Cumulus buys WFME 94.7

[DToTheJ]

By the way... Looks like Jeffrey can update his signature on this board now... :

 

[Mac Daddy]

If WBAI is also sold, I would like to see 94.7 go alternative and 99.5 go country.

 

[badjef]

i

 

[badjef]

By the way... Looks like Jeffrey can update his signature on this board now... :

In "Jeffrey"'s defense, I wouldn't change it yet, since nobody can agree on a "proper" format for any radio station, no matter what format is chosen, somebody will always be agreeing with the sig.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

 

[secondchoice]

Once more, with feeling:

WMAS-FM is not the biggest obstacle to moving 94.7 into Manhattan. WWSK 94.3 on Long Island is. Unlike some of the other second-adjacent situations that have lent themselves to move-ins (93.1/93.5/93.9, 96.3/96.7/97.1, 103.5/103.9/104.3), the Newark and Smithtown signals were fully spaced in 1964, and thus are not grandfathered and must continue to obey current spacing rules. And there's not much (if any) wiggle room to move 94.3 out of the picture - it's already short-spaced to WYBC-FM, among others.

There's also a huge obstacle to downgrading WMAS-FM, and that's the COL change to Enfield a few years back. Any downgrade to WMAS-FM must still put a 70 dBu signal over Enfield, and that means (a) a less-than-optimum signal over the core of the Springfield market and (b) moving the transmitter site south from downtown Springfield, which is exactly the direction you don't want to be moving if you're hoping to open up space for WFME.

The COL issue can be solved with an AM signal. Simply pay an existing AM (WSPR is a good candidate) switch to Enfield as a COL or buy a failing class D and move it to have a signal that qualifies it to have a COL of Enfield

 

[secondchoice]

The only other alternative would be for Cumulus to purchase 94.3 and take it dark, freeing the way for 94.7 to move to Manhattan.

I believe this has been discussed before, and the FCC would disallow this. The rules for AM and FM are different. Even if the 94.3 license was surrendered, the placeholder exists and must be protected. Scott Fybush can much better explain this...

If 94.3 was moved, not deleted, and an AM to cover any COL issue was found, I doubt the FCC could do anything about a "move out", if the engineering is correct. They have approved hundreds of "move ins".

 

[badjef]

The 94.7 signal eventual move to Empire, makes me think there will a lot of jaw-dropping, especially on this board, when they move.

The purchase by Cumulus is ideal for the situation.

Thanks FR.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

 

[Lucha Libre AAA]

WABC on FM would be stupid. Is conservative talk really viable enough to put on FM on that signal? I don't think so.

It would be interesting if, whatever the format may be, the station could have the WABC-FM calls.

In NYC, probably not. In other markets, I think it makes sense to put conservative talk on FM.

In southern markets, local auto dealers and regional fast food chains still ain't afraid of Media Matters or Color of Change and they run lots of ads on conservative commentary. For now.

 

[HHH]

If WBAI is also sold, I would like to see 94.7 go alternative and 99.5 go country.

Pacifica would NEVER sell WBAI without an exchange for another signal. Never.

Not impossible that Cumulus would (as mentioned) swap 94.7 with 99.5 for some much needed cash to Pacifica, possibly with Pacifica also getting a 99.5 HD2 channel in the deal.

But, who knows? The Pacifica crew have turned down truckloads of money for that frequency in the past.

Although, the past is the past. They are in (reportedly) worse financial shape than ever, PLUS will they still get big bucks for 99.5 in the future?

 

[LA_Guy]

Since WFME and the 94.3 in Smithtown are both pre 1964 stations, I can easily see the FCC granting a waiver to move 94.7 to Empire. Just watch.

Cumulus bought 94.7 for a mere 40 million dollars. It's simply amazing to see a class B NYC station would sell this cheap.

 

[fybush]

Since WFME and the 94.3 in Smithtown are both pre 1964 stations, I can easily see the FCC granting a waiver to move 94.7 to Empire. Just watch.

You know better than that. The pre-1964 grandfathering applies only to stations that were short-spaced in 1964. WGSM-FM and WFME were both on the air in 1964, but they were fully spaced. On what grounds would you grant a waiver, and how would you avoid creating a precedent in the dozens of other scenarios where pre-1964 signals were fully spaced but would now like to become short?

If 94.7 comes to Empire, there won't be a waiver involved. It will be good old-fashioned creative allocations engineering, presumably involving a move of 94.3 and, if needed, a downgrade to WMAS-FM.

Cumulus bought 94.7 for a mere 40 million dollars. It's simply amazing to see a class B NYC station would sell this cheap.

That's the stick discount for a non-Empire B. Add in the costs that would be involved in making WFME move in (hint: Connoisseur knows very well how much of an obstacle 94.3 is to a 94.7 move, and it will milk every cent it can out of Cumulus if a move is attempted), and it won't look like quite as much of a bargain.

 

[luperm]

.

 

[Joseph_Gallant]

As to what will happen to 94.7:

Odds of it becoming active rock: About 55%.

Odds of it becoming country: About 45%.

Odds of it becoming anything else: Close to zero.

 

[badjef]

If WBAI is also sold, I would like to see 94.7 go alternative and 99.5 go country.

Pacifica would NEVER sell WBAI without an exchange for another signal. Never.

Not impossible that Cumulus would (as mentioned) swap 94.7 with 99.5 for some much needed cash to Pacifica, possibly with Pacifica also getting a 99.5 HD2 channel in the deal.

But, who knows? The Pacifica crew have turned down truckloads of money for that frequency in the past.

Although, the past is the past. They are in (reportedly) worse financial shape than ever, PLUS will they still get big bucks for 99.5 in the future?

A sale/lease makes the most sense, but they are liberals, and, well...

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

 

[kevinsealy]

Joseph Gallant,

I don't know if you know New York radio, but over the past 25 plus years New York can't support more than one Rock station. The pending demise of WRXP is proof of that. New York is NOT a rock town.

Cumulus may have a better chance of putting Country on 94.7 FM once the sale is closed near year's end. We haven't had a Country station since the demise of WYNY back in 1996, and their rating were better than mediocre.



Thanks,
Kevin L. Sealy

 

[chrocket87]

Joseph Gallant,

I don't know if you know New York radio, but over the past 25 plus years New York can't support more than one Rock station. The pending demise of WRXP is proof of that. New York is NOT a rock town.

Thanks,
Kevin L. Sealy

The demise of the current RXP is because the owner had to sell it in order to keep afloat. After all the money spent on establishing Merlin and the money lost by the "FM News" stations, they had to sell something. And when you're being offered $75 million, it's hard to say no. RXP did not fail, check it's ratings already, it's owner did.

 

[chrocket87]

As to what will happen to 94.7:

Odds of it becoming active rock: About 55%.

Odds of it becoming country: About 45%.

Odds of it becoming anything else: Close to zero.

Wrong. I'd put a WABC simulcast as more likely than rock. Sports is another possibility, even though a small one due to how overcrowded the market is and Cumulus can't combo it with anything sports-related like CBS and ESPN.

 

[KyleSmith1988]

Hey (this won't happen) but Radio Disney 1560 could move to 94.7 (since not many kids listen to the AM)
and then Camping can take over 1560, a class A, AM signal

RD would then definitely grab most of the youngest demos by moving it to FM....lol

 

[MoldaMania182]

Joseph Gallant,

I don't know if you know New York radio, but over the past 25 plus years New York can't support more than one Rock station. The pending demise of WRXP is proof of that. New York is NOT a rock town.

Thanks,
Kevin L. Sealy

This has to the silliest thing I've read on the board in a LONG time. Just wow. If you're not a fan of Alternative, that's fine, but you're not entitled to your own facts.

 

[Barry]

My guess is that Cumulus will not use 94.7 for WABC's programming.
That is because CEO Lew Dickey stated the station will provide "compelling new programming.."
Besides, WABC 770 appeals to a mature demo that is quite comfortable with AM radio.

An article about the sale in InsideRadio states, "It appears putting WABC on the FM dial isn’t the plan." It mentions the same statement by Cumulus CEO Lew Dickey that I had quoted.
The same article also says, "Engineers say there is an opening to relocate WFME’s tower from West Orange, NJ, which is 18 miles to the west of Manhattan." In addition to modifying the signal of sister station WMAS FM, Cumulus "would also likely need to coordinate with other co-channel FMs, including Clear Channel country WDSD, Wilmington, DE and Townsquare Media’s “Oldies 94.7” WIYN, Binghamton, NY."
Seems that moving WFME to ESB, if it happens, could take years.