WYSP To Flip To WIP Simulcast "By Labor Day"

[DToTheJ]

The Philadelphia Daily News' Dan Gross is reporting rumors that CBS will flip 94 WYSP to a simulcast of 610 WIP "around Labor Day".

Surely, there's been endless chatter on here regarding CBS ultimately replacing "the rock you grew up with" with an FM signal for either WIP, or its other AM properties, KYW 1060 or WPHT 1210. But there is reason to believe that such a long-anticipated move could actually come to fruition now, because these aren't just rumors that Mr. Gross is hearing... these are "strong rumors" that he's hearing from the CBS Philadelphia radio cluster.

Another suggestion that "94 WIP" could likely happen sooner rather than later: WYSP's morning man Danny Bonaduce's "most recent contract was renewed for only one year."

But would an AM simulcast be worth losing an additional revenue source from an FM music station?

Marc Rayfield is on the clock.

http://www.philly.com/philly/entertainment/20110802_Dan_Gross__WIP_tackling__YSP__.html

Consider this: Recently, CBS got an FM translator for its heritage Mid-Atlantic rocker WHFS in Baltimore. Perhaps WIP could meet a similar fate in the near future? Hmmm...

 

[Bill_W]

Would it be a simulcast on FM or would the AM station move to FM after a short simulcast period? CBS could do something else with the AM signal like a 2nd talk station and they would stil have the ability to put sports play by play on the AM when there is a conflict with the 3 sports teams. Another question, would the Phillies move to a CBS FM sports station say WIP-FM from 1210?

 

[aindik]

Would it be a simulcast on FM or would the AM station move to FM after a short simulcast period? CBS could do something else with the AM signal like a 2nd talk station and they would stil have the ability to put sports play by play on the AM when there is a conflict with the 3 sports teams. Another question, would the Phillies move to a CBS FM sports station say WIP-FM from 1210?

In 2011, there are only 3 viable AM formats. News, news/talk, and sports. CBS already has all 3. If they move one to FM, there's nothing to put on the AM that's any good. In Baltimore, CBS owns 2 sports stations - one local on FM and one ESPN national on AM. But that won't work here because there's already an ESPN affiliate. They won't be starting another news station. Too expensive and too duplicative. I'm not sure what they would put on a second AM talk station that won't cannibalize 1210, unless maybe they staff it with left wing talkers.

If this is true, I bet 94 WIP starts simulcasting Phillies games immediately (in September, when they really start to matter), with an eye toward moving the games there and only there in 2012.

On another note, if 94.1 follows the lead of the other CBS FM sports stations and starts airing WFAN on HD-2, the Baltimore sports station on HD3 and the DC sports station on HD4, I'll buy an HD radio. Though, they'd have to move the FM HD simulcast of KYW to 98.1.

 

[Bill_W]

Would it be a simulcast on FM or would the AM station move to FM after a short simulcast period? CBS could do something else with the AM signal like a 2nd talk station and they would stil have the ability to put sports play by play on the AM when there is a conflict with the 3 sports teams. Another question, would the Phillies move to a CBS FM sports station say WIP-FM from 1210?

In 2011, there are only 3 viable AM formats. News, news/talk, and sports. CBS already has all 3. If they move one to FM, there's nothing to put on the AM that's any good. In Baltimore, CBS owns 2 sports stations - one local on FM and one ESPN national on AM. But that won't work here because there's already an ESPN affiliate. They won't be starting another news station. Too expensive and too duplicative. I'm not sure what they would put on a second AM talk station that won't cannibalize 1210, unless maybe they staff it with left wing talkers.

If this is true, I bet 94 WIP starts simulcasting Phillies games immediately (in September, when they really start to matter), with an eye toward moving the games there and only there in 2012.

On another note, if 94.1 follows the lead of the other CBS FM sports stations and starts airing WFAN on HD-2, the Baltimore sports station on HD3 and the DC sports station on HD4, I'll buy an HD radio. Though, they'd have to move the FM HD simulcast of KYW to 98.1.

Hannity, Beck, Levin. They could fill 610 up with other talk that they don't already have on 1210. Liberal talk doesn't do that well. I'd rather have WBZ-FM on one of the subchannels but, I can listen online or my i-phone. The CBS radio app is really good.

 

[Rusty Muck]

CBS is also launching an FM sports talk station in Cleveland - "The Fan" - as soon as Labor Day. Conventional wisdom has it replacing all automated alt rock "radio 92.3" - or taking classic rock sister station WNCX/98.5's dial position, while NCX gets exhiled to the 92.3 frequency (far and away the weakest signal in the CBS Cleveland cluster).

There's also the remote possibility that "The Fan" takes WNCX's place entirely, while "radio 92.3" remains as is.

Bear in mind that WNCX has an airstaff with a combined 80+ years of tenure on the station. Meanwhile, "The Fan" is starting to command salaries with a reunited Kevin Kiley and Chuck Booms - plus WFAN utility man Adam "The Bull" - and is expected to clear a 6AM-10PM live/local lineup. "radio 92.3" only has a PD, a production director, and a live/local music show on Sunday nights.

Could it be that CBS extinguishes both WYSP and WNCX at the same time? They already killed off WBCN to launch Boston's Sports Hub...

 

[Jul]

Will this help CBS radio Philadelphia in terms of keening the broadcast rights of Phillies games in 2012?

 

[wprt949]

i still think CBS might be swapping 610 to family radio so they could get 106.9

 

[fmradio1]

I just recently moved to the area from Boston, and this is following the same blueprint as "The Sports Hub" did two years ago. They also launched in August....just before football season.

The timing of this is perfect. Eagles are starting up. Phillies are gearing up for the postseason, so those games can be simulcast on 94.1 when they don't conflict with football. All ears will be on the station for the fall. That will move everyone over to the FM in time to.....spin off 610 and cash to Family for 106.9. WYSP, which will live on via HD2, eventually moves there. It makes all the sense in the world.

The trick is, does CBS make wholesale changes to WIP during this transition? Does Danny Bonaduce start talking sports in the morning on 94.1? It worked in Boston, where rock personalities Toucher & Rich made the switch to sports talk and now do very well with Men 18-49. Or, does he wait and go over to 106.9? In any case, just keeping the WIP lineup as is won't get it done. They just sound old and stale, particularly in mornings. It will be interesting to watch this play out. If this goes down, the Fanatic may just go down with it....

 

[Bill_W]

I like that last idea. Swap 610 for 106.9. Put WIP on 94.1 FM and put WYSP on 106.9. WIP gets the stronger signal on 94.1FM, WYSP stays, and moves to 106.9. Overflow sports conflicts could still be heard on WYSP. Family Radio stays, moves to 610AM and Family Radio gest $$$ for 106.9 from CBS. Move the Phillies over to WIP-FM too.

Danny doesn't move to an FM WIP. The morning show on WIP kills Danny in the ratings. CBS won't touch WIP's morning show, just move it with the station.

 

[Rusty Muck]

Would it be a simulcast on FM or would the AM station move to FM after a short simulcast period? CBS could do something else with the AM signal like a 2nd talk station and they would stil have the ability to put sports play by play on the AM when there is a conflict with the 3 sports teams. Another question, would the Phillies move to a CBS FM sports station say WIP-FM from 1210?

I think that 610 stays as-is with a straight-up simulcast on 94.1. Wouldn't be shocking to see the Phillies move to 94.1 entirely to put all their PBP arsenal together vs. WPEN-FM (1210 can still serve as a spillover for Phillies, 76ers or Eagles conflicts).

That's if CBS doesn't win the bidding war for 106.9. It's not a sure bet for CBS. They could be fighting tooth and nail with Merlin Media for that frequency, especially since Merlin is the only group in a buying mood of any sort. And if the Labor Day rumors are true, this bidding war is going to have to go very quickly with some resolution beforehand.

Should CBS get 106.9, all bets are off (KYW-FM as a straight simulcast of 1060?). They will have to unload 610 to someone else for ownership cap purposes, but I doubt Family Radio is even in a buying mood, let alone trade. It seems as if Camping & Co. is slowly wanting to get the hell (sorry!) out of radio entirely.

 

[fmradio1]

Don't be so sure changes won't come to WIP with the move to FM. Nobody thought WEEI/Boston was vunerable either. All their shows were heritage. Big ratings too, bigger than WIP's. But the FM upstart "The Sports Hub" targeted younger sports radio listeners, and those desirable demos made the switch. Now WEEI is in damage control mode.

CBS just inked Bonaduce to a new one-year deal. If they don't get 106.9, what do they do with him? I really think he may get a couple of new sidekicks (a sports-minded co-host and a flash guy) and becomes the new morning show. If he doesn't work out, WIP-FM can revisit it in a year. Other hosts can be moved around as well. I'm sure CBS wants to young up the demos of WIP, and just moving them as is to FM won't do that. It's possible that a deal with Family is already done and Bonaduce eventually goes to 106.9, but if not, then I would think he has to be part of 94.1's new format.

 

[Rusty Muck]

My only issue if CBS gets 106.9 is that I thought Family Radio was selling off both 106.9 and their Annapolis outlet as a two-fer. CBS getting both stations is impossible unless they planned to spin off the Annapolis station (which would count against, IIRC, BOTH their DC and Baltimore caps).

Who knows? It could be very possible.

But again, I'd heavily discount any thoughts that CBS will get either of them. Remember that they likely will be heavily competing against Merlin, who has to lust over having key outlets in Philly and DC/Baltimore...

 

[aindik]

This is different from Cleveland, DC, Boston and Pittsburgh. In those cities, CBS created a new sports station. They didn't move one over from a co-owned AM station, leaving that station without a viable format.

This is similar to Baltimore, where they moved the local sports format over to FM. But even in that case, they kept the AM with a national sports format running ESPN Radio. That's not an option in Philadelphia.

I've long said that this doesn't make any sense because 610 + 94.1 with a music format is going to bill better than a 94.1/610 simulcast, or 94.1 WIP plus a zero format on 610. That calculation is changing a bit, only because the ratings on 610 are floundering.

 

[DToTheJ]

The blog "Media Confidential" has now picked up this story - either the editor needs a refresher in grammar, or the "R" key on his keyboard is busted.
http://mediaconfidential.blogspot.com/2011/08/is-phillys-wip-to-get-simulcast.html

 

[Theater of My Mind]

In 2011, there are only 3 viable AM formats. News, news/talk, and sports. CBS already has all 3. If they move one to FM, there's nothing to put on the AM that's any good.

You forgot brokered ethnic, paid religion and infomercials.

 

[Jul]

Will this move help CBS radio, keeping the Phillies radio contract in 2012?

 

[Rusty Muck]

This is different from Cleveland, DC, Boston and Pittsburgh. In those cities, CBS created a new sports station. They didn't move one over from a co-owned AM station, leaving that station without a viable format.

This is similar to Baltimore, where they moved the local sports format over to FM. But even in that case, they kept the AM with a national sports format running ESPN Radio. That's not an option in Philadelphia.

I've long said that this doesn't make any sense because 610 + 94.1 with a music format is going to bill better than a 94.1/610 simulcast, or 94.1 WIP plus a zero format on 610. That calculation is changing a bit, only because the ratings on 610 are floundering.

In Detroit, when CBS effectively moved 50kW WXYT/1270's sports format to the FM dial (displacing hot talk WKRK/97.1 as WXYT-FM "97.1 The Ticket") it actually became a straight-up simulcast with 1270. That simulcast remains to this day.

The 1270 facility easily could have been converted to an ESPN feed like WJZ/1300 was, but somehow, CBS has never bothered. Even though no station carries any ESPN programming outside of PBP.

Either way, both under-performing stations - 1270 and 97.1 - ended up taking off like a rocket. WXYT AM/FM now is the #1 station in Detroit, and has been for quite a while. It also drove CC's long running sports gabber WDFN out of the local talk scene completely for most of 2009.

I guess CBS feels that this is addition by subtraction in much the same way, especially if WIP's content is freshened up just like WXYT was (moreso if Bonaduce is added into the mix somehow). They already own the PBP scene.

 

[radiolives]

It sounds like a smart move for WIP on 94.1 to compete even better with 97.5 The Fanatic. Some people may miss WYSP but rock is served well in Philly with Greater Media's WMMR, WMGK and Clear Channel's WRFF.

Once WYSP goes sports, WOGL will be CBS Radio's only music formated station in Philly.

 

[phils07]

Will the Phillies be on 94.1 WIP this September? That would be foolish of them not to air the Phillies when there is no Eagles, Sixers, or Flyers.

 

[jnkiii]

It would be great if 610 WIP was on a FM station. However, although I think moving the Phillies to FM is also a great idea, 1210 changed its entire station to keep them on the air. A recent article in Philadelphia Magazine even suggested that dropping Beck and Hannity was to appease the Phillies, which, if true, just shows 1) how much CBS wants to keep the Phillies and 2) the clout the Phillies have these days (this is not your Gregg Jefferis' Phillies). I am a regular listener of 1210 and the Phillies are discussed on all of the local talk shows with Charlie having regular weekly guest spots in both the morning and mid-morning shows. Also, there is a pre-game to the pre-game show with Ricky Bo. It was not that long ago when the Phillies pre-game show was only 15 or 20 minutes. And then there is a post-game to the post-game show. The Phillies dominant 1210 (and rightly so). Thus, if CBS switches the Phillies to FM (a possibility if Greater Media makes a huge bid as expected) then 1210 will change once again, but 610 will also dramatically change to make room for all of the above Phillies shows that are probably now expected in any package.

I also like the idea of moving YSP to 106.9 if possible. I further like the alternative idea of bringing Beck and Hannity back to a post-sports 610 talk station. It's hard to believe we don't have the #2 & #3 talk show hosts in this area.