WTDY and WBEB

Now that entercom owns both stations do you think WBEB will play less CHR top 40 (Ariana Grande,Shawn Mendez,,Taylor Swift) music and more things like Sugar Ray, Matchbox 20, Sophie B hawkins,No doubt, older Justin Timberlake, Nelly Furtado, Christina Aguilera. And what do you think will happen to WTDY. Like 92.9 Tom fm in delaware

It’s kind of like WUSL and WISX both play pretty close to the same music and both are owned by iHeartRadio but they try to not make both stations compete with one each other

CassChopper96 said:

Now that entercom owns both stations do you think WBEB will play less CHR top 40 music and more things like Sugar Ray, Matchbox 20, Sophie B hawkins,No doubt, older Justin Timberlake, Nelly Furtado, Christina Aguilera. And what do you think will happen to WTDY. Like 92.9 Tom fm in delaware

It’s kind of like WUSL and WISX both play pretty close to the same music and both are owned by iHeartRadio but they try to not make both stations compete with one each other

Click to expand...

WBEB won't change, or if they do, it will be VERY little. No reason to change their winning formula. WBEB will play what tests well with their listeners.

WTDY will continue for the time being as a CHR. (They haven't been an AC targeting WBEB since March). Paired together, the two stations can be sold together as a package deal. IF Entercom thinks they can make more money with something else on 96.5, only then will they flip.

WUSL and WISX overlap slightly, but not as much as you think. Power 99 still heavily plays new music. WISX is targeting a slightly older demo with their throwbacks of what WUSL and WIOQ used to play. Again, WUSL and WISX can be sold together as a package deal to advertisers.

I guess the closest thing to an AC station in Philadelphia is WBEN

Can WMMR and WMGK be a package deal

I don’t any philly station is in danger for a format change in the near future

CassChopper96 said:

I guess the closest thing to an AC station in Philadelphia is WBEN

Can WMMR and WMGK be a package deal

I don’t any philly station is in danger for a format change in the near future

Click to expand...

At this point, I'd honestly put WBEN in closest competition with WOGL. If they siphon some off of WBEB as well, then that's a bonus.

WMMR and WMGK can definitely be sold together (add in WPEN-FM too) and you have a wall of men, one that makes it difficult for WRFF to make much money.

I too see the status quo floating along for at least a little while. But of stations that are in "danger," WRFF seems to always be in danger because of their billing, but iHeart seems content with it. I don't know if WISX is billing any better as "Real" instead of "Mix"... and WTDY just seems to be... there.

atthestars said:

WRFF seems to always be in danger because of their billing, but iHeart seems content with it.

Click to expand...

Looking around the country, iHeart has alternative stations that actually do worse. For example in Detroit. But they seem to have a commitment to the format.

Having said that, one wonders what will happen after the company wraps up its bankruptcy proceedings.

With all the stations iHeartRadio owns I’m surprised their in bankruptcy

CassChopper96 said:

With all the stations iHeartRadio owns I’m surprised their in bankruptcy

Click to expand...

Their previous management decided to take the company private, and it put them $20 billion in debt. They're trying to cut that in half now.

TheBigA said:

Their previous management decided to take the company private, and it put them $20 billion in debt. They're trying to cut that in half now.

Click to expand...

Exactly. They're actually cash flow positive, but all of it goes to paying the debt they owe. If/when they emerge from bankruptcy with considerably less debt, they'll be able to be a little more free with their money.

It looks like Entercom is sticking with WTDY as a CHRish station. They just promoted two weekenders, one into middays to replace Bex who left to join Kiss 108 in Boston. The other moves into the vacant night slot. Might not be in it for the LONG haul, but they're giving this incarnation of 96.5 a chance.

atthestars said:

It looks like Entercom is sticking with WTDY as a CHRish station. They just promoted two weekenders, one into middays to replace Bex who left to join Kiss 108 in Boston. The other moves into the vacant night slot. Might not be in it for the LONG haul, but they're giving this incarnation of 96.5 a chance.

Click to expand...

It's of note that they even want a jock on at night. It's somewhat impressive that a station that isn't exactly lighting the world on fire is adding staff instead of laying people off.

Miguelito said:

It's of note that they even want a jock on at night. It's somewhat impressive that a station that isn't exactly lighting the world on fire is adding staff instead of laying people off.

Click to expand...

Since they're essentially in a CHR battle with Q102 now, it makes sense to battle a live, local, interactive show with a live, local, and interactive show. I'll never chide a company for spending more money on talent!

atthestars said:

Since they're essentially in a CHR battle with Q102 now, it makes sense to battle a live, local, interactive show with a live, local, and interactive show. I'll never chide a company for spending more money on talent!

Click to expand...

Agreed! Very refreshing to see a company understand the importance of (and invest in) talent. But...are they really in a CHR battle with Q102? They're typically a point(ish) apart in the pageant numbers and I don't think I've ever heard WTDY mentioned when discussing 18-34 results. I felt like Entercom steered them back toward CHR not because they wanted to (it obviously didn't work under CBS even with marketing) but because they have WBEB now. There's really no other format to try so making it something they can package with WBEB is the best option. (I wonder if WTDY will go a little more AC during the weeks when WBEB is doing all Christmas.)

Usually, flanker stations end up being treated like bastard step-children which is why I'm pleasantly surprised to hear that Big E is actually putting in an effort. I still hate that they couldn't come up with a better name than "TDY." It sounds like a symbol on the stock exchange!

They should just bring back Wired 96.5. That worked well. CBS ran it into the ground by switching to Amp radio
96.5 anyway needs to set itself apart from 101.1

YEAH. KISS FM also sounds different depending on where you live. In some places it’s a top-40 station in others its an AC station

I had the “opportunity” to listen to 96.5 for quite some time this weekend. They may share a smattering of songs with More FM, but the idea that they’re not very much distinct from their sister station isn’t accurate.

AbrahamJSimpson said:

the idea that they’re not very much distinct from their sister station isn’t accurate.

Click to expand...

Exactly. There's more to a radio station than the songs they play.

DavidEduardo said:

And in some places it is a classic rock station, and others it is an Urban station and still others an Urban AC. It is even a name for a Spanish language rock station, a Spanish language AC or two and several Spanish language CHR stations.

The original Kiss-FM is KISS in San Antonio, and dates back to the 70's as a progressive rock and AOR station.

Click to expand...

Are you sure about San Antonio being the first? Kiss here in Connecticut -- WKSS -- dates to 1971 and was originally a "beautiful music" station , one of only two formats WKSS has ever had, as it flipped to CHR in 1984 and has remained a CHR to this day. I wonder if there are any soft "Kiss-FMs" left in any market.