Lining Up Options

[ShadowFan]

News: Cox’s WDBO hires former market TV news anchor Ken Tyndall – formerly of WFTV-TV, Orlando – to join its news staff. Tyndall worked at WFTV-TV for 14 years.

They may be lining up options to replace Jim Turner when he retires...Scott Anez is no Jim Turner.

 

[Stormychuck]

Shadow is right, Scott Anez is no Jim Turner, Ken Tyndall is good, and what ever happened to Bud Hedinger?

 

[ShadowFan]

Bud is now doing mornings on WFLF.

 

[Bobby5]

They also hired Robyn Walensky for mornings, former FOX radio and ABC New Orleans talent...I think they re lining up for FM by Christmas

 

[spideysense]

Only problem there is that Walensky SUX and the Cox FM's seem to be doing pretty good.

 

[jmtillery]

They also hired Robyn Walensky for mornings, former FOX radio and ABC New Orleans talent...I think they re lining up for FM by Christmas

A WDBO FM simulcast will be one of the smartest moves Cox Radio will make in the Orlando market. I'm betting WDBO moves to 95.3 while WPYO moves to 96.5.

 

[davideduardo]

They also hired Robyn Walensky for mornings, former FOX radio and ABC New Orleans talent...I think they re lining up for FM by Christmas

A WDBO FM simulcast will be one of the smartest moves Cox Radio will make in the Orlando market. I'm betting WDBO moves to 95.3 while WPYO moves to 96.5.

I'd disagree here; 96.5 just scored a #1 25-49 and 18-49 men and #3 25-54 men in the first PPM book, which is actually below WPYO.. although in 25-49 and 25-54 persons, they are pretty much tied.

Of course, WHTQ and WDBO outbilled WPYO by more than two to one last year, so if there is a revenue based decision, it's WPYO, not WHTQ that would be the vulnerable. This is all speculation and not reality... with WTKS not doing a bang-up PPM job, the first step is evaluating talk on any band in Orlando right now... not killing viable music formats. Why are talk shares so low in Orlando in the first PPM's?

 

[jmtillery]

David - I haven't seen the PPM results, so if you are correct, another option, of course, would be the way to go. WDBO has always done well in the past (pre PPM), often out performing many of the music FMs. I'm not surprised at WTKS, however, since Real Radio has gotten away from its roots that made it big in the first place.

Billing is always a major issue to be concerned with; however, I believe it is only a matter of time before WDBO will have no choice but to move to the FM band if it is to survive. The queston is, which FM signal does it move?

 

[vadar]

So for months everyone has been predicting the demise of WHTQ but it still survives and may be doing well according to PPM, correct? While I love classic rock, this format rarely does well and a very limited playlist doesn't help us 40+ year olds who have to hear the same Zep, Foreigner, Who, Stones songs over and over. Deep cuts would be nice but then you alienate the mainstream listener, right? Is there an answer?

 

[Stormychuck]

Vadar is right, WHTQ has a limited playlist and surprisingly has pulled some really nice number's
to bolster their Orlando standing's which in some cases is a feather in somebody's cap, and of course being quick to agree WHTQ would sound much better as WDBO-FM.

Also I agree with Marc Tillery as he always has the inside scoop as to what would, or wouldn't work in the Orlando market on any given broadcast facility so again I'm inclined to go along with Marc's idea that WDBO is really in need of an FM namely WDBO-FM....

Interesting to see if some of these ideas will to come into play, which one of the stations Orlando could do without, still have shares, still be profitable and yes, are there any right answer's?

 

[Stormychuck]

TY Shadow fan.....

 

[ShadowFan]

I gotta think Cox has or is doing research on a hybrid MMO/HTQ format. A bit edgier MMO could be an even big winner for Cox.

In any case, the revenue potential for DBO on FM will be the decider.

 

[jmtillery]

I never suggested WDBO-FM take over the 96.5 frequency. I had previously suggested WPYO take over the 96.5 frequecny leaving the current WPYO 95.3 for WDBO-FM. Since WHTQ is doing so well, it may be that WDBO is better suited to take over 95.3 or possibly 98.9, completely blowing up the music formats currently on either of those frequencies, leaving WHTQ as is. Again, I have not seen the recent Orlando PPM results, so I cannot say for sure which Cox FM outlet is prime to become WDBO-FM. I can say Cox has already made this move in Jacksonville and Atlanta and is doing quite well with the WOKV-AM-FM Jacksonville and WSB-AM-WBTS-FM Atlanta news-talk simulcast.

 

[vadar]

Agreed, as a combo WOVK does very well in Jax. WDBO has a great brand and would do well on the FM side. Cox will figure it out.

 

[Parttimer]

This is all speculation and not reality... with WTKS not doing a bang-up PPM job, the first step is evaluating talk on any band in Orlando right now... not killing viable music formats. Why are talk shares so low in Orlando in the first PPM's?

Two factors, in my opinion... a market with a young median age, and almost 40% Hispanic and African-American listeners.

Based on billing, I'd say if DBO goes to FM it will be on 95.3, Power goes away and they leave HTQ alone.

 

[jmtillery]

This is all speculation and not reality... with WTKS not doing a bang-up PPM job, the first step is evaluating talk on any band in Orlando right now... not killing viable music formats. Why are talk shares so low in Orlando in the first PPM's?

Two factors, in my opinion... a market with a young median age, and almost 40% Hispanic and African-American listeners.

Based on billing, I'd say if DBO goes to FM it will be on 95.3, Power goes away and they leave HTQ alone.

Those are my thoughts as well since WHTQ appears to have turned itself around with PPM. The 95.3 frequency is where I thought WDBO-FM should have been all along.

 

[japman]

Assuming a DBO to FM transition occurs, will CC counter by putting Rush on 104.1 (and maybe refining the station as a whole)

 

[jmtillery]

Assuming a DBO to FM transition occurs, will CC counter by putting Rush on 104.1 (and maybe refining the station as a whole)

That seems to have been the trend in a few Clear Channel markets where news-talk has been placed on FM re-branding itself as Rush Radio. It is certainly a possibilty that WFLF may migrate to 104.1 although billing will be the biggest deciding factor in any format changes, if any, that may occur.