Rent for the Transmitter WFLL

[sundance kid]

Looked up other 1400 AM station in Florida.

WFDM - Fort Walton Beach -Talk
WIRA - Fort Pierce - Jazz
WPRY - Perry - Classic Hits
WSDO - Sanford - Spanish
WZAZ - Jacksonville - Gospel Music
WZHR - Zephyrhills - Talk

The station most likely to be affected by WFLL’s antenna / x-mitter relocation -- outside of the DT Fort Lauderdale area (and not on WEXY’s tower) -- would be WIRA, licensed to Fort Pierce and serving Vero Beach. WIRA, I seem to recall, was once a Clear Channel station and part of their Vero Beach/Fort Pierce cluster way back when. WIRA has run ESPN with some local brokered programming, and a syndicated “Hot Talk” format headed up by a Rush Limbaugh feed with some local weekend brokering.

WIRA’s Wikipage indicates a “Gospel” format owned by Team One Media, LLC, which is out-of-date. Per the FCC, WIRA has gone through ownership changes with Port St. Lucie Broadcasters, then Team One Media, and now, Caribbean Media Group, Inc., whose application filings are dated on 02/18/2016. Radio Locator indicates a “Jazz” format and the website for WIRA indicates and is designed for “Jazz,” but their online player defaults to a demo stream, so there’s no way of knowing what they’re doing at WIRA -- if the “jazz” format is new, or its left over from the previous owners. If its “jazz” then kudos to WIRA for taking a chance on a distinctive niche format you usually don’t hear outside of non-commercial FM stations. Again, a niche format (options discussed in a previous post) for WFLL could work.

Also noticed that WFDM 1400 in Fort Walton is on a translator at W233BH-FM and re-branded as “Freedom 94.3 FM,” and run syndicated Fox News hosts. That’s another approach that WFLL could take: re-brand itself as an FM by obtaining an FM translator. However, that’s doubtful, because, if WFLL can’t afford to buy / own its own transmitter site and has renting as its only option, it certainly can’t consider an FM translator as viable option to improve its health.

Also of note: a local South Florida station, “95.5 The Palm," started as a “Seaview 960,” then obtained a FM translator, and re-branded itself. It’s doing quite well.

 

[davideduardo]

However, that’s doubtful, because, if WFLL can’t afford to buy / own its own transmitter site and has renting as its only option, it certainly can’t consider an FM translator as viable option to improve its health.

The problem with buying their own transmitter site is the timing. To buy or option a piece of land, get all the permits and build a facility if approved can take years. A bit to the south, WQBA's site on The Trail and Krome Avenue took around 8 years to be approved, mostly due to environmental and zoning issues.

1400 needs to be as centrally located as possible so that means expensive land and lots of issues getting zoning approval. So finding a centrally located tower that does not waste coverage such as one to the south or west would do is the key to getting back on the air.

 

[sundance kid]

The problem with buying their own transmitter site is the timing. To buy or option a piece of land, get all the permits and build a facility if approved can take years. A bit to the south, WQBA's site on The Trail and Krome Avenue took around 8 years to be approved, mostly due to environmental and zoning issues.

1400 needs to be as centrally located as possible so that means expensive land and lots of issues getting zoning approval. So finding a centrally located tower that does not waste coverage such as one to the south or west would do is the key to getting back on the air.

Yes, am quite away of these facts and up to speed, on the rent vs. own issues, thanks to Mr. Tillery who has already quite extensively discussed these matters, regarding the processes of land acquisitions for WFLL and tower relocation's, etc.

 

[sundance kid]

Was not able to Edit my previous POST #21 after sometime of logging off . . . so, new post.

Found some new info about WIRA-AM 1400 to add to the discussion.

I previously found an old, dead site at http://wira1400am.com. This is the one that I spoke about previously that has an online player that defaults to a default sample stream of the service they use. I did find a WIRA Facebook Page HERE. Decided to include the FB link, because, it has a JPEG of its studios, and a VERY impressive studio at that, which you can see as its page avatar. This FB provides a link to a second webpage, that sadly, also seems inactive at http://www.1400wira.com, but does have a little bit more info and photos on it. However, the FB page has been inactive since June 29, 2015, the date of the last posting. Most likely, the Jazz format is gone, as Team One Media who programmed that format has sold the station to Caribbean Media Group, Inc. Both page links are okay. Didn't set off any virus alerts, so safe to peek at if you like.

Sorry, if a bit off topic with this particular post, but it is somewhat relevant, as it goes back to the concerns of a significant move of WFLL's x-mitter / tower causing interference with WIRA made in my post #21.

 

[Ai4i]

DavidEdwardo,
I wonder what WOCN will do if and when they ever get W235CJ moved down here from Orlando.
I have no idea how a translator can be moved so far,
but it looks like WOCN will really be a new radio station.

 

[davideduardo]

DavidEdwardo,
I wonder what WOCN will do if and when they ever get W235CJ moved down here from Orlando.
I have no idea how a translator can be moved so far,
but it looks like WOCN will really be a new radio station.

The move is wit in the AM improvement plan of the FCC and very doable.

 

[sundance kid]

This is being discussed on two current RD threads: "101.9 A Pirate" and "Two New Translators in Miami." Turns out that 101.9 is not a pirate, but a legit station and a major translator move from Orlando to Miami. Although off topic for the this "Rent for the WFLL Transmitter" thread, ai4i reaching out to David paid off nicely, as we now have, working together, cleared up who and what 101.9 is. Very cool.

 

[sundance kid]

In the spirit of putting the thread back on topic regarding WFLL 1400 . . . took a peek at Nossa Radio's website. They removed all references to 1400 AM and now, the Florida broadcast is noted as "Nossa Radio USA," and over on their Facebook page as "Florida Web Radio.".

Seems they are still broadcasting on terrestrial radio in Boston at WMVX 1570 AM in Boston, out of the city of Beverly.

Just have to sit back and see what happens. Once WFLL gets the tower / transmitter resolved, will they continue the LMA, or will WFLL be up for grabs for someone else to LMA. I doubt Jorgensen would construct a studio, staff it, and sell airtime on their own. I don't feel that approach, doing it on their own without an LMA to handle the programming, is cost effective.

 

[JayR]

In the spirit of putting the thread back on topic regarding WFLL 1400 . . . took a peek at Nossa Radio's website. They removed all references to 1400 AM and now, the Florida broadcast is noted as "Nossa Radio USA," and over on their Facebook page as "Florida Web Radio."

There is a reference to WFLL in this page.

You can still listen to the stream on TuneIn at WFLL.

 

[David Francis]

Under "Stations Sales of the Week" on Radio Insight: Mark Jorgenson’s ACM JCE IV B LLC -- as we know as the current owner of the silent WFLL 1400 (and of course, WFTL 850 and WMEN 640) -- sells the slient 1480 KBXD Dallas to Chris Muse for $1.5 million plus a $13,000 payment to break the station’s tower lease. You can do additional reading on the RD boards HERE about 1480 KBXD.

Its also chattered about at Inside Radio HERE: "Chris Muse files a $1.5 million deal to buy KBXD (1480) from Mark Jorgenson. The station – which has 50,000-watts day and 1,900-watts night – has been off the air for much of the past five years after lenders led by Atalaya Capital took control of KBXD from former owner James Crystal Enterprises."

 

[David Francis]

Now, over on the Dallas Board, a poster mentioned that Chris Muse, also purchased WFLL, WMEN, and WFTL . . . .

I looked at the FCC application for WFLL, and at the end of application, it mentions the “assignor” owns . . . and the “assignee” has no “other broadcast interests" (which would be Mr. Muse). The “assignor,” in this case, is Jorgensen (ACM JCE IV B LLC), the “assignee,” would be Chris Muse. I am reading it correctly? Chris Muse is only purchasing KBXD.

The latest updated applications are for “STA extensions” on WFTL and WMEN, and “Remain Silent Authority” for WFLL. I see no sale, or anything denoting a pending sale for the remaining three ex-JCR properties. But I'd guess, once WFLL gets itself set up on the WEXY tower, it would probably go on the block.