92.1 Irwin

[PHIL Z]

I see that Broadcast Communitions Has Applied for a translator on 92.1 ,15 watts for 620. It Looks like the Transmitter is near the Original WBCW 1530 Site.

 

[Parttimer]

Why on earth does that programming need to be on FM?

 

[kenhawk1160]

Why on earth does that programming need to be on FM?

If it means selling one more brokered program, that's all the reason he needs. I never agreed with their business model, but they're making money with that station and from what I've seen, it's a very state-of-the-art facility. Bob has reinvested in it substantially...that's saying a lot for a private owner with pockets not as deep as bigger outfits.

 

[Parttimer]

I guess that's my real question... How does it help his business? I guess its a better pitch than being AM-only, but I don't know how you quantify the value of the translators.

 

[laidback]

Stevens greedily wants to suck up spectrum. 620 has no problem in that area. Matter of fact his 94.1 translator signal isn't much better than the 620 coverage. What's his game ? Keeping LPFM out ? Dr Winer in quadraphonic! With any luck the FCC is wise to his game. I'll be speaking to the congressman on this one.

 

[Rallen1st]

Only thing I see on file at FCC.gov - re: 92.1 Irwin, PA translator was a CP application filed by Broadcast Communications some 10 years ago on March 17, 2003. I can't find anything else on it - if a CP was granted, if it was re-applied for but that's all I'm seeing.

 

[Parttimer]

For Bob I think this is really about exit strategy.

For years, a broker in Florida had a listing that read "Pittsburgh market, 2 AMs, low dial position cash flow positive"...

But it was usually showing an asking price of around $4 mil.

I'd be willing to bet that the plan was to get gobbled up by a Cumulus or someone like that, but not enough FMs have ever been available for the market to make sense (largely because the Frischlings won't sell).

So he keeps building, runs things like KVE dirt cheap, and maybe someday that offer comes along...

 

[kenhawk1160]

For Bob I think this is really about exit strategy.

For years, a broker in Florida had a listing that read "Pittsburgh market, 2 AMs, low dial position cash flow positive"...

But it was usually showing an asking price of around $4 mil.

I'd be willing to bet that the plan was to get gobbled up by a Cumulus or someone like that, but not enough FMs have ever been available for the market to make sense (largely because the Frischlings won't sell).

So he keeps building, runs things like KVE dirt cheap, and maybe someday that offer comes along...

He's up to $4M now? Wow. I remember that asking prices were calculated at nine to twelve times cash flow, depending on market size. But I don't know if that's still the norm. If so, then what he's cash-flowing is pretty damn impressive. But then again, AMs are being sold in the five-figure range, and I'm assuming this is for WKHB and WKFB only, not KVE or the Waynesburg properties.

 

[Parttimer]

For Bob I think this is really about exit strategy.

For years, a broker in Florida had a listing that read "Pittsburgh market, 2 AMs, low dial position cash flow positive"...

But it was usually showing an asking price of around $4 mil.

I'd be willing to bet that the plan was to get gobbled up by a Cumulus or someone like that, but not enough FMs have ever been available for the market to make sense (largely because the Frischlings won't sell).

So he keeps building, runs things like KVE dirt cheap, and maybe someday that offer comes along...

He's up to $4M now? Wow. I remember that asking prices were calculated at nine to twelve times cash flow, depending on market size. But I don't know if that's still the norm. If so, then what he's cash-flowing is pretty damn impressive. But then again, AMs are being sold in the five-figure range, and I'm assuming this is for WKHB and WKFB only, not KVE or the Waynesburg properties.

Assuming it was him, he was asking that much 3-4 years ago. Haven't seen that ad in maybe two years.

 

[KeyTimes950]

If Bob Stevens is seeking 92.1 for Irwin, it probably does wipe out the most likely slot for an LPFM in McKeesport. It also opens his new Calvary Cemetery translator to pull WKVE into the Steel City. In short, kills two birds (or more) with one antenna.

 

[Parttimer]

No, KVE won't work. For a translator to carry an over-the-air station it must be located within that station's city grade contour. It's a different story, I think, if it's carrying an HD-2 or 3 or 4 feed.

 

[xm41]

No, KVE won't work. For a translator to carry an over-the-air station it must be located within that station's city grade contour. It's a different story, I think, if it's carrying an HD-2 or 3 or 4 feed.

Why would a station need a translator within its city grade contour?

 

[PHIL Z]

Only thing I see on file at FCC.gov - re: 92.1 Irwin, PA translator was a CP application filed by Broadcast Communications some 10 years ago on March 17, 2003. I can't find anything else on it - if a CP was granted, if it was re-applied for but that's all I'm seeing.

AN Amenment Application was Applied for on 4/19/2013 Changing Antenna Site, Height and Power. ie 40 20 4.8 north 79 37 9.8 west. Site elevation 373 meters, Tower height 49 meters, power 15 watts.

 

[cingram]

AN Amenment Application was Applied for on 4/19/2013 Changing Antenna Site, Height and Power. ie 40 20 4.8 north 79 37 9.8 west. Site elevation 373 meters, Tower height 49 meters, power 15 watts.

This info is correct. The coordinates point to a communications tower at the end of College Avenue in
Jeannette.

15 watts at 49 meters won't exactly set the world on fire but it might make a good combo with WKFB
and its FM translator.

C.

 

[Parttimer]

No, KVE won't work. For a translator to carry an over-the-air station it must be located within that station's city grade contour. It's a different story, I think, if it's carrying an HD-2 or 3 or 4 feed.

Why would a station need a translator within its city grade contour?

To fill in holes caused by terrain or buildings... Like Froggy's 105.5

 

[xm41]

No, KVE won't work. For a translator to carry an over-the-air station it must be located within that station's city grade contour. It's a different story, I think, if it's carrying an HD-2 or 3 or 4 feed.

Why would a station need a translator within its city grade contour?

To fill in holes caused by terrain or buildings... Like Froggy's 105.5

I would like to take a rocket launcher and blow that Froggy translator right off the side of the tower. How many damn Froggy signals do we need?

 

[Parttimer]

Personally I wish someone would buy out the Keymarket cluster here. With another acquisition or two those signals could support two or three formats.

 

[kenhawk1160]

Personally I wish someone would buy out the Keymarket cluster here. With another acquisition or two those signals could support two or three formats.

Not gonna happen...not anytime soon, anyway. They're very profitable and they have no interest whatsoever in getting out of the business.

 

[kenhawk1160]

This info is correct. The coordinates point to a communications tower at the end of College Avenue in
Jeannette.

15 watts at 49 meters won't exactly set the world on fire but it might make a good combo with WKFB
and its FM translator.

C.

Clarke...is that the old WBCW tower?

 

[Parttimer]

Personally I wish someone would buy out the Keymarket cluster here. With another acquisition or two those signals could support two or three formats.

Not gonna happen...not anytime soon, anyway. They're very profitable and they have no interest whatsoever in getting out of the business.

Yet they had to sell off what was arguably their best signal (at least in terms of covering the city), 98.3 to the K-Love folks at fire sale speed a few years ago.