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Merlin Media sold news-talk 106.9

Is there any market in America where the highest rated commercial political talk station doesn't carry Limbaugh?

Yes.

WGN outperforms WLS (Rush) in Chicago.

WDBO gets better ratings than WFLF (Rush) in Orlando.

When CC put Rush, Beck, Hannity on 1200 AM in Boston, both WRKO and Greater Media's former FM talker got better ratings.

Right next door in Wilmington, DE, WDEL without Rush outperforms WILM about 50% of the time.

In Baltimore, WBAL gets better ratings than WCBM.

In Pittsburgh, KDKA-AM gets higher ratings than CC's FM talker with Rush.

There are probably others.

Rush is no sure-bet to make a station the #1 talker in a market.
 
radiophiler said:
Is there any market in America where the highest rated commercial political talk station doesn't carry Limbaugh?

Yes.

WGN outperforms WLS (Rush) in Chicago.

WDBO gets better ratings than WFLF (Rush) in Orlando.

When CC put Rush, Beck, Hannity on 1200 AM in Boston, both WRKO and Greater Media's former FM talker got better ratings.

Right next door in Wilmington, DE, WDEL without Rush outperforms WILM about 50% of the time.

In Baltimore, WBAL gets better ratings than WCBM.

In Pittsburgh, KDKA-AM gets higher ratings than CC's FM talker with Rush.

There are probably others.

Rush is no sure-bet to make a station the #1 talker in a market.
Click to expand...

I wouldn't necessarily classify WGN as a 'political' talker. They do talk politics occasionally, but the station is far from being a right-wing flamethrower. I'd also put WCCO in Minneapolis in that category. KGO in San Francisco too.

One thing not mentioned is markets where the local NPR outlet outrates the Rush affiliate. I know this is the case in both Minneapolis and San Francisco, as well as quite a few other markets.
 
And... getting back to WWIQ, I noticed that Merlin sold it for $2.5 million less than what they bought it for. Does this also include new equipment, studio, etc.? If so, does this mean that conservotalk is worth less than Family Radio?
 
Seltzer said:
Beck, Limbaugh, and Hannity liablities? Hardly. CC will not allow them to go uncleared in Philly.
Click to expand...
I think that CC will have to let Philly go. I doubt that WPHT will bring these shows back to their schedule and I highly doubt that they will blow up one of their CC Philly stations to compete with WPHT.
 
Julius, Agreed!

Radio is changing and nationally syndicated talk programming has lost its luster compared to many other formats. Young people aren't listening and even older people have grown tired of people like Hannity and company. I think they've said everything they're going to say thousands of time already.

Unless talk is more objective, positive and upbeat the nationally syndicated talk format will die a miserable death but the good news is that "local talkers" are drawing the demographics that interest advertisers. NJ 101.5 has a winning formula but Clear Channel is so intent on indoctrinating people in their way of thinking rather that encouraging real discussion about issues they will always miss the boat. As a result Limbaugh, Hannity, Savage, etc. and the rest of the hired hands will continue to see their popularity vanish.... into oblivion.
 
TheBigA said:
RBRadioWaves said:
Anyway... Merlin is officially turning a loss on the station. They are losing about $2M on the signal, not including the staff that was fired, nor the price for Limbaugh/Hannity/ect.
Click to expand...

But during the time they owned it, they grossed about $10 million. No?
Click to expand...

Key word is "grossed."

How much did they pay for carriage fees for their syndicated shows?
How much did they pay in payroll? Especially for Mendte and (later) Lionel?
Plus new equipment.
Plus advertising.
Plus debt service.

If they were making a profit, I doubt they'd unload it at a loss.
 
Agreed. Did they even own the station out right or were paying off debt? If they actually had positive cash flow at the end of every month, I strongly believe they would have kept the station.
 
K-love talks way too much i prefer The message on sirius-xm or Reach fm on 97.1 both of those stations dont talk as much in between songs
 
aindik said:
phils07 said:
Clear Channel should flip WISX to talk, with Beck, Rush, and Hannity, with Quinn and Rose in the morning.
Click to expand...

And exchange 24-39 females for 55+ men? For what reason?
Click to expand...

More like 65+ men.

There are some questionable assumptions here.

1. This all this so very important to Clear Channel. Talk radio is a small part of their station and syndication portfolio and not the most profitable part. Philly is only one market in which they operate.
2. That Clear Channel operates as a monolith, rather than as a collection of semi-autonomous divisions, each responsible for its own operations and profit and loss.
 
If Educational Media Foundation just purchased 106.9 and they are moving the K-love format from 89.5 to 106.9, what will they do with 89.5?
 
already answered early on this thread: "106.9 will go to KLove no doubt -- and WKVP 89.5 will flip to Air1 (EMFs Hot AC/CHR format)".
 
Will 106.9 Lease an HD Channel as 89.5 Does?

I wonder if WWFM, which is using WKVP's HD-2 channel to relay their 24-hour Classical format into the area will make a deal to turn on a higher power HD-2 on 106.9? The useful purpose would of course be to feed an analog translator in Philly. WWFM also relays their format into NYC on WKCR-HD2. I assume they hope to gain access to a translator there as well.

Radio Asia (or whatever the poor sound quality foreign language programming is now on WPRB-HD2) is presumably picking up the cost for PRB's HD installation and maintenance, though I'm not aware of any analog OTA outlets for the RA programming.

Could be the HD-2 is for advertisers to listen to, or perhaps they market HD radios to their audience much the way it used to be with analog SCA channels.

At any rate, an HD-2 on 106.9 would likely have a decent coverage range to feed analog translators in the region if any are available.

After all, what else is HD good for?
 
radiophiler said:
Is there any market in America where the highest rated commercial political talk station doesn't carry Limbaugh?

Yes.

WGN outperforms WLS (Rush) in Chicago.

WDBO gets better ratings than WFLF (Rush) in Orlando.

When CC put Rush, Beck, Hannity on 1200 AM in Boston, both WRKO and Greater Media's former FM talker got better ratings.

Right next door in Wilmington, DE, WDEL without Rush outperforms WILM about 50% of the time.

In Baltimore, WBAL gets better ratings than WCBM.

In Pittsburgh, KDKA-AM gets higher ratings than CC's FM talker with Rush.

There are probably others.

Rush is no sure-bet to make a station the #1 talker in a market.
Click to expand...
Providence: WPRO beats WHJJ.
 
It will be K-love on the 106.9 http://www.jesusfreakhideout.com/news/2013/08/09.K-LOVE%20IS%20COMING%20TO%20PHILADELPHIA!.asp
 
Been a week since I have posted. Thanks to Pab & Josh for their replies. And, Josh, thanks, but can't afford an AM station.

My hunch is that Rush will return to 1210. I think Beck & Hannity do not find a Philly home unless its some minor station. The bigger Hannity question is how long does he have on the air? Savage is discussing his demise; he's about to be replaced at 9 pm on Fox; and I agree with a prior post that the quality of his show has gone downhill. I don't think his heart is into it anymore.

As for Levin and Savage, I agree they return to 990 AM. I don't care about Imus. Sunday's Bill Cunningham show won't be on locally nor will John Batchelor. Who knows about the overnight Red Eye.

I have to say, I was impressed with the weekend lineup as it was not filled with junk. I don't think any of these shows find a home, however, in Philly.

If CC is listening, buy or switch a station and move IQ's entire lineup (save for Imus - switch to Quinn & Rose) on it.
 
Why would CC listen to you?

The demographics for what IQ offered are shrinking. It's not worth trading one of their music stations for.
 
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