dumber than a box of hair said:
Why do they have to have "something in mind" for 97.7? Do we all remember why they bought 97.7 in the first place? Isn't it also possible they just want a bigger signal for WAAF in the metro area? I'd bet cash US money you're overthinking this.
Why? Because their present use of the frequency provides very little ROI. Given the ratings and listener distribution, there are much better things that they can do with what presently amounts to a wasted signal. WAAF comes in well enough in the city to get by - the addition of WKAF did very little for their ratings. As I said back when the deal was consummated, most of WAAF's listeners are suburban anyhow and did just fine with 107.3. In fact, they did even better when 107.3 was on the Paxton stick, but that's a debate for a different thread.
There's no real "hole" in the 107.3 signal for 97.7 to fill. Yeah, like all non-Pru sticks, they have issues downtown. Basically, that's the ONLY gap being filled with 97.7. So they have spent an awful lot of money to add, what, 10,000 listeners? Perhaps less?
Ask yourself this: what does a 40% power increase do for the WAAF simulcast? From what I can tell, almost nothing. However, making 97.7 into a third FM signal for Entercom in a signal-starved market would bring great value to Entercom.
dumber than a box of hair said:
And just like LA Guy before you, you think that all one has to do is put a competing non-music format on FM and it's an automatic winner. News flash: It doesn't work that way. 98.5 leaves the starting gate with no content, no Red Sox, no Celtics, no Patriots Monday or Friday (which WEEI retains). If they are able to overtake WEEI, it's going to take time (and I'm not talking about the initial sampling of the NKOTB, but rather long-term ratings success), and it's not going to be determined by radio geeks posting on a message board either.
Where do I begin here? For one thing, Patriots Monday and Friday aren't nearly as important as having the Patriots themselves as a cornerstone to a new station. Secondly, by having the rights to the Patriots, CBS/WBZ-FM has preferred access to all facets of the organization. You don't think they'll build one heck of a strong talk radio franchise from that opportunity? Especially given that they've already staffed their station with names familiar to Bostonians? Come on, drop that Entercom Kool-Aid glass and drop it now.
As for your comment about "no Celtics" - yeah, so? And WEEI has no Pats or Bruins. The Celts aren't much of a draw on the radio. However, The Hub can do as effective a job talking about them as WEEI can do talking about the B's.
With regard to it taking time to overcome WEEI in the ratings, that's true. But it might not take as long as you think. WEEI's ratings have been sagging of late. With the Red Sox season drawing to a close and the Pats' season starting, The Hub will get a lot of sampling.
And, need I really bring up the AM versus FM thing. Because it's huge and you're ignoring it. Let's just say I'd be more inclined to agree with you if both stations were on FM sticks. But they're not. WEEI is on a stick that pushes half of it's juice out to the lonely fishermen on the Grand Banks at night. And, long nights are coming soon. If you live in most of Middlesex County, southern NH or metro west, 850 is a dx signal for you at night. You have noise and fading.
For a company SO worried about office listening as to waste an entire FM signal (WKAF) on a few potential listeners in downtown Boston, to ignore the same issue (no reception inside downtown buildings) for their most valuable franchise is madness. Meanwhile, 98.5 is one of Boston's cleanest FM frequencies. Great coverage throughout the entire market and beyond. Stereo versus hets, splatter and electrical interference every time someone runs the garbage disposal. Which would the average NON-radio geek choose?
Research indicates they go with FM - hands down. Anyhow, in answer to your question, that's why.
