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News/Talk WUSF

S

SCMcKinney

I would be interested to hear predictions from radio insiders on what the impeding change at WUSF will be on the other talk outlets in town, and WUSF itself.

Do most of the listeners at WFLA/WGUL/WWBA skew right already, meaning that there will be no drop off in ratings, and that under served progressives will be getting a new (albeit taxpayer supported) station?

Will the listener contributions at WUSF be enough to fund a fully functioning, separate classical WMSR?

Does this mean there will never be an attempt at all-news or commercial left leaning radio in Tampa Bay?

What might this do to the news department at WMNF?

Other thoughts?
 
Believe it or not, this is a growing trend for NPR stations. Many are shelving the classical music altogether because the news/talk programming brings in more donations than the classical. As for WUSF's new schedule, you may want to look at another NPR station which has gone this route such as www.wets.org (WETS 89.5 Tri-Cities, TN/VA). Click on "schedule" and that will give you an idea of how the new WUSF will probably sound.
 
WAMU in DC does the all news, talk and public affairs. My sister reports that this is just about the only thing she listens to on the radio. I am wondering how this new WUSF will affect the Tampa Bay market.
 
WTMP-FM should flip to Classical to cover northern area
 
Although I fully appreciate the cultural value of classical music, the real question is is there enough market demand for a classical music formatted station to make the station economically feasible?
 
For commercial radio, no. However, publicly subsidized radio should offer something that commercial radio doesn't. Classical music is one possibility.

This change by WUSF probably means that they have swapped one set of donors for another. I would imagine there's some angry listeners out there.

The station that will be most affected will probably be WMNF, which has traditionally had a lot of discussion programming of the type that WUSF will now carry. Look for some possible tweaking at WMNF.
 
I don't think that WFLA, or WLSS/WGUL are in any danger of losing audience to WUSF; WFLA's listeners are pretty loyal to their lineup of talk show hosts, as well as WLSS/WGUL listeners; I don't know about WWBA, since its hard to keep track of their ever-changing lineup and schedule.

The only possible threat I see to WFLA 970's ratings would be in northern Pasco and Hernando county where the new fm WWXB 99.9 carries the same lineup and schedule as WFLA most, if day, from 10AM - on through overnights; they have their own local programming during morning drive time until 1000 when they switch to Glenn Beak, then Rush etc............. and in Eastern Hernando where 970's reception isn't all that good even during the day, 540 WFLA/WFLF could lose some listeners to WJXB, but they really wouldn't be concerned, since Hernando county is not in their ratings area. (neither is Sumter county and southern Sumter county also get good reception of 99.9)

As previously stated, WMNF will be the station that will need to make some adjustments and could lose some listener support, if they don't make the proper adjustments and WMNF skews younger than WUSF, so I don't think Classical music would be an option they would seriously consider.

Since WTMP (AM and FM) are under receivership, they might be for sale, but I'm sure no one is going to give the FM away; but if WUSF were to purchase WTMP 96.1, they should seriously consider moving the tower back to it's original location in Pasco county, so as to better serve northern Hillsborough county; even if that were to happen, WUSF would still have a gap of Classical music coverage in some areas of Tampa, some translators would be needed to fill in the gap, assuming that they are serious (and not just giving lip service) to having all of their listening area being able to listen to their Classical programming over the air.

drt

drt
 
jmtillery said:
Although I fully appreciate the cultural value of classical music, the real question is is there enough market demand for a classical music formatted station to make the station economically feasible?
Click to expand...

No. Especially on a signal like WTMP-FM that virtually no one can hear.
 
MsMusicRadio said:
WTMP-FM should flip to Classical to cover northern area
Click to expand...
No. No signal, no people for financial viability.
Classical, like Spanish, is not a format.
There are different genres. It would like saying you are playing rock.
What kind?
The other problem is the demographics.
It is a background service. It is why you see WDUV slouching toward a more foreground approach.

"Classical" is the oldest format on the radio. They used to call it "The 500 year old format"

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!
 
Never even heard of 89.1 until this topic. I know that WSRZ and WCTQ put in very listenable signals into Tampa and that 92.1 and 105.9 don't. where does 89.1 fall on that scale?
 
MsMusicRadio said:
Never even heard of 89.1 until this topic. I know that WSRZ and WCTQ put in very listenable signals into Tampa and that 92.1 and 105.9 don't. where does 89.1 fall on that scale?
Click to expand...
WSMR will probably reach into Tampa about as well or almost as well as WSRZ 107.9, since they will be at the ClearChannel Antenna Farm in Nokomis (off Laurel Rd, I believe) 107.9 is 46,000 watts as opposed to the CP for WSMR to have 50,000 watts......... but WSMR's antenna height will be about 75 - 80 feet less than WSRZ, so that may more than offset the additional 4,000 watts.

If they could use the WCTQ antenna site, which is on Snead Island (Palmetto) they would have to cut their power, being that much further north and closer to co-channel WUFT 89.1 in Gainesville. It's interesting though that WCTQ puts a strong signal into All of St. Pete and parts of Tampa and they are under 20,000 watts (14,000 I believe) but they are much closer to St. Petersburg and Tampa than the Laurel/Nokomis area. If WUSF were to modify the CP or to get another CP in the future to move the 89.1 tower to Snead Island, though, that would cause havoc with listeners in Englewood, North Port and South Venice that would not get a very strong signal.

drt
 
DRT - I believe your proposed WSMR tower site is far enough away from co-channel WUFT-FM that a power reduction would not be necessary. Keep in mind that WUFT-FM's tower is located North of Gainesville, so there may be just enough "wiggle room" to make it work.
 
jmtillery said:
DRT - I believe your proposed WSMR tower site is far enough away from co-channel WUFT-FM that a power reduction would not be necessary. Keep in mind that WUFT-FM's tower is located North of Gainesville, so there may be just enough "wiggle room" to make it work.
Click to expand...
I caught WUFT the other night driving home from the Rays game. In So. St. Pete., that has a pyre of a signal if you are right about the location of the antenna. Until the RDS locked on to it, I thought WSMR was back on the air.

Wiggle room? Legally, maybe. Technically, it will be scratchy.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!
 
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