Will The Big Talker Survive?

[tk]

One brief mention on another subject sparked this question.
Will the Big Talker WNOX survive in Knoxville? Citadel is bankrupt
and word on the street is that it has no money to keep paying Johnny the lease!

If Citidel chooses not to keep going.....the whole station could blow up...
hey the staff works for Ciitadel. All this regardless of great ratings....crazy!

Comments??

 

[boogiecheck]

From what I'm hearing on the street, the Pirkle boys are working daily with Citadel and hoping for a positive outcome.

But, they've also made no secret they are ready with a studio, programming and office space should Citadel bring it back to them.

 

[TeamSR]

WOW....this could be very interesting.

Lets play the what if game.......

If this happens does Citadel move The Big Talker back to NewsTalk99 ala: 99.1/99.3/990?

What does this mean to the rest of the Citadel cluster?...Sports Animal? 98.7?

Who moves into 100.3?

 

[boogiecheck]

Ok. Let's play the "what if" game.

Citadel gives back the 100.3 frequency. They then place the talk format on 98.7. Makes the most sense.

100.3 then comes back to Pirkle and he takes it, for lack of a better term, "CHR" country.

 

[BRice16]

Ok. Let's play the "what if" game.

Citadel gives back the 100.3 frequency. They then place the talk format on 98.7. Makes the most sense.

100.3 then comes back to Pirkle and he takes it, for lack of a better term, "CHR" country.

Yeah, despite those that post on the board that want CHR and a return of I100, there's no chance they do anything other than country if they get the frequency back.

Honestly, though, there's no chance that happens. Pirkle isn't getting back into it, they'll work out them money.

 

[boogiecheck]

Well, the smart money would be to go CHR and force Journal to step up to the plate and do something with them.

 

[BRH]

I really don't see News Talk 100 going anywhere. The station is too big of a cash cow and doing too well. Citadel will come up with the money somehow to satisfy Pirkle and I think things will remain the same. If by some odd chance, they don't and 100.3 reverts back to Pirkle; if I was him, I wouldn't change formats at all. I would continue doing a news/talk format on the signal and try and steal away any Citadel staff that I could. If they wouldn't budge or can't get out of a contract, I'd hire a couple of other talents for local shows, and then get a new syndicated lineup. Then even if Citadel moved WNOX to a weaker signal, Pirkle would still have the advantage of the huge 100kw stick and the legacy of the news/talk format's current signal. It might be more involvement and money than he would want to do, but I think it would be a wiser choice, moneywise, in the end.

Also, as far as Citadel goes; I'd love to see them bring their new "Generation X", 90's based format to Knoxville. Both Clear Channel and Citadel have rolled out the format in several markets and it seems to be doing well. Citadel has launched it on 103.3 in Baton Rouge (www.sunny1033.com) and just last week on 98.9 in Memphis (www.989kimfm.com). (The website names haven't been updated, but they redirect to the new websites). I would love to see them put Gen. X Radio on 98.7 here in Knoxville. It would probably get as good or better ratings than the True Oldies Channel, plus it would pull better demos than the aging True Oldies format, and it's also jockless so it wouldn't cost anymore to run. Anyway, just an idea, I'd love to see happen.

 

[RMarino]

BRH, I agree with the first half of your post. Successful news/talk stations, especially FM ones, ARE cash cows, mainly because the format allows them to fit in more spots per hour. As much fun as it is to contemplate changing FM 100, it's just not realistic.

As for Generation X format, I hate it! I've listened to the new Memphis station and it's just a mess. There is no way that Sir-Mix-A-Lot and Nirvana can can be on the same station. Even CHR back then wasn't this wide. Even the few people who may be nostalgic for songs like "Tootsie Roll" and "Dunkie Butt" will tire of them quickly. It's music like this which nearly killed CHR in the early '90s.

I am in the Generation X age group and I would rather listen to True Oldies Channel all day than listen to "Generation X" for 15 min.

 

[boogiecheck]

I had lunch with one of the insiders yesterday. Very interesting things are going on.

 

[BRice16]

I had lunch with one of the insiders yesterday. Very interesting things are going on.

Problem is, Pirkle just sold the studio he had ready to go. Certainly, he could find other space if it came to that, but it makes it less likely.

 

[boogiecheck]

I had lunch with one of the insiders yesterday. Very interesting things are going on.

Problem is, Pirkle just sold the studio he had ready to go. Certainly, he could find other space if it came to that, but it makes it less likely.

Not actually. He sold the original building which they haven't used in well over 25 years.

They were in West Hills until the Citadel LMA. I think they moved somewhere between Cedar Bluff and Lovell Road where I'm sure they have a studio or at least enough space for one.

 

[abccbsnbcfox]

I have been following the "Citadel Saga" in bankruptcy court.

I'm thinking Citadel is going to settle its Chapter 11 in the coming months. That is, after all, what a Chapter 11 is. They are not anywhere near the need to switch to Chapter 7. They should come through Chapter 11, WITHOUT having to sell any of their stations, including the clusters in Knoxville, Chattanooga and Tri-Cities. Or the stations they bought from ABC-Disney: WABC, WLS, KABC, etc). All the Cit stations will most likely continue with their current formats, and the ones in Knoxville will do so, without Pirkle or anybody else getting involved.

It's made for good speculation (and some real good reading on these blogs).

A bigger problem is in Nashville.. The Titans are pushing for a May 17th deadline to know whether Citadel will pony up 4 million dollars to broadcast the team this season. That money IS part of the bankruptcy reorganization, but creditors are balking BIG TIME. Cit could very well lose the deal for all of its Tennessee stations.

 

[BRice16]

I had lunch with one of the insiders yesterday. Very interesting things are going on.

Problem is, Pirkle just sold the studio he had ready to go. Certainly, he could find other space if it came to that, but it makes it less likely.

Not actually. He sold the original building which they haven't used in well over 25 years.

They were in West Hills until the Citadel LMA. I think they moved somewhere between Cedar Bluff and Lovell Road where I'm sure they have a studio or at least enough space for one.

Nope, the 4th floor of the West Hills building where the WOKI and WNFZ studios once were has been long cleared and used as office space. The last time I was up there a couple of years ago, that space had been completely gutted and you;d never know there had once been a radio station there. Pirkle still owns the building thru one of his companies.

There is a radio operation on Cedar Bluff, but its for WJRV, the 106.1 people.

As I understand it, there is no physical home for the 100.3 or 94.3 operations outside of the Citadel and South Central studios. The rumor was Pirckle had some work done to the Oak Ridge studios to create leverage, but was offered a pretty penny for the property.

 

[BRH]

As for Generation X format, I hate it! I've listened to the new Memphis station and it's just a mess. There is no way that Sir-Mix-A-Lot and Nirvana can can be on the same station. Even CHR back then wasn't this wide. Even the few people who may be nostalgic for songs like "Tootsie Roll" and "Dunkie Butt" will tire of them quickly. It's music like this which nearly killed CHR in the early '90s.

I am in the Generation X age group and I would rather listen to True Oldies Channel all day than listen to "Generation X" for 15 min.

I'm also right in the middle of the Gen. X age group myself (I'm 40), and yes, I know how CHR became very polarized in the mid 90s with hip hop, alternative, and Hot AC. But there were some stations that actually played the full spectrum. Anyway, I think a lot of the division between the hip hop audience and alternative/rock audience has gone away since that time period. And as far as Nirvana into Sir Mix-a-Lot, well, it's no different than the types of segues that the adult hits (Jack FM) type stations have been doing for the past few years. I think the invention of the iPod has gone a long way to gearing people to more of a "shuffle" or "random" type playlist where everything doesn't have to be so scrutinized as far as music scheduling goes. (Remember the old days with the super strict rules PD's had about not playing 2 female records in a row, following a very set pattern between tempos in all segues, etc, etc.). Most of that has gone out the window in the past couple of decades (which some will argue is a bad thing). Anyway, I've listened quite a bit to Sirius/XM's 90's channel over the past few years and really enjoy it, and I am liking the new Gen. X format as well.

Also, as to whether it will work or not, who knows; but early ratings are showing that it has been a huge success in Louisville (where Clear Channel first tried it starting last summer at "100.5 Gen X Radio"). In fact, the station soared to number 4 in the market in the 12 plus numbers in one book. As a result, Clear Channel has rolled out the format in Tulsa ("106.1 Gen X Radio") and Albany, GA ("97.3 Gen X Radio). Also, as I mentioned, Citadel has seen the ratings and jumped on the bandwagon with two of it's own Gen. X stations, 103.3 Baton Rouge and 98.9 Memphis. Entercom also launched a 90's format in Sacramento ("106.5 The Buzz").

So, I wouldn't necessarily write it off as not having a chance. At the moment the Gen. X format seems to be connecting with quite a few people and is at least initially garnering some pretty good numbers and demos. But of course, it could just be a quick flash in the pan like other short lived formats over the last few years (Jammin' Oldies, Modern AC, 80's, Rhythmic AC, Adult Hits, etc.). Anyway, who knows, but I am enjoying it personally, and while it certainly wouldn't be my main station, I could easily see having it as a number 2 or 3 preset after the CHR's.

 

[Mid West Clubber]

I dont see WOKI EH WNOX going country because knoxville has too many country stations. its possible that true Oldies moves to 100.3, or they could go CHR again, but It wont be like the I-100 we remember,, most likely more like Electric 94.9. Other options are Rhythmic AC as Mentioned,,, Dance,, or a GEN X as mentioned,, retro CHR format like in Louisville, which would sound the most like the I-100 we remember. I like Country but I listen to 107.7 93.1, and Asheville's 99.9 for Country, which has a decent signal in parts of knox county.

 

[boogiecheck]

I had lunch with one of the insiders yesterday. Very interesting things are going on.

Problem is, Pirkle just sold the studio he had ready to go. Certainly, he could find other space if it came to that, but it makes it less likely.

Not actually. He sold the original building which they haven't used in well over 25 years.

They were in West Hills until the Citadel LMA. I think they moved somewhere between Cedar Bluff and Lovell Road where I'm sure they have a studio or at least enough space for one.

Nope, the 4th floor of the West Hills building where the WOKI and WNFZ studios once were has been long cleared and used as office space. The last time I was up there a couple of years ago, that space had been completely gutted and you;d never know there had once been a radio station there. Pirkle still owns the building thru one of his companies.

There is a radio operation on Cedar Bluff, but its for WJRV, the 106.1 people.

As I understand it, there is no physical home for the 100.3 or 94.3 operations outside of the Citadel and South Central studios. The rumor was Pirckle had some work done to the Oak Ridge studios to create leverage, but was offered a pretty penny for the property.

They were on the top floor, which I believe is the 6th, not the 4th.

I did a little homework over the weekend and found out that they did have offices in the old Oak Ridge building but they seem to have moved them several years ago when the gun store they also operate moved to West Knox off of Lovell Road.

 

[BRice16]

As I remember, the West Hills building only has four floors. It's been two or three years since I've been there, however. We were looking at space on the top floor, where the studios once were.

 

[BRH]

or a GEN X as mentioned,,

On a sidenote, the Gen X./90s format seems to still be gaining steam. Citadel just launched their third 90s based outlet this past weekend at WMHX Harrisburg, PA (flipping it from classic hits "Mix 106.7" to 90s/Gen. X as "Channel 106-7, Hairbands to Hip Hop and everything in between"). I'd still like to see them bring the format to 98.7 in Knoxville. As I said, it's a jockless format like True Oldies so moneywise it wouldn't require any more cash. Also, Scott Shannon, the voice of the True Oldies channel is even voiceing some of the sweepers for Citadel's Gen X. stations. Anyway, it would be fun to have either a Gen.X/90s format or a rhythmic AC in town. I really like both of those formats.

 

[boogiecheck]

As I remember, the West Hills building only has four floors. It's been two or three years since I've been there, however. We were looking at space on the top floor, where the studios once were.

After a lengthy lunch with a former I-100 employee and a visit to the building I have some new information.

The building has six floors. The reason Pirkle moved out was not because of the LMA but rather because the owner of the building "TIS" was expanding and needed the space. From what I understand now the former WOKI/WNFZ space was needed for the insurance company and not for new tenants. You are most likely thinking of another building.

 

[BRice16]

No, definitely that building across from Suburban plaza, next to the liquor store. TIS downsized and currently only uses two floors of the building, the rest is subdivided, although their sign is still on top.