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KYW in Battle

J

joshzz

It looks like a huge battle is about to take place.

KYW 1060 NEWS RADIO versus Merlin News 106.9 FM

All across the country more and more stations in major markets are flipping to all news formats. There is a lot of money in news. It's also the most expensive format to run with but the rewards are great. If done right it can help educate listeners be objective thinkers.

I suspect Merlin will hire a lot of laid-off KYW on-air reporters to help encourage listeners to dip their feet into their NEW WATERS - FM News 106.9 .

CBS may have to try to find a spot on the FM dial before all this is through or find themselves earning a 2.0 on Arbitron.

I actually thought about challenging KYW on the Jersey side with an all news format about 6 months ago but it's ok, Merlin beat me to the punch - wasn't meant to be.

Joshzz :)
 
josh said:
CBS may have to try to find a spot on the FM dial before all this is through or find themselves earning a 2.0 on Arbitron.
Click to expand...

Has it been established that, given ownership caps, CBS would be allowed to acquire another FM signal in the Philly market? If adding a signal would pass muster with the FCC, why not one of the several Class A FMs? Doesn't perennially cash-strapped Radio One own several of them--107.9, for example? In other markets, a lot of the FM signals that are simulcasting news formats from powerhouse AMs are translators. A company that can buy or lease a 100W translator for such a simulcast is considered very fortunate. Unless the translator's transmitter site is truly exceptional, even a 3-kW 100m-HAAT Class A beats the translator hands down. I'm guessing that CBS could buy a Philly-market Class A FM for WAY less than the $22.5 million Merlin is alleged to be paying for full Class B 106.9. If the Class A happened to be sited a little way up the Delaware Valley, in KYW's null (or could be relocated in that area), it could complement the 1060 signal VERY nicely!
 
Given Merlin's performance in New York and Chicago, I wouldn't have anything to worry about (even if CBS did counter with an FM simulcast of their all-news WBBM in Chicago).
 
Merlin has been a total failure at news so far. It is targeting an audience segment that has no interest in news, other than the celeb gossip on tv. KYW has nothing to worry about. Remember when WWDB challenged them in the morning news arena?
 
jhguthlac said:
Merlin... is targeting an audience segment that has no interest in news, other than the celeb gossip on tv...
Click to expand...

Don't forget chocolate. ::)
 
Interesting, and manic, thread.

The comments about chocolate and gossip while funny, are kind of similar to the view of so-called guy talk (think Free-Fm) from the outside (and the outside would be nearly all women and most men), which seemed to designed to sell ads for DUI lawyers, strip clubs, paternity tests, bail bondsmen, online gaming, and really cheap beer. Narrowcasting is always a gamble, but on TV, both Spike and Lifetime continue to co-exist.

Also, with regard to a commercial class A in KYW's null to the northeast, that would be WMGQ.

Merlin's news is not all that interesting to me. But assuming the format's still around in a couple of years in a few cities, I'm curious whether it remains the same, evolves into something more like WINS or WTOP, or in another news direction altogether. I'm also curious how the company will define success in the format.
 
observer2 said:
Also, with regard to a commercial class A in KYW's null to the northeast, that would be WMGQ.
Click to expand...

Is New Brunswick in the Philadelphia market or the New York market? If it's in the New York market, I believe CBS is at the ownership cap in New York. Also, I see that WMGQ is owned by Sentinel Publishing. Isn't Sentinel owned by Greater Media? If so, why would they be interested in selling? I know... anything is for sale if the would-be buyer offers enough money, but CBS seems unlikely to be interested in buying stations that are for sale at inflated prices.
 
josh said:
It looks like a huge battle is about to take place.

KYW 1060 NEWS RADIO versus Merlin News 106.9 FM

All across the country more and more stations in major markets are flipping to all news formats. There is a lot of money in news. It's also the most expensive format to run with but the rewards are great. If done right it can help educate listeners be objective thinkers.

I suspect Merlin will hire a lot of laid-off KYW on-air reporters to help encourage listeners to dip their feet into their NEW WATERS - FM News 106.9 .

CBS may have to try to find a spot on the FM dial before all this is through or find themselves earning a 2.0 on Arbitron.

I actually thought about challenging KYW on the Jersey side with an all news format about 6 months ago but it's ok, Merlin beat me to the punch - wasn't meant to be.

Joshzz :)
Click to expand...
KYW will not blow up WOGL or WIP to put the all news station on FM. It wouldn't make any sense to do that.
 
DToTheJ said:
Given Merlin's performance in New York and Chicago, I wouldn't have anything to worry about (even if CBS did counter with an FM simulcast of their all-news WBBM in Chicago).
Click to expand...

Wouldn't you think, given the performance of the stations in NY and Chicago, they just might have something to worry about? Are we really under the impression that Merlin is going to launch a Philly-based clone of the "FM News" stations? I'd be shocked. Timing resulted in the two stations launching at relatively the same time, so there wasn't really a chance to see how one performed before launching the other. The case is different now, and if Merlin intends on turning a profit, chances are we'll see something a bit different end up on the dial here.
 
BTW, Greater Media is doing well with WMGQ in both the Middlesex market and NYC. It more than carries the dead weight of WCTC.
 
Because it's an AM signal, with all the interference these days who would care or notice. And as pointed out Philadelphian's hate change. Like changing the action news theme! News on 106.9 FM woun't put a big dent for KYW anytime soon. (unless Sam clover does traffic it will sound like deep breath 1069 bla bla bla news"
 
jhguthlac said:
BTW, Greater Media is doing well with WMGQ in both the Middlesex market and NYC. It more than carries the dead weight of WCTC.
Click to expand...

Magic 98.3 does better than FM News 101.9 in the New York market.
 
I'll answer this one too. 1210, great skywave, crappy groundwave.

Heard clearly at night in 38 states, but not as well in Paoli, Media, or King of Prussia. KYW advertisers would not give a rat's a$$ about nighttime skywave.
 
PhillyWatch said:
DToTheJ said:
Given Merlin's performance in New York and Chicago, I wouldn't have anything to worry about (even if CBS did counter with an FM simulcast of their all-news WBBM in Chicago).
Click to expand...

Wouldn't you think, given the performance of the stations in NY and Chicago, they just might have something to worry about? Are we really under the impression that Merlin is going to launch a Philly-based clone of the "FM News" stations? I'd be shocked. Timing resulted in the two stations launching at relatively the same time, so there wasn't really a chance to see how one performed before launching the other. The case is different now, and if Merlin intends on turning a profit, chances are we'll see something a bit different end up on the dial here.
Click to expand...

If Merlin launched a more straight-forward all-news format on WKDN, I would be deeply shocked.

Heck, they just lost their COO yesterday.

For a company that gives the illusion (HA!) of being led by smart station operators, they sure have a lot of turnover and internal chaos, with have two failing all-newsers that pose no ratings threat in their respective markets. If it weren't for the bags of cash in their stead, Merlin would be nowhere.
 
josh said:
I actually thought about challenging KYW on the Jersey side with an all news format about 6 months ago but it's ok, Merlin beat me to the punch - wasn't meant to be.
Click to expand...

You could STILL set up an FM all-newser and I guarantee you will have infinite more ratings and revenue success than Merlin ever would.
 
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