GM/Nassau trade means SJ in Philly (WKLB switch next?)

[raccoonradio]

Fybush reports that smooth jazz returns to Philly --thanks to the deal that will land WKLB on 102.5
probably next month. As you'll recall, Greater Media bought WCRB 102.5 from Charles River Broadcasting and
intends to put "Don't rock the jukebox, I wanna hear George Jones/'Cause my heart ain't
ready for the Rolling Stones" on that freq...GM, forced to sell 99.5 due to ownership cap, made deal
with Nassau in a station swap: Nassau picking up 99.5 (to be classical under WCRB intellectual property)
here, and GM gaining a station in NJ (Philly market)

That GM operation, WTHK 97.5, will flip from rock to smooth jazz on NOV 15

http://www.fybush.com

So...does that mean Nov 15 will be the date when country moves to 102.5?

 

[Jacko]

November 15th would be my guess. I'm surprised though that with all the effort they put in to move the 97.5 transmitter closer to Philly that they haven't tried to move the 99.5 transmitter closer to Boston. I know that 99.7 FM/Wakefield-Peacedale, RI (although really Exeter, RI) may make it too close for 99.5 to move, but they could still probably do the move and null the signal a bit toward RI. I can just imagine scene of BMWs and Audis driving off the roads the morning that they turn on 102.5 and hear Big and Rich saving a horse and riding a cowboy...

Ultimately, they don't NEED to move country to 102.5. Aside from right in downtown Boston and right by FM-128, 99.5 covers the area just fine.

Jacko

 

[Casablanca]

Stock up on your pork rinds. Just what Boston radio needs. One tooth radio.

 

[raccoonradio]

>>One tooth radio

If 'tweren't for country music there'd be no rock'n'roll...(C&W plus R&B, gospel, folk influences). Also
WKLB gets pretty good ratings (at least in the 12 +).

>>can just imagine scene of BMWs and Audis driving off the roads the morning that they turn on 102.5 and hear Big and Rich saving a horse and riding a cowboy...
Ultimately, they don't NEED to move country to 102.5. Aside from right in downtown Boston and right by FM-128, 99.5 covers the area just fine.

true. btw I would expect both WKLB and WCRB to take a few days at least to mention to their
listeners about the upcoming switch--on the air, on their sites, etc. Some, to be sure, will be jarred
if they haven't heard the news. Regular listeners would know, though.
Jarring switch: Jan of '79 (IIRC): beautiful music to disco on 1430/107.9...

 

[raccoonradio]

Among the stations whose ratings (12 +) are not as high (in last ratings period) as WKLB:

WROR, WRKO, WBCN, Mix 98.5, Mike 93.7, WCRB, WTKK, WAAF...

Of the GM stations in town WKLB comes in second only to WMJX in the 12 + (new ratings out tomorrow btw).
Higher than their classic hits, talk, and AAA sister stations.

 

[Casablanca]

Not so good but Ol' H.L.Menchen was right - you will never go broke under estimating the intelligence of the average American.

Among the stations whose ratings (12 +) are not as high (in last ratings period) as WKLB:

WROR, WRKO, WBCN, Mix 98.5, Mike 93.7, WCRB, WTKK, WAAF...

Of the GM stations in town WKLB comes in second only to WMJX in the 12 + (new ratings out tomorrow btw).
Higher than their classic hits, talk, and AAA sister stations.

 

[raccoonradio]

>>under estimating the intelligence

see Take It Outside board

 

[jdrct]

Not so good but Ol' H.L.Menchen was right - you will never go broke under estimating the intelligence of the average American.

[/quote]

I'm sorry...could you explain to me why country music is inherently unintelligent? For that matter, why is classical music inherently intelligent?

Seeing that you've spent the past several weeks on this board accusing various radio hosts of racism and bigotry (with a surprising dearth of specific incidental evidence mind you), I'm certain that you will provide a highly engaging response, devoid of any sterotypes or cultural biases. I eagerly await your response.

 

[Casablanca]

C&W - Hill Billy music may have its place but it does not have the centuries of background to prove itself as does classical music. Well, at least it is not Rap. So, maybe it isn't one tooth radio but how 'bout two... Certainly isn't Blue Tooth

Not so good but Ol' H.L.Menchen was right - you will never go broke under estimating the intelligence of the average American.

I'm sorry...could you explain to me why country music is inherently unintelligent? For that matter, why is classical music inherently intelligent?

Seeing that you've spent the past several weeks on this board accusing various radio hosts of racism and bigotry (with a surprising dearth of specific incidental evidence mind you), I'm certain that you will provide a highly engaging response, devoid of any sterotypes or cultural biases. I eagerly await your response.
[/quote]

 

[JustinT]

November 15th would be my guess.

The Globe mentioned that the sale would be completed on November 4th though. My guess is that the 102.5/99.5 flip will happen then, with the 97.5 ownership change happening then as well; 97.5 could then stunt until the 15th (presumably with "If you're looking for classic rock, tune to 102.9 'MGK"), while Greater Media gets some sort of studio set up for 97.5 at its Bala Cyndwyd (sp?) offices... unless Greater Media has made some sort of deal to run 97.5 out of Nassau's Trenton facility until further notice.

I'm surprised though that with all the effort they put in to move the 97.5 transmitter closer to Philly that they haven't tried to move the 99.5 transmitter closer to Boston. I know that 99.7 FM/Wakefield-Peacedale, RI (although really Exeter, RI) may make it too close for 99.5 to move, but they could still probably do the move and null the signal a bit toward RI.

I think the real problem is not 99.7A Wakefield-Peacedale RI but is instead 99.1B Plymouth. To create a 99.5B Boston, you would probably have to completely shut down 99.1 Plymouth (or move it out to the Cape as a Class A), and probably shut down 99.7. One random thought on the topic of move-ins... given the current situation, could you move 99.9 Barnstable to Plymouth as a Boston rimshot by shutting down 99.7 and with a null away from 100.3 Middletown RI?

Ultimately, they don't NEED to move country to 102.5. Aside from right in downtown Boston and right by FM-128, 99.5 covers the area just fine.

Very true. But CRB was selling, and compared to the other potential buyers of the station (being Entercom, which would have flipped WCRB and WAAF; Clear Channel, which would have probably given us one of their "Philly 106.1" or "93.1 The Party"-type stations w/Whoopi; and CBS/Infinity, could they have even bought the station without selling something?). At least with GM, classical gets to live and country listeners get a better stick.

 

[jdrct]

And again, people who listen to country music are inherently unitelligent because??? ???

C&W - Hill Billy music may have its place but it does not have the centuries of background to prove itself as does classical music. Well, at least it is not Rap. So, maybe it isn't one tooth radio but how 'bout two... Certainly isn't Blue Tooth

Not so good but Ol' H.L.Menchen was right - you will never go broke under estimating the intelligence of the average American.

I'm sorry...could you explain to me why country music is inherently unintelligent? For that matter, why is classical music inherently intelligent?

Seeing that you've spent the past several weeks on this board accusing various radio hosts of racism and bigotry (with a surprising dearth of specific incidental evidence mind you), I'm certain that you will provide a highly engaging response, devoid of any sterotypes or cultural biases. I eagerly await your response.

[/quote]

 

[Eli Polonsky]

I'm surprised though that with all the effort they put in to move the 97.5 transmitter closer to Philly that they haven't tried to move the 99.5 transmitter closer to Boston. I know that 99.7 FM/Wakefield-Peacedale, RI (although really Exeter, RI) may make it too close for 99.5 to move, but they could still probably do the move and null the signal a bit toward RI.

I think the real problem is not 99.7A Wakefield-Peacedale RI but is instead 99.1B Plymouth. To create a 99.5B Boston, you would probably have to completely shut down 99.1 Plymouth (or move it out to the Cape as a Class A), and probably shut down 99.7. One random thought on the topic of move-ins... given the current situation, could you move 99.9 Barnstable to Plymouth as a Boston rimshot by shutting down 99.7 and with a null away from 100.3 Middletown RI?

That could conflict with first adjacent Classic Hits 100.1A WWFX "The Pike" Southbridge/Worcester (and 100.1D WBRS Waltham at Brandeis University). It would also cause co-channel interference to 99.9D WHHB Holliston High School.

Also, WQRC 99.9 does very well in the Cape book as the primary soft AC in the market. Why change it, and move it to where it would have more competition (WMJX, etc...)?

 

[JustinT]

I think the real problem is not 99.7A Wakefield-Peacedale RI but is instead 99.1B Plymouth. To create a 99.5B Boston, you would probably have to completely shut down 99.1 Plymouth (or move it out to the Cape as a Class A), and probably shut down 99.7. One random thought on the topic of move-ins... given the current situation, could you move 99.9 Barnstable to Plymouth as a Boston rimshot by shutting down 99.7 and with a null away from 100.3 Middletown RI?

That could conflict with first adjacent Classic Hits 100.1A WWFX "The Pike" Southbridge/Worcester (and 100.1D WBRS Waltham at Brandeis University). It would also cause co-channel interference to 99.9D WHHB Holliston High School.

Also, WQRC 99.9 does very well in the Cape book as the primary soft AC in the market. Why change it, and move it to where it would have more competition (WMJX, etc...)?

Oh, yes, the 100.1s would be a problem. So that won't happen.

WQRC 99.9 is probably the most consistantly successful station on Cape Cod, I would never think that the station should move away from the market... if such an unlikely situation were to happen, the intellectual property would almost certainly remain on the Cape. My thinking was that with the 97.5 in Philadelphia being a move-in, and move-ins seemingly on the rise nationwide (look how many Denver has), are there any stations in the Boston area that could possibly be "moved-in" to the market? Given our terrible frequency arrangement in the Boston DMA (example: from 104.1 to 105.7, we could have three full power stations, but the poor arrangement limits us to two. Or look at 102.9 FM: this frequency which is dead air for most of the Boston area would be a prime place for a move-in rimshot; but with WBLM/Portland, WPXC/Cape Cod, and WDRC-FM/Hartford surrounding the fringes of the market, such a move can't happen.) and the bevy of nearby markets with their own corresponding signals, it doesn't seem all that likely. But geez, even central New Hampshire has a better arrangement than Boston (94.1 WFTN, 94.9 WHOM, 95.7 WZID, 96.5 WMLL)... all perfectly spaced.

 

[Eli Polonsky]

Or look at 102.9 FM: this frequency which is dead air for most of the Boston area would be a prime place for a move-in rimshot.

I would think that each of them on 102.9 (Portland, Cape Cod, Springfield) may prevent any one of them from moving closer to Boston, and thereby closer to another of them in their present locations.

102.9 also has the "Choice FM" pirate in Dorchester consistently playing Caribbean and R&B music with a signal that can be heard fairly well throughout the city.