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ALT Buffalo 107.7
- Thread starter tbolt909
- Start date
107.7 should be turned into a permanent memorial representing the ridiculousness and excesses of the consolidation era.
Imagine paying 10 mil for that crappy signal?
How about a new positioner: "The New 107.7FM - What Were They Thinking?"
Maybe even a call letter change to WWTT?
Entercom bought 107.7 to protect Kiss and Star. The old Citadel was working with a Canadian station to annoy Entercom, and pushed the price to over $10-million before they dropped out of the bidding. Overall, the station has done what it was designed to do - protect Entercom's big FMs in both Buffalo and Rochester. For a while they tried to annoy 97-Rock without much success. Perhaps you'd rather hear brokered Colon-Blow commercials? Oh, yeah, I know, you want to bring back The Lake. Consider that dead horse beaten and move on.
WABC in the #1 NY market just sold for $12.5 million. What's 107.7 worth today? How about WBEN?
Your premise is absurd. Protect KISS and STAR from what? You could argue that Entercom would have been better off if they never bought 107.7 FM. No competitor would have caused $10 million in damage to their other stations. How is ALT Buffalo protecting ANY Entercom station? If the goal is no ratings, no revenue, and no impact on other Entercom stations, then mission accomplished. That's a $10 million lesson...
The old Citadel was working with former Kiss programmer Dave Universal to promote a Canadian station programming directly against Kiss and Star. The CRTC objected, and Citadel pursued 107.7 for as a signal to carve a couple of shares out of Kiss and Star. That is NOT absurd. Their female numbers are substantial, and their audience isn't as locked in as some other formats. You have no idea what Entercom earns with 107.7. You just don't like the programming. Protecting their bread-and-butter - be it music, talk, or sports - from a competitor with a signal that penetrates both Buffalo and Rochester - accomplishes more than you give it credit for. Apparently they like Alt as a format that tweaks some demos for them - particularly younger demos - and brings in significant non-traditional revenue without costing much money. Perhaps you'd prefer another "computer in a closet" format - which is pretty much what "The Lake" became. You need to look at the bigger picture in both Buffalo and Rochester.
Rox, your timeline may be off. Entercom acquired 107.7 in 2004. Isn't this Universal fellow the same guy who was fired for payola allegations?(During the Elliot Spitzer era). Was he a Double Agent in a Canadian plot against Entercom?
The "significant" non traditional Revenue that ALT Buffalo generates can't be too impressive. They just held their big Summer concert and this week terminated their morning host...
The "significant" non traditional Revenue that ALT Buffalo generates can't be too impressive. They just held their big Summer concert and this week terminated their morning host...
Protect them from what? A crappy signal?
I guess he's saying that Entercom didn't want a competitor to get the signal and try Top 40 or AC.
According to archived Buffalo News stories, KISS PD Universal was fired by Entercom in January 2005. He would have still been there when Entercom acquired 107.7. Why would the KISS PD plot with a Canadian station to hurt himself? Over to you, Rox.
The Lake Album Rock format launched in May 2004. It replaced the Empire Sports programming and Sabres games moved to WGR...
Universal was out of a job in January 2005. Entercom acquired 107.7 in 2004, and LMA'd it while waiting for transfer in May 2004. Citadel had already worked with a Canadian station to bring another CHR signal into the Buffalo market - and that Canadian station had a presence in the Citadel facilities. Universal did come along a bit later.
You call the signal crappy, but it gets into both Buffalo and Rochester, and the reach in the Finger Lakes is impressive. Particularly in mono it impacts the Buffalo market - which is why Entercom tried simulcasting WBEN on it in 2011. That experiment didn't yield much. It's still a signal that Entercom - a major player in both Buffalo and Rochester - would rather have in its pocket than have as an annoyance. Entercom is also the only big player that has solid clusters in both markets. It has more purpose for them than any other local group.
As far as their revenue is concerned, until you actually know some numbers, your speculation is blather. If you've got a better idea, get your investor group together and lease some airtime. I'm sure Entercom would make you a deal. If it really takes off, maybe they'll make you a deal for the station.
You call the signal crappy, but it gets into both Buffalo and Rochester, and the reach in the Finger Lakes is impressive. Particularly in mono it impacts the Buffalo market - which is why Entercom tried simulcasting WBEN on it in 2011. That experiment didn't yield much. It's still a signal that Entercom - a major player in both Buffalo and Rochester - would rather have in its pocket than have as an annoyance. Entercom is also the only big player that has solid clusters in both markets. It has more purpose for them than any other local group.
As far as their revenue is concerned, until you actually know some numbers, your speculation is blather. If you've got a better idea, get your investor group together and lease some airtime. I'm sure Entercom would make you a deal. If it really takes off, maybe they'll make you a deal for the station.
Your speculation that ALT is bringing in "significant" revenue is also blather. Can you provide numbers to verify? Entercom and David Field have stuck with this format in several markets despite its lack of ratings. That's likely because of the younger demos the format should theoretically deliver. The merge with CBS has also shifted priorities.
The WBEN simulcast didn't yield much? Talk about an understatement. It was a dismal failure. They added an FM signal and the ratings went down. They must be tired of all this "winning" by now...
The WBEN simulcast didn't yield much? Talk about an understatement. It was a dismal failure. They added an FM signal and the ratings went down. They must be tired of all this "winning" by now...
The fact that they've got a place to dump trade spots that they don't have time for on their main stations, and that they haven't gone to lots of brokered programming on 107.7 tells me that they're happy enough with its performance to not change it. It's their station, and their money. Until somebody makes them an offer for either the facility or airtime on the station they're going to do what makes sense to them.
At a $10 million purchase price? Yeah right. It was a mistake to buy the signal at that price. Entercom got completely played by Citadel, which I think is hilarious. True, this is far from being the only example where a major broadcaster overpaid for an individual station or group of stations. Tons of such examples exist from that era. Citadel overpaid for the ABC stations, for example.
Of course, that $10 million price tag at this point is a sunk cost. Entercom would rather keep the station today because they know they'd be lucky to get $2 million for it in the current market environment. I suspect the signal is included in national programmatic buys and as "gravy" to entice buys on stations advertisers & agencies actually give two rips about.
Indoor signal strength is mediocre to lousy in both cities. Getting a 70 dBu into either city's core metro area would be much, much better than the reach 107.7 "enjoys."
I'm sure studies have been done, but could the station be moved into either the Buffalo or Rochester markets as a better rimshot station?
It's true that Entercom paid a high price for 107.7. Back in the 90s, many operators paid dearly for stations in bigger markets. Times have changed. The real estate is now worth more than the station/transmitter in many areas.
The Lake format delivered the best ratings of any format on that signal. The ill advised WBEN simulcast was absurd. Maybe one of these "Christian" operators will make Entercom a sweet offer. These "Jesus guys" are known for performing tax free miracles...
The Lake format delivered the best ratings of any format on that signal. The ill advised WBEN simulcast was absurd. Maybe one of these "Christian" operators will make Entercom a sweet offer. These "Jesus guys" are known for performing tax free miracles...
That's meaningless if you have trouble servicing your own metro.
The 60 dbu only covers parts of Genesee and Livingston in the Rochester MSA, and about half the population of Erie in the Buffalo MSA (and none of Niagara).
Indoor listening, which is still 60% of the AQH in those diary markets works this way: 85% of the indoor (home and work) is in the 70 dbu, and 95% is in the 65 dbu. Nearly none is in the area between the 65 dbu and 60 dbu.
While in-car listening extends further than the 65, it is definitely not going to be enough for WLKK to have any impact in the Rochester market, and not enough to be competitive for any more than third tier listening in the Buffalo MSA. It has not even made the book in Rochester for the last year, and in Elmira/Corning for 18 months. In Olean it gets about a 1 share in that market, ranked #240 in revenue.
The days of listeners putting up with a crappy signal for a format that is otherwise not available are gone, as there are too many streaming alternatives (pun not intended, but it does work...).
It's simple. If you've got a better answer, either buy the station from Entercom, or broker time on it. They like money. They'd welcome yours as long as your checks don't bounce.
The air signal is very listenable in cars in the Buffalo market, particularly in the eastern 'burbs. It gets into the southern Rochester 'burbs. If you look at where the money is, their signal hits most of those areas. People listening in office buildings downtown are more likely to stream anyway because you don't need to deal with all the electronic noise from the myriad devices on and around the desk. They also have a translator on 104.7 FM to help with downtown coverage although that may be an HD2 signal. The translator is licensed to Star 102.5 - perhaps the best FM signal in WNY.
This horse is dead and thoroughly beaten - at least until the next book when somebody laments the loss of The Lake again. Maybe someday that person will find https://1077thelake.radio.com/ or download the app on their smart phone. Or sign up with Spotify and program their own music to their heart's content. Either way, the revenue that Alt 107.7 derives from on-air, on their website, and via online listening is likely to be much more in their target audience than old Bob Dylan tunes.
The air signal is very listenable in cars in the Buffalo market, particularly in the eastern 'burbs. It gets into the southern Rochester 'burbs. If you look at where the money is, their signal hits most of those areas. People listening in office buildings downtown are more likely to stream anyway because you don't need to deal with all the electronic noise from the myriad devices on and around the desk. They also have a translator on 104.7 FM to help with downtown coverage although that may be an HD2 signal. The translator is licensed to Star 102.5 - perhaps the best FM signal in WNY.
This horse is dead and thoroughly beaten - at least until the next book when somebody laments the loss of The Lake again. Maybe someday that person will find https://1077thelake.radio.com/ or download the app on their smart phone. Or sign up with Spotify and program their own music to their heart's content. Either way, the revenue that Alt 107.7 derives from on-air, on their website, and via online listening is likely to be much more in their target audience than old Bob Dylan tunes.
Even with a translator and HD2 signal, what you have is a station with a very low share in one market and none in the other. And advertising in separate metros is bought, almost always, separately. So the "we do badly in two markets" approach will only work with a few potential clients who buy directly and have a presence in both markets.
Not a lot of buys are made using metrics that involve both geographical sectors of a market and income. I can't think of ever seeing any, in fact.
This is the kind of station and signal that will be harder to monetize as radio becomes a survival of the fittest game.
Rox, if ALT Buffalo is as successful as you say, why do you suggest they "broker" airtime? All that non traditional revenue is rolling in, right? Have you listened to the station? They are almost commercial free, have no ratings, and just dismissed the Morning Host/MD.
It's understood that they are targeting 18-35 year olds. The ratings show that it's not happening. They are around 14th place IN THEIR DEMO. The signal is the same as the one The Lake used. ALT Buffalo actually has an additional translator for downtown. It's giving them nothing. The Lake averaged around a 3.5 share to ALT's 1.3. Rox says the signal is not an issue, so why can't the ALT format get better ratings? Maybe it's the content.
You may not like facts, but it's been proven that a different product can get better results. At this point, Entercom may have given up anyway. They spent $10 million to turn 107.7 into the FM version of WWKB...
It's understood that they are targeting 18-35 year olds. The ratings show that it's not happening. They are around 14th place IN THEIR DEMO. The signal is the same as the one The Lake used. ALT Buffalo actually has an additional translator for downtown. It's giving them nothing. The Lake averaged around a 3.5 share to ALT's 1.3. Rox says the signal is not an issue, so why can't the ALT format get better ratings? Maybe it's the content.
You may not like facts, but it's been proven that a different product can get better results. At this point, Entercom may have given up anyway. They spent $10 million to turn 107.7 into the FM version of WWKB...
David Field said a couple years ago that he was looking to cut commercial load at his music stations. Commercials are the #1 reason people tune out of radio, and the #2 reason is chatty morning shows. So cutting commercial clutter and eliminating a morning DJ are things the audience will welcome. Field is committed to this format even if its underperforming nationwide. He has other stations in the cluster that make up for any weaknesses at Alt.
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