Another downside is the station's signal. During the day, KNTS broadcasts at 5,000 watts, but at night it ekes out a mere 145 watts. That's right, folks, your desktop computer and microwave oven are more powerful. The point of having KNTS is supposedly to increase the A's presence in the South Bay, but as you can see from the maps below, that just isn't the case right now, at least not at night.
Day Coverage
Night Coverage
There is hope in the future should KNTS and A's decide to pursue a long-term deal (and drop the join-in-progress-at-6 policy). KNTS has a construction permit to build a 50,000-watt, 24/7 transmitter in Hayward. The transmitter would be just south of the San Mateo Bridge, close to the KTCT/KNBR-1050 transmitter. There are interference issues that need to be worked out, but should the A's be able to broadcast on the new KNTS, they'll be able to cover virtually all of the Bay Area with a single 50 kW station.
Day Coverage (Future)
Night Coverage (Future)
In the short term, this is cold comfort. The KNTS construction permit expires in 2008, so they don't have to be in any real hurry to get it built, as is the case with KTRB.
7 comments:
Stadium?
heck they cant even get a real radio station!!!!
pitiful
Is it possible that the stadium issue and the radio issue are related? Meaning that any propective radio partners want to know the A's are gonna be around for awhile before they give up 5-6 hours a day of programming.
Let's face it, the A's can leave Oakland in only two years. And while that's not likely even under the worst circumstances, the fact remains that the future of this team in the Bay Area is very much a question as we enter this 2006 season.
Perhaps a 2006 World Series(or even an ALCS) appearance combined with REAL progress on a stadium this season makes a better deal for 2007 a possibility. For now though, we have a radio situation not seen since the final years of Charlie Finley. And that, my friend; is just plain inexcusable.
Does any, ANY other team in major league baseball have this problem?
I'm also not holding my breath for ANY station anywhere upgrading their transmitters any time soon.
Marty Lurie(who says that the KTRB deal fell apart at the last minute) feels strongly that the A's need to buy their own station and that this off-season experience might just force them to do so. You have speculated that a partial equity interest in a station may be possible.
But really, would Lew Wolff REALLY want to get into the radio business?
Is there any word on other broadcast affiliates? Like the ones they had in Salinas, Stockton, and Medford, OR? Are those still on board?
This is how radio-locator.com defines the lines:
* Local Coverage (Red): Within this area, you should be able to receive the radio station on almost any radio with moderately good to very good reception.
* Distant Coverage (Purple): Within this area, the signal of the radio station may be weak unless you have a good car radio or a good stereo with a good antenna. You may not be able to receive the station at all on walkmans or other portable radios.
* Fringe Coverage (Blue): Within this area, the station's signal will be very weak. You may be able to receive this station if you have a very good radio with a good antenna, but it's possible that interference from other stations may prevent you from picking up these stations at all.
I fought this battle with Beasley Broadcasting (owner of Marlins' flagship WQAM and my local affiliate WWCN) to get my Marlins on the radio (reasonable games that didn't interrupt big national or local sports) and it has worked for 2 seasons. The Marlins are on Sportsradio 770 here in Fort Myers, however I still got myself an XM Radio so I can listen to the A's from here on Florida's Gulf Coast.
May I suggest you all wait for the radio network to be put together to completely analyze. I think the A's continued with CBS (KYCY 1550) out of the goodwill from their deal on KFRC. Salem joining in is likely a trial and I wouldn't be surprised to see them add more games if the A's rip the AL West a new one. The Washington Nationals went their first season in DC with a weak AM station (WFED which is a lightbulb at night) and two out-of-the-way FM signals. Now they are rewarded by getting onto the new Washington Post Radio which is on two of the strongest AM and FM signals in DC. The A's have work to do, but at least 1550 covers most of San Fran and Oakland....Marlins had WQAM with coverage of Miami and Ft. Lauderdale and that kept fans hopeful of better days.
As for Sacrament, the A's also announced that not only will they have a station in Modesto, but they added Napa Valley's KVON 1440-AM. KVON's signal (http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/finder?call=kvon&is_unl=Y&is_lic=Y&is_cp=Y&sr=Y&s=C&sid=) looks like ti should deliver a listenable signal into most of Sacramento. My suggestion is you push CBS and/or Salem owned stations in Sacramento to carry the A's. Those companies already have relations and they may be willing to expand it if you guys campaign with calls, e-mails, faxes, and letters offering kind words of suggestion.
Good Luck!
Back with some more info.
Salem's Sacramento Stations:
http://www.ktkz.com/ (Much like South Bay's KNTS in format)
http://www.kfia.com/ (Religious talk)
http://www.1039thefish.com/ (Religious music)
CBS's Sacramento Stations:
KHTK-AM Sports 1140 916-338-9200 www.khtkam.com
KNCI-FM Country 105.1 916-338-9200 www.kncifm.com
KQJK-FM Jack 93.7 916-338-9200 www.howard937.com
KSFM-FM Rhythmic CHR 102.5 916-920-1025 www.ksfm.com
KYMX-FM AC 96.1 916-923-6800 www.kymx.com
KZZO-FM Hot AC 100.5 916-923-6800 www.radiozone.com
Thanks for the knowledge, capefish! Since you've graced us with your presence here, I have to ask: Is Hialeah a realistic possibility for the Marlins? What about the rift between Miami's city manager Joe Arriola and David Samson? I saw today that Las Vegas has been ruled out for the time being, which should help at least a little.
Post a Comment