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Which radio station in Boston will be the first to change its format in 2026?

That’s what I’m wondering too. I’ve read a lot on here that business has been tough for station owners, but even more difficult for smaller operators. Given the challenging sales environment and the fast-declining station values, I would not be surprised to read an article about them selling to (insert Jesuscaster here) sometime in 2026.
Their owner has sold quite a few stations to K Love in Northern New England, so if that happened here (For Air 1) I would not be surprised at all, unfortunately.
 
That’s what I’m wondering too. I’ve read a lot on here that business has been tough for station owners, but even more difficult for smaller operators. Given the challenging sales environment and the fast-declining station values, I would not be surprised to read an article about them selling to (insert Jesuscaster here) sometime in 2026.
That is my biggest fear about Easy 99.1. I absolutely love the station and stream it every day. I fear that it will be gobbled up by EMF or another religious broadcaster. Some on here, however, have claimed that the station is profitable.
 
Scott, I had to re-read this a few times because I couldn't believe what I read... Isn't the ENTIRE POINT of this website for those who are out of and love the industry and those who are in the industry, anonymous or not to "spitball?" Isn't a discussion board's purpose to be a place where people talk and toss around wild ideas as opposed to be talked at by those who "cover" the industry on other sites?

Someone could say out of nowhere the Sports Hub will flip to Adult Standards this year... .000000000000000000000000000000000000001% chance, but we all know wilder things have occurred in radio. Because it's radio.

If you don't appreciate the conversation, as ridiculous as it may be, go do something else with your time.
I agree. I thought that comment was absurd. Whats improper with looking at the competitive landscape and making a fun prediction? Do you need to be on the “inside” to do that? If you’re dealing with NDAs you’re by definition not dealing with predictions—you’re dealing with actual deals in progress. You’d better keep your mouth shut unless lose want to lose your job. Do you realize what you’re saying?
 
Have we taken the thread down? We have not.

Have we imposed any rules regarding speculation threads like this? Nope, and no plans to do so.

Do I still think they're pretty pointless and don't hold up well a year later? I sure do.

Is there at least one guess somewhere in THIS thread that I think has some factual basis behind it based on actual recent sales? Yep.

You guys have fun. Nobody's stopping you from speculating.
 
That’s what I’m wondering too. I’ve read a lot on here that business has been tough for station owners, but even more difficult for smaller operators. Given the challenging sales environment and the fast-declining station values, I would not be surprised to read an article about them selling to (insert Jesuscaster here) sometime in 2026.


Smaller owners with bad business plans will have it the roughest. The money losing stations with listenership won't go away, they'll just change hands (and the new owner will have to regain the sales numbers somehow)
 
Look at the most recent 92.9 actual format move and a growing creep within many broadcast schedules and you have a common denominator: if you want to see where terrestrial radio still makes strong economic sense—follow the money: think older demos (the audience) and especially wealthy within that demographic (the profit).

That leads me to Business News, RIA investment pay-to-play, and similarly (though less lately) religious programs. You want to fish where the 2020s radio listener fish reside in stable and still profitable numbers: older, less tech savvy, and within that context is the triple play holy grail: older, less tech, savvy, AND wealthy: jackpot 92.9.

Don’t make the mistake of directly associating high ratings with stronger cash flow in the the sub 2.0 total ratings arena . It’s about listener MONETIZATION ….and in the 92.9 deal—leveraging a franchise.

So, follow the money, realize the landscape, and think outside of the box: Church of latter day saints buys a WRKO spin-off from a debt struggling owner? Or Barry Armstrong/Money Matters buys WRKO?

The brand new-this-week Versant owned/NBC Comcast spin off CNBC buys a business listening alternative: WZRM or WBWL.

Sure, highly highly unlikely ALL. But rational reasons to consider? I think that’s what this thread is about. No NDAs with 1000 miles lol. No insider deals to leak.
 
So, follow the money, realize the landscape, and think outside of the box: Church of latter day saints buys a WRKO spin-off from a debt struggling owner? Or Barry Armstrong/Money Matters buys WRKO?

If iHeart was to sell a talk station, wouldn’t they more likely sell the lower rated WXKS 1200 AM than WRKO?
They’re both 50kW though WRKO’s signal pattern and lower frequency has better coverage.
 
WBZ AM switches to an all time, temperature and traffic format.
Aren't there Latin American stations that do just that? They usually go by the name of "Radio Reloj" which means "Radio Watch."
 
The one in Cuba has news read while the clock ticks the seconds up to the ID every minute. I don't think traffic or weather is part of the format. Maybe when there's a big storm coming.
 
If iHeart was to sell a talk station, wouldn’t they more likely sell the lower rated WXKS 1200 AM than WRKO?
They’re both 50kW though WRKO’s signal pattern and lower frequency has better coverage.
Absolutely, sure. But WRKO imo would command a much higher price. If you’re looking down the road and projecting values of AMs generally—it might be strategic to cash in on some of the higher valuations NOW. But I’d agree WXKS would be the more likely candidate realistically.
 
Maybe a sale of one of the Gois owned Mega Stations in Boston, Worcester, and Lawrence? They sold their Mega station in Hartford to a Catholic operator, but the sale hasn't closed yet.
Considering the wide range of WORC and the FM translator's good coverage of Worcester proper, I can totally see them selling it to another broadcaster to put in a format the Worcester market doesn't have (Top 40 might seem far-fetched, but there's the odd Top 40 on a AM+FM translator operation in other U.S. markets (e.g. WBHV in State College, PA and WBBF in Buffalo, NY), and WXKS' contour stops short of Gardner)
 
Based on the responses I've gotten in my own thread, I'm guessing that if WBWL is to change formats, most would want either A) WFNX back in some form or B) Evolution comes back (though its pretty much dead as a network outside of the iHeartRadio stream). In the off chance that WFNX does comes back, it'll probably be an automated classic alternative jukebox (Boston doesn't have that format yet, so iHeart would technically be a winner here).
 


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