.....Anybody Know Howta........

[FatherCoughlin]

.....say "How in the world are ya anyway?".....in Spanish? ...... ;D

 

[DanStrassberg]

.....say "How in the world are ya anyway?".....in Spanish? ...... ;D

OK, you beat me to it--in your usual oblique way. Most likely at 12:01 AM today, WTTT 1150 AM flipped from Salem Communications' conservative talk network to what I presume to be CCM en Espanol. From what I can tell (and remember, I don't speak Spanish, so a lot of this is pure guesswork), the programming is a simulcast of an FM 105.5 in Miami, which must call itself Radio Luz (which sounds a lot like Radio Lose to these monolingual ears). Radio Lose would be an apt moniker for the majority of the formats that have graced the Boston 1150 frequency for decades. Still, I don't believe that, as an ideolically driven ultra-right-wing talker, WTTT managed to capture the Boston market crown for fewest listeners per watt. That award probably still goes to 50 kW WWZN 1510.

BTW, this is not 1150's first flirtation with Espanol. 1150 was the original Boston market home of the WAMG calls (now on ESPN 890). When 1150 was WAMG, it was the local outlet for Mega Communications (Communicaciones?), which also owned 890 and left the WAMG calls behind there when it hastily withdrew from the market while paddling furiously to reach the shore of the Sea of Red Ink in which it was engulfed.

I have yet to notice any kind of TOH ID on Radio Luz. For sure, I have not heard a TOH ID in English, and if there was one in Spanish, I did not realize it. So I don't know whether 1150 is or is not still WTTT.

I hope someone can supply more info on the Miami station. Does Salem own it? It is programmed by Salem or is it LMAed to somebody else? If Salem programs it, is this a format Salem has placed on the bird? Could this apparent simulcast just be stunting until the REAL new format (presumably also en Espanol) arrives this Friday, February 1? Inquiring minds want to know.

 

[DanStrassberg]

Most likely at 12:01 AM today, WTTT 1150 AM flipped from Salem Communications' conservative talk network to what I presume to be CCM en Espanol. From what I can tell (and remember, I don't speak Spanish, so a lot of this is pure guesswork), the programming is a simulcast of an FM 105.5 in Miami, which must call itself Radio Luz (which sounds a lot like Radio Lose to these monolingual ears).

I hope someone can supply more info on the Miami station. Does Salem own it? It is programmed by Salem or is it LMAed to somebody else? If Salem programs it, is this a format Salem has placed on the bird? Could this apparent simulcast just be stunting until the REAL new format (presumably also en Espanol) arrives this Friday, February 1? Inquiring minds want to know.

Well, I can't find a 105.5 FM in the Miami area and 105.5 is second adjacent to stations in communities close enough to Miami that a 105.5 in Miami would pretty much have to be a pirate, I think. Although FM pirates abound in Florida, simulcasting one on a licensed AM in Boston would certainly be an "interesting" ploy--especially for Salem. At Google, after I got past the Radio Luz in El Salvador and others in S America, I did find a company named Radio Luz in Orlando. However, I found no indication that it owns any US stations or that it furnishes programming to any US stations, so it remains a mystery to me.

 

[Knutsdatter]

If you call 617-328-0880 you are put through to a cheerful young man who says that there has been a change of format to Spanish Christian radio, and that there has been a very enthusiastic response to Radio Luz. You can leave a message if you wish. My message: I am not enthusiastic; Hispanics don't learn English because companies pander to them with Spanish language broadcasting, etc. and that Bill Bennett, Mike Gallagher, and Hugh Hewitt provided good political talk radio. Is it too cynical to say that there is something fishy about a station switching to Spanish programming 10 1/2 months before an election that will likely decide whether the illegal aliens get amnesty or are urged to self-deport by the termination of jobs and social welfare benefits?

What is the money story here? Did the station ownership change with the programming? Will broadcasting to a niche (Christian) of a minority (hispanic) audience bring in more money than broadcasting to metro Boston conservatives?Or is this a matter more of ideology than of money?

 

[DanStrassberg]

Bill Bennett, Mike Gallagher, and Hugh Hewitt provided good political talk radio.

Interesting... your omission of Dennis Praeger, Michael Medvad, Dr Laura (OK, her talk is--on the surface--not political), and is it Michael Reagan or Ron Reagan? (I can never stop confusing the two of them.)

I leave it to you or some other poster to explain why I find your omission of Praeger, Medved, and Schlessinger so interesting. I thought it was worthwhile to listen to WTTT to find out what the other side had to say, but with the exception of Praeger, who usually treats callers with respect even when they disagree with him, I could take that !@#$ for only a few minutes at a time before I had to find something else to listen to; I was afraid of the urge to destroy the radio.

 

[raccoonradio]

WTTT’s site now says “Radio Luz is coming” and has a big
cross.

http://www.talk1150.com

Ironic that the station would wind up doing the same thing (former libtalkers) WKOX and WXKS (AM) wound up doing: flipping to a Hispanic format. Time will tell if there will be a "Save Boston's Conservative Talk"
group starting up...

 

[DanStrassberg]

Ironic that the station would wind up doing the same thing (former libtalkers) WKOX and WXKS (AM) wound up doing: flipping to a Hispanic format. Time will tell if there will be a "Save Boston's Conservative Talk"
group starting up...

And why, exactly, would such a group form for conservative talk? Boston still has two full-time conservative talk stations--one on each band. Yeah, each has an air personality who is nominally a Democrat or, at least is not a Republican, but only someone like you could possibly say that conservative viewpoints are not adequately represented on Boston radio. I know your answer is going to be, "What about NPR on the left?" My answer to that is that NPR has made a science--or maybe an art form--out of being politically neutral. Neutral is NOT the new Liberal.

 

[raccoonradio]

I was kinda kidding, though some listeners will miss WTTT. There are some on Free Republic who feel
the hosts on WRKO or WTKK aren't conservative enough Notice that when they did have conservatalk,
their slogan sounded an awful lot like what WKOX and WXKS (A) used to have: "Boston's _Conservative_
Talk" (rather than B's Progressive T)

 

[Finn]

Spanish Christian talk sounds awfully conservative to me. So, with the exception of immigration, I would guess that these folks will be consistent with Salem's ideology.

It has been suggested on this board that Salem's ratings didn't justify the format. If true, this format change doesn't change that - they are just reaching out to a different (and growing) audience.

 

[Eli Polonsky]

I am not enthusiastic; Hispanics don't learn English because companies pander to them with Spanish language broadcasting, etc.

Do you believe that American radio stations should not provide any radio programming geared toward ethnic minorities in their native languages because you believe that radio stations should have a mission to force them to learn English??

I wouldn't even label your comment above as conservative, it would be a disservice to some other conservatives who may happen to be a little more tolerant.

Is it too cynical to say that there is something fishy about a station switching to Spanish programming 10 1/2 months before an election that will likely decide whether the illegal aliens get amnesty or are urged to self-deport by the termination of jobs and social welfare benefits?

WTTT as conservative talk never even showed in the 12+ Boston market ratings that I can remember, which means that it was always below a 0.4 share 12+. That meager audience couldn't possibly have had any effect on the outcome of elections in the Boston area. It's debatable even whether full-power highly-rated talk stations have any significant effect on elections either locally or nationally. Most people don't base their decisions on the candidates and the issues on the blather of talk show hosts. WTTT changing format will have no noticeable effect on election results in the Boston area.

Also, I don't get how you connect a station changing to a Spanish religious format with the issue of illegal aliens. Taking the conservative talk show hosts who rail against them off of a station with virtually no ratings won't change anything. I hope you're not trying to imply that any significant portion of the audience for their new format is here illegally.

What is the money story here? Did the station ownership change with the programming? Will broadcasting to a niche (Christian) of a minority (hispanic) audience bring in more money than broadcasting to metro Boston conservatives?Or is this a matter more of ideology than of money?

Salem Broadcasting is an ideologically-driven company. Their ideology is apparently Christianity first, and conservative politics (especially those who also promote Christianity) second.

However, like any company, they don't want to lose money, and conservative talk on WTTT, with virtually no ratings, had to be a big money loser. Their other two stations in the area, WEZE (full-time Christian, better signal) and WROL (mix of Christian and brokered, lots of sponsored programming) probably make money, or at least break even.

Sponsors for conservative talk in the market went to the stations with the better ratings and signals, WRKO and WTKK. It must've been very difficult for WTTT to get any local sponsorships at all, trailing so distantly behind those two major market talkers. The Spanish Christian format will probably get (somewhat) better numbers here and have more sponsors who will support the format, and since it's still Christian, it still fulfills Salem's main ideology.

 

[raccoonradio]

I figured conservative talk might be break even for them, or possibly a very very small profit (running
national ads)--and/or that basically they make their money on the other 2 stations, and WTTT was
a loss leader just pumping out the Salem (and other) conservatalk shows..so I agree with Eli.

 

[Laurence Glavin]

One caveat: Salem Communications is a publicly-traded corporation on one of the major stock exchanges. Not only INDIVIDUALS, but private and governmental pension funds have invested (foolheartedly) in Salem's stock. Thet have a fiduciary responsibility to "manage" their business with some degree of rationality...this move doesn't seem to qualify, UNLESS they know that Clear Channel will definitely flip WKOX-AM once the move to 750 Sawmill Brook Parkway takes place.

 

[DanStrassberg]

One caveat: Salem Communications is a publicly-traded corporation on one of the major stock exchanges. Not only INDIVIDUALS, but private and governmental pension funds have invested (foolheartedly) in Salem's stock. Thet have a fiduciary responsibility to "manage" their business with some degree of rationality...this move doesn't seem to qualify, UNLESS they know that Clear Channel will definitely flip WKOX-AM once the move to 750 Sawmill Brook Parkway takes place.

I think the move DOES indeed qualify. Radio Luz must be LMAing the station (maybe LMAing with an option to buy). For the duration of the agreement (and as long as Radio Luz holds up its end of the agreement), the LMA must guarantee Salem a specific amount of income. Radio Luz presumably assumes all of the risk associated with the uncertain income stream from the sale of advertising and the leasing of time to local churches. In an uncertain economy such as this, having someone else absorb the risk must have a quantifiable economic value.

Also, Principle's instant success with selling WJDA and WESX to the same market demonstrated that thar is gold in them particular hills. WTTT has a better signal (especially at night) than 1300 or 1230, so Radio Luz will be able to use a bigger gun to compete for the business. I think a business school type would say that Salem is monetizing one of its assets.

 

[Eli Polonsky]

I figured conservative talk might be break even for them, or possibly a very very small profit (running
national ads)...

In many cases, national ads on stations that run national network programming just support the national programming so that the stations don't have to pay for it, or pay very little... and in some cases, the revenue from national ads goes only to the network for that purpose, not directly into the bank accounts of the local affiliates. The locals still have to come up with local sponsors and ads to make much profit for themselves, which was probably a tough go for conservative talk on WTTT.

One caveat: Salem Communications is a publicly-traded corporation on one of the major stock exchanges. Not only INDIVIDUALS, but private and governmental pension funds have invested (foolheartedly) in Salem's stock. Thet have a fiduciary responsibility to "manage" their business with some degree of rationality...this move doesn't seem to qualify, UNLESS they know that Clear Channel will definitely flip WKOX-AM once the move to 750 Sawmill Brook Parkway takes place.

I wouldn't venture to guess that investing in Salem would necessarily be "foolhearted" (foolhardy?). I'm sure several of their Christian stations nationwide, and the network overall, is probably quite successful.

Also, as for Clear Channel locally, "Rumba" on WKOX is a Spanish musical entertainment format, not a religious format. "Radio Luz" on WTTT is a Spanish religious format. Though there may be some crossover, the formats will have largely different audiences, so it may not matter to WTTT whether or not WKOX remains "Rumba" from their new transmitter site.

 

[FatherCoughlin]

I'd pay REAL money... "from the collection box, that is..." to hear the messages to the "Cheerfull" chap on the "TTT answering machine! Pax Vobiscom

 

[raccoonradio]

Yes once again you have to wonder if WKOX might go to conservatalk--and you know of the Premiere/CC
relationship. Premiere has Rush, Coast to Coast (both on WRKO), Dr Laura (had been on WTTT) and Glenn
Beck. The Salem hosts now have no home in town (unless one or two of them are placed on WROL or
WEZE, which I doubt) and some other syndie hosts are not heard here, like Hannity (Citadel/ABC) and
Dennis Miller (Westwood One)--and I'm dealing with conservative-leaning talkers here rather than the libs
(AAR, Jones).
Boston if anything does show some commitment to local talk at least and who knows if a mostly syndicated
lineup at 1200 --if launched--would be successful. 1150 didn't show up, certainly. Would CC do mostly syndie,
and a couple local hosts? (Spend money? CC?? )

 

[raccoonradio]

>>so that the stations don't have to pay for it, or pay very little... and in some cases, the revenue from national ads goes only to the network for that purpose, not directly into the bank accounts of the local affiliates. The locals still have to come up with local sponsors and ads to make much profit for themselves, which was probably a tough go for conservative talk on WTTT.

Yes--for example, I know Keating Willcox runs Laura I. on WNSH and there are some national ads there,
and maybe he doesn't see any of that money but he gets to run the show--is he attracting any local
sponsors for it & other shows...?
And you have a good point about how WTTT's new format is not the same as WKOX's so maybe 'KOX would
stay Rumba. If the money's there.

 

[Finn]

In a presentation of PPM data analysis I heard, it was stated that foreign language listeners not only listen to a lot of radio, they are extremely loyal to the format (not the station). Other demographics tend to either not listen as much, or are less loyal. However, the loyalty may be driven by choices - now that spanish-language listeners have multiple choices, will they switch between stations or are they content-loyal, i.e. music vs Christian. I would guess that there may be some back and forth, but it's content driven in addition to language. I'd love to know if there is PPM data to indicate one way or the other yet.

 

[Ann from Woburn]

Re: .....Anybody Know Howta........ complain?

Greetings, fans of WTTT in its heyday as an exemplar of the conservative talk show format. Here's the telephone complaint line, which was provided to me by the SRN corporate offices in Tennessee. You will receive one or two callbacks from local SRN representatives.
Joe Davis
[EDIT]
Everybody, keep the dialogue up and keep those voicemails coming! Make your complaints polite, but firm and to the point. Spread the word!
Already, Bill Bennett's Boston area fans are leading the way. BTW, there's a new Boston chapter starting up. To find out more, go to http://www.saturdaymorninginamerica.com/2.html and send an e-mail to the address shown under "Chapters Across the USA".


[Privacy issue]