BREAKING NEWS!...Star 102.5 sold in Buffalo

[TheBigA]

I find it so interesting that in this day and age that EMF is spending $15 million on two radio stations. It would appear this is clear evidence that, at least in its case, EMF must think music listeners still prefer radio over streaming services.

EMF also streams. They also do on-demand podcasts. The goal is to be everywhere. It's not a one-or-the-other thing.

However, their audience is a whole lot more tolerant of corporate playlists than the typical person. They're used to top-down messaging from one person.

 

[Mikey Radio]

There was a time when religious/spiritual/Christian themes were prevalent on pop on rock radio. Everything from Pacific Gas and Electric "Are you Ready", songs from Godspell and Jesus Christ Superstar and even Sister Janet Mead.

It also feels like that was a bit of a different era in general, where one or maybe two songs from a popular theatrical musical (and even a church hymn here and there) might find their way onto the mainstream charts. Even as immensely popular as a few newer musicals like "Wicked", "Hamilton" and even "The Book of Mormon" and their soundtracks have become, I don't think I've heard any of their stuff on mainstream radio.

That said, the reverse has occurred.."Rock of Ages" is a musical built around 80's metal and rock and ran on Broadway through 2015 and was revived elsewhere through 2021. "We Will Rock You" is a musical that features lots of the most popular tunes from Queen. It also ran on Broadway until 2014 and will be re-launched in the UK's West End later this year.

 

[Rusty Bridges]

There was a time when religious/spiritual/Christian themes were prevalent on pop on rock radio. Everything from Pacific Gas and Electric "Are you Ready", songs from Godspell and Jesus Christ Superstar and even Sister Janet Mead.

Norman Greenbaum's "Spirit In the Sky" ... Miguel Rios' "Song of Joy" ... Cat Stevens' "Morning Has Broken" ... Jesus Christ, Superstar ... WKBW Program Director Jeff Kaye took an early chance on that album, with Don Berns' input as Music Director of WKBW, well before other Top 40 stations jumped on. Typical of Kaye, he produced an hour special to dissect and discern the lyrics of the songs from the musical that became top 40 hits, offering views from Jewish, Protestant and Catholic clerics. Yes, was a time when contemporary music was far more deep and varied than the auto-tuned, self-absorbed, all-about-me tripe and pap that comes down the pike on CHR and Hot AC stations. Any wonder why K-Love does so well in so many markets? It isn't about proselytizing as much as it's about offering an alternative to the dreck.

OK ... yeah ... I know ... there's some good shizzel out there. Spare me the "old guy" flame. Now ... getoffmylawn,dammit!

 

[Mikey Radio]

Yes, was a time when contemporary music was far more deep and varied than the auto-tuned, self-absorbed, all-about-me tripe and pap that comes down the pike on CHR and Hot AC stations. Any wonder why K-Love does so well in so many markets? It isn't about proselytizing as much as it's about offering an alternative to the dreck.

OK ... yeah ... I know ... there's some good shizzel out there. Spare me the "old guy" flame. Now ... getoffmylawn,dammit!

Not to hijack this thread, but yes that was a different time overall. Changing from radio for a moment, think about Sports: Many baseball and hockey teams back then had little to no "canned" music and instead featured a live organist who would play straight through from pre-game warmups to the end of the game. Songs like "Hava Nagila" and "Jesus Christ, Superstar" were played to excite the crowd. Hymns like "We Gather Together" were sometimes played by the organist after a fight or penalty to calm the mood. Then again, back then there was no discussion at all of getting rid of the names Washington Redskins or Cleveland Indians - both have since been changed.

 

[gr8oldies]

Fun fact: A lot of non-church-goers listen to K-Love or other Contemporary Christian stations. I have a female friend who was a nanny for a couple where both were doctors. They were also Hindu but the wife listened to The Fish (Cleveland).

 

[Rusty Bridges]

Not to hijack this thread, but yes that was a different time overall. Changing from radio for a moment, think about Sports: Back then there was no discussion at all of getting rid of the names Washington Redskins or Cleveland Indians - both have since been changed. Many baseball and hockey teams back then had little to no "canned" music and instead featured a live organist who would play straight through from pre-game warmups to the end of the game. Songs like "Hava Nagila" and "Jesus Christ, Superstar" were played to excite the crowd. Hymns like "We Gather Together" were sometimes played by the organist after a fight or penalty to calm the mood.

And yes ... there was plenty of outright dreck back in the day. "Yummy, yummy, yummy / I got love in my tummy ..."; "Way down inside / Woman you need it..."; "Bend me, shape me..."; "One night with you;" "Rhapsody in the rain..."; "Wake up little Suzie..." Yeah, rock n roll is, was predicated on sizzling hormones, often misogynistic and male dominated. I like the classics as much as anybody, but there was indeed a lot of it's-all-about-me then too. And yeah, sports teams ... and don't forget medicine and science. People smoked like chimneys. You went in for a heart operation, there was a fair chance you weren't going to see the next day. The good old days weren't really all that good, all things considered.

 

[speer360]

EMF tries hard and succeeds in looking and feeling like a normal AC station. We even have new start ups trying "Rhythmic Christian CHR", See Boost Radio "Pop, Hip Hop, and Hope."

Can you imagine the uproar if iHeartMedia or Audacy started nationally programming stations with the exact same imaging and feed in every market?

Why are Christian/Religious Broadcasters allowed to do it?

 

[TheBigA]

Why are Christian/Religious Broadcasters allowed to do it?

Their audience doesn't see it as a bad thing. Once again, it's about tolerance. At one time, people loved small 20-30 song playlists chosen by programmers and presented by DJs with 12 minutes an hour of commercials. Now that's viewed by those same people as a bad thing.

So secular audiences are seeking individualized commercial free playlists, and deserting broadcast media. Those frequencies become available for people who are (at least now) more willing to have their music chosen for them by someone else.

 

[Mikey Radio]

Can you imagine the uproar if iHeartMedia or Audacy started nationally programming stations with the exact same imaging and feed in every market?

Why are Christian/Religious Broadcasters allowed to do it?

iHeartMedia and Audacy live and die by ratings, understanding and programming toward certain key demographics (and a format/playlist that works for their key audience in one market may not be completely applicable in an handful of others) and in the end, ad dollars. Companies like EMF don't need to worry about any of those things, so far as the donations that support them and pay their bills are rolling in.

Regarding why Christian/Religious broadcasters are allowed to do as you mention above, there's really no law or FCC regulation preventing any non-Christian/religious broadcasters from programming nationally in that same manner...But it may not garner them much success considering their ratings and sales models.

 

[spt87]

Sad to see 102.5 go down this way. I share earlier sentiments about Rock 102, Magic 102 and Q1025.

With Audacy doing AM > FM moves more than many operators I had always assumed WBEN would end up on 102.5 at some point with that massive signal giving a great reach over WNY for its news operation. Seems that is not a concern in the current business of radio and 102.5 profit wise must have not been that great.

Will be interesting to see what the next moves are. Since the entire Buffalo cluster was not put in the trust that may be a sign.

Hot A/C on 92.9 would be a sort of return to the past since that signal was last successful as FM93 running a softish A/C.

Pretty clear that the Audacy merger with CBS Radio was a big mistake. Audacy appeared to have a strong business focused on medium markets but the ego got in the way of making the right business decision and took on too much debt. Dave Field should definitely get the heave ho for this screw up.

 

[TheBigA]

Seems that is not a concern in the current business of radio and 102.5 profit wise must have not been that great.

From what I recall it was Audacy's #2 biller in Buffalo.

Field & his father are the two largest stockholders in the company. Unless that changes, I don't expect to see him go.

 

[davideduardo]

Can you imagine the uproar if iHeartMedia or Audacy started nationally programming stations with the exact same imaging and feed in every market?

Why are Christian/Religious Broadcasters allowed to do it?

Following up on BigA's response, you have to understand that broadcasters are "allowed" to program pretty much anything they want that is not illegal (we have no ads for coke and crystal meth or even cigarettes), obscene / profane (regulated but not really defined) or unfair in the way stations charge for certain political ads.

There are a few rules on stations identifying themselves, too.

But stations can network by the hundreds (heck, nearly all did that in the 30's and 40's), play any kind of music they think will appeal to their target audience, talk about whatever they want and put it all together in whatever style they want.

In most of the rest of the world where there is ample commercial radio, most of the highly successful stations are programmed nationally on many, many transmitters covering much of each nation. The US is behind the curve on this, and that is one of the reasons (but by no means the only one) why radio is losing to streaming.

 

[DarrenVision]

can it switch to air1?

 

[spt87]

Following up on BigA's response, you have to understand that broadcasters are "allowed" to program pretty much anything they want that is not illegal (we have no ads for coke and crystal meth or even cigarettes), obscene / profane (regulated but not really defined) or unfair in the way stations charge for certain political ads.

There are a few rules on stations identifying themselves, too.

But stations can network by the hundreds (heck, nearly all did that in the 30's and 40's), play any kind of music they think will appeal to their target audience, talk about whatever they want and put it all together in whatever style they want.

In most of the rest of the world where there is ample commercial radio, most of the highly successful stations are programmed nationally on many, many transmitters covering much of each nation. The US is behind the curve on this, and that is one of the reasons (but by no means the only one) why radio is losing to streaming.

Personally I think radio could leverage the localism to compete against national streaming and satellite services. Now, localism on a jukebox station doesn't mean much. A lot of people just want constant music without any breaks. That doesn't appeal to me but I get that it does to many.

Full service, sports, news and talk formats could leverage localism. That may mean a limited number of stations can take that track in any market (2 or 3 depending on the market size?). We may just be in the middle of that transformation and selling 102.5 to become a syndicated CCM repeater is maybe just another step in the process.

 

[ckg279]

The Buffalo News just posted a story from Alan Pergament on the changes at Star; sadly, the News is behind a paywall so I cannot link the article here. But the blurb the News put on its Twitter feed accompanying the story did note that the long term futures of the 2 remaining on-air staffers, Rob Lucas & Sue O'Neil, are still up in the air(Lucas more so than O'Neil-who, IIRC, is one of Audacy's RVPs).

 

[TheBigA]

Personally I think radio could leverage the localism to compete against national streaming and satellite services.

That's what Townsquare tried to push when they flipped 92.9 from Jack to locally hosted rock. You see the results.

 

[Rusty Bridges]

Sad to see 102.5 go down this way. I share earlier sentiments about Rock 102, Magic 102 and Q1025.

*1 - With Audacy doing AM > FM moves more than many operators I had always assumed WBEN would end up on 102.5 at some point with that massive signal giving a great reach over WNY for its news operation. Seems that is not a concern in the current business of radio and 102.5 profit wise must have not been that great.

Will be interesting to see what the next moves are. Since the entire Buffalo cluster was not put in the trust that may be a sign.

*2 - Hot A/C on 92.9 would be a sort of return to the past since that signal was last successful as FM93 running a softish A/C.

Pretty clear that the Audacy merger with CBS Radio was a big mistake. Audacy appeared to have a strong business focused on medium markets but the ego got in the way of making the right business decision and took on too much debt. Dave Field should definitely get the heave ho for this screw up.

*1 ↑: Had this sale not occurred, moving WBEN to 102.5 would have wiped out a significant revenue stream, as 102.5 is reported to be the cluster's 2nd highest billing station. Yes, it can be argued that the Audacy cluster will lose that 2nd highest biller as a result of the sale, but Audacy will get $15.5MM hard cash, "now money" which it desperately needs. There remains the possibility, who knows how small or large, that Audacy can move the intellectual property of 102.5, that being the moniker and Hot AC format, to the rimshot 107.7 signal and city grade translator on 104.7, thereby retaining some if not all of the present Star 102.5 billing.

*2 ↑: Interesting scenario with Townsquare 92.9 and Star. The Ops Mgr of Townsquare has noted on this board that the present format of 92.9 is eminently salable within the demographic. "Star 92.9" might present a better alternative, but what then would become of the Breeze?

A better IP swap might be putting the IP of Star on 96.1 ... but what of the personalities associated with Star, Lucas and O'Neil? Do they come along? Most likely not. It doesn't appear that Townsquare would put up cash for the Star IP ... unless they believed The Breeze as a brand is never going to catch fire. Additionally, Townsquare might delight in seeing the Star brand retained by Audacy and move to rimshot 107.7.

"The music you know and love is all here on one great station ... 96 point1The Breeze .. at home, at work, in your car and streaming on The Breeze app."

For Audacy, moving the IP of Star to 107.7, including Lucas and O'Neil, seems a smoother, more manageable and practical option, especially as it relates to maintaining billing/cash flow that Audacy needs, although the 107.7 signal penetration and coverage pale in comparison to that of 102.5 (and Hot AC 96.1 The Breeze.) "Star 107 point 7 and 104 point 7" as a slogan doesn't have the panache of Star 102 point 5, but that's what promos and external promotion are for, e.g., (basically) "If you love us and listen on 102 point 5, you'll love us at 107 point 7 and 104 point 7." A form of this message likely would be cross promoted on every Audacy frequency and website in the Buffalo cluster.

This is gonna be an interesting rearranging of the deck chairs on. I'm refraining from using the word "Titanic" in that sentence, but I know y'all thought of it.

 

[RadioGuy1864]

I don't recall if this has been discussed before, but is there any way Audacy could move 107.7 closer to Buffalo to get better coverage of the market?

 

[Mikey Radio]

Personally I think radio could leverage the localism to compete against national streaming and satellite services. Now, localism on a jukebox station doesn't mean much. ,,,,,Full service, sports, news and talk formats could leverage localism.

The issue is that "localism" costs money to really do correctly and pull off properly, and is increasingly difficult for stations in medium-sized markets and smaller to do. In one example, a former station owner explained in an interview that, when he bought his first station years ago, there were only a handful of broadcasters in that market, they were all live and local 24/7, did plenty of remote broadcasts, did shows live from the county fair, larger community events and the like, and though the stations were competitive, they all respected each other and there were plenty of ad dollars to go around. When docket 80-80 kicked in, the number of signals in that area multiplied and suddenly the ad dollars had to be spread more thin and his "slice of the pie" became smaller and smaller. He saw satellite programming and computer automation as the only avenue for his station to stay viable financially. Over time he started by automating overnights only, then nights and overnights, then ultimately everything but the live morning show and some broadcasts of local sporting events, which he could still sell, was satellite or computer automated.

Along with that, as big box stores and large chains moved in, he had a harder time selling time on his stations. Once his health started being impacted as a result and he found that the broadcasting business was no fun anymore, certainly not as it was when he first got into the game, he sold his signals and got out. While he wanted to be "local" and be involved in the community, unless he himself was out there doing it himself, it wasn't something he felt he could afford to do, and he got too little in return financially.

 

[davideduardo]

Personally I think radio could leverage the localism to compete against national streaming and satellite services. Now, localism on a jukebox station doesn't mean much. A lot of people just want constant music without any breaks. That doesn't appeal to me but I get that it does to many.

But, as proven in nations as diverse as France and Chile (and many others) having a national service allows top talent, access to talent and newsmakers within the format and lifestyle, and excellent production.

In TV there is a reason why the late night shows became network propositions nearly 70 years ago. But in the 50's radio networks collapsed and there was no major force trying to do a national "Top 40" or country or R&B format 24/7. And when that was attempted, it was only used in smaller markets.

Rick Sklar had the idea of a national Top 40 format, but the restrictions on ownerships, networks and the like thwarted that concept.

Full service, sports, news and talk formats could leverage localism. That may mean a limited number of stations can take that track in any market (2 or 3 depending on the market size?).

And that applies principally to talk and sports, where team partisanship makes sports, by nature, local or regional. And local talk is too expensive for most markets.

We may just be in the middle of that transformation and selling 102.5 to become a syndicated CCM repeater is maybe just another step in the process.

It is interesting that their ownership realized that the future was in networked music formats over 30 years ago!