SALE OF WRXP: FINALLY IN THE WORKS?

[ansky212]

The thing about country is that outside of NYC, advertisers clammor for it, because the artists are so co-operative. Wait until Chesney plays the Meadowlands stadium this summer. Advertisers will be all over that place. And Kenny gets no airplay in the city. I expect Kenny will do his contesting and promotions through the sports stations. If RXP is ESPN Radio by then, you'll see lots of Chesney there.

I already have my tickets to that concert. I'm sure WKMK will have a heavy presence there, despite their signal not being that great near the Meadowlands.

 

[danikayser84]

Yea... it's a shame NYC country fans have to get their country fix from stations like WKMK, WRWD and WDBY, all of which have rather weak signals in the NYC market... (further complicated because WBLS is on 107.5 while WRWD is on 107.3)

There is the market for country music in NYC, like how there's a market for urban AC here in Albany (but when it was tried in Albany, it failed because it was put on a paltry signal and nobody has picked it up since), just nobody has thought to put a country format on any station after the demise of WYNY... when WFAS moves in on 103.9, I'm thinking it should fill the country hole

 

[GSP163]

103.9 would never do well as a stand alone Country station with their Class A signal from the Bronx (when it moves there).....103.9's signal would cover mostly urban areas where Country does not attract listeners. Even Country on 105.9 wouldn't really work since they are only a B1......Therefore, County would only work if it was on a Class B that had full suburban coverage.

On a side note I always thought 99.1 WAWZ would be a great place for country....If you took 99.1 THEN simulcasted it on 103.9 it would be a great combo with good coverage of the suburbs and the city.....However, 99.1 would never be sold and who knows who will end up with 103.9.

 

[XCountry285]

What about WPAT-FM being sold or doing Rock? 101.9 doing Country with the WYNY calls. and giving WPAT-FM the calls of WNEW-FM again? or even WRKN-FM RocK of New York or WRNY-FM Rock of New York or something like that. or how about Alternative Rock? as WNYX-FM 93.1 the X. or something like that. then again it's home is in Paterson which wouldn't make much sense. But in the suburbs of NY like West Milford it'd make perfect sense!

 

[danikayser84]

XCountry: Don't count on it... I'm expecting 93.1 to stay Spanish

I'd rather see the WNEW calls on 92.3 myself... after all, they're close enough to "NOW"

 

[davideduardo]

What about WPAT-FM being sold or doing Rock? 101.9 doing Country with the WYNY calls. and giving WPAT-FM the calls of WNEW-FM again? or even WRKN-FM RocK of New York or WRNY-FM Rock of New York or something like that. or how about Alternative Rock? as WNYX-FM 93.1 the X. or something like that. then again it's home is in Paterson which wouldn't make much sense. But in the suburbs of NY like West Milford it'd make perfect sense!

There is already an "X" in New York, X-96.3.

While the Community of License of WPAT is Paterson, the station's antenna is on the ESB, just like all the principal NYC stations... another (guess which?) is licensed to Lake Success and still another to Newark. They all have nearly identical coverage (except those that have adjacent or co-channel interference from other markets).

 

[XCountry285]

I mean u shouldnt put it on a suburban frequency at all that'd be bad cuz half of the area couldn't pick it up.

 

[ansky212]

What about WPAT-FM being sold or doing Rock?

Not gonna happen. Spanish language stations flourish in NYC. Besides, if rock didn't work on WRXP why would it be any different on any other station? Theoretically it would be much more likely that WRXP would flip to a spanish format than WPAT losing a spanish format. As I've said many times, the only formats that work in NYC are rhythmic and spanish language, unfortunately.

 

[radioguy39nj]

Theoretically it would be much more likely that WRXP would flip to a spanish format than WPAT losing a spanish format. As I've said many times, the only formats that work in NYC are rhythmic and spanish language, unfortunately.

In the meantime, Lite and CBS-FM top the ratings. Is there a market for a fourth Spanish FM in NY? Or another rhythmic or urban? Those markets seem to be well-served.

Whatever 101.9 flips to, it won't be country or rock. Emmis will have to do something with WRXP eventually.

 

[XCountry285]

Rock wasn't executed correctly on 101.9 and there's too much Urban/Rhythmic stations in the market. There's almost no room. What about WBLS? They could flip and so could 102.7 FM or what about KTU?

 

[TheBigA]

What about WBLS? They could flip and so could 102.7 FM or what about KTU?

The criterion for a format flip isn't the number of other stations in that format in the market. All three of those stations are doing exactly what their owners want them to do, and there's absolutely no chance that either BLS or KTU will give up that format in NYC.

 

[uncamark]

What about WBLS? They could flip and so could 102.7 FM or what about KTU?

The criterion for a format flip isn't the number of other stations in that format in the market. All three of those stations are doing exactly what their owners want them to do, and there's absolutely no chance that either BLS or KTU will give up that format in NYC.

In BLS' case, absolutely. They are a black-owned station and are utterly committed to their format, as any heritage FM station like theirs should be. They'll tweak the format or sell the station before they'd flip.

 

[radioguy39nj]

In BLS' case, absolutely. They are a black-owned station and are utterly committed to their format, as any heritage FM station like theirs should be. They'll tweak the format or sell the station before they'd flip.

As long as Inner City owns 'BLS, it will never be flipped.

 

[htowler]

In BLS' case, absolutely. They are a black-owned station and are utterly committed to their format, as any heritage FM station like theirs should be. They'll tweak the format or sell the station before they'd flip.

As long as Inner City owns 'BLS, it will never be flipped.

Maybe flip flop Urban AC few years Urban a few years back and forth

 

[Macker]

Yea... it's a shame NYC country fans have to get their country fix from stations like WKMK, WRWD and WDBY, all of which have rather weak signals in the NYC market... (further complicated because WBLS is on 107.5 while WRWD is on 107.3)

There is the market for country music in NYC, like how there's a market for urban AC here in Albany (but when it was tried in Albany, it failed because it was put on a paltry signal and nobody has picked it up since), just nobody has thought to put a country format on any station after the demise of WYNY... when WFAS moves in on 103.9, I'm thinking it should fill the country hole

There really ISN'T a market, though. Are you from NYC? Look at the demographics. There is definitely a market for it as you go further North, like Danbury and the Hudson Valley, but I truly don't think it would work. I think country's at an all-time low in NYC. The younger people either want to hear rap or pop and the older crowd wants to hear either classic rock or news/talks/sports. NYC has NEVER embraced country, and probably never will, unfortunately.

 

[DToTheJ]

The three stations danikayser mentioned are hard to pull in most of the greater New York metro area.

And if I'm not mistaken, I think danikayser is from the Albany/Hudson Valley area (I've seen her/him post on that board often).

 

[ansky212]

don't think it would work. I think country's at an all-time low in NYC.

As I mentioned previously, an NYC country station would work if it targeted the suburban audience - similar to WPLJ that gets most of their ratings in the suburbs and they have been around for a long time. There are several small fringe country stations in NJ, LI, and CT, but they have very little reach. If there was one dominant country station it could be successful. Several stations have tried rock recently (like the K-rock comeback a few years ago, and now WRXP) and I'd be willing to bet that a country format would do much better than those 2 stations did.

I think one thing people forget when they say NYC is not a country town, is that there are a lot of transplants from other parts of the country living in NYC. I personally know someone from Montana and another from Illinois that now live in NYC and are huge country fans.

 

[atlantaboy]

The Alternative format is in an upswing now (ratings have risen in almost every major market, and even skyrocketed in some markets), so IMO there is no way NYC is going to go without an Alternative or Alt-leaning AAA station in 2011

As far as a suburban-targeted Country station, I think the problem is that Country doesn't target as wealthy an audience as Hot AC does - PLJ does well because its billing is so high in the suburbs - but since Country targets a more working-class audience, I'm not sure the suburban-target thing would work out financially

 

[DToTheJ]

... an NYC country station would work if it targeted the suburban audience - similar to WPLJ that gets most of their ratings in the suburbs and they have been around for a long time... Several stations have tried rock recently (like the K-rock comeback a few years ago, and now WRXP) and I'd be willing to bet that a country format would do much better than those 2 stations did...

Difference being WPLJ has more mass appeal than rock or country. However, given the crossover success of Taylor Swift and Carrie Underwood, if marketed correctly, it may stand a chance. However, to grab another sentence from your quote:

If there was one dominant country station it could be successful.

A station must first be successful in order to follow through with dominance.

 

[ansky212]

A station must first be successful in order to follow through with dominance.

I meant "dominant" in terms of signal. In other words, a country station on an NYC stick with a powerful signal would likely pull listeners away from the smaller fringe stations, yet still serve the same areas. So someone in NJ could drive to LI and listen to the same country station, rather than 2 separate stations that only cover a small area.