Groundhog Day

[tbolt909]

A WGR simulcast is not the best option.
There's no additional revenue. WBEN failed at it.

A quality Lake type format could have also aired the football games.
Some music stations around the country preempt programming to carry games.

 

[SirRoxalot]

The football games aren't the big problem. The hockey games are. WGR could drop an affiliate in CNY or two, and also increase their drive-time coverage in the winter. The WBEN simulcast failed because WBEN already had a good signal, and their audience knows how to select "AM" on their car radio. WGR's audience is younger, and much more likely to prefer FM. The Bills and Sabres are also a much more regional topic than WBEN's blather. WGR's format could do better sales-wise with better coverage. The only other option for 107.7 is as a niche or flanker. Neither one is going to generate much revenue.

 

[TheBigA]

The Bills and Sabres are also a much more regional topic than WBEN's blather. WGR's format could do better sales-wise with better coverage. The only other option for 107.7 is as a niche or flanker. Neither one is going to generate much revenue.

I agree and since we're coming up on the one-year anniversary of the current format, it wouldn't surprise me to see a change that coincides with the start of hockey season on September 29.

 

[tbolt909]

Before The Lake format, 107.7 was Sports.
It had about a 1 share.

WGR would need a huge increase in ratings to generate
Any additional revenue via a simulcast.
That seems unlikely based on past results.
Their ratings drop after the games stop...

 

[TheBigA]

I still think they'd be smart to use it as a repeater for WBEE.

 

[tbolt909]

107.7 is in the Entercom Buffalo group, not Rochester.
In the past 15 years, many formats were tried on 107.7.
The Lake had a 7 year run and the best results.

No simulcast of anything is going to work on that signal...

 

[TheBigA]

107.7 is in the Entercom Buffalo group, not Rochester.

Entercom owns WBEE. It doesn't matter what city, it's all the same company.

I think by now everyone knows what format you want.

 

[SirRoxalot]

That might be the dumbest suggestion yet. Buffalo audiences have NO affinity for Rochester radio. Anybody who's spent any time here understands that there's a rivalry between the two cities where they compete directly. Wease - arguably the best know music personality in Rochester - failed miserably when they tried to introduce his show in Buffalo. Rebroadcasting WBEE would get worse numbers than they get now - and indirectly promote WYRK, who doesn't need the help.

WGR has signal issues during some of its most in-demand programming. WBEN didn't. Simulcasting on 107.7 would keep costs down, and potentially fill in the nulls in WGR's coverage. The balance sheet would probably look better over-all because they'd cut costs. It would be nice if they'd actually put programming on there that might draw more than flies, but anything that looks like it will work would simply be co-opted by one of the full-market FMs. Making WGR a much more regional station wouldn't have that problem.

 

[tbolt909]

Entercom Buffalo & Rochester are the same company, but they operate
Independently.
If they did function together, they could have sold advertising for
The Lake in Rochester.
The Lake had a strong following there.

If cutting costs are the goal, they could shut off KB 1520 and 107.7.
They would save on electricity and transmitter costs...

 

[TheBigA]

I think if saving money was the goal, they would not have hired a full staff of local talent and a dedicated PD. They could have saved a lot with VT from Portland or Seattle. Lots of ways to do things on the cheap. Entercom is not one of those companies.

 

[dand5780]

That might be the dumbest suggestion yet. Buffalo audiences have NO affinity for Rochester radio. Anybody who's spent any time here understands that there's a rivalry between the two cities where they compete directly.

Why not? I listen to Toronto stations, and WHAM in Rochester, when I can hear it.

I can't always hear WHAM in Buffalo, but hell, I can't always hear 107.7 either!

There were a significant number of callers from Rochester into WBEN when they were on 107.7, even talking about topics specific to Buffalo.

 

[tbolt909]

I don't see any logic in simulcasting a Rochester Country format on 107.7.
Same format is already available on a better signal with WYRK.

It took Entercom over 2 years to realise that the WBEN simulcast on 107.7
was totally futile. Now, they're desperately trying to get a younger audience that
seems non existent.

They sacrificed a 3 share format for a 1 share format.
I wouldn't praise ownership too much...

 

[TheBigA]

I don't see any logic in simulcasting a Rochester Country format on 107.7.
Same format is already available on a better signal with WYRK.

Doesn't matter. Entercom doesn't own WYRK. This would give them a chance of borrowing some audience, and maybe shaving a point off the ratings.

I wouldn't praise ownership too much...

You haven't done it yet. I don't expect you to change.

 

[tbolt909]

Entercom doesn't want a separate Country format on 107.7 because
It could hurt WBEE in Rochester.
You suggest simulcasting WBEE on 107.7 to shave a point off WYRK.
What does that accomplish?

Any competition for WYRK would need a full market signal.
Again, it seems they were better off with The Lake in their group.
They're overall market share is less now...

 

[Unregistered]

Entercom doesn't want a separate Country format on 107.7 because
It could hurt WBEE in Rochester.
You suggest simulcasting WBEE on 107.7 to shave a point off WYRK.
What does that accomplish?

Any competition for WYRK would need a full market signal.
Again, it seems they were better off with The Lake in their group.
They're overall market share is less now...

Well wait just a second. What were the ratings like in the WNUC days?
Was anything specific done wrong that can be tweaked to create a better return of WNUC?