99.5 The Jag

Radio Insight is reporting that iHeart has partnered with USA to launch "99.5 The Jag" on the long-dormant W258AY translator in Mobile. According to the post, it'll have Uncle Henry in the mornings, Fox Sports all day and the Jaguars will have the right to program sports programming at any time. They'll also be moving USA sports carriage from WMXC to WRKH as part of the deal.

The new station launches April 2nd.

It begs several questions, namely, whether this spells the end of the WNTM simulcast on 96.1-2 or whether WNTM is about to go all sports and just feed the translator directly. And why not just build out the permit for WJGR-LP and use it for sports?

It was a smart move. They can sell sponsorship's around the games and school events, and will create an additional revenue source. it is a win-win situation for all involved. The LP will be used in more of a learning environment (the have a broadcast media class at the school).

That's assuming the LPFM ever comes on the air. Last I heard they got rid of the only competent engineer involved and were going it alone.

Will USA get to sell commercials on The Jag?
Maybe the iHeart engineers will do the work for 97.1 The Prowl?
Maybe revenue from commercials on The Jag can fund The Prowl without raising student government fees.
Win-win-win.

So the other question than is Dan Patrick? Dan Patrick is fed on Fox Sports Radio and WNSP airs Dan Patrick. I would think that only one would get it.

What is this translator translating?

When it finally signs on, probably WKSJ 94.9 HD2.

seedless said:

When it finally signs on, probably WKSJ 94.9 HD2.

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I don't think they're going to displace the Smooth Jazz again, and they're certainly not going to touch 99.9-2 since it's feeding its own translator. Didn't the press release say sports games were moving from Mix to Rocket? If so, I suspect the translator will be fed by 96.1-2, replacing WNTM. That way Jag programming is side-by-side for HD radio users.

The WNTM HD2 simulcast serves more of a purpose than the other iHeart HD2 channels.
I doubt iHeart will feed a Mobile translator with a station licensed to Pensacola, so Kiss and TK are out.
Perhaps iHeart had a very good reason to put Jazz on two stations and co-promote them? Also you figured out that Kiss is running a very strong HD signal in Mobile, so no loss of Jazz in Mobile if 94.9 HD2 breaks off the simulcast.
There's really no reason to "shake up" the HD2s and currently there isn't a good reason to add a low nitrate HD3 to feed translators, but that day may come.

Just my reasoning. I know nothing.

I still feel that WNTM will end up with Mobile and Eastern Shore translators. iHeart may need that HD2 signal to feed the Eastern Shore if they eventually move something in under the 250 mile rule for 710.

seedless said:

The WNTM HD2 simulcast serves more of a purpose than the other iHeart HD2 channels.

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Well, I figure whatever HD2 channel is most useful is the one they'll get rid of because Corporate Logic Reasons.

seedless said:

I still feel that WNTM will end up with Mobile and Eastern Shore translators. iHeart may need that HD2 signal to feed the Eastern Shore if they eventually move something in under the 250 mile rule for 710.

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If you remember, that was the original plan for 99.5. The parent station was even listed as WNTM in the application(s). There was some sort of issue with site location that kept it from ever going on air. I think it had to do with the Prichard tower coming down; it was originally going to broadcast from that stick.

Of course in the time it took them to negotiate a place on the Shelton Beach Road tower that houses WAVH, the Prichard tower has been completely rebuilt and WASG put up for sale.

I can't understand why iHeart would ditch plans to put WNTM on FM only to buy translators at some point in the future, since they had one already. But then as I said before, Corporate Logic may be at play here.

This should spell the end of the 94.9-2/107.3-2 simulcast.

Makes the most sense.

Mobile still has 4(?) silent translator CPs with unknown hosts stations and future owners. WNTM Mobile: 96.1 HD2/96.5 Mobile/96.9 Daphne...sounds good to me, but all I have is a keyboard.

seedless said:

This should spell the end of the 94.9-2/107.3-2 simulcast.

Makes the most sense.

Mobile still has 4(?) silent translator CPs with unknown hosts stations and future owners. WNTM Mobile: 96.1 HD2/96.5 Mobile/96.9 Daphne...sounds good to me, but all I have is a keyboard.

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I seriously don't think the smooth jazz is going anywhere. Remember, despite all logic these are technically different stations in two different markets, nevermind that they both cover virtually 100% of the same territory. It's still my contention that the smooth jazz is someone's beloved format, which is why Foggy Mountain got the axe to make way for jazz on WKSJ. Plus, while WRGV is operating at increased HD power, that doesn't mean it's a performer. It barely works outside of Baldwin County in my experience.

The translators are parked, and will be utilized when needed. The Jag and the Beat were the first changes to use the formats effectively. You will see another sale or two. Keep in mind, spoken word formats could be used on HD3 (since quality is not a issue). If something does come up, Smooth Jazz will be history. WNTM will probably not go away, they spent too much effort cross promoting on the AM, and probably has a core following.

Also keep in mind that iHeart now transmits HD logos for all stations except Smooth Jazz.

I still can't see iHeart launching any translators in Pensacola for TK or Kiss to feed.

To put translators on the air (on HD channels) in Pensacola would be a waste of time, and no additional revenue. There are other markets that can be better served.

tomservo said:

I don't think they're going to displace the Smooth Jazz again, and they're certainly not going to touch 99.9-2 since it's feeding its own translator. Didn't the press release say sports games were moving from Mix to Rocket? If so, I suspect the translator will be fed by 96.1-2, replacing WNTM. That way Jag programming is side-by-side for HD radio users.

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This makes the most sense.

So we will remain having two HD2 Smooth Jazz channels (WKSJ-2 and WRGV-2)?? I thought Smooth Jazz on WRGV HD2 was temporary...On a side note, WMXC "The Mix" axed the Sunday Smooth Jazz show on Sunday mornings...

Alex_0490 said:

So we will remain having two HD2 Smooth Jazz channels (WKSJ-2 and WRGV-2)?? I thought Smooth Jazz on WRGV HD2 was temporary...On a side note, WMXC "The Mix" axed the Sunday Smooth Jazz show on Sunday mornings...

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I don't think it's temporary. Remember, to iHeart (and everyone else), Mobile and Pensacola are two different markets. Hence the duplication. That's why we have two AC stations, more than two country stations and so forth and so on.

As an outsider, it never made sense to me why people in Mobile wouldn't embrace a Pensacola-licensed country station or why people in Pensacola might not listen to Mix 99.9 but at least from my limited viewing of ratings, that is how things shake out. The exceptions are only in the formats with one station for both markets like rock (TK) or urban (BLX).

Moving Jags games from Mix to Rocket makes sense. Air time on the Rocket is cheaper than on all iHeart FMs except Kiss. Football fits the Classic Rock format better than any 100kw iHeart station except the cash cow KSJ. Moving Jag football to TK may have been a better fit, depends on real ratings that I don't have access to, I guess.

Does KSJ's HD signal actually cover Mobile better than the Kiss HD signal? Is TK's HD signal in Mobile inferior to the Mobile iHeart HD signals? Piping in Smooth Jazz from a Pensacola signal wouldn't be a problem. Programming a Mobile translator from an out-of-market full power FM HD would be questionable at minimum. Hale needs to strike a deal to lease low nitrate HD-2/3 space from iHeart Pensacola to bring his Ticket into compliance.

iHeart Mobile isn't maxed out on ownership. I wonder if they might buy a second AM for Sports? 540 needs love.

KSJ's HD is the most robust I've encountered and it easily beats Kiss in Mobile. I can't even get 107.3's HD to decode at all west of downtown on my Insignia radios. But KSJ works even out on Schillinger Road with no real dropouts. I've gotten it as far as east as the Crestview area on I-10 without dropouts, too. I bet it could make the MS line without much issue, at least on the interstate.

Kiss, I lose it before I even get into Pensacola.

TK is about like Kiss, despite running higher power. It just doesn't work that well outside of Baldwin County.

I think what it comes down to is simply whose transmitter is closest, KSJ excepted.