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"Soft AC is Booming" -- is it time for WSB to do someting different with 98.5HD2

F

fortt3

fortt3 said:
I've been hoping for a stream of 98.5 HD2 since before my 2012 posts on RD --
https://www.radiodiscussions.com/showthread.php?636014-98-5-HD-2-Continuous-Relaxing-Easy-Favorites
so with Soft AC booming
https://radioinsight.com/ross/172026/why-soft-ac-is-booming-now/
is it time for Cox to bring this neglected station out in the open?
Click to expand...

Cox could place it on one of their translators. WSB HD2 is very soft and is closer to a Standards format. Someone in Atlanta needs to flip to soft AC. Maybe WYAY? If iHeart flips any of their Atlanta stations to soft AC, we most likely will get Delilah back on the air.
 
Could Cumulus put it on 97.9 (again, the building penetration problem)?

Atlanta has "too many" CHRs/Hot ACs, but they all get at least decent ratings. But if one of the weaker ones wanted to pivot to something they could have all to themselves...

The problem is that there's not really a station that's in-town enough and strong enough that's struggling in the ratings AND billings.

Thanksgiving is coming up...so it would be a great time to stunt with Christmas and then switch to soft AC after Christmas.
 
It has been nearly 7 years since the syndicated 'Delilah' show was on the ATL air waves (WSB 98.5 ended its run at the beginning of 2012). It is doubtful her show would return to this market considering how unfriendly the PPMs here are to it. I would not mind at all if it did return though - or even the John Tesh show, which has never had a radio presence here. But then again...PPM......

The Atlanta lineup has generally been stagnant for awhile now. There have been tweaks and the occasional format flip on weaker stations but nothing like the 2005-2006 upheaval where Iheart (Clear Channel) flipped their entire cluster. Flipping 94.9 from Lite to Country was a risky move that eventually paid off but it took a few years. Oh, the memories...
 
It might make a good Christian format. Combining soft Christian music with appropriate gold (You Light Up My Life)
 
TheBigA said:
It might make a good Christian format. Combining soft Christian music with appropriate gold (You Light Up My Life)
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We already have The Fish. Which is kind of our de facto soft AC station.
 
jabba17 said:
Could Cumulus put it on 97.9 (again, the building penetration problem)?

Atlanta has "too many" CHRs/Hot ACs, but they all get at least decent ratings. But if one of the weaker ones wanted to pivot to something they could have all to themselves...

The problem is that there's not really a station that's in-town enough and strong enough that's struggling in the ratings AND billings.

Thanksgiving is coming up...so it would be a great time to stunt with Christmas and then switch to soft AC after Christmas.
Click to expand...

You might have something there. I've never listened to 97.9 in an office building, but that signal is strong in Atlanta. It's kind of like a class A FM, better than the market's other translators.

It will never get great ratings because it doesn't cover the metro, but it might do better with Soft AC than with what it's doing now.

I'm skeptical about Soft AC succeeding in this market because B98.5 as the at-work, in doctor offices, in-store station is so ingrained in everyone's mind. That's going to be difficult to change.
 
RoddyFreeman said:
You might have something there. I've never listened to 97.9 in an office building, but that signal is strong in Atlanta. It's kind of like a class A FM, better than the market's other translators.

It will never get great ratings because it doesn't cover the metro, but it might do better with Soft AC than with what it's doing now.

I'm skeptical about Soft AC succeeding in this market because B98.5 as the at-work, in doctor offices, in-store station is so ingrained in everyone's mind. That's going to be difficult to change.
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Cumulus did try that for a short time with 98.9.

How much longer will B98.5 be Atlanta's LWYW station the hotter they get?
 
Bill Zurmuehl said:
WYAY will not flip format. Ratings not terriffic, but has good monthly billing.
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IIRC the last reliable posting had 106.7 at $7 million while The Fish on the same tower but at lower power, bills about twice that amount. The payroll at 106.7 has to be rather large with at least a call screener, host, and someone doing news updates.

IMHO a "Greatest Pop Hits" station (WCBS FM) would quickly bill just as much if not more but with a lower payroll. If I was a major shareholder I would be concerned about ANY top 20 market signal not being "maxed out" for profit.
 
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secondchoice said:
If I was a major shareholder I would be concerned about ANY top 20 market signal not being "maxed out" for profit.
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Stockholders have no say in local station management. If you had been a stockholder before the bankruptcy, your shares would have been wiped out.
 
TheBigA said:
Stockholders have no say in local station management. If you had been a stockholder before the bankruptcy, your shares would have been wiped out.
Click to expand...

Since June the 4th Cumulus has again been a publicly held company*. The Chapter 11 Bankruptcy (as most bankruptcies) had winners and losers. 96% of the shares are owned by institutional investors many of whom where creditors or bought their stake from former creditors. ** You are correct these folks reply do not care about operations. They do care about profits and cash flow. Hopefully an activist fund will invest and shake things up. It has happened Canadian Pacific & CSX railroads. That has forced the Union Pacific President to restructure its operations because of shareholder pressure***.

IMHO sooner or later someone with broadcast media knowledge will take a stake in Cumulus and wonder why 104.7 is outperforming 106.7 almost two to one. How many other stations does Cumulus have are making a small profit instead of a large profit? How come Cumulus has a marginal internet presence? It has been my personal experience working for several publicly companies that if a CEO feels his / her job is in danger then change happens.

*https://www.cnbc.com/2018/06/04/glo...sfully-completes-financial-restructuring.html

** https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/?symbol=CMLS&qsearchterm=cumulus&tab=ownership

***http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wir...-service-with-precision-scheduled-railroading
 
secondchoice said:
Since June the 4th Cumulus has again been a publicly held company*. The Chapter 11 Bankruptcy (as most bankruptcies) had winners and losers. 96% of the shares are owned by institutional investors many of whom where creditors or bought their stake from former creditors. ** You are correct these folks reply do not care about operations. They do care about profits and cash flow. Hopefully an activist fund will invest and shake things up. It has happened Canadian Pacific & CSX railroads. That has forced the Union Pacific President to restructure its operations because of shareholder pressure***.

IMHO sooner or later someone with broadcast media knowledge will take a stake in Cumulus and wonder why 104.7 is outperforming 106.7 almost two to one. How many other stations does Cumulus have are making a small profit instead of a large profit? How come Cumulus has a marginal internet presence? It has been my personal experience working for several publicly companies that if a CEO feels his / her job is in danger then change happens.

*https://www.cnbc.com/2018/06/04/glo...sfully-completes-financial-restructuring.html

** https://www.cnbc.com/quotes/?symbol=CMLS&qsearchterm=cumulus&tab=ownership

***http://trn.trains.com/news/news-wir...-service-with-precision-scheduled-railroading
Click to expand...

The problems with Cumulus, and radio in general, run much deeper than simply format or management choices.
 
secondchoice said:
IIRC the last reliable posting had 106.7 at $7 million while The Fish on the same tower but at lower power, bills about twice that amount. The payroll at 106.7 has to be rather large with at least a call screener, host, and someone doing news updates.

IMHO a "Greatest Pop Hits" station (WCBS FM) would quickly bill just as much if not more but with a lower payroll. If I was a major shareholder I would be concerned about ANY top 20 market signal not being "maxed out" for profit.
Click to expand...

The Fish reportedly bills just under $9 million, with WYAY at around $4.

Why do you focus on power bills? In a market like Atlanta, running a 20 kw FM transmitter (as an example) is going to be less than $3,000 a month. Liability insurance, rent, ASCAP, BMI, and a lot of other line items are going to be much, much more.
 
DavidEduardo said:


The Fish reportedly bills just under $9 million, with WYAY at around $4.

Why do you focus on power bills? In a market like Atlanta, running a 20 kw FM transmitter (as an example) is going to be less than $3,000 a month. Liability insurance, rent, ASCAP, BMI, and a lot of other line items are going to be much, much more.
Click to expand...

Less than that. About $91 per kilowatt of power per month.

Yes, I know, that assumes 100% transmitter efficiency. But still it's not much.
 
jabba17 said:
Less than that. About $91 per kilowatt of power per month.

Yes, I know, that assumes 100% transmitter efficiency. But still it's not much.
Click to expand...

I was using the Atlanta commercial rate, factoring 80% transmitter efficiency, the equipment rack, lighting and climate control. Still, as you say, not a lot for stations billing in the millions.
 
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