Let the Possible Cumulus Format Flipping Fiasco Predictions Begin

[Tibbs4]

Here's the biggest story in a decade in this city, and we've got more interest in WNAZ? So, Pat and any of you out there that care to play along...can we put some thought into crazy scenarios that could happen with this huge trans(FR)action????

Look at ALL the potential fiascos just waiting to happen. They are endless. Like the universe and the national spending.

First, sadly today was the probably about one of last bright days WKDF-FM and WGFX-FM will have seen or known. It's all downhill after this. In time, these stations will be a shell of their former selves and quite possibly all these stations will be crammed into the Music Ripoff Rows property or thrown into a closet and put on auto-pilot.

Second, everyone's talking about a country station being blown out. Certainly it is logical to take 92Q over to say 97.1. But, what IF WSM-FM and WKDF actually stayed country, tweaked themselves musically on both sides of SIX and put the squeeze play into action? Insane or brilliant idea?

Let's face it, AC, Hot AC and all forms thereof are not exactly Crummys strong polyester suit(s.) The decline and/or failure rate is high for them. And to go head to head against Mix 92.9 costs a fortune in advertising and it's money that HAS to be paid for pretty much instantly vs. borrowing through bankruptcy and never really paying. That means Crummy will not likely get equal or better AC ratings than the current #'s for WSM-FM or WKDF as country. Why fight and FAIL? Mix certainly won't just sit there and not react. In a sense, SCRG is the entity that Crummy can't easily invite out onto the playground. CC is CC.

Let's also face that "success" has been fleeting (at best) for classic hits, classic rock, rock this or rock that, as well. What's it gonna take to slice up Jack and The Rock? You can't create life from a shoestringed VT station on life support. RQQ's been pretty well received and I think Mac to be commended for his attempts given his parameters mandared by management.

CHR/Top 40/Same songs since inception --- What will i103 really do to the River even on a real signal? How much will it take and cost?

Let's face it Nashville is still a country market. It's a fertile format still. If Crums pulled off a combo buy situation against WSIX, they've spent less and probably maximized their ratings and advertising potential. Why start from scatch?

 

[LouPickney]

Keep in mind that Cumulus buying Citadel hasn't been approved yet, so all speculation at this point is preliminary. But it does warrant consideration.

It's extremely unlikely in my opinion that Cumulus would keep two country formats on two 100kw stations. Running a "young country" flanker on 97.1 might be an option, but I would think that would be unlikely to end up happening. What Cumulus would do might depend on if the buyers of 92.1/106.7 would want to keep the incumbent formats or (as in the case of Salem) if it would be jettisoning the existing formats.

The Urban AC format on 92Q does very well (at least 6+) and it would seem to make since to move it to a stronger signal, perhaps 97.1, if the buyer doesn't want to keep the format. As for the current programming on 97.1, classic hits on a 100kw signal would be interesting... unless Cumulus wants to go all-in on a CHR war on a flamethrower signal.

As for which station would stay country, it's fun to get nostalgic about the old 103 KDF, but it's been country for almost 12 years now and outcumes 95.5 in the 6+ ratings. On the other hand, 95.5 has the advantage of being the existing Cumulus country station in the market and has been country since the early '80s, which might help it to win out over WKDF.

 

[lovejamminoldies]

i103 actually has surprised me. They're already doing better than The Party and they're creeping up on The River. Will they get remotely close? Probably not.

 

[TheBigA]

Keep in mind that Cumulus buying Citadel hasn't been approved yet, so all speculation at this point is preliminary.

The game I've been playing with in my mind is the idea of separate competing management, rather than the traditional consolidated management.

Why? It might be easier to run that way. Just more expensive, at least in the short term, but it gives them a chance to discover where the efficiencies can be made.

So that means different managements for the two Nashville clusters, and may the better half win. Can WSM and their system beat WKDF and their former ABC resources? It's the kind of game rich people play. Did you ever see the Eddie Murphy movie Trading Places? Instead of the Duke Brothers, insert the Dickey family. Kind of entertaining if you take it all the way.

 

[SwissVol2]

>><< As for which station would stay country, it's fun to get nostalgic about the old 103 KDF>>>>

If they could bring back the old spirit of KDF playing the great rock songs mixed with deeper cuts thus avoiding the 300-500 song repetition and also avoiding the tiresome bubblegum ("crocodile rock" "horse with no name") and avoiding the cheesy eighties rubbish, that would be reason to get all sappy eyed about the return of the glory days of WKDF rock. Otherwise, we have the same tired old same old same old just transferred to 103.3.

Again, with the way things are sliced, diced and all the beans counted in perfect corporate fashion, I doubt KDF rock would make a grand return.

I'd like to see some of the old guard or whatever jocks were still around doing some of the live on air shows.

I've submitted play lists for your amusement or interest or even irritation to some of you of what it should sound like, but this is 2011, not 1971 and it is still corporate radio. Like it or not! 8)

 

[TheBigA]

I'd like to see some of the old guard or whatever jocks were still around doing some of the live on air shows.

I'd bet the issue would be their willingness to take a huge pay cut. It ain't the 80s any more.

 

[SwissVol2]

I'd like to see some of the old guard or whatever jocks were still around doing some of the live on air shows.

I'd bet the issue would be their willingness to take a huge pay cut. It ain't the 80s any more.

Money and other issues would be a problem for some I guess. Thank God it is not the eighties anymore, I do not think I could bear going through that era again.

 

[Tibbs4]

BigA has a great idea. Talk abut maximizing pontential through in-house competition. Maybe this market could be the test case that awakens Crumbs to learning to invest in their future not steal it (and everybody) else blind.

Just as long as there are not two Valentimez in this market ---- Billy Ray ruled!!

Swiss --- were the 80's rough on the wallet of the party circuit? Some things are best not trying to repeat. I don't think many people in the market could repeat a KDF experience (which, honestly wasn't as great as the nostalgia we give it, but it could be done with the right combination of excitement, flair and remembering the past. That frequency has just always had a vibe that it has to rock - it's in its soul.) It could be done. Ask Cindy F. She's seen it all.

 

[SwissVol2]

Swiss --- were the 80's rough on the wallet of the party circuit? Some things are best not trying to repeat. I don't think many people in the market could repeat a KDF experience (which, honestly wasn't as great as the nostalgia we give it, but it could be done with the right combination of excitement, flair and remembering the past. That frequency has just always had a vibe that it has to rock - it's in its soul.) It could be done. Ask Cindy F. She's seen it all.
[/quote]

Actually, the eighties were rough on me musically. Too me, one of the few good things about the eighties musically was the music of Stevie Ray Vaughn.
I was joking for the most part. I did read in here from someone in this forum that KDF had actually played a Boy George song on that station. LOL It is a good thing I did not hear that. That would have been more than I could have taken back then. LOL

You can never go back and recapture a great radio station or anything else for that matter, but KDF could make that station work. The powers that be must get beyond the same old same old mentality in terms of the same songs repeating over a long haul.

 

[Nomoreradionews]

These predictions are hilarious! If you follow the current trend of radio, whatever happens will be done on the cheap and it won't involve high priced air talent -- or little if any local air talent.

Times have changed. This isn't radio of the 70's or 80's.

 

[spew]

Radio is going through its liquidation phase as it moves from broadcasting to the internet soon to be wified to our vehicle entertainment/information systems. Some of these "broadcast" facilities will be closed, a handful will remain for those who still have radios.

 

[unemployedjock]

No matter what happens to WKDF & WSM-FM rest assured ... IT WILL BE ON THE CHEAP!!! This is Cumulus we are talking about after all people. ;D

 

[Tibbs4]

"IT WILL BE ON THE CHEAP!!!" ---

I doubt they will even spend that much. You know CC and SCRG are laughing at this. Competition in this city will be a thing of the past. SC and CC will continue to be the leaders and keep well defined formats. Crude will have to just keep working on sinking even more stations to the bottom and be like that annoying kid down the street.

WKDF and WGFX have seen their brightest days and their signals need to just be reduced now, since they'll just fall into disrepair and they'll be screwed up for days or weeks at a time.

 

[TheBigA]

WKDF and WGFX have seen their brightest days and their signals need to just be reduced now, since they'll just fall into disrepair and they'll be screwed up for days or weeks at a time.

Huh?

 

[SwissVol2]

"IT WILL BE ON THE CHEAP!!!" ---

I doubt they will even spend that much. You know CC and SCRG are laughing at this. Competition in this city will be a thing of the past. SC and CC will continue to be the leaders and keep well defined formats. Crude will have to just keep working on sinking even more stations to the bottom and be like that annoying kid down the street.

WKDF and WGFX have seen their brightest days and their signals need to just be reduced now, since they'll just fall into disrepair and they'll be screwed up for days or weeks at a time.

Oh, did You have one of those annoying Kids also? We had this Kid that called the poa Leece (as Mick Jagger calls em) because we had this special place where we would go to burn off a big fat Doob. lol


Look, I really hope radio can get this thing together soon. More and more Folks are turning to sirius-xm, Internet and ipods. I hope We can return back to the glory days of radio, but after all of this time, could it ever happen? I

 

[TheBigA]

Look, I really hope radio can get this thing together soon. More and more Folks are turning to sirius-xm, Internet and ipods. I hope We can return back to the glory days of radio, but after all of this time, could it ever happen? I

I keep waiting to hear about all the big investment in personnel from sirius-XM, internet, and iPods. Other than Howard Stern, the only folks investing in on-air talent are the OTA folks. Maybe they're wrong and Pandora is right. Cheap is best.

 

[Tibbs4]

Big A ~ My comment was a tongue-n-cheek (or is that check>>>) attempt at bad bumor regarding the mandatory Cumulus employee furlough weeks a year and a half back, when RQQ
was off the air because the engineer was on unpaid leave. * (P.S. -RQQ has been sounding screwy for the last few weeks, finally it imploded last week to the point of no return and was semi fixed.)

But, I sadly do say that I stand behind my "better days" comment on KDF and The Zone. As screwed up as Citadel is/was/were... it's still better than the alternative will be. 100%.

 

[TheBigA]

But, I sadly do say that I stand behind my "better days" comment on KDF and The Zone. As screwed up as Citadel is/was/were... it's still better than the alternative will be. 100%.

You're still assuming this is a done deal. I think we're a long way off.

 

[secondchoice]

But, I sadly do say that I stand behind my "better days" comment on KDF and The Zone. As screwed up as Citadel is/was/were... it's still better than the alternative will be. 100%.

You're still assuming this is a done deal. I think we're a long way off.

Big A is correct.
IIRC “Storm Cloud” has some serious debt due at the end of the year. Is Cumulus going back to the lenders to “double down”? Radio is on the rebound if you compare billings with the last two years. Cumulus might pull this off financially. Then again a large number of the Citadel shareholders are not shareholders by choice. They will most likely dump their Cumulus stock ASAP, depressing the stock and making hard to borrow possibly making this deal head south. Big gamble! I doubt if this deal would happen under the old pre 80-90 financial requirements IIRC.