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Infinity's Free-FM

P

Power91

Guest
With the worst kept secret in radio being Infinity's plans to start an FM-Talk network (recently leaked rumors have the name being Free-FM)...any thoughts on what they may do in the NYC area?

Up in Boston, where Infinity owns 4 FM stations, including a classic rock, hot AC, oldies, and alternative rock, the general thoughts have been the classic rock and alt rock stations merge into one 9ala what K-Rock's music seems to have been doing) with the other frequency going to talk...

In NYC, it doesn't appear all that simple: K-Rock has been undergoing it's change and appears firm, Mix has been putting an effort into attacking KTU, and though the initial 12+ ratings look bad, Infinity seems to have too much behind the Jack-FM format to abandon it so quickly...

Does NYC get left out of that FM Talk network...do they buy up another frequency, or do they some how flip one of those three stations...

(BTW, as Boston already has one FM Talk station, Greater Media's 96.9 WTKK...I hope it would bite the dust and die...2 FM Stations is too much to take away from music)...

~RM
 
It will be on WXRK, that's all we know.
They've already registered the domain, 92.3freefm.com

Sorry 101.1 Jack haters...

> With the worst kept secret in radio being Infinity's plans
> to start an FM-Talk network (recently leaked rumors have the
> name being Free-FM)...any thoughts on what they may do in
> the NYC area?
>
> Up in Boston, where Infinity owns 4 FM stations, including a
> classic rock, hot AC, oldies, and alternative rock, the
> general thoughts have been the classic rock and alt rock
> stations merge into one 9ala what K-Rock's music seems to
> have been doing) with the other frequency going to talk...
>
> In NYC, it doesn't appear all that simple: K-Rock has been
> undergoing it's change and appears firm, Mix has been
> putting an effort into attacking KTU, and though the initial
> 12+ ratings look bad, Infinity seems to have too much behind
> the Jack-FM format to abandon it so quickly...
>
> Does NYC get left out of that FM Talk network...do they buy
> up another frequency, or do they some how flip one of those
> three stations...
>
> (BTW, as Boston already has one FM Talk station, Greater
> Media's 96.9 WTKK...I hope it would bite the dust and
> die...2 FM Stations is too much to take away from music)...
>
> ~RM
>
 
> (BTW, as Boston already has one FM Talk station, Greater
> Media's 96.9 WTKK...I hope it would bite the dust and
> die...2 FM Stations is too much to take away from music)...

They could likely consolidate, but don't count on it. Greater Media will hang onto O'Reilly, Hannity, and Ingraham. With 2 FM talkers, make WCRB go to AM. Preferrably WTTT. I don't care what their ratings are, their format is dying. WCBS had impressive 12+ numbers when they blew it up, too.
 
> > It will be on WXRK, that's all we know.
> > They've already registered the domain, 92.3freefm.com
> >
> > Sorry 101.1 Jack haters...
> >
>
> Here's more info., seemingly confirming the format coming to
> 92.3...
>
> http://www.fmqb.com/Article.asp?id=135294
>
Not a confirmation at all, the registering of a domain name (or in this caseseveral) doesnt mean format switch, since it is an obvious juxtaposition of Howard's show being a pay service and most of the stations whose frequencyies have been registered with a "free fm" comain name, it could just be Infinity's attempt to in some desperate way flank Howard rather than blow up all of the stations. I could be wrong but the tendancy to jump to radical conclusions on this board is pretty common.
 
> Not a confirmation at all, the registering of a domain name
> (or in this caseseveral) doesnt mean format switch, since it
> is an obvious juxtaposition of Howard's show being a pay
> service and most of the stations whose frequencyies have
> been registered with a "free fm" comain name, it could just
> be Infinity's attempt to in some desperate way flank Howard
> rather than blow up all of the stations. I could be wrong
> but the tendancy to jump to radical conclusions on this
> board is pretty common.
>
I agree completely with this assessment. "Free FM" does not have to mean talk. It's just rebranding stations where Howard (soon) used to be.
My prediction: No big format changes for these stations. They'll just rebrand as "Free FM." It'll even mean different things in different markets. In NYC it'll be a rock station with a big morning show. In SF, it may be all talk. In Philly it'll be a rock station. In DC, a talk station. In Baltimore, a music talk hybrid just as the station is now.
 
> It will be on WXRK, that's all we know.
> They've already registered the domain, 92.3freefm.com

Will K-Rock move up the dial to replace The Mix? If K-Rock signs off, could WKTU fill the void (by going alternative, not active rock), since CHR-dance is very niche? Could Q104 morph back to mainstream rock from classic rock? Stay tuned!<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by My_Humps on 10/19/05 02:02 PM.</FONT></P>
 
I have a feeling that this may be the beginning of a stunt. Registering a domain does not mean that any certain thing will happen with a format. Other stations have registered domains pre-format flip just to throw off listeners. Personally I think flipping WXRK to a talk format would be radio suicide. There are other "music" formats in high demand that are wide open for the taking. Again, my prediction is that this is simply a "stunt", I may be wrong. I don't believe Infinity would let the cat out of the bag in this manner.
 
> I agree completely with this assessment. "Free FM" does not
> have to mean talk. It's just rebranding stations where
> Howard (soon) used to be.
> My prediction: No big format changes for these stations.
> They'll just rebrand as "Free FM." It'll even mean different
> things in different markets. In NYC it'll be a rock station
> with a big morning show.

Agreed, I seriously doubt "K-rock" is going anywhere.
 
> Not a confirmation at all, the registering of a domain name
> (or in this caseseveral) doesnt mean format switch, since it
> is an obvious juxtaposition of Howard's show being a pay
> service and most of the stations whose frequencyies have
> been registered with a "free fm" comain name, it could just
> be Infinity's attempt to in some desperate way flank Howard
> rather than blow up all of the stations. I could be wrong
> but the tendancy to jump to radical conclusions on this
> board is pretty common.
>

That's right, it's all a big conspiracy. OJ was framed, JFK was killed by a second gunman, Aliens landed in Roswell, and there are black helicopters hovering over your house at night.

It's all a big conspiracy to hurt Howard.
Yeah, Right...
 
If K-Rock
> signs off, could WKTU fill the void (by going alternative,
> not active rock), since CHR-dance is very niche?



My_Humps:

For a station that's been stable not far from the top 10, why would Clear Channel flip WKTU to an Alternative Rock format?

>>>Could Q104 morph back to mainstream rock from classic rock? Stay
tuned!<<<

The only winner would be WAXQ-1043 if WXRK goes all talk, especially if they go mainstream.



Thanks,
Kevin L. Sealy
<P ID="signature">______________
Kevin L. Sealy</P>
 
Along with "Free FM," Infinity also registered the following slogans as trademarks around the same time that it registered "Free FM":
"most dangerous radio station"
"radio without rules"
"be unpredictable"
"How Far will you go"
"Bugged"
--------------------
action central
 
> > Not a confirmation at all, the registering of a domain
> name
> > (or in this caseseveral) doesnt mean format switch, since
> it
> > is an obvious juxtaposition of Howard's show being a pay
> > service and most of the stations whose frequencyies have
> > been registered with a "free fm" comain name, it could
> just
> > be Infinity's attempt to in some desperate way flank
> Howard
> > rather than blow up all of the stations. I could be wrong
> > but the tendancy to jump to radical conclusions on this
> > board is pretty common.
> >
>
> That's right, it's all a big conspiracy. OJ was framed, JFK
> was killed by a second gunman, Aliens landed in Roswell, and
> there are black helicopters hovering over your house at
> night.
>
> It's all a big conspiracy to hurt Howard.
> Yeah, Right...
>
Hey Garret no one said anything about a "conspiracy" or Hurting howard but reality is that Howard's leaving hurts Infinity, people have theorized that stations will flip format when he's gone, the latest story is that CBS TV has refused to run spots that mention Howard in them which Howard has bitched about on the air this week. While it may not be a vast conspiracy it is also not debatable that Infinity is feeling/will feel Howard's loss, What other possible reason would there be to re-brand station's as "Free"?

Use a little common sense,,,,,,,and by the way: Oj WAS framed!..LOL
 
> > I agree completely with this assessment. "Free FM" does
> not
> > have to mean talk. It's just rebranding stations where
> > Howard (soon) used to be.
> > My prediction: No big format changes for these stations.
> > They'll just rebrand as "Free FM." It'll even mean
> different
> > things in different markets. In NYC it'll be a rock
> station
> > with a big morning show.
>
> Agreed, I seriously doubt "K-rock" is going anywhere.
>

I shouldn't have used the word "confirming," I see now -- just wanted to provide the link that had some additional info. I for one hope that 92.3 DOES NOT go to a talk format, as I'm not a fan of talk radio. As I've said a couple of times on this board already, I'd be happy to get the old K-Rock back, playing NEW alternative music. Classic rock is sufficiently covered, especially where I am in southwestern CT.!
 
> "How Far will you go"

I know that is the infinity marketing idea to get more advertisers on their radio stations. infinitybroadcasting.com has the pictures with the quote.
 
> > (BTW, as Boston already has one FM Talk station, Greater
> > Media's 96.9 WTKK...I hope it would bite the dust and
> > die...2 FM Stations is too much to take away from
> music)...
>
> They could likely consolidate, but don't count on it.
> Greater Media will hang onto O'Reilly, Hannity, and
> Ingraham. With 2 FM talkers, make WCRB go to AM. Preferrably
> WTTT. I don't care what their ratings are, their format is
> dying. WCBS had impressive 12+ numbers when they blew it up,
> too.

WCRB 102.5 is quite popular in the Boston market, and is probably the most consistantly rated station. The classical audience is quite affluent for advertisers, and who would listen to such a complex musical form like Classical on the AM dial, seeing that both Miami and Hartford (no ratings) have pretty much failed in this logic.

However, the biggest point is that 102.5 is stuck in a 90-year trust/agreement to retain the classical format. It's not going anywhere.
 
> I have a feeling that this may be the beginning of a stunt.
> Registering a domain does not mean that any certain thing
> will happen with a format. Other stations have registered
> domains pre-format flip just to throw off listeners.
> Personally I think flipping WXRK to a talk format would be
> radio suicide. There are other "music" formats in high
> demand that are wide open for the taking. Again, my
> prediction is that this is simply a "stunt", I may be wrong.
> I don't believe Infinity would let the cat out of the bag in
> this manner.
>

I know NYC is totally different from other markets, but having the #1 market without a new rock station is crazy...I think if K-Rock is 'freed', expect somebody (Q-104?) to add some modern rock (Sorry, but 1 modern rock song every three hours doesn't count)<P ID="signature">______________
If a DJ talks into a microphone, and no one's there to listen to him, does he make a noise?</P>
 
> I know NYC is totally different from other markets, but
> having the #1 market without a new rock station is crazy...I
> think if K-Rock is 'freed', expect somebody (Q-104?) to add
> some modern rock (Sorry, but 1 modern rock song every three
> hours doesn't count)


The #1 market without country or oldies isn't all that sane either...
 
> > I know NYC is totally different from other markets, but
> > having the #1 market without a new rock station is
> crazy...I
> > think if K-Rock is 'freed', expect somebody (Q-104?) to
> add
> > some modern rock (Sorry, but 1 modern rock song every
> three
> > hours doesn't count)
>
>
> The #1 market without country or oldies isn't all that sane
> either...
>

Well not quite, as much I would like to see a country station in NY, in the past it has been proven it doesnt work. As for oldies, maybe someone will pick it up. Though I personally doubt it, it still is a bit early to write it off completely. If noone does well then maybe you have a point or maybe NY has outgrown it too. That has been recently and probably will be for a while, argued to great length...and I dont want to revisit it here... But off the top of my head I cant ever remember NY not having some sort of rock station...and I doubt K-Rock is going anywhere.
 
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