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Citadel turning down 95X power?

S

SeenItAll

Guest
This sounds crazy but the reliable word is that Citadel will be running 95X at 3,000 watts in January in order to save on the electric bill? Apparently one of the rating services has them at a 2.6 overall and the thought is that "we dont need all the watts to do that share"
Can this be true?
 
Not sure if that is true. But all the Citadel stations turned off their HD Signals/transmitters to save money. Maybe the story you heard was a little twisted.
 
Well, according to the CDBS they haven't filed an STA request, or a Minor Change application. At least not since 2-4 days ago (it takes a few business days for applications to show up in the CDBS.

I don't work for the FCC, but offhand I don't see them granting an STA request for reduced power based on economic needs. And pursuing a minor change app would seem too risky b/c someone else could file their own minor change app to fill the gaps that a reduced-power WAQX would leave.

I dunno. With the economy and the biz being what it is these days, I wouldn't claim anything as being "impossible" but this feels a little too gossipy to me.
 
I think that you got it right the first time. It sounds crazy.

Not that I'd be surprised to see them stretch a tube long enough see power drop well below normal...
 
Citadeath may be on the brink of bankruptcy, but the company surely has the cashflow to pay its electric bill. File this one under "crazy talk."
 
I guess that would be the very same reliable word that has 95X flipping to country, annnnnnnnnyyyyyyyy minute now.

From 25,000 Watts to 3,000. Yeah that sounds about right. Did you eat a lot of paint chips when you were a kid?

As far as bankruptcy goes, just read the front page of this website. It's going to have very little impact on operations. It's no different than the housing bubble. Radio stations were bought by Citadel at the peak of value, then the bottom dropped out and the debt can't be serviced. So, the debt holders settle for ownership of the company.

The FACT is the Syracuse cluster and yes, even 95X, are profitable, hitting budgets and holding steady with ratings. I wonder what'd happen when they finally release some marketing money, promotions money??? :eek: :eek:
 
RockinScience said:
As far as bankruptcy goes, just read the front page of this website. It's going to have very little impact on operations. It's no different than the housing bubble. Radio stations were bought by Citadel at the peak of value, then the bottom dropped out and the debt can't be serviced. So, the debt holders settle for ownership of the company.

The FACT is the Syracuse cluster and yes, even 95X, are profitable, hitting budgets and holding steady with ratings. I wonder what'd happen when they finally release some marketing money, promotions money??? :eek: :eek:
Click to expand...

Keep wondering, Slick.

Chapter 11 ain't a walk in the park. If you think Citadel's future's so bright you gotta wear shades, you're livin' in a parallel universe. Yeah, like the housing bubble, times one thousand. On a good day. We haven't even seen or heard about the lawsuits that are sure to be filed by at least a few of the thousands of shareholders who got left holding a bag of lint from Judy's purse. Wait, that would be wayyyyy more than two cents.
 
aaronread said:
Well, according to the CDBS they haven't filed an STA request, or a Minor Change application. At least not since 2-4 days ago (it takes a few business days for applications to show up in the CDBS.

I don't work for the FCC, but offhand I don't see them granting an STA request for reduced power based on economic needs. And pursuing a minor change app would seem too risky b/c someone else could file their own minor change app to fill the gaps that a reduced-power WAQX would leave.

I dunno. With the economy and the biz being what it is these days, I wouldn't claim anything as being "impossible" but this feels a little too gossipy to me.
Click to expand...

You do not need a STA to turn off the HD signal, as long as the analog is on the air, per my FCC attorney.
 
RockinScience said:
As far as bankruptcy goes, just read the front page of this website. It's going to have very little impact on operations.
Click to expand...

Maybe...but I have read on other sites that Citadel is going to start using their own network of "Marquee Talent" which sounds very similar to CC's "Premium Choice" talent. DJs tracked in from who knows where...
local radio out the window....
 
Radioflow said:
Not sure if that is true. But all the Citadel stations turned off their HD Signals/transmitters to save money. Maybe the story you heard was a little twisted.
Click to expand...

That isn't true unless you just meant only Syracuse. In other markets they're still running HD. 92.3 WPRO-FM and 105.1 WWLI in Providence, RI are both still running it.
 
scottwmro said:
You do not need a STA to turn off the HD signal, as long as the analog is on the air, per my FCC attorney.
Click to expand...

True, but you do need one to run less than 90% of authorized analog power for more than 30 days.

(if you're going to be on reduced power for between 10 and 30 days, you need to notify the FCC, but you don't need advance permission)
 
Just curious as to who the "reliable word" was from???? And exactly what makes it "reliable"??? Come on SeenItAll enlighten us.
 
Well since you asked it was your former Market Manager who ALSO said that Lite 105 will soon be switching to a talk format which may be simulcast on 1260 or 1260 MAY be turned off altogether in order to save the cost of running the towers which HE said is more expensive than running 95X at 25,000 watts.
If Citadel reduces 95X to 3,000 watts and signs 1260 off altogether,he said it would save $100,000! I would be interested in hearing from the techies on this board as to the truthfulness of that statement.Could they really save $100,000 annually by signing 1260 off and reducing 95X to 3,000 watts?
 
SeenItAll said:
Well since you asked it was your former Market Manager who ALSO said that Lite 105 will soon be switching to a talk format which may be simulcast on 1260 or 1260 MAY be turned off altogether in order to save the cost of running the towers which HE said is more expensive than running 95X at 25,000 watts.
Click to expand...

They should have put ESPN on FM (Lite), but oops, too late now.
 
Your logic amazes me. But, then again, you HAVE seen it all.

I got a hot, reliable real estate tip for ya...there's this Bridge in NYC, total money maker, available cheap.

Taking the word of a FORMER market manager?? No axe to grind there. And I'm sure that person has the same access to inside information that they had before, right???

Sssshhhh don't tell no body, but I have reliable word that 95X is not only going to turn down, bu they're gonna flip to country too. And only broadcast on even numbered days to save money.
 
SeenItAll said:
Well since you asked it was your former Market Manager who ALSO said that Lite 105 will soon be switching to a talk format which may be simulcast on 1260 or 1260 MAY be turned off altogether in order to save the cost of running the towers which HE said is more expensive than running 95X at 25,000 watts.
If Citadel reduces 95X to 3,000 watts and signs 1260 off altogether,he said it would save $100,000! I would be interested in hearing from the techies on this board as to the truthfulness of that statement.Could they really save $100,000 annually by signing 1260 off and reducing 95X to 3,000 watts?
Click to expand...
First, turn off HD, if it hasn't already been done. Word is Citadel's Buffalo FMs turned off HD. Good move. Few listeners care passionately about FM HD. Now, about "the cost of running the towers." Bwah? You mean powering the transmitter? 5kW on 1260, depending on the transmitter, could cost a few thousand a month. It's been a while, so excuse the inexactness of my estimate. Reducing 95X from 25kW to 3kW is absolutely ludicrous, so let's just table that as "crazy talk" and nonsense. What's next, cutting Q to 25kW? Please! Market coverage would shrink dramatically and X's competitors would be all over it like lint on a cheap suit. It says here" "Not gonna happen." Want to cut the power bill? Look at ancillary expenses like soda machines; check the efficiency and settings of HVAC, use of TV monitors, computers and older monitors, space heaters as well as core lighting requirements that could be made more efficient.
 
Hey, maybe the could just consolidate whoever's left into one part of the building, and close off the rest. Then they could turn the heat way down, and shut off the lights. That'll save them some money so Farid can continue to collect his $1-Million+.
 
Think about this ...Put 1260 on 95X. Drop the power to 3,000 watts. Sign off 1260 and save all that money.
This would put a "better product" on 95X...seriously..Brent Axe could do better than the 2's X has in the "new ratings" .
And X could keep all the lights on...
 
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