Format flip for 93.9?

[bigtime]

WIBC is headed to FM. Will 93.9 go back to Contemporary Christian or move to CHR?

 

[qskyradio]

I don't see how WWFT can compete in the FM News/Talk world. They've been on almost a year and haven't created any sort of dent in the ratings, and now that an established brand is hitting the FM waves, I would think a change would have to be in order for 93.9. Oldies? Christian? Don't know, but I don't see a long-term strategy with talk.

 

[MikeStandardsFromIndiana]

I wonder how long the deal with Hannity they signed when they went on the air last year is for because Cumless will have a huge contract to eat unless they get Entercom and WXNT to take hannity back at a cost. Otherwise they will have to try to do something with hannity

 

[Elephant]

You guys are thinking backwards.

WIBC on FM is GOOD for 93.9. WIBC is bringing Talk listeners to the FM neighborhood. People who never considered FM for Talk will now be pushing the FM button. It's bad for WXNT, because now the majority of News/Talk is now on FM!

93.9 should go crazy promoting that they're on FM. Just because WIBC goes Talk, doesn't change the fact that 93.9 has different, alternative Talk programming.

You guys act like there's only one FM Talk station allowed.

 

[radioho]

You guys are thinking backwards.

WIBC on FM is GOOD for 93.9. WIBC is bringing Talk listeners to the FM neighborhood. People who never considered FM for Talk will now be pushing the FM button. It's bad for WXNT, because now the majority of News/Talk is now on FM!

93.9 should go crazy promoting that they're on FM. Just because WIBC goes Talk, doesn't change the fact that 93.9 has different, alternative Talk programming.

Excellent point. But there just isn't much 'entertainment' on 93.9. They may pick up a bump, but eventually the lack of quality/popular programming there will be obvious and they'll lose anything they pick up off the coattails of WIBC.

 

[RDO]

Yes, the big question is what happens to WXNT?

IF talk listeners flock to FM, will they forget about 1430 AM?

 

[bigtime]

Some talk hungry AM listeners may flock to WXNT instead of moving to FM. A certain number of people are just not interested in leaving the AM band for talk.

 

[ajhenderson]

What listeners does WXNT have to flock?

BTW, while I agree with the two FM talkers strategy (just like two shoe stores in a mall help, not hurt, each other), but 93.9 is a boring, clumsily put-together station that Cumulus is famous for. They pick these nobodies and think just because it's on FM it'll be great. If you're going to sink an FM freq on talk, at least get a PD who can do more than be sold by affiliate relations; Glenn Beck is the kind of person you want on FM, not Laura Ingraham and Jerry Doyle, who have nothing interested to say, don't sound exciting, and don't have any listeners under 55. How about actually THINKING about how to program a station? After all, if your station's main listenership is 45+, you might as well have stayed on AM.

 

[Kent]

WIBC on FM is GOOD for 93.9. WIBC is bringing Talk listeners to the FM neighborhood. People who never considered FM for Talk will now be pushing the FM button. It's bad for WXNT, because now the majority of News/Talk is now on FM!

93.9 should go crazy promoting that they're on FM. Just because WIBC goes Talk, doesn't change the fact that 93.9 has different, alternative Talk programming.

You guys act like there's only one FM Talk station allowed.

That's effectively the line Cumulus is using regarding another FM talker. I'm not sure if I buy it or not. I doubt WIBC moving to FM hurts 93.9 (it can't do much worse), but I can't see it helping much either without major changes at 93.9. After all, if the only way you can get anyone to notice you is by what your competition does, you're obviously doing something wrong. Bad programming is bad programming, and 93.9 should fix that problem first if it expects much of a bounce.

 

[MikeStandardsFromIndiana]

If i was WWFT i'd Be Looking for Some Weekend Programing soon to possibly cover the fact that they might lose Sporting News Radio to WXLW in the next 90 days if WXLW decides to be the 3rd sports Station in Indianapolis unless it flips to Oldies or back to religious Preachers

 

[TalkRadioGeek]

How hard is it to switch from AM to FM? The dynamic of content changing at WIBC and a possible flip at WTF are interesting in how that would affect WXNT. As far as FM vs. AM, I don't think talk listeners care that much. I don't.

If WFT does flip, I wonder what XNT might pick back up. Maybe they punish those shows for leaving.

But are any of the WFT shows really worth saving in the Indy market? Maybe Savage because he's different. He has a couple callers from Indy a week, maybe more. Maybe Hannity because of his #2 and FN status? I personally find Hannity's show boring and repetitive.

 

[ajhenderson]

If i was WWFT i'd Be Looking for Some Weekend Programing soon to possibly cover the fact that they might lose Sporting News Radio to WXLW in the next 90 days if WXLW decides to be the 3rd sports Station in Indianapolis unless it flips to Oldies or back to religious Preachers

I'd say that's the least of their problems. SNR sucks anyway, and nobody listens on the weekend. What they REALLY ought to do is start whoring out the weekends as fast as possible to actually bring a few bucks in, since they're not doing too well schlepping spots on the C-rate weekday shows.

 

[B.B. Lean]

As far as FM vs. AM, I don't think talk listeners care that much. I don't.

Yeah, but if this were about existing talk listeners, WIBC would never move. They already have plenty of those. It's about creating new talk listeners, and FM gives you a major leg up in that game. When someone can hit 'scan,' land on your station, and you've got Rush Limbaugh talking, they might stick around.

Nobody 'scans' AM. Much harder to create that new talk listener when they never, ever sample you.

 

[iluvri07]

I would think a change would have to be in order for 93.9. Oldies? Christian?

Christian Oldies "Gold Cross 93.9" All Sandy Patty and Keith Green.