Re: WCUL will probably be sold...
> >
> > Makes no sense whatsoever.
> >
>
> Probably makes lots of "cents" though - and dollars too. The
> station is vastly more valueable in Richmond than Orange -
> and although I don't know what it cost to get it to this
> point - they'll probably make more in the end - radio
> station speculation - now did they decide that this was the
> plan all along or did someone wake up and say - hey with
> this new station - our Richmond cluster is worth some bucks
> - let's sell!
>
A few corrections,one,MainQuad did not buy 98.9 and move it to Richmond,Tom Joyner did that (and this is NOT the Urban radio morning man,.this is an older man who at one time owned several stations in Virginia and other cities,including back the 70s and early 80s,95.3/WPVA,now K95)).Why he sold 98.
9, I don't know.But I do know he did sell his remaining stations last year announced his retirement.MainQuad brought the CP from Mr.Joyner AFTER he moved it.Also ,the staffers at the old WVGO did not have "15 minutes" notice.The station had never really had been as successful as the managment there had thought it would be.I think that Benchmark Corporate expected one thing(IE:Big Ratings and big profits) and the local partners expected something else.And the local managment was not able to deliver the profits and ratings that Benchmark expected.That is probably why Benchmark Corporate brought in a PD of thier choosing (over the objections of local managment) who changed WVGO's unsuccesful AAA format("unsuccesful" meaning that Benchmark probably expected ratings and profits on the level of a Lite 98) to a more Modern rock format,pushed out several staffers who he felt "didn't fit"(Eric,Mike,Meg,Page) and brought in Howard Stern (both of which I termed "Knee-jerk" reactions,and too little too late).But those moves did not help the station and (and Stern only netted 10th place in the 12 plus and about 4th place in men 18-25,which is not a exactly a "golden egg laying goose" in this market),plus Benchmark was experiencing financial problems from buying up stations like a drunken sailor (most of which they later sold to Capstar,who later were absorbed into Clear Channel).So,I think when Brown finally came in and blew the place up it wasn't that much of a surprise.I think the smart stsffers had known it was coming for months.