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All-News Radio Coming To Fort Myers

DToTheJ

DToTheJ

Meanwhile, we are coming up on the one-year period that Meridian Broadcasting said that they would simulcast the news/talk programming on AM 1240/1270 on "Fox News 92.5." Is it possible that Fort Myers Broadcasting could have spoiled Meridian's future plans for their AM stations? Think about it, they could have launched all-news radio in Fort Myers at any time. Of course, without the resources of WINK, any effort Meridian would have put forth for their own all-news station probably would not be that successful. So I guess you can look for 1240/1270 to pick up FSR next month, at the earliest...
 
DToTheJ said:
Meanwhile, we are coming up on the one-year period that Meridian Broadcasting said that they would simulcast the news/talk programming on AM 1240/1270 on "Fox News 92.5." Is it possible that Fort Myers Broadcasting could have spoiled Meridian's future plans for their AM stations? Think about it, they could have launched all-news radio in Fort Myers at any time. Of course, without the resources of WINK, any effort Meridian would have put forth for their own all-news station probably would not be that successful. So I guess you can look for 1240/1270 to pick up FSR next month, at the earliest...
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Don't forget that Fort Myers/Meridian are the same people. While it is listed as two separate companies for legal purposes it is one and the same for all intents and purposes. I assuming that there is a long range plan on what to do with 1240/1270, at least I hope so. It will be interesting to see just what Fort Myers/Meridian has planned next. As you said we are coming up to close to a year with the "triple cast" of Fox News Radio on 92.5/1240/1270. Surely they don't intend to keep three stations running the same thing.

Sad to see Fox Sports go away as it provided a nice alternative to ESPN Sports on 770AM. But I know the ratings have not been good with Fox Sports so I guess they decided to move on. Actually I was kind of expecting them to do some sort of news programing on 1240/1270 in time but I guess that won't happen now.
 
swfl said:
As you said we are coming up to close to a year with the "triple cast" of Fox News Radio on 92.5/1240/1270. Surely they don't intend to keep three stations running the same thing...
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The "trimulcast" started in mid-September of last year. If Meridian/Fort Myers can't think of another viable option for 1240/1270, at least there will now be the option of FSR. At least sports radio has the potential to bring a lot of advertising revenue to radio stations.

What I don't understand is that if Meridian and FMB are one and the same, how come they decided not to put the new all-news format modeled after WINK News on 1240/1270? My guess is that the reach of 1200/1460 is stronger. And I imagine there probably would not be a lot of arm-twisting over moving the WINK-AM call letters from 1240 to 1200...
 
DToTheJ said:
swfl said:
As you said we are coming up to close to a year with the "triple cast" of Fox News Radio on 92.5/1240/1270. Surely they don't intend to keep three stations running the same thing...
Click to expand...

The "trimulcast" started in mid-September of last year. If Meridian/Fort Myers can't think of another viable option for 1240/1270, at least there will now be the option of FSR. At least sports radio has the potential to bring a lot of advertising revenue to radio stations.

What I don't understand is that if Meridian and FMB are one and the same, how come they decided not to put the new all-news format modeled after WINK News on 1240/1270? My guess is that the reach of 1200/1460 is stronger. And I imagine there probably would not be a lot of arm-twisting over moving the WINK-AM call letters from 1240 to 1200...
Click to expand...

I believe that your thought process is correct on why they are choosing to place the news format on 1200/1460. 1200 is 10,000 watts DT where as 1240 is 1,000 watts. As far as 1460 it operates with 7,000 watts as compared to 1270's 5.000 watts so the coverage area will be better with that pair than it would be with 1240/1270. Now the big question is just what are the planning for 1240/1270. I also would not be surprised to see the WINK calls mover over to 1200 so they could market that well known name on the stronger signal.
 
Also, 1200 has a CP for 50kw days.
The 1240/1270/93.5 trimulcast is a waste of electricity.
 
DToTheJ said:
And I imagine there probably would not be a lot of arm-twisting over moving the WINK-AM call letters from 1240 to 1200...
Click to expand...

swfl said:
I also would not be surprised to see the WINK calls mover over to 1200 so they could market that well known name on the stronger signal.
Click to expand...

It was done before in the late 90s.
 
JayR said:
DToTheJ said:
And I imagine there probably would not be a lot of arm-twisting over moving the WINK-AM call letters from 1240 to 1200...
Click to expand...

swfl said:
I also would not be surprised to see the WINK calls mover over to 1200 so they could market that well known name on the stronger signal.
Click to expand...

It was done before in the late 90s.
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Yes it was done for a while back in the 90's after they bought 1200. For some reason though the switched WINK back to 1240 and converted 1200 into a Spanish format for a couple of years until they started up the Fox Sports thing.
 
I did notice that the website for 1240/1270 has been taken down completely. I suspect that is a sign that they are finally ready to end that silly trimulcast. It would not surprise me at all to see Fox sports on those stations in the near future. I am not sure what else they could use them for otherwise. About the only other thing would be some sort of second tier talkers are some sort of ethnic programing.
 
swfl said:
It would not surprise me at all to see Fox sports on those stations in the near future. I am not sure what else they could use them for otherwise. About the only other thing would be some sort of second tier talkers or [sic] some sort of ethnic programing.
Click to expand...

Bird-fed music format? Just set it and forget it! :D

But as previously mentioned, if they want to make some money, sports is where it's at.
 
DToTheJ said:
swfl said:
It would not surprise me at all to see Fox sports on those stations in the near future. I am not sure what else they could use them for otherwise. About the only other thing would be some sort of second tier talkers or [sic] some sort of ethnic programing.
Click to expand...

Bird-fed music format? Just set it and forget it! :D

But as previously mentioned, if they want to make some money, sports is where it's at.
Click to expand...

Your idea of bird fed music is not too far out either. Whatever it is I can pretty much guarantee it will be something that is easy and cheap to throw together and run.
 
Speaking of News Radio in the Fort Myers/Naples market WCNZ 1660 was all news for awhile 2001 through 2005. Toward the end of " Newsradio 1660 " they filled whole weekends with news only.

You have to wonder if the launch of all local news web radio SWFLlocalnews.com at Naples a few months ago might have scared these guys into doing it over the air.

It's gonna cost them alot to produce this thing especially since 1460 can't be heard inmost of Naples at night.
 
CaptBob92 said:
Speaking of News Radio in the Fort Myers/Naples market WCNZ 1660 was all news for awhile 2001 through 2005. Toward the end of " Newsradio 1660 " they filled whole weekends with news only.

You have to wonder if the launch of all local news web radio SWFLlocalnews.com at Naples a few months ago might have scared these guys into doing it over the air.

It's gonna cost them alot to produce this thing especially since 1460 can't be heard inmost of Naples at night.
Click to expand...

I have no doubt that swfllocalnews.com more than likely pushed the WINK people into moving into the all news format. While I like this idea it will be interesting to see if the format will make it due to the cost of running it. The big thing that might save them on costs is they will be using the existing news staff from their TV station and the two local papers.

Another thing I see is that they will be marketing this as WINK Newsradio so I expect to see the WINK AM calls moved over to 1200.
 
I wish them the very best of luck in bringing Southwest Florida an All News radio outlet. Utilizing the news resources of WINK-TV and the two local newspapers is sure to be an invaluable asset in pulling it off. I'm happy to see someone willing to make the necessary investment as well as take the risk in creating a real all news radio outlet for the Southwest Florida area.
 
jmtillery said:
I wish them the very best of luck in bringing Southwest Florida an All News radio outlet...
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And to do it in a small market, when compared to the markets in which all-news stations currently exist, they'll need all the luck they can get... but I'll join those well-wishers in doing so. I hope they stream online.
 
JayR said:
Who at Radio-Info posted this?

WINK-TV brings all news to Naples radio on three signals, August 2

Naples, Florida will have a new, all news radio outlet starting August 2. WINK (1290),...
Click to expand...

1290? WINK is 1200. The other AM is WNOG 1270.
Click to expand...

WINK AM is currently 1240 and WPTK is currently 1200. WPTK is the station that will be switching to all news along with WNPL 1460 branded as Wink News Radio. It is assumed that the WINK calls will move over to 1200 but that is not official.

No one knows for sure what is to become of the current WINK/1240 or WNOG/1270.
 
JayR said:
Who at Radio-Info posted this?

Naples, Florida will have a new, all news radio outlet starting August 2. WINK (1290),...
Click to expand...

1290? WINK is 1200. The other AM is WNOG 1270.
Click to expand...

Don't feel bad. In Tom Taylor's newsletter, he had "sinned" that it would be a three-station news simulcast - with WINK 1240 along with 1200 and 1460. I think the speculation on the call letters moving from 1240 to 1200 threw him off a bit...

Anyway, here's what the format wheel for the new station is going to look like:
http://www.rbr.com/radio/25874.html

PD Chad Rufer says it will consist of: "CNN Radio News and local news at the top and bottom of every hour, Marketwatch.com business update at :20 and :50 every hour, WINK News Sports at :15 and :45 and even traffic and weather together every 10 minutes on the :8’s during the day."

I like how he says "even traffic and weather," as if it's not a top priority in that area. And I get the whole "on the (insert number here)'s" deal, but why the odd number of 8? Is it to accommodate the CNN TOH newscasts?
 
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