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Zone adds ESPN

J

jetfli

The Zone has added overnight and weekend ESPN programming to its lineup, effective tonight... but only overnight and weekend programming, and some live game coverage in the future, probably.

As several of us assumed, ESPN most likely finds the arrangement attractive because no one else in the market expressed interest in their programming. Unfortuantely, they will no longer air portions of Into the Night with Tony Bruno as their schedule allows.

It amazes me how the Zoners, already overcrowded with programming, continues to shoe horn as much as they can onto 104.5. Sure is nice to get to pick and choose instead of looking for content. Too bad Citadel owns no AM here that could become an all ESPN station and function with the Zone in much the same way Citadel's WJOX and WSPZ do in Birmingham.
 
Amazing that they don't need to fear orders from ESPN to carry Mike & Mike or other programming...
 
DToTheJ said:
Amazing that they don't need to fear orders from ESPN to carry Mike & Mike or other programming...
Click to expand...

No fear because of the terms. Once ESPN lost its (almost) full-time signal here, it went in search of another. Since there were no takers, they started searching for best they could get. I'm sure the Zone was in a "buyer's market" situation at the negotiating table.

From what I understand of their contracts elsewhere, if a better deal comes along, ESPN would give the Zone first rights to make a better offer in terms of hours before moving elsewhere. And its not just strictly about getting more hours, as there would be some considerations, such as staying with #1 sports station with good FM signal vs. more hours on a weaker AM signal, how much of full schedule other station could carry, amount other station would be willing to pony up, etc.

Now it will be interesting to see if Premiere pitches Fox Sports to WNSR, or if they're interested. However, WNSR's daytime network need is 9:00 to Noon, the first two hours of which Fox is carrying Dan Patrick live. Since Dan Patrick is also a separate buy, I don't think we'd see it move to WNSR since the audience there would be smaller.
 
I would imagine that terms of the Zone's "deal" with ESPN includes carriage of major events like the World Series.
 
I think Citadel is the distributor of ESPN, and since they own 104.5, they have the right to put it on there. I'm not a sports fan, so I don't listen to 104.5 or watch any ESPN on TV.

Come to think of it, since "I think" 104.5 is now in HD, why don't they put the True Oldies Channel on one of their HD Channels? The price of consumer electronics is coming down, and more FM HD radios will pop up out there!
 
scottwmro said:
I think Citadel is the distributor of ESPN, and since they own 104.5, they have the right to put it on there. I'm not a sports fan, so I don't listen to 104.5 or watch any ESPN on TV.

Come to think of it, since "I think" 104.5 is now in HD, why don't they put the True Oldies Channel on one of their HD Channels? The price of consumer electronics is coming down, and more FM HD radios will pop up out there!
Click to expand...

I understood at one time the plan had been for 104.5 to carry Financial Talk on HD-2. I think now they'd be better off carrying the full schedule of ESPN Radio on HD-2. But I like your True Oldies idea — maybe for WKDF HD-2? Has either Citadel station here actually broadcast or even tested HD-2?
 
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