Sell WRR

[jeffdfw]

Since the City of Dallas is having to deal with ways to balance the budget why don't they sell WRR rather than cutting essential services? How much could they gett for WRR? $15 million? ???

 

[grantchester]

Bad idea.

 

[mediawonk]

WRR is one of the few city departments that operates in the black and even generates an annual profit. Plus, it would engender even more ill will against the city from a lot of people - including some movers and shakers in the community.

 

[amisdead]

I think they could probably fetch about 30 million for WRR in the current environment.

What I believe will ultimately happen is that NTPB will give up on KXT and be involved in some kind of three way deal sending WRR and the classical format to 91.7, freeing 101.1 for a more commercial enterprise. In most markets, classical is a listener-supported format and AAA is not.

I think we are much closer to something actually happening with WRR than we have ever been before.

Also, WRR might break even or make a couple hundred grand per year, but in the scope of the entire Dallas city budget, it is insignificant and would be more useful to have the 30 million dollars right now. If they could maintain a comparable city-grade signal on a non-commercial channel operated by the very competent NTPB, then it would be a win all the way around with very little political fall-out.

 

[jeffdfw]

I have to agree with you on kxt. Even though they have managed to increase from 0.2 to 0.4 and add cume from 119,000 to 137,000 I doubt they are generating enough in donations to survive much longer.

 

[salemjedi54]

Yall are way undervaluing WRR. It could be bought for 45-70 million. The Friends of WRR would have a fit if were sold.

 

[amisdead]

Yall are way undervaluing WRR. It could be bought for 45-70 million. The Friends of WRR would have a fit if were sold.

In a different era, 101.1 was worth more than double the 30 million I threw out there. But that was then and who ever would buy 101.1 would not keep the format, they would blow it up, so we are talking only current stick value here. Maybe the city could get 40 million for it, but 70 is probably way out of the question at this point. Have you followed any recent station transactions?

If the WRR and the classical format moved to 91.7, why would the Friends of WRR be mad? NTPB is a great local operator. 91.7 is also licensed to Dallas and the coverage is area is comparable to 101.1, both broadcasting from antennas in Cedar Hill. Truth be told, WRR on 91.7 would probably be the best case scenario for classical in the metroplex and would ensure its survival for many years to come.

 

[newsmark]

The Friends of WRR would have a fit if were sold.

As they do every few years when the city considers selling. Last time, IIRC, they were looking at a frequency swap that would have put them on 91.7. Then someone with the city finally realized they would lose money if they had to rely on donations and underwriting on a non-commercial frequency.

 

[salemjedi54]

The Friends of WRR would have a fit if were sold.

As they do every few years when the city considers selling. Last time, IIRC, they were looking at a frequency swap that would have put them on 91.7. Then someone with the city finally realized they would lose money if they had to rely on donations and underwriting on a non-commercial frequency.

The frequency swap was putting WRR on 105.7, The Bone would go to 101.1 and KRNB would have gone to 93.3. Susquehanna/Service was working on that deal. The Friends nixed that deal in a nanosecond.

 

[salemjedi54]

Yall are way undervaluing WRR. It could be bought for 45-70 million. The Friends of WRR would have a fit if were sold.

If the WRR and the classical format moved to 91.7, why would the Friends of WRR be mad?

The Friends see anything less than 101.1 as an inferior frequency. They are not having it AT ALL!!!!!

 

[amisdead]

The City of Dallas will not sit on WRR until the end of time. It may not be next year, but at some point they will divest themselves of a valuable non-core asset. The Friends of WRR might not like it, but they will be overruled.

I believe the current environment makes a deal even more likely: The city's short and long-term budgets are worse than in previous times and a viable full-market non-commercial signal could be a real possibility. Never have the currents been so favorable.

As far as the previous swap goes, it isn't really even comparable. 105.7 is a terrible signal everywhere in the City of Dallas. Even in the most northwestern part of Dallas County around Coppell, 105.7 only maxes out at 68 dBu. 91.7 puts a city-grade over not only the entire city but virtually all of the country and most of the market.

Last time the swap was seriously considered, 91.7 was running preaching shows with no sign of changing. Now they are playing a lot of bad and obscure music and the clock is ticking on the financial viability of the station in it's current format.

 

[milton77]

The interesting thing about the Swap involving 105.7 & The Bone was that City Council meetings would have aired on KKDA-AM. I suspect that was because of how weak 105.7's signal would have been in some parts of Dallas. The most recent proposed swap that involved 91.7 was with Salem radio. If WRR were to move to 91.7, I wonder if the city might acquire a "throwaway" AM as a part of the swap to continue airing city council meetings.

I believe when Service (as I recall) launched a campaign with a website encouraging their listeners to call the city and demand they sell WRR. I believe that more or less soured the deal entirely.

 

[Bob E. Nelson]

The City of Dallas will not sit on WRR until the end of time. It may not be next year, but at some point they will divest themselves of a valuable non-core asset. The Friends of WRR might not like it, but they will be overruled.

The demographics of the city are also seemingly against WRR's classical music format. Dallas itself is now only 30% non-Hispanic white. I would presume (subject to being corrected) that is the group finding classical most appealing.

David Eduardo, do you have any age and ethnicity breakouts for classical music listeners?

 

[Bob E. Nelson]

Mistaken post -- content deleted.

 

[salemjedi54]

The City of Dallas will not sit on WRR until the end of time. It may not be next year, but at some point they will divest themselves of a valuable non-core asset. The Friends of WRR might not like it, but they will be overruled.

I believe the current environment makes a deal even more likely: The city's short and long-term budgets are worse than in previous times and a viable full-market non-commercial signal could be a real possibility. Never have the currents been so favorable.

As far as the previous swap goes, it isn't really even comparable. 105.7 is a terrible signal everywhere in the City of Dallas. Even in the most northwestern part of Dallas County around Coppell, 105.7 only maxes out at 68 dBu. 91.7 puts a city-grade over not only the entire city but virtually all of the country and most of the market.

Last time the swap was seriously considered, 91.7 was running preaching shows with no sign of changing. Now they are playing a lot of bad and obscure music and the clock is ticking on the financial viability of the station in it's current format.

The City in the past wanted to sell WRR but the "FRIENDS" made sure that did not happen. They know if Dallas sells WRR that the classical format goes away forever. Again, "The Friends" are going to make sure that classical music stays on that dominate FM stick.

 

[317C50KW]

The Friends of WRR need to come up with the funding to purchase and take over the operation if they want it to remain on 101.1.

Obviously they can't pull that off. They're just noise makers, probably not even P-1s.

But if the KERA/KKXT folks take over the operation, say with a joint operating agreement with Dallas and leave the station at 101.1 that could insure them a revenue stream, similar to what WFMT in Chicago provides to that city's public TV operator, Window to the World.

It would at least pay for the "music to the 'obscure' core" that 91.7 is having a difficult time selling to a very unimpressed public.

 

[critic319]

Wow. Everyone has KXT in the grave. No one thought they would make money on KXT. Its public radio! It is what is is. It will take time but it could come to resemble a station like WXPN. It hasn't even been on a year. The audience is slowly growing with no advertising. I hope the city doesn't sell WRR any time soon and I hope KXT is given a chance over time. Both stations are assets to the Dallas airwaves whether you like the music or not. If you want to hear hits you have plenty of choices.
~C

 

[julesism]

Wow. Everyone has KXT in the grave. No one thought they would make money on KXT. Its public radio! It is what is is. It will take time but it could come to resemble a station like WXPN. It hasn't even been on a year. The audience is slowly growing with no advertising. I hope the city doesn't sell WRR any time soon and I hope KXT is given a chance over time. Both stations are assets to the Dallas airwaves whether you like the music or not. If you want to hear hits you have plenty of choices.
~C

amen!

 

[copydesk2]

Sell WRR? The next thing you know, Dallas will do something silly -- like lose the Cowboys. Oh, wait...

 

[oldmanradio]

Why sell now?

The Dallas City Council has already raised property taxes.

Of course, as always, south Dallas will be left out of the equation again, and I say that as a resident of Richardson.

It's obvious Leppert wants to be a U.S. Senator. The bad news for him: Dallas mayors rarely climb the political ladder.

As for WRR, it about the only worthwhile radio signal in the area except for NPR. It's a treasure few other cities enjoy.

Dallas should keep it.

Some things don't have a price tag.