Oldies/Classic Hits station in Austin going away

[beaun]

Sounds like Tater is suggesting UT and maybe Univision or Entercom made an offer to Border's Trust for the station and UT ended up winning. CC and Emmis would likely be capped unless they spun one off, and with KISS and BOB FM being #1 and #2 those would be doubtful.

If true, Austin may get more interesting which will make some people on this board happy. ;D

Commence armchair quarterbacking.

 

[Pete Pyeatt]

I think Tater wishes this would happen, but it's not.

Austin radio has gotten so bad, people are resorting to make believe.

 

[Anonymouse]

In what way would this piece of information be stirring the pot? 98.9 has posed neither a ratings nor a financial threat to any group or station. That's not a knock, just a fact. As is the info. The deal is done.

LOL at your display name, "Dick Tater". You are not a dictator. Can you at least be more original than your silly spelling of the word "dictator"?

If this stuff is really true, I'd like to see some links / sources.

 

[intx]

So when will this alleged deal be announced?

 

[MisterRadio]

Yeah, until I see some documentation I say BS. My main issue with this story is the place on the dial. I don't think UT would really be interesting on getting into the commercial band. They could I guess. Maybe it's really the athletics department who is buying it. They have all the money anyways. They could be planning on taking the Longhorn Sports Contract away from KVET.

 

[mmnassour]

UT doesn't want it, UT doesn't need it. UT has many, many more things to do with its money than throw it down a FM rathole. Yes, UT has a lot of money, but every single dollar is either tied up in trusts or foundations, or is already promised to someone else. And that includes those athletic department funds. UT just went through a mess with the regents when Perry forced them to promise not to raise tuition. And someone here thinks UT will now pay for a radio station? The political fallout in the Legislature would be all guns blazing.

The only way UT would be involved in this little fairy tale is if the station were a gift.

And such things have been done before.

Otherwise, b.s.

Hey, made for a cool thread, though! ;D

 

[willdav713]

Maybe I should call up BMP and ask them, 98.9's format is not going away, right?

I hope not. My Panasonic DVD recorder died on me last week, along with my living room TV a couple of months ago. I mostly listen to KXBT, KLBJ, and KBPA's 9 @ 9 if it is a good year in music like 1991, 1992, some 80s, or the 70s.

Andi McKay was just hired, Tom Kent was recently launched. Why would BMP hire and then fire them, I am sure Tom Kent has a programming contract with BMP. Those are usally 1 year length.

Until I get a credible source, like the others I call this post, B.S.

I can't count how many car stereos I hear at gas stations and street corners tune to 98.9 during Tom Kent.

U.T. would buy 92.5 before they would 98.9.

Oh and KVET will be Jammin 98.1 all day commercial free, too ;D

 

[yeahIwasinradio]

I'm not here to back anyone up, but one of 98.9's advertisers is telling everyone they are getting sold and flipping formats.

 

[captex]

it's time to turn on the ipod and forget about the radio. koke-fm,the hawk, 98.9, z 102, the old kvet back then.

 

[captex]

larry patrick communications is the trustee of the border media stations and simmons and others. they just sold border media stations in laredo and rio grande valley. to the same company mbm revolution-roberto gonzles.

 

[saradio1]

larry patrick communications is the trustee of the border media stations and simmons and others. they just sold border media stations in laredo and rio grande valley. to the same company mbm revolution-roberto gonzles.

Keep in mind, they were sold as a cluster.

And believe all BMP stations in Austin and San Antonio will be sold as cluster and not individually.

 

[LibertyNT]

Id just say it wouldn't make sense to kill a potential money maker, to a format that attracts next to no advertisers.
Think Classic Hits attracts 54+? Classical attracts the dead (and offices).
That's where I'd call B.S.

 

[Ryan Williams]

Id just say it wouldn't make sense to kill a potential money maker, to a format that attracts next to no advertisers.

Well, if KUT was the acquirer it wouldn't be attracting "advertisers". It would be run in a listener-supported manner.

 

[daypart]

Well, if KUT was the acquirer it wouldn't be attracting "advertisers". It would be run in a listener-supported manner.

Exactly. That's a format that the well-heeled 54+ are listening to... and supporting with big checks.

 

[Kent]

Well, if KUT was the acquirer it wouldn't be attracting "advertisers". It would be run in a listener-supported manner.

Not necessarily. While I can't speak for KUT, most of your non-comms have advertisers and a fairly aggressive sales force. They just sell "underwriting announcements" and sponsorships. Underwriting announcements are essentially commercials minus an "action item." There are also restrictions on comparing the underwriter to other businesses and announcing prices.

 

[Kent]

Maybe I should call up BMP and ask them, 98.9's format is not going away, right?

I hope you're not serious! They'd just tell you what they thought you wanted to hear.

Andi McKay was just hired, Tom Kent was recently launched. Why would BMP hire and then fire them, I am sure Tom Kent has a programming contract with BMP. Those are usally 1 year length.

Happens all-the-time. Most likely, whoever hired Andi and signed the Tom Kent deal wouldn't have had any knowledge of any pending sale. Programming staff is almost always the last to know when a format flip happens. Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying it's happening. I'm just pointing out these recent deals don't mean anything with regards to the station's longevity. By the way, most radio programming contracts are for three years, not one, though I can't be sure on the Tom Kent deals as I've never worked at a station affiliated with his group.

U.T. would buy 92.5 before they would 98.9.

Highly unlikely. UT would want the biggest and best signal it could get, and that's 98.9, not 92.5!

 

[Kent]

Keep in mind, they were sold as a cluster.

Not entirely true. The Nuevo Laredo station Border had an LMA for wasn't transferred, and that's why you saw Digital 107.3 replace The Works at 94.9.

And believe all BMP stations in Austin and San Antonio will be sold as cluster and not individually.

I'm sure that's what Border Media would prefer. However, I have a hard time thinking of a single buyer who would want that entire San Antonio cluster. Actually, I can think of a few who would want it, but they probably couldn't meet Border's price!

 

[metroneck]

Border Media is a bankrupt debtor in possession is my understanding for the past several years. When they had me do some engineering work for 98.9 The Big Talker, I got to know the GM at the time (I think his name is...ummmm...Jerry Del something) Anyway, he was pretty loose lipped, bc he had just been fired and told me it was a blessing, bc the stations are really in control of the lien holder. 98.9 flipped just recently to this oldies format from FM Talk. Anyway, assuming what he told me was accurate, the entire Austin cluster has been on the auction block for quite a while, and it makes sense if it finally sold. If UT bought it, then UT bought it. I agree, in 99% of university stations, they are not in the commercial spectrum, and I'd venture to guess that whomever bought it, bought the entire junky cluster. 98.9 was Latino just a few years ago, then FM Talk, then oldies. I think it's had 3 format in 4 years. This is not surprising at all.

 

[intx]

Short of someone new entering the market, the only real options to buy the entire BMP Austin cluster would be Entercom and Univision, correct? CC and Emmis are maxed out.

 

[Ryan Williams]

Short of someone new entering the market, the only real options to buy the entire BMP Austin cluster would be Entercom and Univision, correct? CC and Emmis are maxed out.

That's essentially correct, but for either Entercom or Univision, one FM would need to be divested. That station would most likely be 104.9 for Entercom (if the 92.5 CP is ever granted) and either 104.9 or 107.7 for Univision.