WGTK, Earth FM sold to EMF

[eacalhoun1]

Media Man quote: "They've been selling off tower real estate now for some time just as iHeart has been. The furniture is being burned to keep the fire alive."

Forgive me for not being up with the current "slang", but that sentence is FANTASTIC!

 

[CrazeeCarroll2]

Love it!!! "The shit hits the fan"! Epic!!!

 

[101tm]

I’m somewhat surprised Salem is allowing the Greenville stations, at least Earth FM, to be so transparent that they’re going off the air and how they feel about it. Like yesterday - there were a ton of depressing “goodbye”-esque songs being played and references by the DJ’s that made it sound like something was going on when it was back office staffers being let go, then they let them talk about it openly on the air. They hinted very heavily yesterday that it was going away without flat out saying it would be “soon” until around 7. I know Craig especially has put a ton in to this over the years with Davidson and the 103s/910 even before Salem came in to the picture, so it was nice he was able to be honest over the air.

Not that it’s necessarily a bad thing, but generally in these situations, at least if it’s a major operator the staff is allowed to “reminisce” or do something special at the station’s very end (some aren’t even that lucky). I realize Earth FM has been much more of a project that has a lot of devoted people that are (rightfully so) sad combined with frustrated and probably angry. Still, I’d expect them to be required to be a bit more gagged on the air until the very end. But then again, Earth FM has defied almost every Salem norm since 2014, so I guess it shouldn’t be a surprise now.

 

[AMRocks]

Another event that proves to me that radio is pretty much DONE. It's on its last legs. Just like broadcast TV. It's only a matter of time.

 

[101tm]

Another event that proves to me that radio is pretty much DONE. It's on its last legs. Just like broadcast TV. It's only a matter of time.

Unfortunately tend to agree. It didn't get numbers like it did 5-6 years ago, but I wouldn't say Earth FM failed - and The Answer did quite well considering it mostly had second/third rate talk hosts. Unfortunately everyone has to suffer because Salem didn't manage their finances accordingly. IMO Earth FM had more potential but in 2023 they would need to be a bankrolled independent operation selling their own ads... essentially staying like they originally were. Most corporate radio wouldn't have touched what they've been doing for the past 2+ decades which is why I'm amazed Salem let this party go on for so long.

Looks like most listeners that mention radio alternatives will be going to The Lake and Magic. Another reason Magic should have stayed on 98.9...

 

[davideduardo]

Another event that proves to me that radio is pretty much DONE. It's on its last legs. Just like broadcast TV. It's only a matter of time.

I recall reading in Broadcasting back as far as 1959 and the early 60's about station groups that got in trouble and had to sell. This happened more often when there were economic turn-downs and some could not pay their debts, but it was not uncommon at any time in the last 60 to 70 years.

Remember, consolidation was brought on in no small part due to Docket 80-90 which brought so many move-ins to bigger markets, new stations to smaller ones and upgrades nearly everywhere that half of all stations were not making money. Similarly, when network radio died in the early 50's and all station counts nearly doubled in a decade, the FCC financial reports showed that, again, nearly half of all stations were not making monry.

And between 1950 and 1960, the FM station count went from just over a thousand to just over 600.

 

[davideduardo]

Media Man quote: "They've been selling off tower real estate now for some time just as iHeart has been. The furniture is being burned to keep the fire alive."

Two or three things have happened in the last 25 or so years: First, the need for tower space has multiplied exponentially, making towers valuable rental space. Second, getting permits for new towers if harder and harder, thanks to a general NIMBY attitude. And third, folks wanting to install cellular antennas or communications antennas want to deal with single sources, so we now have a couple of big companies that buy towers with their land and put many services on each tower.

Stations that sell often get sweet deals for ceding the property while no longer having to deal with taxes, tower lighting, cutting the grass and bushes, security, insurance, and all the other hastles of tower ownership. I know of some tower owners that sold for a nice bit of cash, and now spend less on the tower and the site than they did when they owned it.

 

[davideduardo]

Another event that proves to me that radio is pretty much DONE. It's on its last legs. Just like broadcast TV. It's only a matter of time.

What event is that? It helps if you use the "reply" button to post a response so we know what you are talking about.

 

[101tm]

I recall reading in Broadcasting back as far as 1959 and the early 60's about station groups that got in trouble and had to sell. This happened more often when there were economic turn-downs and some could not pay their debts, but it was not uncommon at any time in the last 60 to 70 years.

Remember, consolidation was brought on in no small part due to Docket 80-90 which brought so many move-ins to bigger markets, new stations to smaller ones and upgrades nearly everywhere that half of all stations were not making money. Similarly, when network radio died in the early 50's and all station counts nearly doubled in a decade, the FCC financial reports showed that, again, nearly half of all stations were not making monry.

And between 1950 and 1960, the FM station count went from just over a thousand to just over 600.

Whether you like the formats on them or not another fact is GSP has a lot of signals. Some don’t cover the market well, but it’s not a market that needs any more FM’s (let alone translators). The current Salem cluster is made up of stations that had theoretically been “on the shelf” with few listeners - the old beautiful music WMUU Unique-FM 94.5, and 103.3 WOLT which aired a time-brokered format. 95.5 (originally 95.9) was a CP that was purchased and built out to simulcast 103.3 by Salem since they didn’t buy 103.9. Most translators in the Greenville market are on Paris Mountain at 250 watts. Stations like X98.5 and 99.5 Streetz put out signals almost like a typical class A in other markets.

Ironically, I believe 103.3 is a Docket 80-90 station. It was signed on to give full market coverage to 103.9 WLWZ in ‘92 and was barely shoehorned in. 98.1 was a 90s move in closer from Seneca as well. Then 95.9 signed on in 2015, fully moving in to the market in July of this year at 95.5.

Prior to 2005, 103.3/103.9 were full blown commercial stations that were a simulcast. Right before that, C3 106.3 and 104.9 (then 96.7) moved in to the market which are still commercial stations today. So the loss of the commercial FM stations was already made up for almost 20 years ago. Earth and The Answer have just been nice bonuses.

So even though we’re losing 94.5, 95.5 and 103.3 as commercial stations, the market will still have the same amount or more typical commercial FM’s than 25 years ago. Actually, 94.5 has always been commercial but it felt more non-comm. The market can only handle so many stations. 103.3 was actually a religious station from 2003-2006.

 

[Kent]

I’m somewhat surprised Salem is allowing the Greenville stations, at least Earth FM, to be so transparent that they’re going off the air and how they feel about it. Like yesterday - there were a ton of depressing “goodbye”-esque songs being played and references by the DJ’s that made it sound like something was going on when it was back office staffers being let go, then they let them talk about it openly on the air. They hinted very heavily yesterday that it was going away without flat out saying it would be “soon” until around 7.

Maybe a little surprising, but the management was let go a few hours before the announcement. Not that Salem doesn’t have ultimate control, but it’s unlikely to fly someone in to can the remaining staff unless things really go off the rails.

I've worked at a few stations that had some ugly goodbyes. I understand why companies often fire people without giving them the chance to say their final thoughts and give thanks to their audience.

I also once worked for a company that acquired someone across town. Despite most of the staff being retained, we had a few who basically said, “I don’t want to work for you, but I need the paycheck and will stay until I can get out of here on my own two feet.” A couple of them berated and demoralized those of us who had been there for awhile almost to the point of actively attempting to sabotage the operation. One of my longtime co-workers even said, “I'd always looked down on Clear Channel and those companies that come in and fire the entire staff when they walk in the door, but I understand now why they do that!”

 

[vchimpanzee]

98.1 was a 90s move in closer from Seneca as well.

And ironically, it was standards at that time.

 

[charlestondxman]

Charleston, Columbia and Greenville are heavily over FMed markets. Greenville even more than Charleston. Translators every 20 and 30 kHz. I remember in the Greenville area getting Atlanta and Charlotte stations very easily almost everywhere 15 years ago like 97.1.

Greenville has 7 AMs covering that city, then you add 910 and 950 which aren’t quite good signals. Columbia has 8 AMs. Charleston 9 locals.

We lost 2 of our commercial FMs in the late 2000s with 100.5 and 100.9 here (both lowly-rated stations, 100.5 going alternative after 96 Wave flipped and 100.9 urban) to His Radio and WayFM respectively. They weren’t a big loss in the market. Not a ton of folks listened to either.

100.5 isn’t even a full market signal. Their HD doesn’t lock in as close as downtown Summerville, that’s why His had to get 88.9 to cover the entire area. Same with 100.9 and their 101.3 translator.

 

[101tm]

Charleston, Columbia and Greenville are heavily over FMed markets. Greenville even more than Charleston. Translators every 20 and 30 kHz. I remember in the Greenville area getting Atlanta and Charlotte stations very easily almost everywhere 15 years ago like 97.1.

Greenville has 7 AMs covering that city, then you add 910 and 950 which aren’t quite good signals. Columbia has 8 AMs. Charleston 9 locals.

We lost 2 of our commercial FMs in the late 2000s with 100.5 and 100.9 here (both lowly-rated stations, 100.5 going alternative after 96 Wave flipped and 100.9 urban) to His Radio and WayFM respectively. They weren’t a big loss in the market. Not a ton of folks listened to either.

100.5 isn’t even a full market signal. Their HD doesn’t lock in as close as downtown Summerville, that’s why His had to get 88.9 to cover the entire area. Same with 100.9 and their 101.3 translator.

Alice 100.5 was a cool station, but yeah, it needed to go. I think what we’ve seen happen is people have gotten used to markets being over-radioed for the past 3 decades with a lot of struggling, low rated stations. Now Kirkman has built a translator empire in Charleston it seems.

I’m not saying I’m glad Earth-FM is going away at all (no comment on The Answer). I’m just not sad the pool of commercial FM signals is being reduced. 94.5 hasn’t been a factor in its 60 years aka its entire existence to most of the market. Earth FM is probably the only success 103.3 has ever seen and it gets around a ~2.0-2.5 with 95.9. 103.3 was shoehorned in around 1993 for the sole purpose of simulcasting 103.9’s successful urban format and Jamz signed on a year later which ended that. Alternative, oldies, 80s, Christian, etc etc etc were tried on 103.3 (& 103.9) to no avail. Than the brokered chaos. So yeah - the Earth FM team did a good job turning a troubled signal in to something that actually got some numbers. But yeah, the signal itself is probably not one the market needs.

 

[vchimpanzee]

94.5 hasn’t been a factor in its 60 years aka its entire existence to most of the market.

It did get a surprisingly high number of 12-plus listeners in its beautiful music days, though. And I know I listened to it when I could.

 

[tylerSC]

Charleston, Columbia and Greenville are heavily over FMed markets. Greenville even more than Charleston. Translators every 20 and 30 kHz. I remember in the Greenville area getting Atlanta and Charlotte stations very easily almost everywhere 15 years ago like 97.1.

Greenville has 7 AMs covering that city, then you add 910 and 950 which aren’t quite good signals. Columbia has 8 AMs. Charleston 9 locals.

We lost 2 of our commercial FMs in the late 2000s with 100.5 and 100.9 here (both lowly-rated stations, 100.5 going alternative after 96 Wave flipped and 100.9 urban) to His Radio and WayFM respectively. They weren’t a big loss in the market. Not a ton of folks listened to either.

100.5 isn’t even a full market signal. Their HD doesn’t lock in as close as downtown Summerville, that’s why His had to get 88.9 to cover the entire area. Same with 100.9 and their 101.3 translator.

Yes used to be you could easily receive Charlotte and Atlanta stations in Greenville. Now with the addition of multiple translators. it is no longer as feasible. You can still get 95.1, 96.1, and 101.9 from Charlotte, and somewhat 107.9 but there is a LPFM that can interfere. And 105.3, 102.9, and 96.9 are now blocked. And 97.1 from Atlanta used to have a decent signal from Atlanta, but it is now blocked by a sports signal from Spartanburg.

 

[101tm]

Yes used to be you could easily receive Charlotte and Atlanta stations in Greenville. Now with the addition of multiple translators. it is no longer as feasible. You can still get 95.1, 96.1, and 101.9 from Charlotte, and somewhat 107.9 but there is a LPFM that can interfere. And 105.3, 102.9, and 96.9 are now blocked. And 97.1 from Atlanta used to have a decent signal from Atlanta, but it is now blocked by a sports signal from Spartanburg.

That translator on 102.9 has an awful signal. It has to protect 103.1 in Anderson as well as 102.9 in Charlotte and its signal pattern is shaped like a boomerang. It always has static.

 

[pmgrnvl]

I think Earth FM, in their target demos, probably did better than those 12+ or whatever numbers show. I heard Lee Alexander often was tops in his demo for middays, for example. Also, Earth had a pretty loyal and engaged audience that probably supported its advertisers. I know I did whenever I could. I'd guess WORD has that kind of an audience (WGTK probably as well) but HOT 98? Yeah, I bet the kids all go and support those advertisers. Or how about whatever is on 104.9? What, a 0.2 share or something? And let's not forget: Earth beat Magic last book.

What really irritates me is that EMF will run this as nothing more than a transmitter for satellite feeds. How does this serve the community? It doesn't. Earth (and WGTK) have news, traffic, weather and local audience engagement; they show up and support events. Yes, I can get weather from my phone, but when I am driving, it's a heck of a lot more convenient to know I may run into a line of summer storms courtesy of an Earth FM announcer. And the team — Bill, Lee, Craig, Action, Sue and others — all do a great job. Here's hoping they land somewhere and have more years of success.

Bottom line, radio frequencies are not drawn from an unlimited pool. The FCC has done a terrible job with this, and companies like EMF, in my opinion, should not even be allowed to do what they do. Why does no one listen to the radio? Because there's nothing but junk on the dial. Earth proved you can do local, and do it well. It's not about the music; it's about being live, local and connected to the community. Once Earth goes dark, I doubt I will listen to any "local" station. There simply is nothing compelling.

 

[CrazeeCarroll2]

I think Earth FM, in their target demos, probably did better than those 12+ or whatever numbers show. I heard Lee Alexander often was tops in his demo for middays, for example. Also, Earth had a pretty loyal and engaged audience that probably supported its advertisers. I know I did whenever I could. I'd guess WORD has that kind of an audience (WGTK probably as well) but HOT 98? Yeah, I bet the kids all go and support those advertisers. Or how about whatever is on 104.9? What, a 0.2 share or something? And let's not forget: Earth beat Magic last book.

What really irritates me is that EMF will run this as nothing more than a transmitter for satellite feeds. How does this serve the community? It doesn't. Earth (and WGTK) have news, traffic, weather and local audience engagement; they show up and support events. Yes, I can get weather from my phone, but when I am driving, it's a heck of a lot more convenient to know I may run into a line of summer storms courtesy of an Earth FM announcer. And the team — Bill, Lee, Craig, Action, Sue and others — all do a great job. Here's hoping they land somewhere and have more years of success.

Bottom line, radio frequencies are not drawn from an unlimited pool. The FCC has done a terrible job with this, and companies like EMF, in my opinion, should not even be allowed to do what they do. Why does no one listen to the radio? Because there's nothing but junk on the dial. Earth proved you can do local, and do it well. It's not about the music; it's about being live, local and connected to the community. Once Earth goes dark, I doubt I will listen to any "local" station. There simply is nothing compelling.

Very well said! I stream Earth FM here in Camden. Craig as PD has done an amazing job with Earth FM. It makes me sad to see it go. I love the jock, the music, but most of all the localness they offer.

 

[davideduardo]

I think Earth FM, in their target demos, probably did better than those 12+ or whatever numbers show. I heard Lee Alexander often was tops in his demo for middays, for example. Also, Earth had a pretty loyal and engaged audience that probably supported its advertisers. I

Looking at recent numbers, Earth was around 18th in 18-34 and 14th in 26-54 and in both cases well below the 12+ average and well below the 55+ numbers where it over-performed.

Mid-days in 25-54 they were around 14th. At numbers that low, it would vary from book to book by 3 or 4 rank positions up or down.

It was in the higher 3's back in the years around 2018 and 2019, and even had a 4.6 in Spring of 2020. Now, it was down around the high twos for all of 2022.

 

[101tm]

Looking at recent numbers, Earth was around 18th in 18-34 and 14th in 26-54 and in both cases well below the 12+ average and well below the 55+ numbers where it over-performed.

Mid-days in 25-54 they were around 14th. At numbers that low, it would vary from book to book by 3 or 4 rank positions up or down.

It was in the higher 3's back in the years around 2018 and 2019, and even had a 4.6 in Spring of 2020. Now, it was down around the high twos for all of 2022.

Something I’ve noticed about Earth’s die-hard fans - self-proclaimed “Earthlings” - almost always seem to be 55+. Even now that the station’s focus seems to be mid-80s through mid-90s (plus 2000s, very little to mostly no 70s). Very few slow songs. They seem to have been unsuccessful at improving the demo numbers (I’m assuming the station was trying for a core of 35-54, although it sounded like a 55+ station when it hit the air in 2013 and for the first couple years so I’m not sure what their goal was).

My theory: heavy 55+ numbers are due to listeners remembering the personalities that remember them from other stations. Despite the music evolving and then being radically updated to what it is now, it still is presented like an oldies station. Not even classic hits. That jingle package was created over 30 years ago. The 25-54/35-54 listeners that want to hear that music are listening to WROQ and WMYI, maybe WSPA-FM before all of the listeners thought they went away.

Every last person involved with Earth FM is a fantastic individual, I will not disagree there.