ESPN Radio’s switch of local affiliates from KHEY-1380 AM to KROD-600 AM, which takes effect Jan. 18, was ultimately the call of ESPN.
KHEY general manager Mike Ryan, however, already sees the positives after his station moved to pick up FOX Sports Radio and the Premiere Radio Network’s Dan Patrick Show.
“It is what it is, but we’re happy with the product we’re going to put on the air and our listeners will be as well,” said Ryan, who is the local general manager for Clear Channel Radio, which operates KHEY. “ESPN has made a number of lineup changes and there hasn’t been a lot of consistency in their product. Some listenership had eroded because of the changes they made.”
Ryan said that started when one of KHEY’s most popular programs, the Dan Patrick Show, moved from ESPN to Premiere Radio in 2007. Now KHEY is getting the Dan Patrick Show (7 to 10 a.m.) back and will also retain Premiere Radio’s Jim Rome Show (10 a.m. to 1 p.m.).
Their afternoon, evening and night programming will be drawn from FOX Sports Radio, including the shows Loose Cannons (1 to 5 p.m.), Petros and Money (5 to 8 p.m.), and Tony Bruno (8 to 11 p.m.).
Coupled with KROD, which already had a significant amount of local and national sports programming, recently getting ESPN radio, El Paso will now have two stations primarily devoted to sports.
KROD made its live, on-air announcement to go to an all-sports format last month with a visit by Mike Golic of Mike & Mike in the Morning, which will now air on KROD.
“We’re thrilled with the opportunity to represent sports in El Paso,” KROD station manager Brad Dubow said during the announcement.
In a related move, KROD dumped the Glenn Beck Show to make room for its new ESPN affiliation, and that program will now be picked up by KHEY’s sister station KTSM-690 AM.
It all begins Jan. 18.
Bret Bloomquist may be reached at bbloomquist@elpasotimes.com; 546-6359.
Has any other station picked up The Dave Ramsey Show?
Posted by: Binks | January 10, 2011 at 07:42 PM
The "new" KROD will probably carry the day in terms of Arbitron ratings b/c of the ESPN banner. They'll get the bulk this family's Arbitron ratings. But KHEY was smart to retain the Jim Rome show @ 10AM which will bring us back for that 3 hour time period. One wonders why ESPN wanted to dump KHEY for KROD. But for Mike Ryan to say ESPN radio has ratings erosion is a surprise. ESPN has the MIke & Mike radio-TV simulcast, the tie-in to their huge TV network channels, and a mobile phone "ESPN radio app" that makes it 'listenable' from virtually anywhere. That ratings erosion talk may only apply to El Paso and may be due to competition from local/national political talk shows: like Rush and Hannity. Should be fun to listen to the 'dust up' between these two radio networks, which will now give El Paso 2 full-time sports radio options.
Posted by: USAmerica1st | January 11, 2011 at 06:34 AM
When two pigs feed from small trough, one pig doesn't die. Both starve.
Posted by: El Paso - El Paso | January 18, 2011 at 12:31 PM
Who will have the Dave Ramsey show and what time? Don't take this show away, please.
Posted by: faithful Dave listener | January 18, 2011 at 01:00 PM
Why is so much sports talk needed? Bring back Dave Ramsey.
Posted by: unhappy with change >:{ | January 18, 2011 at 01:06 PM
Sports talk sucks, bring back Dave Ramsey
Posted by: Sports talk sucks | January 18, 2011 at 01:08 PM
Dave Ramsey rocks!!! Bring him back!
Posted by: HomeSchoolMom | January 19, 2011 at 01:10 PM
Bring back Dave Ramsey.
Posted by: Fabian | January 20, 2011 at 01:37 PM
AGHHHHHHHHH do we REALLY need more sports? That speaks so badly of El Paso. PLEASE someone pick up Dave Ramsey!!!! Glen Beck was picked up by 690, why can't they pick up Dave Ramsey? Now I have to listen to Rush, whom I don't mind, but Dave Ramsey was a nice break from the political scene, and I absolutely will not listen to sports radio. Yuck. So dissapointed!
Posted by: Ramsey Fan | January 20, 2011 at 01:40 PM
I wonder if anyone who can do something about this will actually read this, why did they take Dave Ramsey, what a shame!
Posted by: No More Sports! | January 20, 2011 at 02:25 PM
Never heard of Dave Ramsey, who is he? The big loss is 690 dumping Allan Colmes from 8 pm to 11 pm and replacing him with that 'harpy with the shrill voice-Laura Ingaham. In a Democratic town, these morons take the only show that Democrats had off the air, going completely Republican. Well, we just removed 690 from out home and car radio lists. We'll listen to Colmes on the internet. 690, you just lost the Arbitron ratings of this family.
Posted by: USAmerica1st | January 21, 2011 at 12:52 AM
bring dave back talk about helping people best part of my day the dave ramsey show
Posted by: jay | March 02, 2011 at 09:27 PM
Any updates on Dave Ramsey show back to El Paso, Tx?
Posted by: JV | March 09, 2011 at 11:58 AM