Nice steady holiday Arbs for WEMP

[ansky212]

Would putting WCBS or WINS on FM improve billing enough to off set the revenue loss of the FM property? Only market researchers and accountants will know the answer.

I would think not. In general, moving from AM to FM is mostly done to attract younger listeners. And I don't know too many young people that tune to the radio for news, if they even follow the news at all (most of that demo is now dependent on Twitter, Facebook, and the internet in general). The only potential gain I see is maybe some people that work in midtown office buildings that can't pull in an AM signal. But even pulling in an FM signal can be very tough, and I certainly don't think the gain in audience would be anywhere near large enough to offset the loss of whatever station was replaced.

 

[BobSmolarek]

WEMP is to radio what an electric car is to automobiles. It amazes me how they keep trying to give us stuff we don't want (FM news, electric cars, healthy school lunches, green energy, etc.) and deny us things we want (Country on FM, cheap gas, and good tasting school lunches). What is wrong with this country??

 

[Steve Green NEPA]

Bob, despite the name Green here going back somewhat farther than its current usage, I disagree about green energy being something we don't need.

Within ten miles of this house there are about a hundred of those new windmills. Sometimes they're lit up at night, and it's a nice sight .... like a fifteen-tower directional system.

Word from the local gentry, though, goes that the energy generated by this latest craze, of what looks like The Wave from the sports arenas, bypasses us and goes to Philadelphia instead. The kicker in this rural legend is the fact that the land where all of these windmills are anchored is owned by ...... the region's coal companies. You don't get more corporate and anal than that.

* * * * * *

Anyway, I sort of agree with your assessment of us not needing news on FM. I'd put it more that in 2012, if it knows what's good for iteself, radio does not need another non-music station on FM. Since late this past summer, WEMP and its biological twin in Chicago are answering the question, 'If the ratings fall and no one is around to hear it, does it make a noise?'

 

[Jersey Maiden]

Good point Steve. And Bob, the processed school lunches I used to eat were neither healthy or delicious. If they were more like what Mom makes, school lunches would have the best of both worlds. And there are really not that many electric cars out there for those who want them. Maybe more people would spring for them if they were cheaper (any new technology would be expensive first before prices come down).

But I 100% agree with you that we don't need news on FM. Personally, I would prefer if alternative came back to 101.9 but if country came to New York, I'll be happy that something different exists.

 

[TimeIsTight]

WEMP is to radio what an electric car is to automobiles. It amazes me how they keep trying to give us stuff we don't want (FM news, electric cars, healthy school lunches, green energy, etc.) and deny us things we want (Country on FM, cheap gas, and good tasting school lunches). What is wrong with this country??

Actually, people trying to give us FM news, electric cars, healthy school lunches and green energy are what is "right" with this country.

In all those examples, the thoughtful and well informed are trying to take us all to an obviously more sensible future, but they are ahead of the curve. We all will "need" what they are offering, but most of us don't realize that yet.

In some cases those examples will help solve some of the biggest problems facing this country, like dependence on foreign oil, childhood obesity and long term health care costs, and air and water pollution.

Electric cars use American energy (from US coal, nukes, natural gas, solar, windmills etc.) with profits staying here, not foreign oil that we need to go to war to keep flowing. Getting kids to eat nutritionally at a young age may prevent heart attacks, strokes, cancer, diabetes and all sorts of other health problems decades later and keep health care cost down that are now killing our economy and making our country less competitive internationally.

And while not as important, News on FM is just part of the inevitable march of progress. As generations of those under 55 listen more often to music on i-Pod like devices, and ignore AM radio altogether, up to the minute all news that keeps listeners connected to "what's happening" in real time is a natural format for FM. Merlin may just be a little ahead of the curve and like all pioneers it is getting arrows in its back, but its investors are staking their claims early on what they hope will be a long and profitable business segment where it can build an ever rewarding go to brand.

 

[Jersey Maiden]

And while not as important, News on FM is just part of the inevitable march of progress. As generations of those under 55 listen more often to music on i-Pod like devices, and ignore AM radio altogether, up to the minute all news that keeps listeners connected to "what's happening" in real time is a natural format for FM. Merlin may just be a little ahead of the curve and like all pioneers it is getting arrows in its back, but its investors are staking their claims early on what they hope will be a long and profitable business segment where it can build an ever rewarding go to brand.

I agree with you on school lunches and electric cars but maybe Merlin is getting arrows in its back because their stations just aren't that good. Sure, I have my share of favorite TV shows that were critically acclaimed but lowly rated and there, you can argue that people don't know what they need. But I was absolutely disgusted by their Chocolate FM gimmick in the beginning. So it wasn't a hard decision to take their survey back in August for a pack of free Jacques Torres chocolate to make them lose money and I'm sure I'm not the only one who did that. I don't know anyone male or female who doesn't like chocolate but why did they assume that because I'm a girl that this (along with shoes) was all I cared about? I listened again in December and while it wasn't as bad (they toned down on the female slant), it was still not that good and my cousin commented that it sounds stupid. I'm not the only critic of WEMP here but I think this article explains its failures the best: http://www.ericksonmedia.com/blog/radio/724-merlin-magic.html

And like ansky said, I'm a young person who doesn't go to the radio for news on either band.

 

[TimeIsTight]

I'm a young person who doesn't go to the radio for news on either band.

Now that is what the folks at Merlin and others are actually trying to change, because radio, with its free and easy to receive signals, is the one instant medium that can be almost universally available in real time, all the time. It is important for all of us, young and old, to keep up with meaningful current news concerning what is happening in the world around us that may have consequences for us as individuals or for the larger society in which we all live.

As a former major market and national radio network news anchor (news snob) who spends a couple of hours most days watching or listening to BBC news, I certainly haven't been personally attracted to the way news was presented by Merlin, but I give them all the credit in the world for trying something new, to bring news to a different audience which often doesn't pay the kind of attention it should to important matters. And if it had to do some "entertainment" stories to get younger women to tune in, so be it. Young women have been known to have all kinds of positive reactions to gifts of chocolate.

It would seem the "female leaning" news experiment failed, and now it appears Merlin is trying to computer stack and repeat prerecorded news reports without sounding like an anchor is tying it all together. One advantage radio has a medium, is that it can offer a live person, or electronic friend, that the listener can connect to. This quick paced computer approach loses that advantage, and the sense of being connected to what's happening right now. I heard them play the same stale news audio clip 24-hours later. That should not happen.

Merlin could always copy the style of WINS or WCBS, it has some anchors and executives on staff who used to work there.

You have to give them credit for experimenting and trying to find their own new approach to all news radio; they started with very experienced folks in charge, who had very successful track records. They hired some very top-of-the-line all news radio air talent and it didn't work. With new ventures failure is often the father of great success.

It seems the Merlin folks are in it for the long haul, and hopefully they will evolve to a format that appeals to a large enough audience. For all concerned, let's hope that happens sooner rather than later.

 

[sdh483]

WEMP is to radio what an electric car is to automobiles. It amazes me how they keep trying to give us stuff we don't want (FM news, electric cars, healthy school lunches, green energy, etc.) and deny us things we want (Country on FM, cheap gas, and good tasting school lunches). What is wrong with this country??

Bob, perhaps you can invent a time machine and go back to November 25, 1955.

 

[Jersey Maiden]

Now that is what the folks at Merlin and others are actually trying to change, because radio, with its free and easy to receive signals, is the one instant medium that can be almost universally available in real time, all the time. It is important for all of us, young and old, to keep up with meaningful current news concerning what is happening in the world around us that may have consequences for us as individuals or for the larger society in which we all live.

That will be an uphill battle. Radio listeners, young and old, tend to be set in their ways. Of the people I know, spoken word fans rarely, if ever listen to music and vice versa. But I don't think having more news outlets necessarily means a more informed public. I'm a big skeptic of 24 hour news (must be from watching too much Comedy Central). Granted, the cable stations are worse at this but I've heard sensationalized stories on the radio during slow periods.

As a former major market and national radio network news anchor (news snob) who spends a couple of hours most days watching or listening to BBC news, I certainly haven't been personally attracted to the way news was presented by Merlin, but I give them all the credit in the world for trying something new, to bring news to a different audience which often doesn't pay the kind of attention it should to important matters. And if it had to do some "entertainment" stories to get younger women to tune in, so be it. Young women have been known to have all kinds of positive reactions to gifts of chocolate.

Many of my friends use smartphone apps (CNN, New York Times) to keep up with the news. They also like Stewart and Colbert but I never asked them what real TV news programs they watch. For those who want to stay informed, there's no shortage of resources whether or not news exists on FM. And I know quite a few men who are chocolate geeks. However, I do give Randy Michaels credit (grudgingly) for trying something different in one of the most risk-averse industries on the planet.

It seems the Merlin folks are in it for the long haul, and hopefully they will evolve to a format that appeals to a large enough audience. For all concerned, let's hope that happens sooner rather than later.

Sorry but as rock fan, I have a different kind of hope.

 

[TimeIsTight]

Many of my friends use smartphone apps (CNN, New York Times) to keep up with the news. They also like Stewart and Colbert but I never asked them what real TV news programs they watch. For those who want to stay informed, there's no shortage of resources whether or not news exists on FM. A

Smartphone apps and news websites are great ways to keep in touch, but you can't (or really shouldn't) check them when you are driving, working around the house, working out at the gym or otherwise being active, but these are times when radio works very well.

Stewart and Colbert really do help lots of younger folks to be aware of news topics, but they are like ice cream or pop corn when there are times you should be eating your vegetables to really get the nutrition you need.

From a "need to know" perspective, what can be missing from self selecting news stories on the web, or letting Comedy Central choose the topics you will be informed about based on comedic value, and not news value, are the truly "nutritional" news stories you need to know.

Traditional newspapers give us the daily "front page news" and traditional TV nightly newscasts have always tried to give us 22-minutes of the most important stories of the day, and news radio has tried to keep us up to date with the latest news up to the minute, or certainly the latest hour. Part of the process is having a professional editorial staff sort through the day's news and give you what, in their well informed professional opinion, is most important. And then you should supplement a little with your own web research etc. It just helps to have a well informed guide with real expertise and lots of resources for finding out "what's happening."

Hopefully, news radio can continue to be part of the informative mix, even for the younger generations. There is no doubt all news will stay on FM, and there likely will be more FM news stations. I know you would say ....

Sorry but as rock fan, I have a different kind of hope.

. As a former drivetime rock jock (in my life before news and shorter haircuts), let me say I hear you loud and clear and can only hope there is room on the FM dial for both formats. We all need to eat our peas and broccoli, but what would life be without things like ice cream, pizza and rock and roll?

 

[SonoSational18]

There are several format holes in NY, including some spoken word options. The #3 (or #4 if you count WBBR) news station, especially when you sound like a college radio station, isn't one of them. Randy should look to what he did with WLW Cincinnai and WFLA in Tampa... build a good sounding news/talk station around strong local personalities and add some show-biz elements and make it sound larger than life. Then make a strong play for one of the big sports franchises to drive cume. WABC and WOR are both vulnerable.

 

[Jersey Maiden]

Stewart and Colbert really do help lots of younger folks to be aware of news topics, but they are like ice cream or pop corn when there are times you should be eating your vegetables to really get the nutrition you need.

From a "need to know" perspective, what can be missing from self selecting news stories on the web, or letting Comedy Central choose the topics you will be informed about based on comedic value, and not news value, are the truly "nutritional" news stories you need to know.

Self-selection is also a huge problem with real news on cable (although I agree that the web makes the problem worse). Stewart and Colbert do a great service by calling out the mistakes of "real" journalists, particularly the partisan hacks on MSNBC and Fox. Someone needs to make the Olbermanns and Hannitys of the world think twice about what the say (or at the very least, make their lives more difficult). But if you still think of Stewart and Colbert as junk food, then I would argue that they are Mom's cookies made from scratch and love while CNN, Fox and MSNBC are processed Twinkies and Ding Dongs. Now some food for thought, do you think that Comedy Central breeds cynicism of real news among younger folks? Or do the bad apples of the industry already spoil the whole bunch in their eyes?

Traditional newspapers give us the daily "front page news" and traditional TV nightly newscasts have always tried to give us 22-minutes of the most important stories of the day, and news radio has tried to keep us up to date with the latest news up to the minute, or certainly the latest hour. Part of the process is having a professional editorial staff sort through the day's news and give you what, in their well informed professional opinion, is most important. And then you should supplement a little with your own web research etc. It just helps to have a well informed guide with real expertise and lots of resources for finding out "what's happening."

Whether one reads a newspaper article as a hard copy or online, the value isn't diminished either way. Nightly news is a tradition in my house and I wish didn't have to choose between Diane Sawyer and Stephen Colbert when I'm eating dinner. But journalism for the most part is a business and because of that, they don't always pick stories with "nutritional" value. Fox would probably go broke if they actually told us what we needed to know. That's not to say professional opinions aren't important. I find the trend of "citizen journalism" a bit disturbing. An average Joe putting up a Youtube video of their government's atrocities is important but the trend also opens the door for hacks like James O'Keefe. If everyone could be a journalist, what's the point of going to school to be one?

 

[Jersey Maiden]

Stewart and Colbert really do help lots of younger folks to be aware of news topics, but they are like ice cream or pop corn when there are times you should be eating your vegetables to really get the nutrition you need.

From a "need to know" perspective, what can be missing from self selecting news stories on the web, or letting Comedy Central choose the topics you will be informed about based on comedic value, and not news value, are the truly "nutritional" news stories you need to know.

Self-selection is also a huge problem with traditional sources, particularly cable TV (although I agree that the web makes the problem worse). Stewart and Colbert do a great service by calling out the mistakes of "real" journalists, particularly the partisan hacks on MSNBC and Fox. Someone needs to make the Olbermanns and Hannitys of the world think twice about what the say (or at the very least, make their lives more difficult). But if you still think of Stewart and Colbert as junk food, then I would argue that they are Mom's cookies made from scratch and love while CNN, Fox and MSNBC are processed Twinkies and Ding Dongs. Now some food for thought, do you think that Comedy Central breeds cynicism of real news among younger folks? Or do the bad apples of the industry already spoil the whole bunch in their eyes?

Traditional newspapers give us the daily "front page news" and traditional TV nightly newscasts have always tried to give us 22-minutes of the most important stories of the day, and news radio has tried to keep us up to date with the latest news up to the minute, or certainly the latest hour. Part of the process is having a professional editorial staff sort through the day's news and give you what, in their well informed professional opinion, is most important. And then you should supplement a little with your own web research etc. It just helps to have a well informed guide with real expertise and lots of resources for finding out "what's happening."

Whether one reads a newspaper article as a hard copy or online, the value isn't diminished either way. Nightly news is a tradition in my house and I wish didn't have to choose between Diane Sawyer and Stephen Colbert when I'm eating dinner. But journalism for the most part is a business and because of that, they don't always pick stories with "nutritional" value. Fox would probably go broke if they actually told us what we needed to know. That's not to say professional opinions aren't important. I find the trend of "citizen journalism" a bit disturbing. An average Joe putting up a Youtube video of their government's atrocities is important but the trend also opens the door for hacks like James O'Keefe. If everyone could be a journalist, what's the point of going to school to be one?

 

[TimeIsTight]

do you think that Comedy Central breeds cynicism of real news among younger folks? Or do the bad apples of the industry already spoil the whole bunch in their eyes?

While I surely wouldn't go as far as your suggestion

if you still think of Stewart and Colbert as junk food, then I would argue that they are Mom's cookies made from scratch and love while CNN, Fox and MSNBC are processed Twinkies and Ding Dongs.

I do think that Stewart and Colbert are acting as excellent "appetizers" since they are introducing younger viewers to the news topics of the day, and, hopefully, some of them will look to find out more from more traditional news sources. And at the very least, all the viewers have some awareness of what is happening in the world at large. So, it may not be "cookies made from scratch, with love," but it is still a positive effort.

I also think that breeding a certain level of cynicism is a good thing too. That's as long as that cynicism is more like the opposite of naivety, and doesn't lead to a world view that is always jaded and apathetic. With so many news and information sources, and unfortunately, some with agendas other than factual news reporting, a level of skepticism and questioning is needed to wade through the noise and confusion. So helping to create new news consumers who have that level of skepticism and who seek out balance and truth in their sources will help produce a better informed citizenry. Even if those younger folks don't always find the time to use those skills now, they will have them when they need them.

Certainly your very well thought out and impressively written response is an indication that you "get it" and hopefully you are far from alone among the younger generations. Enjoy the homemade cookies while you can, sooner or later something will happen and reality will force you to regularly seek out more nutritious fare, and when that happens you will have the news interpretation skills to make the most of it.