Is CBS Radio Going Too Far? (Oct 29, 2009)

CBS Radio has also imported KFROG 95.1 from Riverside (just 60 miles east of Los Angeles) onto a subchannel 3 of KTWV 94.7.

The question is: is CBS Radio going too far importing radio stations from nearby markets onto its subchannels?

Given the fact that the digital FM signals output just 1/100th of the analog signal, rebroadcasting the signals of their out of market stations onto their Los Angeles outlets may not be that big a deal since the digital FM signals don't reach that far, in fact, it's basically a line of sight (LOS) reception since the signals are much weaker than that of a microwave oven.

But we have Saul Levine, owner of a country radio station on 105.1 FM in analog and digital, complaining to the FCC about CBS importing what is essentially a competetor to his country music outlet from out of the market back into Los Angeles. In essence, CBS Radio is programming five full power FM stations, two full power AM stations, and importing two FM stations (not lab channels, but actual full power stations from Riverside and San Diego, though they're on low power digital subchannels); add in two TV stations, and you got CBS Radio in Los Angeles running 11 commercial radio stations, three over the limit.

Folks, we have the second coming of Clear Channel San Diego, this time, into Los Angeles. It's Jacor 1997 style on CBS Radio/TV in 2009!

Tom Taylor of radio-info.com: L.A. owner Saul Levine complains to the FCC about CBS importing Riverside's "K-Frog" to an HD-3 channel. And K-Frog KFRG would be of particular interest to Levine, since he owns the L.A. market's "Go Country 105" KKGO. LARadio.com quotes Saul saying that CBS is doing "a mean-spirited thing and we've determined that what they are doing is not permissible." The way he interprets the FCC's local ownership rules, CBS has already defied the Commission for years by owning two TV stations (KCBS-TV, KCAL-TV) plus seven radio stations. You're supposed to own no more than six radio properties if you have two TV outlets. Saul says that in November 2002, CBS filed to assign KFWB (980) to trustee Bill Clark. But that' s still pending - "a clear violation." Now he says CBS is "using the HD band as a translator, and you can't use a translator to extend the station's primary coverage. KFRG's signal reaches just east of downtown. [Placing it on a full-market-coverage HD channel] is not allowed."

There are no filed complaints about CBS Radio importing Sophie's Hot AC format into Los Angeles as far as I know.

As for San Diego, I haven't read anything about 91X or FM 94/9, who program alternative rock formats, complain to the FCC about CBS Radio importing KROQ from Los Angeles into their Sophie FM's subchannel in San Diego. It might be a matter of time since both of the stations are struggling with their formats as they may have to get the FCC to take on CBS Radio in San Diego about the KROQ alternative rock competetion.

This is nuts.

Even worse, CBS Radio could be infringing on 91X's carriage of "Loveline with Dr. Drew" which is carried by KROQ in Los Angeles. Relaying "Loveline" from a Los Angeles station into San Diego can also infringe on 91X's exclusive carriage rights in San Diego with the syndicator of the program. 91X should IMHO have "Loveline" exclusively to serve the San Diego market and not coming from an imported affilliate of the same program from another market via FM digital subchannel.

If I were 91X or FM 94/9, I would team up with their competetor and jointly petetition the FCC about getting CBS Radio to replace KROQ with something else on Sophie's subchannel.

CBS Radio could put oldies K-Earth 101 from Los Angeles on a Sophie subchannel, but The Walrus oldies radio station would be ticked off about that as well.