WYSL Adds Syndicated Talk To Its Format

[Mark_Giardina]

According to Scott Fybush www.fybush.com WYSL has added syndicated talkers Laura Ingraham and Bill O’Reilly to the station’s on air schedule.

This is an interesting move considering that at one time the station avoided carrying talk radio and instead promoted its all-news coverage. However that is when WYSL carried the now-defunct AP Network News. After AP pulled the plug on its all-news operation in April of 2005, WYSL now features ABC and CNN mixed in with local news furnished in cooperation with Channel 10.

This spring WYSL is suppose to have its 20kw transmitter up and running which will beam a much stronger signal into the Rochester area. That, combined with adding syndicated talk to its format, makes one wonder if WYSL is laying the groundwork in an attempt to cut into WHAM’s audience?

WROC-AM tried to take on WHAM and failed, resulting in the format switch from conservative talk to Air America. But then again 950’s signal is much weaker than 1040’s will be once that 20kw transmitter is in operation.

It will be interesting to see how this scenario plays out.

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"I won't be wronged, I won't be insulted and I won't be laid a hand on.
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[Bob1370]

> According to Scott Fybush www.fybush.com WYSL has added
> syndicated talkers Laura Ingraham and Bill O’Reilly to the
> station’s on air schedule.

When WROC/950 carried those shows they didn't draw flies. 'ROC didn't make the slightest dent in the market until they turned left and picked up most of the Air America lineup along with Ed Schultz' afternoon show from Jones Radio.

The higher power transmitter 'YSL is in the process of installing for its daytime pattern will help it with reach into the five outer counties of the metro, something that has always troubled 'ROC because of its lousy pattern both day and night. What it won't do is help much in the city and the inner ring 'burbs, where over half the metro's population lives. 'YSL's transmitter 25 miles south of town in Avon will put about the same signal into Rochester, Brighton, Gates, Greece, Irondequoit and Webster as 'ROC's plant on Clinton Avenue just south of the city line.

> It will be interesting to see how this scenario plays out.
>
The programming 'YSL is adding performs two functions. It offers first run programming relatively inexpensively during a daypart where wall to wall news performs weakest. It also has some appeal in outer suburban and rural areas which tend to skew older and more conservative than the core of the metro. He'll help himself in the TSA numbers while the core metro probably won't be much affected, at least initially. If he wants to make inroads in the core of the metro he's going to have to buy some outdoor ads, TV spots and newspaper ads to call attention to his station. Most Rochester area listeners outside Livingston County probably still aren't aware of WYSL. I'm sure Bob Savage knows this...and he knows he'd be well advised to coordinate a marketing campaign for his station with the signal upgrade this spring. (He also might do well to start looking for ways to boost the nighttime and pre-sunrise signal north into Monroe County by raising night power to 2500 watts or more and tightening his pattern to the east, west and south, through adding a couple more towers to the array. That'd help him a lot in drivetimes during the fall and winter months down the road.)

 

[JazzEd]

>
> When WROC/950 carried those shows they didn't draw flies.
> 'ROC didn't make the slightest dent in the market until they
> turned left and picked up most of the Air America lineup
> along with Ed Schultz' afternoon show from Jones Radio.

I guess, if you call a 12+ share that's now less than a single digit "making a dent." They're now below fall '04.