I was just reading on the Alabama board that, with the latest format flip in the Birmingham market, five -- yes, five -- of Birmingham's FM signals are now some form of talk, be it political, sports or religion. I gather this is being driven by the migration of the money demos to FM and by the escalating money grab by the labels, songwrtiers, artists and SoundExchange that's making music more and more expensive to play at a time when advertisers continue to cut back their radio presence or abandon radio entirely. So, could this happen in Hartford? Could Clear Channel put a WPOP simulcast, or CBS a simulcast of WTIC(AM) on one of their music FMs and claim a bottom-line benefit even though their music FMs are generally doing well in the ratings? Could the market's non-media-Goliath stations, WDRC-FM, WMRQ or WCCC, eventually move to talk or sports? Or does music on FM still make sense in Market #50?
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The "AM-ization" of FM: Will it happen here?
- Thread starter CTListener
- Start date
I don't think Hartford's posed for FM talk as easily as other markets.
We've seen that, arguably, for political talk to work you need Rush. We've also seen that for sports talk to work, you need play-by-play.
WTIC has been a long-time home for Rush, and a powerhouse 50kw signal. It's a desirable clearance for Rush. It's unlikely, however not impossible, that Premiere would move Rush to a start-up FM talk station.
When it comes to play-by-play, WTIC has UConn Football and Mens/Womens basketball, Red Sox, NY Giants, and Rock Cats. Clear Channel has the Yankees. For what it's worth, Marlin has CT Whale.
CC could go FM sports on their move in 97.9, but with a small class A signal and only the Yankees in a state that doesn't have a professional sports team, I don't think it'd be locally programmed or a threat for ad dollars.
CC is also the only company that would have a reasonable chance at stealing Rush, but I don't believe Premiere would give up the huge AM heritage clearance for a start-up class A FM. The coverage just isn't there.
The way the company operates, I think CC could do music on 97.9 a heck of a lot cheaper than any talk.
The small guys? Starting a talk station takes money, so there goes Fuller's WMRQ (OH SNAP!) A Waterbury-licensed station covering Hartford with a "main studio" in Glastonbury and actual studios in Ledyard. Yikes.
WCCC doesn't have the play-by-play or Rush, and taking them from CBS would take CASH.
WDRC-FM has a fairly healthy network of AM's, and the heritage of oldies/classic hits on DRC-FM really can't be matched. I'd be surprised to see something happen there.
TO CONCLUDE!
CBS makes serious cash on all four of their stations. The only reason CBS has been known to blow up a mildly successful station (Fresh in Chicago) is to head off a direct threat. With nobody able to make a reasonable threat and all FM's making cash, there's no reason for them to change the status quo.
We've seen that, arguably, for political talk to work you need Rush. We've also seen that for sports talk to work, you need play-by-play.
WTIC has been a long-time home for Rush, and a powerhouse 50kw signal. It's a desirable clearance for Rush. It's unlikely, however not impossible, that Premiere would move Rush to a start-up FM talk station.
When it comes to play-by-play, WTIC has UConn Football and Mens/Womens basketball, Red Sox, NY Giants, and Rock Cats. Clear Channel has the Yankees. For what it's worth, Marlin has CT Whale.
CC could go FM sports on their move in 97.9, but with a small class A signal and only the Yankees in a state that doesn't have a professional sports team, I don't think it'd be locally programmed or a threat for ad dollars.
CC is also the only company that would have a reasonable chance at stealing Rush, but I don't believe Premiere would give up the huge AM heritage clearance for a start-up class A FM. The coverage just isn't there.
The way the company operates, I think CC could do music on 97.9 a heck of a lot cheaper than any talk.
The small guys? Starting a talk station takes money, so there goes Fuller's WMRQ (OH SNAP!) A Waterbury-licensed station covering Hartford with a "main studio" in Glastonbury and actual studios in Ledyard. Yikes.
WCCC doesn't have the play-by-play or Rush, and taking them from CBS would take CASH.
WDRC-FM has a fairly healthy network of AM's, and the heritage of oldies/classic hits on DRC-FM really can't be matched. I'd be surprised to see something happen there.
TO CONCLUDE!
CBS makes serious cash on all four of their stations. The only reason CBS has been known to blow up a mildly successful station (Fresh in Chicago) is to head off a direct threat. With nobody able to make a reasonable threat and all FM's making cash, there's no reason for them to change the status quo.
Not here, in "The Land of Steady Habits".
Look at what just happened to the legendary, heritage 94WYSP/Philly - just flipped to SportsWIP.
amfmradio1 said:
That's a major league city with two sports stations. WIP was just responding to rival WPEN's FM simulcast, just as so many people on the Boston board expect WEEI to respond to its new FM rival, WBZ-FM. Different situation from Hartford. If you've got a format that has big appeal to 18-34 men but you're on AM, a dying band that, according to stats from David Eduardo on another board, only 12 percent of 18-34 men even listen to, you'd damn well better simulcast or move to FM.
Of course, Birmingham has no major league teams either, but SEC football and NASCAR are de facto big league sports in Alabama, so two sports talk stations in that market makes sense.
There are not enough spare FM signals in the Hartford/New Haven market for much of this to occur. Which is actually why it hasn't occurred in New York yet either.
Now, I suppose that the new 97.9 signal that Clear Channel is moving into the Hartford market could be utilized as an FM talk or FM sports signal - though it obviously won't be used to simulcast WTIC!!!
But I suppose that it could possibly be used as a "Rush Radio" affiliate - that's something that CC has been doing in other markets. That said, such a move seems less likely than it did a year ago, after seeing how poorly CC's Rush Radio experiment did in Boston. Granted, there are differences between the scenarios, but it still sobered CC a bit. Sports? Possibly. Then again, it could even be taken urban AC - given the signal contour which is focused heavily on Hartford and it's immediate suburbs. Any number of scenarios is possible with this one.
But I don't see an existing "full market" signal going that route. This is a very stable market as formats go; there aren't enough signals to promote a lot of changes, so almost everyone usually has a decent-sized piece of the action.
Now, I suppose that the new 97.9 signal that Clear Channel is moving into the Hartford market could be utilized as an FM talk or FM sports signal - though it obviously won't be used to simulcast WTIC!!!
But I suppose that it could possibly be used as a "Rush Radio" affiliate - that's something that CC has been doing in other markets. That said, such a move seems less likely than it did a year ago, after seeing how poorly CC's Rush Radio experiment did in Boston. Granted, there are differences between the scenarios, but it still sobered CC a bit. Sports? Possibly. Then again, it could even be taken urban AC - given the signal contour which is focused heavily on Hartford and it's immediate suburbs. Any number of scenarios is possible with this one.
But I don't see an existing "full market" signal going that route. This is a very stable market as formats go; there aren't enough signals to promote a lot of changes, so almost everyone usually has a decent-sized piece of the action.
And another music FM bites the dust in Boston. As has long been rumored, WEEI is going the full-time FM simulcast route and WMKK (93.7), the "we play everything" Jack knock-off, will be taking the bullet.
The closest thing I could see coming to FM talk in the Hartford area would be WKCI-FM Hamden/New Haven. KC101 has been playing the red-headed step child to CC Hartford favorite Kiss 95.7. The processing at KC101 has clearly been messed up for well over a year, there's one local personality, there's ZERO investment or interest in that station. Given the CHR overlap with the preferred Kiss, I could see them saying goodbye to KC101 for a simulcast of WELI.
reelyreal said:
Except KC101 clobbers Kiss 95.7 in the New Haven market. Its advertising is local, that's the only thing that counts. 90 percent of casual radio listeners neither know nor care that the voice between the song sets comes from Indianapolis or wherever. CC runs KC101 on the cheap because the New Haven market isn't worth as much as the Hartford market to the CC bottom line.
Yep, if anyone in the market goes "AM-ish", my guess would be the "new" 97.9. Everyone else has too much to lose.
And, don't look at Boston because there are different market dynamics going on there. Sadly, they've resulted in one of the most milquetoast radio markets in the USA. Certainly the least diverse major market as far as formats go.
And, don't look at Boston because there are different market dynamics going on there. Sadly, they've resulted in one of the most milquetoast radio markets in the USA. Certainly the least diverse major market as far as formats go.
reelyreal said:
How are they doing in 18-34? or even the lower end of 25-54?
CTListener said:
Does it matter? They're getting over $500 a spot AM drive, over $350 the rest of the day. CBS has a perfect storm of stations over there. "You want 18-34? I got Hot 93.7!" "You want 25-54? I got TIC-FM!" "You want conservative men? I got WTIC!" "You want dental hygienists? I got WRCH!"
Seriously, if you go to CBS for ads, the only population they can't deliver to is the hispanic population. (Which is being served on FM by that killer W246CC Bolton relaying "Bomba 97.1")
7.2 rating, Rush Limbaugh and all the important sports teams locked up (I'm a RI boy, don't talk to me about the Yankees lol) and nobody poised to challenge... Nothing's going to change.
> In the latest PPM book, WTIC 1080 is up to a 7.4 share... pretty impressive, AM or FM!
Two things in WTIC's favor this summer....The possibility of state employee layoffs prior to a second concession vote (covered extensively by Dunaway, Vicevich and Rowland/Marotti), and the Red Sox being in first place.
Two things in WTIC's favor this summer....The possibility of state employee layoffs prior to a second concession vote (covered extensively by Dunaway, Vicevich and Rowland/Marotti), and the Red Sox being in first place.
reelyreal said:
OK, even Hartford has more format variety than Boston. Seriously.
Right now, Boston's FM dial is a combination of classic rock hits, some rock, the whole spectrum of adult contemporary, one CHR, one country station, lots of classical and NPR signals (something most markets have) and one of the worst large market CHR/Hip Hop stations out there (WJMN - rap music for gangstas who wear $200 saggy pants and live in rough neighborhoods like Dedham). Oh yeah, and Oldies 103. The suburban sticks are even worse, basically classic rock and AC and for the most part not much else (WATD and WBOQ being the possible exceptions). It's no wonder that there are tons of pirates on the air in Boston.
Probably the three BEST markets as far as format variety and quality of said formats are: Chicago, Philadelphia and LA. Close runner-up would be Dallas-Ft. Worth. But Boston is literally at the bottom of the list. Heck, even Portland and Seattle have more rhythmic offerings than Boston at this point!
So no, Boston isn't an example for any other market to emulate. Not anymore. Proof enough? "Blah blah blah blah...." :
I hope 97.9 becomes a simulcast of WPOP. I want to hear my team crystal clear no static. I have to listen to static from 880 because I can't pick up WPOP at night. (Hell I can barely get them during the day). Obviously listening in the car is different.
And the next step for 97.9 to move into Hartford is for that WFAR translator in the Watebury-Naugatuck area to go off the air. They were interfering badly with KIX in Southington the other day. And seriously - Who's gonna listen to soccer in the middle of the day on a weekday? That's what WFAR was carrying - a soccer game in Portugese.
And the next step for 97.9 to move into Hartford is for that WFAR translator in the Watebury-Naugatuck area to go off the air. They were interfering badly with KIX in Southington the other day. And seriously - Who's gonna listen to soccer in the middle of the day on a weekday? That's what WFAR was carrying - a soccer game in Portugese.
MarcB said:
97.9 would have to come on the air from their new City Place transmitter site and complain of interference from the W250AA translator before it would have to shut down.
The first step of the process is almost complete, which is the upgrades of WRNX Amherst and WKNL New London. Once those stations are on the air, I believe work will start on the new 97.9 transmitter site. However, I don't believe the initial rumors of FM sports talk will pan out for 97.9. I think music is much more likely. As we've seen and I've pointed out, you need really solid play-by-play and local talk shows to make sports talk REALLY work. Aside from the Yankees, CC doesn't have this, or have the means to attain any of this. Music is cheap, music is easy, I could see that happening before a WPOP simulcast.
reelyreal said:
How about CC moving all of WPOP's programming to 97.9 and either selling off 1410 or taking it leased-time business or ethnic? Music is not as cheap as it used to be, and is only getting more expensive.
Was looking at the proposed new 97.9 signal when it is up and running from City Place in Hartford and for a 3400 watt signal on a 600' foot stick, the "A" signal doesn't even reach New Haven. I guess it really is being nulled. As for this station being a music station,can anyone name for me a genre of music that isn't being played full-time in the Hartford-New Haven market now?? I will say this again, a city the size of Hartford should have a full-time progressive talk station or a hybrid progressive talk,AM/PM drive all news channel.
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