e-mail
home

Feature Articles
"Towers of Power"
"Radio Smarts"
"Radio Man"
"Legends"

Radio smarts keep KKDA at the top

Strong creative force, community ties make station hard to beat
By AL BRUMLEY 
Published September 2, 2001
(c) 2001 Dallas Morning News

Remember a few months ago when everyone was eagerly awaiting a heated battle for the hearts and minds of Dallas-Fort Worth urban-radio listeners?


"The Beat" KBFB-FM (97.9) had come to town with its sights dead set on "K104" KKDA-FM (104.5).

Turns out the battle was pretty much over before it started. And as things stand now, KKDA remains the undisputed leader.

Of course, with the team that "K104" has in place, the outcome should come as no surprise.

>From Skip Murphy and the K104 Morning Team to Big Baby in middays to the Crunk Crew at night, program director (and afternoon DJ) Skip Cheatham has put together one of the most solid creative forces in urban radio anywhere in the country. (And let's not forget Big Craig on the overnight shift.)

KBFB blew into town promising a fresh sound, and it delivered, adding music with more of an East Coast sound to the local urban mix.

But KKDA responded to the challenge with some personnel changes, some new shows and a renewed emphasis on maintaining strong ties to the community.

KBFB's ratings zoomed up the charts at first, but as of the spring the station's new-car smell appeared to have worn off. "The Beat" fell from sixth place in the winter, with a 4.2 share, to a four-way tie for 10th place in the spring, with a 3.3 share.

KKDA, meanwhile, maintained its perennial No. 1 ranking in the spring, with a 6.1 share.

Many in the radio business seem to believe KKDA should have an asterisk by its name in the ratings because it hasn't had much direct competition.

But that argument ignores the simple reality that whatever urban competition the station faces, it crushes. It also ignores the many stations in town such as "Kiss FM" KHKS-FM (106.1) and "Mix 102.9" KDMX-FM (102.9) that would love to steal away KKDA's audience.

True enough, there might have been years with no direct urban competition, but that's no guarantee of No. 1 status. Besides, KKDA is certainly facing competition now, with few ill effects. KKDA has gotten where it is through hard work and radio savvy, simple as that.

And speaking of radio smarts, there's another weapon KKDA has in its arsenal that doesn't get much publicity. Ken Dowe, director of operations for station owner Service Broadcasting, is a veteran of the old KBOX/KLIF wars and was a good friend of the late radio legend Gordon McLendon.

His reputation is such that he recently earned a plug on the front page of trade publication Radio & Records, along with an inside article chronicling his career. (Longtime Dallas residents probably remember Mr. Dowe's on-air alter ego, Granny Emma.)

Persistently and without much fanfare, Mr. Dowe, Mr. Cheatham and the rest of the folks at privately owned KKDA continue to beat the pants off of all the consolidation kings.

And you've gotta love that.