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Future of 99.1?

Nightsignals

Nightsignals

After seeing it's ratings time after time, they can't compete with WTOP. Is there any chance CBS will throw a new format on it? Make some serious programming changes?

(I am new here. I moved to DC recently and have a radio interest, found the forums when I was looking at the formats and their local history.)
 
WTOP has the largest revenue of any radio station in the U.S. for the last couple of years. So CBS is not likely to throw in the towel yet. They realize All-News as a format builds slowly but pays off big if it succeeds. Even if WNEW-FM never overtakes WTOP, if they takes some of their revenue, they still will be considered a success.

The product is good, although as I've suggested before, to differentiate themselves from WTOP, they should go in a 20 minute news cycle, as opposed to WTOP's 30 minute cycle, similar to WINS and WCBS in NYC.

Of course, they may really be hampered by their signal, stuck between 98.7 WMZQ and 99.5 WIHT, both licensed to Washington, while 99.1 WNEW-FM is not a full Washington signal, licensed to Bowie. If you're trying to listen on an inexpensive radio, WMZQ and WIHT might overpower the signal in DC.
 
Gregg said:
WTOP has the largest revenue of any radio station in the U.S. for the last couple of years. So CBS is not likely to throw in the towel yet. They realize All-News as a format builds slowly but pays off big if it succeeds. Even if WNEW-FM never overtakes WTOP, if they takes some of their revenue, they still will be considered a success.

The product is good, although as I've suggested before, to differentiate themselves from WTOP, they should go in a 20 minute news cycle, as opposed to WTOP's 30 minute cycle, similar to WINS and WCBS in NYC.

Of course, they may really be hampered by their signal, stuck between 98.7 WMZQ and 99.5 WIHT, both licensed to Washington, while 99.1 WNEW-FM is not a full Washington signal, licensed to Bowie. If you're trying to listen on an inexpensive radio, WMZQ and WIHT might overpower the signal in DC.
Click to expand...

If the revenue they take from TOP is enough to make them profitable, sure they'll keep going.

If not, may I respectfully suggest bringing back HFS? Operating costs would be a fraction of what they are now and ALT is enjoying somewhat of a comeback right now.
 
Raydeodood said:
Gregg said:
WTOP has the largest revenue of any radio station in the U.S. for the last couple of years. So CBS is not likely to throw in the towel yet. They realize All-News as a format builds slowly but pays off big if it succeeds. Even if WNEW-FM never overtakes WTOP, if they takes some of their revenue, they still will be considered a success.

The product is good, although as I've suggested before, to differentiate themselves from WTOP, they should go in a 20 minute news cycle, as opposed to WTOP's 30 minute cycle, similar to WINS and WCBS in NYC.

Of course, they may really be hampered by their signal, stuck between 98.7 WMZQ and 99.5 WIHT, both licensed to Washington, while 99.1 WNEW-FM is not a full Washington signal, licensed to Bowie. If you're trying to listen on an inexpensive radio, WMZQ and WIHT might overpower the signal in DC.
Click to expand...

If the revenue they take from TOP is enough to make them profitable, sure they'll keep going.

If not, may I respectfully suggest bringing back HFS? Operating costs would be a fraction of what they are now and ALT is enjoying somewhat of a comeback right now.
Click to expand...

seems that would be easy, since 97.5 in Baltimore already has it, but then what would go to 97.5? However small that signal may be.
 
Gregg said:
seems that would be easy, since 97.5 in Baltimore already has it, but then what would go to 97.5? However small that signal may be.
Click to expand...

How about Baltimore PD dispatch? ;-)
 
They should put WHFS back on its home at 99.1FM. As for 97.5, bring back the dance station "Mix 2" which was on 106.5-HD2. It showed up in the ratings as an HD2 without an analog translator.
 
nkd said:
They should put WHFS back on its home at 99.1FM. As for 97.5, bring back the dance station "Mix 2" which was on 106.5-HD2. It showed up in the ratings as an HD2 without an analog translator.
Click to expand...

Both these moves would make far too much sense for a suit to agree on. But I do support your ideas!
 
If the revenue they take from TOP is enough to make them profitable, sure they'll keep going.
Click to expand...

THAT will happen when hell freezes over. The station cannot even crack the Top 20 in P25-54. Incredibly, the AQH share for this station in Baltimore is even worse than it is in D.C. Even in Baltimore, WTOP beats WNEW by a sizable margin. You honestly think anyone is going to pay more than a dollar-a-holler to advertise on this horribly mis-utilized signal? Not...gonna...happen.

The clowns at CBS should've left El Zol on 99.1 and should've never purchased 107.9.

Flipping 99.1 back to Alt Rock might very well be the best bet, although I would gear the station toward more of an adult audience this time (similar to 104.5 in Philly, owned by Clear Channel). Such a format would earn mediocre numbers in D.C., but it would have the potential to perform decently in Baltimore.

Perhaps another option would be to move El Zol back to 99.1, and either sell 107.9 or retool it / reformat it to target the Baltimore market exclusively?

All News is not an inexpensive proposition. The station has got to be losing money hand over fist right now.
 
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Maybe CBS should give up and sell its entire Washington cluster, along with Atlanta, Houston, Cleveland, St. Louis etc.
 
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