WBAP on 96.7 is a Smart Move

[RadioStarOne]

7 pages for a radio station on FM that is going to simulcast an AM signal! Today and the last few days must have been very sssslllllloooooowwww news days! Come on this isn't that big of a deal at all!

 

[Albert19X]

This seems like as good a time as any for one of my roughly biennial appearances in here.

Friday inside the building was energizing and poignant. Energizing because we are all obviously stoked at occupying a spot on the FM dial, in order to put our product in the ears of the growing number of people who are scarcely aware that AM stations exist. Sure, we have enjoyed the rare privilege of market domination with just that 50-thousand watt AM stick, but when you look at the possible landscape of new listeners that an FM perch provides, it is a genius move.

It was a poignant day because as exciting as this development is, it involved by necessity the end of another radio station. From the Memories days to the Twister days to the Platinum days, various co-workers of ours have brought their talents into our halls and onto that frequency. They have all been consummate professionals, and in this last incarnation, the Platinum people have every reason to be very proud of the great work they did. While all of us in the WBAP family are thrilled at what lies ahead, it is not without a certain tempering measure of sensitivity that accompanies any loss of radio jobs, especially when it involves people who were our friends and colleagues.

So to the inside baseball: at noon Friday I came down to the 3rd floor to the Platinum studios where Tyler was backtiming to the last Platinum record, fittingly "Na Na Hey Hey Kiss Him Goodbye." The plan had been to kick in with the "Reagan Radio" weekend at that time, but a one-hour mini-stunt proved irresistible. The old "Twister" elements were dropped in amid an hour of country music. With the Platinum studios disabled, the action moved upstairs to the 4th floor to engineering, where as the seconds ticked down to 1 PM, various buttons were hit to fire off the "Reagan Radio" produced elements and initiate the stream of Reagan speeches, which will run commercial free until 5 AM Monday. From that moment forward, all of us on BAP will be on two frequencies, hoping to spread the gospel of quality news and talk programming to as many people as we can.

And, of course, I will be on vacation. The running narrative of big things happening while I am away (dating back to, oh, what was it? That's right: 9/11) adds a new chapter. I hope Laura Ingraham (heard in my slot) and Mark Steyn (filing in for Rush) realize the history they are making.

Meanwhile, I'll be back on Monday the 22nd with enough material to fill two radio stations. And, if my past pattern maintains, back in here to weigh in on something in mid-2012. Best wishes to all. MD

Dear Lord! You're as long winded and smarmy in print as you are on the air.

Another nail in music radio's coffin.

 

[Tyler Cox]

Hey, Albert...at least Mark, Mike Shannon and several others have the courage to post as themselves and not hide behind a screen name. Just sayin.

 

[Albert19X]

Hey, Albert...at least Mark, Mike Shannon and several others have the courage to post as themselves and not hide behind a screen name. Just sayin.

Dear Tyler...If my real name held any sort of significance to the board then I would post under it. As it is I'm just a listener, and as such expect my opinion to count for zero with you radio professionals.

 

[dfwrunner]

7 pages for a radio station on FM that is going to simulcast an AM signal! Today and the last few days must have been very sssslllllloooooowwww news days! Come on this isn't that big of a deal at all!

Very true...but it is dissappointing for the FM band to be downgraded to simulcasting AMs again...

 

[amisdead]

Very true...but it is dissappointing for the FM band to be downgraded to simulcasting AMs again...

Why is that a downgrade? WBAP has many more listeners than Platinum ever did. Politics aside, the programming on 820 is of high quality and will be a nice addition to the FM band.

 

[jd]

I don't have a horse in this race but IMO the simulcasting of a Class A AM to a northern FM rim shot makes perfect sense especially in the DFW area.

You're right, and in fact it probably should have been done several years ago.

The northern rim shot FM's are uniquely positioned to cover the upper income northern suburbs, Frisco, McKinney, Plano and soon to be others as the population growth continues to explode in the area between I-35 and U.S. 75.

I won't bore you with measured or estimated signal strength comparisons but those FM's cover the cities you mentioned quite well. In general the northern, or Grayson County area rim-shots (94.5, 98.3, 99.1, 100.7, 103.3 and 104.9) have either equal or greater signal strength in that area (Frisco, Plano, McKinney) than the Cedar Hill stations. The northwestern rim-shots, from the Wise County area (93.7, 96.7, 98.3, 99.1, and 101.7) generally don;t do as well but they still have quite respectable coverage. So you make a very good point. Couple that with the predictions for sustained population growth in the northern suburbs and it's highly likely that the rim-shot sites will become more valuable. I've looked over a number of population estimates and they're astounding; there is substantial growth predicted north of highway 380 and someday Sherman and Denison may be officially included in the sprawling DFW area.

Technically the addition of an FM signal to an existing AM also proves beneficial as the man made noise on the 550540-1700 band has grown exponentially over the years

...the building penetration of the FM signal in most cases is superior to [AM] stations

...add the 25-54 demographic bump it makes sense to me.

No arguments here.

Very true...but it is disappointing for the FM band to be downgraded to simulcasting AMs again...

But it makes perfect business sense.

 

[dfwrunner]

But it makes perfect business sense.

Maybe, but I'd think it best to create programming tailored for the existing FM band audience. Right wing extremist talk seems an unlikely fit to me.

 

[semoochie]

To Tyler Cox on page 5: Since you brought it up, if you ever see your high school English teacher again, he/she will probably suggest you drop the second "its".

 

[KevinFodor]

I don't totally disagree, I just wonder if there's enough extra ratings/billing to be found to make up for whatever small amount Platinum was making.

Are there enough people out there that don't listen to WBAP just because it's on AM to make the simulcast worthwhile? Although there is something to be said for a premptive strike and being the first news/talk format to go to FM. Puts KRLD, KLIF, KSKY, etc at a competitive disadvantage.

Or are we totally overthinkingthis, and this is just a sign of Citadel's world of hurt. Larry and gail, Debi Diaz, Chapman getting a little bit, could they be doing all this just to save half a million in salaries per year?

Now, I do not know the specifics on the 96.7 signal, other than the couple of threads I've read...but...just as a point of reference.

WHIO AM/FM in Dayton, Ohio (1290/95.7) flipped to news-talk a couple of years ago. The 95-7 signal is a 50,000 watt signal, but the transmitter is about 35 miles (if not more) north of Dayton. They put the signal into mono to help with in-city coverage.

What's happened? The combo has been #1 12 plus in the past 3 out of 4 books. Oh yeah...the demos have gotten younger, too. (Most people under 50 will not listen to AM for any reason whatsoever these days.) So, an AM simulcasting on FM is more likely to be protecting its brand more than anything else.

 

[pygmygorilla]

Looks like right wing Rush Limbaugh and company have landed on FM in DFW. Too bad.. :'(

 

[Accuracy]

Mike Shannon writes: "Now say that again with a straight face?"

Mike, more than happy to do just that. This had nothing to do with cost cutting, and all to do with helping a heritage AM radio station continue to grow it's audience and it's revenue. It's too bad that most of the speculation on this and other posts by many, including you, are so frequently off the mark in terms of reality.

Simple fact: AM news/talk stations with FM simulcasts see significant growth in audience share. And that, Mike, translates to REAL revenue growth, not cost cutting.

The on-air team at Platinum did an outstanding job. They are to be commended for presenting the music of Platinum in an entertaining and professional manner.

I have no doubt you can say that with a straight face. Most professional liars don't crack a smile. If it is such a good idea to put WBAP on FM, why do it on a rimshot signal? Why not 96.3 so that the entire market will benefit from the five hours a day of local programming your brainpower provides? Oh, that's right, it's because it is not a great programming idea, it is really a cost cutting idea by a bankrupt company.

 

[MikeShannon914]

Just noticed the WBAP website has been updated to include "96.7." I'm sure a new masthead is forthcoming.

I pondered that, too, about why WBAP shouldn't be on 96.3 instead. I'd bet if KSCS was not holding its own and not bringing in decent revenues, it would have been a candidate. But that's a lot of years of goodwill to throw away, too (like that counts anymore these days.) And KSCS's costs are easily kept under control, as we might see when Dorsey's contract is up. Not that I'm hoping for that, but folks like Hal and Terry and Hawkeye have to prepare for the worst, just in case. Those golden days of well-paid jocks are, unfortunately, numbered, no matter what the ratings are or how long someone's been at the same post.

And in checking the dates, this appears to be the first time in exactly 50 years that WBAP has been simulcasted on both AM and FM. Apparently, the old WBAP-FM (100.5 and 96.3) was a simulcast of the AM side from 1949-60, then was programmed separately thereafter. I even have old reels of WBAP-FM playing classical music in 1965.

I guess my point of contention here has nothing to do with WBAP itself, or with Tyler or anyone currently there. I fully realize it's all about business, but I feel terribly for Larry and Debi and the Platinum gang. I'd gladly share my umbrella with any of them since I'm already 'on the beach'! (and boy, is it a crowded beach these days...)

 

[oldiesfan6479]

What was aired for the legal ID at 5 AM CT (or 6 or 7)?

 

[Huff]

And in checking the dates, this appears to be the first time in exactly 50 years that WBAP has been simulcasted on both AM and FM. Apparently, the old WBAP-FM (100.5 and 96.3) was a simulcast of the AM side from 1949-60, then was programmed separately thereafter. I even have old reels of WBAP-FM playing classical music in 1965.

WBAP-FM ceased simulcasting WBAP 570/820 in late 1958.

 

[McD-LT]

All you crybabies...

It was a great move... will be great for WBAP.. and Citadel...

Get over it and move on.

Want fries with that?

McDLT

 

[arnoldevns]

Far from it. I'm questioning whether this move will actually do what they hope it will. It might, but I don't know the economics involed in all of this. It just seems to me that this is much more about cutting costs than increasing profits. There will also be a loss of revenue from the ads sold just on Platinum. Will it be overcome by an increase in revenue at WBAP? I am not sure. Obviously they hope it will be more profitable, but if not, the drop in cost will be okay with them.

WBAP's "problem" is that while they do well in 6+ ratings, their 25-54 numbers don't measure up as well. If they can migrate to FM, draw some listeners who wouldn't otherwise listen to AM (i.e 25-34's or 35-44's) even if their overall 6+ numbers don't traned up, if their 25-54 numbers rise, they can translate that into more sales.

There's a method to figure out what a ratings point is worth...So for example, if you've got a 3 share, you should get 3% of the total market billing. With every 10th of a ratings point potentially being 100's of thousands of dollars, ANY gain in that 25-54 demo will help WBAP.

That makes a lot of sense. I have been doing some research and see that a LOT of stations that do this have had significant gains in the ratings - many times with a bigger jump in the ratings than the other format ever got.

I figure this is a good move for them. I'm a little curious why they chose this week do make the switch since both Mark and Rush are on vacation. Or maybe doing it at a time when fewer may be listening is good if there are technical problems.

 

[jeffdfw]

How long before KRLD AM starts simulcasting on 105.3???

 

[sox fan matt]

The signal is fairly well here in the Haltom City/North Richland Hills area on a little am/fm headset. I haven't had a chance to test it in other areas but around here it's fairly solid. I suspect though south of 635 towards Downtown Dallas and Downtown Ft Worth, it would be hazy.

 

[Accuracy]

My issue with Cox is not that the FM may produce increased revenue for WBAP. Hey, if they sell one more ad that would be true. The problem is that he is trying to sell it as part of a well crafted master plan to do what is best for the frequency. It is not. It is a reaction by a poorly run company that squandered tens of millions of dollars of stockholders money and now is trying to slash costs to emerge from bankruptcy. How about being honest with the public (and your stockholders) about why you make a decision?

The numbers Platinum got with a poor signal are tremendous considering the limitations. WBAP will never get that many new listeners. What they will have is an inferior FM signal where they can do things like broker out sports that overlap it's AM programming (get ready for lots of college football next season, maybe even some more colon cleansing infomercials). And by eliminating the FM staff their profit margin will increase making the stations more attractive for the next buyer.

I will grant Cox this - they are making a good financial decision for themselves after they destroyed a once great company (ABC) and hurt many people in the process. Sleep well tonight, Tyler. Don't worry about the employees and stockholders lives you impacted by the way you and Citadel ran the company.