6/13/2022 Ratings

[101tm]

It is interesting to see Cumulus took years to finally program Q100/Q99.7 correctly but not ROCK 100.5. At this rate it will take them another 5 years to get WNNX right for the Atlanta market.

On another note, WKHX seems to be more right than wrong recently.

For a while, I think a lot of the issues at Q100/99.7 had to do with Cumulus’s top down, hot AC leaning CHR approach that was implemented across EVERY CHR they owned. It was eliminated by the mid-2010s, and subsequently programming decisions were given back to the local markets, but from around 2009-2012/13 I feel this held them back and also led to Power’s CHR launch. When Q went straight CHR was when their fortunes started to improve greatly.

Cumulus recently launched Adult Hits in Oklahoma City. Not a format they do a lot of, but I can’t see how that would do any worse than what’s on 100.5 now. It’s not the strongest signal in the market, but it has potential to do way better than it is now.

 

[SteelReverse]

It is interesting to see Cumulus took years to finally program Q100/Q99.7 correctly but not ROCK 100.5. At this rate it will take them another 5 years to get WNNX right for the Atlanta market.

They're never going to program 100.5 right. The music selection is baffling and the audio processing is awful. It has an unpleasant metallic-type echo to it.

I honestly think it would make sense for Cumulus to reach a deal with Dickey to put The Fan on 100.5 so they can have a decent FM signal.

 

[101tm]

They're never going to program 100.5 right. The music selection is baffling and the audio processing is awful. It has an unpleasant metallic-type echo to it.

I honestly think it would make sense for Cumulus to reach a deal with Dickey to put The Fan on 100.5 so they can have a decent FM signal.

Cumulus has shown willingness to deal large market FM’s fairly recently which we saw with EMF.

I’ve suggested striking a deal with the Dickeys to put 680 on 100.5 before either via a sale or LMA. It’s eventually going to have to move to FM other than a translator to remain viable and remain competitive with 92.9.

 

[SteelReverse]

Cumulus has shown willingness to deal large market FM’s fairly recently which we saw with EMF.

I’ve suggested striking a deal with the Dickeys to put 680 on 100.5 before either via a sale or LMA. It’s eventually going to have to move to FM other than a translator to remain viable and remain competitive with 92.9.

I live 35 miles east of Atlanta and I can't even pick up The Fan's translator on 93.7, especially at night when it gets drowned out by WPEZ, an AC station from Macon. This is exactly why The Fan needs a full-power FM.

 

[secondchoice]

I don't know if the Dickeys and Cumulus get along well enough for The Cloud company to help out the family that led them into bankruptcy. If someone does a move in it could make things interesting. I doubt any of the big clusters would be shape to buy another station. He might be able latch on to WCON which could work on The 104.7 / 106.7 tower. They might have to work a deal with WKCN Fort Benning but it is not impossible. The real question what would be the return on investment.

 

[RoddyFreeman]

Re: Re: 96.7 - I totally agree that is NO signal for regional Mexican (or anything other than urban actually), but I believe it’s more so for iHeart to have a second Spanish language station to sell with 105.7.

Do y'all remember we were anticipating a format change to the Breeze on the 96.7 signal but never happened Good times. *sarcasm*

Yes, Hispanic is not the right format for 96.7. But when you think about it, nothing's the right format. That station is in the shadow of the Atlanta stations and has nowhere near the signal to be competitive.

I never could understand why Clear Channel bought that thing (around 1998). They talked about how it could be upgraded. But from 1,000 watts to 2,100 watts at about the same height? They had a top-notch chief engineer, but I wonder whether they mentioned they were buying it to him.

 

[101tm]

Yes, Hispanic is not the right format for 96.7. But when you think about it, nothing's the right format. That station is in the shadow of the Atlanta stations and has nowhere near the signal to be competitive.

I never could understand why Clear Channel bought that thing (around 1998). They talked about how it could be upgraded. But from 1,000 watts to 2,100 watts at about the same height? They had a top-notch chief engineer, but I wonder whether they mentioned they were buying it to him.

Well, nothing has done well on 96.7 hence the constant simulcasts and call sign changes between different formats. I think the BIGGEST joke was 96.7 The Legend and moving Lite FM to 96.7. That is the wrong signal, once again.

I wonder if it even helped as a fill in for Alt/Radio or Wild - outside of maybe interstate commuting, that signal is not going to work for a non urban format. WRDG did well on there but it did well enough to get moved off. I’m guessing iHeart doesn’t want to let go of a signal they don’t have to in a top 10 market.

Interesting take regarding the Dickeys and Cumulus. I still think at the end of the day, if cumulus needed the money and the Dickeys had the cash, they would sell 100.5 to them if it were on the market. Money is money. Outside of the big players, there isn’t much left on FM. 107.1/102.3? I wonder if Cumulus under the Dickeys control could have sold 100.5 to the Dickeys pre-bankruptcy?

 

[jabba17]

I don't know if the Dickeys and Cumulus get along well enough for The Cloud company to help out the family that led them into bankruptcy. If someone does a move in it could make things interesting. I doubt any of the big clusters would be shape to buy another station. He might be able latch on to WCON which could work on The 104.7 / 106.7 tower. They might have to work a deal with WKCN Fort Benning but it is not impossible. The real question what would be the return on investment.

I've never understood why some big player hasn't gone after WCON 99.3. It's 100kW C1, but probably can't move any closer with 99.7 being a second-adjacent. I wonder if it could move down the dial to 99.1 and move a little closer in or to the west (yes, I know there's a cochannel in Macon).

 

[A_b_m_90]

Yes, Hispanic is not the right format for 96.7. But when you think about it, nothing's the right format. That station is in the shadow of the Atlanta stations and has nowhere near the signal to be competitive.

I never could understand why Clear Channel bought that thing (around 1998). They talked about how it could be upgraded. But from 1,000 watts to 2,100 watts at about the same height? They had a top-notch chief engineer, but I wonder whether they mentioned they were buying it to him.

You're right. No matter what format goes on 96.7 - it won't get the numbers that a regular full-powered FM station would get. Maybe just a station and lead them to an HD subchannel that people can tune to (i.e., 94.9 HD 2/3).

 

[secondchoice]

Yes, Hispanic is not the right format for 96.7. But when you think about it, nothing's the right format. That station is in the shadow of the Atlanta stations and has nowhere near the signal to be competitive.

I never could understand why Clear Channel bought that thing (around 1998). They talked about how it could be upgraded. But from 1,000 watts to 2,100 watts at about the same height? They had a top-notch chief engineer, but I wonder whether they mentioned they were buying it to him.

There was a time Clear Channel was trying to buy EVERY station in the world. (sarcasm). but now:

iHeart could possibly move it to 96.5 and get a waiver for interference from themselves for 96.1. Many years ago, there was a deal between 106.5 in Chattanooga and 106.7. And since they are not in the Chattanooga market anymore, they could work a deal with 96.5 in Chattanooga, or if they couldn’t get cooperation out of Chattanooga, they could go on the 105.3 tower upgrade to a C1 or C2 and either move or make the 96.5 in Gray (Macon) directional which I believe is an iHeart property. Does iHeart need another urban signal?

 

[ShawtyBlack_ATL]

It seems that WHTA and WRDG are splitting the Hip Hop audience in half that we were accustomed to seeing WHTA have to itself in the past. I'm not sure how good that is for profits of either station, but I'm assuming WRDG is still billing more for iHeartMedia than Alternative was on 105.7

Very interesting to see HOT 107.9 decline. At one point they were very dominant in ATL on the hip hop scene. The lineup change and STREETZ 94.5 launching definitely played a part. Ratings may not show it but i can tell you 94.5 has a very large following in the urban scene. 105.3 THE BEAT honestly I don’t listen to very often. Not a huge fan of The Breakfast Club, but they’ve added a new local night show.

 

[gregg75]

Props to The River. I never thought they'd EVER be able to take their format to the top.