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Dom Theodore Exits CBS Radio and PD Post At NOW
- Thread starter Mac Daddy
- Start date
The other option could be a change of format in the works. I have no inside knowledge though so I guess we'll see.
D
Domino Rippy
Guest
He will be replaced by Michael Martin from San Francisco
Mike said:
Unless the FCC kills the AM band altogether, I don't see people jumping to 92.3 Now for news when their mindset is so embedded with going to 880 for WCBS or 1010 for WINS.
I had said this on another board that if CBS fired Dom Theodore then I could see a format flip happen pretty soon. But he left on his own and my guess is that since CBS Radio invested a lot of money and resources into Now, at best a tweak should happen. And since they haven't been able to beat Z-100 with their CHR, it would be advantageous for Now to keep adding some more dance into the CHR format, with dance branded artists getting the nod alongside the rhythmic pop (Pitbull, Flo Rida, Rihanna). They still keep the elements of CHR but go places that neither Z-100 or their sister station, 'KTU would touch since they have to protect their demographics and cannot take that chance.
Questions to ponder about 92.3 that could lead us to a logical conclusion of its future:
Did Dom really leave on his own? Or was that the spin he and CBS decided on to make him and the company look good at the same time? Exit strategies like this are nothing new. Don't believe everything you read in the trades. If it was, did they choose to replace him with someone who wasn't as close to the CHR format as he was to it, so a move to a different format would be easier?
How much revenue did sales bring in for 2011? I'd like to know what the station (individually) actually billed in 2011. I heard the numbers were not so hot. And you can't point to all the commercials you hear when you turn on the station as evidence of profitability. A good portion of those are freebies thrown in as added value incentive to buy a spot package on one of the AM stations or Fresh. Like a two for one deal.
What are their most recent ratings in their target demo of 18-34? What's their rank? Market share?
Are they stealing advertisers away from their crosstown rivals Z100 or Hot 97?
It's going to boil down to profit margins. They've got to be losing money right now. Remember, they still have to pay Nick. If the profits aren't there, it's a poor business model and a change is coming. They are three years in on this format and their efforts to weaken the heritage top 40 station have been fruitless. Not to mention Z100 is flanked by KTU, Hot 97 & PLJ. Hardly any wiggle room for a similar format. All these stations cross over and compliment each other well. There are no holes. So there's simply no room for a niche Rhythmic/Dance as Tony S. describes. Z100 is playing Avicii, Calvin Harris, Afrojack and David Guetta too...all once considered "progressive dance" which has become the mainstream. But once again, once it is mainstream, Z100 has it covered. KTU has it covered. Just like Hot 97 & Power 105 have the urban CHR hits covered.
The only options for 92.3 are FM sports/Talk or a rebroadcast of its most recognizable brand- 1010WINS. Why not rescue their strongest AM station from a dying AM band?..the ipod NANO and newer radios don't even offer the AM bandwith anymore.
Or shall we dare say the "C" word around here---country
But now that WFME can sell 94.7 commercially (as it was announced today), then we may get two new formats in NYC soon.
Did Dom really leave on his own? Or was that the spin he and CBS decided on to make him and the company look good at the same time? Exit strategies like this are nothing new. Don't believe everything you read in the trades. If it was, did they choose to replace him with someone who wasn't as close to the CHR format as he was to it, so a move to a different format would be easier?
How much revenue did sales bring in for 2011? I'd like to know what the station (individually) actually billed in 2011. I heard the numbers were not so hot. And you can't point to all the commercials you hear when you turn on the station as evidence of profitability. A good portion of those are freebies thrown in as added value incentive to buy a spot package on one of the AM stations or Fresh. Like a two for one deal.
What are their most recent ratings in their target demo of 18-34? What's their rank? Market share?
Are they stealing advertisers away from their crosstown rivals Z100 or Hot 97?
It's going to boil down to profit margins. They've got to be losing money right now. Remember, they still have to pay Nick. If the profits aren't there, it's a poor business model and a change is coming. They are three years in on this format and their efforts to weaken the heritage top 40 station have been fruitless. Not to mention Z100 is flanked by KTU, Hot 97 & PLJ. Hardly any wiggle room for a similar format. All these stations cross over and compliment each other well. There are no holes. So there's simply no room for a niche Rhythmic/Dance as Tony S. describes. Z100 is playing Avicii, Calvin Harris, Afrojack and David Guetta too...all once considered "progressive dance" which has become the mainstream. But once again, once it is mainstream, Z100 has it covered. KTU has it covered. Just like Hot 97 & Power 105 have the urban CHR hits covered.
The only options for 92.3 are FM sports/Talk or a rebroadcast of its most recognizable brand- 1010WINS. Why not rescue their strongest AM station from a dying AM band?..the ipod NANO and newer radios don't even offer the AM bandwith anymore.
Or shall we dare say the "C" word around here---country
But now that WFME can sell 94.7 commercially (as it was announced today), then we may get two new formats in NYC soon.
DanceIsTooNiche said:
I think they will put WFAN on 92.3 before 1010 or 880. I doubt that Now has more than a year to show it can make serious inroads against the Wonder Twins that are Z & KTU before one of the AM sister stations gets a FM simulcast.
FWIW, I prefer the jocks and presentation on Now to what's on Z overall. But apparently I'm in the minority.
DanceIsTooNiche said:
Yes there is.
I am GRATEFUL and happy that artists such as those you've listed have made it onto CHR and to the mainstream. More can happen in that sense since EDM is riding high right now and to bring on more dance branded artists to the commercial aspect of things on the rhythmic side (read Rihanna, Flo Rida, Pitbull and Chris Brown, just to name a few) would be successful. It would be the merging of both worlds here.
Cute name.
Seems to me moving WFAN to FM would make the most sense since that's probably the youngest demo already.
IF that were to happen it would leave a gaping hole to be filled on the killer 660 AM frequency. Since WINS is aimed more at the city than the burbs and the 1010 frequency is such an icon, moving it to 660 makes no sense.
So, what to do with 660? A third news/talker to compete with WOR and WABC? Leave WFAN there as a simulcast and waste a powerful AM signal? Something else?
wadio said:
I don't think CBS will move one of its AM properties to FM. 92.3 NOW is billing the best it has since Howard left (which is a long way from what Howard was billing, but much better than Free FM or K-Rock II). Problem with putting FAN on NOW is that you've dumped the revenue stream from NOW and you're left with the WFAN billing across two signals. I'm sure CBS will charge more per unit if FAN were AM & FM, but in the end they'd be left with this expensive 50kw white elephant after everyone has moved to the FM signal and they would still have one revenue stream instead of the two now (FAN, and the potential to do something with 92.3)
Since CBS is bringing in a new manager who was managing another CHR property for CBS, my guess is NOW isn't going anywhere anytime soon. In NY, there is no need to jump the gun on getting one of the CBS AM formats on FM. 101.9 isn't doing much and ESPN hasn't pulled the trigger. And since ESPN is so far behind, CBS doesn't even need to do a pre-emptive strike. They have the credit and can sit and wait this out.
wadio said:
A WFAN simulcast on 92.3 allows room for overflow games. For example, a Giants pre-season game could air on 92.3 while baseball airs on 660. When there is no conflict, the games are simulcast on 660 AM & 92.3 FM. Giants' pre-season games would not have to be switched to CBS-FM.
The Giants, Jets and Denver Broncos are currently the only NFL franchises that do not have an FM flagship or co-flag. Baseball is making inroads on FM as well. The Phillies will simulcast on WIP-FM (94.1) as well as their long time flagship WPHT (1210 AM). Eagles have priority on 94.1 FM.
wgliradio said:
CBS may not need to do a pre-emptive strike, but if ESPN gets to FM, WFAN won't be far behind.
ESPN has had plenty of opportunities in the past and haven't bitten the bullet, so what makes everyone so sure that they are even interested in an FM signal?
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