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Per All-Access - Saga Donates Ohio FM As Part Of Columbus Move-In

T

TheVibe

Guest
Saga Donates Ohio FM As Part Of Columbus Move-In. Does anyone know what the deal is with this transaction?
 
They are paying off WPAY in Portsmouth (on 104.1) to downgrade so that 104.3 can be moved into the center of the metro.
 
Donated
SAGA COMMUNICATIONS (as FRANKLIN COMMUNICATIONS, INC.) donates Classic Hits WQEL (Q92.7)/BUCYRUS, OH to BIBLE BROADCASTING NETWORK, INC.

The move is part of a station shuffle by SAGA that will result in WQEL moving to RICHWOOD, OH to replace Jazz WJZK, which is moving from RICHWOOD to GRANDVIEW HEIGHTS, OH, deeper into the COLUMBUS market. SAGA needs to spin off WQEL to comply with the multiple ownership rule in the COLUMBUS market.
 
Time to file a petition-to-deny. I love how the larger broadcasting companies can reduce their commercial competition in a market by donating a commercial station to a non-profit.

The solution is to put the station up for auction with the proceeds going to Saga. That's more than fair.
 
With the new laxing of the City of license changes rules, this one should go thru in no time, wonder if WPAYed off radio downgrade will help 103.9 any? if WPAY is no longer at 100kw (I read elsewhere they plan to downgrade to 35kw) wont that help Talk-FM possibly make pattern changes to attempt improvement in their rim-shot signal?

With 104.3 planning to move to Grandview heights, will Saga keep smooth jazz on both frequencies? or finally split up the 103.5/104.3 combo?
 
I dont know this for certain...however, I see North American and Saga doing a swapperoo for 103.9 and 103.5. If Saga paid as much as is rumored, it wasnt to only move 104.3 to town. I see them trading off WJZA Pickerington to North American in exchange for the 103.9 frequency in ever affluent Westerville where the Smooth Jazz station can really make a dent with Delaware county.

Just my thoughts but....

SAGA will end up with WJZA @ 103.9 (increased to 5,300 watts)
and have the nice stick in Grandview Hts. WJZK @ 104.3

They will then hand over the transmitter keys to NORTH AMERICAN
so TALK FM - WTDA can move to a new location @ 103.5

This would shorten the channel spacing between the two Smooth Jazz stations and ofcourse elminate the "SMOOTH JAZZ SANDWICH" in Columbus which has needed to be done for quite some time.
 
kentuckymedia said:
I see them trading off WJZA Pickerington to North American in exchange for the 103.9 frequency in ever affluent Westerville where the Smooth Jazz station can really make a dent with Delaware county.

Doesn't this also allow 103.9 to move farther south? Downtown maybe? Or would that be too close to 103.5? I remember WPAY was holding that back as well. I agree about the "Smooth Jazz Sandwich". It needs to be resolved.
 
Not quite downtown, however on a transmitter at the southernmost edge of Westerville. I think its actually around the Cleveland and Morse road intersections. This will be a great advantage for Saga! I also believe if im not mistaken, 103.5 will be able to up its wattage a whole 300 watts. This will help TALK FM get in those nooks and crannies around Lane Avenue
 
The question remaining....

WHO WILL BUY WBCO?

Last I heard that Coshocton Broadcasting was talking with suits on the Bucyrus station(s). Could this mean a new CP eventually being granted to cover Crawford County?
 
Don't forget that there is a co-channel over in the Dayton area that will also place some limitations on how far 103.9 could move to the south or southwest.
 
Last I heard, Saga was supposedly making some deals with Clear Channel in Dayton. Maybe to move WXEG to 94.5.

This would allow them to reallocate 103.9 signal from Beavercreek to Kettering and lower it to 500 watts. It would then by purchased by K-Love to suppliment the Troy signal they own.
 
kentuckymedia said:
Last I heard, Saga was supposedly making some deals with Clear Channel in Dayton. Maybe to move WXEG to 94.5.

This would allow them to reallocate 103.9 signal from Beavercreek to Kettering and lower it to 500 watts. It would then by purchased by K-Love to suppliment the Troy signal they own.

IMO that would not be a very smart move. 103.9 gets better coverage north of Dayton than 94.5 does (even with their increased power) Plus with 94.7 running IBOC, 94.5 fades just east of Springfield on I-70. It might be a better move to sell 94.5 to EMF, assuming they are considering doing so.
 
TheVibe said:
Donated
SAGA COMMUNICATIONS (as FRANKLIN COMMUNICATIONS, INC.) donates Classic Hits WQEL (Q92.7)/BUCYRUS, OH to BIBLE BROADCASTING NETWORK, INC.

The move is part of a station shuffle by SAGA that will result in WQEL moving to RICHWOOD, OH to replace Jazz WJZK, which is moving from RICHWOOD to GRANDVIEW HEIGHTS, OH, deeper into the COLUMBUS market. SAGA needs to spin off WQEL to comply with the multiple ownership rule in the COLUMBUS market.

So this station shuffle, if approved by the FCC, would add another viable rim-shooter into this market on 92.7 FM??
 
gabigley1 said:
TheVibe said:
Donated
SAGA COMMUNICATIONS (as FRANKLIN COMMUNICATIONS, INC.) donates Classic Hits WQEL (Q92.7)/BUCYRUS, OH to BIBLE BROADCASTING NETWORK, INC.

The move is part of a station shuffle by SAGA that will result in WQEL moving to RICHWOOD, OH to replace Jazz WJZK, which is moving from RICHWOOD to GRANDVIEW HEIGHTS, OH, deeper into the COLUMBUS market. SAGA needs to spin off WQEL to comply with the multiple ownership rule in the COLUMBUS market.

So this station shuffle, if approved by the FCC, would add another viable rim-shooter into this market on 92.7 FM??

I'm going to guess the answer is no to that one. They are going to have the same problem with that signal that 103.1 in Johnstown has ...... 92.9 in Dayton is 50,000 watts and I bet it causes similar limitations on 92.7 in Richwood.
 
gabigley1 said:
So this station shuffle, if approved by the FCC, would add another viable rim-shooter into this market on 92.7 FM??

92.7 wont play a role in this market, the big gain is for Saga and the move of 104.3 into columbus which will provide it with better coverage in Columbus.
 
Click here for the full COLUMBUS DISPATCH story:

http://www.dispatch.com/features-story.php?story=dispatch/2007/02/07/20070207-B7-01.html

RADIO
Smooth - jazz station might move
Wednesday, February 07, 2007

Smooth - jazz station might move

WSNY (94.7 FM) owner Saga Communications is continuing with its plan to move one of the station’s siblings — smooth-jazz WJZK (104.3 FM) — from Richwood to Grandview Heights.

Saga recently donated classic-hits WQEL (92.7 FM) of Bucyrus to the Bible Broadcasting Network to comply with multiple-ownership rules in the Columbus market.
 
The move is part of a station shuffle by SAGA that will result in WQEL moving to RICHWOOD, OH to replace Jazz WJZK, which is moving from RICHWOOD to GRANDVIEW HEIGHTS, OH, deeper into the COLUMBUS market. SAGA needs to spin off WQEL to comply with the multiple ownership rule in the COLUMBUS market.

Hasn't anyone questioned this? Why would Saga need to sell WQEL to comply with the multiple ownership rule in the Columbus market? A Bucyrus station with a 3 KW signal??? Even if they move it to Richwood, the xmtr site specified on the application is not the same as WJZK. It is just west of Marion, so it would essentially be a Marion station with 6 KW, which is still not enough to be considered in the Columbus market.

In addition to that, Saga only has 4 FM signals in the Columbus market. Clear Channel has 4, soon to be 5. If they can have 5, why wouldn't Saga be able to have 5, especially since the Clear Channel signals are stronger and have a much larger share of the listening audience?

And why would Saga want to put the WJZK site in Galloway? Is there a site restriction that would keep them from going on the WBNS-TV tower? That would get the signal higher and more centrally located. There is a vacancy on the master FM antenna up there.
 
CatFM said:
And why would Saga want to put the WJZK site in Galloway? Is there a site restriction that would keep them from going on the WBNS-TV tower? That would get the signal higher and more centrally located. There is a vacancy on the master FM antenna up there.

WTDA probably has something to do with the Galloway location. Also, the ownership rule/donation thing caught me as odd when I first saw it.
 
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