Emmis Reiterates They Are Open to Selling One of their NYC Stations

[HHH]

Would it make sense for ESPN to approach WBAI about a frequency swap for some cash? Something similar to what SBS did with WEVD back in the 80s?

Wow, that's a really interesting idea. WBAI is (I believe) mostly talk, and the idea of a 50,000 watt AM (albeit directional, but very good in the right directions, far further than any FM, and quite far reaching at night) might be appealing, especially if they get a mountain of cash for the extremely prime 99.5 spot on the FM dial, full class B from the Empire.

 

[TheBigA]

Pacifica has been approached many times about trades and purchases. They have said no each time. They aren't interested, and view having and holding this license as a victory for their mission. They are more interested in preserving their legacy, having been at this same spot on the dial for 50 years, than anything else. This is not a business decision for them. This radio station isn't a business for them.

 

[mets18]

Pacifica has been approached many times about trades and purchases. They have said no each time. They aren't interested, and view having and holding this license as a victory for their mission. They are more interested in preserving their legacy, having been at this same spot on the dial for 50 years, than anything else. This is not a business decision for them. This radio station isn't a business for them.

Interesting. I wasn't aware of that. Too bad.

 

[Hamp]

Regardless of whether or not country is viable in NYC, Emmis as a company feels they failed with it in LA, and therefore is not going to spend money launching it in NYC. The best thing they can do in NY is do exactly what they did in LA, which is LMA the frequency to someone else.

Granted New York City and Los Angeles are markets number 1 and 2, I think it is a bad generalization to think because Country didn't work in L.A., it will not work in N.Y.C. New York and Los Angeles may be the two largest cities in the United States, but the cultural climate in either city are very different. The problem with these corporations who own and operate radio stations is that they have too much of a "one size fits all" attitude. What works for one city, may not work for another. Maybe the reason why country hasn't faired well in New York city is not because of the music itself, but the way it has been marketed. New York city is one of the most diverse cities in the United States (and the world), you cannot say there isn't a market for country music out of all those people.

 

[radioguy39nj]

Pacifica has been approached many times about trades and purchases. They have said no each time. They aren't interested, and view having and holding this license as a victory for their mission. They are more interested in preserving their legacy, having been at this same spot on the dial for 50 years, than anything else. This is not a business decision for them. This radio station isn't a business for them.

Interesting. I wasn't aware of that. Too bad.

99.5 FM is one of several NYC FMs that have had the same non-commercial owner since the early 60s, when FM stations were dirt cheap. Pacifica has had trouble paying its bills recently but they wouldn't sell 99.5 even if someone offered to overpay for it.

The result is that New York has fewer commercial FMs than many smaller markets.

 

[TheBigA]

Pacifica has had trouble paying its bills recently but they wouldn't sell 99.5 even if someone offered to overpay for it.

Exactly. This is a company that won't accept corporate funding because corporations are bad. I can't imagine them selling their biggest radio station to a corporation. To quote Charleton Heston, "From my cold dead hands." That is what Pacifica is all about.

 

[uncamark]

Pacifica has had trouble paying its bills recently but they wouldn't sell 99.5 even if someone offered to overpay for it.

Exactly. This is a company that won't accept corporate funding because corporations are bad. I can't imagine them selling their biggest radio station to a corporation. To quote Charleton Heston, "From my cold dead hands." That is what Pacifica is all about.

And the last big group-wide internal conflict at a station group where internal conflict is a way of life ten years ago was in part because it was rumored that some board members would sell Pacifica's two above-92 signals if the price was right (and we're talking about an era where the sky was the limit in radio station sale prices).

 

[radioguy39nj]

Pacifica has had trouble paying its bills recently but they wouldn't sell 99.5 even if someone offered to overpay for it.

Exactly. This is a company that won't accept corporate funding because corporations are bad. I can't imagine them selling their biggest radio station to a corporation. To quote Charleton Heston, "From my cold dead hands." That is what Pacifica is all about.

And the last big group-wide internal conflict at a station group where internal conflict is a way of life ten years ago was in part because it was rumored that some board members would sell Pacifica's two above-92 signals if the price was right (and we're talking about an era where the sky was the limit in radio station sale prices).

Those would be KPFA (94.1 FM) San Francisco and WBAI (99.5 FM) New York. IMHO, Pacifica will not unload those prime pieces of FM real estate unless they had a non-comm below 92 to go to. If they didn't sell when prices were sky high, I don't see them doing it now.

 

[TheBigA]

Pacifica will not unload those prime pieces of FM real estate unless they had a non-comm below 92 to go to.

Why give up Boardwalk property to get a shack on a backstreet? There's no amount of money that will change their minds. The only way they sell is if they are judged by the FCC as unfit owners. Even then, they'd find a way to keep it within their political group. Lot of very rich lefties out there. Especially in NY and Berkley.