RADIO — Hip-Hop Station Takes Tumble After Altering Playlist

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At precisely 5 p.m. on a Friday several weeks ago, listeners who were tuned in to radio station KKBT-FM 92.3 heard a low buzzing sound that lasted about five seconds.

When it stopped, KKBT, better known as The Beat, had moved up the dial to a new frequency at 100.3. Meanwhile, young urban listeners back on 92.3 who were accustomed to the likes of Dr. Dre found themselves confronted with the music of Smokey Robinson and other “jammin’ oldies.”

Coming as it did at a time when The Beat is in a dismal ratings slump, the move might be seen as a metaphor for the station’s recent history. Once the top-ranking station for hip hop and R & B; music in Los Angeles, The Beat has lost its way.

“The Beat had been extremely sensitive to the black community, and promotions, contests and community service were centered around that,” said Mary Catherine Sneed, chief operating officer of Radio One Inc., which is awaiting approvals to acquire The Beat, along with about 20 other stations, from Clear Channel Communications. “All that went away.”

For years, The Beat and its longtime rival KPWR-FM 106 had been duking it out for the title of L.A.’s leading hip-hop station. The Beat appealed to the African-American community and KPWR (better known as Power 106) had a strong following among Latinos. But about two years ago The Beat began skewing its playlist and its format in an effort to poach some Power listeners and broaden its audience.

The strategy backfired.

“The Beat wanted to expand its target audience out from just black listeners to Hispanic listeners as well,” said an industry insider. “As good of an idea as that might have been, they didn’t execute it very well.”

In fall 1997, The Beat commanded a 4.5 share of the market for listeners 12 and older in the all-important morning time slot, to Power’s 4.2 share, according to Arbitron. But by the winter 1999-2000 season, The Beat had plummeted to a 2.6 share while Power held steady with 4.2.

Last year, when broadcasting giants Clear Channel and AMFM Inc. agreed to merge, requiring that the new company divest some of its stations, The Beat was put on the block. Because of KKBT’s poor performance, it was a natural choice. But it also had a very strong signal at 92.3 on the dial, and Clear Channel didn’t want to give up its large coverage area. So the company switched frequencies between The Beat and another L.A. holding, classic rock station KCMG-FM 100.3, effectively selling The Beat with the weaker signal.

While The Beat was plummeting in the ratings, rival KPWR was taking steps to strengthen its position. About two years ago, station officials recast the morning show and fine-tuned the rest of the programming in the process.

“They are now blacker than they’ve ever been,” said Sneed. “But part of the reason is, The Beat abandoned its audience.”

Now, similarities abound on the playlists of both stations, which feature music from such hip-hop, rap and R & B; artists as Eminem, Dr. Dre, Snoop Doggy Dogg and Mary J. Blige, among others.

KPWR’s biggest change came with the move of Big Boy, so named because he weighs in at about 400 pounds, from an afternoon position to the morning drive-time slot.

“We needed to develop the morning talent,” said Dianna Obermeyer, director of marketing and promotions for Power 106, which broadcasts from Burbank. “A lot of people think any good jock can be a morning person, but it’s not true.”

The station hired a team of comedy writers, who created the cast of characters acted out daily by Big Boy. There is “Luther Luffeigh,” who, on a recent morning, placed a distraught call to a restaurant maitre ‘d saying he had learned his girlfriend was planning a romantic rendezvous with his best friend that evening and asking whether the maitre ‘d thought he should confront them at the restaurant.

The lineup also includes “Mr. Sister,” a man living his life as a woman; “Latin Lover,” a purveyor of really bad advice on affairs of the heart; “Sanchez,” who offers tips on surviving as an illegal immigrant.

The station followed up its changes with a $1 million advertising campaign promoting Big Boy on billboards and other outdoor media.

With so many commuters in the L.A. market, morning drive-time programming is a critical element to a radio station’s success.

“The key was to improve the morning numbers so they’ll extend to the rest of the day,” said Jason Ryan, producer of Power’s morning show.

The changes have reaped huge increases in advertising revenues, said Jeff Federman, the station’s general sales manager.

“Station-wide, we’re up about 52 percent year to date,” he said. That compares with an average 30 percent revenue increase for radio stations generally, Federman added. The revenue boost comes despite the fact that ratings remain flat, because advertisers have apparently become more interested in reaching the urban audience and with the fading of KKBT, KPWR now dominates that segment.

Officials at Radio One say they are not worried about the weaker frequency that The Beat now holds, believing that it is strong enough in the African-American markets on which the station will be refocused.

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