Lack of major radio groups in Indiana

[justthenumbers]

Something that has always fascinated me about radio in Indiana is that, outside of Indianapolis (and, to a degree, Terre Haute), there really doesn't to be ownership of radio stations by the major players, such as Clear Channel. Looking at the ratings charts on R&R (which also list ownership), names like "Federated Media", "Artistic Media Partners", and "Schurz Communications" are much more common.

Yes, I realize that markets like South Bend, Fort Wayne, and Lafayette are small - but if you just randomly look at other similarly sized markets across the country, you will almost always see "Clear Channel" listed somewhere. How have Indiana's small markets avoided ownership by the conglomerates?

 

[dave73]

Something that has always fascinated me about radio in Indiana is that, outside of Indianapolis (and, to a degree, Terre Haute), there really doesn't to be ownership of radio stations by the major players, such as Clear Channel. Looking at the ratings charts on R&R (which also list ownership), names like "Federated Media", "Artistic Media Partners", and "Schurz Communications" are much more common.

Yes, I realize that markets like South Bend, Fort Wayne, and Lafayette are small - but if you just randomly look at other similarly sized markets across the country, you will almost always see "Clear Channel" listed somewhere. How have Indiana's small markets avoided ownership by the conglomerates?

Most big corporations only want to focus on the top 30 - 100 markets. In the case of Entercom, they only focus on the top 50 markets, though they do have Gainesville Florida in their cluster, which is under #50, and was bought many years ago, and must be a money maker if they've kept them this long. Clear Channel is selling off a lot of their stations, and mostly under #100 and non-Arbitron market stations. Simply to put it, the big corporations don't see themselves being able to make big bucks operating stations in South Bend, Fort Wayne, Lafayette, Kokomo, or even stations in NW Indiana, which are signal challenged to target Chicago. If a big corporation did operate in a small town, it would most likely do what most small radio companies do, and that's use WW1 or Jones Radio. In the case of Clear Channel when they operated in small & non-Arbitron markets, they voice-tracked (cyberjocked) their stations to try & make the stations sound local (poorly done), which a satellite service doesn't make an attempt to do.

 

[BobOnTheJob]

Something that has always fascinated me about radio in Indiana is that, outside of Indianapolis (and, to a degree, Terre Haute), there really doesn't to be ownership of radio stations by the major players, such as Clear Channel. Looking at the ratings charts on R&R (which also list ownership), names like "Federated Media", "Artistic Media Partners", and "Schurz Communications" are much more common.

Yes, I realize that markets like South Bend, Fort Wayne, and Lafayette are small - but if you just randomly look at other similarly sized markets across the country, you will almost always see "Clear Channel" listed somewhere. How have Indiana's small markets avoided ownership by the conglomerates?

Can't say it's irritated me, but in particular I've noticed that CC owns a lot of stations in every size market in Ohio, but for whatever reason doesn't own much of anything in Indiana (except Indy). As a contract engineer with mostly mom & pop stations as clients, that suits me fine.

 

[Kent]

Something that has always fascinated me about radio in Indiana is that, outside of Indianapolis (and, to a degree, Terre Haute), there really doesn't to be ownership of radio stations by the major players, such as Clear Channel. Looking at the ratings charts on R&R (which also list ownership), names like "Federated Media", "Artistic Media Partners", and "Schurz Communications" are much more common.

Yes, I realize that markets like South Bend, Fort Wayne, and Lafayette are small - but if you just randomly look at other similarly sized markets across the country, you will almost always see "Clear Channel" listed somewhere. How have Indiana's small markets avoided ownership by the conglomerates?

Keep in mind that the owners you mentioned, with the possible exception of Artistic Media, either were or still are quite large. Federated Media also includes the former Pathfinder Communications. At various times, it owned WCKY 1530 and WWEZ 92.5 in Cincinnati as well as KQLL AM/FM and KOAS Tulsa, OK and WCUZ AM/FM and WKEZ (later WAKX) in Grand Rapids. All of these were in addition to WQHK/WMEE Ft. Wayne and WTRC/WYEZ (later WLTA and WBYT) Elkhart/South Bend. Federated also owns the Elkhart Truth. Granted, Federated was never the largest broadcaster, but it was quite formidable in the days when ownership was capped at 20 AM/20 FM. Federated began cashing out after duopoly, with Cincinnati the first market to go in 1994. It used that money to buy WKEZ, which became WAKX shortly after taking over and is now Clear Channel's WMAX-FM, and later KCMA in Tulsa, which became KOAS and is now Clear Channel's KTBT. In 1996, it sold Grand Rapids and Tulsa to Clear Channel and used that money to further its empire in Indiana.

Schurz Communications is another one that's a lot bigger of broadcaster than it looks. It only owns radio in Rapid City (which is a new acquisition), Lafayette and South Bend, but it has five TV stations, 20 newspapers and two cable systems. It also has a printing division. Although it's a private company and doesn't have to disclose its finances, it's doing extremely well and is very well run. This is a company that paid over $50 million for KYTV in Springfield, MO in the early 80's. Everyone thought Harte-Hanks should have been held for extortion because it got such an obscene price for KY-3, but Schurz has always made Harte-Hanks look like the one who got robbed. It has never lost money on that deal. KY-3 has been number one for the entire roughly 25 years they've owned it, and it's always been at or above profit goals.

 

[PTBoardOp94]

Another one that falls into Kent's category of "large small broadcasters" is Sarkes Tarzian. They own in Bloomington and Fort Wayne, but also a handful of TV stations (Knoxville and Los Vegas come to mind) plus radio properties outside of Indiana (I want to say they own some radio in Washington state)

Remember that Clear Channel was in Evansville until 1999 or so...those stations now belong to South Central Media.

Far as Terre Haute goes, I'm waiting for Emmis to get out. If they do, there won't be any major groups left. (Although I'm hearing a rumor the Crossroads Communications is for sale; some major company could buy them)

 

[Ann Tenna]

Something that has always fascinated me about radio in Indiana is that, outside of Indianapolis (and, to a degree, Terre Haute), there really doesn't to be ownership of radio stations by the major players, such as Clear Channel. Looking at the ratings charts on R&R (which also list ownership), names like "Federated Media", "Artistic Media Partners", and "Schurz Communications" are much more common.

Yes, I realize that markets like South Bend, Fort Wayne, and Lafayette are small - but if you just randomly look at other similarly sized markets across the country, you will almost always see "Clear Channel" listed somewhere. How have Indiana's small markets avoided ownership by the conglomerates?

Can't say it's irritated me, but in particular I've noticed that CC owns a lot of stations in every size market in Ohio, but for whatever reason doesn't own much of anything in Indiana (except Indy). As a contract engineer with mostly mom & pop stations as clients, that suits me fine.

Hey Bob, for exactly the reason you state - being a contract engineer - I'd work for CC anytime if I was an engineer. Say what you want about CC, but they never seem to skimp on the technical stuff and the new technology, PLUS (even more important) unlike some of those Mom & Pop operations, CC's paycheck will never be late and will never bounce.

 

[BobOnTheJob]

I've heard many fine things about CC's engineering departments. They pay their people well & give them the tools they need to do their jobs. But they use Full Time engineers & I was full time for many many years. I like the freedom of my post-corporate life. And have been very fortunate on prompt payment from my mom & pops. The company I worked for has a lower opinion of engineers. They could take a lesson from CC. Tell your sister Aerial hi for me...

 

[Radiogeek500]

Another one that falls into Kent's category of "large small broadcasters" is Sarkes Tarzian. They own in Bloomington and Fort Wayne, but also a handful of TV stations (Knoxville and Los Vegas come to mind) plus radio properties outside of Indiana (I want to say they own some radio in Washington state)

Remember that Clear Channel was in Evansville until 1999 or so...those stations now belong to South Central Media.

Far as Terre Haute goes, I'm waiting for Emmis to get out. If they do, there won't be any major groups left. (Although I'm hearing a rumor the Crossroads Communications is for sale; some major company could buy them)

Board Op. it's actually Regent that owns that cluster(they sold off WYNG-FM though)

 

[ten_four]

One group NOT mentioned: Citadel, owners (at least for the time being) of WWKI Kokomo and WMDH New Castle.

 

[Juan Bodley]

OK I'll ask this about any group coming into Fort Wayne:
With the way the TV groups are approaching FW (LIN has their group being marketed, Nexstar (reportedly) has WFFT on the block, and the way Granite is handling WPTA-WISE (look at WISE's off air product and you'll agree)) and then I think you'd agree.
Not that there isn't a group in town that couldn't use the help with the cash or upgrades...