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BTLS to hit four new markets

M

MusicMan11

It's official.

TAMPA, FLORIDA –NOVEMBER 24, 2008 – Radio personality Bubba the Love Sponge®’s top-rated talk morning program, currently heard on Cox Radio stations WHPT-FM/Tampa (102.5 The Bone) and WFYV-FM/Jacksonville (Rock 105), will soon be heard on four more radio stations, covering the Florida cities of Miami, Orlando, Ft. Myers and Richmond, Virginia.

Cox Radio stations WHDR-FM/Miami (93 Rock), WHTQ-FM/Orlando (96.5), and WDYL-FM/Richmond (Y101), along with Beasley Broadcast Group station WRXK-FM/Ft. Myers (96 K-Rock), will begin broadcasting the Bubba the Love Sponge® Show on Monday, January 5, 2009. The show is broadcast live from 6 am to 10 am ET from Bubba’s own custom, multimedia studio in Tampa, which is regularly visited by stars from the worlds of sports, comedy, music and film/TV/video.

Because the Bubba the Love Sponge® Show is now available for syndication, and Bubba’s agent, Thomas J. Bean, is currently talking with additional interested radio stations, additional markets will subsequently be announced.

Bubba said, “First, we have to thank Cox for believing in us. They knew there was a certain amount of risk hiring us to return to terrestrial radio. Now that it has paid dividends in Tampa and Jacksonville, we couldn’t be more pleased with their enthusiasm for adding our show in additional markets. Furthermore, we are elated to be working with Beasley Broadcast Group, and feel that their firm commitment to our show has laid the groundwork for a long and fruitful relationship.”

The most recent Arbitron radio ratings survey (Summer 2008) shows that Bubba’s morning show on WHPT-FM is the most-listened-to in the Tampa-St. Petersburg-Clearwater market (metro area ranking 18) and the most popular program with radio’s most desirable audiences. The show is number one in ten demographics, notably with persons and men aged 12-plus; with persons and men aged 18-34; and with persons and men aged 25-54. The achievement illustrates Bubba’s continued lead in the top spot for the third consecutive ratings period since he made a triumphant return to local airwaves in January 2008, and is one of the fastest moves to the number-one spot in radio history. In Jacksonville, his first syndicated market outside of Tampa, Bubba has already achieved number two with persons 25-54.

Jay O’Connor, Cox Radio Regional Vice President and Tampa Market Manager, said, “Bubba's return to the Tampa and Jacksonville markets has been hugely successful. We're very proud of what Bubba, Spice, Manson, Brent, Ned, and the Bubba Radio Network has accomplished, and we're thrilled to announce that we're bringing Bubba's show to Orlando, Miami and Richmond.”

Brad Beasley, Vice President and Market Manager of Beasley Broadcast Group, said, “96 K-Rock has been rocking southwest Florida since 1986. One thing remains constant; our listeners expect a certain type of entertainment and we've always delivered. Bubba represents yet another new and exciting chapter for our legendary K-Rock morning show.”

With the four new additional stations airing the Bubba the Love Sponge® Show, he picks up Arbitron metro survey areas ranked number 12 (Miami-Ft. Lauderdale-Hollywood, FL), number 34 (Orlando, FL), number 54 (Richmond, VA) and number 61 (Ft. Myers-Naples-Marco Island, FL), with a combined potential new audience of more than 6.5 million persons.
 
Good for WRXK. I'm sure they miss Stern dearly, and Stan and Hanley are just not cutting it. I presume they return to afternoon drive next year. Then again, since this is radio, there's the possibility they may not be on at all...
 
K-ROCK?

That is big news for the Fort Myers market. The station's coverage extends outside of its market. It also means I'll be able to listen at work.
 
Isn't WHPT's signal strong enough that it gets picked up like a local in Fort Myers, anyway?

You may recall a previous thread documenting their afternoon host Cowhead being the top-rated afternoon host in Fort Myers - despite being on a Tampa signal.
 
Let's think about this.

1) Bubba gets paid for having another affiliate.
2) K-rock, which made lots of money on Stern, gets a high-profile morning show again.
3) The Bone can't really sell those Ft. Myers numbers to anyone.
4) K-Rock gets down into Bonita Springs and Naples.

Yes, given those facts, absolutely they should just figure that 102.5 is the only signal they need. (Sigh..)
 
DToTheJ said:
Good for WRXK. I'm sure they miss Stern dearly, and Stan and Hanley are just not cutting it. I presume they return to afternoon drive next year. Then again, since this is radio, there's the possibility they may not be on at all...
Click to expand...

Stan and Haney have been out of mornings and doing afternoons for a while now already.



DToTheJ said:
Isn't WHPT's signal strong enough that it gets picked up like a local in Fort Myers, anyway?

You may recall a previous thread documenting their afternoon host Cowhead being the top-rated afternoon host in Fort Myers - despite being on a Tampa signal.
Click to expand...

I believe the previous thread about that subject was when Cowhead was in mornings (pre-Bubba, obviously) and he claimed to be "top rated". In fact, he got a zero share. He was lying/mistaken/doing a bit.
 
Even though you may be able to receive 102.5 clearly in a car, that's not the case in buildings and points farther to the South. Technically speaking, BTLS is going to be on a couple, if not the most powerful signals in Florida. I mean... there's not a weak one in the bunch. WFYV-WHTQ-WHPT-WRXK-WHDR all overlap each other somewhere and that's a good thing when it comes to selling the product statewide. Heck, I think between WFYV and WHTQ they may cover Gainesville and Ocala too.
 
DToTheJ said:
Isn't WHPT's signal strong enough that it gets picked up like a local in Fort Myers, anyway?
Click to expand...

WHPT does not cover the entire Fort Myers-Naples market. While their signal is good in much of Fort Myers proper as well as North Fort Myers, their signal is awful in most of Naples, an important part of the market.
 
I'm sure BTLS fans are excited by this news. I hate the fact that now there are even less local people working this those markets.
 
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