCorkindale this led to a significant loss in revenue.

Two-thirds of the revenue the station brought in was from the nighttime signal.  There was a higher rate charged during skywave hours.  Once the nighttime signal wasn't coming through anymore the prime revenue started leaving.  More revenue left when the station was off the air twice for weeks.  There are currently less than 30 ministries still on KAAY, once revenue is lost its doubtful its coming back.  I believe it cost more than twice of what the current yearly revenue is for the station.  From my understanding it was either restore the signal or turn in the license and shut down.

 

     I'm sure the company is going want a return on their investment.  Keeping the status quo with programming won't cut it.

 

A couple of ideas for programming would be to move the sports talk station to KAAY or block all the ministries that are left into the late night and overnight hours and play 60's and 70's music for the rest of the time.

  

There is now FM competition on the religious front in Little Rock.  Salem runs three stations in Little Rock one is a full time religious block station where a lot of programs that were once on KAAY went, next is a Contemporary Christian music format, and a conservative talk station.  Younger listeners will go to these stations for that type of programming.  Another issue is the ministers that have time on KAAY are getting older and there is NO younger ones coming in to take their place."

 

I tuned into 1090 this morning, there was a good strong signal.  Good job!  Thanks, Doug!

 

Bud S. (stactes4@Hotmail.com)