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ESPN 98.7 FM to be no more come August 31, 2024
- Thread starter NYCsporty
- Start date
What works in Nashville doesn't necessarily mean it will work in New York City. That goes for any format, including Country or Alternative Rock. Luckily, there is HD and Internet radio to fall back on with those formats.
Nothing truthful about that statement. Audacy believed in the Alternative format until it became clear it was no longer financially viable in New York. Same with Country on 94.7.
Huff
Administrator
The Grand Ole Opry may be nearing its century mark, but the overall format on WSM-AM has not been consistent for that entire century; it wasn't until 1980 that the station dropped its MOR daytime format to go Country 24/7.
I remember David Field genuinely talking up the format in 2017, but as soon as the economy collapsed thanks to Covid, the decision became academic for alternative.
I'll give them credit for trying to program country on their own terms after obtaining 94.7 and realizing it just couldn't work.
650 WSM is owned by Ryman Hospitality Properties, which also owns the Grand Ole Opry. WSM is basically a marketing tool that doesn't need to rely on ratings.
WSM-FM is the progenitor of Cumulus's "Nash Icon" and has been quite successful as a compliment to WKDF.
But now that we're 4 years removed from Covid, and the possibility of Trump returning as president (not to get political here, just speculating a what if scenario), would the New York market be better suited for an alternative station now?
On another earlier thread on 98.7 I suggested that Mr Catsimatidis could be an ideal owner for this signal, as he has the money and the passion for radio. If he can be persuaded to program the new WABC-FM for a younger demographic with appropriately appealing talk or other programs, he might then be generating income that would allow the fun stuff he does on 770 to be funded. I have read speculation that 770 is entirely dependent on his checkbook. A modern talk 98.7 could stop the cash drain and the Red Apple broadcasting arm could stand on its own. 770 his direct megaphone; 98.7 his separate operation, but still influenced behind the scenes.
an
The first WRXP flipped nearly three years after the Great Recession happened. Young people, the predominant part of the listenership, still struggled with buying power even after other demographics were recovering. Today, there's multiple factors including inflation concerns and the economic uncertainty of the election that make it a similar risk.
Even with the format's laundry list of struggles and failed formats in NYC, that alone would be enough to make it a no-go.
It could stop the cash drain, but it wouldn't likely stop it quickly. If he were to build a new younger WABC on 98.7, he'd still likely lose money for 2-3 years, even if it immediately took off with the listeners.
We are four years from the start of COVID. I got COVID last October from attending the NAB convention in New York City, and my doctor said that the disease is still there but with three new situations: 1) the latest mutations are not as generally dangerous, 2) many more people have been vaccinated and 3) many more have had it.
But COVID is still there. Where I live we have a high percentage of seniors and many, many still wear masks in public, don't go to movie theaters and shows and the like.
There is belief that WABC (AM) is moderately profitable. While it does not get much 25-54 "prime" business, it has lots of clients; even at lower rates it can make money.
I don't think that is true. The owner has lots of business contacts in the market, particularly in the food services industry. There is no reason why he can't make money of direct sales and local agency business even if the audience is older. There is a niche for his offering and he gets pretty solid numbers.
How about making WABC FM all talk and then make 77 WABC a full on music station once again!!! Because right now, you got Vinnie Medugno, Cousin Brucie, and Tony Orlando on Saturday night, and Joe Piscopo's Sinatra show on Sunday!! Now just add any other former CBS FM DJs from when they still played the oldies!!!
The inherent problem with FM-oriented talk is that Stern's move to satellite almost 20 years ago, followed by the failure of Free FM, killed off the format's viability nationally. Sure there are outliers like WHPT or WTKS-FM (or even WMMS with their hybrid talk/rock format) but those are too few and far between.
The conservative talk format is such that if it was populated with young hosts, you're going to get the same results as WOR, WABC or WNYM, with the same demos. It works on 770 but likely will be a failure on 98.7. There aren't enough Mark Arums out there to make the talk radio format viable for young people.
The conservative talk format is such that if it was populated with young hosts, you're going to get the same results as WOR, WABC or WNYM, with the same demos. It works on 770 but likely will be a failure on 98.7. There aren't enough Mark Arums out there to make the talk radio format viable for young people.
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For what demographic would that be for?
Saturday and Sunday nights are the lowest tune-in time slots for radio. So stations will often "break format" there and try to do something that will attract a specialty audience that will enhance cume.
Nobody will listen to an AM music station any more.
And the station owner wants a voice, not just a jukebox. Those interesting talented voices will do a few hours a week just for fun. But none will work 40 hours a week!
I stopped at the pet store right next to the TX site last weekend. It looked like the Aux tower was leaning and the grounds needed to be bushwhacked.
The demographics of New York City just don't work for alternative, no matter who's president.
OK, stop the bus. Which "former CBS FM DJs" are you talking about? Harry Harrison? Gone to that great oldies station in heaven. Ron Lundy? Bill Brown? Bob Shannon? Don K. Reed? Dan Ingram? Jack Miller? All of them are doing shifts up there.
Brucie is over at WABC already, but he's in his (late) 80s, so he's not going to do five days a week anymore. Ditto Bobby Jay. Even the "young bucks" from back then, guys like Mike Fitzgerald or Mike McCann, are in their 60s. Pat St. John's in San Diego. Even Bill Lee, who's already there, just moved to evenings from PM Drive so he wouldn't have to commute as often; he too is in his (early) 70s.
Who's left? Dick Heatherton? Norm N. Nite? The handful still with us are (a) pretty old by now, and (b) largely living comfortably in less stressful locations far away from NYC. So your suggestion isn't terribly practical.
Alternative isn't a viable format due to low sales and ratings. Stop beating a dead horse. You can tell who on here is a fan of Radio and who actually worked in Radio by the formats they champion over and over and over. Alternative is very niche, and in most markets just WILL NOT WORK.
This is even more impractical than Alternative. Do you have any idea how laughable a music format on AM would be in the Number 1 market in the US? That's not just pouring cash in, that's burning gasoline soaked cash with a nuclear bomb bad.