WFLA On FM - It's Just A Matter Of Time

[MsMusicRadio]

They better not blow up MIX or US103.5. I never listen to WFLA or WXTB, so I wouldn't know it happened.

 

[Studio20]

The kicker for 970 to go to FM might be the future of Glenn Beck. Both his Tv and Radio ratings are dropping, and he's being dropped by more than a few stations. By the time an FM switch would be ready, he may be gone from CC.

Let the spec begin about who fills the 9-12noon slot....

 

[badjef]

They better not blow up MIX or US103.5. I never listen to WFLA or WXTB, so I wouldn't know it happened.

Reality check:

Most people would know any of this would happen since 970 has a 5.5 rating and 97.9 has a 4.0 that is overall 12+ in the latest results.
Even if you put WDUV in the "mix" with their market leading 10.5 you still don't come up with 20% or, 1 out of 5 people, let alone 50% or more.

Of the people who pay attention to radio, we would know right away about the top 10 stations in our market, other than those, unless it posts here, we wouldn't know it and therefore would be unable to comment on it.

Which is why this board/forum is supposed to exist.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

 

[badjef]

The kicker for 970 to go to FM might be the future of Glenn Beck. Both his Tv and Radio ratings are dropping, and he's being dropped by more than a few stations. By the time an FM switch would be ready, he may be gone from CC.

Let the spec begin about who fills the 9-12noon slot....

Since this is hypothetical at this point, I see Mark Larsen returning to the 9-12.

But I don't see Glenn being dropped.

There is no station CC would want to give up audience to.
IE:
93.3 is #2.
95.7 takes away from 94.1 to help 93.3 stay #2.
97.9 changing would give the audience to 97.1.
100.7 changing would give audience to 98.7.
103.5 would give audience to 99.5.

106.5 could rim shot but the northern signal problems would prevent decent coverage as the Suncoast Parkway becomes a more major road for the market unless a deal could be struck with the new station up there.

But all this is moot as long as 970 is #5.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

 

[gamefreak]

Just putting this out in the open but what about WXJB 99.9. that station already covers Hernendo, Citrus and Portions of Pasco. Could Clear Channel compete.

 

[billalm]

Jeff...
You're post is based on 6+ ratings and programming assumptions.

1. Sales teams and managers don't rely on 6+ numbers. They're nice, but each station is programmed to a specific demographic. If the station doesn't perform well in it's targeted demo, it's toast.

2. Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but 95.7 The Beat and Wild 94.1 cater to totally different audiences. The Beat is dayparted, skews older, and is way more urban; while Wild is younger, hip, and more in tune with the FLZ younnger audience. 93.3 is the area's heritage hit music station but leans female when you break it down in demographics.

3. If 98 Rock goes away, the audience goes more towards 102.5 and The Bone's midday numbers go up. Yes, 97X benefits as well but it's all Cox anyway.

4. You're misunderstanding the AC market. If you think that 100.7 doesn't share a large part of it's audience with 93.3, 94.9, 101.5 you're crazy. They may even share to a lesser extent with the country stations and Q105. Numbers obviously show most still don't listen to 98.7 and if they do, it's not for long. Numbers may be rising at MIX, but in my opinion, it's the "odd man" out within the group. It shares audience with WAY too many other stations. I haven't seen the reports but that's my guess. Eliminate Mix and not much else will change within the market. Eliminate 98Rock, and you might see CBS flip 98.7 to rock the same day.

 

[Parttimer]

The reason CC won't blow up 98 Rock is that it provides most of the younger male numbers they have to sell. I'm sure FLZ does OK there but their audience is more female, and DAE is almost all male but older. FLA on FM would never ever ever come anywhere close to replacing that.

 

[badjef]

Jeff...
You're post is based on 6+ ratings and programming assumptions.

Yes, the overalls, since that is what is quickly available and shows a picture of the radio listening audience. The devil is in the details.
Grammar lesson: “you’re” should be “your” since it is used in the possessive and not as the contraction of “you are”.
Drives me nuts…

1.) Sales teams and managers don't rely on 6+ numbers. They're nice, but each station is programmed to a specific demographic. If the station doesn't perform well in it's targeted demo, it's toast.
2.) Someone correct me if I'm wrong, but 95.7 The Beat and Wild 94.1 cater to totally different audiences. The Beat is dayparted, skews older, and is way more urban; while Wild is younger, hip, and more in tune with the FLZ younger audience. 93.3 is the area's heritage hit music station but leans female when you break it down in demographics.

You may be correct on a sales basis, but I don’t see that. I drive a cab, if I get a group in my cab, they ask for 93.3 then 94.1 and then 95.7 They don’t ask for ‘CTQ or ‘SRZ. If they ask for one, they will ask for the other 2 if it is in commercials.

3.) If 98 Rock goes away, the audience goes more towards 102.5 and The Bone's midday numbers go up. Yes, 97X benefits as well but it's all Cox anyway.

The pie is only so big, the slices get larger because there are fewer. That doesn’t always work, either. Most of the time, when a new competitor in a format comes in the market, the pie gets larger. Probably due to a better targeting of that key demographic from both stations.

4. You're misunderstanding the AC market. If you think that 100.7 doesn't share a large part of it's audience with 93.3, 94.9, 101.5 you're crazy.

I never said they didn’t share audiences. But that wouldn’t necessarily reflect my mental state, anyway.

They may even share to a lesser extent with the country stations and Q105. Numbers obviously show most still don't listen to 98.7 and if they do, it's not for long.

There has been no reason to listen to Play. The buttons are set. Why change them? CBS already proved nobody was listening to “smooth”(jazz) that is why they changed the station.

Numbers may be rising at MIX, but in my opinion, it's the "odd man" out within the group. It shares audience with WAY too many other stations. I haven't seen the reports but that's my guess. Eliminate Mix and not much else will change within the market. Eliminate 98Rock, and you might see CBS flip 98.7 to rock the same day.

I can see that scenario with 98.7 since it would replace the button vacated by the switch.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

 

[DToTheJ]

What call letters do you use? Do you call it, "FoxNewsRadio 97point9WFLA"? The word "point" is taken. Too skitish. The cell number was "970star" until "Star 95.7" came on the air. That is why they started marketing "pound970".

Thoughts?

Would be ironic if "NINE" (WVWA in POUND Ridge) called itself "Pound NINE!"

 

[daw]

We will do anything to keep NINE radio on the air....

 

[badjef]

What call letters do you use? Do you call it, "FoxNewsRadio 97point9WFLA"? The word "point" is taken. Too skitish. The cell number was "970star" until "Star 95.7" came on the air. That is why they started marketing "pound970".

Thoughts?

Would be ironic if "NINE" (WVWA in POUND Ridge) called itself "Pound NINE!"

One of my all-time favorite stations.

tight board.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

 

[gamefreak]

106.5 could rim shot but the northern signal problems would prevent decent coverage as the Suncoast Parkway becomes a more major road for the market unless a deal could be struck with the new station up there.

But all this is moot as long as 970 is #5.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

You must be talking about WJQB 106.3 out of Spring Hill. The Scott Shannon True Oldies format works really well up here. (#1 Preset for me)Unless the owners (WGUL) could find a equially good channel. But knowing how crowded the FM band is I don't know.

 

[jmtillery]

106.5 could rim shot but the northern signal problems would prevent decent coverage as the Suncoast Parkway becomes a more major road for the market unless a deal could be struck with the new station up there.

But all this is moot as long as 970 is #5.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

You must be talking about WJQB 106.3 out of Spring Hill. The Scott Shannon True Oldies format works really well up here. (#1 Preset for me)Unless the owners (WGUL) could find a equially good channel. But knowing how crowded the FM band is I don't know.

I believe the station in question is Clear Channel owned WCTQ-FM 106.5 Sarasota being used as a Tampa Bay rimshot signal for WFLA-FM. Of course second adjacent WJQB-FM 106.3 will prevent WCTQ from moving any closer to Tampa.

 

[badjef]

I was referring to 99.9 WXJB, not 106.3.

But, since we were discussing hypothetically.

If the 106.3 could be aquired to give northern coverage, instead, it could be used in conjunction with 106.5 (WCTQ) and a simulcast similar to the Press Broadcasting's WKMK 106.3/106.5 simulcast used for the 'Jersey Shore.

The problems of northern coverage problem would be taken care of.

WFLA would blanket Cedar Key to Port Charlotte with the simulcast.

...Hypothetically...

Too bad HD didn't take off as promised, the problem would already be solved if it was a system that worked.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

 

[Parttimer]

Lots of ownership cap issues with that scenario.

 

[badjef]

Lots of ownership cap issues with that scenario.

That's why the attorneys get paid the big bucks.

Now that Nancy Alexander is gone from 100.7, it leaves that frequency more vunerable to the possibility of being the target of the move.

The question still remains, though, would 100.7 provide the stable northern coverage CC would be looking for better than 97.9.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

 

[DToTheJ]

Now that Nancy Alexander is gone from 100.7, it leaves that frequency more vunerable to the possibility of being the target of the move...

Well, in Kansas City, the AM move to FM was preceded by the blowing up of a Gen-X station to a mainstream AC station to placate those listeners of the soon-to-be-blown-up-in-favor-of-an-FM-simulcast-of-KMBZ KUDL.

Only time will tell if 100.7 being the beneficiary of a WFLA-AM simulcast is the proverbial other show dropping in that regard. If they reconfigure the lineup and fill the afternoon vacancy (my hunch, they'll probably stretch the existing jocks' airshifts an hour), then they'll clearly be committed to the Mix format for at least a while longer.

And if they do decide to bring in new talent for a daily shift, maybe they can bring in that "CT" they have on Sunday mornings.

 

[badjef]

The other thing I failed to mention was the fact that 100.7 in Tallahassee is already WFLA-FM and a News/talk station.

On TV, and other video outlets, "100.7 WFLA" would appear to have a presence all over the Gulf Coast of Florida.

I checked for alternative call signs and WTFL is available. It could be used for either Tampa or Tallahassee.

And since 540 is calling itself "540 WFLA" with the legal calls of WFLF, there is that precedence set.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

 

[gamefreak]

Lots of ownership cap issues with that scenario.

That's why the attorneys get paid the big bucks.

Now that Nancy Alexander is gone from 100.7, it leaves that frequency more vunerable to the possibility of being the target of the move.

The question still remains, though, would 100.7 provide the stable northern coverage CC would be looking for better than 97.9.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

I live in Southern Citrus County and I can barely pick up WMTX. Its a very weak southerly rimshot for me. I register a 50 DBu signal for that station. However I can pick up a City-Grade signal for 97.9 WXTB. Not to mention I live in the extreme southern part of the county. The Tampa signals just got worse the more north you go. Like lets say Crystal River and Beverly Hills. However I am not a part of the Tampa radio trading zone. However 100.7 could work for areas south of Highway 50. (Lets say Spring Hill southwards.) However the northern most areas with a decent signal would be Spring Hill and Brooksville. Northern Hernando will still be left in the dust.

100.7's 60DBu contour extends to Extreme southern Hernando County. 97.9's contour goes all the way up to Crystal River. 35 Miles to the North.

 

[badjef]

Lots of ownership cap issues with that scenario.

That's why the attorneys get paid the big bucks.

Now that Nancy Alexander is gone from 100.7, it leaves that frequency more vunerable to the possibility of being the target of the move.

The question still remains, though, would 100.7 provide the stable northern coverage CC would be looking for better than 97.9.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

I live in Southern Citrus County and I can barely pick up WMTX. Its a very weak southerly rimshot for me. I register a 50 DBu signal for that station. However I can pick up a City-Grade signal for 97.9 WXTB. Not to mention I live in the extreme southern part of the county. The Tampa signals just got worse the more north you go. Like lets say Crystal River and Beverly Hills. However I am not a part of the Tampa radio trading zone. However 100.7 could work for areas south of Highway 50. (Lets say Spring Hill southwards.) However the northern most areas with a decent signal would be Spring Hill and Brooksville. Northern Hernando will still be left in the dust.

100.7's 60DBu contour extends to Extreme southern Hernando County. 97.9's contour goes all the way up to Crystal River. 35 Miles to the North.

If you are in Citrus County, that is not important to CC-Tampa.

Sorry, you and I are at different ends of the same boat since they don’t care for Sa-ra-so-ta!, either.

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!