WTDY

[TheBigA]

Yes, something carefully wedged in, similar to a station like 103.1 the Wave in Salt Lake City COULD work, but with WRFF already billing so little, potentially splitting that already small pool of money could be disasterous.

Not gonna happen. Audacy runs their alt stations in a centralized way from NYC. So if you want to know what the playlist at a Philly alt station would look like, just look at WNYL. That's not going to work.

 

[AbrahamJSimpson]

I’d rather operate the second CHR, even if the format is arguably in a doldrums period, and even under the COVID-tinger current reality, than a second alt rock outlet from a business standpoint, at this point in time.

It seems a pet project to focus on a given station as the next one to watch, but to me it’s about the cluster. Right now, is there something out there that better fits the cluster, that they have experience doing in the company—that’s going to pay enough dividends to make flushing away what you have, meager though it may be? I’m just not seeing some narrow slice that makes sense.
Selling? Meh, who doesn’t love a short cash infusion? Is someone out there willing to pony up what it would cost to part with it? That’s a very short list.
Maybe something emerges as an opening down the road. For the short term, hold the asset and watch for opportunities to present themselves. Patience.

 

[Miguelito]

Alt in 2021 seems to be the new "Day-unce" of 1998 and maybe the Smooth Jazz of 2007.

1. Is the music crap? Not at all.
2. Is there an audience for it? There sure is.
3. If they can't sell it, does #1 or #2 matter a whit? Nope.

 

[AbrahamJSimpson]

Oh for sure. Certainly didn’t mean to disparage the music or audience. Just from a business standpoint it’s not where I’d want to be today.

 

[Miguelito]

Oh for sure. Certainly didn’t mean to disparage the music or audience. Just from a business standpoint it’s not where I’d want to be today.

No worries. I wasn't responding to your point directly. I was more referencing the fact that Alt keeps coming up as a viable format option here when it simply isn't.

 

[AbrahamJSimpson]

It’s not an alternative?

 

[JH_Radio]

Wonder why they didn't put KYW on 96.5? Was there a reason to put it on 103.9? Was there even a reason to buy 103.9? Isn't the all news format doing better than their CHR? Yes, KYW on FM is better than AM i mean look at the KYW thread on here. but why 103.9 and not 96.5? 96.5 has a better signal .

 

[Miguelito]

Wonder why they didn't put KYW on 96.5? Was there a reason to put it on 103.9? Was there even a reason to buy 103.9? Isn't the all news format doing better than their CHR? Yes, KYW on FM is better than AM i mean look at the KYW thread on here. but why 103.9 and not 96.5? 96.5 has a better signal .

KYW is still making money on 1060 AM. Simulcasting on an FM is multi-pronged: As is evidenced in this very thread, the AM band is a graveyard. If there's any hope to increase listenership, it would be by introducing (or re-introducing) the station to folks who aren't going anywhere near the AM band. It's also a good PR move to put it on "static-free" FM for those listeners who are sick of all the dropouts and otherwise terrible reception. And then there's this point again: WTDY is making the company some money. Killing it for the KYW simulcast wouldn't be worth it. And finally, when and if Audacy comes up with something better for their cluster, where would they put it if 96.5 had already been designated as KYW's FM simulcast partner?

 

[JH_Radio]

For the record, I like CHR and like how TDY does the ghrowbacks, but I just don't think they're doing well. Cause you know if this station goes people lose jobs. Although some could possibly go to other stations in the company.

 

[TheBigA]

Wonder why they didn't put KYW on 96.5? Was there a reason to put it on 103.9? Was there even a reason to buy 103.9?

Blowing up 96.5 means you erase any income the station is making with the music format. Obviously they didn't want to do that. By buying 103.9, they get to put KYW on FM, and keep the revenue coming from 96.5.

 

[Miguelito]

For the record, I like CHR and like how TDY does the ghrowbacks, but I just don't think they're doing well. Cause you know if this station goes people lose jobs. Although some could possibly go to other stations in the company.

There was a time when I wanted desperately to be a radio DJ. I got an off-air position at one radio station and was having a blast when the thing was sold out from under us. The buyer told everyone that the format wasn't going to be changed. It was changed at 12:01 am on the day the sale closed. Everyone was told that day that they were fired. "Town to town, up and down the dial" was never more real. And just like that, I stopped wanting to be a radio DJ.

My point--and I do have one--is that folks getting into the game these days have to do it with their eyes wide open about what they're getting themselves into. You'll get just about the same level of job security by setting up a milk crate outside 7-Eleven and asking passersby for change.

 

[JH_Radio]

And finally, when and if Audacy comes up with something better for their cluster, where would they put it if 96.5 had already been designated as KYW's FM simulcast partner?

Well, they could put it on 103.9... and I'm not suggesting we up route everybody from 103.9, put KYW on 96.5 and do this now. That ship has sailed.if you were gonna pull such a move you would have done it when 103.9 was baught. Plus KYW is on 94.1-HD2 (which I forgot about.) that's plus they're streaming online.

 

[JH_Radio]

My point--and I do have one--is that folks getting into the game these days have to do it with their eyes wide open about what they're getting themselves into. You'll get just about the same level of job security by setting up a milk crate outside 7-Eleven and asking passersby for change.

Oh Job security and radio do not go hand in hand for sure. That's made worse by the advent of voicetracking. Cheaper for the company, less jobs on-air though.

 

[Miguelito]

Well, they could put it on 103.9... and I'm not suggesting we up route everybody from 103.9, put KYW on 96.5 and do this now. That ship has sailed.if you were gonna pull such a move you would have done it when 103.9 was baught. Plus KYW is on 94.1-HD2 (which I forgot about.) that's plus they're streaming online.

I think we might be going in circles a bit here. 103.9 is a shit signal. Audacy only has it for the KYW simulcast. If not for that, they wouldn't have bought it so, no, that's not where their "next big thing" might end up. And anyway, if they do come up with a "next big thing," they wouldn't want it broadcast from 103.9's measly little stick.

Oh! And 94.1-HD2 is a non-issue.

 

[Miguelito]

Oh Job security and radio do not go hand in hand for sure. That's made worse by the advent of voicetracking. Cheaper for the company, less jobs on-air though.

Exactly. Unless on thinks they might be the next Ryan Seacrest (gag) or Mario Lopez (God forbid), I would suggest enrolling in a business class at the community college!

 

[davideduardo]

Wonder why they didn't put KYW on 96.5? Was there a reason to put it on 103.9?

Maybe the $6 million in revenue they would lose was a factor... adding FM to KYW is not instantly going to produce monetizable changes.

 

[MVB13]

There was a time when I wanted desperately to be a radio DJ. I got an off-air position at one radio station and was having a blast when the thing was sold out from under us. The buyer told everyone that the format wasn't going to be changed. It was changed at 12:01 am on the day the sale closed. Everyone was told that day that they were fired. "Town to town, up and down the dial" was never more real. And just like that, I stopped wanting to be a radio DJ.

My point--and I do have one--is that folks getting into the game these days have to do it with their eyes wide open about what they're getting themselves into. You'll get just about the same level of job security by setting up a milk crate outside 7-Eleven and asking passersby for change.

Glad I went into teaching Special Education instead of radio years ago after finding out DJs make little money and less money than a teacher.

 

[JH_Radio]

103.9 is a crap signal.

No arguements there. Gotta protect WAEB and WMGM.

Audacy only has it for the KYW simulcast. If not for that, they wouldn't have bought it

That answers the question I asked earlier as to why they baught 103.9 to begin with. I was not aware this was the soul reason they baught that.

 

[JH_Radio]

This gets back to a bit if mythology I often read on these boards. Posters will talk about this primarily as a programming problem. If OTA radio programming was better, people would throw away their phones, or carry additional devices in order to receive radio. Obviously no one is looking to carry more devices. The phone can serve as a wallet. The phone can serve as key for home and car. The phone serves as camera. The phone companies have cleverly made their devices far more valuable than a transistor radio. A portable radio can't do what a phone can do. But a phone can do everything a radio can do. Except not with an antenna.

My argument isn't that. its just how is it that radio relying on music only and lack of personality suppose to hold its own when you can stream anything anywhere (especially and even more so with eas if you have a smart speaker?) At least radio has made itself available on said smart speaker...
Where does radio really fit? We haven't even started on the processing of on-air signals.

 

[TheBigA]

You'll get just about the same level of job security by setting up a milk crate outside 7-Eleven and asking passersby for change.

Maybe. It depends. I just saw this:

WMMR Hosts Preston Elliot and Steve Morrison have been waking up early to make mornings a little brighter for the folks of the Delaware Valley since 1998."

That's not bad. They're not the only ones. A lot of grey hair in radio these days.