I didn't realize people could be "downsized."

[AMRocks]

This is from today's All Access:

iHeartMedia Downsizing Hits West Palm Beach
More reports of iHEARTMEDIA downsizing, this time in WEST PALM BEACH, FL, where Top 40 WLDI (WiLD 95.5) PD/afternoon talent MAVERICK and APD/MD KELSI have exited.
Additionally, Classic Rock WKGR (98.7 THE GATER) MD/afternooner ANDY PRESTON and AC WOLL (KOOL 105.5) midday host MIKE PERRY were downsized. PERRY can be reached at [email protected].

They really area just stripping down their stations in WPB.

 

[strangelove]

This is from today's All Access:

iHeartMedia Downsizing Hits West Palm Beach
More reports of iHEARTMEDIA downsizing, this time in WEST PALM BEACH, FL, where Top 40 WLDI (WiLD 95.5) PD/afternoon talent MAVERICK and APD/MD KELSI have exited.
Additionally, Classic Rock WKGR (98.7 THE GATER) MD/afternooner ANDY PRESTON and AC WOLL (KOOL 105.5) midday host MIKE PERRY were downsized. PERRY can be reached at [email protected].

They really area just stripping down their stations in WPB.

It gets worse. Andy Preston of The Gater died Wednesday night following an auto accident in Lake Park. Unbelievably tragic.

 

[ScottBurns]

How awful. Andy Preston’s voice became synonymous with radio - and life - here in Palm Beach County. What a terrible, terrible tragedy. The Post has some nice tributes. https://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/20190411/friends-colleagues-recall-late-djs-rocking-personality

 

[strangelove]

This is from today's All Access:

iHeartMedia Downsizing Hits West Palm Beach
More reports of iHEARTMEDIA downsizing, this time in WEST PALM BEACH, FL, where Top 40 WLDI (WiLD 95.5) PD/afternoon talent MAVERICK and APD/MD KELSI have exited.
Additionally, Classic Rock WKGR (98.7 THE GATER) MD/afternooner ANDY PRESTON and AC WOLL (KOOL 105.5) midday host MIKE PERRY were downsized. PERRY can be reached at [email protected].

They really area just stripping down their stations in WPB.

With the main studio rule off the books at the FCC it wouldn't surprise me if someday the West Palm and Treasure Coast iHeart stations were run entirely from Miramar and office space was leased for the local sales staff.

 

[AMRocks]

With the main studio rule off the books at the FCC it wouldn't surprise me if someday the West Palm and Treasure Coast iHeart stations were run entirely from Miramar and office space was leased for the local sales staff.

I'm actually surprised they don't simulcast some stations and try to be more regional. Like WIOD and WJNO. Insert different local news and traffic (all from Miramar, of course) and simulcast everything else. They could even take BIG and Gator. Or, since they are so down in the ratings, Wild and Y. "South Florida's #1 Hit Music Stations" Split the commercials only on those stations. Simulcast everything else.

 

[strangelove]

I'm actually surprised they don't simulcast some stations and try to be more regional. Like WIOD and WJNO. Insert different local news and traffic (all from Miramar, of course) and simulcast everything else. They could even take BIG and Gator. Or, since they are so down in the ratings, Wild and Y. "South Florida's #1 Hit Music Stations" Split the commercials only on those stations. Simulcast everything else.

It would certainly be more economical. But don't give them any ideas!

 

[davideduardo]

I'm actually surprised they don't simulcast some stations and try to be more regional. Like WIOD and WJNO. Insert different local news and traffic (all from Miramar, of course) and simulcast everything else. They could even take BIG and Gator. Or, since they are so down in the ratings, Wild and Y. "South Florida's #1 Hit Music Stations" Split the commercials only on those stations. Simulcast everything else.

There is no regional advertising market. The Miami MSA is bought separately from the West Palm Beach MSA. Even if you split commercial breaks, there is considerable logistics in making the breaks the same length in each market.

And local content is going to be different, whether talk or music. The Miami market is highly influenced by the fact it is over 50% Hispanic, and stations that don't include Hispanics in their music research or local issues in the non-syndicated talk content are going to lose.

 

[AMRocks]

There is no regional advertising market. The Miami MSA is bought separately from the West Palm Beach MSA. Even if you split commercial breaks, there is considerable logistics in making the breaks the same length in each market.

And local content is going to be different, whether talk or music. The Miami market is highly influenced by the fact it is over 50% Hispanic, and stations that don't include Hispanics in their music research or local issues in the non-syndicated talk content are going to lose.

The stations would be run like a network. Different spots air on different stations. As someone mentioned above, a separate sales team in WPB. It would absolutely work with, for example, Y100 and Wild. Elvis in the morning. Local jocks barely mention anything local anyway, but they could. No one in Miami would be offended by an event mentioned in West Palm and visa versa. Jungles for each station airs on the respective station. Easy. I really don't think the music is much different on any CHR station based on the local market anymore.

 

[strangelove]

The stations would be run like a network. Different spots air on different stations. As someone mentioned above, a separate sales team in WPB. It would absolutely work with, for example, Y100 and Wild. Elvis in the morning. Local jocks barely mention anything local anyway, but they could. No one in Miami would be offended by an event mentioned in West Palm and visa versa. Jungles for each station airs on the respective station. Easy. I really don't think the music is much different on any CHR station based on the local market anymore.

Mirroring the music from one source for both stations could be done but it would be just as easy to run both stations separately (with little more than a Windows based PC) without having to worry about setting up automation for station promos and local breaks. In either case, it could be done from anyplace where there's an internet connection.

As for the music, Palm Beach and Miami/Ft. Lauderdale are different both in terms of age and ethnic makeup so what might be a popular hit song in Hialeah might not play as well in Wellington. Even if the operation of Wild were centralized the manager(s) should still make sure they're playing the songs that will keep the target audience tuned in.

Either way, it's a bad day for local jocks but a windfall for voicetrackers.