T. Taylor, R-I.com: WCRB up for sale

[Eli Polonsky]

CBS Radio is topped out in the market and certainly wouldn't sell off a city signal to pick up a rimshot.

CBS owns four FM's (WBMX, WZLX, WODS, WBCN) and one AM (WBZ) in this market. Wouldn't that leave them eligible to buy one more FM (if they wanted it)?

I thought the cap nowadays was five stations on one band, not to exceed eight overall total on both bands (AM & FM). Or, is that wrong?

[Scott Fybush]

It's a little more complicated than that - there are also revenue-based market-concentration limits, and the scrutiny is especially strict when the company also owns two TV stations (WBZ-TV/WSBK). The Justice Department might raise an eyebrow if CBS tried to add a fifth FM in town.

[Retro]

If you all recall, CBS begged Al Gore to keep Mix in the fold after the purchase of American Radio Systems. I highly doubt that Infinity can purchase another FM in the market at all.

[DanStrassberg]

If Entercom were to buy 99.5, does it REALLY follow that they would not move the content around to match their various FM signals? Not sure I'm not missing at least one station, but I believe Entercom's Boston cluster (which includes Worcester and vicinity but NOT Providence/Westerly or Easthampton/Springfield) would include 93.7, 97.7, 99.5, and 107.3 on FM and 680, 850, and 1440 on AM. Of the listed FMs, the one with the fewest signal deficiencies in Boston is 93.7. Since sports is the biggest moneymaker, wouldn't it make sense to put the WEEI programming there and move Mike to 99.5 with or without the simulcast on the puny Class A 97.7? If I have not missed any stations, there is no ownership-cap issue, but if Entercom had to sell one of the listed signals, one would think that the station to go would be the signal-challenged, Worcester-based 1440. Of course, if the reason for selling a station were to raise money to buy another station, 1440 might drop off the bottom of the list; it just wouldn't bring in that much. (My guess: no more than $2.25 million in this depressed period for station sales.)

And while I'm talking about shuffling content among the various signals, is there a strong reason that WAAF's format is married to 107.3? Maybe it would make more sense to have rock on 99.5 and Mike on 107.3. I mean, since Entercom gutted the 107.3 signal in a failed attempt to improve its reach into Boston, what is 107.3's big attraction signal-wise? Both ratings-wise and billings-wise, isn't Mike the weakest of the formats that Entercom runs on FM in Boston? (That's a question; I really don't know the answer.) If so, why not have the weakest format on the poorest signal? That arrangement might also make 97.7 available for Classical. Food for thought.

[encarta95]

And while I'm talking about shuffling content among the various signals, is there a strong reason that WAAF's format is married to 107.3? Maybe it would make more sense to have rock on 99.5 and Mike on 107.3. I mean, since Entercom gutted the 107.3 signal in a failed attempt to improve its reach into Boston, what is 107.3's big attraction signal-wise? Both ratings-wise and billings-wise, isn't Mike the weakest of the formats that Entercom runs on FM in Boston? (That's a question; I really don't know the answer.) If so, why not have the weakest format on the poorest signal? That arrangement might also make 97.7 available for Classical. Food for thought.

Mike is actually Entercom's best FM billings-wise, according to the BIA figures released last March. WEEI (AM) billed $36.5 million, Mike billed $13.5 million, and WAAF billed $11 million.

Taking a quick look at radio-locator, the signals of 93.7 and 99.5 look to be very similar; WMKK's TX is closer to the city but not by too much, and both stations have 1st and 2nd-adjacents to the south (93.7 has WSNE, WFQR, and WHJY; 99.5 has WPLM-FM, WSKO-FM, and WQRC). Considering the amount of marketing and new promotional materials needed to move Mike to the only slightly poorer 99.5 facility, seeing that move take place would seem unlikely.

[LA_Guy]

First, I'd move 107.3 back to Paxton. Then I'd put the sports on 107.3. It's a PERFECT compliment to 850, BUT only from Paxton. It nicely fills in the hole between Springfield and Metro West-but again, only from Paxton. It also gets up into NH fairly well from Paxton too.

Next, I'd put WAAF on 99.5. PERFECT compliment to the 97.7 signal.  The two together make a great full market signal.

Finally, 93.7 isn't broken, so I'd leave it as is.  If they wanted to, I suppose they could also put WRKO on one of more of their secondaries as well.

[BRNout]

Dan's ideas aren't bad.  However, they do run the risk of creating a lot of short-term listener upheaval with so many flips at once.  It's pretty rare to see such a thing done in a major market.  And, as I'll describe below, 99.5 makes the most sense in this potential scenario:

I'm sure that it's not lost on Entercom that 99.5 and 97.7 perfectly compliment each other.  So, whatever they would put on 99.5 would go well on 97.7 as well.  Apparently, Mike bills reasonably well and the signal isn't a whole lot better to the south than 99.5 - so why flip that one?  Very little would be gained by flipping WEEI to 93.7 and Mike to 99.5.  The 93.7 signal isn't strong enough in Boston proper to be preferable to a 99.5/97.7 simulcast.  You'd still end up needing a 93.7/97.7 simulcast.  Again, with no real gain.   

And, 107.3 has a heritage with WAAF.  No need to mess with that.  Not to mention that plunking WEEI on that signal (rather than 99.5) would be less effective because of overlap with other WEEI network stations in Providence/Westerly (103.7), Worcester (1440) and even Springfield/Northampton (105.5).  No, 99.5 makes the most sense as it covers areas that are currently underserved by WEEI's programming. 

Frankly, I agree 110% with those who think that the 107.3 signal needs to be moved back to Paxton - but I don't know that it is even being considered.  Moving it was a HUGE mistake - not just because of out-of-market listeners lost, but because it's weaker in most of the market too.  Big blunder.  And, the 97.7 WKAF simulcast is a waste of electricity. 

As for classical, I would foresee it being relegated to HD only.  If Entercom had an FM signal on the Pru, it would be different - you'd stick WEEI on that one and classical on 97.7.  But they don't.  WEEI is their most profitable programming property right now and I would think that they would want it on FM throughout the market.  With 99.5, they have an excellent signal north, northeast and northwest of the city.  Add in 97.7 for good coverage south and southeast - and only the far SW is left out.  But, they can still get both signals and there's 103.7 there too. 

At this point, 850 would become an afterthought and a good location to dump the occasional low-rated college game that conflicts with better stuff. 

[raccoonradio]

Taylor's column today says that Nassau's Lou Mercanti is interested in keeping the format (hoping
revenues will improve) but perhaps taking on a partner (50 per cent, as was proposed w/ Entercom?)
to help him out...?

[DanStrassberg]

I read--very recently--that Entercom has an LMA to buy Classical KDFC San Francisco from Bonneville and that, under Entercom's stewardship, KDFC has been accomplishing great things both ratings-wise and billings-wise. I have no specifics on these feats, and would like to hear more about them if anyone can supply details, but until Entercom accomplished them, they reportedly were thought to be impossible under the Classical format in the 21st century.

Now, if I'm not mistaken, SF/Oakand/Silicon Valley/San Jose is Market #4 and Boston is Market #10 (today, anyhow). I also understand that KDFC is as much of a full-market signal as any Bay area FM (meaning that it may not City Grade San Jose and probably has serious multipath problems elsewhere in the market) but is nevertheless in a somewhat better signal situation relative to any competion it might have than is 99.5 here or any other signal that Entercom might consider using for Classical in Boston.

Nevertheless, if Entercom really knows what it takes to make $$$ with Classical in a major market in 2008, it would probably be Mr Mercantante's best partner for keeping a commercial Classical format alive in Boston. However, how strained have relations between Entercom and Nassau become? Is there any hope of a partnership? Assuming that a new partnership arrangement between Entercom and Nassau is actually still possible, and if Entercom really has the recipe for the secret sauce that can save commercial Classical, it appears that Mr M would have to cede control of programming to his partner. Would he be willing to do that? Comments from someone who is familiar with the parties involved would be most welcome!

[BRNout]

Here's the thing: if you're Entercom and you have a very successful and lucrative AM format (WEEI), why would you play around with classical on your new FM acquisition?  Particularly when you pay 10's of millions of dollars for it.  You need to make it profitable and fast.  The best way to do it is to use the signal for something that you know will be successful.  Look at Entercom's other moves in the region lately.  What do they tell you about their motives?

San Francisco is a different market with different competition.  Comparisons with Boston are unfair. 

Lou Mercanti may be interested in keeping classical around, but the market conditions may not make that possible.  He can't always have his cake and eat it too.  Besides, if he loves the format so much, why is it listed for sale?  Sell the 106.3 signal in Nashua instead - if you're so dedicated to it.  And this 50-50 partnership thing?  It may not be workable.