June PPM's

[secondchoice]

Usually some has started the monthly rating discussion by now, but I guess a lot of people are out of town now on vacation. Here is an obvious observation News talk WSB still has not passed V103. Both country stations were down. I guess both were a result a lot of family vacations. Dave is down too. CC’s FM’s are not exactly setting the world on fire. I guess the only reason there had not been a house cleaning is CC is having success in some of the money demos. One interesting note the 105.7/96.7 combo has passed 96.1 The Project. Are the Project’s (with the listeners “programming” the songs) days limited? If CC really wants to be completive in Talk WGST AM 640 and now on 96.1 is a possibility. CC has done well in Pittsburgh with Rush on a Class “B” (the Northeast has no “C’s”) passing KDKA which still has an excellent news department (co owned TV station). Of course that market still has an AOR “WDVE” which does very well and only one (underpowered AM with a FM translator) Urban station so any comparisons are tainted.
I am rambling now and I am sure Rodney or Neal will some set us straight.

 

[atlantaboy]

Dave FM is gonna have to make changes somehow - they're basically in a free-fall, probably due to Star 94 - maybe they should try evolving into Modern AC? (Seems like that would get listeners back from Star, assuming that's where they're going)

B98.5 seems to be doing better with the 80s/90s/now playlist

 

[secondchoice]

Would 92.9 be a candidate for an all news station? CBS has several all news operations. That certainly would have a negative impact on WSB (their nearest competitor 6+). All news operations are very expensive but CBS has deep pockets. It would help if they had a TV news operation in the same building. CBS could buy 46 or 11 and have an O&O operation in the #7 market (two bird one stone). They could trade 69 and a bunch of cash to for 11 or 46. This could start a domino effect with Comcast / Universal NBC buying an O & O in Atlanta.

Sorry!! The last part should be an Atlanta TV thread.

 

[jabba17]

Would 92.9 be a candidate for an all news station? CBS has several all news operations. That certainly would have a negative impact on WSB (their nearest competitor 6+). All news operations are very expensive but CBS has deep pockets. It would help if they had a TV news operation in the same building. CBS could buy 46 or 11 and have an O&O operation in the #7 market (two bird one stone). They could trade 69 and a bunch of cash to for 11 or 46. This could start a domino effect with Comcast / Universal NBC buying an O & O in Atlanta.

Sorry!! The last part should be an Atlanta TV thread.

The short answer is probably no, if for no other reason than the 500 pound gorilla that is Cox, with the AJC, Channel 2, and AM 750 and NOW 95.5 NewsTalk WSB.

I could see Fox doing this first, since they have an O&O in Channel 5. But they don't have the radio station, unless they could persuade CC to sell them WGST and turn it into Fox News + Premiere conservative talk. But that doesn't solve the "WGST needs to be on FM" issue, unless CC throws in the towel in ATL (which won't happen) and sells out the ATL cluster(f---) piecemeal to the highest bidders.

And I don't see Comcast NBCU buying any O&Os right now for political reasons, if they aren't prohibited from doing it in their merger decree already.

Lastly, I don't see CBS wasting an O&O buy on a weak-sister UHF affiliate, even if it matters much less with DTV.

 

[kal30005]

Would 92.9 be a candidate for an all news station?

I'm no expert but I would definitely think the answer is probably no. First of all, Atlanta almost surely wouldn't support 2 FM news/talk stations. Second, CBS has relatively weak news resources in Atlanta. They'd never be able to compete with WSB's resources or reputation. Third, it wouldn't make a whole lot of sense to put news on one of the best signals in Atlanta.

 

[atlantaboy]

Would 92.9 be a candidate for an all news station?

The thing is, three or four months ago Dave-FM had its highest ratings ever, so I'm not sure it makes sense to give up on the format entirely - I guess I feel like something has to be tweaked to win all those listeners back though

If CBS really wanted to give up on Dave, I'd think their first instinct would be to put one of their rhythmic-leaning CHRs on 92.9 (since Q100 leans so adult) - but they've had such success in the past with AAA, I'm not sure it makes sense

Another idea might be to transition Dave-FM all the way to Alternative, similar to how 92.9 evolved in Boston (and now has solid ratings)

 

[Wildstyle K]

I have absolutely nothing to say!

 

[gregg75]

All I have to say is that I think several of the LOST stations have suddenly found
their niche over the past few months and these PPMs are showing that.
LONG LIVE ATL RADIO.

 

[secondchoice]

I'm no expert but I would definitely think the answer is probably no. First of all, Atlanta almost surely wouldn't support 2 FM news/talk stations. Second, CBS has relatively weak news resources in Atlanta. They'd never be able to compete with WSB's resources or reputation.

I said any news operation will have to have a TV partner. And CBS needs a better news operation in Atlanta. I do not believe either 92.9 or 96.1 are doing that great. IMHO if you have one of 7 (94.1, 94.9, 96.1, 98.5, 99.7, 101.5, and 103.3) and a half (WZCG 92.9 is a C1) in town big C’s you should do better.

Third, it wouldn't make a whole lot of sense to put news on one of the best signals in Atlanta.

Shouldn’t one of the “best” signals bill in the top 10? I am really surprised CC with 25% of the “crown jewels” signals has been doing poorly in the 6+ beauty show ratings this long. I really hate to see any “music” FM station go talk, but radio is a business. I do not believe the translator will solve 640’s cover issues. 96.1 Rush Radio anyone? (I can’t believe I said that!!)

 

[kal30005]

I said any news operation will have to have a TV partner. And CBS needs a better news operation in Atlanta.

But that's exactly my point. Cox already has the monopoly on the resources of the biggest/only Atlanta daily newspaper, top radio news and one of the top TV news stations, all under their control. It would be completely unrealistic to me to see anyone set up an operation to compete with that in Atlanta and even if they somehow did, they'd still be playing catch-up.

Shouldn’t one of the “best” signals bill in the top 10?

Sure it should, but I can promise you that a second news second would be nowhere near top 10 in Atlanta, especially since it wouldn't be able to compete with WSB. And it has nothing to do with the signal strength.

 

[secondchoice]

In Chicago WBBM is the top billing station in the market. They are have to take one of their ratings challenged FM's to protect it from another FM that is going talk or news or female talk or news talk (who knows what Randy M. will do). At one time WGST was holding it's own with 105.7 and 640 against the Cox empire. 95.5 does not have a killer signal south of I 20, 96.1 does. I am still surprised the CC has not reopen the format bag for 96.1.

I hope kal30005 you are correct. I do not like either type of political talk radio*, especially on FM, but talk on FM seems to be the "next big thing." It really does not matter what is best or the people want, it is what some one at CC, CBS, Cox, or Cumulus thinks they can bill the most!!

*My mind is made up please do not try to confuse me with the truth!

 

[DToTheJ]

In Chicago WBBM is the top billing station in the market. They are [going to] have to take one of their ratings challenged FM's to protect it from another FM that is going talk or news or female talk or news talk (who knows what Randy M. will do)...

And it was recently reported that CBS will be doing just that, blowing up low-rated "Fresh 105.9" in favor of a simulcast of WBBM-AM. "Randy M." responded by throwing in the word "fresh" in their on-air presentation of the currently semi-stunting 101.1 in Chicago, drawing a C&D from CBS.

Suppose CBS announced plans to blow up Dave. You think someone like 99X would have a little fun and start playing this clip ten to twelve times an hour, just to see how CBS would respond?

 

[jabba17]

At one time WGST was holding it's own with 105.7 and 640 against the Cox empire. 95.5 does not have a killer signal south of I 20, 96.1 does.

That's why 105.3 would be a good option for WGST-FM. Patron is declining, and 105.3 has great southside coverage where 95.5 does not. On the northeast quadrant where 105.3 is weak, they would already be competing with 95.5 and 103.7.