CBS has quietly hired an investment bank to market WPHT. They are trying to get 15 to 20 million, but since WOR went for 20 and WPEN (now WKDN) went for half of that the price seems unrealistic. Yes, WPHT is a better signal than 950 am, but 950 isn't that bad. Who would be the buyer? Clear Channel?
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WPHT Sale
- Thread starter spm1036
- Start date
spm1036 said:
Bloomberg?
John Holcomb II said:
I agree with this, radio logic makes sense. However my guess is it comes down to dollars. KYW is a success where it is. WPHT would bring in more money in a sale than either 1060 or 610. Speaking of, wonder what happens to the Phillies...
F
FredLeonard
Guest
spm1036 said:
Pardon me for throwing cold water here but how do you know this?
J
Jul
Guest
i have a feeling that greater media might wind up buying wpht and changing it to espn so 97.5 can go all local. If that were to happen, it would be a sad end to once a legendary radio station, 1210 AM as we know it. BTW I think CBS owns the Phillies contact so I think the games might wind up airing exclusively on 94.1 as the flagship.spm1036 said:
J
Jul
Guest
because CBS I think has given up on 1210 AM WPHT. CBS has made many mistakes over the years that I think will kill the talk format on 1210.aindik said:
Julius May said:
You sell formats and signals separately. Why would they sell 1210 and not 610? If they want to trash the talk format, they should do it, but they should keep 1210 and put the sports network there. Unless they'd rather have the cash than keep the most valuable signals.
And there is no way they'd sell to Greater Media, for the precise reason that Greater Media would put a sports format on the signal and they're in the sports business.
Who in their right mind would buy it? Is it even possible to make any money with it when you consider the electric bill for that facility? Add that to the fact that except for KYW, AM is dead. Sure, smaller AM stations with much less overhead can make just enough money to make it worthwhile to stay on the air but that's only because they have little or no staff and they aren't running a 50,000 watt transmitter 24 hours a day.
Secondly, there seems to be a consensus that this station is a "powerhouse" and that maybe KYW should move there, but this must be from people who live near the transmitter in Moorestown because in the western suburbs and even near center city at times, 1210 doesn't even come close to sounding like a local station. There is something seriously wrong with it and whatever it is, the owners have ignored the problem for years now. If someone were to buy it, they would have to make some serious upgrades to it.
Let the buyer beware, because I don't think CBS would dump it if they thought there was even a chance the station could have a profitable future.
Secondly, there seems to be a consensus that this station is a "powerhouse" and that maybe KYW should move there, but this must be from people who live near the transmitter in Moorestown because in the western suburbs and even near center city at times, 1210 doesn't even come close to sounding like a local station. There is something seriously wrong with it and whatever it is, the owners have ignored the problem for years now. If someone were to buy it, they would have to make some serious upgrades to it.
Let the buyer beware, because I don't think CBS would dump it if they thought there was even a chance the station could have a profitable future.
J
Jul
Guest
i have a funny feeling that this sale news is true. I think that CBS is aware of the problems with WPHT and they are trying to do something about it. Selling the station and buying one of the FM stations in the city so they can still have their 5 stations would be a great move for CBS. I think that what CBS has done to 1210, post-WCAU has been disappointing. I don't think that CBS realized that ending WCAU in 1990, had consequences for the station as a whole 23 years later.HGN2001 said:
Well it's one of those things that's reasonable enough that it could be true, so entertaining it seems harmless; but agree there's no real proof or anything anywhere, so 'taken with a grain of salt' as they say.HGN2001 said:
Julius May said:
Julius if CBS wanted another FM station they could have that now, they're not at the 8 cap limit yet, so that it's irrelevant in regards to PHT. (KYW, WPHT, WIP, WIP-FM, WOGL, WKYW-TV, WPSG-TV* =7)
T
theradiokid
Guest
The idea that CBS has asked a financial service bank to shop 1210 is bull to me. CBS is not going to let go of such a powerful propperty. I'll believe it when I read it as fact in a radio trade. For those of you salivating over a sale, I think you are going to be sorely disappointed.
--TRK
--TRK
F
FredLeonard
Guest
Those who say CBS has put 1210 on the block and those who say they aren't are both basing their statements on nothing. Julius is the only being honest when he says he has a "funny feeling."
CBS will never unload 1210: Never say never.
My "feeling" is it's more likely 106.9 will be sold anytime in the near future.
If CBS decides they don't want 1210, why would anyone else want it? Cumulus? Clear Channel? GM? Why would they want it, if CBS does not? At some point, the value of 1210 will drop to the point that some religious or brokered broadcaster will pick it up cheap. Then 1210 is either all Jesus, all the time or all colon blow, all the time.
1210 is not doing well now and blowing it up and starting over will not make it do better.
CBS will never unload 1210: Never say never.
My "feeling" is it's more likely 106.9 will be sold anytime in the near future.
If CBS decides they don't want 1210, why would anyone else want it? Cumulus? Clear Channel? GM? Why would they want it, if CBS does not? At some point, the value of 1210 will drop to the point that some religious or brokered broadcaster will pick it up cheap. Then 1210 is either all Jesus, all the time or all colon blow, all the time.
1210 is not doing well now and blowing it up and starting over will not make it do better.
Tom Taylor's NOW newsletter this morning tells a different story.
Merlin is shopping IQ. CBS is the likely buyer to simulcast 1060. However, rumor has it Merlin is asking too much, but the deal might get done at the upcoming NAB show.
No word in Taylor's article of a sale of WPHT. In fact, the article mentions that under current FCC caps, CBS would be free to buy IQ.
I'd go with what an identified reporter (Taylor) is saying about this.
However, I'd say this: If CBS ends up buying IQ, it knows that Rush et al will be displaced once again in Philly. CBS might be looking at the sale of 1210 as an opportunity: someone (CC) might really want to buy it to park its syndicated talk shows in the market. This is nothing but pure speculation on my part.
Merlin is shopping IQ. CBS is the likely buyer to simulcast 1060. However, rumor has it Merlin is asking too much, but the deal might get done at the upcoming NAB show.
No word in Taylor's article of a sale of WPHT. In fact, the article mentions that under current FCC caps, CBS would be free to buy IQ.
I'd go with what an identified reporter (Taylor) is saying about this.
However, I'd say this: If CBS ends up buying IQ, it knows that Rush et al will be displaced once again in Philly. CBS might be looking at the sale of 1210 as an opportunity: someone (CC) might really want to buy it to park its syndicated talk shows in the market. This is nothing but pure speculation on my part.
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