When does iHeart ditch ESPN on 97.9 in Hartford and launch a Spanish-formatted or R&B station?
-
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
Hartford 97.9
- Thread starter maestromaster
- Start date
Why?
With Bristol CT being the home of ESPN, I would imagine that iHeart and ESPN have some sort of deal worked out for 97.9 to carry ESPN Radio? After all, most iHeart Sports stations carry Fox Radio Sports since iHeart is an investor in the service. Only a few iHeart-owned stations run ESPN, mostly in markets where iHeart owns two sports stations, one carrying Fox and one carrying ESPN.
But in Hartford there is no more full time Fox Sports affiliate. iHeart-owned WPOP 1410 runs some hours of Fox Sports, but only overnights and weekends. At one time, it had been a full time Fox affiliate. But now it carries Premiere Network talk shows that don't air on WTIC.\
There really isn't much demand for 97.9 or another FM to flip to an Urban or Latino format. Hartford already has WZMX 93.7 as an Urban station. And there are four translators for the Latin Contemporary format on 104.1 WMRQ-HD2.
But in Hartford there is no more full time Fox Sports affiliate. iHeart-owned WPOP 1410 runs some hours of Fox Sports, but only overnights and weekends. At one time, it had been a full time Fox affiliate. But now it carries Premiere Network talk shows that don't air on WTIC.\
There really isn't much demand for 97.9 or another FM to flip to an Urban or Latino format. Hartford already has WZMX 93.7 as an Urban station. And there are four translators for the Latin Contemporary format on 104.1 WMRQ-HD2.
97.9 radio reception is terrible and this is going south on 91 near Rocky Hill just heading towards 691. Its probably stronger closer to Hartford. I miss the days UCONN being on 1080. Plus now with HD radio 1080 is on 96.5 HD2
WUCS has to protect WSKQ in New York City, which limits severely its ability to cover areas south of Hartford. It's not the kind of signal that UConn or the New York Yankees -- its two primary play-by-play properties -- necessarily want in the Hartford market, but UConn men's basketball isn't as popular as it was during the glory days of the Big East and interest in the women's team has dropped off to just a couple of thousand grandmas who love to listen to "the girls" play. And WFAN booms into southern Connecticut day and night, so that satisfies the Yankee fans.
As for the other formats, Full Power/Red Wolf/whatever name they're using this year Radio's translators cover the main concentrations of Spanish-dominant Hispanics in the market (Hartford, New Britain, Meriden, Waterbury) just fine. Central Connecticut is largely a region of poor, Hispanic/Black cities and wealthy, white towns, so there's no value in having a Spanish-language station covering places like Rocky Hill, Wethersfield and Cromwell, nor is there much for a pure R&B station. WZMX does a good job serving the younger suburbanites who are into hip-hop, with a much better signal than WUCS can offer.
How good is the 97.9 signal in Storrs on campus of UCONN? If it's not any good there I don't see UCONN staying with 97.9 and probably returning to 1080 and 96.5hd2
They will remain with whichever station offers the most money for the rights to the games. Reception on campus is a non-factor. It's all about the Benjamins.
I know that, the more money they get is where UCONN will stay
It isn't good past Bolton really.
- Status