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ABC News Radio Is The Big Winner in Picking Up Former CBS Affiliates

G

Gregg.

It's amazing how well the ABC sales staff managed to convert CBS News Radio affiliates to their network. Other radio networks, such as iHeart and Salem, tried to grab former CBS stations, putting ads in trade publications to welcome them. Big Apple Media chief John Catsimatitis even hired multiple former CBS News Radio anchors to join his upstart Worldwide News Network, based at WABC New York. But nearly all the radio stations that were left without CBS on May 29 became affiliates of ABC.

Fox News Radio is the #1 network, with so many conservative talk stations wanting to be linked with the cable TV network favored by conservative viewers. Most iHeart talk stations are affiliates, with iHeart having a financial stake in it. But I'd say ABC is now a close #2 to Fox in large and medium markets. Most radio networks at one time had exclusivity deals in each market but I guess that's a thing of the past. Some of these new ABC affiliates are in cities with an existing station already carrying ABC News.

Nearly all the Audacy All-News and News-Talk stations switched to ABC, especially ones formerly owned by CBS before it spun off its radio division.

1070 KNX Los Angeles
780 - 105.9 WBBM Chicago
1080 KRLD Dallas
740 - 106.9 KCBS San Francisco
1060 - 103.9 KYW Philadelphia
1210 WPHT Philadelphia
950 WWJ Detroit
830 WCCO Minneapolis
1120 - 104.1 KMOX St. Louis
1370 KJCE Austin
840 KNXT Las Vegas
1020 KDKA Pittsburgh
870 - 105.3 WWL New Orleans
1080 WTIC Hartford

And these former CBS affiliates, not owned by Audacy, also switched to ABC. I'm sure there are others I don't have listed.

Sirius XM POTUS Channel 124
Sirius XM Bloomberg Channel 121
1130 WBBR New York
103.5 WTOP Washington
97.3 KIRO-FM Seattle
101.3 KXL-FM Portland OR
560 WGAN Portland ME
 
I predict that when Paramount spins off its broadcasting assets, which will likely happen in a couple of years,, the first order of business by the new owner will be to revive in some way CBS News Radio.

They willingly threw away beachfront property, and got nothing in return. I know people at ABC Radio who are laughing about this. It's ensured they will continue to have jobs for a while.
 
We've alluded to the multiple affiliates of ABC in the same market, around the board.

It would be good if we could actually determine what ABC is offering.

There was a reworking of their offerings 18-24 months ago. The E-Net went away. The bottom of the hour 1 minute update got a new sounder and new lockout. Some stations (KIRO Seattle) are taking what seems to be the bottom of the hour 1 minute, with an optional second minute. Is this just a refeed of the :30 newscast at :00 as a two minute version?
 


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