Houston Radio: Terrific Start For KROI 'Boom92'

Probably the most interesting development in the November book was the debut of KROI 92.1 FM in its new classic hip-hop format, replacing the all-news format that was shuttered in early October.

Now known as “Boom 92,” KROI went from a 1.0 audience share among persons 12-plus in October to a 3.2 share in November, climbing to 14th place among all-stations.

Doug Abernethy, Radio One’s Houston market chief, told The Houston Chronicle the first month’s performance “exceeded my expectations.”

“The first weekly cume report was 825,000, which blew me away. I would have been happy with half of that, and that would have doubled what I was getting from news,” Abernethy said. “To go from 225,000 to 825,000 in one week was really something.”

Abernethy said Radio One has since launched similar formats in Dallas-Fort Worth, Atlanta and Philadelphia, adding, “The format is exploding all over the country.”

KLTN led in morning drive (6+ AQH) at 8.6, KODA in middays at 10.4, KODA in afternoon drive at 6.7 and KMJQ at night at 8.3.

Leaders in adults 18-49 were KLTN at 7.5 for the week, KLTN in morning drive at 10.7, KLTN in middays at 9.3, KBXX (97.9 FM) in afternoon drive at 6.6 and KBXX evenings at 9.7. KROI ranked ninth in the weeklongs and was seventh in afternoon drive and fifth at night.

Adults 25-54 leaders were KODA for the week at 7.4, KLTN in morning drive at 10.3, KODA in middays at 10.3, KODA in afternoon drive at 6.6 and KMJQ at night at 8.2. KROI was 10th for the weeklongs with a 4.0 share, up from 0.5 in its final month of all-news programming, and ninth in afternoon drive, up from 26th.