WFME -94.7FM Transmitter

[e-dawg]

I know another WFME thread was about the sale from Family Radio Inc. Lets talk if WFME able to move closer to Manhattan,  how would make WFME move to ESB from New Jersey?  Z100 did it before.

[pjc1961]

Guess you didn't thoroughly read through the most recent thread on WFME or the other threads over the years addressing this situation.

Just because Z100 (formerly WVNJ-FM) did this in 1983 doesn't mean it can be done with the 94.7 frequency at this time.
Different set of signals and spacing in different communities to deal with. 

There's a very good reason that 94.7 sold for an (alleged) $40 million and 98.7 and 101.9 just sold for roughly $75 million apiece.

See Scott Fybush's post below.

http://radiodiscussions.com/smf/index.php?topic=221457.msg1991788#msg1991788

Scott Fybush
 Posts: 3982         Re: Cumulus buys WFME 94.7
« Reply #37 on: Today (10/16/12) at 01:47:02 PM »
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Once more, with feeling:

WMAS-FM is not the biggest obstacle to moving 94.7 into Manhattan. WWSK 94.3 on Long Island is. Unlike some of the other second-adjacent situations that have lent themselves to move-ins (93.1/93.5/93.9, 96.3/96.7/97.1, 103.5/103.9/104.3), the Newark and Smithtown signals were fully spaced in 1964, and thus are not grandfathered and must continue to obey current spacing rules. And there's not much (if any) wiggle room to move 94.3 out of the picture - it's already short-spaced to WYBC-FM, among others.

There's also a huge obstacle to downgrading WMAS-FM, and that's the COL change to Enfield a few years back. Any downgrade to WMAS-FM must still put a 70 dBu signal over Enfield, and that means (a) a less-than-optimum signal over the core of the Springfield market and (b) moving the transmitter site south from downtown Springfield, which is exactly the direction you don't want to be moving if you're hoping to open up space for WFME.
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All kinds of good stuff over at http://www.fybush.com

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[luperm]

They can't. Next question?

[BarryATL]

There is another thread where this question was beat to death a month or two ago.  Every single possibility was considered along side all of the short spacing and adjacent channels.  The answer was no for every possibility.  There is something about an experiment with another tower beside the existing tower, but that is about it.

[e-dawg]

Would it be possible Cumulus persuade other stations to relocate ($$$) to move to ESB?

[stationless listener]

They can't. Next question?

Sure I will, and it has to do with the condition of the transmitter at its current site. I've heard that FR was doing work on it in preparation for the sale but don't know for sure. Still, I don't think much attention has been put on those facilities since, well, FR primary concern is religion and not engineering.

When Cumulus takes over the station how much would they have to spend to upgrade it to standard?

[luperm]

There is another thread where this question was beat to death a month or two ago.  Every single possibility was considered along side all of the short spacing and adjacent channels.  The answer was no for every possibility.  There is something about an experiment with another tower beside the existing tower, but that is about it.

Correct. WFME has few options as to where they can go. As for the STA to test from the adjacent tower, they have applied for a license to cover. Their antenna was moved from the original WFME short tower to the taller (Warner) tower right next to it. Family claimed that the taller tower impaired WFME's signal due to its proximity to the original antenna. The new antenna is slightly higher, and as a result, WFME had to power down to maintain its contours. The new WFME antenna is using the aperture vacated by the former 96.3 backup antenna. I suspect this was done so that WFME could dispose of its facility in West Orange separately from the broadcast license, thus making it a more attractive aquisition.

WFME is what it is.  I don't think you can make it any bigger or better. Maybe a newer, more efficient transmitter, but the coverage won't materially change.

Would it be possible Cumulus persuade other stations to relocate ($$$) to move to ESB?

Unlikely. The facility is what it is.

[WNTIRadio]

Look for Cumulus to attempt to persuade WBAI to swap with some cash and the 94.7 signal.  Now, they (Cumulus) has leverage with another signal to offer them.  The rent and expenses are a LOT lower for WFME.  Cumulus gets 99.5, the nutcases at WBAI stay on the air and lower their expenses.

[badjef]

Look for Cumulus to attempt to persuade WBAI to swap with some cash and the 94.7 signal.  Now, they (Cumulus) has leverage with another signal to offer them.  The rent and expenses are a LOT lower for WFME.  Cumulus gets 99.5, the nutcases at WBAI stay on the air and lower their expenses.

If it wasn't for coownership with WMAS, I would think your suggestion would be the most plausible. I tend to think Cumulus would want to maximize the effectiveness of both 94.7 facilities unless they lease WFME to Pacifica as part of a purchase of 99.5, and then foreclose when they default since they have problems paying rent at Empire as it is.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

[WNTIRadio]

We've been around this track 1,000 times.  WMAS isn't the only obstacle to WFME moving to Empire, or any other site in NYC.  94.3 on Long Island is just as big of a roadblock, and it isn't co-owned.  It also can't move anywhere due to short spacing to New Haven and NJ. 

WFME is stuck where it is.  And the signal isn't half bad where it is, either.  The best they could do is go even higher and lower the ERP to get over more of the mountains and the city to the east.  But I doubt that's going to happen with Newark Airport being so close.  Last year, Family Radio moved the antenna to a neighboring tower and went 100 feet higher.