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LTSC1980

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For what it's worth: EMF currently has a K-Love station on 94.3 FM, licensed to Glendale Heights and broadcasting at 3.5 kW from Oakbrook Terrace. They also have an Air-1 station broadcasting from Wheaton on 88.1 FM at only 250 W. They just bought 88.1 about this time last year.

 

I think K-Love and Air-1 are the only two radio formats that EMF operates. K-Love is an adult-contemporary Christian format, while Air-1 is a CHR/Active Rock Christian format.

 

Whether they put Air-1 or K-Love on the station, I'd have to imagine that 88.1 goes away, as it would be wholly redundant.

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Prayers for the Loop staff......EMF will take over 97.9 WLUP.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/business/ct-biz-wlup-sold-emf-christian-20180306-story.html

40 Years, some Classic Rock fans are not going to be happy about this, unless an event like WABD and WLVM happens, where a station (Cumulus’ WYOK in Mobile, AL, which changed calls to WABD when the final hour of WABB-FM happened, now WDLT-FM) picks up the format and branding of the original station simultaneously after the original Heritage station (Dittman’s WABB-FM, now WABD) signs off.

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Is radio that bankrupt that EMF is the only company with money anymore? At which point do they buy a full B in NYC?

EMF just doesn't go stupid on purchases. They only need at least one FM signal for the main format K-Love, and a secondary for Air1.

 

TBH, I don't think they have any debt load whatsoever. For a non-profit organization, they are well-respected, very transparent, and rated highly by appraisers like Charity Navigator.

 

I betcha they want to get WBAI, but the only reason why that class B isn't being sold is the crippling dysfunction that's governed WBAI since the Johnson Administration.

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Said this on Facebook and the 506 forums, but KLove is pretty much the Christian radio equivalent to the "Ma Bell"-era AT&T.

 

I would have to guess this is easily one of the biggest surprise acquisitions in the media world probably since FOX grabbed the NFL from CBS.

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I betcha they want to get WBAI, but the only reason why that class B isn't being sold is the crippling dysfunction that's governed WBAI since the Johnson Administration.

 

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I'll bet Entercom reverts 105.9 back to classic rock to fill the void left by the Loop. The existing K-Love station at 94.3 will likely go to Air 1.

That seems logical, but I haven't seen any confirmation of such. If that happens, I do wonder what they do with 88.1, given that it's in the non-commercial reserved band. They could sell it (or donate it) back to Wheaton College, I suppose.

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We've reached the point that when Pacifica's number is up, the only company that could afford them is EMF. That is if they don't end up buying the Emmis NYC cluster first.

 

Imagine a world where the Hot 97 and WBLS brands are just cast aside. It could very well happen at this point.

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I'll bet Entercom reverts 105.9 back to classic rock to fill the void left by the Loop. The existing K-Love station at 94.3 will likely go to Air 1.

The Drive pretty much IS the classic rock station for Chicago. Plus a flip to classic rock at 105.9 would hurt AAA WXRT.

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The Drive pretty much IS the classic rock station for Chicago. Plus a flip to classic rock at 105.9 would hurt AAA WXRT.

Oh yeah, I forgot about The Drive. I'll bet Entercom is waiting for WKQX the second coming to go away so that they can flip 105.9 to their Alt format that's been popping up at some of the former CBS stations.

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The Drive pretty much IS the classic rock station for Chicago. Plus a flip to classic rock at 105.9 would hurt AAA WXRT.

 

The Drive is an example of how successful a classic rock station can be when it has competent management. I doubt any station will switch to fill in the void by WLUP since the Drive essentially made the Loop irrelevant.

 

Classic Rock fans are cursing the name EMF because they basically did the same thing in LA late last year. However in that case, they bought out the more successful classic rock station in LA because of the CBS/Entercom merger forced them to sell it off. But compared to KLOS, The Sound was a whole lot better. I feel bad for the classic rock fans in LA after that happened.

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I'll bet Entercom reverts 105.9 back to classic rock to fill the void left by the Loop.

 

Why go back to a station that just flopped around with hot talk and other detritus when the WBBM simulcast kills all those issues? WBBM on FM is staying, especially with the oncoming move of the AM to the WSCR tower site.

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  • 2 weeks later...
Why go back to a station that just flopped around with hot talk and other detritus when the WBBM simulcast kills all those issues? WBBM on FM is staying, especially with the oncoming move of the AM to the WSCR tower site.

The moving of WBBM's transmitter to the WSCR tower won't be that much a difference. Even with a technical decrease in power, WBBM will still enjoy the same coverage area they've had for decades.

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So are they still airing K-LOVE on both 94.3 at the same time as 97.9?

 

If so, I'd have to assume that's temporary, because I can't see any point to carrying the same stuff on both signals. 94.3 doesn't reach anyone that 97.9 doesn't.

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  • 4 months later...

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