Looking back, looking ahead

[KeyTimes950]

Play the Roman god Janus for a moment, look back at the most significant media events of the past year and look ahead may be expected in the year ahead.

My thoughts, looking back, in no particular order ...

(1) The transition from terrestrial to online broadcasting. Notably, at least for those in my part of Allegheny County, Porky Chedwick's last on-air show and his move on-line to one of Terry Lee's networks.

(2) The transition in local sports radio. KDKA-FM gets Pitt and the Pirates, and KDKA-AM already has done one bumped-off-FM game (Friday's Pitt men's basketball contest with Penn).

This prompts a "looking ahead" question: Does KQV stay with Penn State or return to Notre Dame football next year?

(3) The return, in a manner of speaking, of WAMO as WAMO 100.

This also prompts a "looking ahead" queston: Does WLFP fade into oblivion or will someone buy that 1,000-watt daytime, 4-watt nighttime station? (Tim Martz might be interested in the answer, as his WAMO-AM 660 uses the WLFP tower.)

There are other things, of course, but let's start there and work our way through the transition from 2011 to 2012.

 

[Boss Radio]

I don't think (1) really qualifies as significant. It's just a matter of practicality. Those kinds of specialty oldies shows aren't viable on commercial radio any more, so stations will only carry them on a brokered basis. If someone is going to sink money into doing a show, it makes more sense to put in online since there's total freedom, no time restraints and no issues with a weak signal. The audience potential is greater online than it would be at a fixed time on something like WEDO.

But other than oldies shows and Lynn Cullen, who's doing anything notable with online broadcasting? The Tribune's sports "station" has been a total flop.

 

[Pratte4Life]

I would have to say that Colin Dunlap getting Bill Stewart fired as the WVU head football coach qualifies as one of the bigger events.

 

[PHIL Z]

The Loss of the WZUM Transmitter Site just as Chris Lesh was to about Buy it. And I Know "WKVZ is on" But the loss of one of it's Owners and the fact the Station is for sale but not the Transmitter site. Also the death of Jim Dudas The Round Mound of Sound From WJPA. Frankie Day Moving to FM 97.5. WKHB moving to FM 94.1 from Hazelwood.Those are my Thought's [An Old Man who grew up on AM Radio and still cares About it.] Happy Holidays to Each and Every one Of You.

 

[F.M.Hertz]

The big news is the loss of Jazz on WDUQ, and the take over of the station by Essential Media. There's also the news of the 2012 Buccos coming back to KDKA, albeit in an FM version. That was it. There wasn't a whole lot that shook the landscape of radio in the Steel City this year.

If I had a Crystal Ball, (or the ability to predict the future) I would say that big changes are coming to KDKA-AM. I don't know what's in store, but changes are long past due. That begs the question, what would you change (besides getting rid of Marty and Pintek) to KD? What would you do to take 1020 to the top of the PPMs?

What other changes do you see happening? (And, please, don't use this as a platform for jokes. Be a "program director," put on your armchair quarteback jerseys, and propose changes that you think would really benefit your favorite station or the industry in Pittsburgh.

Thanks.

 

[PT]

KD needs to become the GO-TO news station. By that I mean as current and all encompassing as possible. It needs to be the station that when I want to know about the latest news, severe weather, traffic etc that it is real time, all the time (If I'm experiencing bad weather at 3AM, I want to flick a switch and find out immediately). This is where radio still excels over other media, more immediate, convenient and widespread than TV or the internet. But to do this will take a change in mindset. First off, the TV and Radio news operations should be merged. There should be no distinction anymore between radio, tv or online operations.

 

[FreddyE1977]

I would have to say that Colin Dunlap getting Bill Stewart fired as the WVU head football coach qualifies as one of the bigger events.

I would have to say that Bill Stewart got Bill Stewart fired by being a paranoid, devious numbskull.

 

[FreddyE1977]

KD needs to become the GO-TO news station.

I would agree 100%. They are the closest thing we have now, which is far from sufficient.

I learned this the hard way during an extended power outage last year. KQV is alright during
daylight hours, but if you live out on the periphery you can barely get their signal at night. Plus they
are playing reruns of Duffy's Tavern at 10PM.

Worst case KD can share newsroom resources with the television side. It's an obvious win-win.

 

[Pratte4Life]

I would have to say that Colin Dunlap getting Bill Stewart fired as the WVU head football coach qualifies as one of the bigger events.

I would have to say that Bill Stewart got Bill Stewart fired by being a paranoid, devious numbskull.

Fred- I hear ya. But most sports talk show hosts live to have the bombshell- and influence- Dunlap did when he dropped his story that Stewart was, in your words (and let me repeat they are your words- I have no comment on Stewart yay or nay), "a paranoid, devious numbskull."

 

[loeper]

I doubt that CBS would invest the dollars needed to make KDKA once again the "go-to" news station in Pittsburgh. However, kyw in Philadelphia would be a terrific station for them to copy. It would be expensive to operate but it would put AM1020 back near the top of the pile in Pittsburgh.

 

[PT]

Doesn't have to be expensive, actually it should save $$$ by consolidating TV, Radio and online operations. The problem is an outdated 1950's mindset. People have to realize they are in the information business (well actually the advertising business but we'll leave that aside for now) and that jobs are not just TV jobs or Radio jobs. Break a story, write it for reading online, video it for watching on TV and record for listening on Radio. They're not separate products anymore, but a fused product to be distributed via different channels.

 

[Parttimer]

No one is investing dollars to make any AM #1 any more. If they can keep what they have from eroding any further, and use TV to generate cost savings, that's a win.

CBS needs another FM for KD to move to. Although they only own 3, I'm not sure if that's because no one will sell them one, they haven't tried to buy more, or there are provisions in the ownership cap rules that prevent them from doing so. Even if they could have put it on 98.3, or better yet, 106.7, that would be the way to save it.

But the fact that those stations ended up where they did, and that CBS chose to make KDKA-FM The Fan, as opposed to just a simulcast of the AM, probably tells you all you need to know. If they make any changes at all it will be to reduce costs and for no other reason.

 

[secondchoice]

CBS chose to make KDKA-FM The Fan, as opposed to just a simulcast of the AM, probably tells you all you need to know.

Sports Talkers bills the most (or nearly the most, you market milage will vary) per ratings point of any fomat. Atlanta (granted a bigger maket) has 2 (rarely making it into the top 15 6+) and both bill near or over a million. For years one of the top billing stations in the nation was WFAN. If I was young and "beating the streets" again I would love to sell sports talk.

BTW Sports Talk is not a "cheap" format to run. ESPN takes a lot of the commercial breaks for themselves, and good local sports talkers often get big pay checks to go with the big revenue they generate.

 

[pman44]

good local sports talkers

That would leave out just about everyone on The Fan. ;D

 

[KeyTimes950]

No one is investing dollars to make any AM #1 any more. If they can keep what they have from eroding any further, and use TV to generate cost savings, that's a win.

A good, logical point. I'd like to see more use of KDKA-2 resources on KDKA-1020.

CBS needs another FM for KD to move to. Although they only own 3, I'm not sure if that's because no one will sell them one, they haven't tried to buy more, or there are provisions in the ownership cap rules that prevent them from doing so. Even if they could have put it on 98.3, or better yet, 106.7, that would be the way to save it.

Your logic is good but I think you need see if with KDKA-2 and WPCW-19 (a market station even if it is licensed to Jeannette) if the ownership cap would be exceeded with an additional FM.

About the FMs in question, however, if I were going to try to make a deal with Keymarket, I'd go for either 103.5 or 104.3. I'm of the impression they no longer need both to cover the market. FM 98.3 is parked, ironically, on WDSY's tower, but it puts out less power and less signal.

FM 106.7 would be a wonderful frequency, but St. Joseph Missions seems to run its stations in a way I've never seen before in religious broadcasting. For instance, has anyone ever heard any fund-raising done on WAOB? Put another way, there would have to be some sign from heaven, literally, before SJM chooses to sell WAOB, no matter how much it costs that outfit.

But the fact that those stations ended up where they did, and that CBS chose to make KDKA-FM The Fan, as opposed to just a simulcast of the AM, probably tells you all you need to know. If they make any changes at all it will be to reduce costs and for no other reason.

I'm not sure a CBS bid to buy either would have changed the eventual outcome for 98.3 or 106.7. And a station that does local sports talk 20 hours a day (with "best of" running from 2-5:40 a.m.) is filling a niche that WEAE-1250 abandoned and WBGG-970 isn't given enough resources or time to do by Clear Channel.

Besides, if you believe in HD technology (I listen to it but I'm not completely sold on it), then there IS a KDKA-AM simulcast on FM, KDKA-FM 92.9 HD3.

By the way, how often does a station make changes for a reason other than reducing costs? It's been a longtime time since the cash giveaways of the New Sound of 13Q.

 

[Rallen1st]

(snip)... or better yet, 106.7...(snip)

I don't know... but if SJM was to part with 106.7 (never say never)... I kind of would love to see it go back to Beaver Falls again. I know more sentimentality than practicality... but it would be nice to see radio stations actually serve communities again. Community of license don't mean diddley squat anymore... why have them?

 

[Boss Radio]

(snip)... or better yet, 106.7...(snip)

I don't know... but if SJM was to part with 106.7 (never say never)... I kind of would love to see it go back to Beaver Falls again. I know more sentimentality than practicality... but it would be nice to see radio stations actually serve communities again. Community of license don't mean diddley squat anymore... why have them?

That station didn't serve Beaver Falls when WBVP owned it. It was wall-to-wall music that ran on a bad automation system.

 

[hypwr]

Back in the "olden days" they did serve Beaver Falls. They had a full staff, including news people. When they were AM only, they operated with the Graveyard maximum of 250 watts. Alan Boal was on the staff and used the name Stan Lee. Even after they picked up an FM permit, they continued to serve the Beaver Valley. However, later on they bought into the false notion that you could operate a station on a shoe string and be relevant. At least WJPA hasn't given up!

 

[Boss Radio]

Those aren't "olden days," they're pre-historic days. Alan Boal was already in Pittsburgh by 1960.

Thirty years ago -- which is a long time -- the FM station was "Kiss" and the carts were spinning incorrectly on the bad rotation system. The only thing "local" content was the commercials.

The AM still does a decent job, within the reality of today's business. They're local in the mornings through 1 p.m. They carry tons of local sports, high schools and Geneva.

 

[cingram]

I'd like to point out that 106.7 is *still* licensed to Beaver Falls, although the tower is in Wexford, the
studios are in Ligonier, and the programming appears to be targeting Catholic clergy and highly devout
practitioners in the Diocese of Greensburg.

There's nothing stopping them from serving Beaver Falls again but I don't see why anyone would. The
move-in made it a much better Pittsburgh signal, and that is where the money and the listeners are, if
they ever return to commercial operation.

C.