WBLS Sale Appears Likely

[kilamanjero]

In the case of the Inner City Broadcasting properties in Columbia, South Carolina that would be a good thing.  Somebody needs to revamp WWDM back into a full service station after it has been marginalized into a syndicated prop shop.  They can do whatever with WXHT as far as I'm concerned because it doesn't even cover the whole city with a city-grade signal.

[ansky212]

Wait... how would successful talk on FM be a nail in the coffin for terrestrial radio?  Radio evolves.  Always has, always will.

"Successful talk"?  Look at heritage stations like WABC and WOR...they're not exactly tearing it up in the ratings.  Add WEMP, WFME, and WBAI to that list and they're already on FM.  Moving talk to FM is not going to magically make the programming more riveting and more successful.  Look at how 102.7 and 92.3 failed when they had talk programming.  There is no evidence to support that talk on FM would be successful. 

[WNTIRadio]

The reason they're not tearing it up in the ratings is that they have all the same bland, national talk that can be found anywhere!!

What makes WABC unique?  It's going to be 2 hours of Geraldo.  Big whoop.  WOR has Gambling in the morning and Gov. Patterson (who is a snooze) in the afternoon.  I won't count Joan Hamburg because what the heck is that show anyway?  I don't think anyone who isn't an old biddy under 70 listens to it.

A LOCALLY programmed talk station geared towards NYC and the surrounding tri-state area would do very well. 

[DavidEduardo]

There is no evidence to support that talk on FM would be successful. 

In markets ranging from Washington; DC to Palm Springs there are dozens and dozens of examples of very top tier stations that have put good talk formats on FM and done much better than by merely remaining on AM. WTOP moved to FM, and the sales demos increased. KSL did a simulcast and did the same. KTAR moved to FM and improved younger demos. WWL and WSB and KCBS and WOKV added FM simulcasts and increased nicely in 25-54. KOGO and KFBK just added FMs. And on and on.

FM gives access to the under-55 sales demos which AM seldom does today. If you start with a good station and format, and add FM, the 35-54 will respond. The country is full of evidence that successful AM talk stations must, eventually, move to FM to survive.

[reelyreal]

Wait... how would successful talk on FM be a nail in the coffin for terrestrial radio?  Radio evolves.  Always has, always will.

"Successful talk"?  Look at heritage stations like WABC and WOR...they're not exactly tearing it up in the ratings.  Add WEMP, WFME, and WBAI to that list and they're already on FM.  Moving talk to FM is not going to magically make the programming more riveting and more successful.  Look at how 102.7 and 92.3 failed when they had talk programming.  There is no evidence to support that talk on FM would be successful. 

David brings up awesome examples.  They'd also beg to differ with you in Boston, where there are now two highly successful FM sports talk stations.  Providence also has two, the WEEI simulcast on 103.7 and the WPRO simulcast on 99.7

[Laurence Glavin]

You should NEVER mention Boston  and...

[Laurence Glavin]

Providence in the same post.

[radioguy39nj]

Bonneville did a superb job moving news and talk to FM.  WTOP Washington, KTAR Phoenix, KIRO Seattle, the KSL simulcast in Salt Lake City have all benefitted from the move to FM.

ESPN would be wise to watch the developments with Inner City, particularly WBLS New York.  ESPN desperately needs a full-market FM in New York.  If ESPN gets an FM in New York, CBS may have to bite the bullet and blow up one its NY FMs, probably 92.3 for WFAN-FM.

News/Talk will do well on FM in New York if it's mostly live and local.  Moving WOR or WABC to FM with all their boring, syndicated programming won't help their demos or ratings.  A reinvented WOR on FM, with mostly local NY area oriented programming would be very successful and rejuvenate the WOR brand.  Where's Bonneville when we need them?

[Theater of My Mind]

Ok, and once the FM band gets taken over by talk formats that will pretty much be the nail in the coffin for terrestrial radio (assuming you can even consider it still alive today).

Yes terrestrial radio is nearly dead, that's why the radio groups can't give any raises to what's left of their staff any more. It's also why these Inner City stations will be lucky to get any bids at all, and if they do the selling price will be astronomically low. Who would even want them?

/sarcasm

[KyleAndMelissa22]

CBS may have to bite the bullet and blow up one its NY FMs, probably 92.3 for WFAN-FM.

I don't think CBS wants to lose 92.3 NOW, they already changed it over from K-Rock to Compete with Z100 & KTU.
CBS I think would rather compete with CHR/Top 40 music than News/Talk/Sports...A LOT more $$ to be made there with all that cume...
I honestly think someone would have already recated to 101.9 News on FM. Better off keeping things as they are...