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How would you save WPTT?

P

Pratte4Life

While I understand the person who said WPTT would never do a 3.0 in the ratings, let me ask this-

Let's say you have a thing for Barbara Bain or, by now, one of her granddaughters and decide you will revive this station as a way to impress her.

Think about that line for a second and you'll find it quite hilarious.

Back now? Okay.

Here's the question- How would you save this station?

Because it is a station with some heritage and something we've all listened to at one point or another.

So, how much money do you think it would take to buy it? Could you do a Joint Operating Agreement like there was with the Press and Post-Gazette in order to use the studios? What programming and/or format changes would you make?

And what kind of publicity stunts would you do?
 
You might be on to something Pratte with a Post Gazette / Trib alliance. Granted, music would never work on WPTT unless it was indpendent music, or something compared to the music on WJAS which is geared to older folk. If I were Old Man Renda I would junk all the syndicated programming and let Lynn go and then try something so revolutionary, something so different as a station that you typically would only hear on a satillite or a internet radio station. Maybe not even there either! What that is, I don't know. But I think given the low ratings he could expirment with something. Though this would never happen because it would cost money and creativity on his behalf.

I just think AM radio is going to suffer even more in the future especially because people in the younger generation won't be typically inclined to listen to AM when they have XM or Siruis or their IPods.

How about all the regulars on this board get their own air shift on WPTT? I'm liking that idea.... :D
 
in most other markets the answer would be "flip it to Spanish". Not in Pittsburgh.
 
But you might be on to something there.

For all those stations that play polka, Italian, Greek, and whatever else music on Sunday mornings- if you wanted to broker an entire station to them- 24/7- you might be on to something.

I remember years ago reading in the big Broadcasting and Cable yearbooks there were six All-Polka radio stations in America- all in Wisconsin.

I could see one working in Pittsburgh.

Not that I really want to hear it. I'd much rather listen to Imus and The Dennis Miller Show.
 
The difference with flipping to Spanish is that there substantial national money out there for those formats, you would not just be beating the streets locally for $5 spots or sponsored blocks of time.
 
Sell it to a non-profit/religious outfit and pour the profits into a stronger Internet presence. You'd have to hurry because CC is going to throw 970 overboard within the year.
 
how about this.....donate it to Robert Morris Univ. and take the tax write-off?
I had seen that done once before with a small AM station in Michigan.
 
Donate it to "Bobby Mo?" Correct me if I'm wrong but you would not be able to listen to the station on campus after sunset...correct? >:>:

How about a flip to "Punk Country" ;D ;D ;D ;D (you youngins need to listen to TM productions Tomorrow Radio produced in 1977 to see what I'm suggesting) Remember Garner Ted always pays his bills on time!
 
Snafu said:
Sell it to a non-profit/religious outfit and pour the profits into a stronger Internet presence. You'd have to hurry because CC is going to throw 970 overboard within the year.
Click to expand...

Well, Renda has bought properties like 107.1 in Westmoreland county, so I could see him taking 970 and dumping 1360. That way you move WPTT to a better dial position, although the 970 signal also has severe limitations.

Or maybe the WKHB crew gets a Pittsburgh stick (or a bunch of sticks, in this case...)
 
It wouldn't be the best, but...
6-10 Bob and Tom
10-1 Dennis Miller
1-4 Clark Howard? (not sure if he's cleared in the Burgh or not.
4-7 Ed Schultz.
May be contract out with Channel 4 to do news updates hourly and then I wouldn't worry about 7PM-6AM since the stick is dead during that time anyway.
 
When Air America started up in 2004, there were literally tons of people on these boards speculating that 970 was going to adopt the network and boot sports.

And I called them crazy. There was no way Clear Channel was going to drop its AM broadcasts of the Steelers and Penguins for Al Franken. I still think these posters were the sort of geeky left wing types, who scoff at sports fans as nothing but pot bellied idiots turning to you from their easy chairs to mutter "We're No. 1!," engaging in some wishful thinking for their tastes.

And you can tell me all you want about FM and the internet, but there is still that mindset that you listen to sports on AM. When I am driving around looking for a ball game to listen to at night, I do the search on AM and rarely do one on FM.

Furthermore, having games on a sports station increases awareness. Recently one of my favorite out-of-town teams moved from an AM sports station to an FM that I can also listen to. I have to admit I rarely tune in to the games- and totally ignore the coaches show- because it is on an FM station I never listen to.

I know 970 has been a ratings flop- with the possible exception of when Tunch and Wolf bought time. They won't ever have a decent budget and the FOX Sports Radio network simply isn't what it was when Tony Bruno was on there.

But there's something about having those sports contracts, and having a station- low budget or no- that can build them up- that I think will prevent the station from selling to Renda or what not.

That's my read on things.
 
Pratte4Life said:
When Air America started up in 2004, there were literally tons of people on these boards speculating that 970 was going to adopt the network and boot sports.

And I called them crazy. There was no way Clear Channel was going to drop its AM broadcasts of the Steelers and Penguins for Al Franken. I still think these posters were the sort of geeky left wing types, who scoff at sports fans as nothing but pot bellied idiots turning to you from their easy chairs to mutter "We're No. 1!," engaging in some wishful thinking for their tastes.
Click to expand...

Maybe you'd like to define "geeky left wing types" and tell us how you know what they think of sports fans.

Also, I think you've hit on the solution for WPTT: Air America. They're already having success with Thom Hartmann, and a full time format from the bird would (forgive me) eliminate the need for most of the air staff.

BTW, why doesn't Renda run PTT's backup xmtr, which is right in the city, at night, instead of the Lincoln Park site? He'd at least get some coverage west of Forest Hills.
 
Pratte4Life said:
I know 970 has been a ratings flop- with the possible exception of when Tunch and Wolf bought time. They won't ever have a decent budget and the FOX Sports Radio network simply isn't what it was when Tony Bruno was on there.

But there's something about having those sports contracts, and having a station- low budget or no- that can build them up- that I think will prevent the station from selling to Renda or what not.

That's my read on things.
Click to expand...

Savran was doing OK on 970... they were not showing a big 6A-12mid number, but almost all of what they had was Stan. Unfortunately they also thought the show was too expensive.

970 will now fall victim to the Clear Channel privatization. Everything at the bottom of the list profit-wise will be sold.
 
RadioMoo said:
Pratte4Life said:
When Air America started up in 2004, there were literally tons of people on these boards speculating that 970 was going to adopt the network and boot sports.

And I called them crazy. There was no way Clear Channel was going to drop its AM broadcasts of the Steelers and Penguins for Al Franken. I still think these posters were the sort of geeky left wing types, who scoff at sports fans as nothing but pot bellied idiots turning to you from their easy chairs to mutter "We're No. 1!," engaging in some wishful thinking for their tastes.
Click to expand...

Maybe you'd like to define "geeky left wing types" and tell us how you know what they think of sports fans.

Also, I think you've hit on the solution for WPTT: Air America. They're already having success with Thom Hartmann, and a full time format from the bird would (forgive me) eliminate the need for most of the air staff.

BTW, why doesn't Renda run PTT's backup xmtr, which is right in the city, at night, instead of the Lincoln Park site? He'd at least get some coverage west of Forest Hills.
Click to expand...

Because it would be an FCC rules violation to run that site.
 
Some of the finance money for Clear Channel's privatization deal was eaten up by the sub-prime mess thus CC has less breathing room and is in the process of dumping a handful more stations. While they haven't made the list public yet its obvious that 970 is on it since it was the second or third lowest revenue station they were keeping under the original finance model.

I don't look for Renda to buy it either.
 
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