JEFF KORBELIK / Lincoln Journal Star | Posted: Saturday, January 29, 2005 6:00 pm
KFOR morning show host Ward Jacobson has a plan if anyone calls to ask about the station's changes. "I'll let Cathy (Blythe) take those calls," he joked. "She's so good with people.
"But seriously, I'll tell them we're changing with the times," he added. "I don't think we'll get that many calls. I don't think we're going to freak a lot of people out."
In an attempt to draw younger listeners, KFOR (1240 AM) will switch Monday from a full-service adult contemporary to a news-talk format and alter its programming.
The station no longer will play music.
KFOR is one of four stations owned and operated by Lincoln-based Three Eagles Communications.
The move may come as surprise to some listeners as well as to those in the industry.
KFOR has been Lincoln's top radio station among listeners 12 and older for six of the last eight survey periods, according to Arbitron, an international media and marketing research firm. But the average age of its listeners is 58.
KFOR ranked seventh during the spring 2004 survey period among listeners 25 to 54 and a dismal 20th among those 18 to 34. The fall numbers will be released this week.
"This is another phase of (KFOR's) evolution," said media consultant Michael A. McVay, who was brought in from Cleveland, Ohio. "We want to bring the average age down 10 years."
Changes in KFOR's programming will include:
n Expanding "Lincoln Live" from one to two hours. The program will be hosted by Jacobson or Dale Jensen and run weekdays from 10 a.m. to noon.
n Featuring former KLIN personality John Baylor in a weekday, issue-oriented talk show from 1 to 4 p.m.
n Moving the "The Average Joe Sports Show" from sister station ESPN 1480 into the 4 to 7 p.m. time slot.
n Dropping "Larry King Live." KFOR will air Dave Ramsey from 7 to 9 p.m., followed by Jim Bohannon. Both are nationally syndicated programs.
Mark Taylor and Greg Jackson, who hosted back-to-back programs from 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., will take on different roles at the station.
Taylor will supervise programming and fill in when needed, while Jackson will become a full-time reporter, primarily handling the one-hour block at noon.
Jim Lauerman of Lincoln advertising agency Bailey Lauerman said KFOR's format change makes sense to him.
"In my mind, it will allow KFOR to increase what I believe is already its strength in the market place: its involvement in the community in eastern Nebraska."
Rick Alloway, University of Nebraska-Lincoln broadcasting professor, said the only surprise for him was that it took KFOR so long to do it.
"Change is the only constant in broadcasting," he said. "It was bound to happen."
Roger Dodson, Three Eagles president of Lincoln operations and sales, said he doesn't like to call the new format "news-talk."
"It's going to be more news-radio with a local emphasis," he said.
That's why the station is bringing Baylor on board.
Baylor hosted a popular and sometimes controversial talk show for nearly six years on KLIN until the station released him four years ago.
Since then, he's called Nebraska volleyball games and Lincoln Saltdog baseball games and hopes to continue doing both. Saltdog games air on KFOR, but NU volleyball is broadcast by B107 (KBBK 107.3 FM), which is run by Triad Broadcasting.
Baylor also subbed 20-some afternoons this summer on news-talk KFAB in Omaha.
"I hope to be provocative and compelling and give people a reason to participate in the shows," said Baylor, who hopes to make his new show caller-driven.
As for the "Average Joes," they've steadily built a loyal audience since their debut on the sports station in December 2001. The show expanded to two hours while the search for a new Nebraska football coach was a hot topic.
The show is dropping the word "sports" from its name and will add entertainment news.
"Gary and I are sports guys, but we're topical guys, too," Doleman said. "We read the newspaper, watch TV and have opinions on things other than sports."
Three Eagles plans to replace the "Average Joes" on KLMS with a new one-hour talk show running from 5 to 6 p.m.
Reach Jeff Korbelik at 473-7213 or jkorbelik@journalstar.com.
KFOR schedule
6-10 a.m. The Ward and Cathy Morning Show
10 a.m.-noon Lincoln Live
Noon-12:15 p.m. Paul Harvey News and Comment
12:15-1 p.m. National and local news
1-4 p.m. The John Baylor Show
4-7 p.m. The Average Joe Show
7-9 p.m. The Dave Ramsey Show
9 p.m.-midnight The Jim Bohannon Show
Midnight-5 a.m. Coast to Coast With George Noory
5-6 a.m. National and local news