Changes at KHRO could affect Strelzin

KHRO (AM 1650) Promotions Director Abel Rodriguez has confirmed that low ratings will likely lead to major changes at the only radio station in El Paso to offer a lineup of talks shows dedicated to local issues. "We didn't even show up in the ratings," said Rodriguez who, to his great credit, spent the last year trying to grow an admittedly small talk show audience. The station's efforts  have been built around the popularity of long-time host Paul Strelzin. But the latest Arbitron results show that KHRO's overall ratings (quarter-hour share for persons age 12+, Mon-Sun, 6 a.m. to midnight) declined from 0.5 to a level that was not measurable. Rodriguez would not say exactly what the coming changes will entail. However, rumors started circulating on the local blog circuit and later confirmed by Strelzin that his "El Paso on the Move" morning show would be moved to the 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. slot opposite Rush Limbaugh on KTSM (AM 690). Here's the kicker: Former KTSM-AM right-wing talk show host Greg Freyermuth, whose abrasive and unfriendly style alienated many local listeners and eventually led to his banishment as a nut and bolt salesman, is said to be in line to take over Strelzin's 6 a.m. to 10 a.m. slot.

Speaking of radio ratings, the Arbitron numbers show no major shifts at the top in the Spring book. Here's are the  latest rankings for the top 5 El Paso radio stations. The ratings are quarter-hour share results for persons age 12+, Mon-Sun, 6 a.m. to midnight :

1. KBNA-FM (9.4)

2. KLAQ-FM (7.8)

3. KINT-FM (7.0)

4. KPRR-FM (6.5)

5. KTSM-FM (6.2)

TV Ratings

The results of the Nielsen May sweeps show top-dog KINT-TV (Univision Ch.26) "Noticias 26" once again dominating the local TV news ratings. KINT won at 5 a.m., 5 p.m. (by a wide stretch) and at 10 p.m. (also, by a wide margin). KVIA-TV's (ABC Ch.7) numbers were flat, KTSM-TV (NBC Ch.9) rose slightly at 6 p.m., KFOX-TV (Fox Ch.14) held steady at 9 p.m. and KDBC-TV (CBS Ch. 4) remained in the cellar. The only other noteworthy item is the fact that overall viewing levels continued to drop in May. That's more evidence that people are watching less TV these days and spending more time on their computers, DVD's, iPods and and BlackBerrys. Some might even be reading books.

Comments

[Edie]

Great blog, Roy. It's absolutely about who will control the message to the public. Wanna bet that the builders (who are fighting the pending impact fees) will be the big buyers of time on Freyermouth's show? This is a big story -- El Paso Republicans buying radio time to control elections, impact fees, and propel their slime.

[A New KDBC Sunrise Watcher]

I know KDBC doesn't do well in the rating. They haven't in a long time. But the KDBC Sunrise (morning show) is like no other. KFOX and KVIA have tried to copy them, but no one can touch Lou, Shelia, and Skylar. Watch Sunrise sometime Roy...You'll laugh

[WTF?]

Oh my gawd, it's another vast right-wing conspiracy!!! Did anyone ever think that their reasons for doing this are more likely that they are realizing that El Paso might just be getting tired of Paul Strelzin? Nothing against the guy, but really, he's had essentially the same rant for years now - it gets old after awhile. So, they bring in someone that has some local name recognition, but has been off the air for awhile & therefore isn't overexposed, and also has a different point of view. Then you keep Strelz on the air for some balance of viewpoints, and theoretically what that might do is to generate some greater audience participation & call-in's, thereby creating more buzz and hopefully higher ratings, THEN the dollars will follow. Sometimes all you need is some good buzz and the dollars will show up before the ratings ever do.

Nothing they're doing in this move seems like anything but a logical strategy that someone might try out to see if they can create something of value to their audience & advertisers. Think about it... if the point to this was all about politics & trying to get the Republican message out, then why would they try & do so on a station that has (according to the PD himself) NO MEASURABLE RATINGS!!!

But no, it's a conspiracy... that sounds much better.

[Bye Bye]

Paul Gone...

Change we can believe in.

[Jerry]

This guy is tired. Walks around town like he owns it. No one cares anymore. Save face and retire!

[Jerry needs to show some respect]

.

[tvwatchdog]

Not much of a local radio listener, but I think Roy is waaaay off base on this one. I agree The Strelz, as he calls himself is waaay over exposed, waaay too old and just nothing new on his show anymore. The same people call over and over and over and over everyday!! Moving to 10am is a good move,. Now will Greg bring in more listeners maybe in the beginning and if KHRO plays its cards right it will control him a little and not let him rant and rave a la Rush, or Glen Beck against Hispanis, Immigration, and all the issues we know Republicans, and especially right wingers want to rant about. Tell him he has to give some balance and we could get some good back and forth with liberals calling in. That would be good talk radio, instead of the same people calling and agreeing with the host and putting people to sleep in morning drive.

[epwonder]

Moving Strelz out of mornings is not a good move, but I agree the show has grown stale for a while now. I don't call in but I hear the same people calling everyday. But putting this Freymouth on the air should bring controversy and cause a stir and that is what talk radio is about these days you have to have a reason to listen whether you like the guy or not. I hate Rush and Beck and those idiot rightwingers but people listen just to hear them stay they idiotic stuff they say. Its funny!

[rayman]

Paul Strelzin vs. Rush? That's a laugher!! What needs to change there is the program manager. As for Freyermuth, true, he is not the most professional talker out there but c'mon Roy, you're disdain for conservatives is so obvious that it just confirms that most of the media, whether print, or electronic, is liberal. Be objective. How can anyone believe your reporting anymore with your opinions clouding your sense of fairness?

I have an idea for KHRO. Instead of that goof Strelzin, how about Brian and the Judge. Now there's an excellent and balanced talk show. Want local stuff? How about you hosting a show? That way we can call in and hit 'em out of the park when it comes to debating you.

[epwonder]

oops, "just to hear them say the idiotic stuff they say" sorry.

Also, viva canal 26!! Good job being Numero Uno otra vez! Can't wait for Karla to get back, I miss her. Love Ms. Lopez but we also love Karlita. Actually love both!!

[jdhuhruh]

what is really happening at KHRO?

It is really very easy to figure out. Strelz just won "best talk show" contest in el paso magazine and he will even host their award party later this month. Did he not only suport but predict winners such as marisa marquez, anna perez, tony ayub, joe sarabia, ema acosta, belen robles, yahara lisa gurierrez, regina addetti, richard wiles and many others. He has now gone all out in support of Joe Moody and the local big-shot republicans don't like it. They want and need deeboy to win and they are ready to put their mouthpiece freymouth back on the air to make it happen. The likes of hunt, foster, bowling and margo will get advertisers for greg. KHRO will not have to pay greg and he will control the morning peak drive hours forcing strelz to a latter time slot that does not have many listeners. Candalaria is the general manager at KHRO and a rock hard republican and he is a sell-out, his stooge abel rodriguez is a democrat who professes to care about el- chuco but has also sold out. They have in effect silenced strelz and promoted the gop platform. greg will pound obama and support mccain and margo. A sad day for the democrats and the once proud liberal KHRO.

[jdhuhruh]

http://strelzbacktalk.proboards19.com/index.cgi?board=EP

[Numbers don't lie]

I checked the books from when Freyermuth was on and Strelz was on.

Freyermuth had a five share and Strelz never fared better than a three.

Looks like ratings and advertising win out over the democrat's need to control the airwaves.

As someone who works in advertising in El Paso I can tell you that can't sell Strelzin's show. He bashes advertisers all the time and he has competitors on all the time who get free air time while others have to pay. Sorry, we don't buy on his show or that station.

I had heard that if Freyermuth didn't come in it would be closed down soon. At least that's what one of their salesmen told me.

[formerradioguy]

Of course its about the money!!! Everything in radio, TV and yes even newspaper, is about the money... this is a business, and more today than my old days in radio. If the FCC doesn't give a crap about "localism" "serving the community" "public trust" with all the crazy decisions they've made over the years why should owners?
At least they are trying by keeping it local. Every other owner would have pumped in satellite talk radio (which by the way the majority are conservative) and be done with it or better yet, shut the station down.
You think electricity is cheap? it takes money to keep a station on the air. I've enjoyed Strelzin for a long time since KROD, but times are changing and people aren't the same today as they were years ago.
Also, as much as I hate to admit it conservative radio does well across the country.
I mean look at Air America, it's in bankruptcy and just about gone.
Its sad, but true. Give Entravision(KHRO owners) credit for not taking the station off the air.
I don't care much for Grey either, while at KTSM he bashed everyone. While Strelz only bashes those that he disagrees with liberal or republican. But again this is a business whether anyone wants to admit it or not.

[Bye Bye]

Actually I heard that the moderate they are trying to bring in that David Candelaria was talking about this morning was none other than good ole Jaime O. Perez.

[Francisco Cepeda]

Great blog, Roy. I am not surprised that more people are favoring I-pods, computers, and perhaps books over the tube. It will be interesting to see if this will be a long-term trend.

[oldbread]

The "Stale" is what he should call himself. Same callers. Same callers at the same time of day. Same callers making the same points. Same callers talking about the same topics. Other than using the Times and the Internet for topics the only thing the "Stale" adds is the same stories about his family and maybe sprinkle in some gossip that doesn't affect his/family relationships with the taxpayer entities and business community. Maybe a rehash of how great he was as a PA announcer? The positive is that he has great sources for local gossip.

1650 is already conservative. "Stale" is and always has been a huge supporter of Hunt, Foster and the PDNG crowd. They are conservative. Paul was very vocal in his support of the minutemen during the border agent shooting case. Again a conservative view. Paul was a huge cheerleader FOR THE WAR during the early days...once again a conservative take. Paul supported Leo (RIP) and his checkpoints. Again a conservative take. So his supports can stop with the Paul is some voice of the left here in El Paso. He is a democrat but he is not a liberal.

1650 has been a conservative outlet since it left the failed Air America brand. David K is conservative until Mom and Dad need a government contract! LOL. The newspapertree part of the line up had been nothing but a pro PDNG mouthpiece. Mario Solis is a democratic party shill. More in line with the McAuliffe wing (conservative) wing of the party. Remember this is the side of the party that supported NAFTA into law. Gene is a right wing nut. Barbara P was a BUSH supporter in 2000...that says it all there. All in all not exactly a bastion of liberalism now is it?

The saying goes that you are what your record says you are. 1650 has been a consistent ratings flop. They have made several format changes with the same dismal results. Sounds like an management/ownership issue to me. Maybe it is time for a shakeup that is a little higher up the tree?

[formerradiodude]

It AM radio, if there were no ratings to speak of then why even bother? If no one was listening according to the ratings then why all this? Since it is a business, the wouldn't it probably be cheaper to just shut it down?
El Paso radio is a joke nowadays anyway. Talk about state how but that joker Buzz on the Q, same old, same old..

Thank goodness for satellite radio.

[Former EP newsman]

I heard a long time ago that the top AM station in the ratings was going to be a News/Talk station. Check the ratings across the nation and you'll find it is true.
The problem with underperforming N/T stations has always been too much of the same topic and not enough news...legitimate news. There is no secret formula.
Talk show hosts feel "they" are the reason why people tune in to hear them talk about what they believe are the correct politics.
But the key to success is to pepper the hour with bonafide news, sports, weather and off the wall news. But, for that, they need a real journalist who can select news of general interest.
Unfortunately, those running the radio stations have degrees in sales, marketing and so forth.

Too bad.

[David K]

Roy is very very wrong on this.

He should know that show with zero ratings is lucky to survive two ratings periods much less two years worth.

Any right-wing conspiracy would have had paul completely removed - that's not the case.

The four republicans in El Paso have better things to do than try to buy time on a radio station with no market share.

[Paul_Garcia]

Strelzin needs to be off the radio.El Paso needs new blood.

[planobob]

Roy, your bleeding heart is making a mess. Like all true "objective journalists" you lean way too far to the left. Cheers!

[ChrisKnight]

I worked with Greg for years and he is a great guy, great dad and a hard worker. The man is super smart and very, very well educated unlike a number of fools out there. He says what a lot of you think and are afraid to say out load. Good for him if he wants to go back on the air. Not everyone in this town is a donkey.

[Tony]

this is hillarious that your article insinuates that they have replaced the loud mouth left winger with a loud mouth right winger and somehow we should be upset or as posted on the Strelz Forum we should try to do something to stop it. Paul has the same guests over and over again and they are all his friends. same callers just like the same old bloggers that post on his forum. other that the crowd of 40 that find no error in his work I dont see what the difference is except change. Our democratic local leadership has proven that they corner the market in corruption. just like the country is ready to return to a democratic nominee perhaps El Paso will smarten up and go the extreme opposite by actually voting one by one instead of the old naive straight ticket "I dont got a brain" to make a choice. The move was well overdue and I suspect then in a couple of months it will be permanent. goose bye and goose luck.

[I wonder]

Chris Knight its LOUD not LOAD... this from the same person that thinks Lou Romano should be main anchor at KDBC. Puleeze..
Fryermouth, is the same as Strelzin, just with Republican, conservative views. It will spike audience a little at first then go back down again. As for KHRO management, they should send Roy Ortega a bouquet!! I mean what better publicity than getting the word out like this about changes on their "no listner" radio station...