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Saratoga Broadcasting to Acquire WJRV, WTNQ/Eastern TN

Y2kTheNewOldies

Y2kTheNewOldies

https://news.radio-online.com/articles/b16272/Saratoga-Broadcasting-to-Acquire-WJRV-WTNQ-Eastern-TN

An Agreement is announced for Saratoga broadcasting to take over WJRV and WTNQ.

Momentum Broadcasting has entered into an agreement to sell 190W AC WJRV-FM (106.1 The River)/Oliver Springs, TN and 6kW Oldies WTNQ-FM (104.9)/LaFollette, TN (both putting distant signals into Knoxville) to Saratoga Broadcasting LLC. Terms were not disclosed. New York based Saratoga Broadcasting is a partnership between Ricki Lee's Border Media LLC and A&J Radio LLC, owned by Aaron and Jessica Ishmael. Momentum Broadcasting is headed by Donna Alpert.
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This is the group that owns WVLZ/ WKCE. Radio insight calls them Loud Media, but it is in fact the same group. I can see them doing a using both stations as a simulcast for their current stations. 104.9/105.1 and 97.1/106.1. Personally I would like to see 106.1 stand by itself and launch something new but the simulcast seems logical.
 
This was already mentioned on the 104.9 thread. I hope the Good Time Oldies format on WTNQ won't be replaced by Mid-Century Oldies, but I think I already know the answer to that one. They likely bought it to remove an Oldies competitor and for a better signal for their VLZ format.
 
I'd love to program an actual oldies format (I'm thinking WDJO) in the market, but I would imagine they'll use that hodge-podge format that only geeks could love. WTNQ seemed to be heading that direction, it seems Alan got control of the playlist and they started mixing in oldies I had never heard of. What to do with 106.1? A semi-real signal for alternative makes sense, but who even actually knows 106.1 exists? God signal in West Knox and that's about it.

Doesn't the outgoing ownership own the oldies station in Sweetwater, that used to have AM 670?
 
Horne still owns the Sweetwater FM and AM station WDEH. They also own 105.3 in Farragut. 106.1 needs to drop its antenna height and increase its power to get better building penetration. Currently running 190w @ 1750 ft. Then they could focus on the Oak Ridge market since all the stations that use to be there are gone.

I just went and read the contract for the sale. They were originally asking $3M for the stations, final price $325k.

Is that the state of the radio industry or just this particular instance.
 
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gr8oldies said:
I'd love to program an actual oldies format (I'm thinking WDJO) in the market, but I would imagine they'll use that hodge-podge format that only geeks could love. WTNQ seemed to be heading that direction, it seems Alan got control of the playlist and they started mixing in oldies I had never heard of. What to do with 106.1? A semi-real signal for alternative makes sense, but who even actually knows 106.1 exists? God signal in West Knox and that's about it.

Doesn't the outgoing ownership own the oldies station in Sweetwater, that used to have AM 670?
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I agree with all of that. Although they never owned 670 or the Sweetwater FM 98.3 WMTY. That was Horne.

If there has to be a change at one of the stations, I will hope for a gold-based Soft AC. There is room for it since B97.5 is more current and WNOX is now playing '90s AC/DC album rock tracks.
 
It would seem a soft A/C would need a signal better than any combination of these rimshots and translators could provide.



RMarino said:
I agree with all of that. Although they never owned 670 or the Sweetwater FM 98.3 WMTY. That was Horne.

If there has to be a change at one of the stations, I will hope for a gold-based Soft AC. There is room for it since B97.5 is more current and WNOX is now playing '90s AC/DC album rock tracks.
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I agree. For Soft AC to be competitive, it's gonna need good penatration into buildings. I can confirm that 106.1 does not have that. Maybe in the Oak Ridge area, but that's about it. Maybe stick with Hot AC but a real Hot AC. Not the mess it is right now. I would personally like to see a Rhythmic AC in Knoxville. I don't thinks its ever been done here, but done right, they sound amazing.

gr8oldies said:
It would seem a soft A/C would need a signal better than any combination of these rimshots and translators could provide.



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Me personally I would drop the tower height to get more power out of the antenna and better building penetration and target the Oakridge market. Since all of the stations have moved out that were licensed to it. The soft AC like the old U-102 from the 80's would definitely work. But what I have heard through the grapevine about the new owners is they will probably stick a computer in a closet and let it run like a juke box. 104.9 will probably simulcast the WKCE oldies format.
 
That wiuld give them 104.9 in the far north bedroom communities and 105.1 in town. 96.1 with 97.1 would at least be a better signal for the alternative format...not quite 94.3 though.




knoxbob said:
Me personally I would drop the tower height to get more power out of the antenna and better building penetration and target the Oakridge market. Since all of the stations have moved out that were licensed to it. The soft AC like the old U-102 from the 80's would definitely work. But what I have heard through the grapevine about the new owners is they will probably stick a computer in a closet and let it run like a juke box. 104.9 will probably simulcast the WKCE oldies format.
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WVLZ is Active Rock, not Alternative. I have a feeling that they won't just be simulcasting their current stations on the newly acquired signals. I think they will actually debut two new formats. Now maybe they might move the translator formats to the full signals, or maybe not. But either way I don't foresee a complete simulcasting situation. One of their press releases even alluded to the implementation of two new formats.
 
I do wonder about the possibility of some moving around of the signals. They own 105.1 and 104.9 now. Two adjacent signals. If they aren't gonna simulcast, why not make an attempt to get 104.9 moved to sharps ridge and get 105.1 moved to a different channel maybe from the same Sevier County location. In Sevier County It seems like their might be a little more wiggle room for translators. 92.5 for example. I know the FCC decides all that, but wishful thinking.
 
I'm not the allocations expert around here, but there's a 104.9 in the Tri-Cities, a 104.7 in Newport, 104.5 in Knoxville and 105.3 in the Knoxville market. Seems that signal is locked in. 106.1 is limited by Pigeon Forge's 106.3, and I'm not sure what else (not counting the translator). I'm not sure what other translator frequencies might be available. Simulcasting one or the other oldies format on 104.9 and 105.1 would kind of make sense.
 
I agree that a signal move such as that could not happen. 105.3 Loudon is probably ok as is the distance from 104.9 in the Tri-Cities (if it's ok from where it is now). The Newport translator would have to move if it was an issue. But there is no way to run WTNQ from Sharps Ridge with WKHT so close.

As for a Mid-Century Radio simulcast on 104.9 and 105.1, I suppose that could happen. But logically would they really spend all that money for the signal and use it to simulcast a format that plays 60 year old music aimed toward the 75+ demo? Loud Media has better formats in their répertoire.
 
Sikesmedia said:
Looks like loud media has dropped Mid Century radio in their Plattsburg New York cluster for Classic Hip Hop. This is their 2nd Classic Hip Hop brand using the Jump identity. Could this be something coming out way? Definitely would be an interesting format for Knoxville. https://radioinsight.com/headlines/188439/jump-time-in-burlington-plattsburgh/
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I was just going to post about this too. I’m not sure if they would do Jump here or not. But one thing’s for sure, they don’t appear to be as committed to the Mid-Century format as they used to be.
 
Apparently the domain name jump971.com is in use as of this week. Not sure who registered it though so it could be anyone. It matches up with their other 2 domains of jump1045.com and jump1037.com. I also want to add that VLZ has updated their social media page logos to just simply say "VLZ." Could be a coincident. Could they possibly be moving signals again? Honestly 106.1 would cover a lot more range even though it can be spotty at certain places.
 
So Jump 97.1 has been confirmed. It's actually happening! I'm sure it is Classic Hip-Hop like their other 2 Jump stations. Wonder what that means for the rock format. Hopefully we won't lose that.... again. I could see 106.1 being a nice place for that one. Haven't seen any more info about what the other 3 signals will be used for. Check out this tweet from traffic guy Comander Chuck. He has been making tweets about this all week.

https://twitter.com/CommanderChuck1/status/1275028139413037056?s=19
 
He must have deleted the tweets because I don't see them. But I believe you. It makes sense since it looks like that's the format the the company is pushing the hardest. 97.1 would be the best signal for it.
 
RMarino said:
He must have deleted the tweets because I don't see them. But I believe you. It makes sense since it looks like that's the format the the company is pushing the hardest. 97.1 would be the best signal for it.
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Indeed they are gone. Also after I mentioned about a logo change on VLZs social media accounts, the logo was changed back a little while after. Makes me wonder if somebody from Loud Media is checking in on this board ?
 
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