About the WCUL/MainQuad cluster being sold

[Radio-X]

Rumors have been "flying" about Infinity, Cox, or CC purchasing the cluster...

Just a couple of problems...

1) Infinity is trying to re-focus towards their large (ranked 25 and below) market clusters. So...I doubt Infinity would move here...I would think they might purchase Sinclair's cluster in Norfolk before purchasing MQ.

2) CC is at their limit*

3) Cox is at their limit*

* I must caveat this...in many clusters, they have paid lawyers big buck$ to convince the FCC that stations NOT licenced to a market-city (ex: Chester) are ONLY serving their COL. Therefore, Radio One might purchase the cluster...only one of their FM's are licenced to Richmond. Cox might, but it would be a big headache...

My 5 bets...

1) Saga
2) Cumulus
3) Emmis
4) NextMedia
5) Entercom

What say you?

Radio-X

 

[Dan_Evans]

Radio, I am thinking Saga, Entercom or Sinclair. Four really good formats out there that we can play with up here that are NOT here at this time. Rhythmic Contemporary Hit Radio, BOB, AAA and Active Rock. Active would give the X and Y101 a serious run for the money, because Active is slightly more diverse. Rhythmic could be a good choice, if done correctly. When Q94 did it, they were so busy catering to the top 40 crowd, the ratings were hit hard. Face it, a lot of oldies stations are going BOB(the first name format). WPYA was a sleeper that no one saw coming to getting popular, so they moved it to 93.7 and it appears to be doing ok for that market. AAA has been a favorite of mine since college, and I listen to that type of format at work. WVGO was AAA after oldies but before Stern, and frankly it was the best station in town.

I think if WCUL stays on all of today and goes into tomorrow without leaving the air, it might be a sign of the station staying on. I could see it now, instead of the usual This is WCUL, Midlothian-Richmond, you will soon see, it will change to, Coming Monday, a new station and new sound to Richmond, stay tuned. Issue is, the testing on the weekends ends on Sunday night and then you wait sometimes 2 weeks for them to come back on. But for now, I do look for a entire sell, with 98.9 signing on and off, testing the signal out from time to time, just to tease though. Expect a full move in by I am hoping later this year.

We have to bear one thing in mind folks, last thing here. The FCC has to approve the sale of this cluster, so it could be a long wait. Well, talk to you guys later, WCUL is on and playing the go-go's after Ring of Fire (Johnny Cash's version, not Nirvana Unplugged).




> Rumors have been "flying" about Infinity, Cox, or CC
> purchasing the cluster...
>
> Just a couple of problems...
>
> 1) Infinity is trying to re-focus towards their large
> (ranked 25 and below) market clusters. So...I doubt Infinity
> would move here...I would think they might purchase
> Sinclair's cluster in Norfolk before purchasing MQ.
>
> 2) CC is at their limit*
>
> 3) Cox is at their limit*
>
> * I must caveat this...in many clusters, they have paid
> lawyers big buck$ to convince the FCC that stations NOT
> licenced to a market-city (ex: Chester) are ONLY serving
> their COL. Therefore, Radio One might purchase the
> cluster...only one of their FM's are licenced to Richmond.
> Cox might, but it would be a big headache...
>
> My 5 bets...
>
> 1) Saga
> 2) Cumulus
> 3) Emmis
> 4) NextMedia
> 5) Entercom
>
> What say you?
>
> Radio-X
>