Audacy to acquire WAMO/W279BU’s IP and format

[only1moore]

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[PHIL Z]

Does this mean WAMO Will be back on 100.7 HD2?

 

[only1moore]

Does this mean WAMO Will be back on 100.7 HD2?

Guess we’ll have to wait and see come April 2022.

 

[MVB13]

Maybe WAMO will be back on a full market signal where it belongs.

 

[only1moore]

Maybe WAMO will be back on a full market signal where it belongs.

If Audacy can find another broadcaster willing to sell one of their signals.

 

[Kent]

Maybe WAMO will be back on a full market signal where it belongs.

Unless Audacy can work something out with Steel City Media, WAOB, and/or EMF, I'm not sure where it could put it. Its existing cluster is doing too well, and the only other standalone FM would seem to be WSHH, which also wouldn't likely be going anywhere in the remote chance Audacy could get Renda to part with it.

The sad reality was WAMO was always a tough sell in Pittsburgh, even when it had a full market (or mostly full market) FM and reasonably high ratings. That's why it took the big money and the lesser stick from Secret Communications a quarter century ago and why it sold the 106.7 stick to a non-profit Catholic operator.

 

[PHIL Z]

Could this mean a swap of Translators for KDKA AM 100.1 (99 watts ) to 107.3 (250 watts ) ?

 

[only1moore]

Could this mean a swap of Translators for KDKA AM 100.1 (99 watts ) to 107.3 (250 watts ) ?

Audacy is keeping the format at 107.3 for now.

 

[PHIL Z]

AT 5 Foster Plaza today the WAMO Car was in the Parking Lot.

 

[xm41]

Could this mean a swap of Translators for KDKA AM 100.1 (99 watts ) to 107.3 (250 watts ) ?

No way in hell they would do that unless they were really hard up for the money. 107.3 is an eastern city signal. 100.1 is a Center City signal.

 

[AceBiscuits]

Could this mean a swap of Translators for KDKA AM 100.1 (99 watts ) to 107.3 (250 watts ) ?

The 99 watt contour of 100.1 actually covers a larger area than 107.3, which seems to have two directional nulls on the east and west.

 

[PHIL Z]

Part of the Original plan for KDKA getting 100.1 was both 100.1 and 107.3 were on the KDKA FM Tower in Mt Washington. And 107.3 given free tower rent.

 

[AceBiscuits]

Part of the Original plan for KDKA getting 100.1 was both 100.1 and 107.3 were on the KDKA FM Tower in Mt Washington. And 107.3 given free tower rent.

If that was the plan, it never materialized. W261AX (100.1) has a CP to move south to a tower adjacent to WKST's site, with a lower height at the same power, and 107.3 has not filed any CP at all.

 

[sparks]

Could this mean a swap of Translators for KDKA AM 100.1 (99 watts ) to 107.3 (250 watts ) ?

The 100.1 translator was moved to Pittsburgh years before the AM upgrade translator rule was in place. It is free to change service. The 107.3 translator is attached to 660KHz and can not change service.

 

[neosolbrudda]

I was just listening to the stream. They are now saying, "WAMO 100.1/107.3". Since I'm in Texas, are they now on both frequencies again?

 

[xm41]

I was just listening to the stream. They are now saying, "WAMO 100.1/107.3". Since I'm in Texas, are they now on both frequencies again?

100.1 is still KDKA as of 10min ago.

 

[AceBiscuits]

I was just listening to the stream. They are now saying, "WAMO 100.1/107.3". Since I'm in Texas, are they now on both frequencies again?

Could have been an error, I believe they were simulcasting on both 100.1 and 107.3 during the transition before the KDKA simulcast, so they may have accidentally played it.

 

[Parttimer]

Could have been an error, I believe they were simulcasting on both 100.1 and 107.3 during the transition before the KDKA simulcast, so they may have accidentally played it.

Or maybe they said 100.7.....

 

[neosolbrudda]

Could have been an error, I believe they were simulcasting on both 100.1 and 107.3 during the transition before the KDKA simulcast, so they may have accidentally played it.

You're probably correct.

 

[AceBiscuits]

Or maybe they said 100.7.....

100.1 and 100.7 are a large difference verbally.

I'm curious to see what comes of this, as Audacy is stressing that this is a sale of WAMO's intellectual property, and they are not acquiring 660 and the translator. Last time Audacy did this was with WFUN in St. Louis, however the situation here is fundamentally different: KNOU was underperforming and replacing that format made sense.

In Pittsburgh, all of Audacy's stations are strong performers, so the chance that they would blow up 100.7 or 107.9 for WAMO is unlikely. I think another shoe is going to drop eventually, and we'll be seeing them adding a full power FM signal for WAMO soon. The question becomes which signal will that be.