Alt 92.3

[JeremyAndrews]

They dumbed down the music in recent years. It usually does OK (Top 5 or so) in 18-34. There were periods when they had a 3 share in the 6+ before 2020 but WCHI chipped off some of their older demo. They keep it extremely safe and PPM friendly overall. They play more new music late evenings and overnight. When they brought it back a decade ago, there was a lot going for the format when it came to new music. Emmis was ignoring most of it and cloning KPNT's playlist. Q87.7 actually did better than Q101 did in it's final years. It did very well when they shifted it to the 101.1 signal. Obviously the new music has gone downhill since. The one thing Emmis did right in the last couple years was the morning show. Hubbard is now benefiting from that.

 

[TheBigA]

Now Dubiel is self-financing an independent run for Senate and divesting of properties including Q101 and potentially 1530 WCKG.

Wasn't aware of that.

 

[MarkW]

That is quite the back story, Lance. Many thanks for sharing it.

I agree with Jeremy that Sherman & Tingle are a good morning team. One of the biggest mistakes Emmis made with Q101 was putting the Manno Brothers on the air, and then even more absurdly, keeping them on the air after the playlist shifted to hard edged stuff. One of them sounded pretty good on the air; the other one had no business being on the air at a large or major market radio station (especially one aiming for a testosterone laden image). Their presence ruined Q101's credibility as it tried to reinvent itself as a nu metal leaning station.

Q87.7 was a very good station. P.J. Kling is an excellent PD. Troy Hanson - not so much.

 

[Marcos_C]

I don't see them spending money to buy branding from an online station.

Well, they just did it.

 

[TheBigA]

Well, they just did it

And I still don't see any upside to it in and of itself. The fact that they just parted with the APD/MD might indicate that.

 

[MarkW]

I would love to know the price paid to re-acquire the Q101 IP. If it's anything more than a small sum, Cumulus paid too much.

 

[lanceventa]

And I still don't see any upside to it in and of itself. The fact that they just parted with the APD/MD might indicate that.

Nearly everyone in Chicago knows the station as Q101 still. Now they can actually sell off the brand and the IP.

I would love to know the price paid to re-acquire the Q101 IP. If it's anything more than a small sum, Cumulus paid too much.

If the price I hear is accurate, they did not pay a lot.

 

[macattack]

And I still don't see any upside to it in and of itself. The fact that they just parted with the APD/MD might indicate that.

Thanks for interrogating me last night, by the way.

 

[Theater of My Mind]

I would love to know the price paid to re-acquire the Q101 IP. If it's anything more than a small sum, Cumulus paid too much.

Nearly everyone in Chicago knows the station as Q101 still. Now they can actually sell off the brand and the IP.

If the price I hear is accurate, they did not pay a lot.

Cumulus clearly put a certain value on the brand and held out for their price. They may have had research to help determine that value and validate their decision.

 

[MVB13]

Good news Alt went up in the ratings at a 2.0 from a 1.6