WENN-AM is now simulcasting WAGG "Heaven 610's" black gospel programming and has dropped the simulcast with WBHK "98.7, Kiss". The TOH station ID now mentions four stations: WBHJ-HD3, WAGG, W261BX, and WENN. Since AM 1320 is now simulcasting WAGG (an AM rather than FM translator), are new plans in the works for AM 610 or 1320? I still say Summit Media should move WAGG to 97.3 WPYA and replace the hot AC format there. WBHJ-HD3 is already showing up in the Nielsen ratings (from the FM translator at 100.1) and given how well Iheart's "Hallelujah 105.1" is performing as an FM translator...drawing anywhere from a 2.5 to 3 share at least in the 12+ numbers, I believe the WAGG programming would do well on 97.3. WPYA is still languishing at the bottom of the ratings barrel, with only AMs, HD2s, and the zombie WJQX "Jox 2" FM at 100.5 performing worse. WPYA has had eight formats now in its 20 year history (including the variety hits "Y'all" format which was supposedly intended to be merely a stunt). Nothing seems to work format-wise on 97.3. Only other options I could see for WPYA is for it to be sold to a christian operator such as K-Love, WAY-FM, etc OR work out some deal where Summit Media could acquire a class C/C0 in the market and do a station swap similar to what happened with WABD/WDLT in Mobile, where Cumulus sold off WDLT, a C2, then moved WDLT to 104.1, a class C (what players in Birmingham would be able to accomplish such a scenario...not sure, unless Crawford Broadcasting were to exit the market and sell WDJC-FM to Summit Media and 97.3 was spun off to a nonprofit christian group).
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WENN once again playing musical chairs
- Thread starter passtheword
- Start date
Know it's unlikely to happen, but would'nt mind BMR promoted to 97.3-1
I'd love to know the reason Summit has never bumped WAGG to 97.3, because in that market it seems like a no-brainer kind of move.
There must be some sort of sales issue, maybe they have a harder time selling ads on a successful black gospel station than they do on a basement-dwelling hot AC that targets more white suburbanites or something.
Or, perhaps the translator reaches the right part of town, so there's no need to serve the suburbs with a quality FM signal, but that implies that only inner city blacks listen to that gospel music, and that the blacks who live in the suburbs are OK with an AM station or HD subchannel. Which I don't believe to be true. The metro area is a lot more integrated than it was 30 years ago, you need to put an (FM) signal where the listeners are!
Us radio weenies are happy to have good programming on AM, but we don't represent the average Joe Listener.
A good example of the ultra-strong preference for FM over AM is down here in Mobile, where iHeart's talker WNTM is only on AM and an FM HD subchannel, and it gets lower ratings than iHeart's adjacent-market WBUV in Pascagoula, which has basically the same schedule/programming, despite being a weaker out of market signal.
There must be some sort of sales issue, maybe they have a harder time selling ads on a successful black gospel station than they do on a basement-dwelling hot AC that targets more white suburbanites or something.
Or, perhaps the translator reaches the right part of town, so there's no need to serve the suburbs with a quality FM signal, but that implies that only inner city blacks listen to that gospel music, and that the blacks who live in the suburbs are OK with an AM station or HD subchannel. Which I don't believe to be true. The metro area is a lot more integrated than it was 30 years ago, you need to put an (FM) signal where the listeners are!
Us radio weenies are happy to have good programming on AM, but we don't represent the average Joe Listener.
A good example of the ultra-strong preference for FM over AM is down here in Mobile, where iHeart's talker WNTM is only on AM and an FM HD subchannel, and it gets lower ratings than iHeart's adjacent-market WBUV in Pascagoula, which has basically the same schedule/programming, despite being a weaker out of market signal.
As for WENN 1320 itself serving a need other than a simulcast...where exactly did the folks running "99.1 The Game" disappear to? Why not buy time or LMA your spot here, even if Summit chose to withhold 100.1 for something else. If you're Summit Media...why not NBC Sports Radio or some other format/service not in Birmingham? You're still paying for the electricity and the engineering to keep 1320 on the air, and if folks want to listen to WAGG 610--they'll turn to WAGG on 610.
A totally not-smart-at-all guess: I wonder if they are afraid of giving WAGG "too much parity" compared to how they package advertising sales with Today's Kiss & Jamz, considering both of those have direct competitors in Hot 107.7 and The Beat 104.1 (leaving out "V-94.9" WATV and WJLD, who factor in some but not as much as the big players. Is B-106.5 still on the air? Does iHeart of Birmingham know?)
What I mean is this: Given the real overlap in locals listening to Today's Kiss and WAGG (as it now exists on AM and a small FM signal), if you made WAGG one of the 'big' local FMs, would too many people make Today's Kiss a 2nd choice instead of their first choice? Even if that listening is still going to a Summit station, might it hurt positioning enough that it benefits Hot 107.7?
The simplest answer on is "We've got *enough* urban-focused stations", but 97.3 is still fledgling and flailing in its market.
A totally not-smart-at-all guess: I wonder if they are afraid of giving WAGG "too much parity" compared to how they package advertising sales with Today's Kiss & Jamz, considering both of those have direct competitors in Hot 107.7 and The Beat 104.1 (leaving out "V-94.9" WATV and WJLD, who factor in some but not as much as the big players. Is B-106.5 still on the air? Does iHeart of Birmingham know?)
What I mean is this: Given the real overlap in locals listening to Today's Kiss and WAGG (as it now exists on AM and a small FM signal), if you made WAGG one of the 'big' local FMs, would too many people make Today's Kiss a 2nd choice instead of their first choice? Even if that listening is still going to a Summit station, might it hurt positioning enough that it benefits Hot 107.7?
The simplest answer on is "We've got *enough* urban-focused stations", but 97.3 is still fledgling and flailing in its market.
My guess as to why WAGG hasn’t been moved to 97.3 is that urban gospel typically skews old. It’s tough to sell. Virtually all of your business will be local direct. Putting urban gospel on FM doesn’t change the equation much. Summit probably makes decent money with WAGG where it is and would probably continue making about the same with it on 97.3.
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