I actually listen to The Fan often. It leans a bit guy talk at times, but less than in the past 6-7 months.
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ESPN 98.7 FM to be no more come August 31, 2024
- Thread starter NYAZSporty
- Start date
I listened for about 5 minutes a few days at a time last week. It was just...
The in-jokes are worse than the guy talk on Boston's WEEI-FM, which we get up here in Vermont on no less than three frequencies. Lots of references that go right over the heads of occasional listeners. At least you know what the guy talk is about.
iHeart management has been extremely mum about the situation and have said next to nothing. Until then what the format change will exactly be is largely unconfirmed.
MassMusicMan
Banned
Barrier to entry is a grossly under-considered conceit when syndicating radio programming. Also not properly understood is that, while people in Northern New England like Boston teams, they don't have the same hard-on for Boston as an idea that Bostonians do.
Toucher and Rich were (and are) immensely talented, went off on interesting tangents, and covered Boston sports without fawning. Unfortunately, that didn't translate as they would have hoped to western Massachusetts and central Maine.
Still, WEEI, if you're going to head down the sports road, is still a better choice for those frequencies than overpriced ESPN or irrelevant to the Northeast Fox. I can't believe radio operators, with a straight face, think they're going to get ratings or revenue with Michigan football talk at 7 AM in April on a frequency in New England. Lot of folks in this business forget WKRP: "The radio station is a business. It's not here for your entertainment." We all make the flying turkeys joke for the millionth time, but we forget that.
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Here's another speculation for this thread.
Two facts: Scott Shannon left WCBS-FM at the end of 2022. But it was clear this wasn't his choice. He wasn't fired but I imagine Audacy didn't give him or Patty Steele the contract renewal terms they wanted.
Fact Two: WCBS-FM will discontinue Shannon's "True Oldies Channel" on Wednesday, May 1. It had been running on WCBS-FM-HD3.
My speculation. Someone will buy or lease 98.7 and will employ Shannon for mornings. Perhaps an Oldies station, 60s/70s focused, as WCBS-FM used to be. I know an oldies format is not good for demographics. But these days, are stations that concerned with demographics? And if Shannon were to be on 98.7 competing with WCBS-FM, it would make sense 101.1's HD subchannel would stop running Shannon's TOC.
If Classic Rock can get a 25-54 audience and even does well with 18-49 and 18-34, maybe a 60s/70s hits format can too?
Two facts: Scott Shannon left WCBS-FM at the end of 2022. But it was clear this wasn't his choice. He wasn't fired but I imagine Audacy didn't give him or Patty Steele the contract renewal terms they wanted.
Fact Two: WCBS-FM will discontinue Shannon's "True Oldies Channel" on Wednesday, May 1. It had been running on WCBS-FM-HD3.
My speculation. Someone will buy or lease 98.7 and will employ Shannon for mornings. Perhaps an Oldies station, 60s/70s focused, as WCBS-FM used to be. I know an oldies format is not good for demographics. But these days, are stations that concerned with demographics? And if Shannon were to be on 98.7 competing with WCBS-FM, it would make sense 101.1's HD subchannel would stop running Shannon's TOC.
If Classic Rock can get a 25-54 audience and even does well with 18-49 and 18-34, maybe a 60s/70s hits format can too?
Zero chance. Not even close to a viable business proposition.
No disrespect, but Shannon’s time has long passed.
And even if '60s/'70s pop suddenly starts connecting with money-demo listeners the way classic rock does, have you heard Shannon on air this decade? He sounds absolutely grandfatherly. as his delivery has slowed considerably.
The 60's were 60 years ago, way out of any sell-able demo today. Even the 70's are pushing it today. No way that works, especially in New York.
That's a funny question. Advertisers are concerned about demographics, and they're the ones paying the bills. Stations are concerned with whatever advertisers are concerned about.
I keep saying this isn't about playing music to fill a format hole. If that was the game, companies would be falling all over themselves to play oldies. WCBS would bring back doo wop if they could sell it. They can't. The way to get a 10 share is to program to the boomers. But who would pay for it? The old model of selling spots to pay for music is done. It will just lead to another bankruptcy.
MassMusicMan
Banned
1) Scott Shannon is 76. He's all set.
2) Was "Are stations that concerned with demographics?" a serious question?
3) Do you believe that Audacy (as bumbling as they are) made a programming decision based on what a competitor could conceivably do four months after said decision took effect?
4) The songs on Q are timeless, instantly recognizable, and performed by cultural icons. The playable songs from the 70's are already on Q, and the playable songs from the 60's are no longer on the Q because they don't fit stylistically alongside the songs from the 90's.
Radio is a tiny business, and the people in it aren't inaccessible. What's stopping you from asking questions of a pro to improve your understanding of how things are?
Nobody with enough money to buy a full power FM in NYC will program to a demographic that nearly no agency and few local direct accounts are interested in.
New York is pretty much a total "transactional market" where buys are based on target demographic delivery faced against the cost per spot.
If you listened to Shannon in his last year, you would know that it's time for him to relax and enjoy his investments and savings. (I first worked with Scott in 1970 at Mooney Broadcasting. Both of us need to take it easy now!)
That's not happening! Scott was on with Simone this morning, he's enjoying his life, the last thing he's looking to do is host another morning show. 60's and 70's music on FM is not coming back and even if it did the playlist would be so tight you'd be sick of listening to the station inside of two months.
Maybe it'll become a simulcast of WLIB, at least temporarily.
Whatever winds up on this frequency, I'm willing to bet it's something 55+ non-Hispanic white males won't like, which should keep this thread active for another two months, minimum.
Perfect landing spot for Mets games. I can’t think of any one in that demo who likes the Mets right now
MassMusicMan
Banned
From no-no to 3-1 loss. Made me a few bucks last night.
NYRadioFan22
Banned
I bet when ESPN goes off the air, they'll start stunting different formats. Like an hour of country, then an hour of alternative, etc.
Once again, it depends on the new owner.
There's really no reason to make a post like this, is there?
You have no reason to know factually that "they" are planning anything like this, especially because there isn't even a "they" yet.
If you actually know something, by all means, say so. But if you don't, well, there's no award here for "largest volume of posts by a single user."
Again: the Good Karma lease runs until the end of August. Right now, that's all anyone knows.
When Emmis finds a buyer for 98.7, we'll all know right away, because it's in Emmis' best interest to file that with the FCC as quickly as possible to begin the "shot clock" to get the sale approved.
When we know who the buyer is, that will give us an indication of what the new format might be or might not be.
Until then, we know nothing.
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