Jess 1110 Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 HUGE news here. CBS and Beasley Broadcasting have agreed to swap stations. CBS gets five stations, two in Philadelphia and three in Miami: WRDW-FM "Wired 96.5" (Rhythmic CHR) - Philadelphia 92.5 WXTU (Country) - Philadelphia 560 WQAM (Sports) - Miami WPOW-FM "Power 96" - Miami WKIS "99.9 Kiss Country" - Miami Beasley gets a hefty amount of stations, mostly in the south: CHR “Kiss 95.1” WNKS Urban “Power 98” 97.9 WPEG Urban AC “V101.9” WBAV Country “The New 103.7” WSOC AC “K104.7” WKQC Sports “610 The Fan” WFNZ Sports “CBS Sports Radio 1660” WBCN Charlotte Spanish CHR “Maxima 92.5” WYUU Rhythmic CHR “Wild 94.1” WLLD Sports “98.7 The Fan” WHFS-FM Country 99.5 WQYK Classic Hits “Q105” 104.7 WRBQ Sports “CBS Sports Radio 1010” WHFS Sports “CBS Sports Radio 610” WIP Philadelphia (Not the FM - the old AM frequency that relays the network CBS Sports Radio feed). Quite a big list. 610 had to go in order for them to meet FCC guidelines in Philly, since they own CBS 3 and Philly 57. I can't speak for Miami, but for Philly, let's look at the 12+ numbers... Let's get WXTU out of the way. It's #4 in the Neilsen Audio PPMs right behind WOGL. CBS now has two stations in the top 5. WRDW isn't as lucky. It's languishing in 16th. Its chief competitor, WIOQ, is in 13th. While CBS has its Amp format, it's kind of blocked in Philly. WIP is doing fairly good with Sports and people would go nuts without it. WOGL is top three. WXTU is right up on WOGL's heels. Which would leave Wired as the station that goes AMP.... BUT. I didn't mention KYW. KYW used to rule the charts for eons and eons like WPVI did. Now, it's sunk to tenth. Tenth! The continuing problems with the AM band are partially to blame, and CBS has been proactive in trying to find FM homes for their prized All-News formats. I'd imagine that part of the deal was driven by the need to get KYW an FM signal. So if we don't hear ticker noises and Traffic and Transit on The Twos by the end of the year.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToriElectra 291 Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 I'm still surprised they still haven't found FM homes for their New York News stations; I'm thinking they could flip their one non-sports/news station (I think it's country?) into a dual simulcast of WCBS 880 and 1010 WINS; WINS would get overnights and mornings, WCBS would get the afternoon and evening. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEsquire 9 Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 WIOQ is an incredibly weak CHR station and is well positioned to be taken out by a formidable competitor. My money's on 96.5 getting Amp'd or Now'd up. CBS's FM news in DC -- a top news market -- has been flagging. I wouldn't waste an FM stick on news in a market that's surrounded by alternative options (both in and out of market). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jess 1110 Posted October 2, 2014 Author Share Posted October 2, 2014 While I do see an opportunity for a competitor to Q, I think you have to look at other factors. AM is dying. Many radio receivers - if a device comes with one - pick up FM only. The amount of electronic devices and the need for more electricity has weakened the AM signal. Even the heritage stations are starting to feel it at this point. That's why you're seeing CBS moving its sports formats - WFAN, WIP - to the FM band. They're also starting to do this with their All News stations. KCBS started simulcasting a few years ago and that propelled them to number one in the Bay Area. I'm less sure about Chicago's simulcast. Meanwhile, their AMP radio results have been tepid at best. KAMP is working in LA, but 92.3 NYC ranked 14th in the latest polls. WODS in Boston was around the same. (I won't consider WNEW for a number of things. They're not an established station. They're broadcasting on the wonky WHFS frequency. They're up against a massive powerhouse in WTOP.) Plus, there are other mitigating factors in the market. WOGL is #3, WXTU is #4. They're kicking ass - I doubt they'd get flipped. WIP is middle of the pack but they have to get insane billing numbers because of the Eagles. 1210 is an AM. That makes Wired the one station you can flip. And it should be to KYW-FM. Amp would be the same thing as Wired. You have a chance to make more money and bolster your flagship radio station in the market. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEsquire 9 Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 Time will tell! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrtraveler01 737 Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 HUGE news here. CBS and Beasley Broadcasting have agreed to swap stations. CBS gets five stations, two in Philadelphia and three in Miami: WRDW-FM "Wired 96.5" (Rhythmic CHR) - Philadelphia 92.5 WXTU (Country) - Philadelphia 560 WQAM (Sports) - Miami WPOW-FM "Power 96" - Miami WKIS "99.9 Kiss Country" - Miami Beasley gets a hefty amount of stations, mostly in the south: CHR “Kiss 95.1” WNKS Urban “Power 98” 97.9 WPEG Urban AC “V101.9” WBAV Country “The New 103.7” WSOC AC “K104.7” WKQC Sports “610 The Fan” WFNZ Sports “CBS Sports Radio 1660” WBCN Charlotte Spanish CHR “Maxima 92.5” WYUU Rhythmic CHR “Wild 94.1” WLLD Sports “98.7 The Fan” WHFS-FM Country 99.5 WQYK Classic Hits “Q105” 104.7 WRBQ Sports “CBS Sports Radio 1010” WHFS Sports “CBS Sports Radio 610” WIP Philadelphia (Not the FM - the old AM frequency that relays the network CBS Sports Radio feed). Quite a big list. 610 had to go in order for them to meet FCC guidelines in Philly, since they own CBS 3 and Philly 57. I can't speak for Miami, but for Philly, let's look at the 12+ numbers... Let's get WXTU out of the way. It's #4 in the Neilsen Audio PPMs right behind WOGL. CBS now has two stations in the top 5. WRDW isn't as lucky. It's languishing in 16th. Its chief competitor, WIOQ, is in 13th. While CBS has its Amp format, it's kind of blocked in Philly. WIP is doing fairly good with Sports and people would go nuts without it. WOGL is top three. WXTU is right up on WOGL's heels. Which would leave Wired as the station that goes AMP.... BUT. I didn't mention KYW. KYW used to rule the charts for eons and eons like WPVI did. Now, it's sunk to tenth. Tenth! The continuing problems with the AM band are partially to blame, and CBS has been proactive in trying to find FM homes for their prized All-News formats. I'd imagine that part of the deal was driven by the need to get KYW an FM signal. So if we don't hear ticker noises and Traffic and Transit on The Twos by the end of the year.... Beasley got the better end of the deal at least in Florida. Only WPOW is in the top 10 in the Miami-Ft. Lauderdale market whereas the CBS Radio cluster in Tampa has 3 out of the top 10 in that market.' Even though Miami-Ft. Lauderdale is bigger than Tampa-St. Pete radio market wise, the Beasley cluster in Miami is probably one of the worst performing of the clusters. Maybe CBS can breathe some new life into those station, but they have a lot of work to do first. Miami ratings: http://ratings.radio-online.com/cgi-bin/rol.exe/arb429 Tampa: http://ratings.radio-online.com/cgi-bin/rol.exe/arb087 So what is going to happen with the legendary WHFS call letters which are currently parked in Tampa? Is CBS going to pull them and move them to another market or are they giving those up to Beasley? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mightynine 286 Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 I am a little surprised CBS gave up WIP and not WPHT. Wonder what that says about the future of CBS Sports Radio Network. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
24994J 5269 Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 I'm less sure about Chicago's simulcast. In the 3 or 4 years (I forget) since WBBM began their (WCFS-105.9 FM) simulcast, they are #1 in the morning, top 5 during the day, and even well-within the top 10 in off hours. However, the two stations are about to be broken in two for ratings purposes, likely attributed (in part) to the terms of the 2015 Cubs broadcast deal...but that's for another topic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WCAUTVNBC10 408 Posted October 2, 2014 Share Posted October 2, 2014 I am a little surprised CBS gave up WIP and not WPHT. Wonder what that says about the future of CBS Sports Radio Network. WPHT is a Class A station. One of the "clear channels". You don't just give those away. Doesn't really say much about CBS Sports Radio though. They aren't cleared outside of an HD subchannel in NYC and I'm sure they'll do the same thing here. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AaronQ 259 Posted October 3, 2014 Share Posted October 3, 2014 HUGE news here. CBS and Beasley Broadcasting have agreed to swap stations. CBS gets five stations, two in Philadelphia and three in Miami: WRDW-FM "Wired 96.5" (Rhythmic CHR) - Philadelphia 92.5 WXTU (Country) - Philadelphia 560 WQAM (Sports) - Miami WPOW-FM "Power 96" - Miami WKIS "99.9 Kiss Country" - Miami Beasley gets a hefty amount of stations, mostly in the south: CHR “Kiss 95.1” WNKS Urban “Power 98” 97.9 WPEG Urban AC “V101.9” WBAV Country “The New 103.7” WSOC AC “K104.7” WKQC Sports “610 The Fan” WFNZ Sports “CBS Sports Radio 1660” WBCN Charlotte Spanish CHR “Maxima 92.5” WYUU Rhythmic CHR “Wild 94.1” WLLD Sports “98.7 The Fan” WHFS-FM Country 99.5 WQYK Classic Hits “Q105” 104.7 WRBQ Sports “CBS Sports Radio 1010” WHFS Sports “CBS Sports Radio 610” WIP Philadelphia (Not the FM - the old AM frequency that relays the network CBS Sports Radio feed). Quite a big list. 610 had to go in order for them to meet FCC guidelines in Philly, since they own CBS 3 and Philly 57. I can't speak for Miami, but for Philly, let's look at the 12+ numbers... Let's get WXTU out of the way. It's #4 in the Neilsen Audio PPMs right behind WOGL. CBS now has two stations in the top 5. WRDW isn't as lucky. It's languishing in 16th. Its chief competitor, WIOQ, is in 13th. While CBS has its Amp format, it's kind of blocked in Philly. WIP is doing fairly good with Sports and people would go nuts without it. WOGL is top three. WXTU is right up on WOGL's heels. Which would leave Wired as the station that goes AMP.... BUT. I didn't mention KYW. KYW used to rule the charts for eons and eons like WPVI did. Now, it's sunk to tenth. Tenth! The continuing problems with the AM band are partially to blame, and CBS has been proactive in trying to find FM homes for their prized All-News formats. I'd imagine that part of the deal was driven by the need to get KYW an FM signal. So if we don't hear ticker noises and Traffic and Transit on The Twos by the end of the year.... And most of the stations that CBS giving up to Beasley are from Charlotte. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weeters 1805 Posted October 3, 2014 Share Posted October 3, 2014 I'm still surprised they still haven't found FM homes for their New York News stations; I'm thinking they could flip their one non-sports/news station (I think it's country?) into a dual simulcast of WCBS 880 and 1010 WINS; WINS would get overnights and mornings, WCBS would get the afternoon and evening. WCBS is a Clear Channel frequency that's so clear that most nights, I can pick it up loud and clear all the way in WI. I can get it more reliably than some local AM stations sometimes. With a signal like that I don't imagine most people in the actual listening area have many problems picking it up that would warrant simulcasting on FM. I can pick up KDKA okay, too. I always check around :30 after the hour because I love their bottom-off-the-hour sounder. "News on K-D-K-A............. NOW!" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ToriElectra 291 Posted October 3, 2014 Share Posted October 3, 2014 The only time that happened to me was when I picked up WBBM one morning a few years ago. But WCBS and WINS, or KYW for that matter, don't seem to reach NW NJ; WFAN's FM simulcast barely comes in as it is; and I refuse to listen to News/Talk station and the only NPR station is operated by a college and only carries the NPR News On-The-Hour (other than that, it's just Car Talk and the World Cafe they carry). So I want WCBS and/or WINS on FM, and so when we're travelling, it doesn't go out under an overpass or power lines. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbs2newengland 71 Posted October 3, 2014 Share Posted October 3, 2014 my family used to have an aftermarket radio with the original Toyota 4runner antenna, and was able to get the Class A stations in NY clear as a bell (WBBR, WOR, and WCBS in order of strength and quality) in the Nashua/Manchester NH area. A few years ago that vehicle got totalled, and then the rent a car was a recent Dodge Charger had a really good AM tuner (but there was free Sirus/XM so I was listening to that more) despite it being an American car - good tuner. However, the vehicle now is a Ford Escape that has a really lousy AM tuner, unable to get any Boston stations or even those lousy 2000 watter stations in the northern part of the market. So Matt is right, that could explain why 1060 could have a bump down in the ratings. But after these NSA scandals, can't CBS spy on the users and use cumes on their radio.com app, unofficially of course? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mightynine 286 Posted October 3, 2014 Share Posted October 3, 2014 WPHT is a Class A station. One of the "clear channels". You don't just give those away. Doesn't really say much about CBS Sports Radio though. They aren't cleared outside of an HD subchannel in NYC and I'm sure they'll do the same thing here. I didn't realize the signal was that good. I always put WPHT a little further down the dial than it actually is. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike91 66 Posted October 3, 2014 Share Posted October 3, 2014 So now that they are getting rid of their radio stations in Tampa, I would assume they would be willing to ditch WTOG (to Scripps or Gannett, maybe even a WTVT duopoly with a switch to MyNet). I'm sure given Les Moonves' recent comments regarding buying stations, they would love to have that much more room against the cap. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sanewsguy 509 Posted October 3, 2014 Share Posted October 3, 2014 Do you think CBS could buy "More FM @ 101.1"? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WCAUTVNBC10 408 Posted October 3, 2014 Share Posted October 3, 2014 Do you think CBS could buy "More FM @ 101.1"? Not before Jerry Lee dies. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brother 81 Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 Do you think CBS could buy "More FM @ 101.1"? I guess you can never say never, even if Jerry Lee's still alive and kicking. Still, the Beasley deal puts them at the 8-station limit in Philadelphia (2 TV, 2 AM, and now 4 FM), so one station would have to go (one of the AM's, no doubt). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mrtraveler01 737 Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 I guess you can never say never, even if Jerry Lee's still alive and kicking. Still, the Beasley deal puts them at the 8-station limit in Philadelphia (2 TV, 2 AM, and now 4 FM), so one station would have to go (one of the AM's, no doubt). Hopefully they don't though. CBS seems to do an awful job when it comes to programming AC stations. Heck, I think Clear Channel...excuse me...iHeartMedia...does a better job at programming AC than CBS does. CBS took KEZK which used to be Soft Rock 102.5 and did fairly well in the ratings (usually in the top 5), rebranded it Fresh 102.5 and cut out the older music and solely focusing on mostly on 90's and 00's music (with few 80's thrown few and far between). As a result, it's now 14th losing to stations like the NPR affiliate and now I only listen to it periodically at Christmas. I understand that the AC format is slowly moving away from the 70's and 80's but CBS took it to such a stupid extreme that it sounded pretty similar to it's hot AC competitor KYKY. Heck, CBS did something similar in Dallas and now it's classified as Hot AC. Sorry for the rant but it seems that CBS doesn't know how to program any station that isn't Classic Hits or News. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bars-n-tone 35 Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 KYW Newsradio will likely find a spot on FM. Friends at CBS Radio told me a few years ago that there were possible plans to get them a spot on the high end of the FM dial... I can't remember if it was up at 106.1 or 106.9. Obviously, that fell through, but they've been thinking about it a long time, well before other AM-to-FM moves took place. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WCAUTVNBC10 408 Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 KYW Newsradio will likely find a spot on FM. Friends at CBS Radio told me a few years ago that there were possible plans to get them a spot on the high end of the FM dial... I can't remember if it was up at 106.1 or 106.9. Obviously, that fell through, but they've been thinking about it a long time, well before other AM-to-FM moves took place. It was 106.9 and that disaster of an operation Merlin presided over. Merlin outbid CBS for that station. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cbs2newengland 71 Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 Hopefully they don't though. CBS seems to do an awful job when it comes to programming AC stations. Heck, I think Clear Channel...excuse me...iHeartMedia...does a better job at programming AC than CBS does. CBS took KEZK which used to be Soft Rock 102.5 and did fairly well in the ratings (usually in the top 5), rebranded it Fresh 102.5 and cut out the older music and solely focusing on mostly on 90's and 00's music (with few 80's thrown few and far between). As a result, it's now 14th losing to stations like the NPR affiliate and now I only listen to it periodically at Christmas. I understand that the AC format is slowly moving away from the 70's and 80's but CBS took it to such a stupid extreme that it sounded pretty similar to it's hot AC competitor KYKY. Heck, CBS did something similar in Dallas and now it's classified as Hot AC. Sorry for the rant but it seems that CBS doesn't know how to program any station that isn't Classic Hits or News. I don't know why in the hell are they pushing out generic formats like AMP, wasn't that Jack experiment a success? my market alone, got 4 stations playing the same music, one is Top 40 (WXKS), two others a Cumulus/Citadel (WXLO), CBS (WBMX) officially a "Hot AC" station and now the old Oldies 103 in the last year went AMP. I was really pissed off when they did that because they just wrecked a generation + of history on that station and it being owned by CBS wayyy before the Infinity/Group W mergers. And all 4 said stations play like Lady GoooGooo, and other "bands" and "artists" every hour. And they wonder why people tune away from radio and wonder why radio groups are wasting time reaching an audience (like the very extreme end of the Millennial generations) who never listened or even gives a damn about radio. If they want to get rid of music stations and move talk or all news, please do it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JULIUS 1 Posted October 4, 2014 Share Posted October 4, 2014 What are the chances that 1210 WPHT will change formats as a result of this deal and depending on what Beasley does with 610 AM? I don't think that CBS wants the CBS sports network on a HD subchannel, I think they will make a sacrifice and drop the talk format for sports, despite the money its making. If Dan Mason wants the radio network cleared on radio, Marc Rayfield would have no choice but to go along with it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TheEsquire 9 Posted October 8, 2014 Share Posted October 8, 2014 Further the point about FM news in Philly as a possible candidate for a format flip...today's news out of Houston suggests dark days ahead for those trying to do FM news. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jess 1110 Posted October 9, 2014 Author Share Posted October 9, 2014 KYW Newsradio will likely find a spot on FM. Friends at CBS Radio told me a few years ago that there were possible plans to get them a spot on the high end of the FM dial... I can't remember if it was up at 106.1 or 106.9. Obviously, that fell through, but they've been thinking about it a long time, well before other AM-to-FM moves took place. CBS was gunning for 106.9 when Family Radio was selling off its FMs. Ultimately Merlin Media got it, and we got one of the worst FM stations ever created by man. The news out of Houston isn't really relevant to Philadelphia. That was an FM station that didn't have a prior identity and was run by Radio One (the murderers of WDRE and Y100), a company that I don't think ever had a news station before. To me, the whole point of this swap is to give KYW an FM home in Philadelphia. That it comes with a top rated country station is just gravy. A KYW-FM would be drawing on the history and identity of one of the city's most prestigious news stations, one that viewers have had a habit of listening to for years. You have an audience. WIP's successful move to FM shows that the audience will follow. (And - ironically - it would be on the signal that once housed one of its top competitors, WWDB.) Oh, and B101? Not while Jerry Lee is still alive. I'm pretty sure I recall hearing he got a number of offers ranging in the seven digits, and he's still refused. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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