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Triangle Sports Talk 1490/1090

B

berlin201

Does anyone know what happened to Triangle Sports Talk 1490/1090? I tried to tune in earlier today for the Braves game and neither WDUR (1490) nor WTSB (1090) would come in. The website is also "dead." ???
 
I was thinking the same thing when I tuned in yesterday, but I live on the edges of the coverage area anyway.

I guess that's why Packman went to 620 a week or two ago.
 
Update on Triangle Sports Talk 1490/1090

Still have no idea what happened to Triangle Sports Talk 1490/1090, but the station is back on the air, although the website is still "dead."
I have one question, though: Will they still broadcast Braves and UNC games? The only change in their broadcast schedule I've heard of so far is the Packman moving to 620 The Bull...
 
It was only the year before that that they started from scratch. ;D

Apparently the Buzz at 16th in the market is too tough a nut to crack with a rimshot signal. They sounded pretty good though.
 
What's been fried is Dr. Zarzour's wallet. $2.6 million for two crappy signals trying to compete in an environment that is "challenging" these days even for established players with heritage stations and solid coverage. They never had a chance, even if they'd had the sense to get their information to Arbitron. The guy who used to own WBZB and Clear Channel appear to be the ONLY winners here. Maybe someone will bring the "all local bands" format back. Or try classic country -- look how well WMPM in Smithfield does year after year with old time music and heavy service to people in Johnston County.
 
This whole thing still seems weird to me...

After WFMX died, I predicted that, based on what I've heard--- both in this forum and elsewhere--- about crappy ratings, the next Clear Channel station to die would be 106.1 WRDU. Turns out it is a former Clear Channel station (WDUR) that seems to be on its way out. I'm wondering too what format WDUR/WTSB will flip to; for as far back as I can remember WDUR has been a satellite station simlucasting other stations.
 
I can't speak for WDUR but the whole history of the 1090 spot seems to be cursed. I grew up in Johnston County the home of the old 1090 WBZB witch before it was the local bands station spent time as top 40 in the 60s, then it was country, then southern gospel, then country again before going dark and becoming the local music station.
Don't really care what happens to WDUR but I truly wish someone from the Johnston county area would buy the 1090 and maybe try real oldies or something in that order.
I think if it were done right that 1090 could be another local voice for Johnston.
As for WMPM it has a long rich history of service to the county, and I hope that it continues long after the current owner is gone.
It should be noted that WPYB in Southern Johnston County is doing well lately.
 
Here's some background on WDUR 1490: The station signed on Feb 29, 1948, as WSSB, assuming the 1490 dial position left silent when WDNC moved to a more-powerful signal at 620 AM (and signed on WDNC-FM-now G105 WDCG) the night before. WSSB was founded by Thomas Sawyer and, at first, operated independent of any network affiliation. On November 19th, 1949, another Durham station, Harold H. Toms' WHHT, 1590 AM, merged with WSSB, making 1490 the new Mutual Broadcasting System affiliate in the Bull City. WSSB became a Top 40 station around 1956; some personalities included M.G. "Daddy Rabbit" Bobbitt and Charlie "Country Boy" Cook. In 1976, the station became WDUR with a format similar to today's soft rock stations. Three years later, the station adopted an urban format as "The Music 1490". Don Curtis bought the station in 1984, along with WDBS-FM 107.1. The urban format was moved to WDBS, which was renamed WFXC "Foxy 107", and WDUR became black gospel. WDUR dropped its gospel format to simulcast WFXC in 1991. In 1994, the station adopted a satellite-delivered "solid gold soul" format. WDUR became part of radio giant Clear Channel in the 1996 when the San Antonio-based company purchased the holdings of Pinnacle Broadcasting. In 1997, WDUR began airing a satellite delivered black gospel format called, "The Light". Shortly thereafter, WDUR was joined by sister station WZZU, 103.9 FM, (now WNNL) which had dumped an unsuccessful classic hits format. When Clear Channel bought out Capstar Broadcasting in 2000, and ended up with eight FM stations in the market, FCC rules required the company to sell three of them. The four FM stations Clear Channel owned prior to its acquisiton of Capstar (WFXC, WFXK, WNNL and WQOK), all of which were targeted at black audiences, were divested to Radio One, while WDUR stayed in Clear Channel's hands. When the sale was finalized, WDUR simply switched its simulcast from WNNL to WTRG "Oldies 100.7" (now WRVA-FM "The River"). WDUR rebroadcasted 100.7 FM's programming until June 20th, 2004, when the AM station again assumed a black gospel format, this one from ABC's satellite-delivered programming service, "Rejoice". On May 2nd, 2005, Clear Channel entered into an LMA with Triangle Sports Broadcasters to rebroadcast the sports format of WTSB, 1090 AM on WDUR. Shortly thereafter, it was announced that Triangle Sports Broadcasters would purchase WDUR from Clear Channel for $1.13 million.
 
Any updates on the sale of WDUR/WTSB? I tried tuning in to WDUR (1490) earlier today and only got dead air. WTSB (1090), however, was still broadcasting, but in this area the signal isn't as clear as 1490's is. 1490 was still broadcasting this morning.
 
Neither one of them have been on the air the ten or fifteen times I've tried to listen in lately. I guess I'm timing it when they are working on their maintenance or whatever as they are trying to package up the stations to sell.

Wonder if they'll get the $2.8 millionish (from memory) they spent on them back?
 
Does anyone have any idea who will pick up the Atlanta Braves broadcasts after the WDUR/WTSB sale? I seriously doubt it will be 620 The Bull, who already has its hands full as the area's flagship Duke/Durham Bulls/Charlotte Bobcats station...
 
I suspect it may be hard for the Braves to pick up a new affiliate around here unless they start winning next year. Man I hate having to talk to the newspaper, but at least David Ranii is a nice guy.
 
Other issue for the Braves are the rights fees they like to charge. Makes it hard for a small station to make any money.
 
Any updates on the Triangle Sports Talk sale? Today, in the middle of Primetime with the Packman (just before Round 1 of the "Whiner Line"), 620 The Bull flipped to ESPN Radio, but Triangle Sports Talk was still on the air as well, with all three stations (The Bull and both halves of Triangle Sports Talk) airing the ESPN SportsBash. ???
 
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