Which AM Station Might Be Available to Family Radio?

[Barry]

In an article today in Inside Radio, an executive of the firm that helped arranged the sale of WFME 94.7, indicated it is likely Family Radio will look to purchase a local AM station to continue their programming in this area.
Which one seems like a good candidate? Most of the stronger signals, such as 660 or 1010 are probably not for sale anytime soon. WNSR is apparently still for sale, but has a horrendous signal in most directions. WWRL also has a signal that is also very bad.
WLIB is considerably better, but may be paying its way with its gospel programming. Many of the ethnic stations on the upper end of the dial also have reception issues.
It seems unlikely that WNYC AM would be for sale, as it is used part of the day for NPR shows that don't fit into WNYC FM's schedule.
Might Salem be willing to sell WMCA 570, or WWDJ 970 AM? Those two stations have some of the better signals among the lower rated local AM's.

 

[secondchoice]

Unless they have found a loophole of my math is incorrect, CBS will have an "extra" signal to put in a trust or sell. Would WINS work on 660 or would they lose their NYC focus trying to cover the whole market a suffer ratings wise? In the 1010 pattern (which ratings wise works for WINS) who has the stronger signal 1010 or 660? I personally would would keep 660 just because it is a simpler operation technically but I do not get to make the decision.

 

[WNTIRadio]

There's always the Multicultural stations... 930 etc.

CBS is going to do EVERYTHING it can to hold on to all of the radio properties. WINS isn't going anywhere, it's one of the top billers in the entire country.

 

[luperm]

CBS does not plan to dispose of anything in the NY market.

I doubt Multicultural would either.  Their stations are all brokered time and probably generate some nice cash flow.
Same goes for Salem and WMCA.  AM 970 is running some of Salem's in house talkers.  Not sure if they'd want to part with that.

WWRL and WLIB seem to be the most likely candidates to me.  WFAS-AM and WMTR seem like possible longshots.

Would Family Radio be dumb enough to buy AM 620?

WNYC? Maybe...if they could get their hands on 91.5 FM...
What about the old NJN radio stations?  I bet they could be had on the cheap.

 

[Giacomo Siffredi]

Despite all the talk regarding AM's imminent demise, very few AM licensees will surrender a cash cow.

I think it's safe to say that - pending a favorable decision on their recent application from the fcc - all of CBS's AM stations are off the market.

Multicultural Broadcasting (MCRB) has several such cash cows, however, due to their financial issues, may be open to a sale of one of their stations. In that case, WNSW Newark (1430AM) which moved to the Clifton, NJ. site a few years ago might be under consideration. However, if MCRB maintains a package deal is required to effect a sale, I think that would rule out that possibility.

Emmis has recently been very open to liquidate their assets, so WLIB New York is another possibility. However, I wonder if there could be any backlash as this would be the second station programmed to the Black community that Emmis would effectively silence under such a deal...

As far as Cumulus, WFAS White Plains carries some of their owners' talk lineup which could be cleared on WABC New York eventually. I would say they could move some of this to the FM side given the recent trend, but they seem content with their John Tesh station :-\ This could be a 50/50 possibility.

Here's a guess from out of left-field: How about WVNJ Oakland?

 

[davideduardo]

Emmis has recently been very open to liquidate their assets, so WLIB New York is another possibility. However, I wonder if there could be any backlash as this would be the second station programmed to the Black community that Emmis would effectively silence under such a deal...

Emmis does not and never did own WLIB.

 

[TimeIsTight]

Multicultural Broadcasting (MCRB) has several such cash cows, however, due to their financial issues, may be open to a sale of one of their stations. In that case, WNSW Newark (1430AM) which moved to the Clifton, NJ.

WNSW 1430 may be the least likely of the Multicultural stations to be for sale. For a couple of years it has been leased 24/7 to a major client with very deep pockets, the government of Russia. The checks probably just roll in like clockwork with very little effort needed by Multicultural other than keeping the transmitters on and the audio feed connected.

Sure, "The Voice of Russia" could decide to move to a better signal in NYC, if it could find one, but these state supported international broadcasters have very different agendas, in terms of ratings and reach, than most commercial broadcasters do.

It seems supporting an international broadcasting service in English has become something many national governments have decided to add to their annual budgets permanently, although most seem to favor TV. Japan's NHK News in English is a basic channel on my cable system thanks to it paying to be carried on a digital channel of WRNN-TV in the Hudson Valley. Meanwhile, the BBC, France 24, Germany's DV, and Voice of Russia are among the state supported broadcasters that offer TV news in English 24/7. And there are many others that offer the same kind of English language service for several hours each day. These countries see these services as important to their international image. The Voice of Russia has decided it wants to be on the radio in international capitals like NYC and Washington DC 24/7, and that lease with Multicultural is likely as solid as any commercial radio revenue stream could be.

In simple business terms, that station is a cash cow keeper for Multicultural.

 

[WNTIRadio]

What about the old NJN radio stations? I bet they could be had on the cheap

Too late. WNYC already bought everything from Trenton north and WHYY bought the rest in south Jersey.

 

[Ai4i]

...among the state supported broadcasters that offer TV news in English 24/7.

And, let us not forget Al Jazeera, while not strictly national, a loud voice for an important region.
Are all commercial FM's (94.7, 105.9) really more valuable than all AM's (660) within the market?
Look at the differences in coverage areas.

 

[davideduardo]

Are all commercial FM's (94.7, 105.9) really more valuable than all AM's (660) within the market?
Look at the differences in coverage areas.

The only coverage stations can monetize is the New York City Metro Survey Area (MSA) and all the good FMs cover it all, except for the eastern part of Suffolk County, which is really only about 150,000 persons 12+.

Even in New York, with some very good AM signals, over 80% of listening is to FMs. That explains the price differential when coverage is equal.

As one poster pointed out, about the only case where some outside-the-metro coverage may help is with play by play sports. Yet still, most teams are looking for FM today because FM gets the same demos that attend sporting events and otherwise patronize their teams.

 

[Ai4i]

I, if I ran a non-com mostly specialty talk radio station with no chance of competition from anyone, would jump on an AM flame thrower.
The interest from the millions of dollars for the swap would fund my hobby beyond forever.
Only issue with those guys is that they would not want to benefit anyone with a corporate agenda.

 

[Giacomo Siffredi]

Emmis does not and never did own WLIB.

My error. Still, I don't see ICBC/YMF/YMF Holdings/other creditors and owners giving this one up. Not unless they could replicate the programming elsewhere on the New York radio dial, which they cannot unless they displace some of the programming on WBLS or purchase another station in the market. Neither seems very likely, although considering what has occurred so far this year, neither may not be off the table...

Regarding WNSW, depending on the terms of the agreement with The Voice of Russia, MCBC could relocate that programming to one of their other properties. Perhaps the agreement precludes them from doing so. However, the 1430 signal seems in line with, if not better than, what Family Radio would be willing to accept, based on their acceptance of what their two present Baltimore, MD. AM holdings offer them in terms of coverage.

The other option is the AM extended band, but considering the average age of the Family Radio listener, explaining the move to the traditional AM band may be difficult enough. Not to mention many older radio sets generally cannot tune beyond 1620 AM.

 

[stationless listener]

Among the possibilities:

570
620
820
930
970
1130
1280
1380
1430
1480
1560
1600
1660

Everything else is still too good to let go of for the time being.

 

[Tommy Roberts Jr]

Family Radio has purchased WPEN AM 950 in Philadelphia from Greater Media.

 

[Steve Green NEPA]

If the Radio-locator maps are correct, WPEN 950 must be a pretty expensive setup to run. It's not only directional, it's virtually 50,000 watts for half the year. And from two different sites, yet. Perhaps it was the only desirable/big signal in that market which had a quick 'for sale' sign on it. Maybe they'll seek to downgrade it, or lose one of those two arrays. Either way, they acquired a big signal on an orphaned band.

Perhaps Family Radio is in no big hurry to get to Times Square when the ball drops. They might be waiting to see how the reception is (pun intended) in Philadelphia first, at that somewhat cumbersome 950 facility.

Am missing the exact figures, but among their final FM NYC showings were things in the 1.5 or 1.6 range. They cannot expect to get anywhere near that on any respectable AM signal there which would be inexpensive to operate. The move would be a huge step sideways, no ?

 

[DanStrassberg]

If the Radio-locator maps are correct, WPEN 950 must be a pretty expensive setup to run. It's not only directional, it's virtually 50,000 watts for half the year. And from two different sites, yet.

Certainly a two-site AM is more expensive to run than most one-site AMs, but WPEN can't be too bad. I'm pretty sure that GM owns the day site and rents the night site (from Beasley, which, AFAIK, owns the land, building, and towers). Remember, WPEN's night operation is NOT a diplex; WWDB, whose site WPEN uses at night, is a daytimer. WWDB and WPEN are never on the air simultaneously from the WWDB site. Only WPEN uses the WPEN day site; that site is not used by any station at night.

Even though GM is almost entirely an FM company, they do not spare the $$$ when they build or upgrade an AM facility. I believe that both WPEN sites are very well engineered. I've heard that the night site has two identical 50-kW transmitters and the day site has two identical 25 kW transmitters. GM spent big $$$ at both sites with the objective of having highly reliable signals and minimizing operating costs.

 

[Markd]

My guesses are WPAT 930 AM, 1190 WLIB (whose owner is recently out pof bankruptcy and being refinanced by the same company Yukapia that has financed A & P/Pathmark/Waldbaums out of their benkruptcy), 1600 WWRL, or even 1050 WEPN. My thoughts is that Spanish ESPN Radio could move to FM - WPAT FM 93.1 which is doing horrible in ratings the past couple years. Also the FM tranelators around the market will likely remain.

Also Family Radio is evaluating which direction they should move on two fronts. One is Theological - they are needing to decide on an Evangelical Christian ecumenical direction or more of the Fundamentalist Calvinist direction. Also they need to decide where toi head musically...either remnaining Christian MOR Standards, more of a Christian MOR Mix with some contemporary mixed in or more of a Soft Christian AC. They also must decide what features and outside ministries to air as well. So expact programming changes from within Family Fadio if they are to survive. Also might Family decide to start selling time. In the past they Gave the time free to outside ministries. So alot is up in the air.

 

[davideduardo]

...or even 1050 WEPN. My thoughts is that Spanish ESPN Radio could move to FM - WPAT FM 93.1 which is doing horrible in ratings the past couple years.

Why would ESPN, which worked hard to get o&o stations for both of their national networks, try to put ESPN Deportes on someone else's station with no future clearance guarantee?

ESPN Deportes is a 0.3 to 0.5 station in just about every market. Using a full B FM for that niche format is not logical, and SBS is unlikely to trade low numbers for even lower numbers.

In any case, using the WOR sale as a benchmark for AM pricing, Disney is not going to even consider an offer for much less than what Cumulus just sold WFME for... so Family would end up with an AM and very little profit on the sale of the FM.

 

[davideduardo]

Am missing the exact figures, but among their final FM NYC showings were things in the 1.5 or 1.6 range. They cannot expect to get anywhere near that on any respectable AM signal there which would be inexpensive to operate. The move would be a huge step sideways, no ?

More like a 0.8 average over the last year's books.

 

[pjc1961]

Unless they have found a loophole of my math is incorrect, CBS will have an "extra" signal to put in a trust or sell. Would WINS work on 660 or would they lose their NYC focus trying to cover the whole market a suffer ratings wise? In the 1010 pattern (which ratings wise works for WINS) who has the stronger signal 1010 or 660? I personally would would keep 660 just because it is a simpler operation technically but I do not get to make the decision.

As Giacomo S. pointed out in his post, CBS is looking for a favorable FCC decision regarding its (soon to be) 9 NYC-area properties -
details in thread linked here.