Audacy recently announced that they weren't selling any more stations. Do you think the reason they are keeping stars hot AC format going the HD2 chanel on 107.7. Is that the might bring the format back on 107.7. The playlist is still getting regularly updated. And 107.7 ratings are very low with the country format
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Buffalo Star 102.5
- Thread starter CassChopper96
- Start date
No such announcement was made...
David Eduardo. Told Me that Audacy stated that they were not planning on selling any stations
If they were planning to move the AC format to 107.7 (which I think they absolutely should have done) the time to do it was back before the sale of 102.5 to EMF closed. Running a month of "STAR 102.5 is moving on up to 104.7 and 107.7" promos and simulcasting on 104.7/107.7 would have set up the station to achieve some type of success. Now, it may be too late.
Why keep a very low rated country format going. When you have something that would probably rate and bill better just being backlogged
It would have been an exercise in futility. You don't put a generic format on a marginal signal. WBEN simulcast, Alternative and Country all failed. An AC format would fare about the same. Bankruptcy is the more important issue now. Corporate has probably forgotten that the 107.7 signal exists anyway...
forgot about 107.7 , that was funny..
imagine they also neglect to remember the other 107 in Buffalo
(hint: am 1400 )
imagine they also neglect to remember the other 107 in Buffalo
(hint: am 1400 )
It looks like Star is going to be adding new streaming technology on the WLKK HD2 channel, along with AI voices. They've signed on with Super Hi-Fi’s HLS+ streaming technology that allows users to skip songs and interactively add programming elements. They've also "announced a joint venture with voice AI specialist ElevenLabs to integrate advanced synthetic voice technology into its programming and production to create a diverse library of realistic, multilingual AI voices for on-air and advertising purposes."
radioink.com
Audacy Furthers Venture Into AI With Super Hi-Fi HD Radio Deal - Radio Ink
Audacy is expanding its AI partnership with Super Hi-Fi to bolster the broadcaster's digital operations on several HD Radio signals.
radioink.com
This falls into the "If a tree falls in a forest..." category. However, the 27 people in Buffalo who own HD home receivers and the 136 people who bother to work through the process of tuning to HD in their cars will no doubt be awed.It looks like Star is going to be adding new streaming technology on the WLKK HD2 channel, along with AI voices. They've signed on with Super Hi-Fi’s HLS+ streaming technology that allows users to skip songs and interactively add programming elements. They've also "announced a joint venture with voice AI specialist ElevenLabs to integrate advanced synthetic voice technology into its programming and production to create a diverse library of realistic, multilingual AI voices for on-air and advertising purposes."
Audacy Furthers Venture Into AI With Super Hi-Fi HD Radio Deal - Radio Ink
Audacy is expanding its AI partnership with Super Hi-Fi to bolster the broadcaster's digital operations on several HD Radio signals.
[/snark]
And that assumes those 163 people live/drive where they can receive a listenable signal on 107.7 HD2. Good luck with that. If Audacy wanted to continue STAR, they should have dumped the Wolf and flipped 107.7 and 104.7 to STAR, not futz around with an HD2 that covers several dozen cow pastures.
I read somewhere that Audacy is putting Elevenlabs generative voice AI on their top 5 streaming stations. STAR did build up to a .4 share in the latest monthly average. I'm not sure HD2 listening really factors into the decision. Smart speakers and app listening are likely to be more in their sights.
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Radiowaves
Guest
It’s pretty ridiculous to say “they probably forgot about the signal anyway”
AC has zero chance of being successful on this frequency.
This is a rural signal, which covers two major markets and all areas in between. You say country did not work. THIS current kind of country does not work, as both markets have a heritage with the same music, however, other formats or derivatives of country, like a real country station, would work.
ALT was a disaster- lots of folks in Perry NY demanding “puddle of mud”
WOLF is a joke of a country format with zero promotion and plenty of competitors
LAKE- Best option to date.
I believe they will end up spinning of this station “they probably forgot about”
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Radiowaves
Guest
David Field. What a visionary.It looks like Star is going to be adding new streaming technology on the WLKK HD2 channel, along with AI voices. They've signed on with Super Hi-Fi’s HLS+ streaming technology that allows users to skip songs and interactively add programming elements. They've also "announced a joint venture with voice AI specialist ElevenLabs to integrate advanced synthetic voice technology into its programming and production to create a diverse library of realistic, multilingual AI voices for on-air and advertising purposes."
Audacy Furthers Venture Into AI With Super Hi-Fi HD Radio Deal - Radio Ink
Audacy is expanding its AI partnership with Super Hi-Fi to bolster the broadcaster's digital operations on several HD Radio signals.
Audacy in April 2023 sold WLFP Memphis and WTSS Buffalo for $15.5 million. What a great BOGO! That would be about $8 million for each signal. Compare that sale price for two full power signals, WTSS having 110kW that reaches the coveted market of Toronto (we can debate effectiveness and formats in another post), to the nearly $11 million Entercom paid for rimshot 107.7. Eleven. Million. For. 107 point 7. A rimshot with a transmitter and antenna in the boondocks (Billy Joe Royal territory.)
The 107.7 sale price was flat out bonkers, but it was the going rate at the time ... shows you how nuts the sector was ... and then the entire broadcast sector imploded. Farid Suleman was calling the shots at Citadel and went on record saying he thought he was brilliant, bidding up the price and making Entercom and David Field pay 11 mil. That was pure BSD power play crap. Suleman was too smart by a half. Citadel imploded in 2008, but what did he care ... he walked away from the bankrupt company with a platinum parachute while more than 700 employees nationwide were RIF'd.
I've been told by people who know how to horse trade that 107.7 is worth about $5 million at the very best. Me, personally? Feh! I don't think the stick value of 107.7 is anywhere near 5 mil, and calculating the value by cash flow would seem way out of line. Did EMF base their price for Star on cash flow? Doubtful. EMF isn't in the commercial billing business. I'd surmise it was stick value. Comparatively, the stick value of 107.7 would be significantly lower than that of 102.5. Significantly. But who's going to waltz into Buffalo and pay 5 mil?
More than likely the owner of WECK has a set target price well under 5 mil, and has his financials in order based on his purchase price. He'll move if and when the numbers fall in line, Before he was excommunicated here, WECK's owner said he'd change the format to Classic Country and sell at reasonable rates to clients in the country. Seems like a smart strategy. Time will tell.
The 107.7 sale price was flat out bonkers, but it was the going rate at the time ... shows you how nuts the sector was ... and then the entire broadcast sector imploded. Farid Suleman was calling the shots at Citadel and went on record saying he thought he was brilliant, bidding up the price and making Entercom and David Field pay 11 mil. That was pure BSD power play crap. Suleman was too smart by a half. Citadel imploded in 2008, but what did he care ... he walked away from the bankrupt company with a platinum parachute while more than 700 employees nationwide were RIF'd.
I've been told by people who know how to horse trade that 107.7 is worth about $5 million at the very best. Me, personally? Feh! I don't think the stick value of 107.7 is anywhere near 5 mil, and calculating the value by cash flow would seem way out of line. Did EMF base their price for Star on cash flow? Doubtful. EMF isn't in the commercial billing business. I'd surmise it was stick value. Comparatively, the stick value of 107.7 would be significantly lower than that of 102.5. Significantly. But who's going to waltz into Buffalo and pay 5 mil?
More than likely the owner of WECK has a set target price well under 5 mil, and has his financials in order based on his purchase price. He'll move if and when the numbers fall in line, Before he was excommunicated here, WECK's owner said he'd change the format to Classic Country and sell at reasonable rates to clients in the country. Seems like a smart strategy. Time will tell.
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I'm thinking more in the range of 3 to 3.5 mil. At that price, you'll find a buyer.
I can't see anyone paying 3 million for 107.7. It's maybe worth $500,000 at this point. It's not even worth selling until the day comes when Audacy completely exits Buffalo. On that day, any buyer will get the Fire Sale price...
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Radiowaves
Guest
‘Any buyer” will get the fire sale price. You know that this is referring to Buddy Schula, but it sickens you to give him credit that he will most likely get it. This board is simply incredible. You can’t even stomach mentioning the name “Buddy Schula” just because you’re jealous.
Numerous times here everyone seems to dance around his name. ‘The owner of WECK” “ The owner banned from this board”.” Said owner” Really? Grow up
You don’t have to praise the guy, but to go out of your way to not even write his name, even when everyone here is anonymous? That’s pretty insecure.
That’s a Buffalo kind of jealousy that exists in Buffalo people whether it has to do with weather, sports, even broadcasting. So glad I am not in that market anymore, the negativity is overwhelming. In the market I’m in, professionals would celebrate a local person who has the rocks to make a 1KW station a major success. Just my opinion.
Another opinion and another fact. WLKK radio is worth no where near a million dollars and my educated guess is “said owner”
will get that radio stationThe value of WLKK depends on whether the license comes with the stick, translator, and property. According to FCC records, the tower belongs to K2 Towers III LLC, which means that a new station owner will need to work out a rental agreement for the FM. If Audacy sell the station, it's unlikely that whatever grandfathered deal they struck will be transferrable. The other option would be to try to find a new tower site, but it's unlikely that it would improve the signal in the Buffalo market. That idea has already been studied by numerous engineering firms. Either way, it will impact the real cost of the station for a new owner.
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Radiowaves
Guest
Nice try, but no.
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