WPEN granted 50-kW days--almost

[DanStrassberg]

It has been something like a year since WPEN applied for its second daytime power increase--this time, to 50 kW--by modifying the three-tower pattern used for the current 25 kW daytime operation from its legacy site in W Philadelphia. Well, the FCC has finally granted the application, albeit to 43 kW, not the full 50 kW. But given the efficiency of the antenna system, the signal will more than meet the pattern RMS for 50 kW from minimum Class B efficiency towers, just as WPEN's 21 kW night operation from WWDB's four top-loaded towers in E Norriton more than meets the pattern RMS for 25 kW from minimum Class B efficiency towers.

I live nearly 300 miles away and can't hear WPEN. Is it doing any better programming-wise or ratings-wise than it was doing a year ago? In another thread, someone suggested that if Greater Media were to flip one of its Philadelphia properties to talk, Grace Blazer could return to Philadelphia by splitting her time between that station and WTKK here in Boston. Any chance that WPEN will flip to talk and that WPHT would flip to Sports talk? Or would CBS feel that sports talk on 1210 would simply cannibalize the WIP audience? It has always been my impression that calling the WIP format sports talk is a misnomer; that is, WIP is really guy talk. So CBS might avoid cannibalization by having one guy-talker and one real sports talker.

 

[Rockin Rob]

This should certainly help WPEN get a slight spike, altho' 50K WPHT at one time competed with WIP and 610 smacked 1210 around like a red-headed stepchild. Also, they could use this as a bargaining chip to acquire broadcast rights for one of the majors. Anyone know when they plan to fire up the new signal?

 

[DToTheJ]

In another thread, someone suggested that if Greater Media were to flip one of its Philadelphia properties to talk, Grace Blazer could return to Philadelphia by splitting her time between that station and WTKK here in Boston.

That would be me... ;D

Surely, it would be a good move economics-wise for one PD to oversee two talk stations in different markets - as you know, there's been other examples.

However, it likely won't come to fruition in the immediate future... This is straight from the horse's mouth (and I mean that in a kind way... unless I was talking to Sarah Jessica Parker )...

Anyway, when I caught up with Ms. Blazer at the Talkers Convention last weekend, I asked how she would feel about programming two stations at one time (provided GM did indeed flip one of its stations - and I used 97.5 as an example, of course, to talk). She told me she probably wouldn't be up to the job, and would rather focus on Boston.

 

[DanStrassberg]

This should certainly help WPEN get a slight spike, altho' 50K WPHT at one time competed with WIP and 610 smacked 1210 around like a red-headed stepchild. Also, they could use this as a bargaining chip to acquire broadcast rights for one of the majors. Anyone know when they plan to fire up the new signal?

The timing of the upgrade depends... I know that GM lavishes a lot of TLC on the facilities it upgrades. So there will likely be a major overhaul of the West Plilly facilities UNLESS that upgrade already took place a couple of years ago at the time of the increase of WPEN's day power to 25 kW. I heard that two complete new 25 kW transmitters were installed at that time (and two more were installed for the night operation at the WWDB site). The phasor and ATUs at the W Philly day site must also be new. These items may have been designed with upgrading in mind, so that the entire units would not need to be replaced but a number of expensive custom-made components probably would have to be. As for transmitters, with two identical 25 kW transmitters, the plan might be to add a combiner rather than replacing one transmitter with a 50-kW unit. However, modern solid-state AM transmitters are modular in design and construction, so it might be possible to upgrade one or both of the transmitters simply by adding modules. If the upgrade is to be accomplished by modifying equipment already in place rather than replacing it, I think WPEN might be able to get the upgrade on the air and proofed before snow starts falling--assuming that the phasor manufacturer isn't too badly backlogged.

 

[atlsportsnut]

Honestly all this will do is allow people to realize how sub-par for a major market 950 sounds.
They don't have the talent to compete with WIP.
Who cares if you can hear it in more places, because that will just amplify the differences.
Until they get serious on the talent side, they have no chance to take down a portion of the WIP audience.

 

[aindik]

Any chance that WPEN will flip to talk and that WPHT would flip to Sports talk? Or would CBS feel that sports talk on 1210 would simply cannibalize the WIP audience? It has always been my impression that calling the WIP format sports talk is a misnomer; that is, WIP is really guy talk. So CBS might avoid cannibalization by having one guy-talker and one real sports talker.

They tried that. The guy talker was called "Free-FM."

Zero chance WPHT flips to sports. That would make absolutely no sense.

altho' 50K WPHT at one time competed with WIP and 610 smacked 1210 around like a red-headed stepchild.

That was before the same company owned both.