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More Pacifica drama...KPFT impact?

M

Mediafrog+

Pacifica’s WBAI in NYC has dropped all local programming and is now running national content. Check the NYC board for the latest.

We’ve seen plenty of drama from Pacifica in the past, but they always seem to muddle through. But a KPFT sale would sure raise a good chunk of money. Wonder if KSBJ might want it for upgrading NGEN, while selling 91.7? That would put both their stations on the same tower.

Not holding my breath on any of this, but there are all sorts of possibilities for the future of 90.1.
 
Mediafrog+ said:
Pacifica’s WBAI in NYC has dropped all local programming and is now running national content. Check the NYC board for the latest.

We’ve seen plenty of drama from Pacifica in the past, but they always seem to muddle through. But a KPFT sale would sure raise a good chunk of money. Wonder if KSBJ might want it for upgrading NGEN, while selling 91.7? That would put both their stations on the same tower.

Not holding my breath on any of this, but there are all sorts of possibilities for the future of 90.1.
Click to expand...

KPFT is much better off.. way more stable financially and programming wise then WBAI
 
SomeRadioGuy said:
KPFT is much better off.. way more stable financially and programming wise then WBAI
Click to expand...

They've surely got the upper hand on the rent situation -- owning the studio building in Montrose, and the rent at the KXNG/KPFT site can't possibly be anything near what WBAI was paying for ESB/4TS in New York.

But further, one might question -- with no movement on a sale over at 92.1, would there even be that much interest in KPFT from adquately-funded buyers in the current radio landscape?
 
encarta95 said:
would there even be that much interest in KPFT from adquately-funded buyers in the current radio landscape?
Click to expand...

It wouldn't matter because Pacifica wouldn't sell to anyone in the current radio landscape.

It would be like KSBJ selling to the devil.

They would rather go down with the ship.
 
Looks like WBAI staff will kick the can down the road a bit: https://radioinsight.com/headlines/...orary-restraining-order-to-return-to-station/

More staff delusion, but what do you expect from people who still think it's 1967.

encarta95 said:
But further, one might question -- with no movement on a sale over at 92.1, would there even be that much interest in KPFT from adquately-funded buyers in the current radio landscape?
Click to expand...

I'm amazed KROI hasn't gone on the block yet, but I have to wonder if Urban One is waiting for some other dominoes to fall both here (Apollo/Cox sale, Cumulus/KRBE, Univision Radio spinoff) and elsewhere (UO acquisitions/spins in other markets) before pulling the trigger on 92.1.
 
Mediafrog+ said:
Looks like WBAI staff will kick the can down the road a bit: https://radioinsight.com/headlines/...orary-restraining-order-to-return-to-station/

More staff delusion, but what do you expect from people who still think it's 1967.
Click to expand...
I'm not sure how Pacifica is set up in NY, but this does sound like delusion at its finest. If I'm told my services are no longer needed somewhere, then I move on. Why even attempt to force something that isn't working?? Moves like these just create toxic environments.

I'm amazed KROI hasn't gone on the block yet, but I have to wonder if Urban One is waiting for some other dominoes to fall both here (Apollo/Cox sale, Cumulus/KRBE, Univision Radio spinoff) and elsewhere (UO acquisitions/spins in other markets) before pulling the trigger on 92.1.
Click to expand...
At this point I think Urban One is committed to finding something that actually works on KROI. They could have sold the station a long time ago, but instead they keep spinning the format wheel in hopes of landing something that sticks.

We all know Radio NOW is not doing so well in ratings, but they still have ads playing over the air. Maybe it's not all gloom and doom like we all think it is. If the format survives into New Year's, then they're probably doing ok.
 
BamaTX said:
We all know Radio NOW is not doing so well in ratings, but they still have ads playing over the air. Maybe it's not all gloom and doom like we all think it is. If the format survives into New Year's, then they're probably doing ok.
Click to expand...

Many times low rated stations in a cluster are bonused to clients to make the big station CPPs more attractive and to get on a buy.

Running spots is not an indication of success... knowing the rate per spot is the real metric to follow. I suspect a lot of free spots are being run.
 
Mediafrog+ said:
More staff delusion, but what do you expect from people who still think it's 1967.
.
Click to expand...

What the program producers and the station overall refuses to cognate on is the way radio is used today. No longer do people seek out hour and half hour shows or a station that has so many shows at so many times that you need a scorecard to figure them out.

Most of the WBAI shows, and this goes for Pacifica overall, should be in podcast form. They are niche shows on a station that is already in a narrow niche. Better to do 2 to 3 hour shows on the FM, and run lots of promos for the podcasts and even expand the podcasting as an adjunct to the main station.

The problem with public access radio in general is that the shows are very narrow in appeal, and follow no logical sequence on the air. WBAI has no stationality other than being "the voice against all the other voices" which is nice as an ideal, but bites as a format.
 
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DavidEduardo said:


Running spots is not an indication of success...
Click to expand...
And selling them for pennies on the dollar isn't necessarily an indication of failure either if it helps the rest of the cluster sell.

Like I said, if this station survives past New Year's, then it's probably serving it's purpose for Urban One.
 
BamaTX said:
I'm not sure how Pacifica is set up in NY, but this does sound like delusion at its finest. If I'm told my services are no longer needed somewhere, then I move on. Why even attempt to force something that isn't working?? Moves like these just create toxic environments.


At this point I think Urban One is committed to finding something that actually works on KROI. They could have sold the station a long time ago, but instead they keep spinning the format wheel in hopes of landing something that sticks.

We all know Radio NOW is not doing so well in ratings, but they still have ads playing over the air. Maybe it's not all gloom and doom like we all think it is. If the format survives into New Year's, then they're probably doing ok.
Click to expand...


We got to wait for October 18th when Pacifica has a hearing over the fate of WBAI-FM though and how the leaders from the KPFA offices would react to the decision of WBAI-FM.
 
RadioPatrol said:
We got to wait for October 18th when Pacifica has a hearing over the fate of WBAI-FM though and how the leaders from the KPFA offices would react to the decision of WBAI-FM.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't put much faith in what will happen on October 18th. The hearing is more about process than anything. It's just delaying the inevitable.
 
RadioPatrol said:
We got to wait for October 18th when Pacifica has a hearing over the fate of WBAI-FM though and how the leaders from the KPFA offices would react to the decision of WBAI-FM.
Click to expand...

No matter what a local court may say, it is Pacifica, not the local manager or staff, that hold the license and are responsible for the exercising of positive control over that license and the operation of the station that it grants.
 
BamaTX said:
And selling them for pennies on the dollar isn't necessarily an indication of failure either if it helps the rest of the cluster sell.

Like I said, if this station survives past New Year's, then it's probably serving it's purpose for Urban One.
Click to expand...

Spots are not sold for "pennies on the dollar". They are sold based on the cost per Gross Ratings Point. In that context, spots on KROI are worth very little. Spots on the two dominant stations in the cluster are worth a lot more.

When spots on KROI are given away to make a Box or Majic buy more attractive, the benefit accrues to those two stations. The client is not buying KROI, so the spot rate is zero. It's a freebee.
 
DavidEduardo said:


Spots are not sold for "pennies on the dollar". They are sold based on the cost per Gross Ratings Point. In that context, spots on KROI are worth very little. Spots on the two dominant stations in the cluster are worth a lot more.

When spots on KROI are given away to make a Box or Majic buy more attractive, the benefit accrues to those two stations. The client is not buying KROI, so the spot rate is zero. It's a freebee.
Click to expand...
You really are an anal-retentive stickler, aren't ya? You know what I meant. We will soon know if the altruist suicide of KROI has been worth it for Urban One.
 
BamaTX said:
You really are an anal-retentive stickler, aren't ya? You know what I meant. We will soon know if the altruist suicide of KROI has been worth it for Urban One.
Click to expand...

No, I did not know what you meant. And that is no reason to launch an ad hominem.

You made a statement that is false, particularly in radio.

No station has a "fixed rate". All stations negotiate rates. In the case of agency buys, they set a market rate, and if you will take their CPP goal, you may get bought. If you won't, you get bought around.

There is no "pennies on the dollar" because for that to be true, there has to be a fixed price. Radio has no "fixed price" rate structure. And that was my point: the use of a term that does not apply to radio.
 
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Mediafrog+ said:
Pacifica’s WBAI in NYC has dropped all local programming and is now running national content. Check the NYC board for the latest.
Click to expand...

From what I understand, KPFT is on much stronger financial footing than WBAI. That's not to say they're flush with cash, but they can pay their bills without leaning on the national foundation for support.

David Eduardo said:
What the program producers and the station overall refuses to cognate on is the way radio is used today. No longer do people seek out hour and half hour shows or a station that has so many shows at so many times that you need a scorecard to figure them out.

Most of the WBAI shows, and this goes for Pacifica overall, should be in podcast form. They are niche shows on a station that is already in a narrow niche. Better to do 2 to 3 hour shows on the FM, and run lots of promos for the podcasts and even expand the podcasting as an adjunct to the main station.

The problem with public access radio in general is that the shows are very narrow in appeal, and follow no logical sequence on the air. WBAI has no stationality other than being "the voice against all the other voices" which is nice as an ideal, but bites as a format.
Click to expand...

Well meaning radio people have tried to go into Pacifica and turn their stations into something more consistent and get run out of town on a rail. I don't see that changing.

Logistically speaking, you're not going to turn KPFT's prison show into a podcast, but I agree that a good chunk of their content would reach a lot more people online and on demand than at 7:30 on a Tuesday night.

We all can agree on some level that using the airwaves to give a voice to the voiceless and forgotten is a noble cause. Listening to a station that does that can be a real challenge. But it's kind of like KTRU (whose calls have finally returned to Rice): I don't listen very often, but I'm glad it's here in the market for the people who do.
 
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Democracy_Now!

Democracy Now has to be the only show that is keeping Pacifica alive though. I knew the show started out on WBAI-FM and the Pacifica O&O's but that show went on to be syndicated to Community Access Radio stations, Public Access television stations, some NPR affiliates, podcasts and some PBS affiliates.

I remember in past Pacifica disputes the issue was that the Pacifica owned stations owed Democracy now and their staff over royalties from the broadcast contract though.
 
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