WFNX being sold to Clear Channel

[raccoonradio]

There's sports talk and there's political, etc. talk. It would be 2 of each if they went talk.
And who knows maybe someday Kenny G will re-appear on 96.9 Or Greater could
try another musical format. CC would well try cons. talk on 101.7 with two and maybe
even 3 local hosts.

[Fenway1912]

Let's look at the total picture of CC in Boston

2 FM's that are solid revenue producers

2 AM's that are small blips on the radar.

They spent a small fortune on upgrading 1200 AM with no results.

They have decided spending 14.5 million for 101.7 is worth it and given the radio theorem of 'billable hours' they may have decided to make a run at WMJX given the downtown transmitter of WFNX.

Clear Channel has done very well in New York with WLTW-FM and in Chicago with WLIT-FM. If CC went soft rock and added Delilah at night they would hurt Magic 106.

Radio is all about Monday-Friday 6 AM to 6 PM to sell....

[DanStrassberg]

Clear Channel has done very well in New York with WLTW-FM and in Chicago with WLIT-FM. If CC went soft rock and added Delilah at night they would hurt Magic 106.

Do you really believe that the little directional 101.7 signal from One Financial Center could compete with the big nondirectional 106.7 signal from the Pru if the two stations were broadcasting similar content? You doubtless will say that the signal difference will be important in the suburbs but much less so in town. Still, in the kind of head-to-head battle you are suggesting, spots on the weaker signal would have to be heavily discounted with respect to spots on the stronger signal. Doesn't sound to me like a good formula for making big $$$ to pay off the added $14.5 million of debt CCU will be taking on to pay for 101.7.

[Fenway1912]

Clear Channel has done very well in New York with WLTW-FM and in Chicago with WLIT-FM. If CC went soft rock and added Delilah at night they would hurt Magic 106.

Do you really believe that the little directional 101.7 signal from One Financial Center could compete with the big nondirectional 106.7 signal from the Pru if the two stations were broadcasting similar content? You doubtless will say that the signal difference will be important in the suburbs but much less so in town. Still, in the kind of head-to-head battle you are suggesting, spots on the weaker signal would have to be heavily discounted with respect to spots on the stronger signal. Doesn't sound to me like a good formula for making big $$$ to pay off the added $14.5 million of debt CCU will be taking on to pay for 101.7.

True Dan - unless CC decides to simulcast WSRS on 101.7 - and then in turn bump up the WSRS rate card. It would be similar to Entercom buying 97.7 to simulcast 107.3 ( and Entercom paid far more for WILD-FM 6 years ago )

The listen at work format works - it is very unclear if Boston really wants another talk station.

[DavidEduardo]

True Dan - unless CC decides to simulcast WSRS on 101.7 - and then in turn bump up the WSRS rate card.

WSRS is a big biller in the Worcester market, which is separate from Boston. If they increase rates they will not be affordable by the Worcester clients, and the Boston clients don't buy Worcester as part of their Boston buy.

I don't know of any cases where a station is able to sell two separate rated markets in a combo... perhaps some cases exist, but they go against the way radio is bought.

[Fenway1912]

It is very easy to feed separate commercials to the transmitters. Entercom has done it for years with the Providence side of WEEI.

Much as I want to gag typing this - getting Deliah solidly into Boston will produce numbers.

True Dan - unless CC decides to simulcast WSRS on 101.7 - and then in turn bump up the WSRS rate card.

WSRS is a big biller in the Worcester market, which is separate from Boston. If they increase rates they will not be affordable by the Worcester clients, and the Boston clients don't buy Worcester as part of their Boston buy.

I don't know of any cases where a station is able to sell two separate rated markets in a combo... perhaps some cases exist, but they go against the way radio is bought.

[raccoonradio]

Show site lists WPLM as affiliate

[DavidEduardo]

It is very easy to feed separate commercials to the transmitters. Entercom has done it for years with the Providence side of WEEI.

Then it is not a simulcast.

[DanStrassberg]

It is very easy to feed separate commercials to the transmitters. Entercom has done it for years with the Providence side of WEEI.

Then it is not a simulcast.

Ed Levine of Galaxy Communications in central New York has used this technique on stations in Syracuse, Rome, and Utica for years. When I heard it, five or more years ago, it was very well executed--down to having the air talent voice different spots that aired simultaneously on stations in different markets. Since then, Galaxy has expanded into the Albany/Schenectady/Troy market and most likely these non-simulcasts now appear there as well. Seems to take some pretty talented folks to pull it off without screwing it up (spots need to be timed to within a second or two and automation failures can be real disasters), but I didn't hear any such mishaps.

[Fenway1912]

Show site lists WPLM as affiliate

Deliah is on WSRS and WPLM but both stations have problems in Boston proper. Women 18-49 love her show and she would bring people over to 101.7.