The King of Kansas City

URBAN November 27, 1998 R&R 51

WALT LOVE

The King Of Kansas City

L A longtime locally owned leader extends its lead

Just five short years ago, KPRS-FM/Kansas City was con- Urban AC charts, you'll see that a . sidered by most in the radio and advertising communities as large portion of the chart is dominat- "the nice little black station owned by the Carter family." To- ed by some form of R&B music. In HO! HO! HO! - This modern-day Santa Claus and two of his elves my opinion, that helps you with your arrive in Kansas City, MO just in time for Hot 103 JAMZ's annual 48- day, the top -rated station in the city that straddles two states has presentation." hour holiday toy and food drive. Just glad there wasn't much traffic are 4 grown to become a must-buy - and a must -listen. Weaver also monitors the tradi- (l -r) air personality Tony G, former Miss Kansas Kathi Taylor, and air tional music video outlets to assist personality Chris King. KPRS is one of the oldest African - presentation that people will enjoy. in his music decisions. He says, `Be American owned and operated facil- From a music standpoint, the No. 1 thing for any form of music station it MTV, BET, or VH1, it's a big help. ities in the United expects those kinds of things from States. In the is the music! Our industry has been There's a positive result at radio and station such as ours." 33 us, because we've conditioned them Summer '98 Ar- giving us a lot of really great music, for an Urban of the reasons why Weaver is so to think that way. So, we keep on bitrons, the main- and that's where you start from on a One The No. 1 thing for giving it to them. They want to go? contemporary music station. fond of the channels is their ability stream Urban sta- any form of music We'll send them." "Fortunately for us, based on na- to lure viewers in, cultivate new fans tion broke out of In many markets, the top -ranked tional trends, whatever form you of Urban -oriented music, and estab- station is the music! its spring tie with ethnic station may not even place CHR/Pop com- want to call it R&B, hip -hop, rap lish a very wide acceptance level for Our industry has been - many different types of R&B. among the top five billers. Does petitor KMXV in and the Urban AC product are be- - "That helps somebody doing radio giving us a lot of really KPRS have a similar situation? a big way ris- ing enjoyed by a multitude of peo- - like us:' Weaver continues. "Kansas Weaver says, "We're in the top five ing to a 9.0, 12+. ple. If you take a look at the various great music and that's City has a black population' of and working on doing even better." OM/PD Sam format charts, like CHR, and you where you start from 12.7%. When they play a particular Weaver has been Sam Weaver compare them to the Urban and the Bridging The Gap With video from an Urban artist, it helps on a contemporary with the station for 'Old School' Ads us again in the mainstream world of close to six years and continues to lead music station. done many sta- One of the things KPRS has KPRS to higher ratings survey after their viewers. Remember, spotlighting artists to attract listeners of all ages is their survey. Along with Chicago -based tions do specials Why? recent string of "old school" perfor- consultant Tony Gray, Weaver has When people in our from the R&B world. Because music and sas City Royals did an African - mances featuring heritage R&B acts. successfully kept the pressure on the their viewers enjoy urban industry say the the many different genres that American Heritage Night in addition Weaver comments, "Our midday competition. King, was attached to one something has a pop exist within that area. to a Latino Heritage Night. Guess guy, Chris Weaver's extensive programming what? We were the host radio station show featuring some classic artists. I "When people in our industry say background started with Pride - se- sound, just laugh for both events!" Another show featured such acts as that something has a pop sound, I just lecting Charley Pride records as the pro- the Whispers and the Dells. Our sta- because I don't know laugh, because I don't know what pop Did KPRS conduct any big MD of Country WUSN (US -99)/ supported the Smokin' is anymore based on the charts. You motions during the last ratings peri- tion also Chicago. He has also programmed what pop is anymore did great here. see rap acts, hip -hop acts, or some od that might have helped tip the Grooves Tour, which several Urban stations, including based on the charts. scales in the station's favor? Not ac- Some other events that came through WAMO/Pittsburgh, WQMG/Greens- other mainstream Urban act in the top You see rap acts, hip - 50 [for CHR]. This makes the music cording to Weaver. "We always do here include the General Mills boro, and WYLD/New Orleans. with palatable for everyone. It's something continuous cash giveaways, free con- `Sweet Sounds Of Soul' tour Has Weaver used his various skills hop acts, or some & Fire; the O'Jays; and that is recognizable and that everyone certs, and trips to just about any- Earth, Wind to propel his station to near double- is to always push the Isley Brothers. It was great, and other mainstream goes out and buys. What I try to do where. Our thing digit overall ratings? If not, what the all shows sold out" Urban act in the Top at KPRS is reflect what people are the free stuff." So what, if anything, the heck did he do to get those kind of did KPRS do to earn an approxi- In closing, Weaver said he was numbers? This into based upon that and use it for 50 [for CHR]. creating our different dayparts not mately two -share lead during the privileged to be working with Weaver comments, "I'll give you - the music but also summer? Mildred Carter and her grandson, my favorite quote these days, which makes only with our current music, with our recurrents and older songs" "It's consistency. If you look back Carter Broadcast Group President comes from what Joe Tone said when palatable for over the books, you'll see that we've Michael Carter. He also gives acco- his New York Yankees won the World Everyone everyone. The Station been fortunate enough to be No. 1 or lades to his staff and the consistent Series: 'We don't spike the ball ... Listens To close to the top spot for some time job they've done. Even in a close- we're confident.' We feel the same When asked what KPRS' target now. The bottom line to it all is that knit family atmosphere, the success way. What we try and do is give a audience is, Weaver replies, laugh- we always push the things I've al- needed to compete for ratings and ingly, "Twelve to death! I love it be- ready mentioned. We always make revenue in today's ever -tightening cause that's just another way of say- the winning easy, and our audience radio world can still be found. ing, `Everybody I can get!' That's exactly what I was taught back in the day by one of my mentors, Paul Drew, as well as Bill Young and Dickey Rosenfelt at KILT/Houston, and Dick Oppenhimer. These are leaders in this industry whose philos- ophies and teachings are still solid and valid to this day" Many of KPRS' listeners include the ever-growing Hispanic commu- nity in the Kansas City metropolitan area. "Just because they don't do ethnic weighting for Latinos here doesn't mean there's not a fair rep- resentation of Latinos in this town. I'd say there's close to a 6% Latino population here that is very important. I know that's not what anyone WHO NEEDS CARL LEWIS? - At the University Of Missouri, Kan- might think when comparing it to sas City Benefit Run, the JAMZ team seemed confident of their athlet- New York, Chicago, and Los Ange- ic ability. Displaying the frequency setting are (l-r) station President Mike les, but for us, that's important, be- NEED A LIFT? - Hot 103 JAMZ staffers taking a havride during this Carter and personalities Tony G and B Vonn. cause our music is their music too. year's St. Patrick's Day parade. During the baseball season, the Kan -