The "FM News" branding in Chicago is as good as gone. Will "FM News 101.9" become "I101.9" or will they stick it out with the former WINS talent a little while longer? And if the latter, will it really be worth it?
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Merlin Phasing Out All-News In Chicago; New York Next?
- Thread starter DToTheJ
- Start date
I would really want to see Merlin going out of business like the way Big City did this back in 2003 Whee they lost "Thumbs 107" WYNY as a Spanish station that went nowhere after dumping Country. Like I said, Merlin will go out of business soon.
J
jhguthlac
Guest
Merlin had learned its lesson before launching 106.9 in Philadelphia. Chicago and NYC will also go talk.
The chances of Merlin going "out of business" that way are slim to none.
Merlin was created, and is backed, by the Chicago-based investment firm GTCR, which has invested $8-billion in 200 companies over the years, and specializes in high growth investments, that also come with higher risks.
The ratings disappointments that Merlin has been through in the past year are "par for the course" in that kind of investing. Any new idea comes with risks, and mid-course corrections. Major market FMs are relatively rare beach-front property, that have lots of potential, and Merlin has four, and won't likely throw in the towel until it has "realized" the value they hold. If at first you don't succeed try try again, and that's what they will do.
When the powers that be call to make the change, they'll probably just get hung up on like everyone else that calls the station.
From AllAccess.com tonight:
"ALL ACCESS is hearing that MERLIN MEDIA has called all-hands meetings for TUESDAY at 10 am (ET) at both News WEMP (FM NEWS 101.9)/NEW YORK and News WIQI (FM NEWS 101.1)/CHICAGO.
Could this portend format flips or adjustments at either or both stations? Stay tuned..."
"ALL ACCESS is hearing that MERLIN MEDIA has called all-hands meetings for TUESDAY at 10 am (ET) at both News WEMP (FM NEWS 101.9)/NEW YORK and News WIQI (FM NEWS 101.1)/CHICAGO.
Could this portend format flips or adjustments at either or both stations? Stay tuned..."
No doubt they'll supplement their failed "cute news" format with the other format that's been a total failure: "hot talk."
Pandering to any demographic is bound to fail ... listeners can smell it a mile away. People are people, regardless of age. Good programming will attract them, not pandering.
Program some serious, well executed news and talk ... do it with a young, energetic team with a sense of purpose and a sense of humor ... and the demo issue will take care of itself.
Recycle Mancow one more time and the "format adjustment" I suspect is coming will be DOA.
Pandering to any demographic is bound to fail ... listeners can smell it a mile away. People are people, regardless of age. Good programming will attract them, not pandering.
Program some serious, well executed news and talk ... do it with a young, energetic team with a sense of purpose and a sense of humor ... and the demo issue will take care of itself.
Recycle Mancow one more time and the "format adjustment" I suspect is coming will be DOA.
A transition to a news/talk format could put Merlin in position to grab Rush Limbaugh, should he become available in New York and Chicago - that is, if Cumulus sees fit to go live with Mike Huckabee in that daypart on WABC-AM and WLS-AM...
And Disney Fanatic... yeah, that comment was a bit out of line. It's one thing to wish death on someone, but wishing financial hardship on someone is far more cruel.
And Disney Fanatic... yeah, that comment was a bit out of line. It's one thing to wish death on someone, but wishing financial hardship on someone is far more cruel.
I wonder why a "hot news" format, along the line of Howard Stern's hour long torpedoing of the day's headlines has never taken hold. I think Stern goofing on the news is Stern at his best; and people seem to love the Daily Show and Saturday Night Live's Weekend Update, as well.
Does "the Daily Show on the Radio" seem like a viable format?
Does "the Daily Show on the Radio" seem like a viable format?
Brooklyndon said:
Yes, IMO, because it's a satirical approach to real news as opposed to the inane "beer & boobs" chit-chat the suits think will appeal to young people. But you can't create another Jon Stewart ... they'd need to innovate, not imitate. "Hot Talk" was the suits attempt to imitate what they thought was Stern's appeal, but they missed what he is really about.
"Daily Show" format would have the same fate as "Hot Talk". Too much of one thing!!!
The problem with Hot Talk is that it was the same s*** all day long. Howard Stern worked because it was just Howard and then music for the rest of the day. WNEW V3.0 with the Hot Talk failed because it was O&A, who did a decent show, and then a bunch of Howard/O&A imitators for the rest of the day.
It's the same reason conservative talk isn't doing as well... too much of the same thing over and over again. No variety. The music format equivalent of both Hot Talk and Cons. Talk (from a standpoint of no variety) would be a station that only plays "4 piece bands, fronted by men, who made music between 1985 and 1986 and also had a record in the top 5". So that leaves you with what, like 4 songs tops?
Daily Show news, as a segment of a larger show can work. As a format, the burnout factor will rear its head in about 3 weeks.
That's the problem with radio. Something works, so it gets beaten to death and then after it's dead, gets beaten even more until there's nothing left but dust.
The problem with Hot Talk is that it was the same s*** all day long. Howard Stern worked because it was just Howard and then music for the rest of the day. WNEW V3.0 with the Hot Talk failed because it was O&A, who did a decent show, and then a bunch of Howard/O&A imitators for the rest of the day.
It's the same reason conservative talk isn't doing as well... too much of the same thing over and over again. No variety. The music format equivalent of both Hot Talk and Cons. Talk (from a standpoint of no variety) would be a station that only plays "4 piece bands, fronted by men, who made music between 1985 and 1986 and also had a record in the top 5". So that leaves you with what, like 4 songs tops?
Daily Show news, as a segment of a larger show can work. As a format, the burnout factor will rear its head in about 3 weeks.
That's the problem with radio. Something works, so it gets beaten to death and then after it's dead, gets beaten even more until there's nothing left but dust.
B
Bob1370
Guest
News/talk may be the only way to go...but if they do the same thing they're doing in Philly, and turn 101.9 into a WABC clone, they'll just split the same 55+ white male audience that WABC has dominated for years into yet more slices, sharing the same shrinking pie with WABC and WOR with crumbs left over for WNYM.
They need to go way younger, higher energy, and more politically unpredictable (rather than going monotone in any direction) or else they haven't got a snowball's chance in hell of attracting a substantial new audience.
They need to go way younger, higher energy, and more politically unpredictable (rather than going monotone in any direction) or else they haven't got a snowball's chance in hell of attracting a substantial new audience.
Jerry Barmash is reporting in his column in Fishbowl NY that the decision has been made to convert WEMP to a news/talk format, "Likely modeled after Merlin's Philadelphia station, IQ 106.9." This change is set to occur no later than September.
The article also states that unfortunately, significant layoffs are expected to be announced at the 10 AM staff meeting.
Jerry Barmash Article:http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/breaking-end-of-line-for-merlins-wemp-as-fm-news_b64085
The article also states that unfortunately, significant layoffs are expected to be announced at the 10 AM staff meeting.
Jerry Barmash Article:http://www.mediabistro.com/fishbowlny/breaking-end-of-line-for-merlins-wemp-as-fm-news_b64085
Now I really wonder what the former WINS employees are thinking as they're probably about to be laid off. They might have been paid better, but for what?
edit: I just saw they flipped 101.9 to modern rock. What a change of direction. I guess they saw how co-owned 87.7 was doing in Chicago and figured why not.
edit: I just saw they flipped 101.9 to modern rock. What a change of direction. I guess they saw how co-owned 87.7 was doing in Chicago and figured why not.
If they REALLY want to make it work, how about LOCAL talk for NYC and the surrounding Tri-Sate area??
Yeah, I know, it costs money, but the potential is there to wipe WABC and WOR off the map with it. Other "lesser" markets have lots of local talk (see Boston for example) spread over multiple stations. In NYC, on WABC, there are no local shows. Imus, Geraldo, Rush, Hannity, Levin, Batchelor... all syndicated.
Find the next generation's Bob Grant and put him or her on PM drive. Get a good show in the morning. Maybe if Rush's contract is up at WABC, put him on to anchor the middays and give you some name recognition. But focus on the regional issues at the very least in AM and PM drive.
Nothing to me is more out of place in NYC than the Dave Ramsey show. It sounds like someone left a radio in Missouri on and connected to the WOR transmitter. You know my feelings on Joan Hamburg, but at least she "sounds" NY and is IN NY.
Yeah, I know, it costs money, but the potential is there to wipe WABC and WOR off the map with it. Other "lesser" markets have lots of local talk (see Boston for example) spread over multiple stations. In NYC, on WABC, there are no local shows. Imus, Geraldo, Rush, Hannity, Levin, Batchelor... all syndicated.
Find the next generation's Bob Grant and put him or her on PM drive. Get a good show in the morning. Maybe if Rush's contract is up at WABC, put him on to anchor the middays and give you some name recognition. But focus on the regional issues at the very least in AM and PM drive.
Nothing to me is more out of place in NYC than the Dave Ramsey show. It sounds like someone left a radio in Missouri on and connected to the WOR transmitter. You know my feelings on Joan Hamburg, but at least she "sounds" NY and is IN NY.
I think they may have blow up the news for now on FM because CBS does it so well now on AM. That will be revisited when AM goes away slowley. For now they should mix it up and what I think they should do.
Morning time slot:
New York Sports Show covering all sports. We do not have that now we have a national show and a local comedy show on the other sports station.
Late morning time slot:
Glenn Beck
Noon time slot:
Rush
3 PM time slot:
Sports show talking mainly Yankees
7 PM time slot:
Yankee Broadcast: They get the contract or they sell time to the Yankees
After Game:
More Yankee talk thru the night of course mixed in with other sports news.
Weekends: Fox national shows when no Yankee games.
Please note: Pay attention to WFAN no Yankee talk except for Mike Francesa. Pay attention to WEPN no Yankee talk except fro Michael Kay. That's a problem they are on at almost the same time. I broke the dial on my radio being so hungry for Yankee talk.
It is the right time and place for this to make sense in 2012.
Morning time slot:
New York Sports Show covering all sports. We do not have that now we have a national show and a local comedy show on the other sports station.
Late morning time slot:
Glenn Beck
Noon time slot:
Rush
3 PM time slot:
Sports show talking mainly Yankees
7 PM time slot:
Yankee Broadcast: They get the contract or they sell time to the Yankees
After Game:
More Yankee talk thru the night of course mixed in with other sports news.
Weekends: Fox national shows when no Yankee games.
Please note: Pay attention to WFAN no Yankee talk except for Mike Francesa. Pay attention to WEPN no Yankee talk except fro Michael Kay. That's a problem they are on at almost the same time. I broke the dial on my radio being so hungry for Yankee talk.
It is the right time and place for this to make sense in 2012.
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