It will be a full-time ESPN radio affiliate. They already have the Sabres game, similar to what they had last year. Entercom has a full-time radio affiliate in Buffalo, not sure the channel, but perhaps there will be some of those programs on during the day?
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Rumor Mill: WROC-AM Dumping Progressive Talk?
- Thread starter dampier
- Start date
J
JustPastBuffalo
Guest
Sports it appears to be. 1280 WHTK and The New Sports Radio 950 battling it out for... a 1 share? That's certainly compelling!
Maybe sports is an easier sell on the street than progressive talk. Perhaps Entercom will sell block time to guys who want to cover high school sports. Maybe Sports Radio 950 will broadcast high school and/or college games that might attract 67 more listeners than the station already has.
Maybe they've traded a snake for a scorpion.
Sports radio works best when it's attached to local events and (local) major league sports. WGR makes it work because (or in spite of) the Bills and Sabres, major league franchises. Not to be condescending, but does Rochester have teams that incite and inspire such passion? Will fans and listeners call to rant about the 'Wings and Amerks? Will those teams be part of the line-up, or will the New Sports Radio 950 run on life support out of a small studio at the end of the corrider and be nothing more than a repeater for WGR and the "controversy of the day."
WGR has a strong daytime signal that penetrates Rochester, but like AM 950 doesn't reach or cover the Rochester market at night.
Maybe sports is an easier sell on the street than progressive talk. Perhaps Entercom will sell block time to guys who want to cover high school sports. Maybe Sports Radio 950 will broadcast high school and/or college games that might attract 67 more listeners than the station already has.
Maybe they've traded a snake for a scorpion.
Sports radio works best when it's attached to local events and (local) major league sports. WGR makes it work because (or in spite of) the Bills and Sabres, major league franchises. Not to be condescending, but does Rochester have teams that incite and inspire such passion? Will fans and listeners call to rant about the 'Wings and Amerks? Will those teams be part of the line-up, or will the New Sports Radio 950 run on life support out of a small studio at the end of the corrider and be nothing more than a repeater for WGR and the "controversy of the day."
WGR has a strong daytime signal that penetrates Rochester, but like AM 950 doesn't reach or cover the Rochester market at night.
cee said:
Other than ESPN's Mike and Mike from 6 to 9 a.m. (they cut off the last hour) and some weekend and live sports PBP, they carry Fox Sports after 7 pm. John DiTullio is local 9 to noon, then there's Jim Rome noon to 3 and the Mike O'Meara (formerly Don and Mike) 3 to 7.
The biggest impact on WHTK would be Mike and Mike.
JustPastBuffalo said:
WYSL has done a great job carrying local college sports, but there's not enough air time there for what could be carried. For RIT's first two years at D-I in hockey, we simulcast on WYSL and WITR. The athletic department decided not to keep doing it because about 2/3 of our games were carried on tape delay while WYSL's previous commitments to things like women's D-III basketball pre-empted us. It didn't seem to make much sense to those making the decision to spend the money for delayed sportscasts at 11 pm. If all of our broadcasts, or at least most, had been carried live on WYSL, we almost certainly would have continued the simulcast.
So there's some money to be made in carrying college sports and -- it seems -- more demand from colleges than supply from stations.
It's remarkable the things you learn on this board. Ed, thanks for the update - we were told noncontinuance of RIT hockey broadcasts was a budgetary issue. Thanks also for the compliment about WYSL college sports programming. We enjoyed D1 hockey on WYSL but contractual commitments are contractual commitments, which of course we honor.
FWIW - ESPN has been looking for a fulltime Rochester affiliate for years. They've been calling us every 60 days since AP All News Radio went away in July 2005. Their affiliate rep has been salivating about our 1220 project, but of course the timeline is way out of kilter with their needs. WHTK uses ESPN as a supplemental affiliation - because of corporate "vertical integration" FOX Sports is their priority, which ticks off ESPN.
With WROC's pre-existing Sabres relationship I think ESPN makes sense. I also understand that the lefty-talk products on the station have been fraught with technical problems, missing local break closures and so forth, giving rise to the unattended-operation on-air train wrecks which have been noted on this board. I would suspect that Entercom has wearied of the constant technical problems and financial uncertainties of AA, not to mention controversies concerning on-air hosts, and is opting for a professionally-done format reliably delivered by a stable company (in this instance, Disney.)
FWIW - ESPN has been looking for a fulltime Rochester affiliate for years. They've been calling us every 60 days since AP All News Radio went away in July 2005. Their affiliate rep has been salivating about our 1220 project, but of course the timeline is way out of kilter with their needs. WHTK uses ESPN as a supplemental affiliation - because of corporate "vertical integration" FOX Sports is their priority, which ticks off ESPN.
With WROC's pre-existing Sabres relationship I think ESPN makes sense. I also understand that the lefty-talk products on the station have been fraught with technical problems, missing local break closures and so forth, giving rise to the unattended-operation on-air train wrecks which have been noted on this board. I would suspect that Entercom has wearied of the constant technical problems and financial uncertainties of AA, not to mention controversies concerning on-air hosts, and is opting for a professionally-done format reliably delivered by a stable company (in this instance, Disney.)
I kind of liked having the delay on WYSL myself. We could catch the pregame as we left the arena or catch the post game after a bite to eat.
Once while we were in Erie, PA, we got back to the hotel and listened to what had been a wild third period and the post game show via WYSL's streaming audio.
So ... budgetary considerations were the issue, albeit indirectly. The delay was sort of a bang-for-the-buck issue. And I don't think the school was geared up to line up sponsors; there was a lot of inventory left unsold even with only around 25 minutes total during a three-hour broadcast.
One other factor in the decision on simulcasting was the Atlantic Hockey Association's affiliation with B2 Networks. We had live video streaming with our audio for all home and most road games and the school got a significant chunk of each subscriber.
Once while we were in Erie, PA, we got back to the hotel and listened to what had been a wild third period and the post game show via WYSL's streaming audio.
So ... budgetary considerations were the issue, albeit indirectly. The delay was sort of a bang-for-the-buck issue. And I don't think the school was geared up to line up sponsors; there was a lot of inventory left unsold even with only around 25 minutes total during a three-hour broadcast.
One other factor in the decision on simulcasting was the Atlantic Hockey Association's affiliation with B2 Networks. We had live video streaming with our audio for all home and most road games and the school got a significant chunk of each subscriber.
I'm not hearing that many tech flubs like I used to and I'm not sure it's Air America's fault. Running the traffic bed, with no traffic report, is obviously an in-house problem. Also, their 2 best shows(IMHO), Stephanie Miller and Ed Schultz, are from the now former Jones Radio.
5kw AM 990 already tried All Sports over a decade back and IIRC, they were getting a consistent zero or close to zero in the ratings. Since dropping WEZO/AM Only(nostalgia) from AM 950, Entercom has bombed with an Oldies simulcast of the former 93.3/BBF, Right Wing Talk, Left Wing Talk and coming soon -- All Sports. AM + automated talk = failure.
cee said:
Entercom's local management could care less what they air on 950, which is the reason they choose sports. It's a format where they don't need live announcers; just push a few buttons and let the automation run everything. WROC-AM would have been better off either being sold or just going dark. Ratings-wise, the radio station in Warsaw might have a better book than WROC-AM.
Entercom is too busy concentrating on their money-makers: WBEE and WBZA.
rochnewsman said:
Pill Press said on the air today that Entercom is 'THINKING' of dropping Progressive
Talk on WROC but his posing on http://www.billpressmedia.com seems to indicate
that its a done deal:
Bill’s final thought from his trip to Rochester
By Dan | July 28, 2008
Greetings from Rochester, New York: a great town full of wonderful people.
(QUOTE)
Unfortunately, the people of Rochester are about to get screwed. The big radio network Entercom, owner of WROC, Rochester’s progressive talk station, has announced plans to shut down all progressive talk in Rochester after Labor Day – and switch to sports.
That means no more Bill Press, no more Stephanie Miller, no more Ed Schultz, Thom Hartmann or Randi Rhodes.
Instead, the people of Rochester will be bombarded every day with 30 hours of right-wing talk – and zero hours of progressive talk.
And the same thing has happened in San Diego, Akron, Sacramento, New Orleans, and other cities across the land.
Make no mistake about it. This is no accident. These corporate conservatives are shutting down progressive talk now, just before the election, because they don’t want people to hear the truth about John McCain and George W. Bush.
It’s important that people in Rochester and everywhere else in the country get mad as hell, fight back, take on the corporate media, and demand that they keep progressive radio on the air.
Talk radio is too important to leave it all to the right-wingers.
-Bill Press
(QUOTE)
Memo to Bill Press: this is a FORMAT SWITCH. NOT a right-wing conspiracy. Check the radio industry. Format changes happen all the time.
It's just another whine from the left because AA and DN and the various Jones offerings are stiffing in the marketplace.
From what I've heard CC just about gave a bunch of their AMs to AA to help launch left-talk. Result? AA goes banko in short order with their management under suspicion for unethical fiscal practices.
It's ironic for Mr. Press to make this statement, from the segment of the political spectrum whch wants to shut down conservative opinion on the radio via a revived "Fairness Doctrine." (Itself a name rich in irony, like the fascist regimes which always include descriptions like "peoples' democratic republic of free something or other state" to name their terroristic repressive governments.)
It's just another whine from the left because AA and DN and the various Jones offerings are stiffing in the marketplace.
From what I've heard CC just about gave a bunch of their AMs to AA to help launch left-talk. Result? AA goes banko in short order with their management under suspicion for unethical fiscal practices.
It's ironic for Mr. Press to make this statement, from the segment of the political spectrum whch wants to shut down conservative opinion on the radio via a revived "Fairness Doctrine." (Itself a name rich in irony, like the fascist regimes which always include descriptions like "peoples' democratic republic of free something or other state" to name their terroristic repressive governments.)
A
alw
Guest
O'Boy......now it starts!
Press Tour
I started to reply to the Press quote, but thought better of it because I knew it would just bring out a firestorm of "progressive(?)" response.
Where Press sees a vast right-wing conspiracy, I see a half-vast right wing conspiracy...
alw said:
I started to reply to the Press quote, but thought better of it because I knew it would just bring out a firestorm of "progressive(?)" response.
Where Press sees a vast right-wing conspiracy, I see a half-vast right wing conspiracy...
Re: Press Tour
Personally I like chicken wings, with mild BBQ sauce on them.
SirRoxalot said:
Personally I like chicken wings, with mild BBQ sauce on them.
Moot Point?
Seems like Mr. Savage is looking to sharpen his forensics skills this afternoon. He's apparently decided to open the moot court.
Seems like Mr. Savage is looking to sharpen his forensics skills this afternoon. He's apparently decided to open the moot court.
A
alw
Guest
Bob:
I have nothing but respect for you....since the olden days of Stonehenge.....and Bob Savage on KB. (there's the love!)
But I have listener (read: reader) fatigue with this conversation.
I don't know if there is a VAST left-wing or VAST right-wing conspiracy, but I do think there should be room enough for both sides to be heard on radio.
I understand that Prog Talk on ROC was not bringing in much money....but presumably a second sports station in Rochester won't be a ratings bonanza either.
Back handed shots at all "Liberals" is a tad over the top in the context of this thread.
My 2cents for what its worth.....
alw
I have nothing but respect for you....since the olden days of Stonehenge.....and Bob Savage on KB. (there's the love!)
But I have listener (read: reader) fatigue with this conversation.
I don't know if there is a VAST left-wing or VAST right-wing conspiracy, but I do think there should be room enough for both sides to be heard on radio.
I understand that Prog Talk on ROC was not bringing in much money....but presumably a second sports station in Rochester won't be a ratings bonanza either.
Back handed shots at all "Liberals" is a tad over the top in the context of this thread.
My 2cents for what its worth.....
alw
What was the quote from "Slap Shot?"
I think it was: "just tryin' to capture the spirit of the thing." I note your criticism of the label. Seems like I've read similar shots at conservatives on this very board lately. Bill Press' choice of words comes to mind. You're correct in that the rhetoric should be more measured on both sides. I will personally volunteer to recite the Be Big Be A Builder "Pyramids Of Egypt" script ten times as either penance or community service, as you prefer, for my contribution.
FWIW, I believe passionately that there is no conspiracy on either the left or the right. That's just silly.
I also think both sides are reasonably represented by today's radio programming, and neither side should be trying to throttle the other's expression of their points of view. "Your two cents" is worth a helluva lot more than that to me.
I think it was: "just tryin' to capture the spirit of the thing." I note your criticism of the label. Seems like I've read similar shots at conservatives on this very board lately. Bill Press' choice of words comes to mind. You're correct in that the rhetoric should be more measured on both sides. I will personally volunteer to recite the Be Big Be A Builder "Pyramids Of Egypt" script ten times as either penance or community service, as you prefer, for my contribution.
FWIW, I believe passionately that there is no conspiracy on either the left or the right. That's just silly.
I also think both sides are reasonably represented by today's radio programming, and neither side should be trying to throttle the other's expression of their points of view. "Your two cents" is worth a helluva lot more than that to me.
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