HOW WILL WFAN's MOVE TO 101.9 AFFECT 1010 WINS?

[NorwoodBoundD]

Some people have been mulling over the fate of the CBS owned and operated stations now that WFAN is making the move to FM. I have heard some people say that this will probably lead to CBS dumping 1010 WINS, in order to get under the cap of radio and TV stations owned in the same market, and because they already have WCBS 880. What do you guys think will happen?

[NorwoodBoundD]

Sorry. I did not intend for this double post to happen.

[badjef]

This cap thing is confusing.

Our 970 WFLA is simulcasting on a 105.9 translator only for Hillsborough County. But, Clear Channel was maxed out in Tampa, before the translator and there is one proposed for Pinellas County.

We were all thinking that CBS-New York was maxed out as well. Now, it appears there is some kind of a loophole to that ownership market rule since 101.9 is a full market signal.

I suspect it has to do with the definitions of "ownership" and "operator".

I think we all need clarification on this.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

[stationless listener]

It is interesting to note that CBS Corporate decided that The Fan was the property that would be placed on the new FM, rather than 1010 WINS. We read so many times that WINS wins (no pun intended) revenues for CBS. Yet, sports was picked over news. Maybe they were spooked by the experience of FM News and thought they couldn't take the chance using their own news brands on that frequency?

Definitely there have been internal discussions over what would happen if the WINS brand were to be placed on an FM and whether the money would be worth blowing up a current musical format. Any decision on that front would come down to which would be the more attractive demo between a current FM music format and WINS. The popular opinion seems to favor WINS but what if we're all wrong? What if CBS decides that the demos NOW get are worth doing away with one of the two all-news brands? NYC is unique among markets with that factoid but perhaps future money is worth the risk of current money. For a company that operates conservatively that's a big risk.

The other scenario is the "KFWB" scenario. That's the one where they spin off 1010 to a trust to go around the cap limit. Sorry, that would be a d1ck move on their part. The point of the cap is so that there are more businesses competing. However, experience tells us that the worst scenario is the one most likely to happen.

Ideally, I would like to see this:

94.7 goes to Greater Media, Townsquare or Cumulus. A NJ-friendly music format is debuted. It could be rock, country, AC, whatever. The rimshot signal means that I'll have a good chance at listening to music that can't be put on city stations for obvious reasons

1010 is sold to an independent operator who would put the BBC or a combination of simulcasts of British, Canadian and Australian public stations, hopefully stations that would air sports from Five Live, along with news

If they have to blow up a music format for WINS then better be 102.7. Lite FM is just too tough to beat and I don't know if the demos are there to keep Fresh around. Trying to beat Lite/Z100 has not been successful for CBS. So better they concentrate on serving listeners that the CC stations don't reach. Tweak 92.3's current format towards an edgier sound. Less Beyonce and more house music. No dubstep, though.

[DavidEduardo]

It is interesting to note that CBS Corporate decided that The Fan was the property that would be placed on the new FM, rather than 1010 WINS. We read so many times that WINS wins (no pun intended) revenues for CBS. Yet, sports was picked over news.

WINS and WFAN have nearly identical revenues.

I think the huge success of sports on FM in places like Detroit has been a decisive factor, as well as the fact that news listeners tend to be older in general, while sports appeals to all ages and could benefit most from FM.

[DavidEduardo]

This cap thing is confusing.


I suspect it has to do with the definitions of "ownership" and "operator".

I think we all need clarification on this.

No confusion: 8 stations in an Arbitron defined metro. 5 FMs or AMs and 2 TVs are the per-band cap. LMA's and JSA's are counted toward the caps, but translators/boosters are not.

CBS will have to spin off one station.

[carolinaradio]

CBS will have to spin off one station.

And, using elimination...

92.3, 101.1, and 102.7 are going nowhere as far as being owned by CBS.  FM has a lot more life and potential left in it than AM. 
880 isn't going anywhere.  I would think 660 will eventually carry the CBS Sports Network 24/7, with 880 AM remaining as is.  660 COULD go to Cumulus to carry the network, as they are distributing it, I guess, thus leaving the news outlets alone.  66 and 88 have a definite signal advantage over 1010.
Channel 2 and Channel 55.  2 is going nowhere.  55 is a wildcard.

When it comes down to it, either 1010 or 55 will go, IMO.  CBS could spin off 55 and not have to worry about re-shuffling its radio properties further.  If they opted to spin off 1010, if WINS News continued, where would it go?  I'd guess 92.3?

[kickass367]

I'm hearing that CBS will stay within the FCC Ownership Cap by selling the transmitter and license of channel 55 but keep the "WLNY 10/55" brand as a cable only channel. Therefore no radio stations will need to be sold.

[WNTIRadio]

They will lose must carry status when they do that, which was the primary reason for channel 55 in the first place.  I suppose the thought process is that people will ask their cable operators to keep it now that it has been on for awhile. 

Think about it: 1010 and 880 are gold mines.  Those wont be messed with.  The simulcast will continue on 660.  They're not going to sell an FM because that would leave them in the same place they were before.  Channel 55 is the albatross here.

[Scott Fybush]

They will lose must carry status when they do that, which was the primary reason for channel 55 in the first place.  I suppose the thought process is that people will ask their cable operators to keep it now that it has been on for awhile. 

They won't lose must-carry status if they offer up WLNY's spectrum in the upcoming incentive auction.

Brilliant, really.