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WSB-AM Debuts On FM Today at Noon

lilburncommunityradio said:
It was a slick switch, BUT how about the dramatics? What happened to saying that 95.5 the beat would be on a HD2 channel? I dont care about the beat, too old here to like that noise, and Im glad that WSB am 750 is on 95, but now what happens to 750 AM???? Any thoughts?
Click to expand...
This is much to do about preservation, now and into the future. For those of us still operating successful AM stations in isolated small markets, it is a sad day because we could always point to the success of WSB when a new advertiser started knocking the viablity of AM. We no longer will be able to do so.

Sure, it will give them a chance at a younger demo but I am not convinced younger folks are that into news/talk radio. What it will do is now make WSB listenable in parts of Atlanta where you can't pick it up such as along Piedmont Road from about Cheshire Bridge to Buckhead. Yesterday I was trying to listen on a top quality AM Radio and the hum was so bad from the high voltage power line that runs above Piedmont. I was just a few miles from WSB's 650 ft tall 50,000 watts tower on a low frequency (750)...it just doesn't get much better for an AM facility but the urban clutter combined with the poor ground conductivity...it's not far off the mark that the market has outgrown the WSB (AM) signal.

All of radio has taken it on the chin with the Great Recession but AMs especially. Advertisers must have 100% confidence in every dollar they spend and decreased revenue has demanded radio operators protect their profitable stations.
 
BarryATL said:
Have a look... here is the current 60db coverage for 95.5:

http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/FMTV-service-area?x=FM1206225.html

Here is the 60db coverage for an application that Cox has submitted to the FCC:

http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/FMTV-service-area?x=FM1206225.html

This would be huge for WSB. What are the possibilities of it getting approved? If approved, what is the time frame for issuing a construction permit?
Click to expand...

Here is the map of their application from the Inman Park area. The only thing in the way of this grant is the FCC's cross ownership rule which relates to ownership of a daily newspaper. The FCC appears receptive to the idea of either doing away with the rule or issuing long term waivers. This application increases the city grade contour of WBTS over Fulton County where the Atlanta Journal Constitution is located and that is not allowed under the current FCC rules.

This primary 60 dBu contour closely equates the 2 mVm contour of WSB(AM) which is considered an AM's primary signal nowadays.

http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/FMTV-service-area?x=FM1209588.html
 
I also had heard that WJR's annoying IBOC was hurting 'SB in the northern suburbs at night.
 
I have to agree with Art Sutton that just being on FM might not lower the age of WSB's audience. WABE-FM's audience is 48% 65+ and 66% 55+.

But you have to wonder whether Cox has been looking at those WABE ratings. Overall they have really gained on WSB.
 
I'm sure there will be some listeners who hear that WSB is now on FM,
tune to (the incumbent) WSB-FM on 98.5 and wonder "where's Clark?"
 
caller10 said:
How does this affect Q100?
Click to expand...

It really SHOULD affect either Star or Q (or both)...There's a bunch of rhythmic listeners adrift right now.

Who has the cojones to step up and ease off on the Daughtry and Rob Thomas?
 
artsutton said:
lilburncommunityradio said:
It was a slick switch, BUT how about the dramatics? What happened to saying that 95.5 the beat would be on a HD2 channel? I dont care about the beat, too old here to like that noise, and Im glad that WSB am 750 is on 95, but now what happens to 750 AM???? Any thoughts?
Click to expand...
This is much to do about preservation, now and into the future. For those of us still operating successful AM stations in isolated small markets, it is a sad day because we could always point to the success of WSB when a new advertiser started knocking the viablity of AM. We no longer will be able to do so.

Sure, it will give them a chance at a younger demo but I am not convinced younger folks are that into news/talk radio. What it will do is now make WSB listenable in parts of Atlanta where you can't pick it up such as along Piedmont Road from about Cheshire Bridge to Buckhead. Yesterday I was trying to listen on a top quality AM Radio and the hum was so bad from the high voltage power line that runs above Piedmont. I was just a few miles from WSB's 650 ft tall 50,000 watts tower on a low frequency (750)...it just doesn't get much better for an AM facility but the urban clutter combined with the poor ground conductivity...it's not far off the mark that the market has outgrown the WSB (AM) signal.

All of radio has taken it on the chin with the Great Recession but AMs especially. Advertisers must have 100% confidence in every dollar they spend and decreased revenue has demanded radio operators protect their profitable stations.
Click to expand...

I agree with Mr. Sutton...this is (another) sad day for AM radio. Just when I think AMs (especially the big 50kw day/night heritage stations) are invincible, something like this happens. It seems to have started with the downgrade of WOWO several years ago. Being in Carolina, I have to wonder when this will happen to WBT
especially with WSB having the better night signal.

Eric
 
rubberchicken said:
I don't see Q100 or Star94 making any changes. CC is the one who needs to kill off the gold and take 105.7 Rhythmic ASAP
Click to expand...

If CC is serious about The Groove then it needs a real signal.
 
RoddyFreeman said:
Cox obviously felt the need to do something quickly to stem WSB-AM's ratings losses and keep someone else from beating them to the punch with talk on FM.
Click to expand...

Since WSB is doing so poorly in the ratings, why do they need to rebroadcast on another signal? Hasn't it dawned on them that nobody wants to hear WSB anymore?

The FCC really needs to lower the boom on this type of simulcast nonsense. It wasn't terribly long ago that a simulcast like this wouldn't have been allowed at all.
 
RoddyFreeman said:
Here's my question: Was that fact that WSB is on AM the main problem? Or was it a programming issue? After all, as recently as 6 months ago, the same people who left the station were listening on AM.
Click to expand...

It's a programming issue. They're idiots if they think simulcasting will fix it.
 
eacalhoun1 said:
artsutton said:
It was a slick switch, BUT how about the dramatics? What happened to saying that 95.5 the beat would be on a HD2 channel? I dont care about the beat, too old here to like that noise, and Im glad that WSB am 750 is on 95, but now what happens to 750 AM???? Any thoughts?
Click to expand...

I agree with Mr. Sutton...this is (another) sad day for AM radio. Just when I think AMs (especially the big 50kw day/night heritage stations) are invincible, something like this happens. It seems to have started with the downgrade of WOWO several years ago. Being in Carolina, I have to wonder when this will happen to WBT
especially with WSB having the better night signal...
Click to expand...

Incidentally, it was another person named Sutton - as in Percy Sutton from Inner City Broadcasting - who bought WOWO from Fort Wayne, IN for the sole purpose of powering them down and allow WLIB in New York on the same frequency to broadcast 24/7.

As far as the mighty blowtorch known as WBT... I would have to guess that it would eventually migrate to the only other sister FM station on the dial - 107.9, currently "The Link" - but a station I projected - or suspected - would flip to sports with ESPN Radio and challenge WFNZ. But I digress...

"WSB-FM/AM - voted number one and two while you work!"
 
Given Carolinaradio's above comment, this looks like an opportune time to refer to a post on the previous page of this thread...

Mike said:
will clear channel blow up 105.7 and do talk agian ?

real radio 105.7 or rush radio 105.7 ?
Click to expand...
 
95.5 The Beat is going to start trending on Twitter. Lots of pissed off teenagers doing their thing on Twitter. Interesting to watch.
 
Some observations:

1) Yes, some people won’t listen to AM, static and all, especially when given an FM alternative. Gwinnett County is full of RFI from traffic lights and high tension lines (the ones on Pleasant Hill cause 680 to bleed all over the dial, as I have reported in the past). CC missed an opportunity here, although Cox would have still stomped a WGST-FM once a WSB-FM showed up.

2) A lot of people can’t listen to AM, since more and more receivers don’t have an AM tuner, going back to the FM Walkmans of the 1980s. FM, but not AM, is now on the iPod ( http://www.apple.com/ipodnano/features/fm-radio.html ). Plus, the FCC has been considering mandating FM reception on cell phones for EAS purposes.

3) Will the WSRV-HD2 simul be discontinued? I assume it will. Wonder what will replace it (if anything)?

4) I would expect 95.5 to become WSB-FM and WBTS to move to 98.5. Why wouldn’t they? Is there some advantage to having heritage calls on a frequency for a long time? Or does the FCC “use it or lose it forever” rule for 3-letter calls come in to play here? Yes, I know the FCC has waived that rule on occasion. If that is the rule, then I would expect a derivative like WSBB or WWSB (WSBF is taken by Clemson) for 95.5.

5) Yes, this is an opportunity for Q100 and/or Groove to pick up CHR-R listeners. It’s also an opportunity for Star to finally go hot AC once and for all.

6) This might have been a slick move by Cox to keep WGST off of 105.7, at least for now (although way down on their list of concerns). Now CC is obliged to see if they can pick up Groove listeners.

7) CarolinaRadio: If CC has half a brain (which is debatable), then, yes, WGST will HAVE to do something.
 
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