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650 WSM's long term future

M

Murfradiojim

I was surprised to see WSM listed in the ratings that came out Thursday. I was not surprised to see it at a .7 rating. I just feel it stopped being a Nashville or even a Middle Tennessee radio station a long time ago.

But I got to thinking. WSMs transmitter site sits on a prime piece of real estate in Brentwood. I wonder at what point do they sell of the transmitter site and maybe go online only?
 
I haven't punched that AM button when in Nashville in a long time. WSM-FM plays more of what I want to hear and fewer museum pieces from 1963.

I used to DX Eddie Stubbs, and even learned a few songs that I really enjoyed from him. But he retired a while ago and I've not gone out of my way to listen to his replacement.

We can safely assume that WSM isn't making immense profits. The question is whether Ryman Hospitality thinks it enhances their business at all.
 
Ignoring the pragmatic, WSM is considered a cultural institution by many. Were Ryman to announce such a move, I suspect it would see the same outcry as when they planned to switch programming to all sports in 2002. Even George Plaster's 2019 attempt to add sports talk in afternoons lasted only a month.

Yes, I know. Covid, et al. Things have changed since then. But this is Nashville. That Blaw Knox tower could just as well be the Eiffel in the minds of the Nashville music elite. For crying out loud, the thing is even represented in the exterior design of the downtown Country Music Hall of Fame.

I'd sooner expect Ryman (and always remember where Ryman Hospitality got their name) to first do the same as what iHeart did with the WLW Mason, Ohio transmitter site. Develop the land around the tower and transmitter building. Of course, WLW remains an 11 share radio station. Yet as historic as WLW is, it's arguably not of the same historic value as WSM and its Opry.

I've often pondered if putting WSM into the hands of the Country Music Hall people is the future for AM 650. Just like the museum, Hatch Show Print and RCA Studio B facilities.

One other thing to remember. WSM's Brentwood site has been on the National Register of Historic Places since 2011.
 
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My GM at a rural alaska station 2015-2017 is a former WSM PD and im pretty sure "Flyin brian" was the one who floated the idea of a format change and paid streaming. He really enligthened me at the time to WSM... back when he worked there and even into the time i was in alaska the first time around.... people think WSM Makes a ton of money, etc etc.. cash cow, etc.. not the case.
 
They have cut expenses to the bone. They do a good job merchandizing the brand. The morning show is televised on Circle Country. It's the only way to really experience The Opry without buying a ticket. The WSM logo and 650 dial position are prominently part of the Opry logo. Fifteen years ago someone there told me they have more listeners online than on-air. The idea of attaching it to the Hall of Fame is a good idea. They just need someone to fund that transition. Mike Curb paid for the Studio B purchase. The Hall couldn't handle the operating expenses. The fact that they decided to buy the book is a very curious thing.
 
BigA - the reason WSM-AM is NOT already a part of the Hall is because WSM-AM is semi-stuck where they are. The cost to move and space of "rental" to HoF is minimal. Literally free. I would say that locally, WSM-AM would have a better chance to make a fortune on swag if they set up shop on Broadway and make more money than attempting to sell advertising. But connection to the hotel and Grand Out of Date Opry / Opryland is dicey. It makes sense, but there's the hertiage. That area is not the hot place it was 20 years ago. Personally, I think WSM-AM needs to make the move and as Jim noted above, "we" don't see much existence of WSM-AM locally. I am not sure I think they are marketing that well, at all. In fact, just because I am not able to check in with you enough, BigA and I miss you, might I note that KDF-FM, as an extinct radio station for over 25 years, gets more attention online and downtown on a building than WSM-AM. Of course, you cannot go without making the case that the AM dial in Nashville is beyond DEAD. It's ashame. WLAC and WSM, along with WVOL and a few other stations should have more listeners. WLAC is actually worth listening too. Not just for the format. I have never heard another radio station ever play three different commercials, one sweeper and a news intro at the same time followed by giving the weather forecast from four days ago.

As for the "site" in Brentwood. It's not an easy proposition to convert that land. First, its landlocked by city property and an interstate ramp that will eventually be expanded. Second, the actual space of that land is a postage stamp. But, it should be worth a ton in the scheme of logical business. I have a feeling it would be really well received by the real Nashville.
 
TheBigA said:
They have cut expenses to the bone. They do a good job merchandizing the brand. The morning show is televised on Circle Country. It's the only way to really experience The Opry without buying a ticket.
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It was televised. Circle ceased operations a couple months ago (Jan 31st I think?)

Tibbs4 said:
WLAC is actually worth listening too. Not just for the format. I have never heard another radio station ever play three different commercials, one sweeper and a news intro at the same time followed by giving the weather forecast from four days ago.
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:ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO: :ROFLMAO: iHeart happens
 
Sadly, that Buc-ees might be the ONLY thing Brentwood would allow on that spot and the city would get vast approval on by the community. Might have to upgrade the interstate to 8 lanes in each direction and gold plate the bathrooms.
 
Ma Gee said:
Ignoring the pragmatic, WSM is considered a cultural institution by many. Were Ryman to announce such a move, I suspect it would see the same outcry as when they planned to switch programming to all sports in 2002. Even George Plaster's 2019 attempt to add sports talk in afternoons lasted only a month.
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This is probably not going to be a popular opinion, but I personally believe that Colin Reed and company totally BUNGLED that near-format change back in '02. If he had just gone ahead and "ripped the band-aid off," the brouhaha would have long since subsided by now. I still remember the protesters basically hijacking channel 4's "Speaker's Corner" page at the time (never mind that WSM and WSM(V) haven't been jointly owned since at least the '70s!) but then went away overnight after Reed backed down. But all that he did was just kick the can down the road, and here we are, having to deal with it again. I also remember that when the sports talkers couldn't get WSM, they started going after the FM stations. That is why we have The Zone and The Game here now. I don't like either of them, and have never listened to them since the switch, but apparently they are doing something right, as they have both had their respective formats for decades now, unlike before, when they were flip-happy music formats.

And Tibbs, call-letters on the side of a building (no matter how prominent the building) are not enough to make a "heritage." I'm guessing that the twentysomethings of the '90s, who listened to the last incarnation of 'KDF as a so-called "rock" station, have figured that out by now.
 
firepoint525 said:
This is probably not going to be a popular opinion, but I personally believe that Colin Reed and company totally BUNGLED that near-format change back in '02.
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Nashville Radio said:
525, I don't think there would be near the outcry now if one morning everyone woke up and heard news/talk, or classic hip hop on 650.
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What happened in 2002 was not only public outcry, but outcry from Opry members. Vince Gill himself was one of the protesters. I think those members got a guarantee that the station wouldn't change. The station is now part of the Opry, not Gaylord or the other larger company. Gaylord also sold off all the other radio stations. So WSM is now the Opry station.
 
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