News Starts Monday 6 AM on 101.9 FM ?

[erwin33]

Still no sign of a livestream or website yet?

 

[canwego]

The website will launch on monday. They're going to do it all at once.
They are definitely getting new call letters. They are definitely doing a news/talk format aimed at women. They'll be doing give-aways like your typical music station. They will have traffic and weather on the 5's. No sports thus far.

This station will be chock full of "lifestyle" programming for women. Make-up deals, shoe sales, celebrity news, etc. The one thing I haven't been able to confirm is whether or not they're going to play music on the weekends.

Im also wondering how long theyre going to remain in the RXP offices. I imagine that could get awkward...

 

[TheBigA]

Im also wondering how long theyre going to remain in the RXP offices. I imagine that could get awkward...

It's a business, not a social club. A single station operation in NYC is costly and inefficient. Emmis can't afford to lose a tenant. If RXP leaves, then Emmis has to sublease to someone else.

Here's a funny idea....if Merlin needs to move, why not share some space with WPIX? Ha!

 

[davideduardo]

Im also wondering how long theyre going to remain in the RXP offices. I imagine that could get awkward...

Why? Emmis is a minority sharholder in the property.

 

[TimeIsTight]

Merlin may just need more space than Emmis has to offer.

There is a big difference between the space needed to run a music operation where there is one person on the air at a time, and a full blast news and talk organization with a full working newsroom, talk show producers, feature producers, telephone screeners, board ops etc.

This is, no doubt, going to be a much bigger operation than the one it is replacing, and it also seems Merlin will need space for its corporate headquarters too.

The recent article, featured in another thread on this board, about the people Merlin hired in Chicago had a top heavy list of news types that totaled 25-people. The New York operation is likely to be even larger than that.

I heard rumors that Merlin was building a newsroom elsewhere in NYC, but I couldn't confirm those rumors.

 

[erwin33]

The website will launch on monday. They're going to do it all at once.

Any idea what the URL will be?

 

[canwego]

The website will launch on monday. They're going to do it all at once.

Any idea what the URL will be?

I'm assuming it's going to be ny1019.com or 1019ny.com (I think the latter is a more attractive URL)

Another thought: Why haven't I see any advertising for this station? No billboards, signs, fliers...nothing.

 

[erwin33]

ny1019.com is redirect to nj1015.com

 

[luperm]

The final format has not been announced or launched yet. Why have a website or advertise it?

 

[erwin33]

The final format has not been announced or launched yet. Why have a website or advertise it?

Because you must attract new listeners to internet and the posibillity to listen on the internet on what is going on during this transition.

 

[erwin33]

The website will launch on monday. They're going to do it all at once.
They are definitely getting new call letters. They are definitely doing a news/talk format aimed at women. They'll be doing give-aways like your typical music station. They will have traffic and weather on the 5's. No sports thus far.

This station will be chock full of "lifestyle" programming for women. Make-up deals, shoe sales, celebrity news, etc. The one thing I haven't been able to confirm is whether or not they're going to play music on the weekends.

Im also wondering how long theyre going to remain in the RXP offices. I imagine that could get awkward...

Still no website...

 

[JH_Radio]

Yeah but, newscasts sprinkled within the music, as the format slowly evolves.

 

[jvn]

No newscasts this morning between 7:45 and 9:30 am when I tuned in. Just traffic and weather and now that have a morning Weatherman. Were there newscasts at 6 and 7am. I didn't get to hear the Monday afternoon Newscasts that were mentioned in the other topic.

 

[pjc1961]

Part of the 101.9 FM New team, Meteorologist Scott Derek's Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/ScottDerek

 

[JH_Radio]

There were newscasts at 4, 5 and 6 PM respectively.Mentions the US debt, and Aimy Winehouse for entertainment news, along with detailed traffic reporting and weather.
You can t tel it was live, with a few oops on taped reports, some airing at the wrong time and quickly being powered off.

 

[Barry]

AllAccess is reporting another music person (in addition to Pete Salant) starting work at WEMP, and considers the choice, "A head scratcher." The new hire is Will 2 B. He is described as the former head of urban programming at online broadcaster Goom Radio. He has also been a "longtime" member of the Ed Lover show on WWPR.
The article speculates on a possible reason for his being hired by Merlin: He is also connected with Sheprep.com. It is described as "A radio prep service aimed at the female demographic."

Will 2 B Website: http://will2bee.tumblr.com/

 

[uncamark]

AllAccess is reporting another music person (in addition to Pete Salant) starting work at WEMP, and considers the choice, "A head scratcher." The new hire is Will 2 B. He is described as the former head of urban programming at online broadcaster Goom Radio. He has also been a "longtime" member of the Ed Lover show on WWPR.
The article speculates on a possible reason for his being hired by Merlin: He is also connected with Sheprep.com. It is described as "A radio prep service aimed at the female demographic."

Will 2 B Website: http://will2bee.tumblr.com/

Along those same lines, Merlin hired for WWWN in Chicago Sam Sylk, who was a fixture in Chicago urban radio for years at WGCI and WPWX "Power 92." I thought *that* was an unusual choice for the proposed format.