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WABB SOLD!

Mario- sorry to tell you, but sadly WABB-AM is a non-factor. That's why it didn't get mentioned, and none of the tech issues they've had were never really fixed. I expect the AM to simulcast whatever pops up on the FM or go dark.
 
SHOCKER! K-Love on a former power house TOP 40.Bernie is probably rolling over about now.Maybe the AM can mate up with a translator and find a buyer.
 
Wow, the K-Love machine gobbles another big signal....... Not from the area, but fond memories from vacations in Gulf Shores listening to WABB on the beach. The station for a time always seemed to sound like a large market CHR and always had top notch audio processing.

--I seem to remember a local based CCM called "Power FM" in the area. Wonder how they feel about the McDonalds of CCM coming to town on a monster signal?
 
Look at 2 factors. Clear Channel will love this now that they will be giving Mobile the hits by themselves. And Cumulus might give CHR another shot with an intown signal using the vibe.
 
So who is left to do Top 40 in the Mobile-Pensacola markets? Didn't WJLQ last year switch from Top 40 to 80s-90s? Does either city even have a Hot AC?
 
Guys, I had to say it - but this is a good decision.

It was time. It was quite obvious, financially for the primary reason. Now, Christian AC (K-Love) coming to the Gulf Coast? Well - it's a debatable call but I do know this: 107.3 Hit Music Now will be the OFFICIAL CHR station now. Look for Ryan Seacrest to come in, and maybe some of WABB's talents coming to 107.3 FM. We could however see a Cumulus station rolling in the /Hot-AC/Adult CHR vibe - again and I say 94.1 will be the station to flip it to Hot AC. Mix 94.1? 94.1 the Vibe? 100.7 seems too good of a station to flip formats. They are still "new." It would be wise for 94.1 to flip to Adult CHR cause you have 99.9 and 100.7 being an 80's, 90's and Today's Soft AC approach-like format. Guys, the radio dial on the Gulf Coast will be defined this year. Let the changes begin!

I can't say I will miss WABB-FM because I have not seen them from Day 1 to now. Rest In Peace.
 
107.3 will stay just the way it is. They won't bring anyone over from WABB. Remember, CC just got done slicing a whole lot of workforce. I don't see 94.1 flipping. Just don't see it. Cumulus will try something. I'd be shocked if they didn't. The only question is....where?
 
Like em or not the EMF people have a reputation for treating their staffs well with little turn over. Imagine how disappointing we'd be if Betsy had sold this to any of the company's that start with a C
 
From comments on their FB Page.. The "new family" running the station after the passing of the station's owner a few years ago just didn't want to do radio so they decided to sell...
 
macab4490 said:
Guys, I had to say it - but this is a good decision.

It was time. It was quite obvious, financially for the primary reason. Now, Christian AC (K-Love) coming to the Gulf Coast? Well - it's a debatable call but I do know this: 107.3 Hit Music Now will be the OFFICIAL CHR station now. Look for Ryan Seacrest to come in, and maybe some of WABB's talents coming to 107.3 FM. We could however see a Cumulus station rolling in the /Hot-AC/Adult CHR vibe - again and I say 94.1 will be the station to flip it to Hot AC. Mix 94.1? 94.1 the Vibe? 100.7 seems too good of a station to flip formats. They are still "new." It would be wise for 94.1 to flip to Adult CHR cause you have 99.9 and 100.7 being an 80's, 90's and Today's Soft AC approach-like format. Guys, the radio dial on the Gulf Coast will be defined this year. Let the changes begin!

I can't say I will miss WABB-FM because I have not seen them from Day 1 to now. Rest In Peace.
Click to expand...

I figured you would find some sort of pleasure with this, but...how bad did they need the money not to talk to Clear Channel? Townsquare Media? Any commercial broadcaster?

This is the first and only time you'll see this phrase on this board: Poor Cumulus. I think they would leave the licenses WDLT and all of their AMs in a Springdale Mall dumpster just to own WABB, especially after all those years (and money spent) trying to best them.

The folks at GoForth Media might be shaking on their bent knees.
 
Nate Wesley said:
macab4490 said:
Guys, I had to say it - but this is a good decision.

It was time. It was quite obvious, financially for the primary reason. Now, Christian AC (K-Love) coming to the Gulf Coast? Well - it's a debatable call but I do know this: 107.3 Hit Music Now will be the OFFICIAL CHR station now. Look for Ryan Seacrest to come in, and maybe some of WABB's talents coming to 107.3 FM. We could however see a Cumulus station rolling in the /Hot-AC/Adult CHR vibe - again and I say 94.1 will be the station to flip it to Hot AC. Mix 94.1? 94.1 the Vibe? 100.7 seems too good of a station to flip formats. They are still "new." It would be wise for 94.1 to flip to Adult CHR cause you have 99.9 and 100.7 being an 80's, 90's and Today's Soft AC approach-like format. Guys, the radio dial on the Gulf Coast will be defined this year. Let the changes begin!

I can't say I will miss WABB-FM because I have not seen them from Day 1 to now. Rest In Peace.
Click to expand...

I figured you would find some sort of pleasure with this, but...how bad did they need the money not to talk to Clear Channel? Townsquare Media? Any commercial broadcaster?

This is the first and only time you'll see this phrase on this board: Poor Cumulus. I think they would leave the licenses WDLT and all of their AMs in a Springdale Mall dumpster just to own WABB, especially after all those years (and money spent) trying to best them.

The folks at GoForth Media might be shaking on their bent knees.
Click to expand...

Nate, you can say that I did find some "pleasure" in this non-shocking news. It's kinda makes sense. But EMF? Who the heck is EMF. I thought Clear Channel was going to purchase them, but they do however have some connection with EMF, regarding their iHeart Radio platform. So, I was in a way right.

It's been 50 some years for WABB...kinda time to cut the plug.
 
I'm not fan of CHR and have been critical of WABB in the past, but I have to express my disappointment with this sale to EMF. The last thing this region needs is MORE religion. We have enough already, with no less than 13 coastal stations by my count offering some type of religious programming. We already have a K-Love in Navarre, and an American Family Radio in Pascagoula. And locally owned religious programming from GoForth and whoever owns WOSM. We really don't need to lose one of the market's best signals to something non-commercial and so oversaturated on the dial already.

This is a huge score for EMF, but a loss for commercial radio in general in this area. I actually respect the Dittman family for wanting out of radio if their passion lies elsewhere now, but I wish they'd found another buyer; selling to EMF is no better than Clear Channel or Cumulus as far as local programming goes. They're doing Mobile a HUGE disservice in that regard.
 
Dr voicetrack said:
107.3 will stay just the way it is.
Click to expand...

I'm not so sure about that.

WABB as we know it is going kaput. That's a big shakeup in itself. Cumulus has failed several times on two frequencies to dethrone WABB, but relatively speaking--Clear Channel has only started. Given all of the things CC has done involving WRGV 107.3, maybe there's one more big move they should make: Swap the frequencies of 'Hit Music Now' and 'The Rocket'.

96.1 has an application to use more of the Class C power it can legally use (95kW, up from 73kW), blanketing the Mobile County side better than 107.3. And The Rocket @ 107.3 would easily pair with TK101. Think about the old Mobile/Pensacola split amongst Class C stations--is it okay to stand pat with 107.3 if it isn't making a true move to Mobile? Not only that, but can you really count on 'Poor Cumulus'* standing pat? We could probably have i104 dropped on us with a few executive emails and some mouseclicks.


*EDIT: I promise, that's the last time you'll see it. E-slap me if I type it again, lol
 
Zach said:
I'm not fan of CHR and have been critical of WABB in the past, but I have to express my disappointment with this sale to EMF. The last thing this region needs is MORE religion. We have enough already, with no less than 13 coastal stations by my count offering some type of religious programming. We already have a K-Love in Navarre, and an American Family Radio in Pascagoula. And locally owned religious programming from GoForth and whoever owns WOSM. We really don't need to lose one of the market's best signals to something non-commercial and so oversaturated on the dial already.

This is a huge score for EMF, but a loss for commercial radio in general in this area. I actually respect the Dittman family for wanting out of radio if their passion lies elsewhere now, but I wish they'd found another buyer; selling to EMF is no better than Clear Channel or Cumulus as far as local programming goes. They're doing Mobile a HUGE disservice in that regard.
Click to expand...

The Dittman family must have needed/wanted out of the biz pretty bad. They're selling to an outlet that was guaranteed to dump the format.

I tend to agree with your quoted take, but largely for the nostalgia seen on WABB's Facebook page. Here in South Alabama, everyone 45 and under mostly grew up with 94.9 for country (aside from more local AMs/FMs), 92.9 for disco/soul/R&B (now mostly hip-hop), and 97.5 was the station to hear rock (before TK101) and new pop. Now, one of those stalwarts is going away for good. Most figured WABB would be sold someday, but I doubt anyone saw that sale bringing 50+ years of history to a complete end. Promotions, morning shows, music, imaging--even hurricane coverage! Poof. Gone. No more.

Even with the good intentions K-LOVE/Air-1/EMF might have...and even though a newer CHR (or more) will fill the void...things just won't be the same. I'm just not going to be interested in listening to 97.5 for much of anything after March.
 
Nate Wesley said:
Dr voicetrack said:
107.3 will stay just the way it is.
Click to expand...

I'm not so sure about that.

WABB as we know it is going kaput. That's a big shakeup in itself. Cumulus has failed several times on two frequencies to dethrone WABB, but relatively speaking--Clear Channel has only started. Given all of the things CC has done involving WRGV 107.3, maybe there's one more big move they should make: Swap the frequencies of 'Hit Music Now' and 'The Rocket'.

96.1 has an application to use more of the Class C power it can legally use (95kW, up from 73kW), blanketing the Mobile County side better than 107.3. And The Rocket @ 107.3 would easily pair with TK101. Think about the old Mobile/Pensacola split amongst Class C stations--is it okay to stand pat with 107.3 if it isn't making a true move to Mobile? Not only that, but can you really count on 'Poor Cumulus'* standing pat? We could probably have i104 dropped on us with a few executive emails and some mouseclicks.


*EDIT: I promise, that's the last time you'll see it. E-slap me if I type it again, lol
Click to expand...

Totally forgot about 104.1! Actually that makes more sense. But I don't think the "I" name will be back. Birmingham has the "vibe". I wonder if that will make sense since they already have Journey. Cumulus just does not make sense sometimes when launch new formats. And I hope they have moral local flavor than 100.7 did when it was "i100."

It really should be interesting how everything will go. Start to seeing changes very soon before Memorial Day comes around...
 
There's no way Hit Music Now will be able to dominate both markets without a better signal, that much is true. So a swap with The Rocket would definitely be a possibility. Maybe 100 kW is enough from the WKRG tower to blanket both cities; anything has to be better than the barely adequate 50 kW they have now on 107.3. The app for 100 kW might explain the loss of HD on The Rocket and the sporadic nature of it on WRGV.

I think Cumulus may have missed the boat on this one. I just don't see them tinkering with Jack (too entrenched) or Journey (too new). And they can't touch WBLX. That leaves Pamal and ADX. Pamal has duplication with both WXBM (WKSJ) and WMEZ (WMXC) but their Pensacola-slanted coverage pays them dividends. ADX has only Cat Country that I know of on FM, and while it's popular, how long can the market support three full signal country stations?

Also, if WABB goes K-Love, what happens to the K-Love out of Navarre? I wonder if WABB is strong enough there to justify it going to Air1.

And finally, can we please hope EMF will change the call letters? There's no way satellite religious music can justify being part and parcel of "Alabama's Best Broadcasters"!
 
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