Speculation on the Raleigh/Durham Radio Market...

[tothedj]

With all changes taking place in the Triangle radio market, what's next?,
I think sometime during 2007, WCMC will change format, because they
can't compete with WQDR and WRDU, which switced to country late last
year, there are two formats they could replace it, Oldies or FM Talk, which
could compete with WPTF and add talk programs not available to listeners
here, and with the resources of the North Carolina News Network and WRAL,
Channel 5, they could give them some competition, in addition WDOX
has no real coverage and i'm surprised they are still on the air, plus there
is something else to consider, Don Curtis could purchase WCMC, sell WDOX,
and move the programming to 99.9, and make it WPTF-FM.

 

[Big_Ben]

WCMC would have some great resources at their disposal as FM Talk, but there just might be enough Classic Country listeners for them to survive. QDR is decent about playing old stuff, but if Trey Cooler programs RDU like he did TQR, I imagine they will lean more towards newer country.

Should be interesting to see.

 

[XTalker]

Problem with the talk idea is that WPTF and WZTK have most everything worth having tied up! Some have suggested ZTK might drop talk in the next six months, but I think it is unlikely.

If you were to do talk, what shows would you offer? Remember Curtis has lots of things locked up and are not likely to let you have them?

As for their resources, NCNN and WRAL TV would certainly provide credible news product, but would not offer much in the way of talk programming! You still have to fill 55 minutes an hour. So what would you do?

 

[CCAlumni]

For the record...I hear Trey Cooler isn't programming anything at Rooster. All the shots are being called in Atlanta and Charlotte. CC Raleigh is not much more than a puppet regime controlled by some major egos elsewhere.

 

[berlin201]

I am curious about a few things: 93.9's "official" move to Cary is slated to take place this spring. I don't know when G105 is moving their transmitter, but they will eventually share a tower with 93.9 Kiss. My questions:

1) When is 106.1 The Rooster slated to move to Knightdale?
2) When will 102.5 move to Hillsborough (if they still are), and, if so, will they still be country or will they flip?
3) Any new word on WDUR 1490/WTSB 1090?
4) Any new word on 98.7 Simon in Greensboro?

 

[carlosswicegood]

only know about 'RDU:

1)They have untill Oct of 2009 to move (knowing CC, who knows when -or- IF they move)
2)If they do move, they will locate to the WCPE tower in Wafe Forest.

and it appears that WKXU still only has an application. not a CP for that site they want to move to in northwestern Durham, which at one point, before 1978, was the site of WTVD's transmitter and tower.

 

[berlin201]

only know about 'RDU:

1)They have untill Oct of 2009 to move (knowing CC, who knows when -or- IF they move)
2)If they do move, they will locate to the WCPE tower in Wafe Forest.

and it appears that WKXU still only has an application. not a CP for that site they want to move to in northwestern Durham, which at one point, before 1978, was the site of WTVD's transmitter and tower.

I have an idea for 102.5: If and when they do move, a suggested format would be either a simulcast of Y102.9 or a standalone oldies station. Y102.9's signal fades out somewhere in Mebane (driving along I-40/85) and a Burlington-based affiliate of Joy-FM (a Christian-formatted network of stations based somewhere in Florida) takes over on 102.9 at that point. 102.5 could expand Y102's reach further and even work in tandem with Majic 94.1 (who knows if Majic's signal will reach any farther even after 93.9 Kiss moves its signal).

 

[fortmill]

only know about 'RDU:

1)They have untill Oct of 2009 to move (knowing CC, who knows when -or- IF they move)
2)If they do move, they will locate to the WCPE tower in Wafe Forest.

and it appears that WKXU still only has an application. not a CP for that site they want to move to in northwestern Durham, which at one point, before 1978, was the site of WTVD's transmitter and tower.

WTVD moved their transmitter/tower from Durham to Garner in the early 60s.

 

[RadioDze]

That's the Signal Hill site, on Terry Rd off NC 157 (Guess Rd) in Durham. WTVD signed on from here Sept. 2, 1954, and apparently moved to Garner in 1958, though the current 2,000 antenna came on line ~1978. His Radio WRTP's 107.9 translator, W300AR, broadcasts from the 729' hill now. The WTVD tower is long gone.

 

[carlosswicegood]

has anyone ever gone up signal hill in durham? i did once, but only got halfway before seeing "KEEP OUT" but no gate, only some houses. one day, i might risk it.
hey, if anyone should ask, i could always say i just got turned around

 

[RadioDze]

I haven't gotten past the "Keep Out" sign either, though I'd sure like to do so.

 

[tropicanamedia]

???I heard a RUMOR, just a rumor, that there maybe some plans for another FM with Spanish format coming to the Raleigh area?

Is the market sufficient for two FM's? And if so, what Spanish format would it be?

 

[yankees]

Where did you hear it at. And yes i think this market can use a spanish station because the population in the triangle market

 

[Radio-X]

Perhaps 99.9? A lot of the people in Durham and in the northern parts of the metro area probably have a tough time picking up La Ley. 99.9 would give northern suburbs good coverage...

Radio-X

 

[berlin201]

Here's another idea: How 'bout La Ley simulcasting on either 101.1 or 102.5? Curtis has had 101.1 and 96.9 simulcasting before, back when both of them were country stations. A simulcast on either of those stations would extend La Ley's reach and maybe even give La Preciosa 94.5 a run for their money...