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WTVN-FM

mxyzptlk said:
This market is unusual so it won't happen, at least for a while.  FM frequencies are too valuable and CC would turn a $10M+ AM into one that would struggle to make $1M with another format. It's better right now to keep changing formats on an FM until one sticks and has a run like 93.3.
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Makes sense, but with the June PPM released today I'm beginning to wonder....  WTVN is down again, 7.1 -> 5.9.  WTVN's essentially tied with the rejuvenated 93.3.  I know talk tanked nationally this month for some reason (hopefully people are getting tired of the repetitive ranting), but still...
 
There are several dynamics to consider. With the success of 97.1, it's been proven that spoken word programming can flourish on FM in Columbus. If the WMNI simulcast has even marginal success, CC wil have to consider an FM simulcast. There are people scanning the FM dial that never get to AM that could be enticed to sample and become a listener of a WTVN FM simulcast. The other issue is the signal. 610 is a blowtorch by day but their highly directional 6-stick night array leaves a lot to be desired, especially in fast-growing Fairfield County. At night you can pick up 610 like a local in Sandusky, but good luck listening to them in Lancaster.
 
SonoSational18 said:
There are several dynamics to consider. With the success of 97.1, it's been proven that spoken word programming can flourish on FM in Columbus. If the WMNI simulcast has even marginal success, CC wil have to consider an FM simulcast. There are people scanning the FM dial that never get to AM that could be enticed to sample and become a listener of a WTVN FM simulcast. The other issue is the signal. 610 is a blowtorch by day but their highly directional 6-stick night array leaves a lot to be desired, especially in fast-growing Fairfield County. At night you can pick up 610 like a local in Sandusky, but good luck listening to them in Lancaster.
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True, WBNS-FM is doing well in the ratings but consider the revenue side. In the case of WBNS, they took a 4.8 million AM and a 5.2 million FM and turned it into a 8 million FM and a 600k AM. I'm trying to verify some recent numbers but that is what WBNS-AM and FM did the last year before the FM went sports. The Ohio State University applied pressure to flip the FM, but when you look at it from a financial perspective, it was a net loss of revenue to the company.

In my opinion, the revenue potential of WTVN as it sits, plus an FM that bills 2-4 million in another format is greater than what they would generate with an AM/FM simulcast of talk. If the market had more big sticks, it would be a different story.
 
mxyzptlk said:
The Ohio State University applied pressure to flip the FM,
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Is this conjecture or verifiable? If it's conjecture, it's an interesting, theory! If it's verifiable, it's just plain wrong for a state supported institution to have that much influence over a private business. Besides, WBNS-FM always aired all the football and basketball games and coaches' shows anyway, why would they care what was programmed around it? Not disagreeing, just asking...
 
At least in the last years of Mix 97.1, not all football and basketball programming was simulcast. I want to say it was around 2006 that 97.1 stopped carrying daytime basketball games. They always carried night games due to the AM signal, and always simulcasted all football games. But the FM never carried the extended local football postgame. That now is flip-flopped and 1460 doesn't simulcast the local postgame 97.1 carries (nor is 1460 ever really acknowledged, but that's another story).
I think all the games were simulcast when 97.1 was oldies.
 
Interesting numbers!!! Wow. I always thought that simulcasting OSU sports outside of football drove away the female listeners Mix 97.1 was trying to attract. Plus, I remember being frustrated when I'd jump in the car wanting to hear Hot AC & instead heard play by play of a basketball game. This, at least to me, always killed the flow of the station and format. I also believe 150% that tOSU put pressure on the Wolfe family to blow up Mix for The Fan. Revenue-wise, it looks like they really shot themselves in the foot. Wow. :eek:
 
Al Timiter said:
mxyzptlk said:
The Ohio State University applied pressure to flip the FM,
Click to expand...

Is this conjecture or verifiable? If it's conjecture, it's an interesting, theory! If it's verifiable, it's just plain wrong for a state supported institution to have that much influence over a private business. Besides, WBNS-FM always aired all the football and basketball games and coaches' shows anyway, why would they care what was programmed around it? Not disagreeing, just asking...
Click to expand...

There's no smoking gun. When you put all the pieces together however, it builds a nice picture.
 
Reading about the revenue figures for WBNS makes Clear Channel not want to make the switch for WTVN to FM. As long as the AM signal brings in the revenue they might as well leave it as is. Think about it with PPM WBNS FM with the hot AC format would probably be close to WNCI in the ratings while the AM would be the most listened to AM sports station in town while WYTS still bubbles under a 1 share.
 
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