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Howie's column on Entercom/Audacy

If Audacy/ EEI goes under where do the Red Sox land? Doubt 98.5 has any appetite since they already have the other three major sports (+ Revs!).

Are all of the stations considered to be part of the Red Sox network (like The Big Jab in Maine) all Audacy owned?
 
EnterCommunicator said:
If Audacy/ EEI goes under where do the Red Sox land?
Click to expand...

Chances of them going under are very slim. What's more likely is some kind of Chap11, which is what Cumulus & iHeart did.

However, if they're losing money with the Red Sox, that contract might come up during the restructuring.

The current timetable is that they will do a reverse stock split in May, sell some assets and set aside money for a $650 million debt payment due in 2024. If they can't meet that debt payment, then it's time to talk about restructuring the debt.

The broader question is who in radio can afford to pay $12 million to broadcast a last place baseball team? I think we're at a point where a lot of traditional broadcasters (radio, TV, and cable) are rethinking how much they pay for sports.
 
It's not just Audacy.

Most major radio broadcast groups are carrying debt that has turned out to be unsustainable.

Many stations have been bought and sold several times over the last 20-25 years, with debt loaded onto debt.

But broadcasting isn't the only industry drowning in debt. Many other industries also have numerous companies with substantial debt that they may not be able to pay off.

I'm beginning to think that the next major crisis in the American economy may be a corporate debt crisis, with dozens of major companies (not just in broadcasting and other media) going bankrupt, potentially going out of business, and resulting in hundreds of thousands, if not millions, of lost jobs, all because they can't pay down tremendous amounts of debt.
 
Eli Polonsky said:
HD2 doesn’t have to be exactly equal to an analog FM signal to be similar to listening to an analog FM signal.
HD2 signals sound almost as good as the HD1 signal, at least as good as an analog FM signal, and in stereo, they sound a lot better than the parent station AM signal.
HD2 signals may not have the fringe coverage of the analog FM signal, but the HD2 signals of the powerful Class B FM stations cover the main metro Boston area within Route 128/95, and a lot farther in some cases. I’ve heard Boston HD’s out to Route 495 and beyond in some areas.
HD3 signals tend to be a little more bandwidth degraded.
Click to expand...
You're not acknowledging my position on this matter. HD Radio isn't currently as widely available to the general listener, as an analog FM signal. It's not about the quality of the signal or the sound. It's about HD Radio having less of an install base than analog FM. Is it being added to more cars? Absolutely. Does that equate to all drivers and Radio listeners having access to it? No.

Therefore, this is like someone in the late-80s saying they want to watch a Red Sox game on OTA TV, and someone saying "It's on NESN." Yes it is, but in this hypothetical situation, the viewer needed to pay for cable, then pay for the premium to get NESN. The listener here asking for WRKO on FM needs to buy an HD Radio or new car with HD Radio. It isn't as simple as they request.

This is why I say stream it. Because virtually everyone these days has a cellphone or access to a computer. In time, if we keep making HD Radio standard, then it will be a moot point; but it isn't one now.

I'm not denouncing HD Radio. I'm pointing out that there is less overall availability of the medium to the overall listener base. Therefore, if I ask for an AM station brought to FM, the answer of "it's on HD2," isn't a logical answer, as not every Radio listener cam access HD2.
 
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Least said:
You're not acknowledging my position on this matter. HD Radio isn't currently as widely available to the general listener, as an analog FM signal.
Click to expand...

Who is stating/claiming that it IS as widely available to the general listener, as an analog FM signal.?
 
Wimmmex said:
Who is stating/claiming that it IS as widely available to the general listener, as an analog FM signal.?
Click to expand...
1.) You asked this in a previous reply. One of which I requested that you add to the discussion and not make these short replies.

2.) I've been making this claim all along. Therefore, when someone on here states their desire to have a station like WRKO or WBZ-AM, or any other AM station be on FM, the logical response isn't that it's available on medium that's less available from what they indicate; and quite frankly is less available than the AM band that they are currently on.

3.) Between us in this endless debate, you defended HD Radio when I stated that Streaming is more widely available to the overall audience than HD. Therefore, for such a request, I find it more sound to say that the listener can stream it. Yet, I don't as I know what they are requesting. Either, I see it going to FM or not. Not "it's available on the iHeart app," as a blanketed statement. If the "it's on HD2" posters indicated "it isn't available on analog FM, but there are other ways to listen, beyond just AM," I wouldn't take issue. My issue is the blanketed response, as interpreted as "why request for an FM signal, because it's already on HD2." The two don't equate, as the current availability of HD2 doesn't meet that of analog FM.
 
Wimmmex said:
2.) And quite verbose.....Over and over again...making a claim that is not in contention.

3.) Nope, not defending (or a proponent) of anything.
Click to expand...
This is where we disagree, as there are records of evidence on this forum to support my position. So before you post proclamation begging to "make it stop," this is where you and I end in this discussion.
 
TheBigA said:
Chances of them going under are very slim. What's more likely is some kind of Chap11, which is what Cumulus & iHeart did.

However, if they're losing money with the Red Sox, that contract might come up during the restructuring.

The current timetable is that they will do a reverse stock split in May, sell some assets and set aside money for a $650 million debt payment due in 2024. If they can't meet that debt payment, then it's time to talk about restructuring the debt.

The broader question is who in radio can afford to pay $12 million to broadcast a last place baseball team? I think we're at a point where a lot of traditional broadcasters (radio, TV, and cable) are rethinking how much they pay for sports.
Click to expand...
Your end question is where I was thinking. If WEEI can't pay the contract, who will be willing to meet that? In my opinion, the Red Sox are in contention for the poorest performing team of the four major sports in Boston. Then add that there is an overall greater number in listenership for the other low performing team (Patriots).

I question if the Red Sox front office is going by the number of games played in a season as justifying the value in the contract.
 
Wimmmex said:
What constitutes "success"? Not being snarky, just wondering.

Also, do we have any proof that Grace is attracting a younger demo...or is that just a feeling you have.



Who said it's supposed to be equal to an analog FM signal?
Click to expand...
Proof? Grace, a millennial, is now doing well in her time slot with the current/older demographic. Young people don't listen
to AM! If IHeart moved WRKO to FM the current AM listeners would move to FM where there is a much better chance
to expand the demographic with younger listeners.
 
daveu said:
Proof? Grace, a millennial, is now doing well in her time slot with the current/older demographic.
Click to expand...

That's not proof or evidence You stated: "is attracting a younger demographic to talk radio. "

Do we have any proof/facts that this is happening? Or are you just putting forth a reasonable assumption?
 
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And what do you think the value of 680AM would fall to? Do you think their current FM's make less commercial income than the new talk FM station would make? I think that is part of the picture your not looking at. My guess is that the current AM, Streaming and HD2 option is all they want to do at the current time with the government limitations, individual value and income they make.
 
johnster said:
And what do you think the value of 680AM would fall to? Do you think their current FM's make less commercial income than the new talk FM station would make?
Click to expand...

Wonder how much 850AM was worth before moving the programming to FM, and how much the 850AM signal is worth today without any viable listener/business base?
 
johnster said:
And what do you think the value of 680AM would fall to? Do you think their current FM's make less commercial income than the new talk FM station would make? I think that is part of the picture your not looking at. My guess is that the current AM, Streaming and HD2 option is all they want to do at the current time with the government limitations, individual value and income they make.
Click to expand...
All of iHeart’s Boston FMs either do very well (Kiss, WZLX, Jam’n) exist to pry listeners off of established competition (The Bull) or fill a niche (Rumba). They don’t really have any reason to blow any of them up just to move WRKO or 1030 (or goodness, even 1200) to FM… the ROI doesn’t exist.

Maybe 1030 adds an FM simulcast but that’s several years away, at best.
 
Maybe 680 AM will be the new home of "Limu Emu & Doug" commercials. 24/7/365. Liberty Mutual Insurance would get real publicity for their products and services.
 
Nathan Obral said:
All of iHeart’s Boston FMs either do very well (Kiss, WZLX, Jam’n) exist to pry listeners off of established competition (The Bull) or fill a niche (Rumba). They don’t really have any reason to blow any of them up just to move WRKO or 1030 (or goodness, even 1200) to FM… the ROI doesn’t exist.

Maybe 1030 adds an FM simulcast but that’s several years away, at best.
Click to expand...
I don't believe there's an FM signal in the Boston area that can surpass the reach of AM 1030, despite its being on the noisier, lower-fidelity AM band.
 
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