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WPEN in Philly another Oldies casualty

P

Phillyradiogeek

Guest
It was reported just earlier today (Thu. 8/25) that WPEN 950 AM in Philly will drop the 50s and 60s oldies format in favor of sports talk beginning Monday Oct. 3rd. Apparently it was rumored (although I was unaware of it) that the station would take on the ESPN network, but that is not the case. Jim Rome will appear from noon to 3pm, and former WIP and WFAN personality Jody MacDonald will helm the 3-7 shift. No word yet on a morning show.

For my thoughts, see my message on the Philly board. Of course, it's not a happy one.
 
WPEN in Philly

no big deal in the overall Oldies picture- an AM oldies/MOR hybrid? Don't expect more than a few tears shed for a 1 share station.


> It was reported just earlier today (Thu. 8/25) that WPEN 950
> AM in Philly will drop the 50s and 60s oldies format in
> favor of sports talk beginning Monday Oct. 3rd.
 
> It was reported just earlier today (Thu. 8/25) that WPEN 950
> AM in Philly will drop the 50s and 60s oldies format in
> favor of sports talk beginning Monday Oct. 3rd.

This has more to do with the WPEN power upgrade than with oldies. The signal is much better now, and better able to compete.
 
Re: WPEN in Philly

This may come back to haunt Greater Media if Infinity decides to flip WOGL-98.1 to "Jack". Then Philly wouldn't have any oldies stations.

Although Greater Media has a "Jack" clone called "Ben" in Philly, Infinity may still decide to bring the "real" "Jack" to Philadelphia.

There is much speculation on the San Francisco board that Infinity will flip longtime oldies station KFRC-FM to "Jack" (perhaps around Labor Day) even though Bonneville has a "Jack" clone in that market in "Max".
 
Philly

I think we'll find there won't be "room" for 2 Variety Hits stations in a single market. In S.F. and Philly, the V.H. stations are off to slow starts, but we have to keep reminding ourselves it's still very early for many of these stations. Yes, some are off to quick starts but that is more an indication of individual market conditions than a statement about how good/bad these other stations are.

> This may come back to haunt Greater Media if Infinity
> decides to flip WOGL-98.1 to "Jack". Then Philly wouldn't
> have any oldies stations.
>
> Although Greater Media has a "Jack" clone called "Ben" in
> Philly, Infinity may still decide to bring the "real" "Jack"
> to Philadelphia.
>
> There is much speculation on the San Francisco board that
> Infinity will flip longtime oldies station KFRC-FM to "Jack"
> (perhaps around Labor Day) even though Bonneville has a
> "Jack" clone in that market in "Max".
>
 
Re: Philly

> I think we'll find there won't be "room" for 2 Variety Hits
> stations in a single market. In S.F. and Philly, the V.H.
> stations are off to slow starts, but we have to keep
> reminding ourselves it's still very early for many of these
> stations. Yes, some are off to quick starts but that is
> more an indication of individual market conditions than a
> statement about how good/bad these other stations are.

It wouldn't be a smart decision. Infinity is really obsessed with Jack and are willing to kill off more jobs and great radio stations. The risk is too great I think. Two VH stations probably won't work. If WOGL went Jack, that would leave WPEN in a bad situation.

> > This may come back to haunt Greater Media if Infinity
> > decides to flip WOGL-98.1 to "Jack". Then Philly wouldn't
> > have any oldies stations.
> >
> > Although Greater Media has a "Jack" clone called "Ben" in
> > Philly, Infinity may still decide to bring the "real"
> "Jack"
> > to Philadelphia.
> >
> > There is much speculation on the San Francisco board that
> > Infinity will flip longtime oldies station KFRC-FM to
> "Jack"
> > (perhaps around Labor Day) even though Bonneville has a
> > "Jack" clone in that market in "Max".
> >
>
<P ID="signature">______________
Check my website www.freewebs.com/radiostuffandnews
</P>
 
> > It was reported just earlier today (Thu. 8/25) that WPEN
> 950
> > AM in Philly will drop the 50s and 60s oldies format in
> > favor of sports talk beginning Monday Oct. 3rd.
>
> This has more to do with the WPEN power upgrade than with
> oldies. The signal is much better now, and better able to
> compete.
>
What did they do with the signal?? More power, more directional, etc??

I remember their signal was horrible in Central NJ for a 5,000 watt station and at night fuhgeddaboudit!! Even in Trenton it was just fair.
 
2 Jacks

sorry, you're wrong- if they were THAT obsessed with Jack, they'd have done many more after CBS-FM and WJMK and they have not. They made a lot of noise with those two biggies and got all the "killing of jobs" paranois really cooking. But that is not their mission.
>
> It wouldn't be a smart decision. Infinity is really obsessed
> with Jack and are willing to kill off more jobs and great
> radio stations. The risk is too great I think. Two VH
> stations probably won't work. If WOGL went Jack, that would
> leave WPEN in a bad situation.
 
Re: 2 Jacks

> sorry, you're wrong- if they were THAT obsessed with Jack,
> they'd have done many more after CBS-FM and WJMK and they
> have not. They made a lot of noise with those two biggies
> and got all the "killing of jobs" paranois really cooking.
> But that is not their mission.

Ok, I guess I was wrong on that issue, but are they going to really take the risk and put in another VH station? I think it wouldn't be a smart decision. Plus WOGL is doing well. Not sure how billing is going though.

> > It wouldn't be a smart decision. Infinity is really
> obsessed
> > with Jack and are willing to kill off more jobs and great
> > radio stations. The risk is too great I think. Two VH
> > stations probably won't work. If WOGL went Jack, that
> would
> > leave WPEN in a bad situation.
>
<P ID="signature">______________
Check my website www.freewebs.com/radiostuffandnews
</P>
 
> > > It was reported just earlier today (Thu. 8/25) that WPEN
>
> > 950
> > > AM in Philly will drop the 50s and 60s oldies format in
> > > favor of sports talk beginning Monday Oct. 3rd.
> >
> > This has more to do with the WPEN power upgrade than with
> > oldies. The signal is much better now, and better able to
> > compete.
> >
> What did they do with the signal?? More power, more
> directional, etc??

Much higher power.
 
Re: Philly

>
> It wouldn't be a smart decision. Infinity is really obsessed
> with Jack and are willing to kill off more jobs and great
> radio stations. The risk is too great I think. Two VH
> stations probably won't work. If WOGL went Jack, that would
> leave WPEN in a bad situation.
>

Do you really think a significant number of listeners will switch to an AM oldies station if/when the FM one in town is blown up? Most people don't look to AM for music, and haven't for 20-odd years now.
 
Re: 2 Jacks

It does not seem to matter. I remember people in Indy saying that about WGLD and people in Baltimore saying that about WQSR.

But I have not seen a second Jack spring up in a market that has one.


Here in Austin, 102.3 FM fired all its jocks and tried to sound similar to Bob-FM but since then, they have gone back to being a bit more Classic Rock but with some songs that are outside a Classic Rock playlist. Channel 102.3 also has low key jock most of the time during the day.


> Ok, I guess I was wrong on that issue, but are they going to
> really take the risk and put in another VH station? I think
> it wouldn't be a smart decision. Plus WOGL is doing well.
> Not sure how billing is going though.
>
<P ID="signature">______________
[email protected]</P>
 
WPEN is now 21KW at night, while still 5kw days. And I've heard reports the signal is great in Trenton, as it now covers the entire city. Before, it stopped just outside of Trenton. And since they shut off the HD, the audio is good also.

> > > It was reported just earlier today (Thu. 8/25) that WPEN
>
> > 950
> > > AM in Philly will drop the 50s and 60s oldies format in
> > > favor of sports talk beginning Monday Oct. 3rd.
> >
> > This has more to do with the WPEN power upgrade than with
> > oldies. The signal is much better now, and better able to
> > compete.
> >
> What did they do with the signal?? More power, more
> directional, etc??
>
> I remember their signal was horrible in Central NJ for a
> 5,000 watt station and at night fuhgeddaboudit!! Even in
> Trenton it was just fair.
>
 
It also has to do with Greater Media's attempt to broadcast music on HD AM. When they were using AM Stereo with the Standards format, their audio was argueably the best on the AM band. Then they switched to HD. This limits the audio to 4K. For listeners used to hearing their oldies on FM or their own cds, this audio was unlistenable. Some songs have all the clarity of mud. Others, like old Elvis songs recorded in mono, do come through sharp and clear. But Motown, British Invasion, etc., sound so bad they are painful to listen to. Sad thing is, since you have to shut off the HD at night, that 21kw signal would have given oldies fans great night-time listening.

The format never really took off due to that audio and little music on the weekends.


> > It was reported just earlier today (Thu. 8/25) that WPEN
> 950
> > AM in Philly will drop the 50s and 60s oldies format in
> > favor of sports talk beginning Monday Oct. 3rd.
>
> This has more to do with the WPEN power upgrade than with
> oldies. The signal is much better now, and better able to
> compete.
>
 
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