Why Doesn't IHeartMedia own any stations in Knoxville

[baseballmvp1]

I'm just curious why does Clear Channel (now IHeartMedia) not own any stations in Knoxville???

 

[Kent]

I doubt it's for a lack of trying. The old Jacor, which was bought by Clear Channel in '99, owned WMYU 102.1 and WWST 93.1 but swapped them away to Heritage Media for the intellectual property of WOFX in Cincinnati in '95. Since then, there haven't been too many expansion opportunities in Knoxville. It's always been an underradioed market, and recent sales in the market have either been the result of interest in non-radio properties or have been entire groups selling with other markets that either don't interest iHeart or iHeart is already in and maxed. The best expansion opportunity for Clear Channel would've been Dick Broadcasting (if it was interested), but Citadel ended up with them.

 

[Bystander]

This comes secondhand but DBC and South Central both seemed to want their stations with buyers that would allow more local control. Citadel's hand was forced by its bankruptcy.

 

[gr8oldies]

It was interesting that in the days when Clear Channel was buying everything with a tower (got a CB? Here's $50,000) they owned the 2 Crossville AMs for a short time.

 

[BRH]

I actually wish we did have I Heart/Clear Channel in this market too. You can complain about their nationalization, voicetracking, etc., but in reality, that's happening everywhere now. But one reason I wish they were in Knoxville is the poor lack of variety & signals in this market. We have suburban fm's that could be utilized for better, more professional sounding formats, plus, why hardly any HD2 fed translators here? The answer is 2nd ran, small companies. If I Heart, Cox, Entercom, etc. we're here, we'd have seen HD2 formats & translators to add at least 4 or 5 more formats & choices to the market. Similar surrounding markets like Chatt., Greenville, Asheville, etc. all have this.
Anyway, compared to comparably sized markets, Knoxville radio is really pretty sad as far as choices go. I just saw a new rumour yesterday that quickly growing Alpha Broadcasting may be interested in some of Cumulus's smaller markets. Maybe they'll buy here. I'm also hoping Midwest & Scripps w/ their recent takeovers will look into buying some of the smaller signals (94.3, 96.7, 106.1, 105.3, etc.), or launching some HD2 fed translators. Anything at this point would be an improvement over our stale, underserved market.

 

[gr8oldies]

If iHeart owned what is now Midwest, likely we'd have no live personalities at night and on weekends like we do on WIMZ and B97.5. I don't know what translators are available or could be available for HD2 fed formats...I know 1040 has one on 99.7. I would like to see Alpha come in if Cumulus were to sell Knoxville. I'm not sure E.W. Scripps (formerly Journal) couldn't be on the block since they seem to favor having radio stations in the same markets that they have TV stations. Knoxville does have rimshots that don't and can't cover the market and that probably won't change (105.3, 106.1 and 96.7 will never be full market signals). Terrain and adjacent channels don't help.

 

[Bystander]

Is there a working financial model for HD? If there's black ink in it everybody will do it.

 

[Kent]

Yes, there is. It's called getting an FM translator and relaying the HD multicast channel.

 

[Bystander]

Yes, there is. It's called getting an FM translator and relaying the HD multicast channel.

Sounds like you have found an opportunity that the big guys aren't taking advantage of. With an investor you can LMA a few channels yourself.

 

[BRH]

The grass is always greener...

In this case it actually is if more choices are what you prefer. Most comparable markets, size wise, do have more signals & choices. Knoxville is very underserved as a market on average. Maybe not in the past, but in today's environment of translators, move-in frequencies, etc., it seems the 3 major owners (or previous owners), were pretty lackluster imo. As far as the comments about I Heart getting rid of local talent; it's already happening anyway. And that is from the standpoint of working in the business. I'm talking about from the standpoint of listeners. There's no doubt that if I Heart was in the market, we'd have more signals/options. Like I said, look down the road at the smaller market of Chattanooga. More signals/translators/formats. They may be canned jukeboxes, but in this day & age, that's the status quo anyway. I'd rather have 3 or 4 more choices, even if it's all voicetracked/jockless.

 

[gr8oldies]

There's a limit to what can be moved into this market, and everything that can pretty much already has. The current WSEV-FM (Mixx 105.5) is locked into Sevier County and can't be moved in with the rimshot from the other direction on 105.3. 106.3 tried to rimshot with ESPN but no go with The River (it's now Mountain Country 106.3, serving Sevier County). The Lakeway stations are too far out. Even 105.7 from Crossville (Harriman license I think) can't really rimshot anymore because the Morristown co-channel translator provides just enough interference. From what I know about Chattanooga, it's pretty much the standard issue formats. I believe Asheville was mentioned, and signal coverage-wise except for the strongest signals, it's a disaster.

 

[Kent T]

And also, most every LPFM and translator is already a Jesuscaster or a few there in AM station hands. No room for more. Crowded enough in my area, no room for stations.