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102.5 to flip to FM talk in two weeks

Interestingly, from a national perspective the TOP $$$$ billing radio stations in America represent heavily in the spoken word formats. Shouldn't be a surprise to anyone on here, as these are the only formats where you get some variety every day...definately no variety in music.

1. WTOP-FM (News) $64,000,000 -- Hubbard Radio - Washington, DC
2. KIIS-FM (CHR) $57,000,000 -- Clear Channel Communications - Los Angeles, CA
3. KFI-AM (News/Talk) $48,100,000 -- Clear Channel Communications - Los Angeles, CA
4. WBBM-AM (News) $48,000,000 -- CBS Radio - Chicago, IL
5. WCBS-AM (News) $47,500,000 -- CBS Radio - New York, NY
6. WHTZ-FM (CHR) $46,000,000 -- Clear Channel Communications - New York, NY
7. KROQ-FM (Alternative) $42,000,000 -- CBS Radio - Los Angeles, CA
8. WINS-AM (News) $42,000,000 -- CBS Radio - New York, NY
9. WLTW-FM (AC) $42,000,000 -- Clear Channel Communications - New York, NY
10. WFAN-AM (Sports/Talk) $40,500,000 -- CBS Radio - New York, NY
 
A couple of things here....

While it's true about the total billings of spoken word formats...they also tend to be the most expensive to run. Stations like WBBM, WTOP, KFI, WCBS, WINS employ many local anchors, producers, reporters & stringers. Much more overhead than the typical music station. Look at Z-100. They have a syndicated morning show (out of their studios, but still) which I'm sure his other affiliates help pay that expense. Then they clear Seacrest, which is tracked. The rest of the day is live, but just one jock per shift. Chances are their net profits are greater since their payroll is much lower. Many sports stations have costly rights fees to pay so they can air popular local teams games. That also cuts in to the bottom line.

Secondly, talk formats tend to squeeze in more commercials and sponsorships per hour than a music format. All news stations tend to play spots in one or two minute intervals between segments. It's much less intrusive to their format than for a music station that has to play several minutes in a row.

I think the stations with the highest "net profits" are probably much different that the "top billing" outlets.
 
fmradio1 is absolutely correct: the top billing stations list, while impressive to look at, does not take into account the very heavy costs of running the format (people need to be paid, you know!).

How keeping costs low helps the bottom line:

i.e.: a 5-station Clear Channel cluster in a medium midwest market bills "only" about 6 million dollars a year. But they have a total of 5 on-air people & 1 production person. And, lotsa Premium choice programming and network hosts for the 2 AMs in their cluster (one talk, one sports), and get their news from CC's closest major market news-talk station, about 100 miles away. Yes...it's a pretty profitable cluster...and none of the 5 are "heritage" stations.

It's all, sadly, about keeping the staff size/overhead low.
 
On Sunday afternoon, 102.5 was inviting on-air-type people from around the area to drop by their studios and apply for a job. So they must have some intention of having local on-air talent. Perhaps the station will be a hub for like stations in the Cox group.
 
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