Townsquare Media Acquires WWAX Duluth

[Y2kTheNewOldies]

https://radioinsight.com/headlines/...ia-to-acquire-wwax-duluth-and-move-sasquatch/

Months after announcing its intent to purchase 92.1 WWAX Hermantown/Duluth MN from Twin Ports Radio, Townsquare Media has filed the purchase with the FCC.

Townsquare will pay $370,000 for the station with $240,000 due at closing and the rest deferred to be paid within six months of closing. Townsquare began operating WWAX via LMA on February 1 at which time it moved the programming of Classic Rock “Sasquatch 106.5” 560 WEBC/106.5 W293CT Duluth to the stronger 92.1 signal and then relaunched the AM/translator combo with WWAX’s former Sports programming a few weeks later as “Fan 106.5” running the regional network originating at iHeartMedia’s “K-Fan” 100.3 KFXN-FM Minneapolis.

 

[Saladressing]

Southpine and Happypine don't exist any more so i'll have to post this here lol.

There is no rock station in that particular market.

Rock stations see significant ratings in similarly composed markets. When it comes to larger markets, down I-35, 93X bills quite well with its unique active/alt hybrid format.

Yet 92.1 maintains its classic rock format, despite these last 4 ratings books against market leader 95 KQDS:

KQDS:

14.2 14.7 10.5 14.5

92.1:

2.5 2.3 2.9 2.3

A rock station would almost certainly perform better than this.

In Eau Claire, WI, 92.9 The X (Active Rock) tied in the Spring 2021 ratings with iHeart's classic rocker on 92.1, after defeating the classic rock station by 0.7 shares in the prior two books and despite 93X/Mpls being able to be received in the market, at least on car radios.

I'm not claiming a methrock station will outbill the Rolling Stones station - not even close - just that it can be more competitive than putting up a voicetracked version of classic rock.

KQDS is live and local for a few hours a day, more than any other station in the market can say a this point.

And look at their ratings.

A good lesson for anyone still involved in the radio industry.

Live and local wins big. Who knew?

 

[Andy Travis]

Perhaps it would get decent ratings.

But would it get decent revenue?

The format was in Duluth for quite a long time on 94.1 and 104.3 "94X" and those stations were sold by Red Rock to MPR.

KQDS has been top of the market for decades - with seemingly the same playlist for most of them. Would it outperform 92.1's classic rock? And bill better? I'm skeptical - while not having access to archived ratings for 94X, I'm guessing there's a reason no one rushed to bring it back. Townsquare runs active and mainstream rockers, so I'd imagine they looked at it before choosing classics. Maybe Duluth just isn't that into it.