The rebuilding of the ROQ

 

AllAccess.com

It was announced last month that Mike Kaplan, pd of KROQ, was out. Kaplan remains a senior VP of programming at Audacy (formerly Entercom) and brand manager for New York alternative outlet WNYL (“ALT 92.3”). 

We’ve previously discussed the maelstrom surrounding the heritage alternative rocker over the last couple of years. We also refer to Richard Wagoner’s article in the Daily News and Orange County Register entitled “What’s Wrong With KROQ 106.7 FM, and What Can be Done to Fix It,” and the 2020 story in Variety entitled “It’s the End of the World Famous KROQ as We Know It,” when Kaplan first arrived. Nonetheless, we offer a quick historical recap.

After a 30-year run of mornings headed by Radio Hall of Fame inductees Kevin Ryder and Gene “Bean” Baxter ended in 2019, many felt it was a good time to refresh the once-dominant alternative rocker. Kaplan was brought in to do something about the station’s stagnant ratings. He fired the staff of the reconstituted morning show featuring Ryder, along with Allie MacKay, Jensen Karp, producer Dave Sanchez and contributor Jonathan Kantrowe almost immediately. Ted Stryker and Kevin Klein now helmed AM drive, only to again relaunch the show just over a year later with Klein and Ally Johnson. 

Kevin Ryder, Allie MacKay, Kevin Klein, Ally Johnson

Besides dominating what was then known as Modern Rock in the 80s and 90s, the station hired prominent talent including Rodney Bingenheimer, Richard Blade, Jed the Fish, Adam Carolla, Raechel Donahue, Ralph Garman, Mark Goodman, Chris Hardwick, Jimmy Kimmel, “Dr. Drew” Pinsky, Riki Rachtman, Frazer Smith, Matt "Money" Smith, “Poorman” Jim Trenton, Shadoe Stevens, and many others. Rick Carroll and Kevin Weatherly led the station to extraordinary ratings success. At one time, KROQ was one of the top billing stations in the country, leading with $68 million in sales back in 2005. 

Rodney Bingenheimer, Richard Blade, Jed the Fish, Adam Carolla

Raechel Donahue, Ralph Garman, Mark Goodman

Chris Hardwick, Jimmy Kimmel, Dr. Drew Pinsky

Ricky Rachtman, Frazer Smith, Matt "Money" Smith

A station that at one time barely held onto their FCC license due to debt and mismanagement, KROQ emerged as the home of new music playing hits long before anyone else on the L.A. radio dial. In 1986, Infinity Broadcasting purchased KROQ from owner Ken Roberts for a then-record $45 million. The ratings did slip a bit, but rebranded as the “ROQ of the 80s and 90s,” a refreshed playlist featuring Nirvana, the Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pearl Jam, Smashing Pumpkins, Foo Fighters, Green Day, Rage Against the Machine, Jimmy Eat Word, and other music now referred to as Alternative Rock reignited the station to the top of the ratings. At the turn of the century, the station’s adds included Linkin Park, Velvet Revolver, Rise Against, Fall Out Boy, My Chemical Romance, Jimmy Eat World, Panic! at the Disco and Thrice to their established playlist

Jim "Poorman" Trenton, Shadoe Stevens, Rick Carroll

But through the last decade, as younger audiences found other venues for their music, KROQ started to lose listenership. The station tried to keep the alternative listeners – which skews younger – while also accommodating their loyal but now aging demo. Perhaps it’s too big of a divide to bridge. Despite the efforts of the respected Weatherly, the ratings have been on a roller coaster, mostly headed downward. Kevin & Bean was still a ratings leader, but the rest of the day showed significant declines. Then the budget axe fell – Lisa May, their traffic reporter for 24 years but more of a cast member and “Doc on the ROQ” (Boyd R. Britton), news anchor for 27 years, were cut from the show, the station claiming their audience didn’t tune into 106.7 for traffic and news. Weatherly left the station after 28 years for a position at Spotify, which led to the hiring of Kaplan. Competition emerged when KYSR became the new kid on the (alternative) block, as they made the transformation from “STAR” to “ALT 98.7,” featuring the now-syndicated “Woody (Fife) Show” in AM drive.

Kevin Weatherly, Lisa May, Boyd R. Britton

During Kaplan’s tenure, the station added what some referred to as “Tik Tok hits” such as Billie Eilish and Lana del Rey, We’ve already mentioned Ryder and his re-formed morning show was quickly dismissed within days after Kaplan’s arrival as PD. Their replacement, the team of (Ted) Stryker and (Kevin) Klein last about a year before Stryker moved over to Alt 98.7 to join Chris Booker for afternoons. As the ratings continued to sag, KROQ seemed to return (some say “regressed”) to their past, selecting currents and recurrents from Smashing Pumpkins, the Ramones, Green Day, Stone Temple Pilots, Red Hot Chili Peppers and other more (hopefully) familiar fare. Still, the ratings were declining. 

One opinion is KROQ is in a no-win situation, unable to keep happy their loyal (albeit aging) core audience while trying to draw in younger listeners. Others believe the format is no longer distinctive, as many artists considered alternative has significant overlap on “mainstream” playlists. Then there’s the opinion the station never recovered after the parting of Kevin & Bean. There are many who want to blame Kaplan, though to be fair he had success previously helping program the competition…indeed, he helped create the pop-leaning alternative format for ALT 98.7 and brought in the Woody Show before he left for New York (wasn’t Kaplan known as "Mike the Show Killer?")

Woody Fife

It means we’re back to the question asked when Kaplan first arrived, what should be done with KROQ? There’s been a number of opinions offered, how’s about dropping alternative for active rock? Indie rock? Play all 80s and 90s? 

Michael Schneider, a senior editor at Variety, reports on television and media. He offered his thoughts:

I'd love to see KROQ return to its roots as rebel radio. With unpredictable jocks doing things that might get them in trouble... or at least go viral. With more "wow" music moments from both the recurrents and new tracks. Who's the new Jed the Fish? The new Richard Blade? The new Rodney? What's the new Loveline? Do something that gets people talking on social media and create a FOMO-like need for people to see just what KROQ is doing. Easier said than done, but there's literally no downside at this point to try something wild.

With the untimely death of Taylor Hawkins, drummer for the Foo Fighters, we did get feedback KROQ did a commendable job celebrating and paying tribute to Hawkins. It does make sense listeners would tune into the station where many first heard the band. Wouldn’t it be nice if KROQ once again became known as the “go to” station, whatever they become?