WNOW-FM format change?

[eacalhoun1]

I think 105.3 becoming the FM side of WBT sounds good, and making 99.3 a Sports Station is not a bad idea, but they need to move 99.3's transmitter location closer to Charlotte if they want this to happen.

It is really more or less a very high powered translator.

t123

...that gets a pretty good signal (well, for me) around Morganton -- I've also picked it up while driving around Spartanburg.

Eric

 

[test123]

Eric...

It is great that you can hear 99.3 in Morganton and Spartanburg but that is not much help to WBT as neither are part of the ADI. I live in Iredell County (part of the ADI) and I can't hear it on my best radio.

Uncle Jeff bought the station in order to help fill in to the West when 1110 switches to directional at night. Gaston County is part of the ADI and needed some help.

Since 99.3 does not cover the entire ADI so it would not do well as a stand alone station. They are using it like some AM Stations are doing with translators so I say 99.3 is the same as a translator to them.

charlestondxman....

106.1 is in the same situation. They have very poor coverage to the North due to short spacing. No way it can be moved much closer to Charlotte. Plus I have doubts GHB would sell it. They are making a pretty penny leasing it to Norsan.

105.3 on the other hand is apparently for sale. I have heard they have a broker and have been shopping it around. I am also hearing Davidson Media has some sort of September deadline. It is not clear what that deadline is.

We'll have to wait and see...

t123

 

[Matt]

If WBT needs some coverage to the north, they ought to look at buying WAME-550 and its associated FM translator on 92.9 in Statesville. Even with 500 watts daytime and 34 watts nighttime, that little station gets out. And with the FM translator I can pick it up for a significant distance on both I-40 and I-77.

Later . . . .

 

[vchimpanzee]

If WBT needs some coverage to the north, they ought to look at buying WAME-550 and its associated FM translator on 92.9 in Statesville. Even with 500 watts daytime and 34 watts nighttime, that little station gets out. And with the FM translator I can pick it up for a significant distance on both I-40 and I-77.

Later . . . .

Don't touch the one good country station!

 

[vchimpanzee]

If I were Greater Media, I would buy 106.1 and put a sports format there, or put WBT on there. They have a better signal than WBT-FM now, and could be great for that format. You could make 99.3 the York County station, and run Fox Sports on there. You could also have Panther games on there, and either Clemson or South Carolina along with another state team.

Knights games could also air there. 106.1 and 1110 would be a good combination, with 106.1 providing a clearer signal in parts of Gastonia, plus in southern suburbs of Charlotte.

If only 97.3 was available, wasted with satellite AC and App State sports. I heard that signal very easily in Asheville and in most of the Charlotte area throughout my trip.

It's really more like top 40. And until WLNK stops focusing on talk, it's hardly a waste. Except at night when they do Cooper Lawrence, which is ridiculous.

 

[w00t]

Except at night when they do Cooper Lawrence, which is ridiculous.

I believe that is forced down by Dial Global on affiliates of their Hot AC feed. Not 97.3's choice unless they go local for 3 hours every night.

 

[tothedj]

I wonder if they have ever considered moving WBT from 1110 to 107.9?, they have tremendous FM coverage,
but i'm sure the one thing that is holding up that move is Bob & Sheri.

 

[Mike Sheridan]

Radio is such a copy cat medium. Just because a couple of big AM's move their programming to FM it doesn't mean that everybody should. There is plenty of life left in 1110 AM.

As for sports on 1110... oh boy then they could get some of those awesome ratings that WFNZ has! Oh boy! (flush)

 

[tothedj]

As most know, AM radio, especially the lower powered ones, are slowly fading, all kinds of notable noises are
making this side of the band hard to take on the ears depending on a number of factors, the advent of those
"FM" translators(which to me is not a big help at times) and online streaming, the best way to go right now,
and depending on the technological development of "Internet Radio" in automobiles, once that is available,
forget AM as we know it.

 

[Mike Sheridan]

Okay static is one thing but I don't think people are leaving AM and FM radio because of that. Most people are looking for CONTENT. Better, more stimulating content.

 

[carolinaradio]

Most younger listeners don't like / listen to AM. I don't like it myself. In so many cases, the demographics improve greatly when an FM is added. I found that when my local talk station switched to FM, I was listening much more.

 

[jtudor]

Okay static is one thing but I don't think people are leaving AM and FM radio because of that. Most people are looking for CONTENT. Better, more stimulating content.

I believe that you hit the nail squarely on the head. People are looking for content, and not copycat content, real, live and local, and if not local, at least relevant to the area.

 

[vchimpanzee]

Except at night when they do Cooper Lawrence, which is ridiculous.

I believe that is forced down by Dial Global on affiliates of their Hot AC feed. Not 97.3's choice unless they go local for 3 hours every night.

This is what I meant by ridiculous.