Here's a scenario for you

[Jul]

CBS decides to sell 1210 AM to Greater Media. GM decides to use 1210 as a backup for 97.5 and put ESPN Radio 24/7 on the station. In turn, CBS buys 106.9 FM and have a simulcast of KYW on it, with 1060 being the primary station and 106.9 airs the play by play sports programming that aired on 1210 AM.

 

[rtetro]

I just can't see CBS selling off a 50KW clear channel non-directional station for an FM that has less than optimal coverage....

 

[AdamfromPhilly]

how about, NO.

 

[aindik]

CBS is not going to sell a station to a company that's going to put a sports format on it.

Also, money is the only thing stopping CBS from buying 106.9 if it goes on sale. IOW, it doesn't have to sell an AM station to buy 106.9 unless it needs the money. It is not at the FCC ownership cap in Philadelphia (unless Philadelphia has fewer than 20 independent media voices). After acquiring 106.9, CBS would own 2 TV, 3 FM, 3 AM. Right at the cap, not above it.

Third, if CBS is selling an AM station, the station it would sell is 610.

 

[WCAUTVNBC10]

Third, if CBS is selling an AM station, the station it would sell is 610.

And 4th they wouldn't sell that being that they just launched their new nation sports network on it just yesterday.

 

[aindik]

Third, if CBS is selling an AM station, the station it would sell is 610.

And 4th they wouldn't sell that being that they just launched their new nation sports network on it just yesterday.

I could see them selling 610 and putting the sports network on 1210, if they wanted to get out of the political talk business. IOW, I could see them flip flopping the formats of 610 and 1210 and then selling 610 to Clear Channel knowing Clear Channel would put Beck, Hannity, and Limbaugh on it once CBS takes over 106.9.

 

[Bill_W]

CBS is not going to sell a station to a company that's going to put a sports format on it.

Also, money is the only thing stopping CBS from buying 106.9 if it goes on sale. IOW, it doesn't have to sell an AM station to buy 106.9 unless it needs the money. It is not at the FCC ownership cap in Philadelphia (unless Philadelphia has fewer than 20 independent media voices). After acquiring 106.9, CBS would own 2 TV, 3 FM, 3 AM. Right at the cap, not above it.

Third, if CBS is selling an AM station, the station it would sell is 610.

What has changed since CBS was required to sell a station (WMMR) when they bought Infinity?

 

[MoldaMania182]

Third, if CBS is selling an AM station, the station it would sell is 610.

And 4th they wouldn't sell that being that they just launched their new nation sports network on it just yesterday.

I could see them selling 610 and putting the sports network on 1210, if they wanted to get out of the political talk business. IOW, I could see them flip flopping the formats of 610 and 1210 and then selling 610 to Clear Channel knowing Clear Channel would put Beck, Hannity, and Limbaugh on it once CBS takes over 106.9.

Doubtful with the Phillies situation.

 

[Radio Wreck]

What if CBS were to put KYW on 106.9 and put Beck, Limbaugh, Hannity on 1060?

 

[DG02816]

Can't see 1060 becoming a news/talker. I'd see 610 and 1210 swapping formats first, with 106.9 becoming KYW-FM.

 

[aindik]

What has changed since CBS was required to sell a station (WMMR) when they bought Infinity?

The DOJ required Infinity/Westinghouse to sell an FM station, not the FCC rule. For antitrust reasons, because of the high ratings of the combined cluster meant they'd control too high a percentage of ad revenue. I'm not saying DOJ wouldn't do that again, but it wouldn't be because of an FCC rule.

 

[aindik]

Third, if CBS is selling an AM station, the station it would sell is 610.

And 4th they wouldn't sell that being that they just launched their new nation sports network on it just yesterday.

I could see them selling 610 and putting the sports network on 1210, if they wanted to get out of the political talk business. IOW, I could see them flip flopping the formats of 610 and 1210 and then selling 610 to Clear Channel knowing Clear Channel would put Beck, Hannity, and Limbaugh on it once CBS takes over 106.9.

Doubtful with the Phillies situation.

They can preempt the network for the Phillies if the Phillies continue to demand coverage on 1210. They are pre-empting the network for Villanova basketball as it is.

 

[Bill_W]

What has changed since CBS was required to sell a station (WMMR) when they bought Infinity?

The DOJ required Infinity/Westinghouse to sell an FM station, not the FCC rule. For antitrust reasons, because of the high ratings of the combined cluster meant they'd control too high a percentage of ad revenue. I'm not saying DOJ wouldn't do that again, but it wouldn't be because of an FCC rule.

In today's world, I guess if they simulcast the same station on 2 different frequencies that wouldn't increase revenues that significantly. Plus, I can't believe that 610 or 1210 at the present time are bringing in the revenue that they had been when they had to get rid of WMMR. So the FCC didn't have the problem with the number of stations that CBS owned. I'm still glad they were forced to sell WMMR. CBS would have changed the format on 93.3 long before they got rid of WYSP. It took Greater Media awhile but they brought WMMR back to one of the top stations in the city. CBS has seemed to have gotten rid of all the heritage rock stations around the country that were either theirs from their Westinghouse days or the stations that they acquired from Infinity or CBS.

 

[MoldaMania182]

Third, if CBS is selling an AM station, the station it would sell is 610.

And 4th they wouldn't sell that being that they just launched their new nation sports network on it just yesterday.

I could see them selling 610 and putting the sports network on 1210, if they wanted to get out of the political talk business. IOW, I could see them flip flopping the formats of 610 and 1210 and then selling 610 to Clear Channel knowing Clear Channel would put Beck, Hannity, and Limbaugh on it once CBS takes over 106.9.

Doubtful with the Phillies situation.

They can preempt the network for the Phillies if the Phillies continue to demand coverage on 1210. They are pre-empting the network for Villanova basketball as it is.

Nova basketball doesn't run 162 times a year in 3+ hour blocks (and let's see what happens when that contract expires). The Phillies want to be on the 50k non-D station. That's why they're there now. CBS are intentionally dedicating two separate frequencies for the Network and local sports. They aren't going to do frequency swaps only to end up with less inventory. It makes Zero sense and won't happen. This whole discussion has really taken on way too many assumptions and is jumping the shark.