Presuming that Cox would sell WSB, WSB-FM, and WSB-TV as a group, there's no reason I can see why Cox would object to the buyer using the call signs in perpetuity - unlike KCBS/WCBS, which obviously are important calls to CBS Corporation.
If the buyer only bought the WSB-TV assets, then there might be some discussion about one party or the other changing calls.
If the buyer only buys WSB-TV and isn’t willing to buy News 95.5 FM/AM 750 WSB-AM/WSBB-FM, severe weather coverage for radio listeners would be disastrous. Kirk Mellish would be let go due to his inability to be in studio all year round. WSB Radio would not have a plan B. They wouldn’t be able to outsource Severe Weather Team 2 anymore. I know that people can receive severe weather alerts via mobile devices these days but people still need a backup option if in the event they can’t turn on their TVs, computers, or mobile devices. My heart goes out to the Athens, GA people. News/talk station WGAU outsources their forecasts from TWC (The Weather Channel) Radio Network. That’s nice. But it’s no good if you can’t have the radio station break into programming when severe weather threatens. EAS alerts are not enough. Of course, WGAU is understaffed. No wonder they can’t get anyone to be there when severe weather threatens. I don’t want to be tuning into WSB Radio with them not breaking into programming for severe weather and then a tornado shows up 500-1000 ft. from my house and I either make it to the basement successfully or the tornado picks me up and throws me 100-300 ft. into the air. Thankfully it’s never happened to me and I’m also thankful it hasn’t happened to anyone who listens to WGST, WYAY, WGKA, WAOK, WGAU (Athens), WRGA (Rome), WRWH (Cleveland, GA), or WJRB (Young Harris-Blairsville, GA-Murphy, NC-Blue Ridge, GA). When WGST had more staff with them prior to 2006, they outsourced their forecasts from TWC Radio Network then the FOX5 Atlanta Storm Team. Back then, WGST broke into their programming when severe weather would hit the area. You would hear of them make reference to the Georgia Power Storm Center. In the last days before 2006, I remember them making reference to the Scana Energy Storm Center. I get it. Those power companies sponsored WGST’s then existing storm center. You would think New Talk 106.7 WYAY-FM would have learned from WGST’s severe weather coverage mistakes. But have they? Even after inheriting the outsourcing of forecasts from the FOX5 Atlanta Storm Team, no, they have not learned. When WGST let so many people go in 2006, they should have never done away with severe weather coverage. As far as outsourcing forecasts are concerned, WGST now outsources them from the CBS46 Pinpoint Weather Team. WGKA like WGAU is understaffed. WGKA outsources their forecasts from AccuWeather. News & Talk 1380 AM WAOK, a black news/talk station, I don’t know where they outsource their forecasts. I don’t even know if they even have a plan for severe weather coverage in place. If WAOK does not have a plan for severe weather coverage, they should consider putting one in place. Of course, WAOK is understaffed from what I could tell of their programming schedule. I never even tune into WAOK. They’re too liberal for me. Despite them being liberal, they should still put a severe weather coverage plan in place. Outsourcing CBS46 would be a good idea. WGST needs to outsource CBS46 for severe weather coverage as well. WRGA in Rome, IIRC (If I Remember Correctly), outsources their forecasts from AccuWeather. WRGA, WRWH, & WJRB are all understaffed. Community Radio 100.3 FM/AM 1450 WBHF-AM/W262CD-FM, a station that bills itself as an adult standards station in Cartersville, the way that station is ran, they should consider putting a severe weather coverage plan in place for that station. WBHF has a morning news show along with a midday news show that comes on around 12PM (12 Noon) 7 days a week. The morning news show is on 5 days a week (Mon.-Fri.). The midday news show is on for about 15 minutes every afternoon. WBHF outsources their forecasts from AccuWeather. Am I saying all news/talk stations should outsource TV stations with news departments for severe weather coverage? Absolutely not. The arrangement between WSB TV & Radio should NOT be broken up. WYAY needs to outsource the FOX5 Atlanta Storm Team for severe weather coverage. WGST & WAOK should outsource CBS46 for severe weather coverage for those respective stations. What’s my advice to WGKA, WGAU, WRGA, WRWH, WJRB, & WBHF? My advice to all those stations is to simply hire people who are willing to come in to do wall-to-wall severe weather coverage. No, they do not have to be meteorologists necessarily. They can be regular people who are willing to keep listeners in the know of severe weather alerts along with keeping a eye on the radar. Where WSB TV & Radio are concerned, if the buyer buys the TV station without the radio station, I would be more than willing to relieve Kirk Mellish when he can’t come in for WSB Radio so Kirk won’t be let go. As long as Kirk has someone to cover for him, Cox won’t let him go. I would be more than willing to cover for Kirk on holidays & weekends. My only problem is my education. I unfortunately never finished college. I don’t have degrees in broadcasting & meteorology. No, I am not going to send in a resume to Cox anytime soon because of the education thing. If people wind up dying from tornadoes as a result of this pending sale of WSB-TV no matter who buys the TV station, oh well.
I don’t wish ill on anyone. May the WSB-TV sale end on a good note and not a bad note. I apologize for this post being so lengthy. Thank you guys for reading it. Anyway, that is all.
