WQXR for sale?

[radioskeptic]

Inside Radio reports today that the New York Times is discussing sale of a stake in its NYC HQ building, and quotes CEO Janet Robinson saying that they are always reviewing their portfolio.

That protfolio includes WQXR.

IR goes on to say that another unidentified Times official told IR that the Times isn't commenting on the possible sale of the station.

Is WQXR profitable? Or rather, is it profitable enough? Could the Times Company bean counters talk the board into destroying a cultural institution? In all likellihood, that's what a sale would mean.

And who would be the potential buyers?

 

[neo11]

Pulse 96.3!!!

First song? Jonathan Peters feat. Luminare - Flower Duet '99... or... A Fifth of Beethoven!

;D

 

[kevinsealy]

*IF* the New York Times sells WQXR Radio let's say for a price worth $80 million, that may only solve their finanial problems for today and tomorrow.

Thanks,
Kevin L. Sealy

 

[d21ofnj]

Pulse 96.3!!!

First song? Jonathan Peters feat. Luminare - Flower Duet '99... or... A Fifth of Beethoven!

;D

Make that Pulse 96.3 & 7 since they have a transmitter in the Jersey Shore on 96.7

 

[neo11]

I never quite figured out what purpose that translator served on 96.7, since 96.3 seems to come in fine over there.

Are they still using the 103.1 translator in Stamford as well?

 

[radioskeptic]

If WQXR is sold, America's biggest city -- one of the great cities of the world, and a great cultural center -- could find itself without full-time classical radio.

Doesn't anybody else on this board find that prospect appalling?

 

[briancraig]

It would be sad to see New York without WQXR playing classical. But I would imagine WNYC would pick up the slack if WQXR changed formats.

That's what happened in Washington when WGMS switched from classical, WETA went from NPR news/talk to full time classical.

 

[neo11]

I seriously, seriously doubt that WNYC will dump its daytime NPR programming for classical if 96.3 is sold and switches to something else. The NPR programming brings in lots of listeners and underwriting to the station and is not going anywhere.

There are two possibilities if WQXR is sold:

1. The station will be sold to some organization or foundation that will keep it classical 24-7; reminiscent of the sale of WNYC from the City of New York to the WNYC foundation, which kept the format in place.

or

2. We might see those old rumors of WNYC taking over WNYE and turning it into 24-7 classical come true. That rumor has popped up a couple of times in the past few years.

Either way, I seriously, seriously doubt that NYC will be left without full-time country on regular FM.

 

[nd2023]

Part of me would be overjoyed at a Pulse 96.3. But I don't want to see a heritage classical station destroyed. I wouldn't mind classical on 87.7 and Pulse on 96.3 though.

 

[cawasinnj]

Either way, I seriously, seriously doubt that NYC will be left without full-time country on regular FM.

Would you care to rephrase that?

 

[neo11]

Hahahaha, good catch! Of course we know what I really meant ;D

 

[DToTheJ]

Please.

Two FM signals would switch to spoken word (news, talk, sports) formats before a single one would flip to dance.

Let's face facts here, folks.

 

[wgliradio]

WQXR is the last outpost of NYC FM radio as it was. It's been in the format almost 70 years. It would be more of a disgrace than when WCBS FM died in 2005... and that was bad in and of itself.

None of the major broadcasters would step it to purchase QXR in these times. I think a group of mercedes benz listeners taking it non-comm would be possible.

 

[Bob E. Nelson]

If WQXR is sold, America's biggest city -- one of the great cities of the world, and a great cultural center -- could find itself without full-time classical radio.

Doesn't anybody else on this board find that prospect appalling?

Not at all.

Radio exists (and has historically been so -- think WEAF) as a means to advertise products and services to consumers. If WQXR's frequency could be better utilized in that role by different ownership and a fresh format, there's nothing at all appalling about that. Given the ethnic composition of NYC, I think the market would be well served by another Hispanic format or perhaps an upgrade of 105.9 to the 96.3 frequency.

 

[radioskeptic]

In response to Reply # 13 from Bob E. Nelson:

No, radio has not “historically” existed solely as an advertising medium, although it was principally that here in the early days. Ever heard of NPR, PRI et al.? And beyond our borders, the BBC and the CBC?

I hope that not everyone on this board is the kind of cultural barbarian who would welcome the demise of classical radio!

In response to Reply # 12 from wgliradio:

You wouldn’t have to “take it non-com” to preserve the classical format. Perhaps funds could be raised to form an organization along the lines of the one that operates KING-FM in Seattle.

(See http://www.king.org/mission/index.aspx )

Of course the NYT wouldn’t donate the license if they’re only selling it because they need the money. But station prices are falling, and it might be possible for some foundations and patrons of the arts to establish a similar non-profit-with-a-for-profit-subsidiary and underwrite the acquisition of WQXR.

 

[softmachine]

96.3 WFMU.

 

[Ozman]

Are they still using the 103.1 translator in Stamford as well?

as I have noted on this board, the 103.1 traslater in my back of the woods lol (old Greeniwhc CT) has been relaying WRXP in horrible quality blasting from Norwalk to Portchester NY over the 103.1 from Long Island. last I heard it was for sale. unfortunatly I cannot invest in making it an LP-FM because it is registered as an fm translator. I'll try to convince WXCI staffers to buy It. As for the 103.1 translater in Greenwich CT that is off causing the stamford 103.1 to make it to Port Chester Ny relaying WRXP in horrible quality.

 

[neo11]

Please.

Two FM signals would switch to spoken word (news, talk, sports) formats before a single one would flip to dance.

Let's face facts here, folks.

People are facing the facts, however, some people (*cough DToTheJ cough*) seem to have no sense of humor or ability to tell apart serious posts from the non-serious.

Either that, or your well-documented hate of Pulse blinds you to even the non-serious posts here.

 

[d21ofnj]

Seriously, why the hate for dance to be on FM? Is there a problem for dance to be played on the FM dial?

 

[radioskeptic]

If the Times does, in fact, plan to sell WQXR, who would buy it?

Clear Channel is already maxed out with five FM’s in the market. Besides, they’re selling stations elsewhere.

CBS has only three FM’s, but they’re selling off properties in other market, and their revenues are down. It’s doubtful they would buy it.

Citadel? Be serious!

Emmis? They have only three FM’s in New York, but they don’t have the money, either. (I wouldn’t be surprised if they take a leaf out of Saga’s book and do a reverse stock split to avoid being delisted.)

Entercom? Beasley? They don’t have clusters in New York, and probably don’t have the money, either.

Greater Media? They probably still have money left over from selling Boston and Philadelphia area cable TV systems about ten years ago. They must have got close to $9 million from those sales, and that was probably what kept them going when they were losing money for years on the heritage classical stations they flipped in Philly and Detroit back in 1997. I heard they were barely billing enough to cover their increased operating expenses (for talent and promotion, especially TV), much less to service the debt on those stations (a fate I sincerely wish for any outfit with the temerity to flip WQXR!) -- though nobody knows for sure, because, as a privately held corporation, they don’t have to make any financial information public.

But Greater Media has no cluster in New York, so it wouldn’t make sense strategically. (And no, a few Class A FM’s and some AM’s in New Jersey don’t count.)

So who would buy it?