Tyler Media brought the Classic Hip-Hop format to Oklahoma City this afternoon with the launch of “V103” 103.1 K276EX/92.5 KOMA-HD3.
Launching a little after 4:00pm, the station becomes Tyler’s tenth audio brand in the market. Tod Tucker, PD of sister CHR “Now 92.9” K225BN/KOMA-HD2 adds similar duties at 103.1. The 99 watt translator most recently had been rebroadcasting News/Talk 1520 KOKC through its recent tower collapse, which apparently delayed the launch of the new format. A tweet proclaiming the station was coming soon had been made back on March 10.
The new Classic Hip-Hop format joins an Oklahoma City Urban market led by Perry Broadcasting’s Urban “Power 103.5” KVSP and Urban AC “92.1 Heart & Soul” 1140 KRMP/92.1 K221FQ.
Ten radio stations?? I thought we had ownership limits.
Translators don’t count against the limits. And, yes, there are at least a few other markets where something similar is happening (e.g., iHeart in the Twin Cities, and Cumulus in Atlanta).
I’m sure the regulations for FM translators were not intended to be used to create additional broadcast outlets for conglomerates such as Tyler Communications. Translators are intended to ‘fill in” areas where the primary station for whatever reason is unable to serve a portion of its licensed broadcast territory. That’s why the FCC does not allow commercial translators to be fed by satellite, microwave link or other methods besides the over the air signal of the primary station. Also the FCC states that translators cannot produce its own programming. Now of course there is a loophole in the law that is being exploited that involves feeding translators with secondary HD programming but none the less abuse is taking place. If it is believed that abuse is not taking place then I invite these broadcasters to apply for a traditional FCC license, get turned down because they are over their ownership limit.
Tyler Media is far from the definition of a conglomerate. They are a local company that operates merely in Oklahoma City and Tulsa. They’re simply playing by the rules as currently defined.
I live in Oklahoma City and consider Tyler Communications a conglomerate; it is a fact that Tyler Communications dominates our radio spectrum here with 10 radio brands and a handful of television stations. It still does not dismiss the fact that Tyler skirted around the regulations and is over the ownership limit. Just because somethings legal does not make it ethical.