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Should PLJ go Air America?

S

squawk2000

Pull some of the syndicated liberal talkers on Air America and a few others.... put them on PLJ.
You have a democratic city, an exciting election, and an AM conservative talker that can cross-promote. (for the record, Mark Green at Air America may actually pay you to put the format on

The format is virtually free and its worked in NY on the AM dial. I've read that PLJ's billings are still very strong, but as long as you pay people a salary, AC is still an expensive format.

If you get some numbers, hire some people.

If you don't, go back to Hot AC-- it's not like you'll really lose anyone.
 
One catch. Air America gets absolutely no ratings. Even with all the excuses about poor signal, etc, etc..

It's not that it gets low ratings, it gets no ratings. In New York, it gets no ratings, below a 1, just microscopic fractions. Anyone who switched to that format in NY after seeing it's ratings consistently near zero for 5 years, could be declared legally insane.
 
Ratings are low because they dont advertise. When I mention Air America to people they say "whats that?"

I would guess that ratings are higher when Randi Rhodes is on from 3pm-6pm M-F.
 
I would guess "squawk2000", upon seeing this thread on the Philadelphia board, decided to register and start a similar conversation on this forum.

The point is, the Pennsylvania primary is approaching, and could generate lots of buzz leading up until then, and given liberal talk has not yet been tried in Philly, it's worth a shot. As mentioned above, we already know what we get with the format here.

And let's not forget the other factor in the Philly scenario: Smooth jazz is becoming extinct, and 97.5 will change formats sooner or later. At least WPLJ has been proven to some extent, and there's no rush to change it right now. And of course, NYC already lost their smooth jazz station.
 
uh, no I didn't see it on the Philadelphia board. Couldn't care less what happens in Philly.

But glad they're thinking about it there too!
 
Ratings are low on Air America because it is not good radio.

Put it on WPLJ, advertise all over the place and you still would likely not crack a 1.
 
oh_hell_naa said:
briancraig said:
Ratings are low on Air America because it is not good radio.

Put it on WPLJ, advertise all over the place and you still would likely not crack a 1.
Click to expand...
Do you listen to Air America?
Click to expand...

Yes...and I've seen the ratings, too. Even on a bad signal, it should be able to crack a 2, if...it's performing well. But, it doesn't. And, if it did a 2...if it improved the ratings that much, a bigger signal would take it.

Some of their talk hosts, in syndication might work. Ed Schultz and Stephanie Miller are the 2 I think have potential.

And this argument about "bad signals" is bogus from the start. Limbaugh, love him or hate him (and it's OK with me if you do either), got substantially bigger numbers for smaller sticks in the early days. That's why the big stations eventually took his show.

It's all about entertainment...not ideological ranting. Air America still hasn't hit their mark yet.
 
Air America on WPLJ? To quote Bart Simpson, "Ay carumba!"

This is why programmers program and keyboard critics (like us) post on message boards... why Phil Boyce and other PDs who read this board laugh out loud when thet read some of the posts. Internet grafitti.

WPLJ may not be the ratings monster that it could be, but it's billing is very strong. There's too much invested in the WPLJ brand (a pretty strong one at that) and Citadel is commited to fixing it and making it better before even considering changing the format.

Air America is an AM format. The fact that it turns up on AM stations that are on "life support" is indicative of what managers, programmers and owners think of the format. AA and Progressive Talk were on 50kW 1530 WCKY, Cincinnati and flopped. Progressive talk is on 50kW 1520 WWKB Buffalo. It's sucking wind and can't get arrested in that market. In some parallel universe (like Portland, Oregon) AA may draw some listeners, but AA ain't happening on a prime FM signal in Market #1 and it's not going to happen on WPLJ. (Neither is Country or True Oldies for that matter.)

Now can we get back to talking about how great The Pulse is? Yeah, now there's a signal that's suited for AA.

-9-
 
Jason Roberts said:
Some of their talk hosts, in syndication might work. Ed Schultz and Stephanie Miller are the 2 I think have potential.
Click to expand...


Those two are NOT on Air America; they're syndicated by Jones.
 
Element9 said:
Air America on WPLJ? To quote Bart Simpson, "Ay carumba!"

This is why programmers program and keyboard critics (like us) post on message boards... why Phil Boyce and other PDs who read this board laugh out loud when thet read some of the posts. Internet grafitti.

WPLJ may not be the ratings monster that it could be, but it's billing is very strong. There's too much invested in the WPLJ brand (a pretty strong one at that) and Citadel is commited to fixing it and making it better before even considering changing the format.

Air America is an AM format. The fact that it turns up on AM stations that are on "life support" is indicative of what managers, programmers and owners think of the format. AA and Progressive Talk were on 50kW 1530 WCKY, Cincinnati and flopped. Progressive talk is on 50kW 1520 WWKB Buffalo. It's sucking wind and can't get arrested in that market. In some parallel universe (like Portland, Oregon) AA may draw some listeners, but AA ain't happening on a prime FM signal in Market #1 and it's not going to happen on WPLJ. (Neither is Country or True Oldies for that matter.)

Now can we get back to talking about how great The Pulse is? Yeah, now there's a signal that's suited for AA.

-9-
Click to expand...

You had me up until your snide remark about the Pulse. It amazes me how many people feel the need to pick on the signal. I personally was able to receive 87.7, pretty clearly with the antenna halfway extended, inside a building on 33rd Street in NYC, right in the shadow of the ESB, on a crappy RadioShack receiver.

That said, AA on 95.5 is the most absurd idea I've heard on this board yet. It would be nice if there was a legit left-leaning talker, however, Air America has just been programmed and marketed totally wrong from the beginning. For those that do know of it, its reputation is tarnished. Everyone else has no clue it exists. Bad combination.
 
Pull some of the syndicated liberal talkers on Air America and a few others.... put them on PLJ.
You have a democratic city, an exciting election, and an AM conservative talker that can cross-promote. (for the record, Mark Green at Air America may actually pay you to put the format on
Click to expand...

The significance of the last part of this sentence cannot be underscored, given Citadel's current situation. They need money.

Basically, broker the signal to this AA, take his money, cash the checks, and rebuild. If he wants out after a year, you've still got his money, and you've had a year to decide what to do with this money-pit of a signal... and, you might even find yourself able to broker it to somebody else!

Let someone else handle the programming of the thing while you worry about your other many and significant problems.

He would probably pay you handsomely since he would then be able to brag to anyone who would listen that he's cleared in New York and it'd help him sign up affiliates. Mark Green is rebuilding too, just like Citadel.

AA on PLJ wouldn't be as much fun as country or oldies, but it would be practical. It might even get a share or a share and a half! (If Rush Limbaugh is right about left-wing, dope-smoking, "FM types") ... You can meet 'em where they already are! :D
 
AnimatronicAbeLincoln said:
The significance of the last part of this sentence cannot be underscored, given Citadel's current situation. They need money.
Click to expand...

If you read the financials and read the T-R-I newsletter, you would know that Citadel's radio operations are profitable. The huge losses have to do with the valuations of stations... paper transactions... not ongoing operations.

Citadel does not "need the money" enough to sacrifice a profitable FM for the small amount Air America could pay to LOMA it; the potential for the station in billing is in the $30 million range, not the seven-figure amount AA might pay for clearance.

Citadel is engaged in some cost cutting as a product of the economy and the nature of the acquisitions they made. They are not holding a fire sale of assets or LMAing a major FM to a 1-share format.
 
neo11 said:
You had me up until your snide remark about the Pulse. It amazes me how many people feel the need to pick on the signal. I personally was able to receive 87.7, pretty clearly with the antenna halfway extended, inside a building on 33rd Street in NYC, right in the shadow of the ESB, on a crappy RadioShack receiver.
Click to expand...

Ok, but the 87.7 signal is extremely inconsistent in places fairly close to NYC like Essex, Union, and Middlesex Counties in New Jersey. While they might come in great in Paramus (Bergen County), they are horrible just a few miles south in Bloomfield. And anywhere south and west of Newark/Elizabeth, they are virtually non-existent while all of the other NYC FM's come in fine.
 
Fair enough. Then again, there's other NYC signals that have some limitations, like 105.9, for instance. 87.7 is somewhere between a Class A (it seems to get out further than stations like 92.7 and has a better signal in the five boroughs than any of the suburban Class A's) but not as good as any of the class B's, even the weaker ones.

For a specialty format that is just getting off the ground, I think they can live with that.
 
If you read the financials and read the T-R-I newsletter, you would know that Citadel's radio operations are profitable. The huge losses have to do with the valuations of stations... paper transactions... not ongoing operations.
Click to expand...

Oh, cool!

Then there was no need for them to have gone around the country firing all those people, I guess they can give them all their jobs back!
 
You had me up until your snide remark about the Pulse. It amazes me how many people feel the need to pick on the signal.
Click to expand...

After further review, yeah, it was kinda snide. Nothing personal. Not intended to rip the format, either. It's just Radio 101. You can have the best format, the best music and the best personalities on the radio, but if listeners can't hear the signal, what's the use? Market #1 is where the big dogs play. No margin for error and all that... so what can be expected from a radio station buried in the bottom of the band with a signal that doesn't penetrate goin' up against the big 50 kW'ers? Dunno, but it seems to me it's comin' outa the box with two strikes against it. Just my 37 cents.

-9-
 
But that's the thing...people *can* hear the signal. Not everyone, but certainly a lot of people. They cover the five boroughs quite well. It kind of reminds me of the Class A stations...think 92.7. Not everyone can hear it, even with their stick in Queens. But no one is saying that there's two strikes against those stations.
 
pbf1 said:
Jason Roberts said:
Some of their talk hosts, in syndication might work. Ed Schultz and Stephanie Miller are the 2 I think have potential.
Click to expand...


Those two are NOT on Air America; they're syndicated by Jones.
Click to expand...

Yeah. I know. My point exactly. I should have qualified that statement better. Thank you.
 
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