FM Talk in the A-T-L

[Surfer]

Let's assume, for a minute, that a prominent FM signal (96.1, 92.9, take your pick) decides to switch to an all talk format. Now, if done correctly (which means an equal mix of live and local with syndicated shows) and lots of promotion...plus, throw in an all news show between 5A-10A, what do you think the chances could be?

I would like to see something like this...

5A-10A: All News
10A-2P: Local Host (take your pick but make him good)
2P-6P: Dave Ramsey (Yes, I know GST's got him but I bet for a better signal he'd jump...contract or not...and he doesn't do contracts just for that reason...or so I've heard)
6P-10P: Phil Hendrie or Tom Lykeis (sp?)
10P-5A: Maybe Coast to Coast?

OK, your turn.

 

[whit979]

IMO, it would need a bigger name at some point during the day to really stick. Dave Ramsey is good but even he doesn't have the name power of a Limbaugh, Hannity or even Boortz. Well, maybe he's on the same level as Boortz. Point being that it'd need Ramsey and maybe one or two other big, big names that they can put up on a billboard. Just my two cents though, I'm a Hot AC programmer so my opinion doesn't count for much on this.

 

[jal41]

If WGST were smart, they would move to 96.1. Of course...wildlife is more intelligent than CC management.

As for WSB-AM adding an FM simulcast...don't count on it unless WGST goes to FM and gets a ratings boost, or problems start occuring with the AM signal.

As for a brand new station started from scratch...Atlanta has four talk stations (WSB-AM, WGST, WGKA, WCFO) as well as another targeted to the black community (WAOK). Oversaturation...especially since only one of those is viable (guess which one?).

 

[96atl]

Why would CC be smart to move WGST to 96.1? Project is their most successful station. 94.9 or 105.7 would make more sense. They would be dumb to kill off their strongest performer for something that may or may not work (so it's something they probably WILL do---it's along the lines of killing off Lite FM for The Bull).

 

[RTibbs]

Why would CC be smart to move WGST to 96.1? Project is their most successful station. 94.9 or 105.7 would make more sense. They would be dumb to kill off their strongest performer for something that may or may not work (so it's something they probably WILL do---it's along the lines of killing off Lite FM for The Bull).

I agree. Makes no sense to flip Project when they have a whole stable of underperformers. I think they should just go back to 105.7 like in the GST simulcast days.

 

[agentUrge]

Does it really matter what frequency we're talking about in this hypothetical situation?

Question....do local talk shows just not sell anymore? Aside from Kimmer in the afternoon and Punnit or Hannity in the morning back in the late 90's, the last time I remember EVER hearing local talk was way back when I was a kid growing up in the chicago area..my dad used to listen Wally Phillips in the morning when he'd take me to school.

That being said, I'd love to hear a local talk radio show something with substance.

While I know Air America didn't go far here, I'd love to hear Ed Schultz locally....with this being conservative talk radio country, Ed Schultz would make waves. I think in that area, though...it would be fair to mix it up so if that means having a conservative show from noon to 3pm, that would work too.

Coast to Coast on FM would be great at 2am for obvious reasons...no argument there.

 

[agentUrge]

if that means having a conservative show from noon to 3pm, that would work too.

I take that back, I forgot Ed's on from noon to 3

 

[jabba17]

Why would CC be smart to move WGST to 96.1? Project is their most successful station. 94.9 or 105.7 would make more sense. They would be dumb to kill off their strongest performer for something that may or may not work (so it's something they probably WILL do---it's along the lines of killing off Lite FM for The Bull).

I agree. Makes no sense to flip Project when they have a whole stable of underperformers. I think they should just go back to 105.7 like in the GST simulcast days.

Viva has not done well under PPM, unlike Patron (of course, I'm just looking at the everybody 12+ numbers--can anyone vouch for the Latino numbers?). And we've said plenty about the Bull (although they are starting to get a little traction).

Unless CC wants to play musical chairs with Patron to a better frequency, I say put WGST back on 105.7. If CC dumps the Bull, they should try a simul of Legend on 96.7 and 105.7 and put talk on 94.9.

 

[Hepcat]

Let's assume, for a minute, that a prominent FM signal (96.1, 92.9, take your pick) decides to switch to an all talk format. Now, if done correctly (which means an equal mix of live and local with syndicated shows) and lots of promotion...plus, throw in an all news show between 5A-10A, what do you think the chances could be?

I would like to see something like this...

5A-10A: All News
10A-2P: Local Host (take your pick but make him good)
2P-6P: Dave Ramsey (Yes, I know GST's got him but I bet for a better signal he'd jump...contract or not...and he doesn't do contracts just for that reason...or so I've heard)
6P-10P: Phil Hendrie or Tom Lykeis (sp?)
10P-5A: Maybe Coast to Coast?

OK, your turn.

I love my XM tuners for that very reason - so many great news/talk shows. I get everything but Phil Hendrie and I miss that guy.

By the way, I got the amazing new Sony HD/FM tuner (under a hundred bucks and picks up both analog FM and HD all over the dial) and I found that a couple of the big FM/HD stations carry WSB AM and WGST AM on the alternate HD channels. Makes it nice at night if I want to listen from 50 miles away.

 

[kal30005]

I am a long time lurker and first time poster, but I have a question. Why do people here thing they would blow up one of the top signals in Atlanta for a talk station?

I think there's a place for an FM talk station, but I don't think it needs to be on a station with a massive signal like 96.1 or 92.9. WGST on 105.7 had the right concept, at least in my opinion, but they had crappy programming. It didn't matter what frequency they were on AM or FM.

Success of the talk format has never been predicated by signal quality, which is why it still works on AM. But take WSB-AM and simulcast on 105.7 or any of the other mid-level signals and I think they'd do very well. I just don't think you need on of Atlanta's premier signals to make it work.

 

[amos]

But take WSB-AM and simulcast on...any of the other mid-level signals...

if what you mean is put quality programming on a rimshot fm, i don't disagree with you. but not WSB-AM, because they already rule the roost with their signal and ratings. as another poster pointed out, they don't need it.

but in a market where a legacy news-talker has faltered, i can see that a simulcast would work. take WSJS in Winston-Salem/Greensboro NC. I'd sure like to see them on FM, but co-owned WZTK (FM) is already talk. what i'd really like to see is for WSJS to be put on one of their cluster's FM HD-2 (or 3), and then a translator on FM simulcast it. like 98.1 did in asheville, only instead of a new format, simulcast WSJS. see W251AO in asheville, that's 96.5's HD-2 on a translator at 98.1.

would that work in atlanta? well, first you'd need a company that could produce the product. cc? ha. and the translator would need a pretty good signal area to serve the market. would a translator have a signal on-par with the new 99x LPFM (W250BC)?

cc already has W275BK in decatur, not the best signal but decent. if they did something with wgst, they could put it on one of their hd-3 signals, and then simulcast it on 102.9. well, the signal might not be good enough to bother with in a spread-out market like atlanta, but it would put them on FM without blowing up anything but viva's decatur translator.

and, speaking of signal, i guess a translator in a market like GSO wouldn't cover enough of the market, unlike asheville.



-amos

 

[AtlBanker]

A local FM talker would do fine if creative local talent was used. Syndicated conservative talk doesn't do well in Atlanta, except for Sean. It is the same crap every day. It is depressing. A positive person don't want to listen to their negative rants. There is more to talk about than Obama and Nancy Pelosi. Entertaining talk would do great on FM. It would do great on AM. We just don't have PD's with creative thought. They are using a formula that used to work. Negativity is out.

 

[Firebird]

Could a station like this succeed in Atlanta? www.wnir.com
It's an FM talk station in Akron, OH. The morning host has been there since 1977, the mid-day host since 1973. You'll recognize the afternoon host from that great TV series, Saved By The Bell - The College Years!

WNIR is a family owned station. It is live 20.5 hours a day, with 17.5 of those hours being local. They handily beat CC's WHLO in Akron, and bills 50% of CC's 50,000 watt WTAM in Cleveland. In fact, CC tried to buy WNIR in the 90's, but the family refused.

Give a listen to WNIR. It's comedy, along with traffic & weather in the morning, and open line talk the rest of the day.

Website with streaming audio: www.wnir.com

 

[littlejohn]

Consider - the same folks have owned it for decades. It isn't mortgaged out the kazoo. The biggest expense of the big chains doens't exist there. If such a station existed in Atlanta, it would make money. Stations >make< money, they just don't make enough to support debts of four and fivew times income, and the interest therepn.
Local example? Jacobs Media based in Gainsville.

 

[Mr_Winston-Salem]

And what is the average age of a Rush listener? This is why Democrats aren't worried about talk radio. A few talkers, including WSJS, are already feeling the impact of this. And the younger leaning talkers don't do as well. This is what CC and others are noticing as they make their decisions.

 

[DashRiprock]

No matter what political affiliation drives your preference for talk show hosts, it would be nice to have another local news source on the radio. Another big time local news department with actual humans, actually working the streets for stories would be nice.

I miss the News Monster. Nothing before or since can beat the '60 at 6' show for a quality local news broadcast.

 

[Uriah]

Although the left slant is irritating and their fund drives should be investigated as torture - WABE might be the only radio "news" staff beyond Cox for local
coverage. If ABE could break from the Board of Education's control and go beyond what's going on at Grady Hospital the station could make some noise. NPR programming is outstanding at times (Top 10 Podcasts). Locally they seemed trapped in the 70's.

 

[lfuss]

WSB-AM is already simulcast on WSRV-HD2.

LF

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

Although the left slant is irritating and their fund drives should be investigated as torture - WABE might be the only radio "news" staff beyond Cox for local
coverage.

What is torture is for those of us "in the middle" constantly hearing people born with a congenital defect that makes them see the Radical Right as the norm, the true middle, so they feel compelled to accuse NPR and local NPR stations of being "left slanted".... whether they are or not.

My observation about WABE is that they are ONE CHANNEL and they have long been focused on Good Music, Classical Music and they are good at it, and staffed for it. NPR stations around the country are finding that if they have a second channel and can put news on one and fine music on the other, marvelous things happen. WABE has not fully come to terms with that struggle. Since it appears that the music lovers still are king-of-the-hill at WABE, it is amazing that their news is a well run as it is... and seemingly getting better.

Second only to WSB may be on-the-money.

 

[Uriah]

Although the left slant is irritating and their fund drives should be investigated as torture - WABE might be the only radio "news" staff beyond Cox for local
coverage.

What is torture is for those of us "in the middle" constantly hearing people born with a congenital defect that makes them see the Radical Right as the norm, the true middle, so they feel compelled to accuse NPR and local NPR stations of being "left slanted".... whether they are or not.

My observation about WABE is that they are ONE CHANNEL and they have long been focused on Good Music, Classical Music and they are good at it, and staffed for it. NPR stations around the country are finding that if they have a second channel and can put news on one and fine music on the other, marvelous things happen. WABE has not fully come to terms with that struggle. Since it appears that the music lovers still are king-of-the-hill at WABE, it is amazing that their news is a well run as it is... and seemingly getting better.

Second only to WSB may be on-the-money.

Cowboy - To your point: Rush's slant is just as irritating. Up to now news media has made money when the hard left and hard right scream at each other. However, it's burning out.

There's a new show being tested and developed by Cox with their local traffic reporter, Mark Arum, hosting. One of his themes is to address the other 60% - those in the middle. As usual Cox is already on track for the next generation of talk.

World issues are evolving as more human than partisan. It's time for the media to stop yelling.