Sports Radio 929

[artsutton]

I know the 680 signal situation very well since I moved WRGC-Sylva, NC to 540 then sold it. WRGC is not the limiting factor to WCNN at night. As others have suggested, the big 50KW WPTF in Raleigh creates the huge wall off to the northeast. I think WCNN can send something like 47 watts toward WPTF. Thus why they have 8 towers to get 10KW. The 680 in Memphis isn't as controlling but its a big factor too.

In the daytime, WCNN could drop their two tower directional and go non directional since WRGC is no longer on 680 but they would actually lessen their daytime signal to the southwest through the heart of Atlanta. As far as reception is concerned, WCNN caused WRGC more headaches than WRGC did to WCNN. Not sure if dropping the DA at WCNN is even worth the cost nowadays.

When WSB went FM, I think they took a huge chunk out of the life of any AM station within 100 miles of Atlanta even the big signal ones like WCNN.

I thought that the station in Raleigh (http://www.radio-locator.com/info/WPTF-AM ) was the real concern for 680 addressing that big ol' NE null.

Looking at the night coverage for WCNN:

http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WCNN&service=AM&status=L&hours=N

IMHO The best they could hope for is at night time keep the North East null "to protect Raleigh" but loosen up due north and northwest. I assume they protect Memphis with the null just south of Rome. There is the Corbin KY and Newburg (Louisville) KY stations to protect too. It would be great for WCNN to get a night signal into Gainesville GA.

 

[upstate29651]

Unless someone flips, Atlanta will have five All-Sports stations in September:

92.9 WZGC....presumably only using CBS Sports overnights.
680 WCNN....currently local sports with ESPN but soon to be CBS Sports in other dayparts
790 WQXI....local sports with Yahoo Sports overnight and weekends.
1230 WFOM....not sure of their schedule or affiliations
1340 WALR....mostly Fox Sports.

In a fairweather, non-sports market like Atlanta, this is untennable. 92.9 will be back to music in a year.

G

 

[secondchoice]

ID expect NY and chicago early next year

Maybe not that fast. Why simulcast when your NYC AM held its own:

http://www.radio-info.com/stations/wfan-am

against ESPN's LMA of an Emmis FM:

http://www.radio-info.com/stations/wepn-fm

In Chicago there still is viable AM listening. CBS already has WBBM on FM (over reacting to Merlin) but IIRC there was no bump like WSB got with 95.5. The soil conductivity is much better up there which makes AM go much farther and a stronger signal helps with the interference. Also Chicago is in Class "B" territory so their FM have about the same coverage as a C2 (WNNX Rock 100.5 for example) Their AM WSRC is still #1 in sports (6+) in the ratings.

http://www.radio-info.com/stations/wscr-am

verses ESPN's WMVP

http://www.radio-info.com/stations/wmvp-am

The only reason to put WSCR on FM is to get rid of the WJMK-FM payroll:

http://www.radio-info.com/stations/wjmk-fm

 

[OhioMediaWatch]

In a fairweather, non-sports market like Atlanta, this is untennable. 92.9 will be back to music in a year.

Someone will probably blink, but not CBS ("The Eye", even).

Sports is a long-term strategy for them. They aren't gonna flip a year in, either in Atlanta, here in Cleveland or elsewhere.

Long-term. They'll even take fair-to-middling ratings for the first year or two as long as A) they can sell spots (which is remarkably easy for sports radio) and B) build the brand, add PBP as necessary, etc.

New 92.9 PD Terry Foxx added the Pittsburgh Pirates' rights at 93.7 The Fan in Pgh. 92.3 here certainly will be in the mix at the expiration of the Browns/Indians/Cavaliers' contracts with Clear Channel.

 

[BIGSTICK]

At the rate this is going, spoken-word format will gobble up the FM band.

92.9 - sports news
95.5 - news talk
106.7 - all news

Let's add...
94.9 - farm news
96.1 - weather news
97.1 - health/aches/pains news
98.5 - business news
99.7 - entertainment news
102.5 - God's news
103.3 - urban news
107.9 - crunk news

Honestly this is what they sound like already,,,what a joke.....

 

[IT_Guru]

At the rate this is going, spoken-word format will gobble up the FM band.

92.9 - sports news
95.5 - news talk
106.7 - all news

Let's add...
94.9 - farm news
96.1 - weather news
97.1 - health/aches/pains news
98.5 - business news
99.7 - entertainment news
102.5 - God's news
103.3 - urban news
107.9 - crunk news

I think farm news would be a better fit on 107.1 and 94.9 will be technology news.

Seriously though, three sports stations and Atlanta can't even get a "real" CHR ???

Thanks to the four C's, Atlanta has gone from being one of the best cities for radio to the worst. I used to love Q100 when they were owned by Susquehana but now that Cumulus has taken them over I can't even listen to them anymore and CHR is the best that it's been in years! NO Classic Hits and for those who like it, no Jazz. The only music stations in this town that aren't confused about their identity are V-103 and Hot 1079.

 

[Rick Rose 2.0]

you could say V is confused in its identity. They do superserve the black community like no other station they are not consistant in there music mix. They are all over the map when it comes to time of day and type of r&b music they play. The play smooth r&b, classic r&B, current r&B and even hip hop at times going all over the map when it comes to age groups they target. am i saying they need to change their formula? nope they have very high ratings and billlings so i guess an inconsistant sound works great for them.

 

[radioguy39nj]

ID expect NY and chicago early next year

CBS' current contracts with the Mets and Yankees expire at the end of this season. Also, ESPN (WEPN) recently moved to FM and has been rumored to be interested in getting the Yankees. CBS could have to decide sooner rather than later to move WFAN to FM.

 

[upstate29651]

In a fairweather, non-sports market like Atlanta, this is untennable. 92.9 will be back to music in a year.

Someone will probably blink, but not CBS ("The Eye", even).

Sports is a long-term strategy for them. They aren't gonna flip a year in, either in Atlanta, here in Cleveland or elsewhere.

Long-term. They'll even take fair-to-middling ratings for the first year or two as long as A) they can sell spots (which is remarkably easy for sports radio) and B) build the brand, add PBP as necessary, etc.

New 92.9 PD Terry Foxx added the Pittsburgh Pirates' rights at 93.7 The Fan in Pgh. 92.3 here certainly will be in the mix at the expiration of the Browns/Indians/Cavaliers' contracts with Clear Channel.

That's fine, except this isn't a pro-sports friendly city like Cleveland or Pittsburgh. Once you move south of DC, pro-sports doesn't matter so much, even in markets with pro teams (Atlanta, Nashville, Charlotte, Jacksonville, Orlando, etc.). I stand by my prediction.

G

 

[BIGSTICK]

In a fairweather, non-sports market like Atlanta, this is untennable. 92.9 will be back to music in a year.

Someone will probably blink, but not CBS ("The Eye", even).

Sports is a long-term strategy for them. They aren't gonna flip a year in, either in Atlanta, here in Cleveland or elsewhere.

Long-term. They'll even take fair-to-middling ratings for the first year or two as long as A) they can sell spots (which is remarkably easy for sports radio) and B) build the brand, add PBP as necessary, etc.

New 92.9 PD Terry Foxx added the Pittsburgh Pirates' rights at 93.7 The Fan in Pgh. 92.3 here certainly will be in the mix at the expiration of the Browns/Indians/Cavaliers' contracts with Clear Channel.

That's fine, except this isn't a pro-sports friendly city like Cleveland or Pittsburgh. Once you move south of DC, pro-sports doesn't matter so much, even in markets with pro teams (Atlanta, Nashville, Charlotte, Jacksonville, Orlando, etc.). I stand by my prediction.

G

I agree Although ATL is quadruple the size of the other cities, we do not need THREE sports stations. 1 is plenty in my book...

 

[Rick Rose 2.0]

To predict that a 100kw intown Atlanta FM will fail because we already have two AM signal like formated stations is weak in 2012. Talk is moving to FM and AM is continuing its fall so it would be 680 and 790 that will be on the watch list for failing if there is not enough money to support 3 sports stations. We need There is bound to be a shake up caused by this and a year from now it wont look the same for sports talk in Atlanta. I have weird commute patterns and the 93.7 sucks for half of it and i am listening to 106.7 since its loud and clear everywhere i go but having 92.9 talking sports will give me more spoken word options on my commute.

 

[RTibbs]

From Rodney Ho's writeup:

"An official name hasn’t been dubbed yet for the sports staton, In other markets, CBS has names such as the Hub and the Ticket."

Not a fan of the "Fan" branding, Rodney? :

www.sportsradio929fm.com
Is already up with a redirect to 790!

Good job by 790 to register the site for now. Quick thinking.

 

[Seasoned Vet]

New 92.9 PD Terry Foxx added the Pittsburgh Pirates' rights at 93.7 The Fan in Pgh.

Foxx had nothing to do with adding Pirates' rights or Pitt football and basketball PBP before that when the station launched. It was the all-sports, the signal and the strength of CBS cluster cross promotion. If anything, his presence nearly cost the station the chance at those rights.

 

[carolinaradio]

I think sports on 92.9 could outlast AN106.7 if going by the ratings just mentioned...

790 should be pretty nervous. CBS will be committed to sports on 92.9.

 

[BarryATL]

CBS tends to invest in the long term for these new spoken word stations. They have experience in building a brand and know it takes three years+.

 

[jabba17]

Unless someone flips, Atlanta will have five All-Sports stations in September:

92.9 WZGC....presumably only using CBS Sports overnights.
680 WCNN....currently local sports with ESPN but soon to be CBS Sports in other dayparts
790 WQXI....local sports with Yahoo Sports overnight and weekends.
1230 WFOM....not sure of their schedule or affiliations
1340 WALR....mostly Fox Sports.

In a fairweather, non-sports market like Atlanta, this is untennable. 92.9 will be back to music in a year.
G

I would consider WFOM and WALR to be nonplayers in this game. If anything, they might serve as outposts for out of town college teams, network feeds (as is today), and maybe Spanish Bravos PBP (again) if the Latino population rises again.

Dickey and CBS will coordinate their efforts with 92.9 (which I still think will simul with 790 in the short term, until 790 gets used for TOC or something else) and 680 (and an FM signal to be named later), so as to complement each other and not compete too hard, lest the whole CBS Sports Radio venture go awry.

 

[jabba17]

In a fairweather, non-sports market like Atlanta, this is untennable. 92.9 will be back to music in a year.

Someone will probably blink, but not CBS ("The Eye", even).

Sports is a long-term strategy for them. They aren't gonna flip a year in, either in Atlanta, here in Cleveland or elsewhere.

Long-term. They'll even take fair-to-middling ratings for the first year or two as long as A) they can sell spots (which is remarkably easy for sports radio) and B) build the brand, add PBP as necessary, etc.

New 92.9 PD Terry Foxx added the Pittsburgh Pirates' rights at 93.7 The Fan in Pgh. 92.3 here certainly will be in the mix at the expiration of the Browns/Indians/Cavaliers' contracts with Clear Channel.

That's fine, except this isn't a pro-sports friendly city like Cleveland or Pittsburgh. Once you move south of DC, pro-sports doesn't matter so much, even in markets with pro teams (Atlanta, Nashville, Charlotte, Jacksonville, Orlando, etc.). I stand by my prediction.

G

680 and 92.9 could probably split the Hawks, Braves, Falcons, and Georgia Tech (football and basketball) neatly between them (assuming no amount of money will pry UGA football and basketball from WSB). Heck, you have 99X (Cumulus again) carrying the Silverbacks as well as the Hawks. You'd be surprised how many people listen to the Braves on the radio, and you could even add some out of town SEC or ACC PBP to flesh out the schedule.

790 will be the odd man out, and Lincoln would be smart to get out NOW. They can get top dollar for Star and this will be the last chance for Quixie, which might entice CBS to pay more than 790 is worth to pick up the talent.

 

[gj567]

I think sports on 92.9 could outlast AN106.7 if going by the ratings just mentioned...

790 should be pretty nervous. CBS will be committed to sports on 92.9.

What do you mean the ratings just mentioned. Nothing has been released. Heck, Andy up there made up figures that looked good to make his point. By the way, a 1.1 is very impressive in the All News format for the first month. It is making money and will continue to do so. If anything AN106.7 will last longer than "SportsHub" will. In fact, with no PBP teams or personalities to speak of so far, hypothetically has no ratings at the moment. Now at this stage we knew AN106.7 would get most if not all of the CNN staffers, like Andy & Michelle, Greg Black, Connie Cummings, and more. And we knew of 689 The Fan Sports and ABC News. Anyone who know anything about ATL radio knew if they would listen or not. 92.9? We know nothing. No known affiliation (NBC or CBS), no known personalities, no known format aspect, no idea of how they will run it (local all day, synd and night?). That is my point. By the way, I expect 106.7 to grow in the ratings battle and be a strong competition of WSB in the near future.

 

[carolinaradio]

KROI in Houston is getting around a 0.8-1.0 and has been around for about 9 months. That is around what I think we can expect from 106.7 over the next year. WYAY is higher budget than KROI, though, I believe, so their expenses are probably higher (thus they need to make more money for profit). KROI isn't news 24/7. I just don't think All News is going to be as huge as a lot of posts on this board indicate.

AGH's final days being part of All News' first book gave them a boost (it's been described as a good first book for an all-newser, but a handful of days in AN's first book were from an already established station). The upcoming book will be the first "real" book because it will just be All News.

 

[monkeymanmoi]

Well, that sucks. Good people over at that station (Rich and Mara). Of all the big music stations that would have been the last one I would want to see changed. I hardly ever listen to FM radio for music and will possibly listen to a sports station more, though. I thought they were the least sucky. Still, sad to see.