I still don't see the advantage in not having this apply to NCEs. I don't think K-Love is going to get anymore listeners on 94.1 and 94.9 combined in Memphis than they would having just 94.1. That 94.9 signal could go to someone else for a format not available in Memphis, and it wouldn't surprise me if that happens at some point.
Hard to say what will happen there, but my understanding is that EMF had intended to swap 94.1 in Memphis as part of a second deal that never happened. It didn’t really want 94.1 without that second part of the deal, but it had to go through with the deal because it already had signed a binding agreement.
I like to explain music selection to the restaurant business. If you're McDonald's you're going to have the same menu that customer base likes.
Also, just like McDonald's, some cookie cutter radio stations are cut slightly differently from how the other similar stations in the company are cut. McDonald's used to offer beans and rice as well as several different varieties of salsa at its Laredo, TX locations. It might not be as common in radio as it once was with iHeart's Premium Choice, but the company still has nationally branded stations that are programmed for their local markets.
The point is we might not care for the programming but we are not the target audience. A friend of mine and I were talking. We both don't care for rap and hip hop. He said if I got a construction permit and my research showed a rap format was what was needed, would I opt for rap. I said yes and I'd try to build the best rap station I could possibly be. You can't wear your personal preferences on your sleeve. Your job is to deliver listeners in ample quantity to be an attractive 'must buy' for advertisers
I have worked for stations that I would not listen to outside of work. It’s part of the job. I know the management didn’t listen to some of its stations either!