Despite effort, good imaging, and a somewhat adventurous selection of new and local music the format doesn't seem to be gaining much traction. So how long do you think until Cumulus pulls the plug? I often wonder if 98.9 is even a viable signal for almost anything. I'd like to hear your thoughts on the situation and what you think could come next.
-
Get involved.
We want your input!
Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.
After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.
After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/
Thanks in advance and have fun!
RadioDiscussions Administrators
So how long until Cumulus kills off 99X?
- Thread starter ATLD
- Start date
Bankruptcy is probably next. To forestall it as long as possible, rent it out to the highest bidder.
Very unlikely, based on the action their investors have taken.
I think the biggest format hole is still Variety/Adult Hits, with soft AC as a distant second.
Having said that, why hasn't Cox done more with WSB-FM-HD2, especially compared with what they have done with TOSOTR online and with translators?
There are a lot of players monkeying around with newer rock (both alt and active), between 99X, Radio 105.7, TOSOTR, and Rock 100.5's dabblings. I don't see any fresh ground to till there.
Could an intown Cumulus translator bite into the urban apple that is currently owned by Radio One, Cox, and CBS?
Does anyone know how Chuck FM does in their nominal market (they're not considered to be an Atlanta station)?
Could Cumulus put variety hits on 106.7, shutter the news operation, and move the talk to 98.9 and make a go of that with some canned news? They could turn off the stereo and get a little more range.
Having said that, why hasn't Cox done more with WSB-FM-HD2, especially compared with what they have done with TOSOTR online and with translators?
There are a lot of players monkeying around with newer rock (both alt and active), between 99X, Radio 105.7, TOSOTR, and Rock 100.5's dabblings. I don't see any fresh ground to till there.
Could an intown Cumulus translator bite into the urban apple that is currently owned by Radio One, Cox, and CBS?
Does anyone know how Chuck FM does in their nominal market (they're not considered to be an Atlanta station)?
Could Cumulus put variety hits on 106.7, shutter the news operation, and move the talk to 98.9 and make a go of that with some canned news? They could turn off the stereo and get a little more range.
Kind of an expensive format to put on a translator doncha think? If the format is struggling on 106.7, it'll make even less money at 98.9.
The current format on 98.9 attracts a sellable demo. If a company could put together a handful of big advertisers who'd support variety hits, you'd have that format today.
The answer to the question depends on one thing that we don't know, the revenue the station is taking in. Cumulus is positioning 99X as not being about ratings but being about new music discovery. They assert they are programming to a select crowd of affluent in-town listeners. I bought the station for a client based on this sales pitch shortly after it signed on.
Operating the station probably costs close to nothing. So it's kind of difficult to make a judgment.
Operating the station probably costs close to nothing. So it's kind of difficult to make a judgment.
I was talking about replacing the current in-house produced news with canned news (a lot cheaper but a lesser quality product), and leaving the talkers who I presume are paying their own way.
I don't know of a translator with live local talkers. Too expensive, not enough callers to make a show. Not going to happen.
WCNN 680 The Fan has a translator on 93.7. They still have the AM side, but I wonder how much listenership the AM side is pulling in this day and age.
Unfortunately, they don't subscribe to Nielsen so there's no telling how 680/93.7 is doing overall unless you have the proprietary numbers.
And I would think that a translator could do better than AM-only WGST.
That would not be the case here. This is a translator only.
It's not going to happen. Even Cumulus isn't stupid enough to put live & local talkers on a translator. Please move on.
OG 97.9 is becoming dry as well.
The Kimmer is making a fraction of what he made at WGST (that's no secret), and Cumulus just opened up the 9-12 time slot to amateur night. I can guarantee that whoever wins that time slot will be making Neal Boortz money...that is, Neal Boortz money when he was at Ring Radio and talk radio was a side hustle to his law practice and selling rugs at Rich's. Heck, I could say that if Cumulus were serious about keeping the format as is where is, they would try to get a seasoned talk host.
There are already rumblings that Cumulus may put oldies or AM gold or variety hits on 106.7 after Barves season is over. Oldies and AM gold did better than news/talk has done on 106.7 (not sure about any difference in billings, but I'm sure the expenses for music off the bird were lower), and 80s/90s variety hits did respectably on 97.9 (Journey 97.9). So I think there's a market--not for oldies and maybe not even 70s AM gold, but the modern "oldies" of variety hits.
If IHeartMedia can make a go of canned news and syndicated and local talk on an AM station with a crappy night signal and massive RFI, surely an FM translator would do at least as well. Especially during winter drivetime with late sunrises and early sunsets. I'd be surprised if it pulled more than a 1 share or even a 0.7, but it would be an improvement over what they (and the market) have now.
Turns out they just did...so maybe they (news/talk) will stay put (unless they got this new guy on the cheap, doesn't sound like it). Maybe "amateur night" was just a gimmick. I do have a personal friend who has subbed for Martha Zoller that tried out for it, so maybe, maybe not.
http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/a...ins-wyay-newsradio-106-7-atlanta-f?ref=search
Please, TheBigA, show some respect!
TheBigA --
Discussion --
noun
1.
an act or instance of discussing; consideration or examination by argument, comment, etc., especially to explore solutions; informal debate.
Your condescending response to jabba17 seems to fly in the face of this definition of what is the intent of these boards. I would respectfully request you refrain from remarks that seem to belittle or ridicule others who might want to continue to offer conjectures or opinions about what might have been.
TheBigA --
Discussion --
noun
1.
an act or instance of discussing; consideration or examination by argument, comment, etc., especially to explore solutions; informal debate.
Your condescending response to jabba17 seems to fly in the face of this definition of what is the intent of these boards. I would respectfully request you refrain from remarks that seem to belittle or ridicule others who might want to continue to offer conjectures or opinions about what might have been.
I think I was extremely patient. And I haven't belittled or ridiculed anyone.
I'm pretty mild compared to others.
The real issue here is in the demographics (age, ethnicity, income) of the small are covered by a usable signal.
In the case of the suggested talk programming, are there enough angry conservative white males in the area to sustain an adequate listening level, and... do advertisers want to reach that group?
In a market (radio MSA) of 5.5 million, the translator covers less than 20% of the population with a usable 65 dbu signal.
The repeated insistence on thinking about a format that truly needs to be on a large signal as a possibility for a very small signal seems to fit Einstein's definition of insanity. There is just no business model that will sustain that particular format on a signal reaching less than 20% of the market.
You are overestimating the usage of what is a very, very limited signal. Nobody is going to drive to work listening to a station that cuts out halfway home.
There are Atlanta translators which perform like Class A stations. They do NOT cut out on the way home unless you live in an adjacent state! 250 watts at 1100-1200 feet puts the radio horizon waaaaay out there!
I agree with your observations regarding translators in general. No building penetration, more noise, and no complete market coverage make for fewer potential listeners. Translators would make better niche format stations IMO. Niche music like bluegrass, blues, classical (yes...classical. The intown signal is OK and that's where many modern classical listeners live)college radio...the list goes on and on. Could these stations get ratings and become profitable? There are non coms that do these formats and do quite well. An example is WAMU HD2 in Washington DC. It's bluegrass (used to be on the analog) and HD2 but still shows in the DC book.(At least it used to...not sure about today)
Just checked...WAMU HD2 bounces around between no show and a 0.1. But that is HD ONLY...no translator.
Last edited:
- Status