There are a few reasons to start up on, simulcast on, or move a spoken-word format to FM.
1) Fill in or augment market coverage; The existing AM signal may have geographic or time of day/year deadspots.
2) Reach a different and/or bigger audience.
WFLA could benefit from a simulcast on an FM signal, like 97.9, for both of those above reasons.
1) AM 970 fizzles out before you reach Pasco County. That means many commuters aren't starting their drive in listening to AM Tampa Bay and may not remember to switch over once they think they're in range. The AM signal may stretch down towards Sarasota but your commuters really aren't there - compare the traffic on I-75 near Fruitville Road with the traffic on I-75 near Bruce B. Downs Blvd in the 7:00 a.m. hour.
2) It's pretty well documented that people who didn't grow up with AM radio as a predominate source of radio entertainment don't bother to check it out just to see what's on. Younger people may switch to AM for an "appointment" broadcast - like a sports event - but they often don't put the AM band on and hit "seek" or "scan." Think about how many listeners under 45 may actually get to hear Beck/Rush/Schnitt/Hannity for the very first time just because they were surfing the dial while driving. Some may even keep it on and listen to the station for long stretches. It never would have happened if the station was solely heard on AM because these people never listen to AM.
All this being said... there is only one way to get management to agree to kill an existing music format on an FM station: Prove the spoken-word format (which will now be stretched over two stations in the market) will generate at the same, if not more, revenue.
For Clear Channel to kill off 98 Rock and simulcast 970 on 97.9... they would want to know they will surely generate at the same income. If they take a loss, San Antonio will freak out. And heads will roll.
I commend other companies, such as Cox and CBS, for being proactive on this. They know spoken-word formats are long term investments. You need to spend time building them, but the rewards are enduring. Clear Channel, post-Randy Michaels, has treated spoken-word like the bastard stepchild; They love the money the format makes, but they won't invest a dime of it back in to possibly grow the format... Yet failing music stations keep their formats for years, often keeping high-priced yet under-performing talent and managers right along with them.
1) Fill in or augment market coverage; The existing AM signal may have geographic or time of day/year deadspots.
2) Reach a different and/or bigger audience.
WFLA could benefit from a simulcast on an FM signal, like 97.9, for both of those above reasons.
1) AM 970 fizzles out before you reach Pasco County. That means many commuters aren't starting their drive in listening to AM Tampa Bay and may not remember to switch over once they think they're in range. The AM signal may stretch down towards Sarasota but your commuters really aren't there - compare the traffic on I-75 near Fruitville Road with the traffic on I-75 near Bruce B. Downs Blvd in the 7:00 a.m. hour.
2) It's pretty well documented that people who didn't grow up with AM radio as a predominate source of radio entertainment don't bother to check it out just to see what's on. Younger people may switch to AM for an "appointment" broadcast - like a sports event - but they often don't put the AM band on and hit "seek" or "scan." Think about how many listeners under 45 may actually get to hear Beck/Rush/Schnitt/Hannity for the very first time just because they were surfing the dial while driving. Some may even keep it on and listen to the station for long stretches. It never would have happened if the station was solely heard on AM because these people never listen to AM.
All this being said... there is only one way to get management to agree to kill an existing music format on an FM station: Prove the spoken-word format (which will now be stretched over two stations in the market) will generate at the same, if not more, revenue.
For Clear Channel to kill off 98 Rock and simulcast 970 on 97.9... they would want to know they will surely generate at the same income. If they take a loss, San Antonio will freak out. And heads will roll.
I commend other companies, such as Cox and CBS, for being proactive on this. They know spoken-word formats are long term investments. You need to spend time building them, but the rewards are enduring. Clear Channel, post-Randy Michaels, has treated spoken-word like the bastard stepchild; They love the money the format makes, but they won't invest a dime of it back in to possibly grow the format... Yet failing music stations keep their formats for years, often keeping high-priced yet under-performing talent and managers right along with them.
