Could the End be near for WWCD ?

[Allfirdup]

Radio Insight is reporting that Ryan Moran, Operations Manager of Salem’s Christian Talk 880 WRFD registered 1025TheFish.com and FMTalk1025.com on behalf of Salem Media of Ohio. Salem specializes in the Fish Christian AC format much like 104.9 the River, and they also have a group of conservative talk.

That leads to questions weather Salem is buying the 102.5 facilities that WWCD is leasing or Leasing the 102.5 signal like WWCD has

Did WWCD (who just bought a new building for their studios) find a cheaper signal to buy? are they going for another move? will they now become CD101 at 102.5 at 101.7 or something like that?


Another thing to consider is we have a lot of Christian music on the air in Columbus and surrounding area, now with K-Love, The River, Radio U. and christian talk is being covered as well, by WHKC WVKO(Cathlolic) is there room for more?

http://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/netgnomes/53990/are-cd101-columbus-days-numbered/#.TqWoy7LdISY

 

[dawg4life]

WWCD on 101.7 would make a lot of sense. They would cover a larger portion of their listening audience and they could re-brand themselves as CD101 again. With all of the new Hits stations in Columbus, WNKO has to be taking a beating so It would make sense for them to sell. Of course this is all speculation but it's still fun to talk about.

 

[gabigley1]

That is just what I was thinking. [email protected] makes more sense then [email protected] and slides off the tongue much easier.

Also, it's been reported Salem has been looking for an FM station in Columbus for the longest time. They had wanted to get out
of Columbus but weren't able to sale WRFD 880 AM. Since they are stuck in Columbus, it makes sense they are shopping for an
FM signal in town.

 

[Rick Rose 2.0]

I highly doubt Salem is launching a Fish in Columbus. If anything the news/talk programming stations/shows that Salem owns will be coming to Columbus. Now Salem has to have given up on its Fish concept but its possible that they buy 104.9 and then have a 3 station cluster in town.

 

[Rusty Muck]

For all we know, they'll move WRFD's Christian format to 102.5 or have a simulcast with the AM/880 signal.

"The Fish" smells. (pardon the pun!) After all, Salem tried to get out of Columbus in 2008 by selling off WRFD to CVCO... and that apparently fell through. Nor am I convinced that Salem would throw away an FM signal for their third-tier conservatalk offerings. If they are indeed stuck in Columbus, make the most of their most profitable signal, I guess.

Because WWCD hasn't been streaming for months, are they STILL using the antiquated "CD101" branding? I thought they were almost completely "102.5 The Alternative Station." But that would make sense, and sadly, WWCD has been obviously reeling since Andyman's tragic death last July.

 

[xmusicmatt]

Because WWCD hasn't been streaming for months, are they STILL using the antiquated "CD101" branding? I thought they were almost completely "102.5 The Alternative Station." But that would make sense, and sadly, WWCD has been obviously reeling since Andyman's tragic death last July.

They still consider themselves as CD101 @ 102.5... Even saw a TV commerical calling them that late night saturday on the local NBC4 station.

 

[Rusty Muck]

Because WWCD hasn't been streaming for months, are they STILL using the antiquated "CD101" branding? I thought they were almost completely "102.5 The Alternative Station." But that would make sense, and sadly, WWCD has been obviously reeling since Andyman's tragic death last July.

They still consider themselves as CD101 @ 102.5... Even saw a TV commerical calling them that late night saturday on the local NBC4 station.

Wow. Even worse situation than I figured it would be. It's as if they just don't want to move on.

I have no words.

 

[xmusicmatt]

Because WWCD hasn't been streaming for months, are they STILL using the antiquated "CD101" branding? I thought they were almost completely "102.5 The Alternative Station." But that would make sense, and sadly, WWCD has been obviously reeling since Andyman's tragic death last July.

They still consider themselves as CD101 @ 102.5... Even saw a TV commerical calling them that late night saturday on the local NBC4 station.

Wow. Even worse situation than I figured it would be. It's as if they just don't want to move on.

I have no words.

If you go to their website: http://www.cd1025.com/ http://www.cd101.com/ the CD101 branding is still there in many places.

 

[Rusty Muck]

I'll even through THIS out-there, oddball scenario:

*WRFD/880 flips from Christian talk/teaching to brokered business - Salem's latest specialized format; draws heavily on the WSJ Radio Network and Bloomburg, plus other syndicated financial hosts and time-brokered local fare. Would make sense given 880's daytime signal.

*WWCD/102.5 is leased to Salem and flips to CCM as "102.5 The Fish." Easy move.

*WNKO/101.7 is ALSO leased to Salem to become the new home of WRFD's Christian talk/teaching format on a 24/7 basis.

I know... it all seems too convenient. But, I had to throw it out there.

 

[the marv]

We have enough ccm stations here as is we really don't need another one. If Salem does bring the fish to Columbus the 102.5 frequency would give 104.9 the River a good run since it has more power. But tradition usually wins out which 104.9 has in Columbus.

 

[Rusty Muck]

Because WWCD hasn't been streaming for months, are they STILL using the antiquated "CD101" branding? I thought they were almost completely "102.5 The Alternative Station." But that would make sense, and sadly, WWCD has been obviously reeling since Andyman's tragic death last July.

They still consider themselves as CD101 @ 102.5... Even saw a TV commerical calling them that late night saturday on the local NBC4 station.

Wow. Even worse situation than I figured it would be. It's as if they just don't want to move on.

I have no words.

If you go to their website: http://www.cd1025.com/ http://www.cd101.com/ the CD101 branding is still there in many places.

Indeed. But I was chalking that up to them either having no webmaster to maintain the site... or it's part of their endless tribute to Andyman.

 

[xmusicmatt]

I highly doubt Salem is launching a Fish in Columbus. If anything the news/talk programming stations/shows that Salem owns will be coming to Columbus. Now Salem has to have given up on its Fish concept but its possible that they buy 104.9 and then have a 3 station cluster in town.

I don't see CVCO selling 104.9 anytime soon.. With both ad dollars and listener support.. WCVO is doing quite well with their C-AC format. (with the amount of spot load, I find it hard to listen to sometimes .. but I know that's how they make their $$$)

Could salem come in and put a Fish on 102.5? Maybe.. Many years ago they made an attempt at C-AC in this market on 103.1 which primarly aired their TCM format via satellite outside of morning/afternoon drive, but that was LONG before CCM was what it is today. They could do it cheap with their TCM format that airs in a lot of dayparts on a lot of their less performing Fish stations.

I dont see Salem moving WRFD's programming to FM either... Outside of the Salem content.. The stuff aired on WRFD is "pay to pray" .. (the ministries are paying for airtime on WRFD) from my understanding. Even with the low Arb numbers in PPM .. WRFD is still making $$$$ with the 880 AM signal.

Of course, anything is possible.. WWCD's signal is a LMA ... The owners can always enterain a higher bidder at any time! (and I am sure there is an out clause in the current LMA agreement with Fun with Radio that says 'If we choose to sell the station, you no longer get to program it')

 

[jhc2010]

The only mentions of "101" on the air is when the station's website is mentioned. They also have old recordings of bands who have stopped by their studios over the years and the number 101 is mentioned during short bits between songs, such as "This is Coldplay and you are listening to CD101". Their facebook page is still "cd101 fm".

I would have to guess that the ad that someone saw on WCMH is months old and they just never updated it.

 

[knowbetter]

Radio Insight is reporting that Ryan Moran, Operations Manager of Salem’s Christian Talk 880 WRFD registered 1025TheFish.com and FMTalk1025.com on behalf of Salem Media of Ohio. Salem specializes in the Fish Christian AC format much like 104.9 the River, and they also have a group of conservative talk.

That leads to questions weather Salem is buying the 102.5 facilities that WWCD is leasing or Leasing the 102.5 signal like WWCD has

Did WWCD (who just bought a new building for their studios) find a cheaper signal to buy? are they going for another move? will they now become CD101 at 102.5 at 101.7 or something like that?

Another thing to consider is we have a lot of Christian music on the air in Columbus and surrounding area, now with K-Love, The River, Radio U. and christian talk is being covered as well, by WHKC WVKO(Cathlolic) is there room for more?

http://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/netgnomes/53990/are-cd101-columbus-days-numbered/#.TqWoy7LdISY

at best, there are other 102.5 frequencies in Ohio, so did that have something to do with this.

point two, is that WWCD stopped being a "station", when they sold off their frequency...they sold their license, and became a lessee of another company, who can do whatever they want with the frequency they always owned. With the upsurge of activity with K-Love lately, and their deep pockets, they well could have purchased the frequency, and at the same time, took the real value of WWCD to equipment cost, which in the grand scheme of things, is pretty much nothing.

Hopefully, the owners of WWCD didn't put all of their money in then new building stuff, cause that's all they got!

 

[xmusicmatt]

at best, there are other 102.5 frequencies in Ohio, so did that have something to do with this.

point two, is that WWCD stopped being a "station", when they sold off their frequency...they sold their license, and became a lessee of another company, who can do whatever they want with the frequency they always owned. With the upsurge of activity with K-Love lately, and their deep pockets, they well could have purchased the frequency, and at the same time, took the real value of WWCD to equipment cost, which in the grand scheme of things, is pretty much nothing.

Hopefully, the owners of WWCD didn't put all of their money in then new building stuff, cause that's all they got!

WWCD is also living on the edge too... If for some reason they loose their FM presence, they are done.. They will be nothing more than a website.. They stopped streaming earler this year... and with out an FM and without an internet stream.. CD101 is well nothing.. Makes me wonder if they should have not stopped webstreaming... for their brand being internet only is better than nothing (if they should for some reason loose the FM they LMA).

 

[gabigley1]

Asked radio expert Scott Fybush about the length of LMAs back in January and this what he told me:

How long are the contracts for the LMA's? A year long? Can a station
refuse to renew if someone offers more money??

Sure - the ultimate control of a station always remains with its
licensee. LMAs can be of any length; one year is usually pretty short,
and I've seen them for as long as 10 years.

Now, this question:

If CD101 has a long term contract with the owners of 102.5, dose this mean the owners of 102.5 can still sell or LMA the frequency to another
party during the length of the contract?

 

[Allfirdup]

If CD101 has a long term contract with the owners of 102.5, dose this mean the owners of 102.5 can still sell or LMA the frequency to another
party during the length of the contract?

My Guess is that even if Salem buys the signal During the LMA period, most contracts of this type have an early termination clause. so they my have to pay WWCD some money, but there would be nothing they could really do.

 

[gabigley1]

at best, there are other 102.5 frequencies in Ohio, so did that have something to do with this.

This dose not appear to be the case because there is no other stations on 102.5 that they would be interested in.

WWCD is also living on the edge too... If for some reason they loose their FM presence, they are done.. They will be nothing more than a website.. They stopped streaming earler this year... and with out an FM and without an internet stream.. CD101 is well nothing.. Makes me wonder if they should have not stopped webstreaming... for their brand being internet only is better than nothing (if they should for some reason loose the FM they LMA).

This is now posted on:

http://www.radiosurvivor.com/2011/1...-alt-rocker-cd101-to-christian-talk-or-music/

If the domain name deal is what it appears to be – a sale of the frequency and a format switch – would CD101’s brand try to continue online, as we’re currently seeing with another heritage alternative station, Chicago’s Q101?

That is the question... If the frequency is sold to Salem, will CD101 start streaming again?

 

[ShurEnough]

I was looking at Salem's site & they don't have newstalk on any FM signals so you gotta think that they're gonna put The Fish on 102.5. Right?

 

[dawg4life]

This is a reply from CD101 on their Facebook page:

"We have an LMA in place with Southeast Ohio Broadcasting, which we have been operating under since WWCD started broadcasting from 102.5. A sale of the station would not affect the LMA, and WWCD looks forward to continuing to provide independent radio to central Ohio listeners for years to come."

https://www.facebook.com/cd101