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Cox to get Star 94?

jal41

jal41

http://www.radio-info.com/newsletter/ (Friday 6/8)

Some things to ponder if this occurs:

If this happens, Cox will have to sell one of their stations due to ownership of the AJC. I would suspect 95.5 be the one.

Also, weekends/nights could be voicetracked/automated as is the case with B98.5 on weekends.

Studios would move to 1601 West Peachtree Street.

I don't know how research heavy Cox does top 40 (WAPE Jacksonville and WBLI Long Island). We know how B98.5 and The River are. Since Top 40 has a small playlist by nature, that should not be a problem.

I wonder if Star 94 would play rap.

How would this affect sister B98.5 - Most likely not at all.

How would this affect competitor Q100 (to the poster who regularly asks this question - I am asking it) - could help, could hurt, depending on how Cox would operate Star, or if Q100 moves to 99.7 when 99X goes out.

How would this affect 95.5 The Beat - like I said, this station is the weakest in the cluster, and would be the most likely to be sold. If the Beat stays CHR/Rhythmic, no impact on the format (BTW, Cox operates CHR/Top 40 on 95.5's HD2).

If Cox gets to keep 95.5, it will change formats. I don't see Cox operating both a Top 40 and Rythmic Top 40 simultaniously. They could in an effort to get rid of Q100 (One reason the Lite isn't on 94.9 anymore, and the Rock isn't on 96.1 either).

Of the 2 stations, Star 94 is much more powerful, has better ratings and billing, and has heritage. That is why I see Cox getting rid of 95.5 if this occurs.

-----

Regardless of who gets the LFM properties, WQXI would most likely be sold to Big League (who LMA's the station) outright.
 
If Cox really did get Lincoln Financial Media and had to spin off a station, I doubt it would be 95.5. The reason is that 95.5 will most likely get FCC approval to move right into Atlanta. That would still leave Cox with 2 rimshots, 97.1 and 104.1. One of those 2 would most likely be sold. Cox would want the best signals; formats could then be moved. Keep in mind Star 94 is close to B98.5 in terms of target demo so an adjustment might be made to change that if all this happened.
 
How many FM's can one company own in Atlanta? I know it's based on market size and number of stations available but I keep hearing different numbers on how many Cox or CC or even Citidal can own. If CCs grandfather clause goes away can they own 4 or 5 FMs? Does the fact that Cox has the AJC make it different for them?
Thanks for the help.
OIC
 
Star playing rap is definitely a stretch, some R&B is likely though. Necessary to keep up with Q. Although, I listened to Star the other night and heard a country song (could have been Carrie Underwood) but definitely a distinct opportunity they took advantage of--how often this happens or how successful it is--I do not know.
 
Cox paid one helluva price to buy 95.5 from the Holders (Randy, H. Randolph, et. al), outbidding what turned into CC in the process.

With that much $$ invested in a good class C signal that can be possibly be moved a little closer (I don't think it likely, but that's another story), I don't see Cox selling it, or who would want to pay more than $70 million just for a standalone FM stick. Not CBS, not Cumulus, certainly not Southern Broadcasting to bring it back to Athens.

If Cox bought it, they would have to spin stuff in at least three markets, and do they want a sports network?

FWIW, I see a venture capital company coming in to play. Most of the companies who currently own are either holding flat, completing big purchases or cutting, and a few small players are kicking tires in other parts of the country.

Who REALLY is left?
 
Cox's top 40 station in Jax is not very good at all. WAPE is not a very good station not sure about the Long Island station but I do know that WAPE is not what is use to be because of Cox and their "research" which basically sucks. Most of the songs I hear on Star94 never make it to the playlist on WAPE and if and when they do it is usually a month or so later. They are very slow to change or mess with their playlist which I am starting to guess is how Cox does all their stations considering B98.5 changes their playist once every blue moon. The only reason they continue to grab numbers in Jax is that there is no competition really except in the mornings from MJ
 
Why would Cox want more stations in Atlanta? They own this town in the ratings with their FM cluster and WSB.

I still wonder if CBS Radio plans to act on their interest to expand in Atlanta.
 
CBS is selling in several markets and cleaning up a mess in NYC.

I would have thought them to be the logical ones four years ago, but not today.
 
Another thing that occurs to me after looking at the recent front page article and Braves sale...

LF may look at doing a stock/asset swap instead of a straightforward sale.

Who has the shares on hand to fork over?
 
Just one more thought...

Farid is dropping hints about selling off the ABC music format stations to help pay down the big Citadel debt once the deal is done.
That would leave Kicks, Eagle and Star available in Atlanta for someone to grab.

Is Randy Michaels watching?
 
Wow, that would be quite a cluster (...and if the new management botches it, it'd sound like one too ;D).

Kicks, Eagle and Star in the same group. 2 questions come to mind--

1) What is to become of Radio Disney?
2) You saw this one coming...how will this affect Q100? Or the Bull, even?
 
It will more than likely be a year or so before anyone can close the deal. Say what you will about Cox, but they take more money out of the market than anyone. Last time I checked, radio was still a business.
 
Radio Disney is being kept by ABC. However, the current (to be Citadel) clusters that have a Radio Disney affiliate will continue to handle selling the station to advertisers for a period of time (I think 2 or 3 years).
 
InTIMadate said:
Just one more thought...

Farid is dropping hints about selling off the ABC music format stations to help pay down the big Citadel debt once the deal is done.
That would leave Kicks, Eagle and Star available in Atlanta for someone to grab.

Is Randy Michaels watching?
Click to expand...

There have been reports that Citadel might be thinking about selling the ABC 24/7 satellite music networks, not the music stations.
 
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