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PLJ SOLD

leethalweapon

leethalweapon

Star Participant
From ALLACCESS

https://www.allaccess.com/net-news/...uys-wplj-new-york-wyay-atlanta-wrqx-d-c-more-

"EDUCATIONAL MEDIA FOUNDATION is buying Hot AC WPLJ/NEW YORK, News-Talk WYAY/GAINESVILLE, GA-ATLANTA, Hot AC WRQX (MIX 107.3)/WASHINGTON, Triple A KFFG/LOS ALTOS-SAN JOSE, Hot AC WZAT (102.1 THE SOUND)/TYBEE ISLAND, GA-SAVANNAH, and Classic Rock WXTL (THE REBEL 105.9)/SYRACUSE from CUMULUS MEDIA INC. for $103.5 million."
 
Very, very sad to see WPLJ go to a Jesuscaster. The years as WABC-FM with a freeform format in the 1960s, moving to Progressive Rock 'Love' in 1968, and then Allen Shaw and Bob Henaberry with the breakthrough of album-oriented rock on FM radio as WPLJ in 1971. Led Zeppelin, The Beatles, The Doobie Brothers and Cream were several of the bands presented on one of the top FM stations in New York City in the late 1970s. Next, they went top 40 in the early 1980s, and continued to be at the top of the ratings. Remember their brief stint as WWPR?
They shifted to Hot AC in 1992, today's best hits without 'the rap and the sleepy elevator music'. Scott Shannon had a long career at 95.5, and Al Bandiero did the 1970s show weeknights and Saturdays.
A heritage station with a long history, now sold to an owner who will just program satellite CCM music...and the only local anything? The TOH ID: 'You're listening to New York's Positive Encouraging K-LOVE. 95.5 WPLJ, New York City.' RIP WPLJ!
 
TheBigA said:
There was a time when Brother John was at 95.5. The fact is that this station always struggled for identity, whether it was against WNEW or anyone else.
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I am actually really upset about this. I grew up on PLJ. That is a heritage station in NYC! How could Cumulus do that?! If anything I would have gotten rid of 103.9!
 
I get the feeling there’s more to this deal (besides E-com and Nash). Highly doubt it (since we’ve seen The Loop in Chicago go to EMF and flip anyway), but could EMF and E-com swap for the latter to get 95-5? Or would the DOJ get involved because of revenue caps?
 
bizzle13 said:
I am actually really upset about this. I grew up on PLJ. That is a heritage station in NYC! How could Cumulus do that?! If anything I would have gotten rid of 103.9!
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Tell that to the fans of WLUP. They sympathize with you. Truth is, billing was wayyyy down on both stations and the value on the signals sagged. EMF wants a bigger footprint in the bigger markets and they were the highest bidder. Cox wants out, i<3’s debt riddled, E-com is doing its thing (and probably can’t upgrade in certain spots without the DOJ getting involved) and Beasley’s not all that interested in upgrading beyond Boston. Other than that, there aren’t a lot of major and/or mom and pop owners that can grab something like that.

It’s the radio business in 2019. You don’t have to embrace it, but that’s the corporate game.
 
bizzle13 said:
I am actually really upset about this. I grew up on PLJ. That is a heritage station in NYC! How could Cumulus do that?! If anything I would have gotten rid of 103.9!
Click to expand...

If you had excess cash, would you buy a BMW or a used Yugo?

103.9 is a Yugo with bald tires!
 
I understand but at least put the PLJ calls on 103.9 or something its heritage calls.
 
bizzle13 said:
I understand but at least put the PLJ calls on 103.9 or something its heritage calls.
Click to expand...

Why? Those calls long ago lost any equity.
 
NEW 102.7 is going to clean up big time in the ratings later this year.

If they acquire half or close to half of PLJ's current share, when added to 102.7's current numbers, that will make 102.7 a very significant player!

I suspect Country will stay on 94.7. I cannot see Entercom swapping 94.7's format with those currently found on 92.3 or 101.9; they would be worse off by making such a move. Will Entercom try to pull some strings to move 94.7's TX site to Manhattan?
 
It's their own fault, they had so many chances to fill either the Alternative or Active Rock void over the years, when Krock and WNEW went away. For some reason, they would not budge from that stale format they kept brewing...I feel bad for the listeners to loose something they love, when there are so many urban formats that could of went bye bye. Why not put NASH on that big signal.
 
lawman said:
Why not put NASH on that big signal.
Click to expand...

Nash's slightly suburban signal is perfect for country. When you add in the coverage that an ESB transmitter would give, you don't add that many potential country listeners.

Nash is just as big a signal as the ESB FMs. It's a full class B with a higher power and lower height, but in theory covers just as large an area. The issue is where the transmitter is placed.
 
MarkW said:
Will Entercom try to pull some strings to move 94.7's TX site to Manhattan?
Click to expand...

As I said in the other thread, the fact that they also received WMAS 94.7 in the trade indicates they intend to make some adjustments.
 
TheBigA said:
As I said in the other thread, the fact that they also received WMAS 94.7 in the trade indicates they intend to make some adjustments.
Click to expand...

Both were previously owned by Cumulus, and you'd assume that were there some kind of possible adjustment to be made, they would have done it already.

Let's hope Scott Fybush adds some perspective here, as it is not just 94.7 but the adjacent channels that affect any move.
 
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