WNED Signs Agreement to Acquire WBFO

[TheBigA]

Younger demos don't give a crap about PBS.  I've read the reports and surveys about how NPR is reaching a younger demo by way of net content, but it's not universal and the numbers are soft.  Younger than what?  55+?  The younger generation expects to get net content for free and does so by hook or crook. 

I think you're confusing NPR and PBS.  Yes, WNED-TV is the main product here.  But the two plaforms (radio and TV) are typically run very independently.  However, I don't expect them to pour money into local programming unless the programming is more than immediate news or weather.  It needs to have a longer shelf life to have real value.  That concept may be foreign to commercial broadcasters, who only think in real time, and once it goes out, it's gone.  As for demographics, you'd be surprised.  There are people still in the system who post here who can comment, but its been my experience that the NPR audience is solidly 25-54, highly educated, with good income.  They don't need to get content for free, and can afford subscriptions to multiple media.

[Philip_Airtime]

Here's an important fact to keep in consideration when talking about Western New York Public Broadcasting's radio presence in Toronto.  WNED-AM's signal comes in strongly in Toronto.  WBFO's does not.  So, if WNYPBA sells the AM signal, they will be giving up the Toronto market via radio.  Of course, Toronto listeners will still be able to listen to the web stream.  I'm not sure how WNED-FM fares in Toronto.  But I know for a fact that WBFO is drowned out by a Toronto station and that it doesn't have much of signal outside the Niagara region of Ontario. 

[SirRoxalot]

Three words that WNYPB ought to keep in mind when they think about programming that's both relevant locally, and adds both wider area appeal, and longevity to the programming:

Austin City Limits

If that doesn't appeal to you, try Grand Ole' Opry.

Both cities carved out a niche through promotion of local artists that turned them into a hub for a national scene. That scene is already established in Buffalo, mainly through the efforts of Jim Santella, and Anita West and others are building on that base. Blues is much bigger in Buffalo than most other cities, and recent releases by a number of artists - from Tom Petty to Steve Miller - indicate that blues is making a comeback nationally as more people realize the power and allure of "roots music". Buffalo could establish itself as a regional arts hub if public broadcasting simply continues the commitment that they've already made. If they increase that commitment - as they did with the On the Border series, even more growth would be a result.

Commercial radio ain't gonna do it. Public radio is the engine for this kind of growth, and lord knows we need growth in WNY.

[Mark Jeffries]

Am I correct that Canada has adopted the DAB system for digital radio and that they don't even sell Ibiquity's HD radios in Canada?

[Bob1370]

"Am I correct that Canada has adopted the DAB system for digital radio and that they don't even sell Ibiquity's HD radios in Canada"

That has been true for some years--but all of the DAB-equipped stations in Toronto and other major markets in Canada have shut down their digital transmitters and ceased operations on the 1500-mHz band because virtually no one bought receivers or listened to the transmissions. It was an even bigger flop, commercially, than HD has been up to now in the US.

It's not clear whether Canada will follow the lead of the US into IBOC radio the way it adopted US standards for digital TV...or just sit on the sidelines and let broadcast radio remain an almost 100% analog medium. (It's still a 95% analog medium in the US even if you count all the HD radios and Sirius/XM satellite receivers, and probably will remain so indefinitely--hard to see Canada following a different path after one false, failed start into European-style digital UHF already.)

[w9wi]

"Am I correct that Canada has adopted the DAB system for digital radio and that they don't even sell Ibiquity's HD radios in Canada"

That has been true for some years--but all of the DAB-equipped stations in Toronto and other major markets in Canada have shut down their digital transmitters and ceased operations on the 1500-mHz band because virtually no one bought receivers or listened to the transmissions. It was an even bigger flop, commercially, than HD has been up to now in the US.

It's not clear whether Canada will follow the lead of the US into IBOC radio the way it adopted US standards for digital TV...or just sit on the sidelines and let broadcast radio remain an almost 100% analog medium. (It's still a 95% analog medium in the US even if you count all the HD radios and Sirius/XM satellite receivers, and probably will remain so indefinitely--hard to see Canada following a different path after one false, failed start into European-style digital UHF already.)

IBOC has been approved for use in Canada.  I don't know of any stations that are actually using it.

[Element9]

Staff members at WBFO conducted a special winter pledge drive during morning drive this week.  Sadly, it sounded like "one last dash for cash" before WNYPBA (aka, Channel 17) takes over once the FCC approves the sale, which could happen at any time.  Was this WBFO winter pledge week suggested by WNYPBA in order to secure extra funding before programming changes are made?  It appeared as if WNYPBA asked WBFO to provide a cushion before the sale, "just in case."  Donald Boswell, the CEO of WNYPBA is on record about plans to divest WNED-AM 970 after WBFO is brought into the WNYPBA fold.  As such, it's likely we'll be hearing largely the WNED-AM news brand and news personnel on WBFO.         

[TheBigA]

What do you mean by "divest?"  Sell? 

[SirRoxalot]

As referenced above by Phil, Don Boswell is sadly misinformed about WBFO's reach into the Niagara Peninsula, let alone the Toronto metro. I don't know what the state of WNED-AM's physical plant is, but they may want to retain the AM to serve the upper-demo audience that they've developed on both sides of the border.

Another reason to save the AM is to extend service to ethnic communities in WNY, and reach more city-centric audiences. A little less elitism on the part of WNYPB could actually increase their revenue and audience reach.

[Philip_Airtime]

For the record, there's a simple reason why WBFO continues to hold fundraisers.  The station has bills to pay!  This is not about building up a cash cushion for WNED.  WBFO still has to pay its employees.  It's still paying program fees.  These costs did not disappear once the sale was announced last August.  WBFO lost its development director about a year ago, in advance of this transition.  So, membership dollars aren't what they were, necessitating this end-of-the-year campaign.  Still, this is not a full-fledged fund drive since it targeted just Morning Edition listeners.  In fact, these listener dollars have allowed the station to pay for the free-lance reporting of such respected journalists as Rich Kellman, Ray Marks, Brian Meyer and Jim Pastrick.  I give so much credit to the staff for not sitting back and coasting.  They're working hard to continue serving listeners.  And this fundraiser is helping to make that happen.