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Sheridan Broadcasting Sells WAMO to Religious Organization

only1moore said:
This is a shocker! WAMO is one of my favorite Urban stations.

Now the big question is who will fill the void. Any guesses?
Click to expand...

I'm just as shock as you are about Wamo flipping. How long has the station been around? I could see Kiss FM going in the urban direction when Wamo flips.
 
Todd said:
only1moore said:
This is a shocker! WAMO is one of my favorite Urban stations.

Now the big question is who will fill the void. Any guesses?
Click to expand...

I'm just as shock as you are about Wamo flipping. How long has the station been around? I could see Kiss FM going in the urban direction when Wamo flips.
Click to expand...

Well, lets look at the possible scenarios, based on my random observations...

WKST: If they do fill the void, it won't be a full blown urban. More like a Rhythmic Top 40.

WBZW: They would have to beat WKST to the punch first if they're going to jump into the soon-to-be vacant fray. Like WKST, it'll probably be a Rhythmic as well.

WLTJ: A long shot, plus they do have a Urban AC on their HD subcarrier.
 
This would solve the problem of how to really differentiate Star and B. Guess Lynn Cullen is gone again.
 
They should allow some one else to have the WAMO calls and continue the heritage. I guess they can be sold. Candidates?

1) 92.9
2) 93.7
3) BOB
4) Star
5) SAM
Maybe give up a Froggy.

OR--------CC could flip either the X (doubtful) or 3WS to the "BEAT" brand.
 
Reality check:

According to WPXI last night the combo sold for $9mil. That's pretty low for a full-market FM signal in a top-25 market.

WAMO was never a cash cow. If you recall, most of their time was spent on the huge 105.9 signal. Clear Channel gave them about $10 million to trade 105.9 for 106.7, which CC had bought from the old Beaver Falls owners. For a time they were barely listenable in the inner city until they were able to move 107.1 further east, which allowed the relocation of the 106.7 stick to Wexford. (During that time they actually pulled good numbers in Youngstown, that's what a rimshot 106.7 was when they took it).

Urban is a tough sell in this market. You have to remember that ratings do not always equal revenue.

I will absolutely guarantee you that no one will change formats in reaction to this, and no one will pick up the call letters (not on FM, anyway). I'd bet on Stevens and Ingram maybe grabbing them for 770 or something like that,if it happens at all.

You will likely hear a few more Urban titles on the B. Keith Clarke was an Urban/CHR programmer in Jacksonville, and it would distance them from Star and help both stations. CBS has a couple of very successful Churbans in Wild 98.7 in Tampa and 102 Jamz in Orlando, but I don't see them moving that far here. Kiss already plays more Urban stuff than the B, so you might not notice much of a difference there.

Star 100.7 will not flip to urban.

But it's really sad to see an iconic station like that go away.
 
Parttimer said:
Reality check:

According to WPXI last night the combo sold for $9mil. That's pretty low for a full-market FM signal in a top-25 market.

WAMO was never a cash cow. If you recall, most of their time was spent on the huge 105.9 signal. Clear Channel gave them about $10 million to trade 105.9 for 106.7, which CC had bought from the old Beaver Falls owners. For a time they were barely listenable in the inner city until they were able to move 107.1 further east, which allowed the relocation of the 106.7 stick to Wexford. (During that time they actually pulled good numbers in Youngstown, that's what a rimshot 106.7 was when they took it).

Urban is a tough sell in this market. You have to remember that ratings do not always equal revenue.

I will absolutely guarantee you that no one will change formats in reaction to this, and no one will pick up the call letters (not on FM, anyway). I'd bet on Stevens and Ingram maybe grabbing them for 770 or something like that,if it happens at all.

You will likely hear a few more Urban titles on the B. Keith Clarke was an Urban/CHR programmer in Jacksonville, and it would distance them from Star and help both stations. CBS has a couple of very successful Churbans in Wild 98.7 in Tampa and 102 Jamz in Orlando, but I don't see them moving that far here. Kiss already plays more Urban stuff than the B, so you might not notice much of a difference there.

Star 100.7 will not flip to urban.

But it's really sad to see an iconic station like that go away.
Click to expand...

How long has WAMO FM been on the air now? Aside from KDKA and WDVE, was WAMO the next longest running formats on the Pittsburgh airwaves?
 
Todd said:
Parttimer said:
Reality check:

According to WPXI last night the combo sold for $9mil. That's pretty low for a full-market FM signal in a top-25 market.

WAMO was never a cash cow. If you recall, most of their time was spent on the huge 105.9 signal. Clear Channel gave them about $10 million to trade 105.9 for 106.7, which CC had bought from the old Beaver Falls owners. For a time they were barely listenable in the inner city until they were able to move 107.1 further east, which allowed the relocation of the 106.7 stick to Wexford. (During that time they actually pulled good numbers in Youngstown, that's what a rimshot 106.7 was when they took it).

Urban is a tough sell in this market. You have to remember that ratings do not always equal revenue.

I will absolutely guarantee you that no one will change formats in reaction to this, and no one will pick up the call letters (not on FM, anyway). I'd bet on Stevens and Ingram maybe grabbing them for 770 or something like that,if it happens at all.

You will likely hear a few more Urban titles on the B. Keith Clarke was an Urban/CHR programmer in Jacksonville, and it would distance them from Star and help both stations. CBS has a couple of very successful Churbans in Wild 98.7 in Tampa and 102 Jamz in Orlando, but I don't see them moving that far here. Kiss already plays more Urban stuff than the B, so you might not notice much of a difference there.

Star 100.7 will not flip to urban.

But it's really sad to see an iconic station like that go away.
Click to expand...

How long has WAMO FM been on the air now? Aside from KDKA and WDVE, was WAMO the next longest running formats on the Pittsburgh airwaves?
Click to expand...

There was WAMO before KDKA went to their current format or before KQV-FM became WDVE.
 
MsMusicRadio said:
This would solve the problem of how to really differentiate Star and B. Guess Lynn Cullen is gone again.
Click to expand...

Actually everybody is gone save for a few people thatwere left in place to fascillitate the transition, though even those people have about 90 days left. The only other employees that were safe were those that work for the AURN network, anyone else who worked in a capacity for any of the three stations were shown the door. They were told in a 4pm meeting and after the meeting they were to clean out their desks, lockers and offices.
 
this sale should face scrutiny on several levels, but the most basic has to do with minority ownership in broadcasting. if sheridan is bankrupt, then ok. but if not, then this sale should not be given the okay so fast. i noticed in the PG article that tehy were already trying to stem the flow of letters to "save wamo" -- actually, it is true that writing to the station won't help. BUT, writing to the FCC is a good idea. the pg article states that the owners looked for minority buyers, but that they couldn't come up with the money. actually, i can't think of anyone who could come up with the financing in this economy. but, are they 100% sure they exhausted all options? or did they just see cash on the barrel-head? remember, the airwaves are a public resource.

why did it have to happen so fast, and fire everyone in one day? lynn cullen for example has shown she ahs the ability to exit with dignity after her ending on wptt. and with the pending money they will be making - why not give everyone a nice exiting bonus? that would be socially responsible. and this is the future way to keep good people and keep things running smoothly. look at google and sas.
.
this is the future though. all stations are going down, and the only people with money to buy will be religious organizations - or meglo-maniac billionaires with a point of view to espouse. yes, people still do listen to the radio. but more and more people get stuff via the web - where power output and dial position are no longer a concern. for me, i only listen to podcasts anymore. i download the shows i want to hear - and i listen/watch on my mp3/4 player during my commutes (public trnasportation). my player doesn't have AM. but it does have a wifi connection for internet radio when i'm in range. the stations i listen to are international or npr... i recently did a poll of students on one campus. out of 800, only 27 listened to an actual radio - radio. yeah yeah, one survey, but we've seen and heard this b4, so i'm not typing anything new...


on another note it is sad to see lynn lose her new home already...
 
WOW. I remember visiting the Burg and listening to WAMO. This is sad! What could the new owners do with the stations though? Wouldn't they keep it Urban to continue to keep the ratings flowing and to make money? If they take their stations religious, that would indeed hurt them. Sure, someone can fill the void, but why couldn't the new owners make it better? Hopefully KISS or B will jump on the hip-hop train. Probably B to make it more like a NOW or AMP because Clear Channel is stubborn. That could leave KISS to go Mainstream CHR and save themselves.
 
How about STAR going Urban? Then CBS could shift B more pop-rock and try to put the squeeze on KISS?

If nobody flips to Urban look for KISS to be the big winner here! Especially if they tweak slightly more rhythmic than they are already. They would serve as both the top CHR and default Urban. They will have ratings as big as sister station WDVE, of course in totally different demographics.
 
A couple of thoughts,
Based on the information in the PG article, I would guess this is a Catholic group buying the stations. Usually, major Christian groups have issues with Saints, so if it were St. Joseph's mission, well, that basically all but gives it away.
When St. Joes takes over, I would not be surprised to see the following done.
•850 becomes religious talk as a part of the EWTN Radio Network. Didn't the diocese sell off partnership with or a radio station recently... may be they knew something we didn't?
•1510 is sold off to a minority group keeping them happy, as you know there will be groups fighting to keep their voices on the radio.
•FM 106.7 is sold off to a little company known as...
Educational Media Foundation and becomes...
K LOVE! Think about it. It wouldn't make sense for them to keep all signals. This would also give PGH a Catholic radio station, minority-owned one, and finally a full fledged Contemporary Christian Station.

I don't see a full Urban in the market. The revenue must obviously not be there.
Good luck to all who have lost their jobs.
 
So here's what I don't understand...WAMO 106.7's rating were NOT bad. The other religious formatted FM station, 101.5 doesn't even pull a 2 in the ratings. Now...if you ask me, this was a very bad move all around, not to mention blowing up another heritage station that was not performing poorly.

Why don't we make DVE all Kid's Bop 24/7 and take KDKA while we're at it and program it with a bunch of wildlife noises 24/7...

???
 
Jay F said:
How about STAR going Urban?
Click to expand...

Star 100.7 will not flip to Urban


Jay F said:
If nobody flips to Urban look for KISS to be the big winner here! .... They will have ratings as big as sister station WDVE
Click to expand...


No they won't. Some WAMO listeners already share time with B94 and Kiss. The rest will probably turn off the radio.
 
youngabe89 said:
So here's what I don't understand...WAMO 106.7's rating were NOT bad.
Click to expand...


There's a thing sales departments use called a "power ratio"... it predicts how much income a rating point should generate for a particular format. Urban is always near the bottom of that list. The same numbers in A/C or Rock will bring in lots more money. It's the same problem stations like WJAS have.


youngabe89 said:
The other religious formatted FM station, 101.5 doesn't even pull a 2 in the ratings.
Click to expand...


Ratings mean nothing to religious formats, it's not how they bring in revenue.
 
They could keep one of the AMs urban gospel. That wouldn't be outside of the "religious" remit.
 
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