From CBS press release:CBS Corp. said Tuesday it will explore the sale of its radio stations in ten markets. The markets being considered for possible sale are Austin, Texas; Buffalo, N.Y.; Cincinnati; Columbus, Ohio; Fresno, Calif.; Greensboro-Winston/Salem, N.C.; Kansas City; Memphis, Tenn.; Rochester, N.Y.; and San Antonio. The New York-based media company had previously said it planned sell certain smaller-market stations in order to maximize performance of the division overall.
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Buffalo and Rochester CBS Stations May Be On The Block
- Thread starter JohnGalt
- Start date
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scooterodell
Guest
According to ALL-ACCESS, Buffalo and Rochester are definitely on the block. Let the wild speculation of buyers begin!
Jack (Jenny) from the block
I think it could very well be rewording of the initial press release. Do we see Clear Channel? Cumulus? Emmis? Is it just a swap of existing properties, or will the entire landscape change.Emmis could pick up heritage hip hop BLK adding it to Hot 97 and Power 106.Plus they just went private.Indeed, let the sweepstakes begin.
I think it could very well be rewording of the initial press release. Do we see Clear Channel? Cumulus? Emmis? Is it just a swap of existing properties, or will the entire landscape change.Emmis could pick up heritage hip hop BLK adding it to Hot 97 and Power 106.Plus they just went private.Indeed, let the sweepstakes begin.
O
OttoM
Guest
Oh, this is a no-brainer. In Rochester Entercom will grab at least one and will try to get a waiver to get two. CC will get the rest and will take the Buffalo cluster in its entirety.
Nope.Allow me to offer some insight (moderator edit). In Buffalo and Rochester, a single company can own up to seven stations, no more than four of which can be on any one band. CC is already over the limit in Rochester (1180, 1280, 95.1, 100.5, 102.3, 106.7, 107.3) and grandfathered under the old contour-overlap rules. ANY station purchase or sale they try to make will force them back under the new caps, so in order to take, say, WCMF and WPXY, they'd have to divest three FMs. They'd also have some issues with the revenue cap.Entercom could add one FM to its existing one AM/three FM cluster. They'd probably take WCMF/WPXY or WCMF/WRMM and spin Fickle, along with Zone and either WRMM or WPXY, to another buyer. There are NO waivers to the current rules.More likely that we'd see a Citadel or Cumulus or Regent entering the Rochester market. As for Buffalo, CC's in such a non-acquisitive mode at the moment, I'm not sure they'd bother. More thoughts (moderator edit) in next Monday's NERW (http://www.fybush.com/nerw.html), just in case my welcome here has been worn out by then...
Here's a thought, Scott...Radioactive LLC (our former Buffalo native, Randy Michaels) picks up Buffalo, Roch-cha-cha and Columbus/Cincinnati. Would certainly be a boost to his ego!
Bingo, I think we have a winner. Strangely, I bungled my way into witnessing a conversation about six months ago when a person who works with Randy on acquisitions and finance indicated that Michaels hoped to make a move into Buffalo within the year. I was not a participant in the conversation and thought the guy was blowing smoke to impress the three other people in the circle of conversation. But now, it all makes sense. BTW, I was tending bar and waiting tables at the time. Michaels getting ahold of Buffalo and Rochester makes a lot of sense. This could be loud.[/Mike]Inventor989 said:
So, Mike...was the guy a former Buffalo PD and a Michaels "buddy" at CC before they both left the company?
Randy re-entering the biz in several of his familiar stomping grounds - not just Buffalo but also Cincinnati - would make perfect sense, and he'd be picking up some great talents (Wease, Shredd + Ragan, etc) along the way.There will be more on this - [EDIT] next week in NERW (www.fybush.com/NERW.html), [EDIT][*EDITOR'S COMMENT: Play nice please.]
I think the gentlemen was an ops manager from WLW who also has roots in Buffalo. Y'know it's interesting when you pick up on something like this and think nothing of it and a few months later some of the pieces of the puzzle take shape. I'm still not sure it all fits, but given the fact that there's a Buffalo cluster Good to have you back on the board Whitey. Now if only we could get word to Debaser and let him know how to get an account set up... [/Mike]Call Me Sherlock said:
Inventor, maybe I'm wrong, but Mr. Michaels never struck me as one who needed an ego boost!Hey Mike! I'm in Buffalo in about a month for a week or so. Let's do lunch!Inventor989 said:
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Mark_Giardina
Guest
I spoke with someone who works at the CBS cluster in Rochester and she confirmed that the stations have actually been up for sale for over a year now. As for whether Randy Michaels is interested in buying WCMF, WPXY and the other stations, is a matter for debate. I just hope, for the sake of the people currently working at the CBS stations here in Rochester, that Cumulus Broadcasting doesn't come out the high bidder.
Well. well, well. Couldn't stay away, could ya. 
Good to see your name on the board.[/Mike]
Good to see your name on the board.[/Mike]Is Cumulus as bad as clear channel? Are they all about automation?...or are there other reasons? I recall a year ago reading that same comment on another board out there somewhere (another market) but I forget why that poster hated Cumulus.Mark Giardina said:
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Mark_Giardina
Guest
Is Cumulus as bad as clear channel? Are they all about automation?...or are there other reasons? I recall a year ago reading that same comment on another board out there somewhere (another market) but I forget why that poster hated Cumulus.[/quote]From the number of postings I've read on here, Cumulus reportedly has a reputation for eating their managers and employees for breakfast. Also one can always tell how stable a company is by the number of job listings posted on numerous media and other websites. And I've seen a lot of ads for Cumulus and Clear Channel stations. My sincere hope is that some local group in Rochester will purchase the CBS stations. Personally I'm sick and tired of out-of-town ownership.
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Mark_Giardina
Guest
I know that I promised to stay away, but I felt that this was information that people should know about. ;DRadknowski said:Well. well, well. Couldn't stay away, could ya.
Broadcasting Jones
Admit it. Your hooked. You have a broadcasting jones and you can't completely walk away.Welcome to the world inhabited by virtually everyone on this and every other broadcasting board.If you feel the need to start your own podcast, it might be time for professional help.Mark Giardina said:
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