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how will citadel problems affect Portland?

These problems mean nothing for the Portland stations, especially WBLM. The Captain and his Crew weathered a brief tropical storm named Frank and came out on top, they can withstand this. WBLM is untouchable, WJBQ as well (at least the morning show.)
 
Wow....I would be VERY careful saying the WBLM is "untouchable". That is simply not the case with ANY station that is corporately owned. Especially with Citadel and Cumulus being in a HEAP of financial trouble. Many people used to say the Citadel owned WOKQ was untouchable. They are a heritage, ratings monster in southern N.H....and last year, Citadel had them lay off their 25-year PM drive/music director.

How bad is it? Word has it that Citadel and Cumulus will be making HUGE cutbacks soon and relying on automation and voice tracking for the MAJORITY of their programming.

They have no choice. They just can't survive they way they are right now.
 
The best Sales Rep at WBLM just bolted to go to cable. No one bolts to cable intentionally. That's like "bolting" to the Kansas City Royals. Internally, it's not very positive there and that is understandable however it is definitely going to be a very rough six months or so.
My guess is that Citadel stations in market sizes like Portland (or 100+) will get one live daypart and the rest piped in.
 
adbuyer1 said:
My guess is that Citadel stations in market sizes like Portland (or 100+) will get one live daypart and the rest piped in.
Click to expand...

Some already are, I believe Presque Isle is on Wait Radio/Dial Global

I don't think you're going to see piped in stations (thats what Clear Channel does), but you will see more and more voicetracking and more jocks on multiple stations
 
I hope we will see Citadel and groups like it, start selling to local operators. They are going to take a hit on sales price but it has to happen to save radio. Seriously, does anyone think that a radio station with one live daypart and automated programming with no local connection can survive against the Ipods and satellite radios of the world? Let's call it what it is, "The Citadel Death Spiral". It started with Nassau and others will follow like Clear Channel. Only thing is Nassau is divesting now. There is some hope for those stations that are getting back in the hands of local ownership at an entry price that allows them to expand and grow. My hope (and prediction) is that Citadel does a bankruptcy and starts to piece meal divest these smaller stations like Presquile and Portland...and yes Portsmouth. Maybe the new owner can bring back ol' Stan!
 
Why does everyone think that selling these stations off to "local owners" will somehow be the magic answer? Look at the Blueberry stations. They're no more "live and local" than they were under Clear Channel. Instead, there's been more automation, simulcasting, and a couple of their stations are on the WEEI network. When the economy finally picks up again it's possible that Blueberry could add more local elements to their stations. It may be awhile though.

In most small & medium markets nowadays, stations that are fully live and local 24/7 are not sustainable anymore. They don't bill enough to pay multiple salaries, plus all the other costs associated with running radio stations. The trend for most stations is to completely automate or have one local daypart, regardless if it's corporate or locally owned. With the explosion of syndication, particularly in music formats, expect this to continue for the foreseeable future.
 
fmradio1 said:
Why does everyone think that selling these stations off to "local owners" will somehow be the magic answer? Look at the Blueberry stations. They're no more "live and local" than they were under Clear Channel. Instead, there's been more automation, simulcasting, and a couple of their stations are on the WEEI network.


In most small & medium markets nowadays, stations that are fully live and local 24/7 are not sustainable anymore. They don't bill enough to pay multiple salaries, plus all the other costs associated with running radio stations. The trend for most stations is to completely automate or have one local daypart, regardless if it's corporate or locally owned. With the explosion of syndication, particularly in music formats, expect this to continue for the foreseeable future.
Click to expand...

The Clear Channel group should have been split, they were looking for a sucker to buy the entire group and Blueberry was it. There's no way a start up group like Blueberry can control a dozen and a half stations in the economy that exists today.

And for your second point, Stephen King's group is a perfect example. I'm starting to think that live/local WKIT is coming to an end, maybe even he'll sell the group? He already made WDME 103.1 a simulcast of his sports station WZON.

Corporate ownership is better sometimes, when you get local owners the only guaranteed thing is a shorter, and usually easier, trip to the top management.
 
splicer38 said:
Seriously, does anyone think that a radio station with one live daypart and automated programming with no local connection can survive against the Ipods and satellite radios of the world?
Click to expand...

That's kinda like signing a station on only for a morning show, then just hanging around for an emergency message the rest of the day, no? 8)
 
I worked at WBLM in the late 70s for 8 years before I started making ski films... It was a glorious time... Imagination, freedom for the DJ, funny news... when I am in Portland and listen to "The Blimp" these days I want to vomit... chunks. Todays WBLM is the epitome of why radio is failing... zero freedom for the on air staff... moronic humour that couldn't fight it's way out of a "break off" in Fort Kent... the same songs we were playing 20 years ago... but even LESS variety... Despite what most soon to be fired radio execs and programmers think... people are not stupid.

The WBLM of the old days... cool, hip, funny, articulate and on it... could survive today if only someone had the balls to try to think outside the wet paper sack!

Better hope I don't get my hands on that station 'cause heads are gonna roll and turn and squirm... and people are gonna laugh and listen... stay tuned suckers!
 
Mainedude2007 said:
And for your second point, Stephen King's group is a perfect example. I'm starting to think that live/local WKIT is coming to an end,
Click to expand...

Just curious, Mainedude, but what is the basis of your opinion?
 
forevernight said:
Mainedude2007 said:
And for your second point, Stephen King's group is a perfect example. I'm starting to think that live/local WKIT is coming to an end,
Click to expand...

Just curious, Mainedude, but what is the basis of your opinion?
Click to expand...
This article, specifically the second section...
http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,20304270,00.html

The Spekhardt situation, WEEI coming to Bangor (and maybe eventually Red Sox/ESPN?) and the demise of WDME which has been reduced to a Bangor rim-shot simulcast of WZON
 
We'll see....Like Greg, I also worked at BLM in the early 80's but have stuck with radio over the years. First hand I have observed what happens when a live 24/7 operation is owned by a company that is essentially taken over by investment banks. Back in April during the infamous Clear Channel lay offs, WPYX, Albany, NY, a classic rock station very similar in stature to WBLM, in the Albany market, which was previously live 24/7, was cut back to two live dayparts from five, weekdays, with all live local weekend shifts eliminated as well....With everything that I have been reading about Citadel, I would have to assume that the mood at the Blimp has to be very tense these days...
 
This sounds crazy, but will doc and JJ return to save Wokq.

What happened to Stan Edwards? I heard he have throat cancer?

And is Dan Lunnie still with WTSN & the Bay?
 
Doc already has his hands full trying to bail JJ out. I doubt they're even remotely interested in WOKQ nor did Doc ever imagine he'd be back in radio in Portland; just living the good life in Southern Cal. JJ's investment has not gone well and it's hemorrhaging money. He's the fourth wheel, by a lot, in what became a hyper-competitive Portland market a number of years ago. He was getting whacked by that then it got compounded, exponentially, by the economy.
 
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