What's Gonna Happen to WABC and WPLJ?

[disney fanatic]

As you probably know, Citadel is taking over the ABC stations after all this mess that has been going on at WPLJ and WABC. According to the Arbitrends this week, WPLJ is up a little bit and WABC is still doing well, but what will Citadel should do next? Maybe WABC should bring back Bob Grant and as for WPLJ? No word on what's going to happen next. :

 

[kws31a]

Cat Country 95.5 or..... THE Country Station....like Indianapolis' #1 country giant.

 

[Barry45RPM]

Oldies on WABC-FM

 

[raydofan]

Oldies on WABC-FM

That would be a great move.

 

[neo11]

For the love of god, enough with this oldies and country talk every time there's even a 0.1% chance at a format flip. PLJ may have mediocre numbers but it has great billing, sixth in NYC. I don't think Citadel is going to touch that until those numbers begin to slip. And I don't see any real reason why they should do much at WABC either. Why should they? The station is the #1 talker in the city.

And Cat Country? That name might work in the Catskills or the Midwest, but not NYC...

 

[oaktree]

Word is that Citadel isn't going to do much of anything for awhile, if then. Little word on cutbacks, layoffs or changes according to GMs who met with the Citadel brass. Probably on an immediate case-by-case basis as needed, like, who will replace Paul Harvey before any wholesale changes.

Why would there be changes so fast in NY? Even the worse companies know not to come in with wholesale changes until they get the lay of the land which can take some time. I'd be very surprised if there were any changes in the NY group.

WABC-FM. Oh, boy... Just what Citadel needs ... spend $2-billion on a network and large station group -- the flip to oldies on it's flagship FM.

Hey, look! Another flying pig! Seeing more of those around here of late...

 

[FreestylePete]

How about a cutting edge dance/CHR station on PLG?

 

[neo11]

How about a cutting edge dance/CHR station on PLG?

Can't see Citadel dumping the lucrative soccer mom demographic. As much as I'd also love to see dance on the air in NYC, I don't see anyone taking off the #6 billing station in the city to do it.

 

[LinoNYC]

WABC is the bigger problem long-term. It currently has the oldest demo's in the market as with the rest of these con-talkers it's median ages on a year per year basis, meaning they attract no meaningful numbers of young listeners.

The reason these stations continue as they are is due to their being on AM and have few alternatives.

If you look at this situation logically, there are three options;

If they are to maintain the current format they'll probably have to make some arrangement with the syndicators to subsidize blocks of time once advertisers begin to really pull away from the old demo's. They already lease approx 10 1/2 hrs over the weekend.

2) Change format, the only two viable options for AM these days are all-news and ethnic. Oldies as much as I and many others would enjoy them are not much of an improvement in terms of listener age. They are a bit cheaper to run.

3) Simply unload the frequency to some entity that would likely do one of the above or worse,, religion.

I guess there is some hope that IBOC will eventually change the situation but there is a long drought before.

Lino

 

[MarcR]

How about a cutting edge dance/CHR station on PLG?

Sure, why not! And then 'PLJ can give away Ecstasy tablets to its first fifty callers as well!! ;D

 

[FreestylePete]

How about a cutting edge dance/CHR station on PLG?

Sure, why not! And then 'PLJ can give away Ecstasy tablets to its first fifty callers as well!! ;D

That is so stereo typical and not true.

 

[actioncentral]

I don't think they'll be major changes at either WABC or WPLJ. I think they'll be
MANY changes at the Radio Network, such as pruning the syndicated talk shows
and possibly trimming back of its news services (which will be provided by
Disney's ABC News for Citadel/ABC RAdio Network.)
action central

 

[bierkenstock]

I understand a deal is in the works for WABC. A local dentist provides free dental care to Citadel employees and in return he gets WABC.

 

[SonoSational18]

Last I looked, both stations were quite financially viable. Yes, some tweaks are probably due at both frequencies but blowing up either one... not an option. I would like to see ABC finally pick up another FM frequency and a classic hits station called WABC-FM ("Music Radio WABC"?) might be quite successful.

 

[BACKnUSSR]

Okay...back to the topic at hand.....

Here are Citadel's immediate plans for WABC & WPLJ..........

NOTHING. Citadel is thrilled to be in the NY game with such profitable properties.
They are both billing fine and (as Larry pointed out) there are other fish to fry
at the network level.

 

[redbullfan]

WPLJ may have billed rather well up to now, but that may dissappear now that Fresh 102.7 has come in and beat them as well. PLJ has underperformed for a long time in New York and Fresh has demonstrated that point very well. It is lights out for PLJ if Fresh continues to whip them this much for more than a few more months!

 

[neo11]

WPLJ may have billed rather well up to now, but that may dissappear now that Fresh 102.7 has come in and beat them as well. PLJ has underperformed for a long time in New York and Fresh has demonstrated that point very well. It is lights out for PLJ if Fresh continues to whip them this much for more than a few more months!

Fresh is going to have to whip them in the wallet and not just the numbers for any change to happen. As long as PLJ is raking in the dough, it will remain as is.

 

[Shredder]

WPLJ has good DJ's that keep people tuned in on a regular basis. I could care less about the music unless I tune in to 80's at 8. God how I miss the 70's show they used to have on with Al Bandero. Back before XM and net radio, I tuned into that on time every night .

But I do agree that PLJ needs to modify it's music. They repeat the music too danged often, which is a problem in every radio market and one reason why I love XM and their 7 hour or so long playlists..

Heh, I find it interesting that Scott and Todd occasionally mention how often XM is loosing money and subscribers, or how it goes off the air everytime you pass a tree... but truth be told I'd much rather listen and pay for XM with non stop music and a stronger playlist of songs than listen to the music on commercial based radio stations..