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105.3 sold to Radio One

More of the same....

Don't mind me just trying to live up to my cranky old geezer reputation! :mad:
 
I knew the folks in Gaffney would eventually cave and sell 105.3 to a major broadcaster. I was expecting it to be Greater Media, though, and not Radio One. I guess they can do something other than Urban, as they have been attempting to do lately, but if not...can Charlotte support 5 Urban-based stations (WPEG, WBAV, WPZS, WQNC, now WNOW)

I am, however, surprised they sold WZZQ.
 
Radio One at one time was trying to exit the Charlotte market, but looks like they are staying put. Does 105.3 also translate to 96.5 and 98.3 in Charlotte? Looks like POWER 98 may finally get some competition again. HOT 105.3 with Rickey Smiley In The Mornings??? If so this would be Radio One's 2nd attempt with a Hip-Hop format. BTW, WNOW-FM are killer call letters for a CHR "Now" station. Radio One also owns a CHR "Radio Now" station too. Interesting.
 
ShawtyBlack_ATL: I doubt they'd go CHR, since Kiss 95.1 and Channel 96.1 are already mainstream CHR. I don't see room for a Rhythmic CHR, either, in addition to those and Power 98.

w00t: I always thought GM would eventually buy 105 and put WBT on FM. However, with 'BT's ratings not that great, they may not see enough benefit from it. I think WBT on a full market FM, though, is eventually a given.

I wonder if Davidson will have Radio One change the calls since they own WNOW-AM? Those are some valuable calls.
 
WNOW calls would probably stay with Davisdon. They have an AM with those calls in the Charlotte market. Although, they would make great CHR calls.

96.5/98.3 have been running the HD-2 which is a Charlotte version of the "His Radio" network out of WLFJ in Greenville, SC. I believe WLFJ's owners own the translators. They will probably find another HD-2 to rent if Radio One doesn't want to continue.

Regarding the Gaffney FM translator. I think it is still owned by Ted McCall. As long as the new WZZQ owners keep paying, I would imagine that he'll keep renting. WZZQ is a daytimer, and that means no Gaffney Indian football without the translator.
 
On August 16, 2012, Radio One announced that it has acquired WNOW from Gaffney and will start programming the station via a LMA on September 4, 2012, ending Davidson's involvement with the station. It is expected to flip to a Urban Contemporary format when the LMA goes into effect
 
If that does happen, what would that mean for My 92.7? It moves to 105.3? No way would they keep 2 Urban AC's. It makes sense, since R1 has been trying to make a go of Urban AC for many years on 92.7, but the signal is just no match for 101.9.

IMO, 92.7 could reach its most potential as more of a niche-formatted station given the limited signal. There is no way it could ever compete with the big FM's with another Urban format. Perhaps since Radio One has been branching out from Urban formats, it could go Sports? Classic Hits?
 
carolinaradio said:
If that does happen, what would that mean for My 92.7? It moves to 105.3? No way would they keep 2 Urban AC's. It makes sense, since R1 has been trying to make a go of Urban AC for many years on 92.7, but the signal is just no match for 101.9.

IMO, 92.7 could reach its most potential as more of a niche-formatted station given the limited signal. There is no way it could ever compete with the big FM's with another Urban format. Perhaps since Radio One has been branching out from Urban formats, it could go Sports? Classic Hits?
Click to expand...

Not gonna happen. Radio One programs to radio one people only.

I’m thinking something more along the lines of Urban Country, or Urban Christian, or maybe even Urban Sports Talk (a lot of great subject matter).

All would be great niche-formats for the Radio One folks.

;)
 
Radio One Buys a Third FM Station in Charlotte

Expect a Mainstream Hip Hop Urban Station with possibly Rickey Smiley?

Radio One has acquired 105.3 WNOW-FM, 1500 WZZQ, and translator 104.3 W282AX from Gaffney Broadcasting for $7,750,000. The main FM station will cover the Charlotte market as well as Gaffney, SC. Radio One will begin programming the stations through a LMA right after Labor Day on September 4th.

The new stations will join the Radio One Charlotte cluster of stations that include Urban AC “My 92.7 - R&B from the 80's, 90's and Now" (WQNC) and Gospel station “Praise 100.9” (WPZS). There are no hints of the incoming format as of yet, but a good bet would be a Hip Hop station featuring the Southern United States friendly Rickey Smiley Morning Show on WNOW 105.3 FM.

However don't rule out a format switch at one of the other Charlotte stations as well. In any event another mainstream Urban/Hip Hop station occupying 105.3, 92.7, or 100.9 will go head to head with CBS-owned "Power 98" WPEG.

http://www.urbanradionation.com/2012/08/radio-one-buys-third-fm-station-in.html
 
Interesting. IMO, as I said, with 105.3 in their cluster, I would give up trying to be competitive with 'PEG or 'BAV with the class A at 92.7. They've tried for years with little to no success.
 
There is a story about the Radio One acquisition of 105.3 in the Saturday Charlotte Observer which I picked up at Publix this morning. Business page, Local/State section B. They did not reveal the format, but stated that the main purpose of the purchase was to give them a powerful signal to compete with CBS stations 97.9 and 101.9. Their antenna is on on the WBTV television tower in Dallas, NC, Gaston Co, along with 107.9. I can get 105.3 here in GVL, but it is sometimes spotty in the car, but clear in the house. Also get the HD version at the house and sometimes in car.
 
carolinaradio said:
If that does happen, what would that mean for My 92.7? It moves to 105.3? No way would they keep 2 Urban AC's. It makes sense, since R1 has been trying to make a go of Urban AC for many years on 92.7, but the signal is just no match for 101.9.
Click to expand...

I didn't see anyone suggesting that 105.3 go urban AC. People were speculating it would go urban. If it goes urban, it won't mean anything for My 92.7 most likely because they're after completely different audiences. Urban tends to skew heavily male, younger and usually has an audience that's no less than 40% white. Urban AC goes after 25-54 females and usually gets an audience that's at least 80% (and often more than 90%) black.
 
I'm hoping for a rhythmic AC/Urban AC hybrid to compete with WBAV.
Something that leans quite younger, but still urban leaning old-school hits
from as far back as the mid 80s to the early 2000s. It could definitely complement 92.7

I'm in Gaffney, so I'll keep an eye out on what happens to 104.3 (WZZQ),
lots of people in this city love it, and grew up with it when it was on 105.3 as WAGI.
If it goes away, then watch alot of people in Gaffney get upset for a 2nd time.
WZZQ's local studio is still on Providence Rd in Gaffney (and it still says 100,000 watt WAGI on their building!)

I remember when WAGI switched to Spanish and most people were unaware about 1500 WEAC (now WZZQ),
it kept the WAGI-programming on AM only for 2 years before the translator went on. They thought it was completely gone!
WAGI programming was (and still is) completely gone for everyone else that isn't in Gaffney or Cherokee County.

I don't listen to country, so I don't really care if 104.3 goes away, but really what else would they flip it to,
I don't think Radio One would customize a "new" station just for Gaffney, except keeping the current WZZQ the way it is.
We'll see what happens :)
 
Out of all 3 Radio One signals, the strongest would go Urban AC. Not so sure if that would be the case considering 92.7 was relaunced and rebrand not too long ago.

Another posibility would be a simulcast. Radio One does it here in ATL with Urban AC MAJIC 107.7/97.5. My 92.7 on 2 frequincies??

My bet is still a Hip-Hop station with Rickey Smiley.
 
ShawtyBlack_ATL said:
Out of all 3 Radio One signals, the strongest would go Urban AC. Not so sure if that would be the case considering 92.7 was relaunced and rebrand not too long ago.

Another posibility would be a simulcast. Radio One does it here in ATL with Urban AC MAJIC 107.7/97.5. My 92.7 on 2 frequincies??

My bet is still a Hip-Hop station with Rickey Smiley.
Click to expand...
I don't see a reason for a 105.3/92.7 simulcast. On paper, 105.3 appears to cover the areas 92.7 covers just fine.

Kent: the previous page had a mention that 105.3 could go Urban AC, so I was speculating on that. With 92.7 recently rebranding/relaunching, that tells me they are committed to Urban AC. I can see 105.3 becoming MY 105.3 with 92.7 going to a different, perhaps non-Urban format. I just can't see Charlotte supporting 5 Urban-based formats.

Radio One could easily LMA WZZQ back to Gaffney Broadcasting, who could retain the lease on the translator.

WQNC was hip hop from 2001-2004.
 
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