iHeart just did exactly that about a month ago in Tampa. Blew up a full power FM for a sports FM-AM simulcast (WDAE).
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Sports to replace KNX News simulcast at 97.1 FM
- Thread starter Rollo-Smokes
- Start date
iHeart just did exactly that about a month ago in Tampa. Blew up a full power FM for a sports FM-AM simulcast (WDAE).
Predict KNX ratings will decline a lot after they drop FM. Many people under 60 refuse to consider FM. It’ll be interesting.
I would say Beasley has that in Philly with WMMR - WMGK - The Fanatic WPEN. WPEN isn’t the top rated sports talk station in Philly but as a group this is a successful “wall of men”
Yes. Right here in L.A., iHeart has one with KFI, KLAC, and KYSR. Captures men of many ages. Many people don't think about it this way, but news/talk and all-news are also heavily male-skewed formats.
Perhaps a better example is Beasley in Philadelphia with two rockers, a country station, and a sports station.
Audacy's Philly cluster is also male heavy, with all-news KYW, talk WPHT, sports WIP, and classic hits WOGL.
What makes iHeart's "Wall of Women" in LA unique is that all of them are wildly successful, but they haven't attract ferocious competition, probably because of so many signals in LA being overtaken by Spanish formats.
Yes. So many people in the DC area work for the government and are fascinated by news and politics.
Sure, but don’t stations need a critical mass of listeners, say at least a half of 1% or perhaps more, to have enough intense listeners. Of course a giant city like Los Angeles could succeed with a lower percentage of total audience than Buffalo I would think.
have
Too many!
Yes indeed, Hubbard in Phoenix. Their "Wall of Men" consists of...Classic Rock KSLX, Active Rock KUPD, Alternative KDKB, Sports KDUS, and Oldies KAZG. Been in place for years.
Audacy has that in Kansas City too with KQRC Rock, KFNZ 96.5/610 Sports talk, KMBZ 98.1/980 News/Talk, and WDAF Country.
I can’t wait to see the other shoes that will drop as a result of 97.1’s future flip. I think there will be a few.
The counter example is the recent expansion of WDAE on FM in Tampa.
Maybe they are warming to the idea.
My theory is iHeart was already planning to move KLAC to 92.3, and Audacy pre-empted the move.
The Dodgers are hotter than they have ever been and there has never been more demand for Dodgers content. They have 162 games annually that fill up airtime, and Petros And Money is one of the biggest sports radio shows in Los Angeles.
I feel like advertisers would be rushing to associate themselves with that on FM. Obviously, the Dodgers owning 49% of the station complicates things, but maybe the projected revenue increases from the station on FM would be significant.
Agree on all points. IHeart must respond. If they don’t they get left behind. I don’t think it’s 92.3. I just can’t imagine them dumping Big Boy and letting him be a free agent. If not all out sports, I wonder if IHeart tries a “guy talk/sports” format like The Freak was in Dallas?
They are not going to blow up Real to give The Freak or equivalent a shot in LA. Also, KLSX already came and went with that format. And they don't have to respond to Audacy. They have the Dodgers locked up and the top local sports show. iHeart's portfolio of sports stations is pretty weak overall. They have a large number of sports formatted stations but most of them are just Fox Sports Radio outlets.
While it could be that iHeart is moving in the direction of more sports and talk on FM (see my comment above), they have a long history of not responding to competitors going on FM. See Phoenix, Miami, San Antonio, etc. In some cases they have even removed the FM presence from their station despite having FM competition.
One more thing... The widely circulated Jacobs Media report from last week regarding AM/FM listening by format shows that sports is the first format to have already flipped from traditional to digital majority.
"Sports radio, though, tells a completely different story. It’s the only format where digital has lapped broadcast — 56% to 42%. Sports fans are voracious, Jacobs shared. They want constant updates. They use every device available — cars, phones, and more.”
Jacobs Media Techsurvey 2026: AM/FM Radio Listening Hits All-Time Low as Digital Surges to 44%
"Last year, broadcast was five points higher, and digital was five points lower. So there's been meaningful movement this year."
barrettmedia.com
This trend perhaps explains while Craig Karmazin is focusing on AM while building out digital platforms and bypassing expensive FM leases/purchases, such as WEPN.
I guess the one I've been tracking is KJR-FM in Seattle. That was a locally hosted AM sports station that flipped to FM when they were looking for a format to replace the failing KUBE. But it's not a simulcast. They moved the format to FM and put Fox Sports on the AM. The only play by play they have is with the Kraken. The rest are held by Bonneville's KIRO-AM. They simulcast the Seahawks on KIRO-FM. Even on FM, KJR is a 1 share station.
Same here. KJR-FM seems like it is going nowhere fast. I hope they stick it out, but if they blew it up and moved everything back to 950, it would not be shocking.
Despite being on AM, KIRO has beat KJR-FM in the money demos of the ratings I have seen in the four or so years of it's existence.
If someone has counter information, I would love to see it. The point is that just being on FM is not a all powerful panacea. If you don't have the franchises and access or compelling shows... the delivery method isn't going to change that.
I read here all the time that posters feel radio companies aren't doing anything inventive or creative with formats. This article challenges that view using this new sports station as an example:
barrettmedia.com
We really won't know until they announce the talent roster. He brings up Jim Rome, and while that would be great, Jim would be best served by doing a local show, even for an hour, in addition to the national show.
3 Questions About 97.1 The Fan Coming to Los Angeles
"Audacy isn’t just launching another station. It’s testing whether FM can finally unlock a market that has resisted the format at scale like other large markets."
barrettmedia.com
We really won't know until they announce the talent roster. He brings up Jim Rome, and while that would be great, Jim would be best served by doing a local show, even for an hour, in addition to the national show.
Does that mean he’s more obnoxious locally?I read here all the time that posters feel radio companies aren't doing anything inventive or creative with formats. This article challenges that view using this new sports station as an example:
3 Questions About 97.1 The Fan Coming to Los Angeles
"Audacy isn’t just launching another station. It’s testing whether FM can finally unlock a market that has resisted the format at scale like other large markets."
We really won't know until they announce the talent roster. He brings up Jim Rome, and while that would be great, Jim would be best served by doing a local show, even for an hour, in addition to the national show.
The reference to Houston’s SportsRadio 610 possibly moving to FM has our attention here in H-Town. Plenty of speculation Audacy might blow out its Mega 101 in favor of a simulcast. I don’t see sports remaining stranded on AM in market #5.3 Questions About 97.1 The Fan Coming to Los Angeles
"Audacy isn’t just launching another station. It’s testing whether FM can finally unlock a market that has resisted the format at scale like other large markets."