94.7 Updates

[MHVRadiofan]

Re: WFME Format Flip

I just noticed they had a translator 90.5 out in Poughkeepsie, do they still keep that when they land on 106.3 in Westchester?

Yes, it will have no effect as 106.3 does not reach Poughkeepsie, in fact there is a currently silent translator licensed to Poughkeepsie on 106.3. I do not understand the need for the 90.5 translator, actually licensed to Hyde Park, because it serves the area with the same rather weak signal as 91.5 WFRH in Kingston. One Odd thing I can’t figure out 90.5 re-transmits a Family Radio Station out in California (With a waiver from the FCC) rather than WFRH.

 

[xmusicmatt]

Re: WFME Format Flip

(90.5 MHz) W213AC shows to have been translating WFME.. However we know this is not likely the case at this point.

Since 90.5 is in the non commercial band they can easily have it translate via satellite KEAR without any special wavier (main studio only needed for full power licenses not translators).

 

[BarryATL]

Are they still broadcasting WPLJ today (Sunday)? What about work on the transmitter and audio chain?

 

[BarryATL]

Re: WFME Format Flip

That other thread is a bit too long by now. That was more about the future of 94.7 prior to Family Radio leaving WFME - This should be directed more toward what 94.7 will be doing next. I predict in this order 1-Rock 2-Country 3-WABC Talk Format 4-CBS Sports - I was leaning toward Country for the past few weeks but more recently with reports they are applying for WRXP calls though they are still legally WFME at this moment that Rock is more possible than Country. Allan Sniffin's country prediction is still on his board though HE HAD MADE NO PROMISES EITHER. Another Radio Historian is firmly thinking CBS Sports. I think that is maybe 10 % chance. I do not think CBS would put sports on a competitor and competing with WFAN and WFAN FM. But I may be wrong. Still my hope for the sake of the Country Music people is that 94.7 takes a Country format. Also CBS Sports could go to WFAS maybe? Rock to WFAS maybe? Aren't they marketing WFAS as New York City rather than Westchester County? Maybe WFAS takes Country and WFME takes Rock??? So WFAS could be in this equation someplace. They are still AC at this time at least.

All of those ideas/predictions are in the last three pages of the other thread. Better to keep the discussion there than to have several threads talking about the same thing.

 

[luperm]

Are they still broadcasting WPLJ today (Sunday)? What about work on the transmitter and audio chain?

Yes. No changes this morning.

 

[HHH]

One could argue that 94.7 would overlap with 2 suburban country stations as well, Thunder 106.3 and My Country 96.1.

Not really. My Country 96.1 is way out in Sussex county where the 94.7 signal would be very weak to non-existent. Thunder 106's signal doesn't reach much farther north than Middlesex county in NJ. So again, the overlap is on the fringe of this station as well. If you look at coverage maps of WDHA and WFME, the city-grade contours overlap almost exactly (DHA is skewed a bit further west).

My Country 96.1 is in eastern Suffolk not Sussex and 94.7 penetrates a good portion of Suffolk. True Thunder 106 doesn't reach north of Middlesex County but Essex County is an urban industrial county with heavy ethnic populations unlikely to listen to country.

Given alt rock would appeal more to city listeners than country that automatically guarantees more ratings than country regardless of overlap in NJ from WDHA.

I don't think country would get more than a 1.5 in this market.

I think ansky was talking about Cat Country 96.1 in Allentown, which I was able to pick up in the Somerville/Bridgewater area. If country happens to land on 94.7, to me it would feel too cluttered. Yes, the inner city is not able to pick up Country, but at the same time the ones who listen to Country only commute to the city for work, whereas when they go back home Country is served to them via Thunder, Cat, My Country, Kicks (to a degree). I was able to pull Thunder 106 from Bay Ridge, Brooklyn. Listening to Country while driving the streets of Brooklyn really feels awkward. :-X

"Yes, the inner city is not able to pick up Country, but at the same time the ones who listen to Country only commute to the city for work"

I can't believe that no one who lives east of the Hudson likes country music! Especially, today's brand of country, which is hardly twangy and more rock and roll than anything else.

 

[LenoxAve]

"Yes, the inner city is not able to pick up Country, but at the same time the ones who listen to Country only commute to the city for work"

I can't believe that no one who lives east of the Hudson likes country music! Especially, today's brand of country, which is hardly twangy and more rock and roll than anything else.

I would bet that these people who are dooming the country format, regardless of whether or not it is the final one Cumulus decides on, are basing it on their own stereotypes and likely have little to no research to back it up. Seeing as country music has changed immensely over the past few years, I think it would be a very viable format which would pull more than the "maximum 1.5 share" that someone in this thread stated. Besides, a country station hasn't been heard in the city proper, or most of the outlying Jersey suburbs, for over a decade.

That being said, whether they go with alternative or country, which I'm guessing are the two finalists, I think either station would have a shot to succeed if executed properly. It's all about execution. If alternative, go Radio 104.5-style in Philly. If country, go the way of WKLB Boston, WPOC Baltimore or WXTU Philly. Not the rough around the edges mish-mosh country/rock format on Thunder 106 down the shore.

Only one thing left to do... wait and see although the rampant speculation is fun to read. Nothing is definite yet, regardless of call letters, simulcasts, processing, etc. We'll know soon enough.

 

[d21ofnj]

"Yes, the inner city is not able to pick up Country, but at the same time the ones who listen to Country only commute to the city for work"

I can't believe that no one who lives east of the Hudson likes country music! Especially, today's brand of country, which is hardly twangy and more rock and roll than anything else.

I would bet that these people who are dooming the country format, regardless of whether or not it is the final one Cumulus decides on, are basing it on their own stereotypes and likely have little to no research to back it up. Seeing as country music has changed immensely over the past few years, I think it would be a very viable format which would pull more than the "maximum 1.5 share" that someone in this thread stated. Besides, a country station hasn't been heard in the city proper, or most of the outlying Jersey suburbs, for over a decade.

That being said, whether they go with alternative or country, which I'm guessing are the two finalists, I think either station would have a shot to succeed if executed properly. It's all about execution. If alternative, go Radio 104.5-style in Philly. If country, go the way of WKLB Boston, WPOC Baltimore or WXTU Philly. Not the rough around the edges mish-mosh country/rock format on Thunder 106 down the shore.

Only one thing left to do... wait and see although the rampant speculation is fun to read. Nothing is definite yet, regardless of call letters, simulcasts, processing, etc. We'll know soon enough.

In all honesty, I would LOVE for 94.7 to go EDM. 8)

 

[wprt949]

In all honesty, I would LOVE for 94.7 to go EDM. 8)
[/quote]

And how much revenue would the station take in from and edm format ?

Zero and that's why it won't happen

 

[XCountry285]

With the WRXP call letters and having syndicated Matt Pinfield I can imagine that Cumulus is going for alternative. I hope it's known as New Rock 94.7 and its strictly RXP 2.0 and NOT the trainwreck RXP 1.0. I hope its like an alternative station like Radio 104.5 or WRRV.

 

[UncleBozzle]

Might there be a chance that WPLJ will evolve to a more "modern rock" format, similar to "Radio 104.5" in Philly? It would still be a female leaning station, but could also reclaim it's rock roots. 103.9 could possibly pick up where WPLJ left off and 94.7 would cement the female leaning wall with "New Country". I just don't see another Sports format on FM. Perhaps the national programming initiative Cumulus has in mind is a "Modern Rock" format with 95.5 in New York and 95.5 in LA as it's flagship's. I'm sure i could be wrong, but food for thought none the less.

 

[ansky212]

With the WRXP call letters and having syndicated Matt Pinfield I can imagine that Cumulus is going for alternative. I hope it's known as New Rock 94.7 and its strictly RXP 2.0 and NOT the trainwreck RXP 1.0. I hope its like an alternative station like Radio 104.5 or WRRV.

I don't see why they would want to be associated with the WRXP call letters. The old WRXP had the rock format twice and they took rock away both times. Why would any new station playing alternative want to be associated with that??

 

[Marckd]

Why would WFME take WRXP calls and format after it has failed twice??? Well really once - The second WRXP went to a 2.0 from a .6 and another book would havce brought it up even more. It was CBS stepping in with WFAN FM on 101.9 that caused WRXP to shut down the second time. So it has a shot. Still I think Country is a strong possability. For the sake of country fans I am hoping for Country and for the sake of rock fans I am hoping for Rock. I really do not want to see sports or Rush on 94.7.

 

[UncleBozzle]

Agreed. I think Modern Rock or Country is a Win/Win regardless. At least this is a company who knows how to do both formats quite well. My bet is on country though. The cloud company didn't spend $40 million on this station to put Sports or Talk on it. What moniker do they use for a country station though? Could they put the WABC-FM calls on it? "America's Best Country"? Similar to CBS Radio's Country station in Chicago....US 99. Or could the WRXP calls be used as "Rocking Country"? Fun to speculate....lol.

 

[XCountry285]

I got a feeling it's going to be alternative with those call letters. Maybe country on 103.9 to pair with 105.5 or swap 105.5 with 103.9?

 

[XCountry285]

Could they move 103.9 into NYC or will that interfer with 104.1 in CT and PA slightly and become too close to 103.9 in Philly as well & interfer with KTU and WNNJ & 103.7 in Atlantic City?

 

[UncleBozzle]

I wouldn't object, just as many wouldn't. Though as they have said, those call letters could be for another station someplace else. Wasn't it Merlin that applied for the WYNY call letters when they bought 101.9? We see where that went. I suppose they could do Country with the WRXP call letters, 94.7RXP...kind of like 92.5XTU in Philly. The WXTU calls are left over from their previous flirtation with disco in the early 80's. I'm pretty sure people don't pay much attention to call letters these day's.

 

[UncleBozzle]

I guess there could be 100's of angles to this story....lol.

 

[MoldaMania182]

With the WRXP call letters and having syndicated Matt Pinfield I can imagine that Cumulus is going for alternative. I hope it's known as New Rock 94.7 and its strictly RXP 2.0 and NOT the trainwreck RXP 1.0. I hope its like an alternative station like Radio 104.5 or WRRV.

I don't see why they would want to be associated with the WRXP call letters. The old WRXP had the rock format twice and they took rock away both times. Why would any new station playing alternative want to be associated with that??

Based on some very offline comments that were made to me this weekend, I'm flipping my 60/30/10% chance of country/rock/else to to 60/40 rock/country, but certainly still not written in stone.

I don't think the Matt Pinfield syndication has anything to do with it, Flashback is classic rock. Cumulus has an opportunity to do something a little different here. First RXP has only been gone a little over two months, people were very positive on it, and their facebook page is still pretty active. Second it's not like flipping 92.3 for 101.x for the 80th time, for 97% of people they're essentially creating a 'new' station here entirely which would feel more credible. If this is where it goes it will be interesting to see how much tie in to the past it gets; is it hey we 'saved RXP for you NY' or is a new product under a familiar flag to attract attention to formerly non existant frequency.

 

[UncleBozzle]

You might be on to something Average Joe. Something, anything would bring attention to this long bypassed frequency. Too bad they won't let Scott Shannon have some fun with this signal until the end product is known.