ESPN Radio returns to Houston at 12:01 a.m. Tuesday, when KFNC (97.5 FM) signs on as the network's full-time Houston affiliate. KFNC will go wall-to-wall with network programming, including the Mike and Mike Show with Mike Golic and Mike Greenberg, Colin Cowherd, Dan Patrick and the Sports Bash afternoon show, for at least the rest of the month before launching its afternoon-drive talk show as soon as early February. Jon Madani, the station's program director, will offer local updates three times an hour beginning at 6 a.m. Chuck Savage, a holdover from the Cumulus outlet's days as a news and talk station, also will contribute hourly updates, and Julie Takahashi and Martha Martinez will provide traffic updates. "Just because people are fans of ESPN programming doesn't mean they should go without important local items," Madani said. "We won't be neglecting our listeners." Pat Fant, Cumulus' Houston market manager, expects to announce the afternoon talk show hosts by late this week. Other than confirming the station's interest in KHCW (Channel 39) anchor Jorge Vargas several weeks ago, Fant has not commented on potential hosts. KFNC also will debut at 7 p.m. Thursday an hour-long football recruiting show hosted by KPRC (Channel 2) sports director Randy McIlvoy and Matt Malatesta of Rivals.com This also is a major week for Houston's other sports talk stations. Arbitron's fall ratings book arrives Wednesday.
I don't understand. I've been listening to them for two weeks? How can this be a new thing just on Tuesday? Then again, now that I think about it, I think they've just been playing the audio from the actual ESPN channel and not really a radio thing. I heard Mike & Mike in the morning one time and thought it was radio but I forgot you can get them on TV too.
Their transmitter is in far east Houston closer to Beaumont than Katy. I live in Katy and can not get them well until I am inside of the Beltway. You can listen online at http://www.streamaudio.com/stations...n=KFNC_FM&Mac=No&OptIn=&Streamtype=&filename= but I wish the would tune there signal more to the west.
The original knock against them was "no local programming". Now, ESPN leaves them because they decided to get more local programming... and people find fault with that as well?
not me. i like the fact they have local programming, now. particulalry that mid-day show as alternative to jim rome.
The only thing I find fault with at 790 is they only have one local guy worth listening to the entire day. The rest of their local programming is horrible. They should have stuck with just Charlie Pallilo in the afternoon and ESPN radio the rest of the time. Fox Sports Radio is the pits.
I agree. Pallilo was urging listeners to get into the Rockets becuase something good is happening with them right now. Monsters of the Midday isn't unbearable like Davies and Dukes though. I have never heard those guys say anything good about the local teams. Their angle is to try to get the listeners that love to b****. They suck. Get off the air! I surprised that I kind of miss Dan Patrick show. At least there is some substance there.
Well, its a good thing Pallilo happens to come on at the time of day where most listners are in their car. If I'm ever driving in the morning or noon-time, its good to have local options on both stations... especially when 610 has the "golf hour", or Rome is his usual self-indulgent persona. As for "talent"... Houston has been employing Rich Lord as a lead drive-time sportstalk host for over 10 years... enough said.
Yawn. National syndicated sports talk is so freaking boring. If any station wants to rise well above the others they need to program as much local time as they can. All I do is flip among the sports stations until I find whoever's got local programming on at the time.
790 has won me over. The midday show is what sealed the deal because I despise Jim Rome's show. 610 is ok I guess, but I certainly don't miss them. I don't love the 790 morning show but it's grown on me a little. When I listen to 610 I get the feeling I'm listening to children with job security. The only time they get my radio now is for games they broadcast and for Matt and Adam who are the BEST talent on the radio right now.
There's a new sports duo in town http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/sports/4481950.html By DAVID BARRON Copyright 2007 Houston Chronicle Chronicle writer Jerome Solomon will join KHCW (Ch. 39) sports director Jorge Vargas as co-host of ESPN Radio affiliate KFNC's (97.5 FM) afternoon drive time talk show next month. Solomon, who returned last year to the Chronicle after 1 1/2 years at the Boston Globe, and Vargas will begin the show in early February, and they will have a dual mission statement from program director Jon Madani. "We wanted people who had relationships with Houston sports teams and figures and who can break stories," Madani said. "These guys won't just be commenting. They'll be breaking sports news." Solomon and Vargas will be the new guys in the most competitive time slot in Houston sports radio, opposite Marc Vandermeer and Rich Lord on KILT (610 AM) and Charlie Pallilo on KBME (790 AM). Madani, however, is confident the new team will succeed. "We've got better talent," he said. "Anybody who has spent any time watching Jorge or reading Jerome knows that these guys are long on opinions and do their homework." Pat Fant, Cumulus Radio's Houston market manager, added: "We plan to promote the afternoon show heavily and make sure the market knows there's a new sports sheriff in town." Vargas, who has been at Channel 39 since September 2000, said he hopes he and Solomon can increase the size of Houston's sports radio audience, not merely cannibalize share from 610 and 790. "We'll be a unique group, and I hope we bring in listeners who haven't felt they could connect with the other (shows)," Vargas said. KILT leads, but ratings down Arbitron ratings for Houston's two all-sports radio stations in fall 2006 reflected the fortunes of the area's fall sport teams: As the Astros, Texans and Longhorns went, so did KILT (610 AM) and KBME (790 AM). Both all-sports outlets were down two-tenths of a point during the mid-September through mid-December ratings period in their key demographic, men 25-54, from the same period last year. KILT retains a solid lead in that demo with a 2.6 share to 1.3 for KBME in the 6 a.m. to midnight, Monday through Sunday measurements. However, KILT was down from a 4.0 share in fall 2005, when the Astros were making their run toward the World Series and the Texas Longhorns were working toward the Rose Bowl, while KBME dropped from 1.5 in fall 2005. KILT did improve in the weeklong persons 12-plus category from 1.1 to 1.4. Rankings and details on market shares among persons 12-plus, persons 25-54 and men 25-54 for KILT and KBME, plus KCOH's (1430 AM) afternoon show, can be found at the Four DVRs, no waiting blog at www.chron.com. Here, however, are a few specifics from the fall numbers: •KILT continues to lead in morning drive, middays and afternoon drive among all three cited demos. KBME leads from 7 p.m. to midnight. Also, KILT improved in the weeklong persons 12-plus category from 1.1 to 1.4 despite the men 25-54 drop. •The only local talk show with better numbers from the summer book was KILT's afternoon show, which improved to a 3.4 share from 3.0. That's down, however, from 4.8 in fall 2005. •KBME's steepest loss for men 25-54 came at midday, where it dropped ESPN Radio after the network announced it was moving to KFNC (97.5 FM). The fall book includes about a month's worth of KBME's midday show with Ted DeLuca and Chronicle columnist John P. Lopez, which signed on in early November.
