I pose this question because the hot topic over in Chicago is the possibility that CBS Radio, at any moment, could flip their underperforming Fresh 105.9 (the former WCKG) to an FM simulcast of their all-news station in that market, WBBM-AM. This, as projected by Chicago media blogger Robert Feder, is in order to "blunt" the arrival of Merlin Media debuting a new all-news (or news/talk) station on one of their new FM properties in the Windy City. (Of course, such is also being projected for the fate of WRXP here.) We've discussed the whys and the why nots as to whether CBS Radio could benefit from killing one of their FM music stations in favor of a simulcast of one of their three (WFAN included) AM sticks. But with this development in Chicago, let's do it once more... and consider this: I mention the Chicago station is "the former WCKG" because, for years, it had been the Chicago radio home of Howard Stern until he went to satellite. Since then, virtually every one of his former terrestrial radio affiliates, from New York and Chicago, to Boston and Portland, have flipped at least once (in the case of New York's 92.3, three times). So keep that in mind.
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SHOULD CBS Flip 92.3 Or 102.7 To FM Simulcast Of WCBS-AM/WINS?
- Thread starter DToTheJ
- Start date
M
musicfan101
Guest
Isn't 92.3 doing well now??
C
canwego
Guest
I doubt CBS will be flipping any stations any time soon. Nick Cannon's morning show and his weekend countdown both make my ears bleed but (for some crazy, unknown reason) people like it. It seems like they are pouring a lot of money into that station and it makes me wonder if they're profiting...or even breaking even.
@CanWeGo (candidate for best new radio message board username in 2011): You do have a point - they are investing heavily in Nick Cannon and are now building a weekly countdown show around him (whose banners on this very board are unavoidable, btw)...
@MusicFan: WRXP actually showed some ratings growth, too - yet it's headed for radio hospice. Radio - a zero sum game.
@MusicFan: WRXP actually showed some ratings growth, too - yet it's headed for radio hospice. Radio - a zero sum game.
Fresh 102.7 is doing very well unlike Fresh Chicago and 92.3 Now I wouldn't say is going anywhere yet.
Here is a idea, CBS could try to buy 95.5 from Cumulus once they take over and place either WCBS or WINS on it. But is CBS scared about 101.9 going news/talk if that is the new format?
Here is a idea, CBS could try to buy 95.5 from Cumulus once they take over and place either WCBS or WINS on it. But is CBS scared about 101.9 going news/talk if that is the new format?
Well if the Market permits that to happen then yes. But this ain't San Francisco. In SF when during the 2008 presidential campaign CBS flipped KFRC 106.9 when the Oldies format tanked and moved to 1550am and KCBS 740 did a silmucast on 106.9 there and it worked so far in SF. IF WCBS and WINS want to put all news on FM they have to wait for the 2012 election and wait for one of their FM stations to tank so WINS and WCBS can be there. and thats goes for the same in LA or Chicago. or any city where CBS runs an all news station like KCBS.
recto101 said:
KCBS added the FM simulcast to improve the 25-54 numbers. It has nothing to do with elections.
DToTheJ said:
Only because the station is being sold, and it will be the one and only station in the market for the new owner. WRXP may have worked as a format among the other Emmis stations. But once the frequency is broken out and sold by itself, it doesn't make as much sense.
Same thing with the topic of this thread. CBS sees their stations as part of a cluster, not strictly as individual stations.
Leave "NOW" alone.
What would be the point of simulcasting? If they think they can gain more listeners by putting WINS or WCBS on the FM dial, then what would be the point of keeping the same programming on AM? The only reason I could see keeping AM would be for listeners in the fringe areas like south Jersey, central CT, etc., that are within range of AM but would be out of range on FM. But in terms of advertising dollars and ratings those listeners probably don't mean much anyway.
To my point, it's not gonna happen. WCBS-AM and WINS are both doing really well as the two leading news stations in New York City. WCBS-AM did carried most of the suburbs if you've tuned in the Hudson Valley and on Long Island. I don't think 102.7 or 92.3 of simulcasting an all-news station anytime soon.
If WCBS and WINS really wanted to go on FM wouldn't they have to occupy 2 or 3 Class B FM XTMR's and translators to cover the entire market?
in the NYC case its one from Long Island, one in NJ, one in Connecticuit and one in Westchester.
Just like in San Francisco there's stations like KUFX 98.5 in San Jose, 102.1 San Fran,
KDFC 89.9 Angwin, 90.3 San Francisco
KFOG 104.5 SF, 97.7 San Jose
KUIC 95.3 Solano, 92.1 Diablo Valley, 101.7 San Ramon Valley.
in the NYC case its one from Long Island, one in NJ, one in Connecticuit and one in Westchester.
Just like in San Francisco there's stations like KUFX 98.5 in San Jose, 102.1 San Fran,
KDFC 89.9 Angwin, 90.3 San Francisco
KFOG 104.5 SF, 97.7 San Jose
KUIC 95.3 Solano, 92.1 Diablo Valley, 101.7 San Ramon Valley.
There's no reason for CBS to make a move now in NY. They have 3 very successful AM stations by all measures. Why mess with it now?
Let Merlin show its cards for 101.9. If they do launch all-news or sports, CBS has plenty of time to counter attack. But for now, unless you can show material incremental revenue for the cluster from an AM to FM move, there's no compelling reason to do it.
Let Merlin show its cards for 101.9. If they do launch all-news or sports, CBS has plenty of time to counter attack. But for now, unless you can show material incremental revenue for the cluster from an AM to FM move, there's no compelling reason to do it.
musicfan101 said:
Not much better than WRXP
luperm said:
That's CBS' best stategy. It remains to be seen how 101.9 will impact the market. I don't think 101.9 will do all-news with two long-established news stations in the mix. IMHO, it'll be a news/talk hybrid with mostly local programming. It's WABC and WOR that have to watch their backs!
recto101 said:
Of course, my first question is whether you have ever been in NY. It sounds like you have not.
About the only significant part of the NYC MSA that the ESB FM's don't cover decently is the far East End of LI... what was the Hamptons market before Arbitron dropped it. That is about 110,000 in a 16 million person market.
So the only issue would be extreme fringe coverage, and minimal population impact.
As to CT, there is only part (the smaller part) of one county in CT in the NY MSA.
The 5 mV/M of WINS covers 12 million. The 60 dbu of an ESB FM covers about 15 million.
Last I looked, the NYC metro does not have 3000 to 4000 foot high mountains all around it, complete with canyons and lots of surfaces for multipath to reflect off of.
ansky212 said:
Ask CBS management why they added FM to KCBS (AM) in San Francisco. They will tell you that due to the addition of FM, the 35-54 numbers improved dramatically, propelling the combo into the top couple of positions in 25-54 where they had been lagging...
DavidEduardo said:
No I never been to NYC before but I've seen picutrs t that its has XTMR's on the Empire state building. I also heard of concrete buildings and steel frames blocking off some of the TV and FM signals in some areas of NYC. I know thats theres no Mount Wilson or Sutro like mountains in the NYC area or Chicago area.
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