CBS Purchases 101.9 To Simulcast WFAN

[MHVRadiofan]

CBS has purchased 101.9 WRXP from Merlin Media, and will begin simulcasting WFAN-AM 660 on it later this fall. The simulcast will continue until a replacement format can be found for 660. It is possible CBS could use it for the new CBS sports network debuting in January. CBS will have to divest one station as the purchase of 101.9 puts them over the cap. One poster on the NYC board suggests that they may sell it to Cumulus (do they have cap room) which actually is a partner in the new CBS Sports radio network. This matters to us in the Mid-Hudson Valley since just like when WEPN moved to FM on 98.7, 101.9 does not reach much of the area, leaving us without any sports station, and most importantly coverage of many NYC sports team live broadcasts.

 

[disney fanatic]

Good question. I just said many times in past threads about 1050 going to Spanish as ESPN Deported and it can reach mostly in the HV area in daytime, and if CBS take over 101.9 soon, they will simulcast it until 660 has a new home for CBS Sports Radio in January. The reasons why is that we got three oldies/greatest hits stations. You've got WGNY's "Fox Oldies" where they playing the 60's and 70's music where they thrown in a bunch of 50's music in there because it would sound a lot like CBS-FM during its pre-Jack days, you know the pre-Beatles stuff like the music from 1955-63. This music is now dated, and of course a lack of doo-wop show which is not on "Fox Oldies" but it needs a better doo-Wop show than this one. Then, you've got WEOK and WALL where they still have the "True Oldies Channel" playing the same music and they're competiting with "Fox Oldies" and finally, you've got WBPM. They kicked back in high gear once again playing 60's through 80's as a greatest or biggest hits station. I guess that the mid-Hudson Valley is not going to support three oldies stations. Maybe WEOK and WALL should flip to CBS Sports Radio starting in January. This is what we need. Hudson Valley needs another sports station.

 

[ChuckRoast]

This is lousy news for Mets fans in the Capital Region. Since WOFX switched from a long time Mets outlet to the Bosox, at least fans of the other New York baseball team could listen to the games on the FAN. Next season Zilch.

 

[MHVRadiofan]

If and When WFAN switches to FM only it would make sense for a station like WEOK sports via ESPN or one of the new sports networks like CBS or NBC another try. But they would need to also broadcast live NYC sports teams games. I have said before that it did not make a lot of sense to simulcast something already available from New York, but that would not apply if WFAN goes FM only. WEOK could become home to The Mets as well as other Teams. Of course Cumulus Poughkeepsie already has the Yankees on WKXP so they would compete with themselves there. As Disney pointed out we don’t need three oldies stations. Doing true oldies might have made sense before WGNY-FM appeared and now WBPM rediscovering ‘biggest hits’’ but not now. Even before these two stations arrived WEOK –True Oldies got a big zero in the ratings, the same they got with ESPN, Spanish, News Talk, etc.. In fact when was the last time 1390 did show in the ratings? I find it odd that a station with a decent local signal gets zilch in the ratings. So, yea I think it is time they give sports another try. Since Cumulus is running CBS sports it would be a great fit.

 

[disney fanatic]

This is lousy news for Mets fans in the Capital Region. Since WOFX switched from a long time Mets outlet to the Bosox, at least fans of the other New York baseball team could listen to the games on the FAN. Next season Zilch.

Don't worry folks! You can watch the Mets on MSG, but you're not going to hear Mets baseball next season. Remember when WKIP used to carried Mets baseball? That was back in the 70's where WKIP in Poughkeepsie used to carry the Mets.

 

[ChuckRoast]

I don't recall the Mets ever being on MSG. The Yankees were before they created the YES Network.
Perhaps Mets management will add more local radio affiliates in the absence of the big FAN stick. 95% of the time I'm watching the Mets on SNY so it's not the problem it would have been before cable.

 

[danikayser84]

Speaking of CBS Sports Radio, has an Albany affiliate been cleared yet? I'd like to see CBS Sports Radio on 1540 (see the WDCD extension thread), but I hope it doesn't land on 590 and kill Magic...

 

[Lando Griffin]

Maybe it would be wise for WGNY-AM to make the switch to sports (ESPN Radio plus local/regional games)

 

[disney fanatic]

Maybe it would be wise for WGNY-AM to make the switch to sports (ESPN Radio plus local/regional games)

Or maybe it will be on 98.9 if they can pull the plug on "Fox Oldies". They did very well with a 4.2 in a Spring book, but I don't see it going into ESPN Radio anytime soon. The reason for both WGNY-AM and FM is that the music is too old and dated, just like the old CBS-FM (1972-2005) did, but WBPM sound a lot better than the new CBS-FM (2007-present), and WEOK & WALL with its "True Oldies Channel", it's got to go, maybe they should flip to Hudson Valley's CBS Sports Radio by January and keep the Army Athletics where it is.

WGNY's "Fox Oldies" is continue to compete with WBPM which is now running its Greatest Hits format known as "The Biggest Hits of All Time", and I said, Poughkeepsie are not going to support these three stations. They're all over the place! One of the stations as I said needs to go. WGNY-AM and FM gets an ESPN Radio affiliate and WEOK & WALL gets a CBS Sports Radio affiliate. I don't know if Mark West would continue to do mornings on WALL? Maybe he should be leaving the station by January 2013 to make a format flip to CBS Sports Radio.