SHOCKER: WXXM flipping to FOX Sports Jan 1

[FightingIrish]

This statement is linked to 92.1 The Mic's homepage:

http://www.clicktocurecancer.com/wxxm/index.html

November 10, 2007

Statement: The change in formats on WXXM 92.1FM to FOX SPORTS RADIO 92.1:

"Our programming decisions are based entirely on audience research and our knowledge of the communities we serve. We have built and established a strong brand for broadcast sports. We are the market’s source for everything professional sports including the Packers, Brewers, Bucks and their league’s playoffs and championships. We are the local flagship for the Wisconsin Badgers offering our listeners football, men’s and women’s basketball and hockey. We provide coverage of NASCAR and High School sports including the WIAA State Championships in football, boys and girl’s basketball and hockey.

Our research indicated that listeners want more coverage of local high school and collegiate sports, not currently carried on local radio. We have only been able to provide limited exposure for UW Badger Volleyball. We have had listener requests and interest in High School Baseball and our local Northwood’s League Baseball team (The Madison Mallards). We have also had requests to air some programming currently carried on our WTSO AM [ESPN RADIO 1070] live and not time shifted. The need and the appetite for sports in the market have only grown stronger in the past few years. The addition of FOX SPORTS RADIO on WXXM FM 92.1 starting January 1, 2007 will allow us to carry more of what sports fans in the Madison area want, more programming that highlights the local sports scene and more top sports programs live.”

- Jeff Tyler, Vice President / Market Manager for Clear Channel Radio-Madison

All programming carried on WXXM FM through December 31, 2006, can also be streamed via the internet at http://www.airamerica.com/, http://www.stephaniemiller.com/; http://www.bigeddieradio.com/.

Clear Channel Radio owns and operates six Madison area radio stations including, WIBA AM 1310, WIBA FM 101.5, WZEE FM 104.1, WMAD FM 96.3, WXXM FM 92.1, and WTSO AM 1070.

This is quite a surprise, since there's already a FOX Sports affiliate in the Madison market (rimshot WTLX) that gets no ratings whatsoever. And there's WTSO already. Does CC really want to cannibalize their own sports station?

And WXXM gets some pretty decent numbers. They're #11 in the market, and doing better than they've done in years. Wonder what other station will pick up their programming?

 

[bigtalkradiofan]

http://www.madison.com/tct/news/stories/index.php?ntid=106922

Plug is pulled on 'The Mic'
Liberal talk radio dumped for Fox Sports

By Rob Thomas
The Capital Times
Published: November 10, 2006
E-mail: [email protected]

"The Mic" is getting disconnected.

Clear Channel Radio's Madison division announced today that talk radio station WXXM/FM 92.1, "The Mic," will drop its progressive talk format at the end of the year, including shows on the liberal radio network Air America. Effective Jan. 1, the station will be part of the Fox Sports Radio network.

In a statement posted on the station's Web site this morning, Clear Channel Madison Vice President Jeff Tyler said the new Fox Sports station will complement Clear Channel's other local sports talk station, WTSO/AM 1070 (ESPN Radio), by focusing more on high school and collegiate sports. ...

[Click link above for the complete newspaper article.]

 

[Darrel M]

An absolutely moronic move by CC Madison, IMHO. This comes in a town that is progressive to the core... AND with The Mic coming off a pretty good ratings book... AND with WTSO the lowest rated station for CC Madison... AND, as already been mentioned here, Fox Sports already having a presence in Madison through WTLX. (Yes, WTLX is a rimshot, but they do market towards Madison and they did have plans to change their city of licence to Monona.)

For the record, The Mic has already started to make cutbacks. Their local morning show was dropped this week, while another local show (which aired on Saturday mornings) was dropped a couple of weeks ago.

 

[marko83]

actually this makes a lot of sense...CC picked up a bunch of prog. talkers when the republicans controlled the government...meaning people were mad about them doing this....now that democrats are back in...they want to piss them off by pulling the format. Clear Channel: doing everything we can to piss of everyone!

 

[JeremyAndrews]

So the big question is what does WTLX have to say about this?

 

[Frasier]

"Our programming decisions are based entirely on audience research and our knowledge of the communities we serve. We have built and established a strong brand for broadcast sports."

Translation: We want to run stations as cheaply as possible, and we thought piping in our own Fox Sports Radio feed would be a good idea.

 

[FightingIrish]

"Our programming decisions are based entirely on audience research and our knowledge of the communities we serve. We have built and established a strong brand for broadcast sports."

Translation: We want to run stations as cheaply as possible, and we thought piping in our own Fox Sports Radio feed would be a good idea.

Either that, or they found a bunch of sponsors gullible enough to sponsor UW Volleyball, high school baseball and Madison Mallards minor league baseball.

And THIS crap is going on an FM stick?? And they're blowing up the #11 station in the market?? What the hell are they thinking?

 

[JeremyAndrews]

Gonna have to wish them luck on it. WTLX can't get more then a 0.0 with Fox Sports Radio. Someone at CC is smoking something.

 

[Wolf2]

This flip may make $ sense

I don't have any inside info but this may be simply a case of dollars & cents. On one hand, there is the questionable future of Air America and will it be able to get reorganized and survive. Ed Schultz and Stephanie Miller have good shows, but the AA programming does leave a bit to be desired.

The second question would be simply: are they able to sell WXXM and post a profit on the format. While consolidation allows for some wiggle room and everyone looks at the overall total revenue of the cluster, CC (among just about everyone I know) still looks how individual stations do on their own. It's certainly not unheard of stations getting good ratings but can't sell it.

 

[FightingIrish]

Re: This flip may make $ sense

I don't have any inside info but this may be simply a case of dollars & cents. On one hand, there is the questionable future of Air America and will it be able to get reorganized and survive. Ed Schultz and Stephanie Miller have good shows, but the AA programming does leave a bit to be desired.

The second question would be simply: are they able to sell WXXM and post a profit on the format. While consolidation allows for some wiggle room and everyone looks at the overall total revenue of the cluster, CC (among just about everyone I know) still looks how individual stations do on their own. It's certainly not unheard of stations getting good ratings but can't sell it.

I posted something similar on the N/T board:

http://www.radio-info.com/smf/index.php/topic,53979.0.html

Most CC station decisions are made at the local level. My theory is that they have sponsors lined up to finance high school baseball, UW Volleyball, intramural basketweaving and whatever other crap they want to put on WXXM. Believe it or not, advertisers are actually willing to pay for stuff like this, and while the conventional wisdom is that nobody will listen, companies will throw a lot of money at it nonetheless.

It doesn't look like this is based on ratings, and with the new format for 92.1, I don't think CC will really care about ratings so long as they can line up sponsors for this.

WTLX is the current FOX Sports affiliate in Madison, but it's a rimshot with spotty reception in some parts of the market. WTLX, however, is working on moving the COL to neighboring Menona in Dane County, which will allow them to move the stick to Madison. Perhaps CC is making a pre-emptive move to protect what seems to be a modestly successful sports station. I wonder what WTLX's next move will be. I would guess Sporting News Radio, if they plan on keeping it sports, or they move back to hot talk or even flip to The Mic's old format. How do Homer, Czaban, Flato or Bob and Brian fit into all of this? WTLX needs to do something, especially since they target Madison and have never been a force in local ratings, even when they had Howard Stern. Perhaps picking up a format like progressive talk that has proven itself in the market is the way to go, though I get the feeling even Good Karma would screw this up (Flato, anyone?).

The AAR bankruptcy doesn't make a lot of difference with the format. There's a lot of progressive talk product out there being offered by other syndicators. AAR is not as dominating a force in the format as it once was. Many stations have spread out their programming choices, with Stephanie Miller and Ed Schultz coming out strong. Thom Hartmann's show has been doing very well in a few markets (he beats Limbaugh in Seattle), and while AAR syndicates him, Hartmann owns the show and is not affected by AAR's problems. Many affiliates have vowed to stay with the format regardless of what happens with AAR, and CC-owned KQKE in San Francisco has even dumped or shifted a lot of AAR programming, bringing in Miller, Schultz, Hartmann, Bill Press, Lionel and local programming. They even dropped Al Franken!

Incidentally, I've even heard that Stephanie Miller ranked #1 in Madison in some breakdowns. Likely, another station could step in and pick up some of The Mic's programming. Not many stations here, but I'm sure the success of WXXM has raised a few eyebrows in this market. My guess would be WTLX or WSLK (another rimshot that simulcasts another station in the market, and is co-owned with WTDY, which originally aired Miller and Schultz in the market).

As for selling advertising on The Mic, they seem to be doing well, especially considering that they can sell it with WIBA-AM. It sounds like sponsors are buying time on it. In many instances, I would think that analyzing it individually would be pretty tough, since the buys are so spread out over the cluster.

 

[bigtalkradiofan]

The question I had was - will WTDY 1670 AM go back to a Progressive-Liberal Talk format they used to have (and away from the disspationate "center-middle" format)?

Regarding WTSO 1070 AM Madison's ESPN Radio:
* WTLX was moving its' signal on the FM Band to better compete - CC didn't have sports talk on the FM band (except 101.5 FM Packer and Badger fball and Badger b-ball games).
* I get the impression that WTSO ratings were pretty similar to WXXM, but
* WTSO seems to do better selling ads and "ESPN Local Newsdesk" naming-rights than WXXM.
* WTSO attracted a younger male demographic that advertisers pay extra money to zero in on.

 

[bigtalkradiofan]

One more thought:

I also wonder if we'll see more: Badger mens hockey, Brewer and Bucks games simulcast on 92.1 now (to better compete against WTLX's Marquette's basketball games):

* 1070 AM - Better coverage, but not as good sound quality.
* 92.1 FM - Covers Madison and surrounding cities, less coverage than AM, but better sound quality.

For example, CC recently moved the NASCAR races from 1070 AM to 96.3 FM (a great improvement in sound quality for racefans!).

 

[bigtalkradiofan]

http://www.madison.com/wsj/home/local/index.php?ntid=107021&ntpid=4

SAT., NOV 11, 2006 - 10:17 AM

Liberal city loses liberal radio show

BARRY ADAMS
Wisconsin State Journal
[email protected]
State Journal reporter Melanie Conklin contributed to this story.

 

[JeremyAndrews]

For example, CC recently moved the NASCAR races from 1070 AM to 96.3 FM (a great improvement in sound quality for racefans!).

Nascar for some reason is highly found on FM country stations (WUSN Chicago, WMUS Muskegon, WHFB Benton Harbor, KKND New Orleans, etc) so the move doesn't suprise me. Country fans seem to like NASCAR.

 

[bigtalkradiofan]

http://ltradio.blogspot.com/

http://ltradio.blogspot.com/2006/11/its-not-success-if-they-dont-try.html

Wednesday, November 15, 2006

It can't be a success if they don't try

Ed Schultz read an email on his show yesterday from a devoted listener (mp3). The listener also happens to own a home construction business, and tried to purchase advertising time on one of Schultz' affiliates, a progressive talk station. The station's account executive tried to talk him out of it, and steer him toward advertising on one of the company's other stations. The potential client was furious, and fired off the email to Schultz. ...

[Click link above for the complete blog.]


http://ltradio.blogspot.com/

http://ltradio.blogspot.com/2006/11/mics-lee-rayburn-comments-on-stations.html

Tuesday, November 14, 2006
The Mic's Lee Rayburn comments on station's demise

Here's an email from Lee Rayburn, former morning show host of WXXM-FM in Madison: ...

[Click link above for the complete e-mail.]

 

[bigtalkradiofan]

http://www.madison.com/tct/opinion/editorial/index.php?ntid=107460

Editorial: Progressive broadcasting

A Cap Times editorial, Nov. 15, 2006
Published: November 15, 2006

The Mic 92.1, the FM radio station that features a format of liberal talkers such as Al Franken, Stephanie Miller and Ed Schultz, along with some outstanding local programming, was never the sole expression of progressivism on the local radio dial. ...

[Click link above for the complete newspaper editorial.]

 

[bigtalkradiofan]

http://www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/720087508?ltl=1163189571

We, the Undersigned, endorse the following petition:
The Mic 92.1, Madison WI
Target: Jeff Tyler, Vice President / Market Manager, Clear Channel Radio-Madison
Sponsor: Valerie Walasek

* Signatures: 2,473
* Goal: 5,000
* Deadline: Ongoing...

* See Full Petition
* Email this Petition

The Mic 92.1 is changing to a sports station. Sign this petition: show Clear Channel that Madison cares about progressive issues, and that we want to keep the Mic!

*Thank you so much for your support. I want to share the following quote with you on behalf of Clear Channel. I'd also like to request that you please use your real name when you sign the petition, and add a comment if possible. They ARE listening to us, so you can make the most impact by being respectful.*

"We put this station on the air 2 years ago to support intelligent dialogue. We are listening to people and discussing some of the alternative concepts we have to continue to provide these ideas to Madison. The other thing that would be interesting to hear from is perhaps a business that feels they are losing a marketing choice... We are listening." - Jeff Tyler, Clear Channel

 

[Darrel M]

WTLX now has its say on the matter

For those speculating on the future of Fox Sports Radio 100.5 (WTLX) with CC's pending flip on 92.1...

In a talk with Jason Joyce of Isthmus, Craig Karmazin says that WTLX will remain a sports station, but will focus completely on local programming, including Steve True's Milwaukee-based show and "High School Hysteria" on Friday nights. As CC's announcement from last week hinted, 92.1 will indeed air Madison Mallards games beginning next summer (as Karmazin puts it, "They're [CC] able to present marketing opportunities for the Mallards that they were looking for."). The Isthmus conversation is posted below, complete with a new logo and tagline for WTLX: "All Wisconsin. All the time."

http://www.thedailypage.com/daily/article.php?article=4834

 

[bigtalkradiofan]

http://www.madison.com/archives/read.php?ref=/tct/2006/11/22/0611220294.php

The Mic' Listeners Won't Let Go

The Capital Times :: BUSINESS :: D10
Wednesday, November 22, 2006
By Kevin Lynch The Capital Times

"The Mic" may be on the verge of being unplugged but its fans and local advertisers are hanging onto the cord in a tug of war with over who owns the airwaves.

Already more than 3,600 citizens have signed an online petition to keep the progressive political talk format of WXXM/FM 92.1. Clear Channel Radio-Madison has announced it will switch the format to local and college sports coverage from Fox Sports on Jan. 1. ...

Now the organizer of the petition is holding a rally that will speak to the radio operators on the issue close to their pockets: advertising dollars.

Val Walasek, a longtime Madison resident, created the online effort at www.thepetitionsite.com/takeaction/720087508.

A rally geared to local businesses in support of "The Mic" will be held today at 7 p.m. at the High Noon Saloon, 701 E. Washington Ave.

"Clear Channel needs to know that people and businesses support the station and that it's a good outlet for discussing issues that are really important to us," Walasek said.

[Click link above for the complete newspaper article.]


http://www.madison.com/archives/read.php?ref=/tct/2006/11/28/0611280390.php

Readers Turn Up Volume Of Opinion On 'the Mic'

The Capital Times :: LIFESTYLE :: B1
Tuesday, November 28, 2006
By Bill Dunn The Capital Times

[Click link above for the complete newspaper article.]


http://www.madison.com/archives/read.php?ref=/tct/2006/11/17/0611170228.php

How Much Would Mic's Demise Hurt?

The Capital Times :: LIFESTYLE :: C2
Friday, November 17, 2006

[Click link above for the complete newspaper article.]


http://www.madison.com/archives/read.php?ref=/wsj/2006/11/23/0611220444.php

Air America's Demise

Are Market Forces At Work, Or Is It Part Of A Political Conspiracy To Silence The Left?

Wisconsin State Journal :: SPECTRUM :: E1
Thursday, November 23, 2006

[Click link above for the complete newspaper article.]

 

[bigtalkradiofan]

http://www.high-noon.com/calendarlisting.php?when=future

Tue. December 12 High Noon Saloon presents
92.1 The MIC: Rally for Progressive Talk Radio
7:00 pm / $no cover 21 AND UP

A rally and press conference is being held at the High Noon Saloon tonight from 7-8 pm. The event is being organized for businesses and citizens to show their support for the Mic 92.1 and their desire for Clear Channel Madison to keep the station on the air. The Mic has been a valuable resource for Madison residents to voice their opinions and discuss important local issues. Jeff Tyler, Vice President of Marketing with Clear Channel Madison, has requested feedback from businesses who feel the Mic is a good advertising avenue. Madison businesses and organizations will be speaking briefly about why they support the Mic, including representatives from The Dardanelles, High Noon Saloon, Tap It/New Works Theater, Community Action Coalition, the Alliance for Animals, WI Democracy Campaign, and Amnesty International, in addition to political figure Nelson Eisman. Valerie Walasek has created a petition to keep the Mic on the air, and during the event will be releasing the final number of signatures for delivery to Clear Channel.