Genesis Communications Dead Pool

[The Bishop]

Ok I wasn't really going to start this topic, then after hearing that "Prime Time" on WHBO lost Mark Carrier due to money problems, I needed to start this thread.
So post the date that you think Genesis Communications will go silient.
Here's my picks.
WWBA-July 15th
WHBO-August 5th
WMGG-July 10th.

 

[SCMcKinney]

I would doubt any of the Genesis stations would go silent. Three AM signals in the 20th largest market aren't going to evaporate; they would be sold if the going REALLY got rough, I would bet. Especially when two of them have arguably decent daytime power.

I have asked on other posts HOW MUCH it really does cost to run a station, exclusive of the talent, and never got any kind of a ballpark figure from anyone. I would bet it can't be much if some of those AM Spanish language stations can afford to stay on year after year, as well as some of the religious stations. Therefore, I'd bet all three of these stations can't be costing too much to run, and they can afford what little local talent they do have on the air.

I've listened to WWBA and its not a bad alternative to regular talk radio. The interviews all come with a decided political slant, but at least the people opining to the hosts have some credentials behind them that a "Valrico Bob" does not. I think I heard a promo for what might be a local talk show at night, but the promo had something to do with "which of youse guys is watching porn?" - seemed pretty lame. I don't listen to WHBO too much as sportsradio is not my bag, but the Yankee PBP can't cost too much (maybe it pays them as many of the ads are straight off the New York homebase). If anybody was going to change format it might be them, as a distant number two sports talker in a three station race can't be too billable, I would bet. (Swing and jazz, anybody?) (Where is Les Forester?) I also don't listen too much to WMGG, although I did hear Capt America a couple of days ago, and it seemed that the people who heard him on 820 figured out how to tune into 1470. I think the rest of their day is satellite programming, which has to be pretty cheap to run. And despite the numerous comments about how lousy their signal is, I can hear it is Manatee County, albeit in my car, which is where most talk radio is heard, I would bet.

Would more local content help them all? Absolutely. A question to local radio professionals "on the beach;" if you were given the opportunity to get behind a mike for 30 - 40K a year, would you do it?

 

[Nostalgia]

These stations need to generate income from advertising. Last week I was surfing between 1470 and 820 so I forget which one I was listening to at that exact moment, but one entire stop set were PSA's (2 or 3 in a row, I could not believe my ears), PI spot and a promo. Not one rev generating spot that I could identify! This was in mid-afternoon. Yikes.

SCMc, remember Genesis has circled the wagons down at the transmitter site in Largo and shed most humans they had on air, at least those who may have actually been employees. I am sure Capt America is captain of his own ship. Lot of sat programming. Fat has been trimmed. And still the electric bill must be paid, and I bet the DX50 sucks a lot of juice. Oh yea, the note, insurance, taxes, ascap, bmi, sesac, phones, BMs salary, and a lot more. Some multiplied x 3 for each station, plus tower site rent for WHBO and WMGG & property taxes for WWBA. Whew, am I forgetting anything? My point, I dont see 30-40K left over for local talent.

 

[SCMcKinney]

>>And still the electric bill must be paid, and I bet the DX50 sucks a lot of juice. Oh yea, the note, insurance, taxes, ascap, bmi, sesac, phones, BMs salary, and a lot more. Some multiplied x 3 for each station, plus tower site rent for WHBO and WMGG & property taxes for WWBA<<

For the sake of discussion, suppose all that cost $1MM a year for the three stations, that would divide down to $2800 a day, or about $115 an hour to keep the doors open with a CD player on shuffle. Am I missing something here? It would seem that anybody could sell $150 worth of ads an hour spread over 3 stations either via local sales or with national contracts.

If that's what the Spanish station have been doing all these years, it would seem that reports of Genesis Tampa's' death would be greatly exaggerated.

If they are at break even mode, the discussion should be centered on what COULD one do with two decent daytime signals, and an OK third one? Being the fourth conservative talker seems to be a long shot at getting an audience. Would a lifestyle talk (like what WOR used to be) stand a chance on one of them?