Could WGST-AM be headed for the 96.1 frequency?

[Goodtimesandgreatoldies]

I have heard some rumblings today that Cheap Channel Atlanta is thinking about putting WGST AM programming on 96.1. If they do this, The Atlanta Braves games would move back to 96.1. CC Atlanta has so many failing stations it is hard to keep up with all of the rumors. I still think that 105.3 may switch formats soon along with 94.9, maybe. Does anyone else have any recent updates on this? Thanks!

 

[BIGSTICK]

It would be a smart move. I hate this station anyway.

 

[fussbudget]

You mean there's still an AM band on the radio?

 

[romer979fm]

I have heard some rumblings today

I'm confused: where exactly do you hear these 'rumblings'?
you certainly seem to hear a lot of 'em

 

[jabba17]

First of all, nothing will happen until everyone sees what happens under PPM, except maybe a Christmas flip for 94.9.

Second, Project is starting to get a little traction despite a lot of AOR competition. The Bull, not so much. If any 100k FM flips, it will be 94.9 and not 96.1.

105.3 will flip--only question is when and to what. WGST? Legend? Something else?

CC may also be biding their time to see if the Fairness Doctrine might return. If it does, WGST is toast (although they might flip to sports and go after Zone and Fan).

We'll know something is in the works if Bull flips to all-Christmas AC (not Christmas country) and loses the Bull branding.

 

[Rick Rose 2.0]

WGST is done. No sense in trying to revive it with a FM station simlucast. CC could launch a totally new FM news/talker but the WGST brand is dead.

 

[Mitchell]

I nominate Jimmy Baron for mornings on GST and turn him loose.

 

[jabba17]

WGST is done. No sense in trying to revive it with a FM station simlucast. CC could launch a totally new FM news/talker but the WGST brand is dead.

That would be a shame...second oldest station and calls in ATL behind You Know Who.

 

[Twitch]

I have heard some rumblings today

I'm confused: where exactly do you hear these 'rumblings'?
you certainly seem to hear a lot of 'em

I do too...try Alka Seltzer....or maybe Tums.

 

[RTibbs]

Looking at the whole cluster, Project 96-1 is probably the safest of the lot. They have the right format for PPM and supposedly a re-tooled morning show as of today except all I heard was music every time I tuned in today.

I am not so sold either about them flipping the Bull so soon unless it is too the Legend format. They might let PPM play itself out there also. What I do believe is they will have one less hispanic format, very shortly. My bias as I live in the northwest part of the metro area would be to bring an FM talker to 105.7 and kill off Viva on that signal.

 

[jal41]

I am not so sold either about them flipping the Bull so soon unless it is too the Legend format. They might let PPM play itself out there also. What I do believe is they will have one less hispanic format, very shortly. My bias as I live in the northwest part of the metro area would be to bring an FM talker to 105.7 and kill off Viva on that signal.

FM talk on 105.7 has been tried...failed when WSB-AM overtook the WGST-AM/FM simulcast. Should have stuck with FM only broadcast and ditched (sold off) the AM in 2000...but that is Clear Channel decision making for you.

FM talk on 105.3 was tried in 2004 (only a partial simulcast with split programming during the day and music on weekends)...failed after only seven months.

WGST has made some ratings improvements...only to make worser tradeoffs (firing all local talent...then hiring a morning show from your sister station that flipped that got that job from another sister station that flipped...only to let one of the duo go).

Clear Channel has destroyed heritage (Peach), and has kept some (WKLS callsign on 96.1). I doubt they will dump the WGST calls entirely. There will either be one of the following:
1. WGST simulcast on 640 and FM.
2. WGST moves intellectual property to FM (including callsign). AM 640 gets new format and callsign.
3. WGST format moves to FM. WGST-FM callsign is applied to the FM. WGST callsign remains on 640 with new format.
4. Talk format moves to FM with new (or existing...but not WGST) callsign. New format launches on 640 AM with the WGST callsign.
5. Talk format moves to FM with new (or existing...but not WGST) callsign. New format laucnhes on 640 AM with a brand new callsign. WGST calls are moved out of town to prevent a competetor from using them.
6. Talk format moves to FM with new (or existing...but not WGST) callsign. New format laucnhes on 640 AM with a brand new callsign. WGST callsign is abandoned, and after 30 days someone else can swoop in and get them (case in point...WTBS callsign ended up on an LPTV when Time Warner abandoned them for the WPCH-TV callsign...which required a deal from Clear Channel, which moved them to Macon for a new station called "Peach" with the old late 90's era 94.9 Atlanta logo...which moved them from a small AM in Augusta where they were parked...which originally came from Atlanta).

In speaking of Clear Channel decisions...the Peach in Macon started on 96.5, only to move to 102.5, only to end up as a simulcast on both 96.5 and 102.5. November and December is usually the time of year Clear Channel loves to flip multiple stations in Atlanta at the same time...lets see what happens this year.

 

[RTibbs]

How soon until someone can claim they were right on this one? There are some interesting post in here though. Like the Jimmy Baron one.

 

[turnitupnow]

I am not so sold either about them flipping the Bull so soon unless it is too the Legend format. .

[/quote]

Country music is still big in certain markets and Atlanta has always been right alongside Dallas in terms of sales. If 92.9 dropped country or if Kicks was ever left as the only country signal in town that would be an underserved format. GST's problem in part is not being run by news junkies. Even with WSB's cutbacks they have some access to the #1 tv station newsroom. I'm not even sure if GST has 24 access to the AP. Many news/talk stations are managed by operation guys whose main job is making sure t he correct satellite settings on logged in for the next syndicated show. They often didn't start or grow up in this format and they've let the n/t format become inconsistant. And while the am news talk scene lets us down,public radio...THOSE GUYS...continue to make growth and a big impact. News talk listeners are usually more loyal and with WSB's big loyal audience and WABE's audience exceeding WGST's there are no quick hits for anyone thinking they can just throw on a talk format. I predict no decision to change for some time to come. Unless one can change and really truly challenge wsb, it's a lot of work for not much payoff.

 

[electroboy73]

If CC were smart they would flip 105.3 or any of the other freqs to REAL Top 40/CHR! One thing I do have to say about CC Top 40's is that they usually do pretty well. And ATLANTA NEEDS A FULL BLOWN, NORMAL CHR! I'm talking a 24/7, consistant playlist from Pitbull to Taylor Swift to Lil' Wayne to Linkin Park, KIND OF CHR!

 

[RoddyFreeman]

I would love for Atlanta to have a real CHR. The problem is, even though Star and Q are not really straight-ahead CHR's, they're probably enough to keep any new CHR, especially on a relatively-poor signal like 105.3, from trying to compete against them. Star and Q are both big signals, and pulling their upper end demos away would be difficult.

 

[jabba17]

I would love for Atlanta to have a real CHR. The problem is, even though Star and Q are not really straight-ahead CHR's, they're probably enough to keep any new CHR, especially on a relatively-poor signal like 105.3, from trying to compete against them. Star and Q are both big signals, and pulling their upper end demos away would be difficult.

And you have 95.5 on the lower end demos, too. With two hot ACs and a CHR/R you'd be boxed in quite tightly to make a name for yourself.

 

[secondchoice]

WGST’s problems are only beginning. I wish somebody at CC would spend a few bucks and do something to improve 640’s signal. If you check radio-locater.com, you will see the Sylva NC’s 680 has a CP to move to 540 am (http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/info?call=WRGC&service=AM). That should allow WCNN 680 to do some kind of coverage improvement. With the proper engineering, WCNN’s signal could be competive to WSB’s. I feel WGST’s best shot is WCNN up good income and goes against WSB in News Talk or all News That might open up a sports deal for WGST, if a FM does not go sports. Another problem: Wasn’t there a new station 50kw (830 AM I think) granted to Sandy Springs? I would hate to try to make any kind of plans for WGST. The only thing they can do is react and try to do something no one else wants to do.

 

[cvalga]

CC must do something with all their under performing FM's. There is no justification for two Spanish stations. The Bull has improved from ranked #22 to #15..WOW thats compeling reason to continue with its flawed ability to give Kicks any real competition. They will continue with the station especially since they have just put up a some billboards for the station. Project 96.1 is also safe for now. Its cheap to run and they can't afford the marketing dollars to launch any significant format change. My guess is one of the Spanish stations--105.7 Viva is likely to go whether to simulcast of WGST or Sports or some form FM talk are all low cost and low marketing launch cost. Atlanta could use a bonifide FM sports station, but losing the Braves and having no local sports franchise to go after may be a problem for CC.

 

[jabba17]

WGST’s problems are only beginning. I wish somebody at CC would spend a few bucks and do something to improve 640’s signal. If you check radio-locater.com, you will see the Sylva NC’s 680 has a CP to move to 540 am (http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/info?call=WRGC&service=AM). That should allow WCNN 680 to do some kind of coverage improvement. With the proper engineering, WCNN’s signal could be competive to WSB’s. I feel WGST’s best shot is WCNN up good income and goes against WSB in News Talk or all News That might open up a sports deal for WGST, if a FM does not go sports. Another problem: Wasn’t there a new station 50kw (830 AM I think) granted to Sandy Springs? I would hate to try to make any kind of plans for WGST. The only thing they can do is react and try to do something no one else wants to do.

I'm not sure what can be done to improve 640 short of one of the following expensive ideas:

1) Spending big bucks to take a lot of other stations dark so that you can up power at night. There are a couple of stations in FL with substantial night signals on 640.
2) Building a tower array west of town, or using WDWD's (is that even possible?), to throw a directional night signal eastward.

Without getting a proper night signal, investing in the day signal will be a waste of money.

I did not know about the CP for the NC station on 680. 680 has a great day signal, but their highly directional night signal has too many nulls on the north side to be effective (that's what you get with a tower array in Peachtree Corners). Is Dickey behind this move?

The Sandy Springs station has no night signal to speak of, IIRC. If all you needed was a great day signal, WCFO and WGUN, both 50k day, would stomp 790 and 920 in the ratings.

 

[jabba17]

CC must do something with all their under performing FM's. There is no justification for two Spanish stations. The Bull has improved from ranked #22 to #15..WOW thats compeling reason to continue with its flawed ability to give Kicks any real competition. They will continue with the station especially since they have just put up a some billboards for the station. Project 96.1 is also safe for now. Its cheap to run and they can't afford the marketing dollars to launch any significant format change. My guess is one of the Spanish stations--105.7 Viva is likely to go whether to simulcast of WGST or Sports or some form FM talk are all low cost and low marketing launch cost. Atlanta could use a bonifide FM sports station, but losing the Braves and having no local sports franchise to go after may be a problem for CC.

Roddy had the great suggestion to move Patron to 105.7, dump Viva, and simul WGST on 105.3. However, 105.3 has poor reception in the NE quadrant of the metro.