OK. Since the subject is brought up in its own thread, I'll comment on it.
I've heard Party 105 on its webstream. From what I've been able to hear, it's more of an urban station than a dance music station. Its website has a background picture of Manhattan streets, even though the station is based near the Hamptons. So its mindset and vision is that of an urban station. So it would make sense for Party 105 to take over the frequency from Mega Media. In a way, it's like a hipster moving into a Brooklyn neighborhood, after a few years getting priced out of the apartment, replaced by someone with a bit more money. That's how I see this transaction (if it indeed it happens).
With the stranglehold on the FM commercial dial by corporations and well-entrenched non-profs, the 87.7 becomes a more desirable territory than it would be if the other commercial stations are more in flux. For example, if 92.3, 101.9, 102.7, 94.7, 93.1, 105.1 or 99.5 was readily available for purchase than I don't think anyone would even kick around the tires at the 87.7 position unless its brokered or ethnic programming. However, considering that even in this economy that a New York radio station is damn difficult to buy when you factor the potential for ROI (not much these days, if ever), the flattened advertising market and fixed expenses, then "That Big Blue Building in Queens" starts looking a little better.
I don't know if Party 105 (if they are the new operators) would have a better go at it than Mega Media could but the chance to properly enter the New York market without a huge outlay in entry costs would be too tempting a proposition to pass up. Island Broadcasting Company surely needs someone to help them cover the cost of owning the transmitter and broadcast equipment.
