That explains it...FM sports

[1sttimecaller]

There is now no doubt in my mind this will happen.

The reason? A former Fox Sports radio personality couldn't keep quiet. Seeing Chuck Booms in the All Access "action" section next to Kevin Kiley brings it all home.

Hey, you wanna know how to get the word out? Tell Booms.

Let's put it this way: if Booms were a navy seal, we'd still be chasing Osama.

 

[OhioMediaWatch]

AllAccess is aware of said rumblings. They didn't get it from me, though our information matches frequently. This thing is all but a billboard in front of Terminal Tower by now.

"Kiley and Booms" did actually air in Northeast Ohio, roundabout 2001-ish, on the first incarnation of WARF/1350's Fox Sports 1350. And Booms did his part of the show from here, with Kiley at WTEM/980 in DC.

The show never aired in Cleveland itself, though 1350 puts a decent signal into much of Cuyahoga County.

 

[natureboy88]

Here is a question from deep in left field--
Tim Brando is slated to begin a TV simulcast of his Sporting News Radio show on CBS Sports Network in August.
Sporting News Radio is promoting "changes in sports radio" on August 1.

Is there a possibility that CBS is beginning a roll-out of a multi-platform run ESPN?
I'm wondering if Sporting News Radio may become CBS Sports Radio? It could compliment the syndication of the NFL via WW1.
Are there other markets that CBS may be looking to add a sports station? They are already in Detroit, Pittsburg, NYC, Atlanta & Chicago (maybe others--I haven't looked that closely).
This covers radio & TV. There is also CBS's ownership of over 200 official college athletic websites via collegesports.com

I imagine the sports media marketplace is due for a shift, considering CBS rebranding CBS College Sports to CBS Sports Network and the Comcast NBC merger bringing Golf Channel, versus and NBC Sports under a single umbrella. 

 

[OhioMediaWatch]

Very interesting speculation, nb, and it makes a lot of sense.

SNR is run, right now, by the guy who owns KGOW/1560 in Houston, David Gow (get it? G-O-W? The guy is nothing if not subtle.)

At least two SNR hosts are based there, both with history with Jim Rome - former Rome producer Travis Rodgers and former Rome "Smack Off" winner Sean ("The Cablinasian") Pendergast.

But SNR has always been kinda shaky, and it's not a stretch to see CBS pick it up and turn it into CBS Sports Radio, and for its programming to fill the off hours at "92.3 (?) The Fan" and other CBS sports talkers you mention above.

I haven't heard any such rumors, tho.

 

[DToTheJ]

I also saw a tweet last night from OMW claiming that CBS has yanked its WW1 programming from WKNR.

 

[Speaker of Truth]

OK so CBS is blowing up an alt rocker to do some version of Sports..problem is, they have no play by play, except for Westwood One NFL Football on the weekends..

I've followed their Boston transistion for a while now..on a rock station that already had the Patriots, and added the Bruins once the flip was complete..

Point is, without play by play, all you have is...talk..unless CBS wants to get into a bidding war with Clear Channel over the Cavaliers, or the Browns, what's the point? You have what will be an expensive talk format, and while on an FM signal, how do you sell this?

 

[Rusty Muck]

OK so CBS is blowing up an alt rocker to do some version of Sports..problem is, they have no play by play, except for Westwood One NFL Football on the weekends..

I've followed their Boston transistion for a while now..on a rock station that already had the Patriots, and added the Bruins once the flip was complete..

Point is, without play by play, all you have is...talk..unless CBS wants to get into a bidding war with Clear Channel over the Cavaliers, or the Browns, what's the point? You have what will be an expensive talk format, and while on an FM signal, how do you sell this?

Cleveland State (split between WHKW, WHK and WTAM) is obviously available. Considering that the NBA might not have a single game played this season, that might be significant - as well as a complement to the existing WW1 NCAA basketball package.

They might also try to get the Notre Dame package (from ISP Sports), as WTAM can only carry 3-4 games. Maybe even the Lake Erie Monsters or Gladiators too.

 

[74WIXYGrad]

Now what I'm waiting for is the start up of the FM sports talker. I figure right after this occurs, we will then be reading all the doomsday predictions from those who have "confirmed information." So far they have successfully predicted 3 of the 1 failures in Cleveland radio this year, and that would be DSN.

 

[1sttimecaller]

Anything other than Browns, Cavs, Indians, Buckeyes would be a joke. There would be no cume increase if you carried Cleveland State or the Gladiators. There would be revenue impact if those teams purchased the time, but you'd be better off not having a team with limited appeal on the air.

 

[Capulet]

Here is a question from deep in left field--..........
Is there a possibility that CBS is beginning a roll-out of a multi-platform run ESPN?
I'm wondering if Sporting News Radio may become CBS Sports Radio? It could compliment the syndication of the NFL via WW1.
Are there other markets that CBS may be looking to add a sports station? They are already in Detroit, Pittsburg, NYC, Atlanta & Chicago (maybe others--I haven't looked that closely).
This covers radio & TV. There is also CBS's ownership of over 200 official college athletic websites via collegesports.com......

Left field? Is that a pun? ;D

Actually this makes more sense that most of the speculation on this thread. Network.....multi market...

This ( what natureboy88 speculates ) is what a media GIANT does..............not mickey- mousing around with adding a niche format to a cluster to compete with a station in the same niche.

Looking for more speculation from you natureboy88! Great post.

 

[almaniac27]

Anything other than Browns, Cavs, Indians, Buckeyes would be a joke. There would be no cume increase if you carried Cleveland State or the Gladiators. There would be revenue impact if those teams purchased the time, but you'd be better off not having a team with limited appeal on the air.

I think CBS' first order of business with this new station is to take down WKNR, and if they have air talent actually talking sports with passion and intelligence, that combined with a clean FM signal should demolish 850. Soon after that the PBP contracts of some of the major teams will be coming up, and if The Fan is on a roll, they will definitely make a play for them.

 

[Capulet]

Anything other than Browns, Cavs, Indians, Buckeyes would be a joke. There would be no cume increase if you carried Cleveland State or the Gladiators. There would be revenue impact if those teams purchased the time, but you'd be better off not having a team with limited appeal on the air.

I think CBS' first order of business with this new station is to take down WKNR, and if they have air talent actually talking sports with passion and intelligence, that combined with a clean FM signal should demolish 850. Soon after that the PBP contracts of some of the major teams will be coming up, and if The Fan is on a roll, they will definitely make a play for them.

This is a plan in the logical evolution of a new network affilaite. (The only thinng I disagree with is a niche format is not "demolished"....it is just made even smaller than what is already is. ) The more I think about it, the more what natureboy88 wrote makes sense. If CBS is creating something, it is more likely a sports network, not a format flip.
format flip.

time will tell

 

[Rusty Muck]

Anything other than Browns, Cavs, Indians, Buckeyes would be a joke. There would be no cume increase if you carried Cleveland State or the Gladiators. There would be revenue impact if those teams purchased the time, but you'd be better off not having a team with limited appeal on the air.

I think CBS' first order of business with this new station is to take down WKNR, and if they have air talent actually talking sports with passion and intelligence, that combined with a clean FM signal should demolish 850. Soon after that the PBP contracts of some of the major teams will be coming up, and if The Fan is on a roll, they will definitely make a play for them.

This is a plan in the logical evolution of a new network affilaite. (The only thinng I disagree with is a niche format is not "demolished"....it is just made even smaller than what is already is. ) The more I think about it, the more what natureboy88 wrote makes sense. If CBS is creating something, it is more likely a sports network, not a format flip.
format flip.

time will tell

natureboy88 has plenty of food for thought... but this looks to be more than a generic, turnkey satellite-driven operation. Initial live programming from 6AM to 10PM weekdays, and most assuredly on similar slots on the weekends. This is different, than, say, CC flipping a small class C AM station in Bristol, Tennessee to a 24/7 relay of Fox Sports Radio.

Similar concept, far different execution.

 

[charlestondxman]

SNR does almost all of its programming from Houston, not just those two shows. The morning show is from Washington (Czaban), and Brando is from whereever he is, but the rest of its programming is from Houston from the "Gow Building." John Harris, their overnight person, was a Houston host, and almost all of their talent, even the update guys, are based in Houston.

Al Galdi on Czaban is from Washington, but that's it. CBS Sports Radio would probably be a good re-brand. They have stations in many major markets, and have the most straight-ahead programming of the three nets. They're not ESPN who basically only talks about their events, or Fox with their LA bias.

 

[Mediafrog+]

I'm in Houston, and the speculation regarding SNR and CBS is particularly interesting here.

For some background: CBS has the top SportsTalker in Houston, KILT SportsRadio 610. There are three competitors in the format: Clear Channel's KBME SportsTalk 790, Cumulus' KFNC ESPN 97.5, and Gow's KGOW 1560, which runs the co-owned SNR when not local.

CBS has the rights to the Rockets and Texans, so no issue with lack of play-by-play.

There's really not room for four SportsTalkers in Houston, despite the market size, but no one wants to cry uncle. Would be interesting if SNR became CBS Sports Radio--would give them a one-two punch in Houston, and could kill off one of the competitors. Would GOW also sell KGOW along with SNR? CBS is under the ownership cap in Houston. KGOW has made a lot of noise since it signed on, but has awful ratings to show for it. The station has been revamping its style in the past few months, but the numbers aren't going up. A radical change might be in order, and CBS Sports Radio might just be it--610 stays mostly local, 1560 carries the network.

 

[Tim]

98.5.......not 92.3 (unless CBS are morons, which is very, very doubtful).

 

[OhioMediaWatch]

I've confirmed ("superconfirmed?" ) that WW1 programming has exited the Galleria. It's as close to lock solid as if I was actually there watching it happen.

There are some gray areas about the new station's launch and things surrounding it, but not this. WW1 programming is gone from 850/1540.

I don't think CBS merges with SNR, though I won't rule it out. The rumors (RUMORS, not confirmed) I'm hearing and have talked about involve CBS potentially launching its OWN programming in the overnight, feeding its own sports stations, much like KMOX-based "Overnight America" does the same for its talk stations.

One problem with this, of course, sports rivalries - as one reader pointed out to me yesterday. Who listening in Cleveland wants to hear an overnight sports show produced out of Pittsburgh, or vice versa? They'll have to walk carefully here. It's not a problem the talk stations have.

About the PBP - CBS WILL go after it, and it looks like they are willing to build the station without it until the first contract comes up (I believe that's the Browns in 2013). They'll wait. And when that Browns deal is up with CC, CBS will all but hold a parade to try to get the Browns rights from WMMS/WTAM.

Karmazin couldn't afford to buy a Browns helmet, let alone go after the team rights. And he has no FM. And it's quite evident that, unless he reacts to this and borrows some money, he will never.

CBS could afford anything. And if they're starting a major sports station, which they are, they NEED those rights.

Oddly enough, some years ago, CBS was slowly backing away from PBP contracts. Then, their sports stations started growing, and they're back at the table with nearly a blank check.

Someone reminded me yesterday that CBS swiped the biggest sports property in Dallas, the Cowboys, away from Cumulus' iconic "1310 The Ticket" this past year. You need bank for that move.

 

[Tim]

Sportstalk as a format has always been an "over-producer" in advertising revenues...meaning, if a sportstalk station pulls a 3 share...it tends to get ad revenue like a 5 or 6 share.

There are so many great reasons to go sportstalk...especially in a passionate sports town like Cleveland, it's unbelievable. Very little downside.

In any highly-successful business there are costs. But, the return in this case, could be amazing for CBS.

If they get very good ratings, they get strong national ad buys. And, local and regional advertisers simply love being involved with sports-oriented programming because, #1-the advertisers think the involvement is cool and a great image for their businesses, and #2-it attracts rabid, potential customers in their businesses.

Any of the big 3 pro teams in Cleveland would LOVE being with this new station, and why not?

IMHO, sportstalk stations on big-signal FMs is really just beginning to become huge money makers and audience magnets in the US....and up to now, most sports stations have been on AM (many with limitied coverage).

If what Arbitron says is correct (8 of every 10 radio listeners are on FM)...it just makes sense to take your format where the most potential listeners are.

 

[DToTheJ]

...There's really not room for four SportsTalkers in Houston, despite the market size, but no one wants to cry uncle... KGOW has made a lot of noise since it signed on, but has awful ratings to show for it. The station has been revamping its style in the past few months, but the numbers aren't going up...

1. Recently, Adam Clanton from KBME remarked that it is indeed the market size that warrants the number of sports radio stations that they have. For those of you keeping score at home, New York and Chicago have two each, and there are three in L.A.

2. It should be noted that when KGOW first launched, their signal was not encoded for PPM, so their "awful ratings" when they first started were actually no ratings at all.

 

[Capulet]

I'm in Houston, and the speculation regarding SNR and CBS is particularly interesting here.

For some background: CBS has..........

CBS has the rights ..............

A radical change might be in order, and CBS Sports Radio might just be it--610 stays mostly local, 1560 carries the network.

Thanks Mediafrog....I appreciate the big picture ( national ) perspective.

Just tends to confirm in my mind that any niche format flip by CBS in Cleveland is not an isolated action involving just one signal in one market. A format flip in Cleveland as product extension of a much bigger nationwide endeavour has legs & makes much more sense.