XM Hopes to Capitalize on LA’s Country Music Void
A recent story in the LA Times (which can be read here, at Miles of Music.com, since the LA Times requires registration), explains that a “demographic shift” is the reason why KZLA, LA’s last country music station (and one of the most popular in the country), recently switched formats to pop radio. To put the point more bluntly, there are fewer older white radio listeners in LA then there used to be, and in a struggling medium, programmers can’t afford to take chances with niche markets (this is why all terrestrial radio in major markets sounds the same).
This should come as good news, of course, for XM and SIRIUS, as it is now obvious to the LA listener that satellite radio fills a specific need that is explicitly missing from local terrestrial radio (unsurprisingly, the Jacobs Media Group also points out that this is a good opportunity to promote Hi-Def radio). XM has jumped at the chance by replacing KZLA as the sponser of the 2006 “Country Bash” country music festival held in October. This event is a great opportunity for XM to sell to thousands of listeners who are angry at KZLA’s switch.
