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Savannah: 100.1 sold to local broadcast group

I posted on the EMF thread but maybe some will answer what is the station cap in Savannah? Six seems high to me but I am old school having started worked with the one AM and one FM in a market limit days. I know it is for the "common good' of the industry*, but IMHO the cookie cutter formats is making radio a very dull medium.

*I have seen the statistics that a large percentage of radio stations were losing money before consolidation. I have always questioned that number. Were the loses because stations were not billing enough to pay the help,electric bill tower rent day to day expenses, or where they a result of speculators paying too much for properties.

IMHO the FCC should conduct auctions for bankrupt licenses with the former owner only receiving the value of the equipment and any buildings used for the station(s) (full tax appraised value only) to someone or company where the "control" (FCC ownership forms) is someone who lives within the service coverage of the station. This person / partnership / LLC / corporation would have to own and run the station(s) for 5 years before selling unless they died or go bankrupt. Taxpayers / FCC would get the rest the money. This would allow "local" voices, and maybe put a few dollars in the treasury. I am thinking of the Citadel bankruptcy, I wonder how the much the old ABC major market stations would have gone for?
 
secondchoice said:
*I have seen the statistics that a large percentage of radio stations were losing money before consolidation. I have always questioned that number. Were the loses because stations were not billing enough to pay the help,electric bill tower rent day to day expenses, or where they a result of speculators paying too much for properties.
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There are some "subcultures" within the world of radio broadcasting. Some stations are "publicly held" (you can go to your stock broker and buy a handful of their shares.). Some stations are "closely held" (substantial corporation, but limited number of share-holders and their stock is not available to you in all probability).

And then there is the wonderful, wacky world of "privately held", the family owned stations, the truly ground-level entrepreneurs of the world.

When I read articles about how many stations lose money, I want to know who/what the source of that information is. When they say Umpteen per cent of all radio stations are losing money, I want to know how many stations billing 8, 10 or 23 million dollars per year are in that report, and how many stations billing less than $144,000 per year are in that report.

And then I want to know how many of the money losing stations hold title to the entrepreneur's airplane, sailboat or other exotic item that the Federal regulators won't let his nursing home own and deduct from his taxes.

When we start talking about who makes money and who loses money in broadcasting, it can be a very mysterious conversation.

And if your third oldest son has been a life-long screw-up, it's cheaper to buy him a radio station for a toy than to let him have an office next to his older brother down at the heating and air-conditioning business and screw up the family cash-cow.

Now don't get me wrong. I'm not really a cynical person...... but.....
 
I should expect that these statistics originate from required FCC financial statements after they have been distilled and analyzed. I've never filed a required financial report with the FCC, but I doubt they are comprehensive; rather, I believe they contain only the information relevant to whatever purpose the Commission has for requiring them to be submitted. And no, GRC, you are not a cynic.
 
upstate29651 said:
I'm guessing L&L (will always be Adventure to me) will have to divest something. I'm guessing 103.1?
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Probably not. Only 98.3 is considered a Savannah station for ownership purposes. The other stations are Hilton Head. It may get a little dicey if WSSJ is considered without a home, but, even then, I'll bet the signal contours will fit together.
 
I am sure that all of the possible repercussions were considered and worked out before the acquisition was completed. Any guesses about whether the format flips?
 
I remember when the station used to have Smooth Jazz format, at one time it was on 92.3 and then it was 100.1. I know the format probably won't return, but it was a great little niche (I think that's the word I'm looking for) station.
 
Well, perhaps one day, some local manager will tire of the same old-same old and take a chance on a format like Smooth Jazz, really develop the sound and give it more than a year to build strong listener support.
 
Yes, I know a year is a long time, but sometimes a format takes a while to take root. What we need in radio is fewer managers and a few more leaders, someone willing to eat the oyster and to take chances that managers are too cautious to take: someone to take the decisions that mere managers are too fearful to take. There is too much corporate CYA for this to be happening any time soon, especially in a risk-averse business like today's broadcasting industry. I think the change needs to come from the top, but I know that it will not come from that source. This saddens me. Greatly.
 
I think the format on 100.1 stays the same. This is L&L's only shot at reaching an urban audience.

G
 
upstate29651 said:
I'm guessing L&L (will always be Adventure to me) will have to divest something. I'm guessing 103.1?
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The deal hit the FCC today. Looks like you were right. WSSJ overlaps enough of the Hilton Head stations to cause an ownership issue. L&L says it'll divest WGZO 103.1.
 
Potential buyers of 103.1? The ownership of 104.9? Beaufort's 1490? Throroughbred Communications?

G
 
upstate29651 said:
I think the format on 100.1 stays the same. This is L&L's only shot at reaching an urban audience.

G
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Are they willing to settle for a distant third behind 93.1 and 94.1? Those stations pretty well have the urban audience locked up from what I understand. In Savannah, it may not be possible to make a decent inroad with the urban audience.
 
Another interesting move concerning WSSJ is that the station just filed an application to upgrade to 100kw.
 
Witchlover said:
upstate29651 said:
I think the format on 100.1 stays the same. This is L&L's only shot at reaching an urban audience.

G
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Are they willing to settle for a distant third behind 93.1 and 94.1? Those stations pretty well have the urban audience locked up from what I understand. In Savannah, it may not be possible to make a decent inroad with the urban audience.
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True, but this is an urban GOSPEL station. Do they even compete with 93.1 &94.1?

G
 
True, but this is an urban GOSPEL station. Do they even compete with 93.1 &94.1?
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Not directly, no. I'm wondering, though, whether the Gospel format is a money-maker here. If not, I look for it to change - perhaps not right away, but soon.
 
This station was doomed with this format from day one---many years ago--as it could never hope to compete with the Cumulus and CC Urban cartels. No way. Even with ratings, which it had, there was no way to monetize them. To attempt to operate a standalone Black Gospel station in a market as small as Savannah doesn't show very good judgment on the owner/receiver's part. And you can be sure the new owners will find a format to complement their current/new asset/format alignment going forward. But it will not be gospel no matter how strong the ratings are.
 
It is not trying to compete with those stations. The target for 100.1 is 'LVH, Magic & 'SOK. The urban stations that generate significant revenue. 100.1 has smashed 'SOK, has left behind Magic and is a real contender for the urban adult audience. So long as L&L is willing to educate advertisers on the benefits of the format, they will have a very profitable brand like a host of FM Gospel/Inspirational stations across the country.
 
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