Do you see Audacy changing any more of their New York FM stations? I think the Block is going to be very short lived
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Audacy New York
- Thread starter CassChopper96
- Start date
The Block has existed for hardly 3 months. They just hired a PD and haven't even hired airstaff. I feel your conclusion is a little too early at the moment.
I feel the ratings are very telling as most listen for music. The higher rated stations in the city are very successful because they play occasional throwbacks, which is a good balance. The same stations many are committed to already listening, that I don't see many transitioning over to the Block, with airstaff. The same reason 92.3 Now/92.3 Amp struggled against Z100
The ratings right now are not indicative of the format's performance. I raise you this: The format launched in the last weeks of October, right as the holidays went into full swing. Not to mention I haven't seen much advertising of any kind promoting the new station. I'd say the ratings from here on out are much more telling.
The higher rated stations are successful for a variety of reasons, but primarily because they have been doing this a lot longer. That is not to say that The Block cannot take listeners away, even if it only becomes their P2 station.
It takes time for a format to grow, especially when you have as steep of a hill to climb as The Block does have. But what I have heard/seen sounds promising. Music mix has gotten a lot better, and I know a surprisingly decent number of people around me that learned about the station from word-of-mouth on social media, and are into it; the station's social media also reflects that. Airstaff also could make the difference still, especially if they invest in a compelling morning show.
TL;DR, I wouldn't count it out just yet.
When WMGC Detroit and WJMK Chicago (now WBMX) first debuted with Classic Hip Hop formats, they quickly jumped to the Top 10 in the ratings. They later settled back down, but still at decent ratings. No such thing has happened on WXBK. It's flipped on Oct. 21 last year.
In recent months, Audacy gave All-News KYW Philadelphia and KNX Los Angeles their own FM simulcasts. WBBM Chicago and KCBS San Francisco already had FM simulcasts. So I would guess it won't be long before WINS and WCBS get FM simulcasts as well. Both are among Audacy's biggest revenue stations in the country. So I would guess one will be simulcast on 92.3 and one on 94.7.
You couldn't give one an FM simulcast without giving it to the other. Or you'd be dooming one of your two biggest revenue stations to eventual failure. The clock is ticking...
In recent months, Audacy gave All-News KYW Philadelphia and KNX Los Angeles their own FM simulcasts. WBBM Chicago and KCBS San Francisco already had FM simulcasts. So I would guess it won't be long before WINS and WCBS get FM simulcasts as well. Both are among Audacy's biggest revenue stations in the country. So I would guess one will be simulcast on 92.3 and one on 94.7.
You couldn't give one an FM simulcast without giving it to the other. Or you'd be dooming one of your two biggest revenue stations to eventual failure. The clock is ticking...
The other side of that is you're throwing out the revenue of two very hard to get FMs in NYC. Audacy can't buy any more FMs. They're at the limit. The profit margin of FM music stations is higher than that of all-news stations. At the end of the day, profits rule. Right now, both WINS and WCBS are making their revenues without need of an FM simulcast. There is no direct connection between adding an FM simulcast to either station and additional revenue. I'm not saying it won't happen at some point. But I don't see the advantage to doing it now.
If I'm Audacy I'm looking for a combination of assets (including 94.7) that I can trade with EMF for WPLJ.
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EMF doesn't seem to be hurting for assets. I would try to make a deal with Univision for 96.3. They just cashed out of 92.7.
But we both know that's not going to happen. That would be like K-Love on the weak WARW signal all over again.
That's why he said a combo, including 94.7. The goal would be to put K-Love on the stronger signal and most likely Air 1 on 94.7. What would Audacy do with WPLJ is what I question. Probably move The Block over to that. I don't see them bringing only WINS or WCBS to any FM without the other.
When EMF purchased WPLJ in 2019, a spokesman for EMF acknowledged the value of the call sign on 95.5.
Source: So What Will Happen to the WPLJ Calls? (Radio Ink)
Yes, which is why Big A mentioned needing to trade more than just a single signal in this hypothetical deal.
As for the value of WPLJ for EMF? I think that's just a spin. The value is the strength of 95.5. What was the on-air identity and the calls do nothing for EMF, as they have a national broadcast that has its own previous identity. K-Love is simply on the signal that used to be the brand "WPLJ." It would be the same as flipping it to ESPN Radio or FOX Sports Radio. The value is in the signal strength, not that they own WPLJ.
Univision is not going to abandon a position in New York, as the market is key for its combined radio and television and new media operations.
I was referring to the notion of a trade not an outright sale.
I would of improved the signal on 94.7 before flipping. They have a construction permit to move to the East.
The signal sucks in Brooklyn/Queens. Why try to get listeners to sample the new format, just to have them tune away because the signal is marginal in some of the boroughs? Improve the signal, then flip the format. Rookie move. They also placed their commercial breaks the same time as Hot and Power. Why? Won't you have a better chance to increase cume to be playing music while the competition is in commercials? SMH.
The signal sucks in Brooklyn/Queens. Why try to get listeners to sample the new format, just to have them tune away because the signal is marginal in some of the boroughs? Improve the signal, then flip the format. Rookie move. They also placed their commercial breaks the same time as Hot and Power. Why? Won't you have a better chance to increase cume to be playing music while the competition is in commercials? SMH.
Have you been to Northern NJ? It's pretty urban. West Essex is suburban, but downtown Newark is urban.
True, Newark had its own R&B station from the 1970s to the early 1990s : WNJR (1430 AM). It was an affiliate of the National Black Network.
It has trouble in Manhattan, but is well within the range for the other Boroughs. And with a format that targets not just Blacks but (mostly) Hispanics and urban whites, the area it covers is well populated with potential listeners. There are 15 million people in the MSA that it covers with a 60 dbu signal, and that will increase a bit with the new site. More important, the 70 dbu will increase by nearly 2 million with the site move.
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