Is There A CBS Radio Sports Network On The Way?

[dB]

Radio-Info reported yesterday (Friday) that there are rumors that a CBS FM station in Chicago may flip to Sports/Talk soon. With Pittsburgh, that would make six CBS stations (all FM) using the Sports/Talk format. (The others are Boston, Dallas, Detroit, and Washington DC.)

Would six stations, all in top-25 markets, be enough to form a fledgling network, or at least some kind of loose association. Maybe the overnight shifts could be from the network, with daytime being local?

 

[fromtheinsideout]

Not saying there will be a network, but it would seem that they do have some of the elements in place, with 5 and possibly 6 radio outlets as well as a decent website (www.cbssports.com) from which to pull some talent if they need national voices.

 

[MikeStandardsFromIndiana]

if a CBS FM in Chicago goes all Sports its by them moving the 670 the Score from AM to FM. why would CBS make a 2nd sports station when they already have one on AM except to move the AM to FM

 

[Parttimer]

I've heard that some national content is "under development" but it's not ready to roll out.

 

[Snafu]

Just as long as it doesn't cost a lot. Remember most of these moves were made to save royalty costs.

 

[DToTheJ]

If CBS plans on saving "royalty" costs, then I guess there will be no plans to syndicate Howard "The King" Eskin's show out of Philadelphia to this new FM sports talker in Pittsburgh. ;D

Although, what with CBS accumulating a lot of sports stations, one thing I could see them doing to cut costs is putting one host in the late-night/overnight slot for all of these stations. If anything, that's the only way I can see CBB forming a "network" of their FM sports talk stations. Gotta be live and local in the major dayparts.

 

[Boss Radio]

The royalty costs they're saving are the music licensing fees with a change from a music format to talk.