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95.5 Move-In Application Reinstated

R

RoddyFreeman

The FCC has reinstated Cox's application to move WSBB-FM to the New Street tower. The application was reinstated after Cox paid an FCC fee that was supposed to have been paid by WHMA/95.5 in Hobson City, AL, which has an agreement with Cox to decrease its power when WSBB moves into Atlanta.

The New Street tower is owned by Public Broadcasting of Atlanta and currently carries the antennas of B98.5, Star 94-1, V-103 and WABE. Star 94-1 is moving to Chester Avenue, and I'm guessing V-103 will make the same move after the sale of CBS Radio to Entercom closes.
 
The 95.5 signal has issues south of the airport:

https://www.fcc.gov/media/radio/map...ORAVILLE&state=GA&fileno=BLH-20070926AKM&.map

the tower location will take care of that issue:

https://www.fcc.gov/media/radio/map...ORAVILLE&state=GA&fileno=BPH-20060501AOE&.map

If WSBB ever gets it’s inside the perimeter tower what will Cox do with 750? 106.7 and 640 have most of the second and third tier talkers, tax / investment paid programming. They could run Clark Howard “live”. They also have the rights to CBS radio news if that is even around after the CBS radio divestiture. I guess they could try the old "ring radio" format. If they own the land under the WSB tower then the shopping center rents should be worth a lot so selling 750 or giving away might be out of the question.
 
secondchoice said:
The 95.5 signal has issues south of the airport:

https://www.fcc.gov/media/radio/map...ORAVILLE&state=GA&fileno=BLH-20070926AKM&.map

the tower location will take care of that issue:

https://www.fcc.gov/media/radio/map...ORAVILLE&state=GA&fileno=BPH-20060501AOE&.map

If WSBB ever gets it’s inside the perimeter tower what will Cox do with 750? 106.7 and 640 have most of the second and third tier talkers, tax / investment paid programming. They could run Clark Howard “live”. They also have the rights to CBS radio news if that is even around after the CBS radio divestiture. I guess they could try the old "ring radio" format. If they own the land under the WSB tower then the shopping center rents should be worth a lot so selling 750 or giving away might be out of the question.
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How many class A clears have changed hands elsewhere, and for how much? My guess is not many. Obviously a class A clear isn't worth anywhere near as much as it used to be, but they do seem to be the remaining really viable AMs.

For class Bs, you can see what Entercom got for Quixie and the Mouse got for WDWD. Class Cs and Ds, fuhgeddaboutit.

WSB putting different programming on AM is an interesting idea, though. They could pick up Glenn Beck and some of the other second-tier talkers, since iHeartClearChannel seems to be more interested in clearance and syndication of Premiere programming than ratings at WGST. Maybe they could use WSB AM as a farm team for future Cox talkers.

One crazy idea is selling WSB AM to iHeartClearChannel or Cumulus or the Dickeys, but I highly doubt the folks at Digital White Columns want to immediately make their competitors viable in that space.
 
I can't think of an example where the simulcast of AM programming on FM has led to discontinuing that format on the AM. In Chicago the all-news simulcast continues at WBBM. In Washington DC, the news/talk simulcast remains at WMAL. In New York, WFAN can still be heard on 660, even though most listeners hear it on FM. WBT in Charlotte is another example. On the west coast, there's KCBS San Francisco also heard on KFRC-FM.

In the case of WMAL, Cumulus is selling the land under the AM tower and moving further out of town. That's probably the most you can expect to see with WSB.
 
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TheBigA said:
I can't think of an example where the simulcast of AM programming on FM has led to discontinuing that format on the AM.
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WXYT to WXYT-FM, Detroit.
 
jabba17 said:
How many class A clears have changed hands elsewhere, and for how much? My guess is not many. Obviously a class A clear isn't worth anywhere near as much as it used to be, but they do seem to be the remaining really viable AMs.

For class Bs, you can see what Entercom got for Quixie and the Mouse got for WDWD. Class Cs and Ds, fuhgeddaboutit.

WSB putting different programming on AM is an interesting idea, though. They could pick up Glenn Beck and some of the other second-tier talkers, since iHeartClearChannel seems to be more interested in clearance and syndication of Premiere programming than ratings at WGST. Maybe they could use WSB AM as a farm team for future Cox talkers.

One crazy idea is selling WSB AM to iHeartClearChannel or Cumulus or the Dickeys, but I highly doubt the folks at Digital White Columns want to immediately make their competitors viable in that space.
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I can think of such a case, and it involved Cox, owner of WSB. In the Orlando market, WBDO-AM/580 had the News/Talk format for years and had a great signal. But when Cox put WDBO on one of their FM signals, they put ESPN Radio on 580. The move surprised me, but I guess Cox thought they could run it cheaply and add another profit center.

Just my opinion, but WSB-AM is such a historic station that I think it will just continue with its current News/Talk format. One other thing regarding all of this: Cox's ownership of the AJC had been holding up the 95.5 move, but that rule was expected to be repealed; not sure where that stands.
 
If there were not so many sports stations in Atlanta, they probably would have considered that. But not in the current climate.
I also highly doubt they would devalue the WSB "brand" by running tier 2 talk hosts on the station -- especially while handing the hosts, "owned" by the competition clearance on the station and eroding their own shows on the FM.
My guess is the simulcast will continue indefinitely, with some splits happening for special programming. Maybe a political debate on one, while the talk show continues on another. You could also run games on one while continuing the regular format on the other. As far as a regular split, probably not going to happen.

Does anyone have access to the ratings split for the AM vs the FM? I'd be very curious!!!
 
RoddyFreeman said:
I can think of such a case, and it involved Cox, owner of WSB. In the Orlando market, WBDO-AM/580 had the News/Talk format for years and had a great signal. But when Cox put WDBO on one of their FM signals, they put ESPN Radio on 580. The move surprised me, but I guess Cox thought they could run it cheaply and add another profit center.

Just my opinion, but WSB-AM is such a historic station that I think it will just continue with its current News/Talk format. One other thing regarding all of this: Cox's ownership of the AJC had been holding up the 95.5 move, but that rule was expected to be repealed; not sure where that stands.
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Last I heard, 20% of WSB's total audience is listening to 750 AM. While the move of 95.5 closer in would help on the west side and south side of the metro, even if the AM dropped down to say 5% of the total, that could have a severe impact on their ratings so why do it when just a half rating point in Atlanta is big big bucks.

The cross ownership repeal you're referring to here is expected to be on the FCC October meeting agenda. Word is the FCC Chairman has the votes to repeal it. When that happens, the CP for WSBB can be built and should they desire, Cox could also move WSRV closer in to the center of market. Under the rule, none of Cox's non grandfathered stations, WSRV and WALR and LMA WTSH, can place a 60 dBu contour over 100% of the city of Atlanta, where the AJC is published. Both WALR and WTSH has spectrum or airport restrictions preventing their moves but last I heard WSRV does have some flexibility to move closer in (by downgrading from a Class C) until it bumps into 97.5. I was told it could be a 50,000 watt C2 at the Jimmy Carter/I-85 tower cluster where 107.5 is located and run 50KW non DA so the coverage would be better than 107.5 which runs 33KW with a null to the northeast. Here is the kicker, they would increase the pop count in their 60 dBu by over 300,000 people.
 
MediaMan said:
Last I heard, 20% of WSB's total audience is listening to 750 AM. While the move of 95.5 closer in would help on the west side and south side of the metro, even if the AM dropped down to say 5% of the total, that could have a severe impact on their ratings so why do it when just a half rating point in Atlanta is big big bucks.

The cross ownership repeal you're referring to here is expected to be on the FCC October meeting agenda. Word is the FCC Chairman has the votes to repeal it. When that happens, the CP for WSBB can be built and should they desire, Cox could also move WSRV closer in to the center of market. Under the rule, none of Cox's non grandfathered stations, WSRV and WALR and LMA WTSH, can place a 60 dBu contour over 100% of the city of Atlanta, where the AJC is published. Both WALR and WTSH has spectrum or airport restrictions preventing their moves but last I heard WSRV does have some flexibility to move closer in (by downgrading from a Class C) until it bumps into 97.5. I was told it could be a 50,000 watt C2 at the Jimmy Carter/I-85 tower cluster where 107.5 is located and run 50KW non DA so the coverage would be better than 107.5 which runs 33KW with a null to the northeast. Here is the kicker, they would increase the pop count in their 60 dBu by over 300,000 people.
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If that 97.1 move were to happen (very unlikely), I bet a new Class A or C3 station could be dropped in on 96.9, 97.3, or 97.5 in Northeast Georgia. Also, doesn't WSRV already put a 60 dBu signal over most if not all of Atlanta's city limits?
 
ftballfan said:
If that 97.1 move were to happen (very unlikely), I bet a new Class A or C3 station could be dropped in on 96.9, 97.3, or 97.5 in Northeast Georgia. Also, doesn't WSRV already put a 60 dBu signal over most if not all of Atlanta's city limits?
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Cox did have a CP to move WSRV to an existing tower near (IIRC) Flowery Branch, with a downgrade to I think C1, but I think that has lapsed. Also as I remember Cox wanted to get everything off of the Chateau Elan tower (WSBB to intown, WSRV to the Flowery Branch tower, and W249CK/97.7 TOSOTR to the big cell tower by the Hampton Inn at Discover Mills up on the ridge) because of structural issues with the tower. The CP for the TOSOTR move appears to have lapsed, too.
 
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ftballfan said:
If that 97.1 move were to happen (very unlikely), I bet a new Class A or C3 station could be dropped in on 96.9, 97.3, or 97.5 in Northeast Georgia. Also, doesn't WSRV already put a 60 dBu signal over most if not all of Atlanta's city limits?
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The present rule is it can't cover 100% of the city limits of Atlanta. No sure exactly what portion they don't cover with present signal but it does appear to be near the airport.

There is a C3 on 96.7 in the Seneca, SC area that blocks the use of 96.9 in NE Georgia as does a C on 97.5 in Knoxville does 97.3 and 97.5 plus a 97.7 C construction permit for Lexington, GA so it doesn't appear it will open up anything new in NE Georgia. You are moving in the direction of Greenville-Spartanburg, Asheville and even Charlotte and Knoxville so other stations come into play no matter what WSRV does.

I know at work and in home listening for stations isn't what it used to be but one great advantage of a signal generated from midtown is how well it penetrates buildings and houses in the downtown, midtown and Buckhead office buildings.
 
Currently I find that 97.1 and 95.5 get drowned out the closer you get to the tower at 1800 Briarcliff. They regenerate again when you go past the area. So here's a great question...what stations in the surrounding region keep our Atlanta market low powered stations from increasing to full power and our move in stations from getting closer to town? I know Rock 100.5 has lower power due to Whistle 100 in Greenville, SC. I assume Magic 97.5 is lower due to B97.5 in Knoxville. However, it seems too far away for them to be at such a low power. The sites are about 150 miles apart from each other. What about WSBB 95.5, 96.7 the Beat, 97.1 the River, Praise 102.5, Kiss 104.1, 104.7 the Fish, El Patron 105.3, Radio 105.7, All News 106.7, Magic 107.5, and Hot 107.9? When driving from Atlanta to Memphis there are no 99.7's in between due to WWWQ's 100kw power and WMC's 300kw power. These towers are nearly 400 miles apart from each other. WWTN in Nashvillle and WOOF in Dothan are your closest neighbors on this frequency.
 
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RadioDoogie said:
Currently I find that 97.1 and 95.5 get drowned out the closer you get to the tower at 1800 Briarcliff. They regenerate again when you go past the area. So here's a great question...what stations in the surrounding region keep our Atlanta market low powered stations from increasing to full power and our move in stations from getting closer to town? I know Rock 100.5 has lower power due to Whistle 100 in Greenville, SC. I assume Magic 97.5 is lower due to B97.5 in Knoxville. However, it seems too far away for them to be at such a low power. The sites are about 150 miles apart from each other. What about WSBB 95.5, 96.7 the Beat, 97.1 the River, Praise 102.5, Kiss 104.1, 104.7 the Fish, El Patron 105.3, Radio 105.7, All News 106.7, Magic 107.5, and Hot 107.9? When driving from Atlanta to Memphis there are no 99.7's in between due to WWWQ's 100kw power and WMC's 300kw power. These towers are nearly 400 miles apart from each other. WWTN in Nashvillle and WOOF in Dothan are your closest neighbors on this frequency.
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None of those stations are impacting the Atlanta market stations you've mentioned. Not only the same channel impacts the use of a frequency, it's the first and second adjacent channels too. Like 97.5 is limited by 97.7 at Rome. Knoxville is no factor.
 
MediaMan said:
None of those stations are impacting the Atlanta market stations you've mentioned. Not only the same channel impacts the use of a frequency, it's the first and second adjacent channels too. Like 97.5 is limited by 97.7 at Rome. Knoxville is no factor.
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102.5 has a first-adjacent with class A WLKQ 102.3 in Buford. 104.1 has a first-adjacent with WBBQ 104.3 in Augusta.
 
jabba17 said:
102.5 has a first-adjacent with class A WLKQ 102.3 in Buford. 104.1 has a first-adjacent with WBBQ 104.3 in Augusta.
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I know WALR's limit is caused by the 104.3 in Dahlonega; 104.1 near Cleveland, TN and the I.F. channel which for 104.1 is 93.3 WVFJ. They have filed to move to a shorter tower south of Douglasville but keep 100KW. At their present site the FCC had ordered them to reduce power from 100KW to 60Kw because of an upgrade WVFJ did and Cox got its wires crossed on some FCC filings. All this info is public on the fcc website.
 
MediaMan said:
I know WALR's limit is caused by the 104.3 in Dahlonega; 104.1 near Cleveland, TN and the I.F. channel which for 104.1 is 93.3 WVFJ. They have filed to move to a shorter tower south of Douglasville but keep 100KW. At their present site the FCC had ordered them to reduce power from 100KW to 60Kw because of an upgrade WVFJ did and Cox got its wires crossed on some FCC filings. All this info is public on the fcc website.
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So is 104.1 for now still at 100KW from the Newnan site, or have they decreased to 60KW?

Based on my perception Cox really knows how to get maximum signal output from its move-ins. Both 104.1 and 97.1 come in really well on my car radio; no difference is noticeable from the in-town biggies. Of course that might have more to do with my current car radio than with any change in the signals.
 
RoddyFreeman said:
So is 104.1 for now still at 100KW from the Newnan site, or have they decreased to 60KW?

Based on my perception Cox really knows how to get maximum signal output from its move-ins. Both 104.1 and 97.1 come in really well on my car radio; no difference is noticeable from the in-town biggies. Of course that might have more to do with my current car radio than with any change in the signals.
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IIRC: When Cox bought 97.1 it was already on it’s current tower. It was not a Cox engineering job. I have hear rumors that the current tower has some issues and Cox would like to get off that tower. Also I heard they were #1 in some Arbitron demo* at the time of the Cox purchase, which has nothing to do with billings but does show that it was a viable signal in the ATL. Back in the days of the “chain” EAS service 97.1 was the station a lot north Ga. receivers were monitoring. Cox has done very well with the old "Y104" signal.

Is 97.1 or 95.5 going on the old channel 2 analog tower?


*Monica Kaufman or John Pruitt then channel 2 anchors made that statement when they “dropped in” to welcome Randy and Spiff during their show right after the sale was announced.
 
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secondchoice said:
IIRC: When Cox bought 97.1 it was already on it’s current tower. It was not a Cox engineering job. I have hear rumors that the current tower has some issues and Cox would like to get off that tower. Also I heard they were #1 in some Arbitron demo* at the time of the Cox purchase, which has nothing to do with billings but does show that it was a viable signal in the ATL. Back in the days of the “chain” EAS service 97.1 was the station a lot north Ga. receivers were monitoring. Cox has done very well with the old "Y104" signal.

Is 97.1 or 95.5 going on the old channel 2 analog tower?


*Monica Kaufman or John Pruitt then channel 2 anchors made that statement when they “dropped in” to welcome Randy and Spiff during their show right after the sale was announced.
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I know it's on the same tower as when Cox bought it. My statement on the signal output has nothing to do with the tower. It has to do with equipment adjustments to get the strongest signal.
 
95.5 (then 95-5 the Beat) was originally on a tower at GA-316 and GA-81 in Bethlehem when it moved into the market in September of 1999. At some point it moved to the same tower 97.1 the River and 97.7 TOSTR are on up in Chateau Elan near Spout Springs Road and Friendship Road (GA-347).
 
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