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Could CBS Radio End Up Owning WTOP?

DToTheJ

DToTheJ

Interesting prediction from DCRTV.com:

"Our source claims that Hubbard... plans to hold on to WTOP for a few years, but does eventually plan to unload the DC cluster - which is dominated by WTOP. We're told that while WTOP is the top radio ad revenue biller in the country, it's also a mighty expensive station to run..."

This after CBS reassigned Steve Swenson from New York to Washington - to "explore" the possibility of CBS acquiring WTOP.
 
Hmm. Purely for fun and fantasy, and not for any serious comments or "that will never happen" discussion, let's discuss what the DC Market would be like if CBS Radio owned WTOP. What do you think?
 
The problem for CBS is efficiency. They're looking to build multi-platform media packages, all branded as CBS. That's what they have in most of their major markets. Bonnevile/Hubbard has done a great job. But what hurts CBS in DC is they don't own a TV. That makes running an all-news operation expensive. Which Hubbard already knows. They have a similar problem in Houston. My question is could they buy a TV?
 
I'm certainly no expert on TV, but here is what has been said locally of late IIRC

9. Gannett is hemorrhaging money.

4. General Electric was shopping all of the NBC O&O TV stations. Whether Comcast decides to keep them is to be determined.

7. Albritton, has been spending lots of bucks, but (according the various media sources) not getting the kind of return they want.

Also, everything is for sale at the right price.

CBS has a big pocketbook.
 
The cheaper option might be to flip one of its underperforming FMs to news, and compete against WTOP. Of course that would be a bit hostile, especially since WTOP is a CBS Radio affiliate. But when you look at CBS-DC, there are a lot of underperforming FMs. And two news stations in the Top 5. The market could probably handle another news station.
 
TheBigA said:
The problem for CBS is efficiency. They're looking to build multi-platform media packages, all branded as CBS. That's what they have in most of their major markets. Bonnevile/Hubbard has done a great job. But what hurts CBS in DC is they don't own a TV. That makes running an all-news operation expensive. Which Hubbard already knows. They have a similar problem in Houston. My question is could they buy a TV?
Click to expand...

In a similar vein, CBS has an all-newser (WWJ-AM) and an O&O (WWJ-TV) in Detroit - but the O&O has never had any serious news department or regular evening newscasts of any sort.
 
Besides WTOP, who is the other news station in the top 5?

The cheaper option might be to flip one of its underperforming FMs to news, and compete against WTOP. Of course that would be a bit hostile, especially since WTOP is a CBS Radio affiliate. But when you look at CBS-DC, there are a lot of underperforming FMs. And two news stations in the Top 5. The market could probably handle another news station.
[/quote]
 
Old PD said:
9. Gannett is hemorrhaging money... CBS has a big pocketbook.
Click to expand...

I can see CBS taking Channel 9 off of Gannett's hands. Then, reflecting what CBS has done in some markets, regardless of how significant the WUSA calls may be, I can easily see CBS dumping them in favor of new WJFK-TV call letters, matching their FM sports talker (there are similar arrangements in Boston and Baltimore; the Pittsburgh FM talker also shares calls with their heritage AM talker, KDKA; same in Dallas with KRLD).
 
DToTheJ said:
Old PD said:
9. Gannett is hemorrhaging money... CBS has a big pocketbook.
Click to expand...

I can see CBS taking Channel 9 off of Gannett's hands. Then, reflecting what CBS has done in some markets, regardless of how significant the WUSA calls may be, I can easily see CBS dumping them in favor of new WJFK-TV call letters, matching their FM sports talker (there are similar arrangements in Boston and Baltimore; the Pittsburgh FM talker also shares calls with their heritage AM talker, KDKA; same in Dallas with KRLD).
Click to expand...

I don't think that will happen -- the call-letter change to WJFK-TV. Doesn't make much sense to me.

Now on the other hand, what if CBS gets both WTOP and WUSA? It may be time to dust off those old WTOP-TV signs at Broadcast House (assuming they have any left over 30-plus years after dropping that identity.). Or CBS could leave 25 years of heritage intact and keep channel 9 as WUSA.

BTW -- A history lesson: CBS owned WTOP radio (formerly WJSV) from 1932 until 1949, when it sold controlling interest (55 percent) to the Washington Post. The CBS-WaPo duo then bought channel 9 in 1950. CBS sold its remaining shares of WTOP to the Post in 1954.
 
Rollo-Smokes said:
Now on the other hand, what if CBS gets both WTOP and WUSA? It may be time to dust off those old WTOP-TV signs at Broadcast House (assuming they have any left over 30-plus years after dropping that identity.).
Click to expand...

When WTOP-TV became WDVM, it was still at the old Broadcast House by the towers on Brandywine, wasn't it? I'd bet a significant sum of money that nothing saying "WTOP-TV" moved to the new Broadcast House down Wisconsin when WDVM/WUSA moved...
 
Scott Fybush said:
Rollo-Smokes said:
Now on the other hand, what if CBS gets both WTOP and WUSA? It may be time to dust off those old WTOP-TV signs at Broadcast House (assuming they have any left over 30-plus years after dropping that identity.).
Click to expand...

When WTOP-TV became WDVM, it was still at the old Broadcast House by the towers on Brandywine, wasn't it? I'd bet a significant sum of money that nothing saying "WTOP-TV" moved to the new Broadcast House down Wisconsin when WDVM/WUSA moved...
Click to expand...

I forgot about the move. Thanks for that, Mr. Fybush.
 
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