WTMP to Swtich Formats

[BJohnson]

This according to Eric Deggans in the St. Pete Times.
http://www.tampabay.com/features/media/article1189220.ece

 

[dwtpa97]

What a tragedy. This is a legacy station in this area. People who listened to WTMP (then WIOK) when they were 15 are 70 now.

 

[BJohnson]

As of the noon hour, the WTMP website no longer exists.

 

[distantfm]

Maybe a good time for WSJT to make a move to fill the gap ?

 

[missammusic]

This is a shame. Been around since I was a kid and a staple of the market. Cant someone figure out a format we don't have, I can think of a few.

 

[drt]

This is a shame. Been around since I was a kid and a staple of the market. Cant someone figure out a format we don't have, I can think of a few.

At 3:02/1502 - An i.d. in Spanish and now playing music (Salsa); they have said Adios to the old school R&B a few hours ahead of schedule.

drt,
st petersburg,fl

 

[coolaid213]

I'm seriously bummed out. No lie. Maybe WRXB will start playing some R&B again. That would be a smart move.

 

[dwtpa97]

More than the changing times, more than even the mismanagement that apparently occurred under former owners, the change in format does hint at the lack of local connection and loyalty that out-of-town corporate owners may sometimes have. Not their fault necessarily, but they just don't have any ties to the community.

RIP, WTMP.

 

[olmjax]

Man, I didn't see this one coming. Now, like Boston and Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay no longer has an Urban AC station, which is sad because this station has served the African-American community in Tampa Bay for 57 years. :'(

 

[Parttimer]

Maybe a good time for WSJT to make a move to fill the gap ?

CBS already owns Wild 94.1, and with 95.7 The Beat also on the FM dial, a third Urban makes very little sense. Plus WSJT's current numbers are more than double what WTMP had in the last PPM. If WTMP had ever gained a viable FM signal this might have been a different story, but this is happening over and over to standalone Urban outlets.

On the other hand, if clear channel wanted to do something creative, WCTQ covers the southern half of Pinellas reasonably well. Guess it depends how well they do with the current format in Sarasota.

 

[jefflaurence]

Sad. WTMP was one of the last real soul stations. But you know..even typing the word "soul" makes very little sense to me these days. It's almost archaic to say "soul" because radio stations don't seem to have it anymore. I was raised listening to WUFO in Buffalo..one of those really great high energy R&B stations..they used to let me stand and watch those guys rock the pot and cue up 45s while answering the "horn" to take requests..Man I loved that energy...and it's too bad that kind of radio just isn't desirable any longer. Guess people just don't want that any more. what DO they want? Wait..don't answer that.

So long beat of the bay!!

 

[Groove1670]

Because of the location. How well can you hear WTMP FM in Tampa. Looking at the coverage map, it looks like you might get a good signal in the car.

 

[dwtpa97]

The FM signal is receivable but not listenable in South Tampa. I think management used it to reach northern suburbs that the AM signal wouldn't reach. At one time that FM channel was WGUL-FM, and they had the same problem with it inside Tampa. No good in the city, but adding a lot of reach up to the north.

 

[MsMusicRadio]

This thought isn't about WTMP, but it about what radio used to be. Listening to WPCV after midnight. They play the Dirt Band and the guy comes on and says "Good morning from your hometown station". Really takes one back.

WTMP in the end was your standard issue Urban AC with Joyner and Baisden. They weren't exactly John R to say the least. However, if Hall can keep a traditional country station viable in 2011, maybe they could flip 98.3 to live hometown R&B. Just sayin

 

[John Waywoods]

Maybe a good time for WSJT to make a move to fill the gap ?

Agreed.

 

[Frank Ferreri]

Sad. WTMP was one of the last real soul stations. But you know..even typing the word "soul" makes very little sense to me these days. It's almost archaic to say "soul" because radio stations don't seem to have it anymore. I was raised listening to WUFO in Buffalo..one of those really great high energy R&B stations..they used to let me stand and watch those guys rock the pot and cue up 45s while answering the "horn" to take requests..Man I loved that energy...and it's too bad that kind of radio just isn't desirable any longer. Guess people just don't want that any more. what DO they want? Wait..don't answer that.

So long beat of the bay!!

Jeff..my first gig was Sunday night board op at WWIN in Baltimore. Used to hang out at the station at every chance. Larry Dean, Kelson Chop Chop Fisher, Big Al Jefferson, Hot Rod, Fat Daddy, Sir Johnny O. WWIN was a "soul" station and, like you, would watch these honest to goodness personalities put their heart and "soul" into evry air shift. Was a great experience for a 16 year old kid.

 

[HadYourPhil]

Great post, Frank!!

RIP TMP

 

[kilamanjero]

Maybe a good time for WSJT to make a move to fill the gap ?

CBS already owns Wild 94.1, and with 95.7 The Beat also on the FM dial, a third Urban makes very little sense. Plus WSJT's current numbers are more than double what WTMP had in the last PPM. If WTMP had ever gained a viable FM signal this might have been a different story, but this is happening over and over to standalone Urban outlets.

On the other hand, if clear channel wanted to do something creative, WCTQ covers the southern half of Pinellas reasonably well. Guess it depends how well they do with the current format in Sarasota.

Uh, WLLD isn't an urban, they are a hits-driven, rhythmic with only a few songs that would normally appear on a true urban-formatted radio station. CBS has no intentions of shifting Wild towards urban like its other rhythmic-urban hybrid sister stations in West Palm, Orlando, Washington DC, or Hartford anytime soon. All one would have to look at the playlist of WWLD on either YES.com, All Access, or Radio Time and know this one as a fact. WBTP was the only other urban in the Tampa-St. Petersburg market aside from the now former WTMP-AM/FM. Clear Channel has gutted WBTP with syndication years ago. The ones whom will truly suffer are adults 35+ whom are used to listening to R&B gold and classics on the radio dial in Tampa.

 

[badjef]

If the WTMP format didn't work for the Cherrys, what makes you think it is viable from someone else?

Jeff in Sa-ra-so-ta!

P.S. Long live "1150Jamz"

 

[Parttimer]

Maybe a good time for WSJT to make a move to fill the gap ?

CBS already owns Wild 94.1, and with 95.7 The Beat also on the FM dial, a third Urban makes very little sense. Plus WSJT's current numbers are more than double what WTMP had in the last PPM. If WTMP had ever gained a viable FM signal this might have been a different story, but this is happening over and over to standalone Urban outlets.

On the other hand, if clear channel wanted to do something creative, WCTQ covers the southern half of Pinellas reasonably well. Guess it depends how well they do with the current format in Sarasota.

Uh, WLLD isn't an urban, they are a hits-driven, rhythmic with only a few songs that would normally appear on a true urban-formatted radio station. CBS has no intentions of shifting Wild towards urban like its other rhythmic-urban hybrid sister stations in West Palm, Orlando, Washington DC, or Hartford anytime soon. All one would have to look at the playlist of WWLD on either YES.com, All Access, or Radio Time and know this one as a fact. WBTP was the only other urban in the Tampa-St. Petersburg market aside from the now former WTMP-AM/FM. Clear Channel has gutted WBTP with syndication years ago. The ones whom will truly suffer are adults 35+ whom are used to listening to R&B gold and classics on the radio dial in Tampa.

Fine. My original point stands, 98.7 will not go Urban A/C.