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106.9 The Fox?
- Thread starter DToTheJ
- Start date
Today's Taylor on Radio-info column speculates that the station might go all talk. The PD, who did a talk show in his previous job, would be live and local in the morning, with Beck (not in Philly) then Rush (soon coming up for renewal on WPHT) and Hannity (not in Philly) to follow, and more plug-in syndicated programs after that.
Thus, Fox 106.9, as in Fox News.
I suppose I understand why they might want to do this with their third FM news or talk start-up: It's not too long ago that Beck and Hannity were in the market. They're known quantities. And despite the recent Rush controversies, he does still get ratings. It's actually quite possible such a station could obtain a 1.0 or slightly above fairly quickly, especially with a big ad campaign. And let's face it, scoring ratings of 0.4 to 0.6 with their FM News stations in Chicago and NYC and the on-air problems those stations had when they launched has been a source of ridicule for Merlin.
On the other hand ... how disappointing. You launch the first FM news/talk station (with the exception of sports, NPR and NJ 101.5) to be heard in the market since the demise of WWDB-FM in 2000, and this is the best you can do?
I wonder what WPHT would put on from noon-3 if 106.9 stole Rush? Clear Smerconish's local program live and find something else for afternoon drive? Put a local host in the time slot? If Smerconish would move to noon-4, what would go in PM drive? New local host?
All the focus has been on Mike Huckabee being available during Rush's time period. What the media has neglected is that there is a moderate already available during that time: Smerconish. There's been NO talk about stations turning to him instead of Rush. Might spell trouble for Smerconish's national program if it becomes the third option behind both Rush AND Huckabee.
Smerconish's syndicator would probably love to have the Rush-Smerconish battle in Philly: If Smerconish had a chance to beat Rush head-to-head somewhere, it'd be in his former local market.
Thus, Fox 106.9, as in Fox News.
I suppose I understand why they might want to do this with their third FM news or talk start-up: It's not too long ago that Beck and Hannity were in the market. They're known quantities. And despite the recent Rush controversies, he does still get ratings. It's actually quite possible such a station could obtain a 1.0 or slightly above fairly quickly, especially with a big ad campaign. And let's face it, scoring ratings of 0.4 to 0.6 with their FM News stations in Chicago and NYC and the on-air problems those stations had when they launched has been a source of ridicule for Merlin.
On the other hand ... how disappointing. You launch the first FM news/talk station (with the exception of sports, NPR and NJ 101.5) to be heard in the market since the demise of WWDB-FM in 2000, and this is the best you can do?
I wonder what WPHT would put on from noon-3 if 106.9 stole Rush? Clear Smerconish's local program live and find something else for afternoon drive? Put a local host in the time slot? If Smerconish would move to noon-4, what would go in PM drive? New local host?
All the focus has been on Mike Huckabee being available during Rush's time period. What the media has neglected is that there is a moderate already available during that time: Smerconish. There's been NO talk about stations turning to him instead of Rush. Might spell trouble for Smerconish's national program if it becomes the third option behind both Rush AND Huckabee.
Smerconish's syndicator would probably love to have the Rush-Smerconish battle in Philly: If Smerconish had a chance to beat Rush head-to-head somewhere, it'd be in his former local market.
R
RadioPhillyFan
Guest
Never mind, saw the article.
Wish Merlin would try a music format... they've gotta be heading into bankruptcy.
Wish Merlin would try a music format... they've gotta be heading into bankruptcy.
As I said in my post, the column "speculates." So no, it's not definite, but it might happen.
Go to this link: http://www.radio-info.com/newsletters/taylor-on-radio-info and choose the newsletter with the headline "slim pickins"
Or from the main R-I page, click on Newsletters and Taylor on Radio-Info (TRI).
Go to this link: http://www.radio-info.com/newsletters/taylor-on-radio-info and choose the newsletter with the headline "slim pickins"
Or from the main R-I page, click on Newsletters and Taylor on Radio-Info (TRI).
R
RadioPhillyFan
Guest
Bill_W said:
The thing with the B, all the stations that went against it were somehow worse then B101. What we need, is what Mix was trying to do before it sidetracked to protect Q102 from Wired and PST, who are both shifting themselves more to a Pop CHR, actually PST is one.
I
imhomerjay
Guest
Bill_W said:
Well, yeah, anyone would do better taking on 1210 instead of 1060. They'd do better taking on the local pee-wee baseball team than the New York Yankees, too.
R
RadioPhillyFan
Guest
imhomerjay said:Bill_W said:
Well, yeah, anyone would do better taking on 1210 instead of 1060. They'd do better taking on the local pee-wee baseball team than the New York Yankees, too.
Which is why Merlin should fill a gap, the huge gap RFF and MMR leave out.
It would score better then all their stations combined, including the 2.0 classic rocker in Chicago, that's a mere 2.8 or more to beat.
If only I had the money to try it.
While, thanks to familiar hosts, a mostly syndicated right-leaning talk format might be a better short-term option, the demographics aren't what Merlin has been looking for, and the audience is aging and fading.
Merlin has seemed more interested in building an all-news brand that appeals to younger demos, and one that will build certainly loyalty with that group over time. It also seems more interested in long-term gains, than in short-term profits.
Also, if you look at the cume for WPHT and WNTP, and consider the demos, that is not where anybody with a new FM would want to split the audience.
On the other hand, the big music FMs have many times that in cume to share and in the right demos. And the all news cume of KYW also offers a lot more "sharing and swiping" potential than the combined talk radio cume in the Philly market.
And, don't expect Merlin to "go bankrupt." They are backed, and mostly owned, by a Chicago investment firm with very deep pockets. If Merlin did decided to "call it quits" on the all news idea, it would certainly have the resources to do something else, or to keep going until buyers for its major market stations could be found. The point is that "unlike" some other broadcasters Merlin isn't likely to be forced into quick decisions for financial reasons, and its more interested in longer-term gains than in next month's ratings.
Merlin has seemed more interested in building an all-news brand that appeals to younger demos, and one that will build certainly loyalty with that group over time. It also seems more interested in long-term gains, than in short-term profits.
Also, if you look at the cume for WPHT and WNTP, and consider the demos, that is not where anybody with a new FM would want to split the audience.
On the other hand, the big music FMs have many times that in cume to share and in the right demos. And the all news cume of KYW also offers a lot more "sharing and swiping" potential than the combined talk radio cume in the Philly market.
And, don't expect Merlin to "go bankrupt." They are backed, and mostly owned, by a Chicago investment firm with very deep pockets. If Merlin did decided to "call it quits" on the all news idea, it would certainly have the resources to do something else, or to keep going until buyers for its major market stations could be found. The point is that "unlike" some other broadcasters Merlin isn't likely to be forced into quick decisions for financial reasons, and its more interested in longer-term gains than in next month's ratings.
R
RadioPhillyFan
Guest
Mike said:
HAHA, no. 106.1 is doing just fine. In fact, it took a top demo from the bee if I recall correctly.
CC would flip WUSL before they flip WISX, WISX is protecting Q and competing PST/Wired/B101.
http://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/56882/premiere-moves-rush-limbaugh-in-philadelphia/#.T4OEbXm8ES0
Well with this latest development, I think the Fox News Radio theory is a pretty good one. Even though I don't think they'd do much better in the ratings than WPHT which is 16th overall. Guess it's still worth a shot?
Well with this latest development, I think the Fox News Radio theory is a pretty good one. Even though I don't think they'd do much better in the ratings than WPHT which is 16th overall. Guess it's still worth a shot?
Well it's certainly cheaper then going after KYW, and Rush's fanbase will tune in, which is probably more then what a all news station would do for them.
What if they do a news/talk hybrid? News during AM/PM drive. Talk between & at night. This would allow them to build an audience for the news, while not taking on the financial hardship of 24/7 news operations. Then if the news shows gains, add more and more. If not, add more & more talk.
What if they do a news/talk hybrid? News during AM/PM drive. Talk between & at night. This would allow them to build an audience for the news, while not taking on the financial hardship of 24/7 news operations. Then if the news shows gains, add more and more. If not, add more & more talk.
The hybrid idea would seem to be a good one, if the target demographics were more compatible. Rush, and the other Conservative talkers have much older average demos than you'll usually find on FM, and older than Merlin said it was targeting.
For building an audience, WPHT has 263,000 different listeners a week (average weekly cume) that is roughly a quarter of KYW. Given that WPHT isn't going away, even if everybody currently in the WPHT audience moves over to hear Rush, that 263,000 mostly older folks isn't going to put Merlin's new FM into any real competition with any of the major FM stations in the market. It will be an "also ran." And if it isn't "all news all the time" it is not really an all news station, and loses a lot of its go-to appeal, particularly for traffic reports, and particularly for the younger demos.
It appears the only local talk show on this station will be morning drive weekdays. Sad commentary on the state of spoken word radio, or at least this one station.
On the other hand: In Pittsburgh, Clear Channel has basically the line-up on 104.7 that WKDN will reportedly have after Merlin takes over: local (Rose and Quinn), Beck, Limbaugh, Hannity, Savage, Doyle, Coast to Coast AM. Lots of paid stuff on the weekend it appears from the station's website. yet, the station has a 6.5 in the February monthly compared to KDKA's 7.2. As per usual, Arbitron gives us nothing official about demographics. We can assume both stations skew older ... much of their audience is probably 55+. Clear Channel seems satisfied to allow its FM talk station to keep going this way. Maybe Merlin is just hoping for similar results in Philly: top 6 in the 6+ ratings, within reach of the dominant news/talk station in the market, who cares about the age demos.
On the other hand: In Pittsburgh, Clear Channel has basically the line-up on 104.7 that WKDN will reportedly have after Merlin takes over: local (Rose and Quinn), Beck, Limbaugh, Hannity, Savage, Doyle, Coast to Coast AM. Lots of paid stuff on the weekend it appears from the station's website. yet, the station has a 6.5 in the February monthly compared to KDKA's 7.2. As per usual, Arbitron gives us nothing official about demographics. We can assume both stations skew older ... much of their audience is probably 55+. Clear Channel seems satisfied to allow its FM talk station to keep going this way. Maybe Merlin is just hoping for similar results in Philly: top 6 in the 6+ ratings, within reach of the dominant news/talk station in the market, who cares about the age demos.
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