GREAT TO SEE NEW "ALL NEWS" STATIONS

[semoochie]

Are you talking about NIS, NBC's All News Network? As I understand it, they didn't commit any O&O AM stations to it, keeping it on their FMs and that was probably why it failed.

Actually, NBC cleared NIS on one AM O&O: WRC/980 in Washington. WRC's Top 40 format was to move to their FM sister station under the new name of WKYS/93.9 "Kiss FM". But two weeks after the fact, WKYS flipped from Top 40 to Disco.

Another AM station of note cleared NIS: KQV/1410 in Pittsburgh. After NIS shut down, KQV repopulated the all-news format with local talent.

I agree that there were large affiliates carrying the service but if they committed WNBC, WMAQ and KNBR behind it, I think it would have been a different story. I didn't know about WRC, thank you!

 

[recto101]

RadioWizard101 thinks there was a conspiracy in turning KGO from a left-of-center Talk station to a Mostly-News station. But we've pieced together the logic. David Eduardo says KGO had fallen to #20 in the 25-54 ratings, even though it was still #7 overall.

Meanwhile, another poster said KGO's morning News Block is rated at #14 in AM Drive. So there's your answer. KGO was apparently doing better with its News Blocks than with its Talk programs. And Talk hosts get bigger paychecks than News Anchors.

KGO will likely be spending LESS money on doing Mostly-News than it did on Talk. Almost all the local Talk hosts are gone. And KGO apparently has only hired one new news anchor, or rather they moved him over from co-owned KFOG. They were already doing news blocks 5-9am, Noon-1pm and 4-7pm. The stories are already written, the reporters are already in the field. They simply have to get their field reporters to record their stories once they've covered the City Council meeting or the Occupy protest. They simply have to freshen up the written copy with a new lead. Existing anchors can do 1-4pm and 7pm-Midnight with little additional outlay.

No conspiracy here.


Gregg
[email protected]

Wait wouldn't the hard core left listen to LPFM and Pacifica O&O's rather than AM or Air America?

 

[country24]

Open Source thinks "the Internet isn't radio." Internet radio is readily available on any internet-capable computer and laptop and affordable user-friendly technology for transmitting computer and iPod audio and to any FM radio. It's only a matter of time.

I'm a 72 year old conservative Republican who just got my first iPod for Christmas, and I've been listening internet radio for years. I prefer local AM and FM stations, but I can get a lot of content from internet stations or distant streaming terrestrial stations I can't get locally. If over-the-air stations don't provide it, I can usually find it on the internet.

 

[radioom]

Congratulations on your iPod. My Grandchildren gave me my first iPhone this year. I stalled as long as I could, but now regret I didn't jump on board the technology train sooner. I still can't comprehend why Angry birds are "angry."

 

[AtlantaLateShow]

Atlanta is in need of an all news station. I think it would work but who am I to say that. Isn't the best an all news station ever does is middle of the pack or worse?

 

[quadraphonic]

Atlanta is in need of an all news station. I think it would work but who am I to say that. Isn't the best an all news station ever does is middle of the pack or worse?

If they make money, then it's more important than where they land in the ratings.

 

[Radio1360]

It's been a while since I posted. Boy, I'm glad to read that the all-news format is making a resurgence and this time and hopefully for good. That way, it can even up with the news-talk, sport-talk, and money-talk formats. All that's needed now is a few satellite services (and some money), like it was before like that of CNN Headline News/CNN Radio, The News Station (AP Radio), and the short-lived Washington Post Radio (read about it in Wikipedia). I miss that. Internet radio is okay, but like the other poster said it's not radio, it's the internet

 

[DToTheJ]

... the short-lived Washington Post Radio...

Ah, the former WTWP, that ratings goldmine... I mean, now they are because they air WTOP, but still...

 

[recto101]

WNEW-FM in DC is like 1010 Wins. and WTOP is like WCBS of Washington DC.
KGO-AM is the WEMP of San Francisco while KCBS is modeled after WCBS in All-news.

 

[semoochie]

OK, I haven't heard it lately but am guessing that the news department of KGO is as solid as ever!

 

[bmcglynn]

Atlanta is in need of an all news station. I think it would work but who am I to say that. Isn't the best an all news station ever does is middle of the pack or worse?

If they make money, then it's more important than where they land in the ratings.

All-News makes money..... lots of it. The top billing stations in the US and Canada are All-News. WTOP is the highest billing in the USA at over $60M. From what I know (please correct me if I am wrong) WINS and WCBS are #1 and #2 in billing in NYC. Combine them, and you have $110M. In Toronto, 680 News CFTR is Canada's most profitable and highest revenue-generating station - and the 4th most profitable in North America.

The key to all-news success seems to be traffic, above average commutes, and keen interest in local happenings. New York, Washington, and Toronto fall into those categories. I would guess that Atlanta would do well with an All-News format. The size of the metro is large, plus talk about traffic...... It would not be a success overnight, but after some serious investment in promotion and content, you could likely have Atlanta's top billing station.

Compared to other formats, all-news is an active-listening format. Forget TSL and AQH... it's all about Cume.
In a Cume based format - All-news allows for very different packaging for inventory: :10's, sponsorships, features.... That translates to a value-based approach to selling versus the traditional cost per point. Once you get out of the traditional model is when real $$$$$ gets made.

That's the story for large markets. Has anyone tried this in a smaller market?

Brian

 

[vchimpanzee]

Open Source thinks "the Internet isn't radio." Internet radio is readily available on any internet-capable computer and laptop and affordable user-friendly technology for transmitting computer and iPod audio and to any FM radio.

With fast enough access. Some of us don't have that kind of money to spend. I was also told I live too far out in the country for my phone company's fastest service. If I wanted to pay Time-Warner's prices I could have theirs, I suppose.

My feeling about the topic is that too many people are losing their favorite RADIO stations and they'd rather not have to resort to other means. WKQX is a good example.

 

[vchimpanzee]

As an unapologetic lefty (i.e., what the Democratic Party used to be before it migrated to the right-of-center)

HUH? The Tea Party people are complaining that Democrats are extreme left.

 

[NewsStud]

Cumulus just announced it's flipping oldies WYAY-FM in Atlanta to All-News...

There obviously must be a belief that it can make money... especially if they're going up against two News-Talkers, one (WSB) with a heritage news force and which is already on FM.

 

[raccoonradio]

They also say they'll be doing celebrity news, lifestyle features etc to attract younger audiences.
We'll be back with more alleged news in a moment

 

[recto101]

How about the America radio News Network by TRN. They are the all-news network by TRN but they are more into political news. ARNN does not air over the OTA in Big cities that have an-all news outlet on OTA. ARNN can be heard nationally on their website.

 

[radiobum]

As an unapologetic lefty (i.e., what the Democratic Party used to be before it migrated to the right-of-center)[/quote]
HUH? The Tea Party people are complaining that Democrats are extreme left.
[/quote]

The Tea Party people are ignorant.As someone once said "A working person voting Republican is like a chicken voting for Colonel Sanders."

 

[benale]

Nice to see an all newser coming to Atlanta. With the addition of Atlanta there is an all news station in every Top ten market. Boston and Dallas do all news from 5AM to 8PM. Detroit has WWJ. Miami is now the largest market without an all news station. WIOD doesn't even do all news in the morning,but WFTL out of West Palm Beach does a news block in the morning.

I have heard WWBA out of Tampa Bay. They integrate America's News Network with local news throughout the day. They sound pretty good. I wonder if other stations would attempt this.

I have an Internet radio and five of my presets are all news stations. I find I listen to all news stations quite often when surfing. With Imus, Rush, Sean,etc on so many stations, it's nice to have some local alternatives.

 

[Gregg]

To recap, here are the new All-News stations, started up in the last year...

New York...101.9 WEMP (Merlin)
Chicago...101.1 WIQI (Merlin)
Houston...92.1 KROI (Radio One)
Washington...99.1 WNEW-FM (CBS)
Atlanta...106.7 WYAY (Cumulus) debuts next month

In San Francisco, 810 KGO has expanded its All-News hours but still runs Talk 9am-2pm, 10pm-4am and all weekend. So it's not really an All-News station.

Unfortunately, none of these new All-News stations is getting even a one rating so far. It's still early for some of them and Houston's KROI is getting closer to a one rating. But the Merlin stations have been on the air since last year and they're making almost no improvements in their ratings lately. Merlin has automated them so that there's no real anchor, not a good sign. And Merlin is NOT putting All-News on its new Philadelphia station, instead running syndicated conservative Talk shows Hannity and Limbaugh, also not a good sign.

The newest All-News station till Merlin entered the picture was 1000 KOMO Seattle. In a matter of months, KOMO became one of Seattle's most listened to radio stations. But KOMO had advantages, having been a Talk station with a large news department it shares with one of Seattle's top TV stations, KOMO-TV 4. And it was the flagship station of the Mariners baseball team.


Gregg
[email protected]

 

[recto101]

To recap, here are the new All-News stations, started up in the last year...

New York...101.9 WEMP (Merlin)
Chicago...101.1 WIQI (Merlin)
Houston...92.1 KROI (Radio One)
Washington...99.1 WNEW-FM (CBS)
Atlanta...106.7 WYAY (Cumulus) debuts next month

In San Francisco, 810 KGO has expanded its All-News hours but still runs Talk 9am-2pm, 10pm-4am and all weekend. So it's not really an All-News station.

Unfortunately, none of these new All-News stations is getting even a one rating so far. It's still early for some of them and Houston's KROI is getting closer to a one rating. But the Merlin stations have been on the air since last year and they're making almost no improvements in their ratings lately. Merlin has automated them so that there's no real anchor, not a good sign. And Merlin is NOT putting All-News on its new Philadelphia station, instead running syndicated conservative Talk shows Hannity and Limbaugh, also not a good sign.

The newest All-News station till Merlin entered the picture was 1000 KOMO Seattle. In a matter of months, KOMO became one of Seattle's most listened to radio stations. But KOMO had advantages, having been a Talk station with a large news department it shares with one of Seattle's top TV stations, KOMO-TV 4. And it was the flagship station of the Mariners baseball team.


Gregg
[email protected]

Ahh but KGO raised their audience share from 2.7 to 2.9 in the San Francisco books in March 2012.
and KCBS went down from 6.6 to 5.9 in March 2012. The reason KGO-AM is doing well is because they cross Promote with Disney's O&O KGO-TV for some of their content during their news. In able for Cumulus News and Information stations to do well in the rating they have to get ABC TV affiliates to cross promote with them to get a share in the books.

Look at CBS all-news stations like KCBS, WCBS, KNX and WBBM they simply get the local CBS TV O&O staff for some of their content.