Taylor: Dickeys Covet Star 94

[RoddyFreeman]

Tom Taylor on Radio-Info (not our friend Tom Taylor the engineer) says in his column today that he was told, "The Dickey brothers covet Star 94 more than any other radio station in the U.S. They are obsessed with beating it in the ratings with their Q100, but it's a C3 on a less-than-optimal signal."

Personally I don't think Cumulus will get Lincoln Financial. I think Cumulus is still stretched from the Susquehanna acquisition. The only way Cumulus would get Star 94, at least in my opinion, is if someone bought LF who can't own any more stations in Atlanta. But even if that happened, the buyer would keep Star 94 and spin off another signal.

If Cumulus wants to beat Star 94 so badly, why don't they move Q100 to 99.7?

 

[caller10]

Tom Taylor on Radio-Info (not our friend Tom Taylor the engineer) says in his column today that he was told, "The Dickey brothers covet Star 94 more than any other radio station in the U.S. They are obsessed with beating it in the ratings with their Q100, but it's a C3 on a less-than-optimal signal."

Personally I don't think Cumulus will get Lincoln Financial. I think Cumulus is still stretched from the Susquehanna acquisition. The only way Cumulus would get Star 94, at least in my opinion, is if someone bought LF who can't own any more stations in Atlanta. But even if that happened, the buyer would keep Star 94 and spin off another signal.

If Cumulus wants to beat Star 94 so badly, why don't they move Q100 to 99.7?

Because it would destroy what value is left in the 99X brand IMHO.

 

[jal41]

Tom Taylor on Radio-Info (not our friend Tom Taylor the engineer) says in his column today that he was told, "The Dickey brothers covet Star 94 more than any other radio station in the U.S. They are obsessed with beating it in the ratings with their Q100, but it's a C3 on a less-than-optimal signal."

Personally I don't think Cumulus will get Lincoln Financial. I think Cumulus is still stretched from the Susquehanna acquisition. The only way Cumulus would get Star 94, at least in my opinion, is if someone bought LF who can't own any more stations in Atlanta. But even if that happened, the buyer would keep Star 94 and spin off another signal.

If Cumulus wants to beat Star 94 so badly, why don't they move Q100 to 99.7?

They probably will. 99X is dead. Regardless, they want Star 94 because it is the competition.

LF's properties will most likely be split up between different owners. Cox is full up now, and CC is divesting now, so that leaves CBS, Citadel or Cumulus (or even Radio One).

 

[ssnake]

Tom Taylor on Radio-Info (not our friend Tom Taylor the engineer) says in his column today that he was told, "The Dickey brothers covet Star 94 more than any other radio station in the U.S. They are obsessed with beating it in the ratings with their Q100, but it's a C3 on a less-than-optimal signal."

For the record, WWWQ is now a C2.

 

[RoddyFreeman]

For the record, WWWQ is now a C2.

Right you are, Ssnake and truthfully, Q100 now has a competitive signal in the areas where the great majority of people in the Atlanta metro live.

 

[atlsportsnut]

Look past just the Star 94 product and see what sits across the hall. If they get their hands on Star then they also would be able to control the lease for 790 that battles their 680 product.
The Dickeys would then have the ability to send the 790 folks packing, cherry pick talent from their sales and on-air organizations and create one sports station on 680 for local and put their syndicated ESPN products on 790.
I know that the sales community is buzzing with this type of talk. I am not sure what would survive on the on-air product side, but it would probably make for a very successful local sports talk powerhouse to rival other markets.

 

[zoneguy]

The only problem with the above scenario is that BLB signed a pretty tight lease with Jefferson Pilot prior to the Lincoln sale that gives them guaranteed access to the signal and facility regardless of ownership changes. Probably the only way the Dickey's could move BLB out prior to the lease lapsing is to buyout the remaining years which would make absolutley no sense because it would be too difficult to make that up in revenue on that signal.

Even with BLB out of the way, the Dickey's could not expect to suddenly take in all of the 790 revenue. They already have a better signal than 790 and better ratings, but 790 still makes about two dollars to their every one. That money comes from all of those personal Andrew Saltzman relationships that would go away if you kicked BLB out the building.

 

[evnlee]

Even with BLB out of the way, the Dickey's could not expect to suddenly take in all of the 790 revenue. They already have a better signal than 790 and better ratings, but 790 still makes about two dollars to their every one. That money comes from all of those personal Andrew Saltzman relationships that would go away if you kicked BLB out the building.

Question: I have read many times here that 790 makes more $$$ then 680....But 680 is only part of the revenue~ Dickey also has a publishing side ( Jezebel, etc.. ) that supposedly brings in $$$ too.

Is it fair to say that station vs station 790 makes more $$$, but if you were to look at the overall financial picture, they probably make about the same?

 

[bgwilde1]

The only way I see that happening is if Cumulus can cough up about 2 billion $$ worth of stock to trade for the whole group.

If they can do that and recoup some of their money by selling off the TV side, then that could be a possibility.

That would also give them some new markets.

 

[Generic Poster Guy]

LF's properties will most likely be split up between different owners. Cox is full up now, and CC is divesting now, so that leaves CBS, Citadel or Cumulus (or even Radio One).

Three words: En. Ter. Com.

 

[atlsportsnut]

Zoneguy,
From what I have heard from folks inside Lincoln Financial, there is a buy out clause that is NOT that significant if there is an ownership change at 790. The LMA they have could easily be bought out and do you actually think Lincoln Financial would have written an agreement that handcuffs them when they would potentially want to sell? My guess is that ESPN 790 would be born and they would have all syndicated programming except for the Stews and maybe one more urban element.
Then they would have 6am-7pm live and local on 680 with a combination of talent. My guess would be that Dimino, Bell, Oliver and maybe Chernoff would survive to live another day at 680. Ratings wise 790 has been hurting lately and there may not be a real case for keeping much of their talent anyway except for a Dimino who has market equity.