CBS kills rock twice in New York City

[Giacomo Siffredi]

TV 5 and 6 will more likely than not have value as the FCC offers encouragement to stations to give up their valuable UHF allotments to put up for auction.  We're reaching a point where the "must carry" of an OTA TV signal is much more valuable than it's actual OTA reception.

Actually, part of the incentive auction law specifically prohibits the FCC from forcing TV broadcasters to vacate a UHF channel and move to a VHF channel, or vacate a Hi-VHF channel and move to a Low-VHF channel. Plus the encouragement the FCC offers monetarily is nowhere near as lucrative as the same value that UHF broadcaster would realize in a private sale.

I would love to see expansion of the FM band, the shrinking radio business has forced me and thousands of others out of full time work.  However, I don't see it happening.

Sorry to learn of your job status. The business of radio today is very bad and is no place for those seeking a lucrative salary with benefits or job security.

[islanddxer]

CBS and I are done. CBS-FM's audio makes the station unlistenable. Their playlist has shrunk faster than shrink wrap by a hair dryer. They took our local WLNY TV news and turned it into all NYC news. Now this. CBS..kiss my 

[xmusicmatt]

CBS isn't killing 101.9 ... Merlin is .. they are the ones who are selling it...  No one is forcing them to sell it -- They want to regain some $$ to help pay debts and that means 101.9 goes.  Can't fault CBS for buying what was for sale.

[islanddxer]

But CBS could ressurect K-ROCK since NOW continues to flounder. After all I can find the music NOW plays on 100.3, 97.1, 105.1, and 103.5! Merlin may be tossing rock in the garbage but CBS is taking it to the incinerator.

[chrocket87]

But CBS could ressurect K-ROCK since NOW continues to flounder. After all I can find the music NOW plays on 100.3, 97.1, 105.1, and 103.5! Merlin may be tossing rock in the garbage but CBS is taking it to the incinerator.

Considering K-ROCK did even worse than NOW is, I'm going with not a chance. Plus CHR sells, hence why it is on so many frequencies.

[islanddxer]

But thats because K-ROCK wasn't executed properly. Just move the RXP calls to 92.3 and continue to call it New Rock NY.
Moving sports to FM is stupid, I have friends too far away in Suffolk that cant get 101.9 or 98.7 and thus are losing their sports on 1050 and 660!
Fresh has stolen PLJ's thunder perhaps PLJ should pick up RXP.
But we all know it wont happen. Since in NYC radio you dont count unless you're a woman.

[Giacomo Siffredi]

But CBS could ressurect K-ROCK

Why would they want to do this? K-ROCK wasn't executed properly the first time or the second time it aired on 92.3FM. What indicates a third time will be the charm?

I agree it could be executed properly, the question is would CBS execute it properly? I highly doubt they would.

Recently, their New York FM cluster has been exhibiting signs of neglect from upper management: 92.3 NOW hosts leave and are not replaced. WCBS-FM's playlist tightened with more repeats and fewer specials. Poor audio processing on both WCBS-FM and WXRK. WWFS right now seems to be the strongest horse in their FM stable from a presentation standpoint, and that's not saying much. Not to mention that with the exception of TV ads promoting WCBS-FM on today's Columbus Day Parade special on WABC-TV, none of these stations are being promoted in any noticeable way.

And I haven't even touched on what they are doing... or rather NOT DOING at their newest acquisition, WLNY-TV Riverhead...

[islanddxer]

Very true. If CBS could sell one of their FM's, which they may have to do (I doubt they'll part with 1010 WINS), then maybe rock could come back.
You're right, CBS wouldn't know how to program a rock format and RXP listeners would tune away. CBS-FM has become one of the most boring, safe, stale oldies stations I've ever heard (music and audio wise). So you're right, I'm sure they'd mess that up, just like putting Richard Rose in a closet with one full minute of LI news.
They even managed to screw up NOW's audio as well, sounds flat like CBS-FM.
They will have to divest of something, hopefully an FM such as 92.3. Or WLNY, which I highly doubt since they just aqcuired it.
I was leaning toward the removal of CBS-FM from my presets already, but after this fiasco that finalizes it. B103 takes it's place, despite being a weaker signal here in Nassau.

[mikesingh]

Why would they want to do this? K-ROCK wasn't executed properly the first time or the second time it aired on 92.3FM. What indicates a third time will be the charm?

I agree it could be executed properly, the question is would CBS execute it properly? I highly doubt they would.

Recently, their New York FM cluster has been exhibiting signs of neglect from upper management: 92.3 NOW hosts leave and are not replaced. WCBS-FM's playlist tightened with more repeats and fewer specials. Poor audio processing on both WCBS-FM and WXRK. WWFS right now seems to be the strongest horse in their FM stable from a presentation standpoint, and that's not saying much. Not to mention that with the exception of TV ads promoting WCBS-FM on today's Columbus Day Parade special on WABC-TV, none of these stations are being promoted in any noticeable way.

And I haven't even touched on what they are doing... or rather NOT DOING at their newest acquisition, WLNY-TV Riverhead...

A. MEN.

As much as I love me some rock music, let's face it... K-ROCK is gone. It's on HD2 with the same heavy alternative slant as New Rock... listen at krockradio.com. NOW has been pulling similar, if not better numbers than the last incarnation of K-ROCK. The way 92.3 is right NOW (pardon the pun) is (correct me if I'm wrong, I may be) the best the station has been since the end of 2005, post-Stern. The FREE FM era was a no-go, and the return of K-ROCK wasn't much better either.

Among all of the other reasons listed in the post above, I think CBS is fairly happy with their FM cluster as it is... otherwise, WHY the purchase of 101.9 when they could have flipped NOW or even Fresh to WFAN-FM? There's definitely a lot of rumor and speculation and it will continue until CBS makes a concrete announcement.

Finally, like I said in another post... the loss of rock is NOT CBS' fault. The announcement made today was a signal (or confirmation) that CBS has been planning to move WFAN. Merlin/GTCR has been looking to sell, so CBS took the offer. CBS did not walk around with the idea of ruining rock radio intentionally. They were just looking for a place to put WFAN on FM and Merlin most likely took their offer pretty quickly.

It's unfortunate that the alternative 'WRXP' brand/format has fallen into owners who have had to sell off the station for the sake of debt. First was Emmis, now it's Merlin. Had Merlin not gone thru the FM News debacle and had a lot more money on their hands, NYC would have had the pleasure of having New Rock around for a good while.

[XCountry285]

Merlin should of sold their Philly station. I don't get why they would sell their NYC station.