All News 106.7??

[EJM]

Question. Does Atlanta have a strong NPR affiliate that figures into the news-talk equation? NPR affiliates, especially on FM, have made great strides over the last five years. Washington, DC's WAMU is #1.

I can't speak for its news product, but Atlanta's WABE appears to do halfway well in the (publicly available) ratings:  It looks like it hovers around a 3.0--which is definitely a lot better than, say, WGST and, yes, the current WYAY.

(While it's officially based in Atlanta, Georgia Public Broadcasting's radio operations don't really cover most of the Atlanta market.)

[RadioFreak69]

Hopefully "Atlanta's Greatest Hits" will wind up on 97.9 or 98.9.

[jh]

I doubt this will be close to the caliber of a WBBM or WTOP.  Rumor is Cumulus is amortizing the anchors, who reportedly took sizable reductions from their CNN Radio salaries, over Cumulus news/talk stations around the country.  So this could turn out to be profitable, big ratings or not.

So, your saying that KGO, KLIF and the other News/Information could be using these people?  So news outside ATL will be voice tracked, really?

This could be interesting.  This is just speculation, but perhaps Cumulus is setting up the all-news station in Atlanta as sort of a prototype.  Have some people do the local Atlanta news, while others using ABC product put together national segments.  If it works, the national segments are sent to KGO and other stations they flip to all-news or news and talk.  Sort of applying CC's "Premium Choice" concept to all-news?

[taylorengineer]

Putting an all news, very expensive format to operate, on 100.5 would be a waste of time.  If you plan to compete with WSB, the heritage station in the market, you need a BIG signal.  It is the ONLY way you have any chance of winning.  And no one goes into a new format/station not hoping to win.

The all news station will be on 106.7.  guaranteed.

 
Using 100.5 might force Cox to move WSB to a stronger, in town signal - one which actually has building penetration. 106.7 can be heard in most cars in most of the 15 counties but building penetration is not very good - same for 95.5.
100.5 is 12,500 watts at almost 1000 feet folks! In terms of power, that is not dramatically less than most other Atlanta stations. The null to the northeast is not that much and is, in theory, not that noticeable.
Take a look at the 60 dbu contour map yourself and then tell me WYAY is a "better" signal!

 http://maps.google.com/?q=http://transition.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/contourplot.kml?gmap=2%26appid=1090523%26call=WNNX%26freq=100.5%26contour=60%26city=COLLEGE_PARK%26state=GA.kml

this is WYAY's 60 dbu:

http://maps.google.com/?q=http://transition.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/contourplot.kml?gmap=2%26appid=1094547%26call=WYAY%26freq=106.7%26contour=60%26city=GAINESVILLE%26state=GA.kml

and here is WSBB 95.5:

http://maps.google.com/?q=http://transition.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/contourplot.kml?gmap=2%26appid=1206225%26call=WSBB-FM%26freq=95.5%26contour=60%26city=DORAVILLE%26state=GA.kml

So you tell me.....which one will technically give Cox more to worry about? And if you look at the 70 dbu contour, commonly called the "city grade" contour it becomes more apparent that 100.5 is the better signal for this purpose.
Someone else remarked that the quality of the product will trump signal differences and I agree with that statement.
But take away Kirk Mellish, Herb Emory, and Scott Slade and you have a very beatable radio station. WSB is NOT the news powerhouse it was in years past because they have fired lot's of folks since WGST threw in the "news towel."
It all depends on how well Cumulus executes. I, for one, can't wait to listen. All (mostly)news would be something I would listen to if done well.

[BRENT]

If it is like WBBM in Chicago it will be top notch.  That is by far the best all news station in the USA.  WSB needs to get a clue, especially with traffic reports, get rid of the disco music in the background and do not talk so gd fast, it sounds like a record out of control.

[eddiepritchett]

Will Macon be able to hear it to?

[jabba17]

Will Macon be able to hear it to?

Yes, but not always very well, especially indoors.  http://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WYAY&service=FM&status=L&hours=U

Big ol' full class C on probably the tallest tower in the metro area, away from the buildings of downtown.

[BRENT]

Those maps are whack.  I was in Macon a couple of weeks ago visiting my sister, and I could basically get every Atlanta FM like it was local.  Hell the reception was actually better than where I live in FM overload hell.  The ones that really stood out were . 90.1, 92.9, 94.1, 94.9, 95.5, 96.1, 97.1, 98.5, 99.7, 103.3, 104.1, 105.3, 106.7. 

[jabba17]

Those maps are whack.  I was in Macon a couple of weeks ago visiting my sister, and I could basically get every Atlanta FM like it was local.  Hell the reception was actually better than where I live in FM overload hell.  The ones that really stood out were . 90.1, 92.9, 94.1, 94.9, 95.5, 96.1, 97.1, 98.5, 99.7, 103.3, 104.1, 105.3, 106.7. 

All of those are big class C-somethings, with 97.1 and 106.7 being full class Cs with a line of sight towards Macon that doesn't include downtown ATL.  104.1 and 105.3 are south of town to boot, also with a clear line of sight.  The only surprise IMO is 95.5, which has the clear line of sight (same tower as 97.1) but much lower power and HAAT.

How did 105.7, 96.7, 107.5, 107.9, 100.5 come in?

[charlestondxman]

106.7 does have a very good signal, but not as good as some others. They have co-channels to the SE in SE Georgia, Orangeburg, one in Knoxville, Lawrenceburg, TN, and one in SE Alabama.

This is much better than 100.5. They have the Braves rights (which would help the station), and a better signal west, but Cumulus could for cheaper, promote their online feed, and/or pick up one of the AMs in the western suburbs (1550, 1520, 1120 or their own 1230) who would likely pay a pretty penny to be purchased.

100.5 though has the monster in the Upstate, which interferes in the northern suburbs, and east of about Monroe, forget about it. It's WSSL anywhere E of Athens or N of Gainesville.