93.3 KDKB Mesa/Phoenix has dropped its Rock format of 43 years and flipped to Alternative “Alt AZ 93.3” at 12pm today.
The move returns Alternative to the Phoenix market for the first time since 103.9 KEXX dropped the format in January 2012. The new format is launching commercial free through the end of the week.
Trip Reeb, VP/Market Manager for Hubbard Phoenix is heading the development of the new format. Reeb has a long resume in the Alternative format including stints Programming and serving as CEO of “91X” XETRA-FM San Diego and eighteen years as General Manager of 106.7 KROQ Los Angeles.
The launch follows two hours of stunting as “93.3 The Cheese” playing nothing but lounge covers of Alternative Rock songs performed by Richard Cheese.
The entire staff of the former KDKB format is out with the flip including Program Director/afternoon host Paul “Neanderpaul” Marshall, morning hosts Shmonty and Conklin, and middayer Ruby Cheeks.
93.3 KDKB helps to fill the Alternative void in Phoenix starting today at 12:00 p.m. as it becomes ALT AZ 93-3, ARIZONA’S ALTERNATIVE.
Designed to bring the best mainstream Alternative Rock to the Valley, ALT AZ 93-3 will launch, 100,000 watts strong featuring three days of non-stop music from critically acclaimed artists such as Mumford & Sons, The Black Keys, and Coldplay plus newer Alt superstars Arctic Monkeys, Lorde, Imagine Dragons and more.
This is a format that has not been on Phoenix radio with a full signal in several years, and after investigating the desire for this kind of station, it was decided 93.3 with its great signal and creative heritage was the perfect place. “We’re excited to offer a new powerful home for Alternative music on 93.3. It’s time this music had a strong outlet in Phoenix, and it is the perfect complement for our other rock mainstays, 98KUPD and 100.7 KSLX.” says Trip Reeb, VP/Market Manager for Hubbard Phoenix.
An experienced and talented team has been orchestrated to launch this version of “Arizona’s Alternative” led by Trip who is no stranger to building a winning team with his long line of success in radio. For almost 20 years he was the architect of Alternative KROQ – Los Angeles, one of the most successful stations in the country. The Sales effort at ALT AZ 93-3 will initially be managed by Jeff England VP/DOS Hubbard Radio Phoenix, formally President and Market Manager of Clear Channel’s Phoenix cluster. Veterans to the Alternative radio scene in Phoenix, Nancy Stevens and Jaime Seidensticker are both on board in the Music and Promotion/Marketing areas, as is Drew Hutchinson as the Director of Digital Sales and Web Development.
This is a station built for Phoenix and dedicated to bringing great entertainment to the Valley and beyond. Welcome to ALT AZ 93.3 – Arizona’s Alternative
Update 9/14: It has been quite a few months since the first set of domains registered by Hubbard. Ten domains registered on Friday indicate something may be up at Rock 93.3 KDKB Phoenix after all.
Anonymous registrations were made for 933Alt.com, 933AltAZ.com, 933Alternative.com, 933AltRock.com, 933Arizona.com, 933AZ.com, 933Rock.com, AltAZ933.com, Arizona933.com, and Music933.com.
KDKB has risen in the Nielsen Audio PPM ratings in recent months; from a 2.4 in June to 2.7 in July to 2.9 in August. However it still trails sister Active Rock 97.9 KUPD‘s 4.4 share and Classic Rock 100.7 KSLX‘s 4.5 while having audience and musical overlap with both stations.
Update 5/29: 979Rocks.com has begun redirecting to KUPD’s site. Concurrently, Radio933.com, which was registered anonymously on April 23, is redirecting to KDKB.com.
Phoenix is the third largest market without an Alternative station after New York and Miami. A move to that format would enable Hubbard to retain its “Wall of Rock” while eliminating the musical and audience overlap KDKB shares with its sister stations KUPD and KSLX.
Original Report 4/8: Is Hubbard preparing to adjust its Wall of Rock in Phoenix?
Hubbard currently operates a block of 80s/90s Rock 93.3 KDKB, Active Rock 97.9 KUPD, and Classic Rock 100.7 KSLX in the Phoenix market, which creates a monopoly on the Rock format variations in the market. The company registered 979Rock.com and 979Rocks.com for KUPD, which also happens to be the positioning used by “93.3 KDKB Rocks“. Could a merger of KDKB and KUPD be coming to clear the 93.3 frequency for something new? No domains tied to 93.3 have been registered yet.
In the February 2014 Nielsen Audio PPM ratings KUPD was tied for sixth in the market with a 4.4 share. KDKB was 19th with a 2.5 share, while KSLX was fourth with a 4.9.
KUPD is holding its annual “U Fest” concert this coming Saturday, so any changes will likely take place following that event.
puddingpop 
Cory 
keithe4 
Robbie_C 
Dr. Akbar 
Cyclonepedia 
Evan Short 
Alternative would be a smart move.
I agree. Fill a much-needed niche in the area while keeping the wall of rock intact.
But for cryin’ out loud, Mother Hubbard, DON’T MESS WITH THE LUMBERYARD! The lumberyard is a shrine, and should be considered holy (or is it “holey?”). 😀
I agree wholeheartedly. Don’t fix what’s not broken.
All 3 stations have their place in the market & are performing well.
Leave rock alone!
Even lowly Lumberyard 14~Forty beat Mother Hubbard’s other Anciently Modulated station, Sports Parkinglot 10~Sixty in the latest ratings. YIKES!
93~Three isn’t a big problem, but certainly a frequency that could perform better. The Middle Eastern Men of the Media have reason to believe GM Trip Reeb will keep it rockin’ and may be looking at the success 97~Five and 103~Nine have had since simulcasting two signally impaired stations.
But are wornout oldies the highest and best use of KDKB-HD~Two???
Really? Keep the rock on the inferior 97.9 facilities, with the rotting tower and fickle transmitter? Sandusky just spent over $1M not too long ago to make 93.3 their best signal, and what will they waste it on?
If 97.9 is inferior & KUPD is the higher rated station out of all 3, why didn’t Sandusky move KUPD to the 93.3 signal?
If KDKB is a superior signal to KUPD, its minimal. Both are Class C’s from South Mountain. KDKB is 100kW at 508 meters, KUPD is 96kW at 494 meters.
It’s the age of the equipment that counts. 93.3 has a relatively new transmitter and antenna, while 97.9’s somewhat-new transmitter has had problems since they’ve installed it, and I wonder if running it to that 40-year-old antenna is the culprit. I hear more multipath in the shadows of mountains on 97.9 than I do 93.3.
You’re right…93~Three is state of the art. 97~Nine is state of the Gremlin. Gumpdusky was not known to spend a lot of money on upgrading equipment.
Even with the Purple People Meter, it would take humungous huevos to switch formats between the two frequencies. That “Ninety Eight K Youuuuuuu P.D. is ingrained in a lot of us Zonies!
They need to move Beef Vegan from 93.9fm over to that station. He is on the Indie station and knows that scene better than anyone out there.
Just sayin.
I love Richard Cheese during a 2-hour stunting as “The Cheese”. I hope he will end up on internet radio soon, and WQEW in New York City at 1560 will be leaving Radio Disney as of next week will become “1560 The Cheese”, all Richard Cheese songs, all the time. If he does well, he will be on internet radio stations all across the globe running “The Cheese”. I’m just kidding! 😀
hmmm….wonder if KDKB wants to change their call letters to KASO (Queso)?