It has been quite a year in the wonderful world of radio. The sale of CBS stations and events at Clear Channel just to name a few things that occurred in 2006. Anyone care to make predictions for the Buffalo/Rochester market for the coming New Year?
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Any Early Predictions For 2007?
- Thread starter The Voice of Reason
- Start date
B
Bob1370
Guest
Several thoughts...
First, Buffalo.
--Among the first stations to flip will be the station now known as Jack at 92.9. Assuming it doesn't enjoy a miraculous ratings spike over the winter, Regent will be looking for a way to get more out of a Class C1 signal that has underperformed ratings-wise and revenue-wise ever since Lincoln Broadcasting sold it off eons ago.
CBS was wedded to Jack as a national format they were trying to get traction with. But the combination of Jack's failure everywhere but LA, and the departure of the company whose baby it was, means it hasn't got anyone to fight for it in Buffalo any more.
--WHTT, WJYE and WTSS will continue to bloody each other while fighting over essentially the same audience. But WHTT might do well to let a little more 60s classic rock and Motown slip back into the mix and bump up the formatic tempo just a little to get back some of the 45-54 oldies listeners who it cast somewhat adrift--it can afford to do it without having to worry about losing any of its core.
--'KB and WHLD won't continue fighting over the same small niche audience. I don't know what 'KB will do next, but it will be the one to change. Its best course, once the FCC allows applications for major facilities changes again in 2007 or 2008, would be to change COL to Rochester and TL to North Greece to go head to head with WHAM with a predominantly local talk and news lineup. Failing that, heading back to personality oldies and really investing in it might work well again in future Buffalo books--now that the prior WECK and 'KB audiences are both homeless and apparently gradually drifting out of market to CHWO, a return to oldies (complete with Danny and Jack) might get 'KB back into the black with a share in the 3s or 4s, heavy on the 35-64s.
--WBEN is strong overall but it will be watching Rush Limbaugh's performance closely. I hear he's sliding in Buffalo like he did in other big markets. If that's true, Entercom might consider doing what KSTP and WBAL did--dumping him and going local, boosting their numbers 25-54 and cutting their expenses at the same time. (A good local host may well be cheaper than continuing to pay Limbaugh's sky high carriage rates.) A return of the popular Newsday noontime news show, followed by a local show starting at 12:30 PM leading into Sandy at 3, would probably be a good bet. I don't know who should host it but it should be someone who's been in the market before, or grew up in the market, and knows the turf.
--Stations you won't see change much include 97 Rock and WYRK. WBLK may not either, although some urban stations have found that national morning shows wear out after a while, and if there's going to be any change there, it'll be a return to a local morning show.
Now Rochester.
--WHAM is somewhat vulnerable--its news rep will have to suffer somewhat from its deep cuts in news personnel and resulting cuts in news coverage. It's good news for WXXI-AM, though that station will be somewhat hobbled in its ability to take advantage as a result of its restricted nighttime pattern coverage in the western portion of the metro.
I don't know if WHAM is having the same audience erosion problems with Limbaugh that other big signal stations are...if they are, they might flipflop their schedules and move local talk into the afternoon drive slot while pushing Limbaugh back to noon like WBEN did back in the 90s. It might make more sense generally to dump Glenn Beck and bracket Limbaugh in early afternoons with local talk shows 9-noon and 3-5, like WBEN does, in any event--assuming Limbaugh isn't phased out totally or pushed over to WHTK.
The new owners of the Clear Channel empire's top-100 market properties, a major Wall Street combine, has already decided to dump its small market radio stations and its TV properties (that latter decision a mistake IMHO). They're keeping WHAM, WHTK, the Drive, the Fox and the rimshot stations in the overall cluster. They are going to have to undo a lot of the cuts in personnel and local programming the outgoing management has made all over the country and reinvest in local program service if they want to compete--and if they don't, they're going to find that the competition is eating them for breakfast.
--Fickle 93.3 looks like it's losing some traction, and you have to figure it's going to be expendable in the station ownership shuffle as Entercom digests the CBS stations it's picking up. The new owner will do something different with it.
--If Fickle will be expendable and a candidate for change, so will the Zone 94.1. What happens to each of those stations will be dependent on who buys them. I still think one of them will become the Rochester market's first fulltime Spanish language station, although which flavor of Spanish radio you'll hear here is hard to predict.
--If any of the full market coverage FMs Entercom is buying from CBS gets spun off, my bet is it'll be 98PXY rather than Warm101 when all's said and done, because PXY needs the most retooling to remain competitive.
It'll be VERY interesting to see who buys it. I don't know how much cash the Langstons have to throw around, but if I were in their shoes I'd want the 98PXY signal, move WDKX programming and personalities over there (a lot of what used to be PXY's young suburban target audience is already listening to WDKX now), and turn 103.9 Spanish before anyone else can make the move to a Hispanic format.
--Don't see any other major changes in the AMs in the market, although Legends 990 would do well to gradually move more and more into the territory that was once occupied by 99BBF when it was an oldies station. If they're smart they'll even hire some of the familiar announcers from the oldies and vintage top 40 days as they go that way. I don't know that this WILL happen, but strategically it should.
First, Buffalo.
--Among the first stations to flip will be the station now known as Jack at 92.9. Assuming it doesn't enjoy a miraculous ratings spike over the winter, Regent will be looking for a way to get more out of a Class C1 signal that has underperformed ratings-wise and revenue-wise ever since Lincoln Broadcasting sold it off eons ago.
CBS was wedded to Jack as a national format they were trying to get traction with. But the combination of Jack's failure everywhere but LA, and the departure of the company whose baby it was, means it hasn't got anyone to fight for it in Buffalo any more.
--WHTT, WJYE and WTSS will continue to bloody each other while fighting over essentially the same audience. But WHTT might do well to let a little more 60s classic rock and Motown slip back into the mix and bump up the formatic tempo just a little to get back some of the 45-54 oldies listeners who it cast somewhat adrift--it can afford to do it without having to worry about losing any of its core.
--'KB and WHLD won't continue fighting over the same small niche audience. I don't know what 'KB will do next, but it will be the one to change. Its best course, once the FCC allows applications for major facilities changes again in 2007 or 2008, would be to change COL to Rochester and TL to North Greece to go head to head with WHAM with a predominantly local talk and news lineup. Failing that, heading back to personality oldies and really investing in it might work well again in future Buffalo books--now that the prior WECK and 'KB audiences are both homeless and apparently gradually drifting out of market to CHWO, a return to oldies (complete with Danny and Jack) might get 'KB back into the black with a share in the 3s or 4s, heavy on the 35-64s.
--WBEN is strong overall but it will be watching Rush Limbaugh's performance closely. I hear he's sliding in Buffalo like he did in other big markets. If that's true, Entercom might consider doing what KSTP and WBAL did--dumping him and going local, boosting their numbers 25-54 and cutting their expenses at the same time. (A good local host may well be cheaper than continuing to pay Limbaugh's sky high carriage rates.) A return of the popular Newsday noontime news show, followed by a local show starting at 12:30 PM leading into Sandy at 3, would probably be a good bet. I don't know who should host it but it should be someone who's been in the market before, or grew up in the market, and knows the turf.
--Stations you won't see change much include 97 Rock and WYRK. WBLK may not either, although some urban stations have found that national morning shows wear out after a while, and if there's going to be any change there, it'll be a return to a local morning show.
Now Rochester.
--WHAM is somewhat vulnerable--its news rep will have to suffer somewhat from its deep cuts in news personnel and resulting cuts in news coverage. It's good news for WXXI-AM, though that station will be somewhat hobbled in its ability to take advantage as a result of its restricted nighttime pattern coverage in the western portion of the metro.
I don't know if WHAM is having the same audience erosion problems with Limbaugh that other big signal stations are...if they are, they might flipflop their schedules and move local talk into the afternoon drive slot while pushing Limbaugh back to noon like WBEN did back in the 90s. It might make more sense generally to dump Glenn Beck and bracket Limbaugh in early afternoons with local talk shows 9-noon and 3-5, like WBEN does, in any event--assuming Limbaugh isn't phased out totally or pushed over to WHTK.
The new owners of the Clear Channel empire's top-100 market properties, a major Wall Street combine, has already decided to dump its small market radio stations and its TV properties (that latter decision a mistake IMHO). They're keeping WHAM, WHTK, the Drive, the Fox and the rimshot stations in the overall cluster. They are going to have to undo a lot of the cuts in personnel and local programming the outgoing management has made all over the country and reinvest in local program service if they want to compete--and if they don't, they're going to find that the competition is eating them for breakfast.
--Fickle 93.3 looks like it's losing some traction, and you have to figure it's going to be expendable in the station ownership shuffle as Entercom digests the CBS stations it's picking up. The new owner will do something different with it.
--If Fickle will be expendable and a candidate for change, so will the Zone 94.1. What happens to each of those stations will be dependent on who buys them. I still think one of them will become the Rochester market's first fulltime Spanish language station, although which flavor of Spanish radio you'll hear here is hard to predict.
--If any of the full market coverage FMs Entercom is buying from CBS gets spun off, my bet is it'll be 98PXY rather than Warm101 when all's said and done, because PXY needs the most retooling to remain competitive.
It'll be VERY interesting to see who buys it. I don't know how much cash the Langstons have to throw around, but if I were in their shoes I'd want the 98PXY signal, move WDKX programming and personalities over there (a lot of what used to be PXY's young suburban target audience is already listening to WDKX now), and turn 103.9 Spanish before anyone else can make the move to a Hispanic format.
--Don't see any other major changes in the AMs in the market, although Legends 990 would do well to gradually move more and more into the territory that was once occupied by 99BBF when it was an oldies station. If they're smart they'll even hire some of the familiar announcers from the oldies and vintage top 40 days as they go that way. I don't know that this WILL happen, but strategically it should.
Ok, I'll bite. A lot of non-specifics though.
Buffalo:
1) I think it would be a feel-good story (for many I guess) if WECK returned to standards. Someone might go adult standards but it won't be WECK.
2) Based on my first prediction not happening and my third prediction below, WECK does change, but to sports! They'll pick up Sporting News Radio (please!) or Fox Sports giving Buffalo two sports stations again.
3) My first guess is that JACK-FM would remain JACK-FM at least through the end of the Spring book. It's hanging in there and there's not much overhead.....except for the millions of dollars Regent is borrowing to buy markets like Buffalo! Because of that 92.9 will go oldies to fill the void. Regent's station portfolio has many oldies stations suggesting a track record. The streets are littered with the bodies of those who tried to do something cutting edge on 92.9; FM talk, jazz, "Dancin oldies", "Alice", etc. Oldies is a safe choice by comparison.
4) "The Lake" 107.7 gets re-tooled or even re-launched. I forget it's still there half the time.
Rochester:
1) Regent will pick up several stations from the CBS fallout.
Buffalo:
1) I think it would be a feel-good story (for many I guess) if WECK returned to standards. Someone might go adult standards but it won't be WECK.
2) Based on my first prediction not happening and my third prediction below, WECK does change, but to sports! They'll pick up Sporting News Radio (please!) or Fox Sports giving Buffalo two sports stations again.
3) My first guess is that JACK-FM would remain JACK-FM at least through the end of the Spring book. It's hanging in there and there's not much overhead.....except for the millions of dollars Regent is borrowing to buy markets like Buffalo! Because of that 92.9 will go oldies to fill the void. Regent's station portfolio has many oldies stations suggesting a track record. The streets are littered with the bodies of those who tried to do something cutting edge on 92.9; FM talk, jazz, "Dancin oldies", "Alice", etc. Oldies is a safe choice by comparison.
4) "The Lake" 107.7 gets re-tooled or even re-launched. I forget it's still there half the time.
Rochester:
1) Regent will pick up several stations from the CBS fallout.
Bob1370 said:Buffalo: Among the first stations to flip will be the station now known as Jack at 92.9. Assuming it doesn't enjoy a miraculous ratings spike over the winter, Regent will be looking for a way to get more out of a Class C1 signal that has underperformed ratings-wise and revenue-wise ever since Lincoln Broadcasting sold it off eons ago.
Perhaps more wishful thinking than reality. The last three books and recent trends show that Jack is not a failure. Much as we on this board hate 90kW iPods with no live jocks, Jack is making headway in the 35-49 bracket and 25-54's. It's cheap to run and it can be positioned to turn the turret toward whatever station gets in the way of WJYE.
WHTT, WJYE and WTSS will continue to bloody each other while fighting over essentially the same audience. But WHTT might do well to let a little more 60s classic rock and Motown slip back into the mix and bump up the formatic tempo just a little to get back some of the 45-54 oldies listeners who it cast somewhat adrift--it can afford to do it without having to worry about losing any of its core.
Hard to say how this scrum is going to turn out. A three way AC battle doesn't bode well, but who's to say WHTT is the odd-station-out. Could be that WJYE or Star returns after Christmas with a Hotter AC approach or an altogether re-tooled approach. The 45-54 demo hasn't left WHTT. In fact, it's gaining 45-54's. But the 60+ folks who miss Elvis and the Chiffons have started to leave. Maybe that's where CHWO garnered its 2 share, 12+.
WWKB and WHLD won't continue fighting over the same small niche audience. I don't know what 'KB will do next, but it will be the one to change. Its best course, once the FCC allows applications for major facilities changes again in 2007 or 2008, would be to change COL to Rochester and TL to North Greece to go head to head with WHAM with a predominantly local talk and news lineup. Failing that, heading back to personality oldies and really investing in it might work well again in future Buffalo books--now that the prior WECK and 'KB audiences are both homeless and apparently gradually drifting out of market to CHWO, a return to oldies (complete with Danny and Jack) might get 'KB back into the black with a share in the 3s or 4s, heavy on the 35-64s.
Y'know, if frogs had wings, they wouldn't park their assets on lilly pads. These are two low-rated radio stations and although ANYTHING can happen, one thing I wouldn't bet on is KB changing it COL to North Greece, Chili, Brockport, Lockport or Spencerport. Bringing back Danny and Jack? Not likely. Maybe Danny, but not Jack. If Danny returns, it won't be with the guy who played accordian or the kids who do bad accents and lame bits. It was suggested in another thread that WWKB made its biggest mistake hiring Hank Nevins as PD rather than former Oldies 104 PD, Tom Schuh. Hard to argue that. WECK would be smart to return to Standards, the format that made it famous. Hmmmmm, maybe Danny will do mornings on 1230 where Stan Roberts once did mornings.
WBEN is strong overall but it will be watching Rush Limbaugh's performance closely. I hear he's sliding in Buffalo like he did in other big markets. If that's true, Entercom might consider doing what KSTP and WBAL did--dumping him and going local, boosting their numbers 25-54 and cutting their expenses at the same time. (A good local host may well be cheaper than continuing to pay Limbaugh's sky high carriage rates.) A return of the popular Newsday noontime news show, followed by a local show starting at 12:30 PM leading into Sandy at 3, would probably be a good bet. I don't know who should host it but it should be someone who's been in the market before, or grew up in the market, and knows the turf.
Jim McLaughlin rests in peace. Newsday was his brainchild. It takes a lot to produce a show like that. Writers, producers, talent... brains, creativity, gravitas, hubris. This will sound like heresy, but McLaughlin was his own biggest fan. Still, a great radio news guy. WBEN is spread thinly these days. Newsday isn't coming back anytime soon... at least not on WBEN. Rush may be sliding, but he's NOT circling the drain. Boorish gasbag that he is, he still has plenty of juice. The WBEN line-up is better today than it was a year or two earlier, thanks to Ron Dobson's presence at night. Want to know why WBEN had an uptick in morning drive? One of the reason could be that it's live and local at night.
Stations you won't see change much include 97 Rock and WYRK. WBLK may not either, although some urban stations have found that national morning shows wear out after a while, and if there's going to be any change there, it'll be a return to a local morning show.
97 Rock owns the franchise. Same for WYRK. While they're strong in their formats, they're NOT invincible... damn near, but not totally. Tom Joyner is #2 Persons 25-54 and growing book to book, out-pacing Norton on 97 Rock and second only to Clay Moden on WYRK.
We'll see how this all shakes out... my guess is that nothing really happens until July 2007, when the results of the Spring book are known.
Regent will most likely restore Mix 92.9, as it originally was, but in a very tweaked manner. (Doing with it what they may believe should have been done, instead of eliminating Mix 92.9)
Feel free to disagree, but isn't WHTT doing now, what WBUF *meant* to do as Mix 92.9 (minus the 90's)?
I don't think Regent will go with "Doo op Doo ahh" 92.9, but I could be wrong.
What I do see is their desire to go after WHTT, keeping an oldies base of some sort.
It is tough for me to predict wether or not currents will continue on 92.9 though.
(ps note: research hints that *a* Froggy FM in Buffalo allows Regent to do more cookie cutting, but this is not intended to be accurate information)
Feel free to disagree, but isn't WHTT doing now, what WBUF *meant* to do as Mix 92.9 (minus the 90's)?
I don't think Regent will go with "Doo op Doo ahh" 92.9, but I could be wrong.
What I do see is their desire to go after WHTT, keeping an oldies base of some sort.
It is tough for me to predict wether or not currents will continue on 92.9 though.
(ps note: research hints that *a* Froggy FM in Buffalo allows Regent to do more cookie cutting, but this is not intended to be accurate information)
The Voice of Reason said:It has been quite a year in the wonderful world of radio. The sale of CBS stations and events at Clear Channel just to name a few things that occurred in 2006. Anyone care to make predictions for the Buffalo/Rochester market for the coming New Year?
Buffalo radio will remain static (in a manner of speaking) through the first quarter of 2007.
WBUF does not go Mix, Live or Froggie. Jack remains the cheapest and most cost effective station in the market. $50 dollars a holler and you're on. Regent prints money with the station and re-hires Mike McQueen at WJYE.
Maybe another country station on FM to challenge or flank WYRK... but, "what's the frequency, Dan?!"
That Dan cashes in three shares of his CapCities stock, buys WJJL for 87 dollars and 53 cents and it becomes Oldies 1440, All Neaverth... All The Time. The station is the raging fave of radio dorks on this board, it barely breaks a 1 share, but it makes money and 60+ listeners feel like they're 16 again, driving dad's Chevy to the levee, thin, and with a full head of hair.
WECK returns to Adult Standards-MOYL. All the radio dorks (including Y-T) on this board are giddy with delight.
Wild-eyed 'n religious: WWKB returns to its roots, ahhh, but not THOSE roots... Purchased-swapped by Catholic Radio in exchange for sleeper frequency, rimshot WLOF (not in Orlando) 101.7. Catholic Radio gets a 50k flamethrower and the programming style of Doc Churchill returns. Entercom gets 101.7 and changes the format to...
What about 107.7? It remains unchanged, makes money and all the hippies sing "Don't Bogart That Joint My Friend."
William C. Walker sets up an FCC Part 15 rig in Sloan. Three months later, he's run out of town by pierogi-weilding housewives who throw kiszka at his house.
FLN purchases 1330, 1340 and 1300, goes with a religious trimulcast and names it Network 13.
Jay Surly returns to the board. Whatever became of Janos?
And as always... The Hits Just Keep Onnnnn Comin'![/MR]
M
Mark_Giardina
Guest
My predictions for Rochester radio in 2007 are the following:
• WRMM will be purchased by another media company but I doubt you will see any major changes take place considering that the station makes money.
• Despite losing 1/3rd of their news department, WHAM will continue to be known to many radio listeners as "Rochester's News Leader" just because of its reputation. Also 1180-AM has Channel 13 news, if they so desire, to fill the gap when it comes to local news coverage.
• It will be interesting to see what impact WYSL's new 20kw power increase will have on the station and especially in the Arbitrons.
• WRUR might start carrying more NPR programming as WXXI is assisting the U of R station move its antenna from a downtown hotel to a tower site in Brighton.
• If Air America goes dark because of financial problems it will be interesting to see what Entercom does with WROC-AM.
• Don't expect to see any of the veteran morning teams displaced.
That's my two-cents.
• WRMM will be purchased by another media company but I doubt you will see any major changes take place considering that the station makes money.
• Despite losing 1/3rd of their news department, WHAM will continue to be known to many radio listeners as "Rochester's News Leader" just because of its reputation. Also 1180-AM has Channel 13 news, if they so desire, to fill the gap when it comes to local news coverage.
• It will be interesting to see what impact WYSL's new 20kw power increase will have on the station and especially in the Arbitrons.
• WRUR might start carrying more NPR programming as WXXI is assisting the U of R station move its antenna from a downtown hotel to a tower site in Brighton.
• If Air America goes dark because of financial problems it will be interesting to see what Entercom does with WROC-AM.
• Don't expect to see any of the veteran morning teams displaced.
That's my two-cents.
OK, I'll Bite...
Tom Bauerle will declare himself an expert on Homeland Security.
WJYE will go All Christmas on Nov. 15, 2007. Star will follow within an hour.
C.J. will no longer be on WJYE. Mid-days will be syndicated.
Janet & Pickle will talk about Desperate Housewives on Kiss. The median age of their audience will continue to get older, but they'll refuse to move to Star.
Kiss will continue to be heavily dayparted, sounding like a Hot A/C during the day, an tipping their hat to teens at night.
The Lake will still play oddities, interspersed with chirping birds, crickets, and lapping waves.
People will continue to refer to WHTT as "Oldies 104", despite an all-out "Buffalo's Best Mix" ad campaign. They'll be down to one '60s song - by either the Beatles or Motown - per hour.
WYRK will continue on, largely unmolested.
97-Rock will continue to play Lynyrd Skynyrd, Aerosmith, Pink Floyd, and Led Zeppelin.
People will complain that WWKB should return to an oldies format. Entercom will continue with syndicated programming.
WHLD will revert to brokered programming after the demise of Air America.
The Edge will continue to run O&A in the morning, and Shredd & Ragan in the afternoon. Val will end up doing mid-days - possibly voicetracked, and Bull will VT 7PM to Midnight. Adam 12 will be the odd man out.
WGR's numbers will drop like a rock after the NHL playoffs end. A Stanley Cup will fail to make Mr. Mensa & The Mutt interesting. Pete Weber will stop back in town, and Chris Parker will be ashamed of what he has become.
Tom Bauerle will declare himself an expert on Homeland Security.
WJYE will go All Christmas on Nov. 15, 2007. Star will follow within an hour.
C.J. will no longer be on WJYE. Mid-days will be syndicated.
Janet & Pickle will talk about Desperate Housewives on Kiss. The median age of their audience will continue to get older, but they'll refuse to move to Star.
Kiss will continue to be heavily dayparted, sounding like a Hot A/C during the day, an tipping their hat to teens at night.
The Lake will still play oddities, interspersed with chirping birds, crickets, and lapping waves.
People will continue to refer to WHTT as "Oldies 104", despite an all-out "Buffalo's Best Mix" ad campaign. They'll be down to one '60s song - by either the Beatles or Motown - per hour.
WYRK will continue on, largely unmolested.
97-Rock will continue to play Lynyrd Skynyrd, Aerosmith, Pink Floyd, and Led Zeppelin.
People will complain that WWKB should return to an oldies format. Entercom will continue with syndicated programming.
WHLD will revert to brokered programming after the demise of Air America.
The Edge will continue to run O&A in the morning, and Shredd & Ragan in the afternoon. Val will end up doing mid-days - possibly voicetracked, and Bull will VT 7PM to Midnight. Adam 12 will be the odd man out.
WGR's numbers will drop like a rock after the NHL playoffs end. A Stanley Cup will fail to make Mr. Mensa & The Mutt interesting. Pete Weber will stop back in town, and Chris Parker will be ashamed of what he has become.
B
Bob1370
Guest
My friend Mark had some interesting predictions for Rochester which merit serious discussion...
"• WRMM will be purchased by another media company but I doubt you will see any major changes take place considering that the station makes money."
Maybe, but in the end I don't see Entercom letting Warm101 go, when another full market class B signal in their portfolio (my guess is 98PXY) would be more expendable financially and strategically while bringing almost as much cash into the kitty. They will sell a full-B station, though...and it'll be interesting to see who buys it. Depending on whether they decide to dump PXY and who gets it, a lot of other dominos in the market could fall a different way. And you're right about Warm 101 probably staying put formatically for eons to come, whoever owns it, as long as lots of 25-54 women keep listening to it at work, and on their way to and from work.
"• Despite losing 1/3rd of their news department, WHAM will continue to be known to many radio listeners as "Rochester's News Leader" just because of its reputation. Also 1180-AM has Channel 13 news, if they so desire, to fill the gap when it comes to local news coverage."
For as long as CC still has 13 in its stable, that will be true. But we need to remember that CC is planning on unloading their entire TV portfolio ASAP, either to a single buyer or piecemeal. When they close those deals, some time in 2007, the relationship between 13 and 1180 ends. And that will mean either WHAM's decline in news service will become obvious to all, or they'll have to reverse course and restaff the place.
"• It will be interesting to see what impact WYSL's new 20kw power increase will have on the station and especially in the Arbitrons."
It should have a positive impact...but that will depend on whether they get the word out that they are there. This is the time for WYSL to run some print and outdoor ads in Monroe County.
Also I think they need to push more night and pre-sunrise signal into Monroe County...if they put in a couple extra towers on that property, a 5,000 watt night signal pounding hard into Rochester and the Monroe County burbs while nulling to the west and south should soon be possible. Savage could then chip into WHAM, WHTK and WROC with a signal that's reliable in the heart of his target area 24/7. It'll be harder to get traction as long as he still has to dump to 500 watts after dark.
"• WRUR might start carrying more NPR programming as WXXI is assisting the U of R station move its antenna from a downtown hotel to a tower site in Brighton."
Don't think that will happen. The university and 'XXI seem to be happy with the balance that's been struck. The university would have to want to bail all the way out of RUR for any change in the relationship, and that is not in the cards AFAIK. The transmitter move is simply a combination of desire to improve the signal, and to escape the occasional unreliability of power supply to the transmitter on top of the Hyatt.
"• If Air America goes dark because of financial problems it will be interesting to see what Entercom does with WROC-AM."
Air America is likely to find new owners, and if that works out, we won't see any changes at ROC. But if it doesn't, there's still a lot of progressive talk programming out there in syndication now, so they could keep doing most of what they're doing even if they're getting new programs from different syndicators. The one thing they might have to do--and might want to do even if Air America survives--is bring back a local morning show 6-9 AM to beef up the numbers and revenue.
"• Don't expect to see any of the veteran morning teams displaced."
Absolutely right, IMHO. That's where these stations have decided to try to make all their money, and most of them are succeeding. Although I think the mistake a lot of stations make, is not trying harder to bring in listeners and advertisers to other dayparts where there's a lot of potential listening to be done--and fewer stations aggressively pursuing it.
"• WRMM will be purchased by another media company but I doubt you will see any major changes take place considering that the station makes money."
Maybe, but in the end I don't see Entercom letting Warm101 go, when another full market class B signal in their portfolio (my guess is 98PXY) would be more expendable financially and strategically while bringing almost as much cash into the kitty. They will sell a full-B station, though...and it'll be interesting to see who buys it. Depending on whether they decide to dump PXY and who gets it, a lot of other dominos in the market could fall a different way. And you're right about Warm 101 probably staying put formatically for eons to come, whoever owns it, as long as lots of 25-54 women keep listening to it at work, and on their way to and from work.
"• Despite losing 1/3rd of their news department, WHAM will continue to be known to many radio listeners as "Rochester's News Leader" just because of its reputation. Also 1180-AM has Channel 13 news, if they so desire, to fill the gap when it comes to local news coverage."
For as long as CC still has 13 in its stable, that will be true. But we need to remember that CC is planning on unloading their entire TV portfolio ASAP, either to a single buyer or piecemeal. When they close those deals, some time in 2007, the relationship between 13 and 1180 ends. And that will mean either WHAM's decline in news service will become obvious to all, or they'll have to reverse course and restaff the place.
"• It will be interesting to see what impact WYSL's new 20kw power increase will have on the station and especially in the Arbitrons."
It should have a positive impact...but that will depend on whether they get the word out that they are there. This is the time for WYSL to run some print and outdoor ads in Monroe County.
Also I think they need to push more night and pre-sunrise signal into Monroe County...if they put in a couple extra towers on that property, a 5,000 watt night signal pounding hard into Rochester and the Monroe County burbs while nulling to the west and south should soon be possible. Savage could then chip into WHAM, WHTK and WROC with a signal that's reliable in the heart of his target area 24/7. It'll be harder to get traction as long as he still has to dump to 500 watts after dark.
"• WRUR might start carrying more NPR programming as WXXI is assisting the U of R station move its antenna from a downtown hotel to a tower site in Brighton."
Don't think that will happen. The university and 'XXI seem to be happy with the balance that's been struck. The university would have to want to bail all the way out of RUR for any change in the relationship, and that is not in the cards AFAIK. The transmitter move is simply a combination of desire to improve the signal, and to escape the occasional unreliability of power supply to the transmitter on top of the Hyatt.
"• If Air America goes dark because of financial problems it will be interesting to see what Entercom does with WROC-AM."
Air America is likely to find new owners, and if that works out, we won't see any changes at ROC. But if it doesn't, there's still a lot of progressive talk programming out there in syndication now, so they could keep doing most of what they're doing even if they're getting new programs from different syndicators. The one thing they might have to do--and might want to do even if Air America survives--is bring back a local morning show 6-9 AM to beef up the numbers and revenue.
"• Don't expect to see any of the veteran morning teams displaced."
Absolutely right, IMHO. That's where these stations have decided to try to make all their money, and most of them are succeeding. Although I think the mistake a lot of stations make, is not trying harder to bring in listeners and advertisers to other dayparts where there's a lot of potential listening to be done--and fewer stations aggressively pursuing it.
Re: OK, I'll Bite...
Are O&A locked into a contract?
When does it end? That may be the time to predict their absence from Edge.
SirRoxalot said:The Edge will continue to run O&A in the morning, and Shredd & Ragan in the afternoon. Val will end up doing mid-days - possibly voicetracked, and Bull will VT 7PM to Midnight. Adam 12 will be the odd man out.
Are O&A locked into a contract?
When does it end? That may be the time to predict their absence from Edge.
A
adamgre
Guest
does anyone think Buffalo is going to get a "movin" station?
How about "MOVIN' 92.9"? Seems like the type of thing that might work. Ah, just kidding!
Why?Call Me Sherlock said:How about "MOVIN' 92.9"? Seems like the type of thing that might work. Ah, just kidding!
It *might* work!
Aren't most Movin' stations an automated format anyway?
Would it take too much attention away from WBLK?
I was the first to mention (on this board) that there should be *a* movin' station in Buffalo, long before the movin' format came about.
When I posted my opinion, there were those who rejected the idea, believing that "Movin' " is associated with the idea that people would really move...right out of Buffalo.
"Once they hear music that makes you move..."
It would really be nice to hear a morning show and afternoon drive, at the very least, on 92.9...what ever Regent chooses to do with the station.
B
Bob1370
Guest
Unlike Jack, which got a lot of early traction in Los Angeles and in Toronto (where it started out as a personality station, with twice the audience it has now as a jockless jukebox), "Movin" hasn't done that well in its initial outings anywhere. So we're a lot less likely to see that format, which really ought to be called Jammin' Oldies Redux, in western NY.
I don't know what you do with 92.9, really; it won't be country because Regent will inherit a market monopoly. Oldies? WHTT isn't an oldies station per se any more but it still has that audience and won't be losing it. CHR? The hit radio audience is split between Kiss 98.5, Wild 101 and WBLK (urban stations do very well with suburban kids these days) so that's too much of a crowd to join. Can't see them trying for WJYE's turf or WTSS's audience either.
The best answer, although it'd have to be all local 6 am through late night since the best syndicated stuff's already taken, is some form of talk--maybe hot talk, with an iconoclastic twist and some significant news presence at the top and bottom of the hour especially in drive times and the lunch hour. Target WBEN, but go aggressively as well for 25-34 listeners just beginning to worry about issues and lifestyle concerns beyond sports and pop culture. 'BEN's weakness is its failure to try hard enough to replace listeners who are aging out or dying off--they're still depending on the same people born between 1930 and 1955 who became their core when Larry Levite bought it and retooled it back in the 1978-80 period and have been hanging around at the 930 spot on the dial ever since.
The demo cells born between 1955 and 1980 have never really been their top concern, and they are receptive to talk. If WBEN won't go after them, Regent can use 92.9 to get them.
I don't know what you do with 92.9, really; it won't be country because Regent will inherit a market monopoly. Oldies? WHTT isn't an oldies station per se any more but it still has that audience and won't be losing it. CHR? The hit radio audience is split between Kiss 98.5, Wild 101 and WBLK (urban stations do very well with suburban kids these days) so that's too much of a crowd to join. Can't see them trying for WJYE's turf or WTSS's audience either.
The best answer, although it'd have to be all local 6 am through late night since the best syndicated stuff's already taken, is some form of talk--maybe hot talk, with an iconoclastic twist and some significant news presence at the top and bottom of the hour especially in drive times and the lunch hour. Target WBEN, but go aggressively as well for 25-34 listeners just beginning to worry about issues and lifestyle concerns beyond sports and pop culture. 'BEN's weakness is its failure to try hard enough to replace listeners who are aging out or dying off--they're still depending on the same people born between 1930 and 1955 who became their core when Larry Levite bought it and retooled it back in the 1978-80 period and have been hanging around at the 930 spot on the dial ever since.
The demo cells born between 1955 and 1980 have never really been their top concern, and they are receptive to talk. If WBEN won't go after them, Regent can use 92.9 to get them.
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