KVI-AM Seattle brands as Fox News station
KVI-AM Seattle and Fox News have partnered to provide the first Fox News branded radio station in the country. As you'll read, it's not an affiliation, but an INTEGRATION. Yesterday, KVI Talk Radio began featuring Fox News' top personalities and Fox News Radio news updates, in addition to its own line-up of local stars. The station's new moniker is "KVI Talk Radio 570...Fox News and talk radio."
Fox News' The Tony Snow Show will air 9:00 AM Noon PT. Fox News' Sean Hannity will continue to broadcast live from Noon-3:00 PM PT, with a daily encore at 6:00 PM. From 7:00-9:00 PM, KVI will air Fox News Live with Alan Colmes. Special Fox News updates will air on KVI at the bottom-of-the hour in the morning and afternoon supplementing the Fox News updates that air at the top-of-each hour daily. In addition, Fox News will also supply KVI with special breaking news reports during national and international breaking news events.
KVI GM Rob Dunlop identifies the KVI-Fox News partnership as "unprecedented in the radio industry and one that will give listeners the best of all worlds, particularly during the current election season." "On a national scale, Fox is the news network of political record," assesses Dunlop. "Locally, when people think of election coverage and analysis, they think of KVI."
In addition to the national Fox News programming, 11-year KVI vet Kirby Wilbur will continue as host of the KVI early morning show from 5:00-9:00 AM and long-time KVI talker and former gubernatorial candidate John Carlson will remain behind the microphone from 3:00-6:00 PM.
We spoke with Fox News EVP Jack Abernethy:
How many other stations may this be happening with in the near future? Is this simply a test to see if future stations should be similarly branded?
No, it's not a test, and we plan to continue to do this. It's just that it takes a long time, because this is not an affiliation. This is an integration. So we had to work very closely with them on developing marketing, on integrating the programming, and getting it right. So it's not something that we're going to roll out to 100 different stations in the next three weeks. But we are speaking to others and we have plans to roll more out over the next six months.
How are you planning on cross-promoting KVI with Fox News Channel on TV?
Yes, but only if you're in Seattle. Because the most efficient way to market KVI is on Fox News Channel in Seattle via local spot cable, and that's what we're going to do. That's a plan we're also going to roll out with all new stations as they come on line. For us to talk about KVI nationally is not all that efficient as a marketing vehicle. We have produced creative working very closely with the people at KVI and our creative people, in the same room, developing those TV commercials; developing print, developing message. And I think the most illustrative thing of all is the logo. It's a true blending of Fox news and KVI, maintaining the strong identity and image of KVI 570 Talk Radio.
Are considering doing any O&O acquisitions for this new venture, integrating your brand with stations?
We have thought about it, but he have no plans to buy stations. But, even if you buy stations, forcing brands on stations, even when you own them, is a tricky and dangerous business. You have to do it in such a way that the local management uses the brand and integrates it properly in a way that works with their listeners. You have to do this effectively first, with or without ownership. We have been very lucky to work with Fisher [KVI parent Co.], which is a strong independent radio group. And have found that the independent radio groups tend to be, in some ways, more creative, more open and more innovative in developing new radio models.
RBR observation:
We recently did a One on One interview with Abernethy in September's RBR Print. Call April Olson here at 703-719-9500 to subscribe and get the issue.
More from Abernethy in Friday's RBR/TVBR Daily Epapers.
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