1120 AM format flip coming

[ThePickleReport]

I'm not sure this was alluded to during the announcement of WHLD going all-gospel, but the article in the Buffalo News tonight says "WBBF, also owned by Citadel, is changing over to a different format next week." For some reason, I thought they were going to simulcast the two and occasionally break away on one station for other programs. My bad.

Any idea on what 1120 will switch to?

Here is the entire article for those of you who might have missed it today;

http://www.buffalonews.com/editorial/20061229/1012571.asp

 

[Philip_Airtime]

I received a news release shortly after the WHLD changeover that mentioned WBBF AM 1120 will be the region's first all Spanish station. I suppose we'll soon find out if that's true.

 

[raymond_shaw]

I received a news release shortly after the WHLD changeover that mentioned WBBF AM 1120 will be the region's first all Spanish station. I suppose we'll soon find out if that's true.

Interesting. I also noticed thir format change announcement on the WHLD website:

As a small consolation we will still carry Democracy Now on WHLD at 1 PM and in the coming days on WBBF AM 1120 in the mornings, check back here for more details.

Time will tell.

 

[MarcB]

Citadel has a Spanish Station in New London, CT. Caliente 980 WSUB Groton. It's 1KW day/72 watts at night and runs a tropical format. Previously it was Spanish AC Magia 980 and before that it struggled as talk, ESPN, and talk again. It's being programmed by a Hispanic DJ from their FM CHR station Q-105.5 FM.

 

[ThePickleReport]

I received a news release shortly after the WHLD changeover that mentioned WBBF AM 1120 will be the region's first all Spanish station.

That would make sense. It's a niche not being filled and it's only a daytimer after all---it wouldn't make sense to try a mainstream format on it.

 

[caveman-97]

The stations call letters need to be switched to WWOL. They programming goes to pop standards. The afternoon jock should be named Guy King.

 

[Mike Sheridan]

The question is: Is the Spanish population in Buffalo large enough to support a station? Then what format? Spanish is a language not a format. Oldies, news, A/C what kind of Spanish format would lure the most listeners?

 

[Bob1370]

There is a significant Spanish-speaking population in Buffalo, has been for years, concentrated on the city's west side. Maybe it's enough to support a fulltime station. I don't know if 1120 is the best frequency for it (If I were running the new Regent Buffalo cluster I'd seriously consider it as a format to replace the zero-rated classic country on 1230).

But the market that's probably most ready for a Spanish-language station is Rochester, where the Hispanic population is growing even faster and has already reached critical mass to support a fulltime station. At this stage you'd pick a mainstream full-service Spanish language popular music format that might have cross-generational appeal, and daypart the music (softer and more adult by day, more up-tempo and youth-oriented at night) and have plenty of news and information especially in drive times.

I think one of the FMs to be spun off by Entercom this year in its purchase of the former CBS properties will be the best candidate for Rochester's first Spanish language station.