Mix 97.1 becomes The Fan 97.1

[gabigley1]

How many people think Mix 97.1 was blown up for financial and economics reasons? Is it just a coincidence that Mix 97.1 was blown up in this weak economy to save money? Will the Fan 97.1 ever challenge WTVN's best Buckeye coverage? I think the The FAN 97.1 believes they will be in Top five of the Arbitron ratings within a year and then will then challenge WTVN for the top spot.
I don't see 97.1 The Fan doing more then 3 to 4 12 share in the ratings but this is a OSU crazed town so who knows. I told someone BEFORE the switchover yesterday that the station should renamed Buck 97.1 in honor of The Ohio State Buckeyes.

Sean Sean Sean, I guarantee the Wolfes will not carry libtalk. The Dispatch's last endorsement for a Democratic presidential candidate was 1916. I don't care how profitable it is, they won't do it. Period.

The more I thought about it the more sense it made to me for them to make it ONN Radio as someone suggested. Dispatch Radio doesn't make sense (to me) when they have already spent a lot of time and money building up the ONN brand. Why not extend that to radio? They have the staff in place already. Seems like a good move to me.

I think you hit the nailed the nail the head. WBNS ONN Radio is the best bet. WYTS 1230 AM carried OMN by mistake a few months ago and I was thinking this would be a good format for them. I actually thought WYTS
had CHANGED formats to ONN radio back then.

Yes, the Wolfes are motivated by polities so I doubt they will go "Progressive Talk" BUT they may be interested in Gary Richard's HS sports coverage.

BTY, this article says 16 people lost their jobs when 97.1 was blown up: http://dispatch.com/live/content/li...IMUL.ART_ART_01-27-09_D1_GGCLISI.html?sid=101

 

[lovejamminoldies]

A financial decision -- very possible. Because the ratings weren't THAT BAD.

 

[V.Riley]

I believe it was the same thing with STAR 107.9, the owner was hurting financially, and 80s stations weren't easy to sell back then, so when 97.1 dumped oldies, 107.9 went oldies and soon after was sold.

Yeah, it's all about the money, not about the listener.

 

[del_griffith]

I don't understand the "not the Wolfe's politics" stuff about clearing liberal talk.

They own Columbus Alive. What is more liberal and alternative than that weekly?

No, the more I think about it, the more I see 1460 becoming Hispanic with the paper tie in.

 

[hdtvnewbie]

However, the counterprogramming of Stephanie Miller v. Glenn Beck, Ed Schultz v. Rush Limbaugh--heck, Matt and Ramona against John Corby will be hard to ignore.

By the way, I don't know where Matt and Ramona stand politically.

Yes, and you can run more bartered organic "soap on a rope" commercials as the station rockets to a .8 rating. Hey, maybe they should also change their STL to an IP connection for cheesy effect.

 

[lovejamminoldies]

What if WODB went back to HOT AC/CHR? I mean.... Oldies... pardon, "Classic Hits" must have them in the hole.

 

[radiogeek07]

107.9 has one problem... Building Pennetration. I live in an apartment complex in the short north, and unless I play with my antenna which the average joe won't do, you can't get the station. If anybody should be flipping to Hot AC, it needs to be 99.7. As far as 1460, it'll be basically a waste regardless of what it becomes.

 

[lovejamminoldies]

Yeah, their signal is a big problem. So, it might as well stay as Classic Hits.

99.7 -- hmm.... I'd like to see them go INTERACTIVE CHR.

 

[schmave]

What if WODB went back to HOT AC/CHR? I mean.... Oldies... pardon, "Classic Hits" must have them in the hole.

Good call!

 

[lovejamminoldies]

Mix doesn't sound half bad at 1079... they need some more sweepers in, but the music selection isn't shabby. Although, I don't hear too many power hits. It's very recurrent/gold friendly. I wonder if they will daypart and play more hits at night?

 

[Nu_Roo_2]

Sean Sean Sean, I guarantee the Wolfes will not carry libtalk.  The Dispatch's last endorsement for a Democratic presidential candidate was 1916.  I don't care how profitable it is, they won't do it.  Period.

Whoa, Cbus, it's not that simple.  The Presidential endorsements, including the absurdly weak and rambling McCain endorsement (even an Obama supporter could have written a better one), are indeed dictated by the guy at the top.  But below that, the Dispatch is not all that conservative anymore, and Wolfe gives his guys more leeway.  In fact, I'd wager that if it had been up to Hallet, et al, the Distort would have endorsed Obama.

If RadiOhio thought libtalk would be a moneymaker, they'd be all over it.  CC has maintained some libtalk stations where it brings in dollars even though the Mays clan are dyed-in-the wool Texas Republicans.  And left-leaning "The Simpsons" is under the same broad umbrella as (I can hardly bring my self to type these words) Bill O'Reilly.  (Even Rupert Murdoch, who owns the network O'Reilly  appears on, can't stand him.)

 

[Nu_Roo_2]

In one way the 97.1 flip makes a lot of sense. They were constantly trying to be the home of the Buckeyes (indeed, the Buckeye network) on a station otherwise playing music targeted to youngish females. Basketball, in particular, was a jarring intrusion on the Hot AC. Since 97.1 wouldn't/couldn't give up Buckeye coverage, they can now ditch the split personality.

(My apologies if anyone else already pointed this out and I missed it...it's a long thread.)

 

[hdtvnewbie]

In one way the 97.1 flip makes a lot of sense. They were constantly trying to be the home of the Buckeyes (indeed, the Buckeye network) on a station otherwise playing music targeted to youngish females. Basketball, in particular, was a jarring intrusion on the Hot AC. Since 97.1 wouldn't/couldn't give up Buckeye coverage, they can now ditch the split personality.

(My apologies if anyone else already pointed this out and I missed it...it's a long thread.)

My understanding is that CBS' switch of ther jock talk station WXYT in Detroit to FM has been a huge home run. Probably the same thinking here. Someone mentioned that WBNS-AM was slated to become Dispatch Radio. On the surface, this also sounds like a good use for that signal and they have the resources to pull it off.

 

[Nu_Roo_2]

In one way the 97.1 flip makes a lot of sense. They were constantly trying to be the home of the Buckeyes (indeed, the Buckeye network) on a station otherwise playing music targeted to youngish females. Basketball, in particular, was a jarring intrusion on the Hot AC. Since 97.1 wouldn't/couldn't give up Buckeye coverage, they can now ditch the split personality.

(My apologies if anyone else already pointed this out and I missed it...it's a long thread.)

My understanding is that CBS' switch of ther jock talk station WXYT in Detroit to FM has been a huge home run. Probably the same thinking here. Someone mentioned that WBNS-AM was slated to become Dispatch Radio. On the surface, this also sounds like a good use for that signal and they have the resources to pull it off.

And presumably Dispatch Radio would have mostly (or a lot of) local news and info, which would be laudable and welcome -- esepecially since WTVN's self-positioning as a local news powerhouse has evolved into a silly charade.

Anyone know of any other stations named for a co-owned newspaper, and how they are faring?

 

[Nu_Roo_2]

Hate to say it, but the perceived lack of the aforementioned items is a trend that many media markets have been experiencing for some time. I can probably rattle off a number of towns bigger than Columbus whose residents could make the same complaints, but I don't think it would make any difference.

Please do rattle off some of those larger-city names. I can't think of a single one that has more of a minor-league image (more accurately, "non-image") than Columbus. That's not equivalent to saying that Columbus is "worse" than all the better known cities. IIt's wonderful in many ways and has made great strides. But except for people who have visited or lived here, it is as anonymous as a city this size can get. Columbus is as deficient in the image department as it is in the in the radio department. I'm tired of hearing telephone CSR's say, "let's see, you're in Columbia, Ohio, right?"

GOOD LORD! This is just too much. I wasn't expecting to have my point validated -- in less than 24-hours -- by Radio-Info's homepage, no less! Look at what they call Columbus at the bottom of their story regarding ODB's flip to fill the Hot AC void:

A new hot AC "Mix" debuts in Columbus, Ohio - one day after the demise of "Mix 97.1"

RadiOhio knocked off “Mix 97.1” WBNS-FM on Monday, converting it into a simulcast with sports “Fan” WBNS (1460). Now – Saga fills the hot AC format hole with a change of its own, switching WODB (107.9) from classic hits to become “the new Mix 107.9.” That gives Saga a straight-ahead AC station – “Sunny 95” WSNY – and hot AC “Mix.” The Columbia board at Radio-Info has some early reaction, here.

 

[Nu_Roo_2]

Hate to say it, but the perceived lack of the aforementioned items is a trend that many media markets have been experiencing for some time. I can probably rattle off a number of towns bigger than Columbus whose residents could make the same complaints, but I don't think it would make any difference.

Please do rattle off some of those larger-city names. I can't think of a single one that has more of a minor-league image (more accurately, "non-image") than Columbus. That's not equivalent to saying that Columbus is "worse" than all the better known cities. IIt's wonderful in many ways and has made great strides. But except for people who have visited or lived here, it is as anonymous as a city this size can get. Columbus is as deficient in the image department as it is in the in the radio department. I'm tired of hearing telephone CSR's say, "let's see, you're in Columbia, Ohio, right?"

GOOD LORD! This is just too much. I wasn't expecting to have my point validated -- in less than 24-hours -- by Radio-Info's homepage, no less! Look at what they call Columbus at the bottom of their story regarding ODB's flip to fill the Hot AC void:

A new hot AC "Mix" debuts in Columbus, Ohio - one day after the demise of "Mix 97.1"

RadiOhio knocked off “Mix 97.1” WBNS-FM on Monday, converting it into a simulcast with sports “Fan” WBNS (1460). Now – Saga fills the hot AC format hole with a change of its own, switching WODB (107.9) from classic hits to become “the new Mix 107.9.” That gives Saga a straight-ahead AC station – “Sunny 95” WSNY – and hot AC “Mix.” The Columbia board at Radio-Info has some early reaction, here.

I see it's been fixed now. But the fact that it was there at all makes my point more vividly than I ever expected. (And this is NOT a general dig at Radio-Info...they're great.)

 

[radiogeek07]

So, does 107.9 flipping now pave the way for 1460 to become a part of the "True Oldies" network now on a bunch of what were underperforming AMers?

 

[SeanMGilbow]

Sean Sean Sean, I guarantee the Wolfes will not carry libtalk. The Dispatch's last endorsement for a Democratic presidential candidate was 1916. I don't care how profitable it is, they won't do it. Period.

Whoa, Cbus, it's not that simple. The Presidential endorsements, including the absurdly weak and rambling McCain endorsement (even an Obama supporter could have written a better one), are indeed dictated by the guy at the top. But below that, the Dispatch is not all that conservative anymore, and Wolfe gives his guys more leeway. In fact, I'd wager that if it had been up to Hallet, et al, the Distort would have endorsed Obama.

If RadiOhio thought libtalk would be a moneymaker, they'd be all over it. CC has maintained some libtalk stations where it brings in dollars even though the Mays clan are dyed-in-the wool Texas Republicans. And left-leaning "The Simpsons" is under the same broad umbrella as (I can hardly bring my self to type these words) Bill O'Reilly. (Even Rupert Murdoch, who owns the network O'Reilly appears on, can't stand him.)

Let me again state that I also don't see progressive talk as the new format for 1460. Two liberal hosts, profitable as they are, don't make a format. Both Ed Schultz and Stephanie Miller are heard on stations across the country with conservative hosts.

And again, I don't know the politics of Matt and Ramona, but I do know they can be heard on a conservative talk station in Alabama.

 

[kentuckymedia]

The latest I heard is that DISPATCH 1460 will eventually be on the air in the coming weeks. I dont know how credible that source is but it makes sense. They can cross brand the newspaper and the AM station.

Rumor is it will be designed with News and Talk from local staff (I assume giving more indepth stories from the Dispatch). It will also have local sports and commentary from the Dispatch Sports columnist and a local afternoon talk show from the newspaper? Of course this is only a rumor, but it kinda makes sense.

 

[CBusDave]

The latest I heard is that DISPATCH 1460 will eventually be on the air in the coming weeks.

I still think ONN Radio makes more sense but that's just me. If Dispatch Broadcast wanted to start marketing a new radio network to complement their TV network this would be as good a place as any. I'm sure there are other floundering AMs in the state that would think about picking up an ONN network feed. They got cable operators all over the state to carry ONN.