WNPT and WTBC

[R.D.P.]

WNPT and WTBC in the T-Town/Marion area is getting a new owner. Townsquare media is buying out those stations. Townsquare is selling off their WDGM Sports station to an unknown buyer.

I was wondering why WNPT went dark all of a sudden. This news may explain why.

I look for WNPT and WTBC to get a new format, once the sale goes through. Same holds true for WDGM Sports.

Dan <><

 

[R.D.P.]

What are the chances of WNPT/WTBC going all Sports, once the sale has been approved of. I see WDGM ditching the format, once the new owner(s) take over. It would make perfect sense for Townsquare to move Sports over to their newly acquired radio stations. If WDGM is doing well with Sports, I see them moving the format to these spots. I believe this idea would be a win win for Townsquare. WNPT can cover the southern part of T-Town and the black belt area with sports. The WTBC AM/FM Relay could cover the city proper with the same program. The Sports audience would be happy, this new format would attract more listeners and advertisers, local high schools could broadcast their sporting events on here and these three stations would do very well for the ownership. Just some food for thought.

Now if they're entertaining the idea of bringing Urban back to 102.9 FM, I hope they'll abandon it. We don't need another Urban voice. This area is already blessed with many. FM Sports is something we need more.

Dan <><

P.S. Does anyone reading know who's buying WDGM? Just curious.

 

[R.D.P.]

I look for WDGM to soon become a K-Love station when that sale is approved of. The calls will more than likely be changed to reflect the new format, once EMF takes over. I see them being changed to either WTKL (Tuscaloosa's K-Love) or WKLT (K-Love Tuscaloosa), if they're not being used already.

I also look for the calls to be changed, on WNPT/WTBC, to WSPZ, if no one is using them now. The new branding for this combo will soon become WSPZ, "The Sports Animal 102.9 FM/1230 AM and 100.1 FM", "West Alabama's Sports Authority".

Dan <><

P.S. Those are my predictions for these radio stations. What say you anyone else reading? If I'm right, then good for me.

 

[passtheword]

I would say there's a good chance WDGM's intellectual property might be moved to 102.9, at least the sports format, anyway. The calls might not necessarily transfer to 102.9, since the WDGM call letters aren't closely associated with the station's "Tide" branding. As far as 99.1, is it being sold to EMF or are you just speculating that might happen? I wouldn't be surprised, though, if Townsquare sells 99.1 to a noncommercial, christian operator like EMF, since the new format wouldn't present any competition to WNPT or Townsquare's existing stations.

 

[R.D.P.]

Now for an update. My prediction about 99.1 FM is correct. EMF is indeed buying this station. Learned of that while visiting the FCC web site.

New Update: I took the link down because I'm now unable to pull up the info, from this site. Sorry about that.

Now what are the chances the calls change to one of these: WTKL (Tuscaloosa's K-Love) or WKLT (K-Love Tuscaloosa), once the sale has been approved and they're able to get either one of them?

Dan <><

P.S. Give this boy an a+, for getting the new buyer's identity right. Now if WNPT/WTBC does go Sports, under the new calls of WSPZ, that would be another a+ for me.

 

[CTListener]

Now for an update. My prediction about 99.1 FM is correct. EMF is indeed buying this station. Details are here: https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/w...xt=25&appn=101727410&formid=314&fac_num=86803

Now what are the chances the calls change to one of these: WTKL (Tuscaloosa's K-Love) or WKLT (K-Love Tuscaloosa), once the sale has been approved and they're able to get either one of them?

There was similar speculation here in Connecticut when EMF bought WCCC, but they left the call alone on what has to be the signal with the fewest listeners per kilowatt in the Hartford market.

 

[tomservo]

There was similar speculation here in Connecticut when EMF bought WCCC, but they left the call alone on what has to be the signal with the fewest listeners per kilowatt in the Hartford market.

I wonder if they left the calls alone because it was a heritage thing? WDGM in Greensboro has no such heritage, and K-Love, at least in Alabama, has usually changed the calls to match their style. WHVK in Huntsville, WLVM in Mobile, WMLV in Meridian, MS, WPLV in Pensacola, FL... So far the only ones that haven't changed are KRLE licensed to Carbon Hill (a move in from Kansas!) and WMRK in Montgomery, but that one already kinda-sorta fits.

 

[passtheword]

I wonder if they left the calls alone because it was a heritage thing? WDGM in Greensboro has no such heritage, and K-Love, at least in Alabama, has usually changed the calls to match their style. WHVK in Huntsville, WLVM in Mobile, WMLV in Meridian, MS, WPLV in Pensacola, FL... So far the only ones that haven't changed are KRLE licensed to Carbon Hill (a move in from Kansas!) and WMRK in Montgomery, but that one already kinda-sorta fits.

So far the only ones that haven't changed are KRLE licensed to Carbon Hill (a move in from Kansas!) and WMRK in Montgomery, but that one already kinda-sorta fits.

Yeah, those WMRK calls fit perfectly when EMF decided to LMA the station from Alexander Broadcasting..."MR" for "Montgomery" and "K" for K-Love.

Now what are the chances the calls change to one of these: WTKL (Tuscaloosa's K-Love) or WKLT (K-Love Tuscaloosa), once the sale has been approved and they're able to get either one of them?

WTKL is already in use.

http://fccdata.org/?call=wtkl&city=&state=&country=US&ccode=1

 

[tomservo]

An update to this story: The 100.9 translator that is currently carrying K-Love in Tuscaloosa will also be acquired by Townsquare. It will rebroadcast WTUG-HD2 (not yet on air as far as I know) according to Radio Insight.

A friend reminded me that there is still another translator in town for EMF; W223BZ on 92.5 has not been built out yet. It's parent is listed as WMJJ-HD3, which is… K-Love. So they may still have a second presence in the market after all.

 

[Kent]

I suspect the sports format on WDGM will make a move, though it may end up on 1230/100.1 or 92.9 HD2/100.9 instead of 102.9. One also has to wonder if shuffling WTUG from urban AC to straight-ahead urban was tied to this pending purchase. It seems like Townsquare announced its acquisition of 102.9 and 1230/100.1 almost immediately after refocusing WTUG.

 

[tomservo]

The way it read to me, WTUG was still Urban AC just "re-launched". Is that not the case? Seems like too good a segment to abandon to compete with 105.1… Because as far as I can remember, 98.7 from B'ham isn't really much of a signal in Tuscaloosa.

 

[Charles35080]

Because as far as I can remember, 98.7 from B'ham isn't really much of a signal in Tuscaloosa.

It's OK, but it's not great. Hitting the scan button on your car radio isn't going to guarantee that it will stop on 98.7.

 

[Kent]

Well, I don't live in Tuscaloosa, but AllAccess indicated it was a flip to mainstream urban from urban AC. The big problem with urban AC is that it has almost no appeal to anyone other than 25-54 African American females. Unless the numbers have changed recently, there is exactly one urban AC in the country that has an audience of less than 80% African American females. Of course, Tuscaloosa is almost 1/3 African American, and a little more than half of that is female.

In other words, I can see why Townsquare would want to expand WTUG's potential audience, but it makes sense for them to want to resume chasing that roughly 17% of the population they were targeting prior to the flip.

 

[davideduardo]

Well, I don't live in Tuscaloosa, but AllAccess indicated it was a flip to mainstream urban from urban AC. The big problem with urban AC is that it has almost no appeal to anyone other than 25-54 African American females. Unless the numbers have changed recently, there is exactly one urban AC in the country that has an audience of less than 80% African American females. Of course, Tuscaloosa is almost 1/3 African American, and a little more than half of that is female.

KMJQ in Houston is a typical Urban AC. It's audicne is between 85% and 90% Black, and it averages 46% male and 56% female listening.

Perhaps WBLS in New York would be a good larger market example. Audience averages 80% Black and 49% male and 51% female.

Or WVAZ in Chicago which is 86% Black in composition, with 47%n male and 53% female gender composition.

Then there is WHQT in Miami, with 86% Black listenership composition and a 46% male, 54% female gender split.

The format typically has about two-thirds of its listening among 25-54 year olds, but about 30% is over 55 and the remainder is under 25. That is a very good age distribution for marketers.

So the target for the format in Tuscaloosa would be around 85% African American, meaning it is targeting nearly 40% of the sales demo population of the market.

 

[Kent]

I misspoke. That's what I get for trying to do several things at once. I meant to say there was exactly one urban AC that had an audience less than 80% African American. Unless things have changed, KBLX was the only urban AC that had much appeal outside of African Americans. Of course, I hear Entercom has been making changes to the station since acquiring it from Inner City. I don't know how, or if, those changes have affected its audience composition.

As we've discussed before, urban has a broader appeal, though it typically skews younger and more male, which can make it a tough sell. It's not rare for an urban to have an audience that's 60% white, though I don't think that would be expected in Tuscaloosa.

 

[davideduardo]

Of course, I hear Entercom has been making changes to the station since acquiring it from Inner City. I don't know how, or if, those changes have affected its audience composition.

KBLX is down from nearly 60% Black to as low as 42% in the most recent period. It is about 15% Hispanic, and the rest, around 37% is Asian and non-Hispanic white.

 

[CTListener]

The format typically has about two-thirds of its listening among 25-54 year olds, but about 30% is over 55 and the remainder is under 25. That is a very good age distribution for marketers.

The dreaded missing "not" here, David?

Would you have the demographic breakdown on WZBC New Haven? Its 6+ numbers are consistently impressive, especially considering the limitations of its signal, yet New Haven is only about 15 percent African-American (slightly more than its Hispanic population). Is WZBC crossing over to white or Hispanic listeners more than the average urban AC does?

 

[Groove1670]

I predict Catfish country is not going away. There is still a translator as part of the sale. So there is a possibility you could see a urban AC or some sort of adult urban format return. The question is what ends up on what frequency.

 

[R.D.P.]

Just got word from a very reliable source. This person is now reporting, that 99.1 FM will become K-Love, with the Sports format moving to WNPT.

Dan <><

P.S. So far my predictions have been right on the money.

Now for an update: WTBC 1230 AM and 100.1 FM will keep the Catfish Classic Country format. Learned of this, a few minutes ago.

 

[R.D.P.]

Excited because my area is getting another FM sports station. I hope Mr. DuBose and company will have success, once they move to 102.9 FM.

Dan <><

P.S. I wish K-Love all the best, on their new 99.1 FM station, once they sign on.