Antiquated? The mega-chains (Cumeless, iHeart and Audacy) are all drowning in debt. The last thing we need are these pitiful "stewards" of the public airwaves grabbing more real estate. Let the Cats' and other BELIEVERS in locally-driven and entertaining radio have their chance. 98.7 doesn't have to become WABC FM or even WABC 2.0. Just don't make it another "branch office" for a nationally-driven music format.
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Format Changes 2024
- Thread starter MVB13
- Start date
It says a lot when Cox/Apollo downgraded WDBO Orlando to just an AM signal after giving it an FM platform for a few years.
They had their chance when WPLJ was sold. They didn't buy it then. The only people with money are the religious broadcasters. I expect one of them will be the next owner of 98.7. That's just the reality of the situation.
Maybe Los Coco Clásicos con Coco Cabrera (since September 2018) programming should be dropped by next year on X96.3 and will be replaced by any DJ with Super Tropical Mix with the home of Reggaeton, Bachata, Salsa y Merengue because of Coco's stress working Every Sundays at 11AM-1PM (previously 12-5PM, 1-5PM, 2-6PM and 10AM-12PM) for five years and Mr. Cabrera will work only Monday-Friday at 3-7PM called "El Palo con Coco" without Every Sundays until his retirement.
If you want to listen to Salsa, Merengue or Bachata clásicas, use smartphone music like Pandora or Spotify to listen to our favorite artists, songs or any genre, punto.
If you want to listen to Salsa, Merengue or Bachata clásicas, use smartphone music like Pandora or Spotify to listen to our favorite artists, songs or any genre, punto.
I posted a few days ago about WCBS now being automated for most of the weekends, along with overnights. Noticed it recently while on a long drive. But between that and all the sports, don't expect a format change there.
If Audacy wants a landing spot for BetQL, it'll come from their other 50 KW AMer on High Island. At some point, Audacy may end the WFAN simulcast and 660 AM will go its own way.
what does coco cabrera have to do with this thread??
Not saying format change but more sports betting programming on weekends/overnights
Like I said 101.9 La Kalle, nada es eterno (nothing is eternal), because Los Coco Clásicos has two hours (11AM-1PM) executive and nobody wants to hear four hours anymore because of low audience and all of the Tropical Classics is on smartphone.
So here's the history of Los Coco Clásicos con Coco Cabrera time schedule dating back to September 2018 on La X96.3: El Ritmo de New York:
12-2PM (9-10/2018)
10AM-2PM (10-11/2018)
12-5PM (11/2018-4/2020)
1-5PM (4/2020-7/2021)
2-6PM (7/2021-1/2023)
10AM-12PM (1-10/2023)
11AM-1PM (10/2023-Present)
I also have no idea what your point is.
Many cities have 5
The fifth???
The New York City area briefly had 5 when WNSH flipped to Classic Hip Hop WXBK "94.7 The Block" and WNBM "Radio 103.9" was in its final 10 weeks as Urban AC.
I have no idea how this fits the subject even remotely. This is about formats, not DJ's.
If 880 goes to sports betting, it will be a sad end to a once proud operation and will have no relevance. I have been told many times that radio is a business, and that the bottom line is earnings. There is a real world example of a once formidable major market Class A going to sports betting, KGO. A check of the 6+ number (I know they don't mean anything business wise) has that signal third from the bottom of terrestrial stations. What kind of earnings can they possibly be getting? Compare to a Class C in Buffalo, WECK spinning oldies, but with a 4.5 at number 8 from the top. I suspect the advertisers are much like what WABC can get, but bottom line, which station earns more?
There is a lot that could be done with 880 if full time news is not viable anymore. If people really are listening on their phones mostly nowadays, Country or Alternative might earn more than sports betting? And there is always my New Talk suggestion if putting it on 98.7 couldn't be done. However, reading what I have just wrote, I am reminded we're talking about Audacy, which I don't think has 10 cents to invest in something new.
Keep in mind that WECK has 3 FM Translators, which pretty much cover the market. Just based on market size, I would assume WABC bills more, but their expenses are also higher.
News is their bread-and-butter. Even if it's canned during off-hours with live sports and audio simulcasts of CBS News television programs mixed in, news is WCBS's brand. They're not ditching that.
WFAN is a sports station. It makes better sense, both logically and financially, to keep 660 sports–even if it's a non-local format.
It's relevance isn't related to its programming.
From everything I read -- both here, and on a couple FB AM radio groups (where some radio professionals also hang out) -- KGO is making more money now, with Sports Betting and Sports Talk, than it was before the switch. Sports betting is apparently a big deal. Some TV analysts were saying during the NFL downturn (the Kaepernick protests in 2017 or so) that fantasy football fans -- who apparently bet a lot, using some apps and websites that you can sometimes hear advertised on sports radio -- and regular sports betters were keeping the NFL TV ratings higher during that time than they otherwise would have been.
I also heard a media analyst interviewed on the CBC 2-3 nights ago who said that sports betting has reinvigorated the NFL and other leagues' fan bases, as some of the leagues had been aging out. The excitement of sports betting has added fans.
Now, whether these younger demos that may be into fantasy sports and sports betting listen to stations like KGO is a good question, especially when young people aren't gung-ho about radio, much less an AMer. But if KGO is making more money now than it was when they were still news-talk, it's an example of a station that's at least making some money. So it may be that sports betting as a radio format is here to stay. And being that sports betting is apparently legal in NY, maybe a station will flip to sports betting if other formats don't look appealing to the owners anymore.
As for NYC radio, I don't know any more about the market than I read here. WFAN's website has a drop down on their top menu that takes you to the BetQL Network. So there's that.
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