Family Stations Will Sell 94.7FM WFME Newark

[badjef]

WFME gets out pretty well from its current site.

Then, there is multipath. We are in southern Miami Beach, northeast of downtown Miami.
Four FM's southwest of the skyline all have decent signals here but are constantly in and out until we go far enough north to change the trajectory. Check 88.9, 89.7, 90.5, and 98.3 in Miami.

I think what you are calling "trajectory" is what I call "signal vector".
Since the signal is spraying the side of the buildings instead of sprinkling from above, the multipath is more likely.

In other words, the antenna is seeing the walls of the buildings instead of the roof and ground.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

 

[Barry]

If there was to be a country station in the New York area, buying WFME might provide a great opportunity. Its signal does a good job of reaching NJ, where many of the area's country music listeners reside. There would be no need to move its stick into Manhattan.
Cumulus would be a good candidate, as they already have experience broadcasting country music in this area with Kicks 105 in Danbury, and The Wolf, in the Hudson Valley.

 

[HHH]

I wonder if someone does news, talk or sports on 94.7 (ESPN, Cumulus-WABC, CBS), they just switch to mono at the present site. Wouldn't that help a lot in Manhattan and beyond?

 

[TheBigA]

If there was to be a country station in the New York area, buying WFME might provide a great opportunity. Its signal does a good job of reaching NJ, where many of the area's country music listeners reside.

A suburban station makes either country or alternative more likely for the reason you give. But it depends on the potential owner.

 

[ansky212]

One thing I don't think has been mentioned yet...does anyone have a guess on how long it could take to find a buyer, complete the sale, and start broadcasting the new format? Are we looking at 3 months, 6 months, a year?

 

[badjef]

One thing I don't think has been mentioned yet...does anyone have a guess on how long it could take to find a buyer, complete the sale, and start broadcasting the new format? Are we looking at 3 months, 6 months, a year?

Probably because they haven't announced a sale, yet. What started the post was the request, from Family Radio, to the FCC to change the status to Commercial from Non-Comm.

But, since you asked, I'd say awhile because it is a much too valuable a property to go cheap and quick. On the other hand, if WBLS is also in the sales game at the same time, who knows?

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

 

[TheBigA]

One thing I don't think has been mentioned yet...does anyone have a guess on how long it could take to find a buyer, complete the sale, and start broadcasting the new format? Are we looking at 3 months, 6 months, a year?

Using Philadelphia as an example, Family Stations applied to the FCC to convert for non-commercial to commercial status in July, and the station was sold to Merlin in December. We don't know if there will be other applications before the sale. Then the sale process. And then approval for the sale. So probably between 6 months and a year.

 

[badjef]

One thing I don't think has been mentioned yet...does anyone have a guess on how long it could take to find a buyer, complete the sale, and start broadcasting the new format? Are we looking at 3 months, 6 months, a year?

Using Philadelphia as an example, Family Stations applied to the FCC to convert for non-commercial to commercial status in July, and the station was sold to Merlin in December. We don't know if there will be other applications before the sale. Then the sale process. And then approval for the sale. So probably between 6 months and a year.

If you throw WBLS into the mix, I don't think that 6 months to a year frame will hold true.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

 

[nd2023]

Could CBS buy both WFME and WBLS and put both their news stations on FM?

 

[TheBigA]

Could CBS buy both WFME and WBLS and put both their news stations on FM?

I think they'd have to sell something in order to comply with FCC ownership limits. The max now is 2 TV and 6 radio. That's what they're at. If they didn't own any TV, they could own up to 8 radio.

 

[radioguy39nj]

WFME, in short, is squished into a crowded allocations situation in a way that earlier move-ins like WVNJ/WHTZ were not, and the rules are not as cooperative as they were back in the days when WVNJ moved. Back then, WFME - if it had been purchased by Citadel - could have accepted mutual interference with WMAS. Now it can't.

I'm all for highly creative solutions to allocations issues (and sometimes work on them for a living, if anyone's looking for help) - but this one's a sticky pickle indeed. If WFME were my client, I don't think I'd be recommending an attempt at a move, at least not to any of the major Manhattan sites. It's not that broken to begin with, and by the time you start spending cubic dollars to move WIGX and WMAS and put a DA on Empire...why not just wait for WBLS to hit the market and get a real, fully-protected Empire B?

If WFME can't move to Manhattan, then what major operator would want to buy it? Family Radio might have a hard time finding a buyer. ???

 

[TheBigA]

If WFME can't move to Manhattan, then what major operator would want to buy it? Family Radio might have a hard time finding a buyer. ???

I don't think anyone is saying it can't move to Manhattan. Just that there are limitations.

And even if it stays in NJ, it has a potential audience of about 8 million people. I'd say that's pretty good.

But the main point will be the price. Family wants to get the most possible, and the issues brought up here may lower the price.

 

[Ai4i]

I think what you are calling "trajectory" is what I call "signal vector".

Flight path ;D

 

[badjef]

I think what you are calling "trajectory" is what I call "signal vector".

Flight path ;D

Yeah, that would work. You just have to watch because the FAA gets involved and they get touchy when you use their terms for other things.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

 

[Rusty Muck]

If WFME can't move to Manhattan, then what major operator would want to buy it? Family Radio might have a hard time finding a buyer. ???

Townsquare is the fourth-largest radio station operator in the US (behind CC, Cumulus and CBS). Plus their sister company, Dial-Global, is the largest deliverer of syndicated radio programming.

They easily could nab 94.7 as a prime simulcast for WKXW/101.5. After all, CBS got WFSI for a decent price - and with WFME's obvious signal limitations, that will narrow the playing field, and quick.

 

[badjef]

If WFME can't move to Manhattan, then what major operator would want to buy it? Family Radio might have a hard time finding a buyer. ???

Townsquare is the fourth-largest radio station operator in the US (behind CC, Cumulus and CBS). Plus their sister company, Dial-Global, is the largest deliverer of syndicated radio programming.

They easily could nab 94.7 as a prime simulcast for WKXW/101.5. After all, CBS got WFSI for a decent price - and with WFME's obvious signal limitations, that will narrow the playing field, and quick.

I don't see a simulcast with WKXW. There is too much overlap. You would be picking up too much New York which is contrary to their target audience.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

 

[Barry]

I think WFME being for sale would be a terrific opportunity for a country station, as it reaches well into NJ, where many of the areas country fans are located. Cumulus could be the logical outfit to make this happen, as they operate many country stations, including nearby Kicks 105, and The Wolf. Given its size, Cumulus may want to have more of a presence in the New York metro area.
There would be no need to incur the expense of moving WFME into New York, as it is probably well situated for a NJ/NY country station. Cumulus could easily extend its signal into the northern suburbs/northern LI by simulcasting it on WFAF 106.3. Cumulus already has experience with operating a station in this area that bills well due to its popularity in NJ-WPLJ. Perhaps they would try for a second.

 

[radioguy39nj]

I agree that a simulcast of WFME and WKXW would give NJ 101.5 too much exposure in New York. As currently allocated, 94.7 has compromised reach in Nassau-Suffolk on LI, but does well in much of NYC, Westchester, Rockland and Northern NJ. Whoever buys WFME will have to put lots of $$$$ into it, since the equipment is probably very antiquated.

If it is impossible for 94.7 to become a full class B Manhattan signal, then could a a higher tower be constructed in NJ that can reach Long Island, comparable to other full B's? Without the full coverage area (basically Jersey Shore to Long Island Sound) the value of WFME will decrease significantly.

ESPN might be better off waiting for 107.5 to become available, since it is a full B and wouldn't require major work to become a full-market signal.

 

[badjef]

I agree that a simulcast of WFME and WKXW would give NJ 101.5 too much exposure in New York. As currently allocated, 94.7 has compromised reach in Nassau-Suffolk on LI, but does well in much of NYC, Westchester, Rockland and Northern NJ. Whoever buys WFME will have to put lots of $$$$ into it, since the equipment is probably very antiquated.

If it is impossible for 94.7 to become a full class B Manhattan signal, then could a a higher tower be constructed in NJ that can reach Long Island, comparable to other full B's? Without the full coverage area (basically Jersey Shore to Long Island Sound) the value of WFME will decrease significantly.

ESPN might be better off waiting for 107.5 to become available, since it is a full B and wouldn't require major work to become a full-market signal.

That might be an option at their current location. The NIMBY factor might present a problem, other than that, it would be something for a perspective new owner to explore.

The signal covers the Jersey Shore quite well as it is from that location.

I can tell you that management never used to care about "making money" with 94.7. As far as they were concerned it was a retransmission from Oakland. That may have changed over the last several years as donations have waned.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

 

[radioguy39nj]

I agree that a simulcast of WFME and WKXW would give NJ 101.5 too much exposure in New York. As currently allocated, 94.7 has compromised reach in Nassau-Suffolk on LI, but does well in much of NYC, Westchester, Rockland and Northern NJ. Whoever buys WFME will have to put lots of $$$$ into it, since the equipment is probably very antiquated.

If it is impossible for 94.7 to become a full class B Manhattan signal, then could a a higher tower be constructed in NJ that can reach Long Island, comparable to other full B's? Without the full coverage area (basically Jersey Shore to Long Island Sound) the value of WFME will decrease significantly.

ESPN might be better off waiting for 107.5 to become available, since it is a full B and wouldn't require major work to become a full-market signal.

That might be an option at their current location. The NIMBY factor might present a problem, other than that, it would be something for a perspective new owner to explore.

The signal covers the Jersey Shore quite well as it is from that location.

I can tell you that management never used to care about "making money" with 94.7. As far as they were concerned it was a retransmission from Oakland. That may have changed over the last several years as donations have waned.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

Which means the buyer of 94.7 will have to bring lots of $$$$ to make the station profitable. It's like buying an old house and having to gut it completely inside and out to make it a home. A handyman's special, of sorts.