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Does anyone else see this as a good thing for Cumulus talker WWFT-FM? There are just a few clicks away on the dial from the FM home of WIBC and WIBC is bringing with them listeners who, before now, never would be on the FM dial.
I am not under the illusion that WWFT will challenge WIBC as the number one talker but I think they will benefit from this...what does everyone else think?
I am not under the illusion that WWFT will challenge WIBC as the number one talker but I think they will benefit from this...what does everyone else think?
The line up is the same on WWFT as it was on WXNT - did WXNT benefit from being 'right down the dial' from WIBC then? No, if anything, WIBC's constant 'local' appeal will draw from WWFT listeners that might not be AM listeners.
Does anyone else see this as a good thing for Cumulus talker WWFT-FM? There are just a few clicks away on the dial from the FM home of WIBC and WIBC is bringing with them listeners who, before now, never would be on the FM dial.
I am not under the illusion that WWFT will challenge WIBC as the number one talker but I think they will benefit from this...what does everyone else think?
It can't hurt WWFT. Until they put some effort into that station with local programming other than the "Real Estate Chimp" program on the weekends it will continue to be an non performer.
It can't hurt WWFT. Until they put some effort into that station with local programming other than the "Real Estate Chimp" program on the weekends it will continue to be an non performer.
Please, 11south, don't base an entire stations performance on its weekend programming. If everyone did that, no station would succeed. Remember: Not every News Talker can have the Top Shelf Talk Show Lineup.
However, with as much consolidation, budget cutting, and satellite talk shows [both talk shows beamed in on satellite and talk shows that are so sloppily produced that you would think they originate in another galaxy], where will the next batch of Top Shelf Talk Show Hosts come from, anyway?
I promise, I took the "I Digress" antidote before I wrote this post, but it obviously hasn't taken effect yet.
It can't hurt WWFT. Until they put some effort into that station with local programming other than the "Real Estate Chimp" program on the weekends it will continue to be an non performer.
Are you a moron? I said "until they put some effort into that station with local programming other than the "Real Estate Chimp" program on the weekends it will continue to be a non-performer.
We just don't have any huge local talk show talent in this city. In Atlanta, Boortz is a ratings monster, bigger than Rush. Of course he's been there 35+ years and has built that audience. When he was on WXNT live his numbers doubled what Abdul had in the previous hour, but they were of course nowhere near his WSB numbers. It will be tough for any station to really develop that kind of strength here at this point.
The problem with local talk is there has been no attempt, other than Abdul, to get a REAL talker going in this town. Garrison is popular, and okay, but he bores me because he comes off more of a 'courthouse, statehouse' kind of guy, as opposed to a real 'local issue' guy. His audience is definitely the over 65 listeners.
Indy needs a host who can entertain, and NOT just because he's an out of work comedian! But someone relating to the 35+ talk listeners. Garrison overshoots this audience, and comes off as a constant "fill-in" imho. Kind of like the substitute teacher filling in for maternity leave, you just get used to her, but she doesn't have the respect as "the real thing." Same with Wilson.
WIBC should use this shakeup to bring in some REAL RADIO TALENT! Someone from a stronger market that may be looking to be the big fish in a smaller market.
As long as Abdul is on WXNT, he'll never have an audience. XNT doesn't have the reputation for bringing all-encompassing news, weather, traffic, etc during drive-time. If I'm not on WIBC, I feel like I'm going to miss something. Not that I recommend it, but if Abdul was on WIBC in the afternoon, he would probably be a better fit than wilson. And more news/politically informative. But I haven't listened to him long enough to know whether he's a lib or right-minded.
Hoping for a shakeup in the talk lineup come January!
Jeff is long known for thinking out of the box and sometimes it works, sometimes it doesn't. (majic 106)
Jeff made the decision to kill WIBC by moving parts to FM and moving the death format to 1070. (Can you say ESPN 1070?) No more than a 2 share is the prediction even with Pacers and Colts.
No one else in the building can make this decision, even Cummings.
Using a broadcast tools switcher to switch between untimed or poorly timed network feeds with all the finesse of a Ginsu knife is the image of WWFT. It is what it is.
I expect WIBC on Fm and 1070 on AM to be well timed, well produced, and sound good.
Just think it's too much to expect that the AM will retain any listeners when the image is changed to something (ESPN) that even in areas where the signal is good performs poorly. (Imagine Ghost Town in the Old West)
WXLW has a good signal in Indy during the day and the numbers for ESPN are poor.WWFT has a great signal and no ratings. No image, no personality, no following.
Every AM that died died because somebody made the decision to kill it. WOWO WLS, etc.
WIBC 1070 has a loyal audience and the loyal audience isn't just in Indy. Changing the programming to something that is male only (sports) will kill the station. We've already heard the gripe that there is too much sports on WIBC.
ESPN has become more hype than product with all the talent going elsewhere.
WWFT benefits because unlike the old days when WIRE and WIBC shared audience and WIRE tried to grab some of WIBC's audience, Jeff is now giving his audience away.
WWFT helped make this happen because they started talking on FM and regardless of how effortless the station is run there are always envious radio people who think crap is greener because someone else has it. "Hey Jeff WWFT has no ratings and no following but they're going to beat WIBC" How many times has Jeff heard this until he starts to believe it?
The loyal listeners in Indy will not have any station that resembles WIBC. Parts will be on FM geared to a younger audience. Parts will be on AM geared only towards men. They are blowing up the station. The loyalty will not transfer to the call letters on FM. The audience will not stay on an AM with a new format.
WWFT can't be hurt unless Jeff changes his mind. Radio One hit the gold mine. Not only did they get a consolidated front with any pop format of any distinction or ratings being their turf, they also got the cash that accompanies this.
I expect WIBC on Fm and 1070 on AM to be well timed, well produced, and sound good.
WXLW has a good signal in Indy during the day and the numbers for ESPN are poor. WWFT has a great signal and no ratings. No image, no personality, no following.
If Mark Boyle were the afternoon host on ESPN1070, he would pull listeners from other local NEWS talk. If anything, they would be competing against themselves on AM and FM. The reason no one listens during PM drive to local sports is because there is no 'respectable' talent on either of the sports stations during that time period. The local sports guys do NOT rate very high on the talent level. Argue it if you want, but if you have access to other cities' sports talk, you would HAVE to agree. Simply putting someone in a studio with a microphone talking about sports does not mean people will listen. It has to be a GOOD show, and as you point out, WILL BE well-timed, well produced, and sound good - 950 and 1260 usually do not meet that criteria (ever hear one of the 950 live football or basketball game, always awful sound.)
ChiefEngineer said:
WIBC 1070 has a loyal audience and the loyal audience isn't just in Indy. Changing the programming to something that is male only (sports) will kill the station. We've already heard the gripe that there is too much sports on WIBC.
Just think it's too much to expect that the AM will retain any listeners when the image is changed to something (ESPN) that even in areas where the signal is good performs poorly. (Imagine Ghost Town in the Old West)
The loyal listeners in Indy will not have any station that resembles WIBC. Parts will be on FM geared to a younger audience. Parts will be on AM geared only towards men. They are blowing up the station. The loyalty will not transfer to the call letters on FM. The audience will not stay on an AM with a new format.
These statements do NOT make sense! If people are complaining there 'is too much sports on WIBC' then they will be happy that the FM WIBC will NOT have sports - only the news/talk they are looking for - how is this bad for them?
The point is to leave sports on AM, take the talk-part of WIBC to the FM. You say 'the audience will not stay on the AM,' and that is correct, they will go to the FM version of WIBC. If you like WIBC, you will go to the FM and enjoy MORE talk and LESS sports. If you want sports, you will have a QUALITY company offering it, and likely a better afternoon show than rakestraw or jmv - so the sports people will be happy.
How does the WIBC product lose? To assume people won't go to FM in protest is, again, ridiculous! If you want to listen to Russ Limbaugh, you will go to WIBC FM. If you listen now, you will listen when the change occurs.
ESPN O&O stations, in much larger markets than Indianapolis, and with "top shelf" live local talent/shows, average 1.5 - 2.5 12+ ratings, period.
ESPN on WNDE 1260 several years back, with a metro grade signal, did no better.
Here's a "conspriracy theory;" Emmis is willing to take a short term "punch in the mouth," so to speak, with these stations [loss of ratings and revenue initially] to further drive the stock price down. Then, all the institutional shareholders who turned back Jeff's initial efforts to take the company private, and are now clamouring for changes, will be willing to accept a revised stock price for their shares to get out and Jeff goes private after all.
These statements do NOT make sense! If people are complaining there 'is too much sports on WIBC' then they will be happy that the FM WIBC will NOT have sports - only the news/talk they are looking for - how is this bad for them?
WIBC on FM will not be the WIBC people are used to. Has nothing to do with it being on FM. There are areas where the signal difference will be a problem but not in the 8 county Metro.
The point is to leave sports on AM, take the talk-part of WIBC to the FM. You say 'the audience will not stay on the AM,' and that is correct, they will go to the FM version of WIBC. If you like WIBC, you will go to the FM and enjoy MORE talk and LESS sports.
This will be a younger poised version of WIBC except for Limbaugh and he can't carry the station.
If you want sports, you will have a QUALITY company offering it, and likely a better afternoon show than rakestraw or jmv - so the sports people will be happy.
No more Tie-Line broadcasts? Great for Sports.
How does the WIBC product lose? To assume people won't go to FM in protest is, again, ridiculous! If you want to listen to Russ Limbaugh, you will go to WIBC FM. If you listen now, you will listen when the change occurs.
Limbaugh can't carry the station. People will not listen to the station as a whole because the old people listening now are not worth serving according to Severino. The switch is to get young demo listeners.
This is like WNDE switching from Top 40 to AC because they needed to get a different demo. Everyone left for FM.
WIBC on FM will not be the WIBC people are used to. Has nothing to do with it being on FM. There are areas where the signal difference will be a problem but not in the 8 county Metro. This will be a younger poised version of WIBC except for Limbaugh and he can't carry the station.
How do you know this? And what EXACTLY are they doing to change the target demo? Play Jay-Z soundtrack behind the weather, traffic and news reports? Bring in the Disney Network for a morning show?
News, Sports, Traffic, Weather, Russ Limbaugh, et all - does NOT relate to younger demo. The only thing that could be changed would be the am and pm drive shows - Garrison is TOO OLD of a demo target, but I think you are WAY overstepping the new target. You're spitting in the wind with no idea which way it's blowing. Until you can point to a DISTINCT facet that will be different about the new WIBC in programming, you are simply making a broad statement with nothing to back it up.
Limbaugh can't carry the station. People will not listen to the station as a whole because the old people listening now are not worth serving according to Severino. The switch is to get young demo listeners.
I think he CAN carry the station, but even if he can't - WHAT are they doing to change it that will run the 'old' people off? Be specific please, enlighten me.
This is like WNDE switching from Top 40 to AC because they needed to get a different demo. Everyone left for FM.
No - it's called ADVANCEMENT IN TECHNOLOGY! Who would listen to Top 40 OR AC on AM at a time when MUSIC QUALITY was obviously better on the FM band! You're comparing 1970s to 2007 - different era my friend - not a valid comparison. NO one wants to listen to scratchy mono music when it's available in stereo on FM band.
The reference on AM was when no one was listening to FM. WNDE was king and no Fm station was on the radar. 197? Simply a reference to killing a station by changing what it was.
Severino has said the change is related to seeking a younger demo. Wilson indicated no one knew what happened to him since Bob and Tom because he was on WIBC.
The 21 year old media buyers don't buy WIBC because they are into the format just given to radio one. Even though WIBC had much better numbers they refuse to buy it. (Old people)
Don't expect anything resembling WIBC on the new frequency. If the move was simply switching the audio in a patch bay things would be much different.
If this were simply a switch so the same old people could listen then there would be no reason.
A steady and eventual decline in AM numbers (and bucks) made Jeff decide to go ahead and it over with. The 2 that the AM has will be all it has and development in Whitestown may look better soon rather than a power bill for a 50 kw dinosaur.
The call letters still have signifigance but the news department is not what it was and Indy isn't Detroit or Chicago.
The experiment is to see if Garrison can be relevant to younger listeners. Wilson can. Limbaugh can. Pidge couldn't. And he was overpaid if you read between the lines in several interviews because his name always comes up. The target will be a 30 something and now the station targets 40+, or 50.
If WWFT hadn't done talk this might not have taken place.
Expect a WNOU version of news, weather,and lifestyle "chat" because this won't be talk as you know it. Something of an Ellen approach rather than a Bob Braun approach.
Again, if this were going to be what some people think, WIBC on FM (It's not) , why blow up a perfectly good FM when the old codgers have the AM?
The media attention because of the heritage of the AM works great to make a showcase Jan 1 but let's see if listeners buy it.
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