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Another Possibility For WBIG??

J

Joseph_Gallant

Guest
If WBIG-100.3 is going to "blow up" it's longtime oldies format, it may be to talk but not necessarily sports talk.

WBIG owner Clear Channel has launched FM talk stations in Pittsburgh (about a year ago) and Minneapolis/St. Paul (in January). With CC being the parent company of Premiere Networks, the top syndicator of radio talk shows, CC was able to yank Rush Limbaugh off of other stations in those markets and onto their FM talkers.

Although CC does have WTNT-570 in the market, which carries most of Premiere's shows (except Rush Limbaugh and "Coast To Coast", both of which are on WMAL-630), it's signal (like nearly all AM signals in the market) misses much of the area west of the District, areas that have been "built-up" over the last four decades.

Could CC decide to flip WBIG to talk, perhaps to a simulcast of WTNT, moving Rush and "Coast To Coast" off of WMAL?? It would improve the reach of WTNT/Premiere programming in the fast-growing areas of Virginia located to the west of the District.

But flipping WBIG to a simuilcast of WTEM-980 is indeed also a possibility; WTEM has the same signal problems (especially at night) that almost all AM stations in the area have.
 
Re: Or maybe......

> "La Preciosa".....:)
>

IIRC, DC doesn't have the large Mexican-based Hispanic population that would be needed for La Preciosa to take off. From a quick search on the Census database, the city of Washington's Hispanic population is only 11% Mexican.

I'm with Joe that CC will launch a mainstream talker in DC on 100.3; it just seems to be the choice with the most potential. Baltimore is also a likely market for a CC talker, though both WPOC and WSMJ don't appear to be doing poorly. I'd highly doubt that such a format would appear at WAXQ as he was suggesting in another thread on another board, but FM talk appears to be Clear Channel's strategy in the coming months.
 
Re: Or maybe......

> > "La Preciosa".....:)
> >
>
> IIRC, DC doesn't have the large Mexican-based Hispanic
> population that would be needed for La Preciosa to take off.
> From a quick search on the Census database, the city of
> Washington's Hispanic population is only 11% Mexican.
>
> I'm with Joe that CC will launch a mainstream talker in DC
> on 100.3; it just seems to be the choice with the most
> potential. Baltimore is also a likely market for a CC
> talker, though both WPOC and WSMJ don't appear to be doing
> poorly. I'd highly doubt that such a format would appear at
> WAXQ as he was suggesting in another thread on another
> board, but FM talk appears to be Clear Channel's strategy in
> the coming months.

To really estimate the hispanic population, you have to look market wide. Herndon and Falls Church have large hispanic populations, and remember, illegals may not count in the census, but they do count at the store.

CC is still on a mission to increase hispanic listenership with La Preciosa. They're careful to define La Preciosa as a Spanish language format, not a Mexican format. In some places where they put the format, it's more of a reaction to Cuban audience figures, not Mexican.
 
La Preciosa

> To really estimate the hispanic population, you have to look
> market wide. Herndon and Falls Church have large hispanic
> populations, and remember, illegals may not count in the
> census, but they do count at the store.
>
> CC is still on a mission to increase hispanic listenership
> with La Preciosa. They're careful to define La Preciosa as a
> Spanish language format, not a Mexican format. In some
> places where they put the format, it's more of a reaction to
> Cuban audience figures, not Mexican.

I would say the large majority of places where La Preciosa is succeeding have Mexican-based Hispanic populations, and the stations that La Preciosa steals from are Regional Mexican stations. As far as I know, there are no La Preciosa stations east of the Mississippi, so that should tell you something.

Markets with heavy Cuban population, like Miami, have received CC's "Mega" Hurban format instead. I don't see La Preciosa debuting in a market that can't even support Regional Mexican music on FM. The Mexican population here is small when compared to other Hispanic populations, like the Salvadoran population.
 
Re: La Preciosa

> I would say the large majority of places where La Preciosa
> is succeeding have Mexican-based Hispanic populations, and
> the stations that La Preciosa steals from are Regional
> Mexican stations. As far as I know, there are no La
> Preciosa stations east of the Mississippi, so that should
> tell you something.

That's a good point. However, La Preciosa is still a fairly new format, and it's a big cost saver since it's really more like a syndicated network service.

> Markets with heavy Cuban population, like Miami, have
> received CC's "Mega" Hurban format instead. I don't see La
> Preciosa debuting in a market that can't even support
> Regional Mexican music on FM. The Mexican population here
> is small when compared to other Hispanic populations, like
> the Salvadoran population.

This is what CC has to say about La Preciosa:

Spanish-language Formats Winning Over Target Audiences

San Antonio, Texas, February 9, 2006 - Clear Channel Radio announced today
that its Spanish-language formatted stations posted another stellar ratings
period in the Fall 2005 Arbitron book. In fact, in less than one year on
the air with a Spanish-language format, many of the radio stations are
performing extremely well, especially among their target demographic.



For example, in Dallas, KEGL-FM, which launched the La Preciosa format in
August of 2005, defeated long-time leaders KLNO-FM and KESS-FM in its target
audience of adults 25-54. The station even grabbed 20% of the overall
Hispanic audience share for the Fall book and now ranks #1 among
Spanish-language stations in the market.



"There continues to be a growing appetite for Spanish-language radio
formats," said Alfredo Alonso, SVP of Hispanic Radio, Clear Channel Radio.
"Clear Channel Radio is not only looking to launch Spanish-language radio in
markets that are underserved, but it is also committed to airing formats
that cater to the many demographics inside of the diverse and growing
Hispanic community."
 
Maybe Not La Preciosa But El Capitol??

Perhaps Washington may not see La Presciosa, but may see another kind of Spanish-language format on what is now WBIG-100.3.

But I also think an FM talker with Pemiere Network shows is still a more likely possibility, given that nearly all of Washington's AM stations have signals (especially at night) that miss the fast-growing areas west of the District.

Who knows? Maybe CC will soon launch both a Spanish-language station and a talk station on the Wasshington FM dial.
 
Re: La Preciosa

As far as I know, there are no La
> Preciosa stations east of the Mississippi, so that should
> tell you something.

94.5 in Greensboro, NC. recently flipped from rhythmic "The Beat" to "La Preciosa"
 
Re: Maybe Not La Preciosa But El Capitol??

> Perhaps Washington may not see La Presciosa, but may see
> another kind of Spanish-language format on what is now
> WBIG-100.3.
>
> But I also think an FM talker with Pemiere Network shows is
> still a more likely possibility, given that nearly all of
> Washington's AM stations have signals (especially at night)
> that miss the fast-growing areas west of the District.
>
> Who knows? Maybe CC will soon launch both a Spanish-language
> station and a talk station on the Wasshington FM dial.
>
I still don't think they are going to flip and cc is not mean enough to oversaturate the market with another talk station<P ID="signature">______________
http://natedoggairchecks.6x.to/
sfradio (at) gmail (dot) com</P>
 
Re: Maybe Not La Preciosa But El Capitol??

> I still don't think they are going to flip and cc is not
> mean enough to oversaturate the market with another talk
> station

I wouldn't put it past them.

However, with the Mega simulcast about to switch to sports, would it make more sense for CC to also switch WBIG to sports, or go with a Spanish language format?
 
Re: Maybe Not La Preciosa But El Capitol??

> > I still don't think they are going to flip and cc is not
> > mean enough to oversaturate the market with another talk
> > station
>
> I wouldn't put it past them.
>
> However, with the Mega simulcast about to switch to sports,
> would it make more sense for CC to also switch WBIG to
> sports, or go with a Spanish language format?
>

There is already WLZL-99.1 (the old 'HFS) doing a Spanish format. It's not exactly a big ratings winner, and it completely lost Baltimore. The Mega rimshots doing Spanish language have pretty much no listeners now that 99.1 signed on. I don't think that CC would flip 100.3 to Spanish just based on how well the other Spanish language stations are doing. My bet is sports/talk over anything else.
 
Re: Maybe Not La Preciosa But El Capitol??

> There is already WLZL-99.1 (the old 'HFS) doing a Spanish
> format. It's not exactly a big ratings winner, and it
> completely lost Baltimore. The Mega rimshots doing Spanish
> language have pretty much no listeners now that 99.1 signed
> on. I don't think that CC would flip 100.3 to Spanish just
> based on how well the other Spanish language stations are
> doing. My bet is sports/talk over anything else.

the logic in this post and others in the thread is hard to deny. I have to agree, it's probaby not going to be Spanish formatted.

I think we're looking at a classic hits presentation.
 
Re: Maybe Not La Preciosa But El Capitol??

> > There is already WLZL-99.1 (the old 'HFS) doing a Spanish
> > format. It's not exactly a big ratings winner, and it
> > completely lost Baltimore. The Mega rimshots doing
> Spanish
> > language have pretty much no listeners now that 99.1
> signed
> > on. I don't think that CC would flip 100.3 to Spanish
> just
> > based on how well the other Spanish language stations are
> > doing. My bet is sports/talk over anything else.
>
> the logic in this post and others in the thread is hard to
> deny. I have to agree, it's probaby not going to be Spanish
> formatted.
>
> I think we're looking at a classic hits presentation.
>
yeah I agree with you their, they might also swithch to an "greatest hits of the 70's and 80's" type format<P ID="signature">______________
http://natedoggairchecks.6x.to/
sfradio (at) gmail (dot) com</P>
 
Re: Maybe Not La Preciosa But El Capitol??

The word from DCRTV.com is "a modified classic rock format"
Sure sounds exciting doesn't it?


There is already WLZL-99.1 (the old 'HFS) doing a
> Spanish
> > > format. It's not exactly a big ratings winner, and it
> > > completely lost Baltimore. The Mega rimshots doing
> > Spanish
> > > language have pretty much no listeners now that 99.1
> > signed
> > > on. I don't think that CC would flip 100.3 to Spanish
> > just
> > > based on how well the other Spanish language stations
> are
> > > doing. My bet is sports/talk over anything else.
> >
> > the logic in this post and others in the thread is hard to
>
> > deny. I have to agree, it's probaby not going to be
> Spanish
> > formatted.
> >
> > I think we're looking at a classic hits presentation.
> >
> yeah I agree with you their, they might also swithch to an
> "greatest hits of the 70's and 80's" type format
> <P ID="signature">______________
Norm Rosen
</P>
 
Re: Maybe "The Bar" ....

Maybe they are picking up that classic rock/country format.
 
Re: Maybe "The Bar" ....

You mean that Thunder Country format?
Maybe, but not likely.
Clear Channel is good at keeping their holdings in the black, but never
being creative in their programming,and certainly not musical selection.
What I'd like to hear is a blues/classic rock hybrid

Maybe they are picking up that classic rock/country format.
> <P ID="signature">______________
Norm Rosen
</P>
 
Maybe

Not creative in their Programming?

What about unusual stations like The Brew in Milwaukee & Columbus, their Variety Hits stations in Louisville, Des Moines and Columbia? What about WTKS, that wierd but winning hot talk in Florida? And those are just a few that come to mind.

If you want to talk about "never being creative", you should talk about Cox, Cumulus and Citadel. At least CC and, lately (with Jack and Free FM) CBS take chances.


> Clear Channel is good at keeping their holdings in the
> black, but never being creative in their programming,and certainly not
> musical selection. What I'd like to hear is a blues/classic rock hybrid
>
> Maybe they are picking up that classic rock/country format.
>
> >
>
 
Re: Maybe

> Not creative in their Programming?
>
> What about unusual stations like The Brew in Milwaukee &
> Columbus, their Variety Hits stations in Louisville, Des
> Moines and Columbia? What about WTKS, that wierd but
> winning hot talk in Florida? And those are just a few that
> come to mind.
>
> If you want to talk about "never being creative", you should
> talk about Cox, Cumulus and Citadel. At least CC and,
> lately (with Jack and Free FM) CBS take chances.

Citadel may not be creative in launching stations, but I have to give them some respect for purchasing and not screwing up one of my favorites:

The Whale
 
WBIG Might stay BIG....

When I think "modified classic rock", I think of BIG 105-9 in Miami, a classic hits-leaning station. Perhaps they will do something similar with DC's Big to keep the younger end of their current audience.

Radio-X<P ID="signature">______________
Formerly shocking, rocking, and angering the R-I community as radiodxrichmond!</P>
 
Or maybe...

What about AAA?

I had thought this might be a move somebody would consider making. Of course, I thought this three years ago. I don't know about it now, but it sounds more promising than the other alternatives laid out in this thread.
 
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