WABE Announces Programming Changes

[RoddyFreeman]

WABE-FM has announced programming changes to take place "in late 2014 or early 2015." They involve moving more in a talk direction during middays.

At 10AM. longtime "Second Cup" host Lois Reitzes will host a 2-hour arts and culture talk show with a heavy focus on artist interviews. Contributors Mara Davis, H. Johnson and Scott Stewart will be "heavily featured."

At noon, WABE reporters will produce a news and talk show. Mid-afternoon programming is still being determined, but the station says it will likely be a nationally-syndicated show from either American Public Media or the BBC.

WABE says it will nearly double the size of its news staff.

This comes across as a strategy to nip GPB in the bud. Interestingly, the GPB programming on the WRAS-FM signal has not hurt WABE's ratings in the least. Perhaps a lot of the underwriting sponsors do not look at ratings and are being attracted by the news and talk programming in middays on 88.5. Several years ago, there was conversation and to some extent controversy regarding whether WABE should stay with classical in certain dayparts or move toward more news and talk.

 

[TheBigA]

Several years ago, there was conversation and to some extent controversy regarding whether WABE should stay with classical in certain dayparts or move toward more news and talk.

It's a national issue for public radio in general, as news & talk have become the hallmarks, while classical, folk, and jazz have been reduced.

One would think NPR stations would co-ordinate their programming, as they did in DC, where WETA is classical, while WAMU is news. But in Boston, both WGBH and WBUR are news/talk. In New York and Boston respectively, WNYC and WGBH each bought a second FM to run classical, while the main frequency was news/talk.

In some markets, classical music has been moved to an HD2 channel, so the service would continue for those who want it.

Interesting that not only has WABE's ratings not gone down, as you point out, but WRAS ratings have not gone up.

 

[RoddyFreeman]

WABE-FM does have some, though relatively small, advantages over WRAS as a public station. First is heritage as Atlanta's NPR affiliate. Second, while both stations have 100kw, WABE's antenna height is 2 times higher. And finally, WABE's transmitter is in a much more centralized location, east of Moreland Avenue, than WRAS's, outside I-285 near the southeast side in the Panthersville area.

 

[TheBigA]

WABE-FM does have some, though relatively small, advantages over WRAS as a public station.

Still, after 5 months, the change in programming hasn't resulted in a change of ratings or listenership. That has to be disappointing to GPB. Has anyone at GPB commented on this situation? Are people unaware that this change happened?

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

And finally, WABE's transmitter is in a much more centralized location, east of Moreland Avenue, than WRAS's, outside I-285 near the southeast side in the Panthersville area.

Roddy: That would be the view of someone who is an urban dweller. Those of us who live 35 miles out in the kudzu, pine trees and water oaks see those two transmitter sites as being "just a rock's throw apart".

But WABE IS highly focused on those 'in the city' and those of us who value the city-focused-culture.

(If you could come and drive MY neighborhood... you might come away shaking your head and muttering: "Does this guy even know where the city is?")

The little short snippets quoted about new programs and content don't mention John Lemly. I hope he is going to be in the center of all this. To me, his "City Cafe" noon hour is a poster-child-example of what I assume WABE hopes to expand... and I see some elements of that in the teases of what may be a part of what Lois Reitzes will be doing.

In reading through the WABE announcement, it looks like they have surveyed the potpourri of things they are doing and cherry picked the ones they think are critical. What does that leave for WRAS to distinguish/differentiate themselves? (1) The suburban white community? (2) The African American community? (3) The partisan political crowd?

What is the length of the current agreement between GPB and GSU? If after 18 to 24 months GPB does not see strong audience growth, do they throw in the towel? If they do, what becomes Plan B for GSU?

 

[RoddyFreeman]

Roddy: That would be the view of someone who is an urban dweller. Those of us who live 35 miles out in the kudzu, pine trees and water oaks see those two transmitter sites as being "just a rock's throw apart".

GRC, it's kind of the view of someone thinking about which station reaches a higher amount of population with a strong signal.

 

[Avid Listener]

GRC, it's kind of the view of someone thinking about which station reaches a higher amount of population with a strong signal.

In most of the area from I-85 to I-15 north of the beltway, both stations come in pretty much equally. Even as far north as Cumming or Canton, I can pick up either one about the same. One might speculate about how theoretically there might be a difference, but in actual practice, it's not really much of a big deal.

 

[TheBigA]

Then there's going to be the issue of contributions. Has WRAS had a fundraiser yet? Probably not, since it's only been 5 months. But when they do, it'll be interesting to see how passionate their audience is for this new programming.

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

Well, let's see if I am awake here on a Monday morning... and bright enough to work links and other Internet voodoo magic.

Media writer Rodney Ho has an article in the Atlanta Journal Constitution this morning and he covers the announcement about upcoming programming changes at WABE and adds a few things I had not seen before. Try this link:

AJC Article by Rodney Ho

Matters not where you live... there are some observations about audience for public radio that are probably applicable to markets everywhere.

 

[MediaMan]

One thing to keep in mind and I think its the most important consideration as far as GPB is concerned...when they approach corporate supporters for radio fundraising, they now have a 100KW FM in Atlanta PLUS the entire state of Georgia. If you are asking someone like Delta which likely gives money to both GPB and WABE, this fact is gonna make a big difference in who gets first dibs. In the past, there was a legitimate reason to give to both...one reaches Atlanta and the other reaches all other parts of Georgia. Now one reaches ALL. As Deep Throat stated in the movie, All the President's Men..."follow the money."

 

[TheBigA]

In the past, there was a legitimate reason to give to both...one reaches Atlanta and the other reaches all other parts of Georgia. Now one reaches ALL.

Except there's a difference between "reach" and actual listening. If I'm a funder, I want people to actually listen to my funding announcement. WABE can deliver actual ears that GPB can't.

 

[On the Dial]

It's ironic that the competition between two non-profit public radio stations can be as cutthroat as competition between commercial stations!

 

[Avid Listener]

It's ironic that the competition between two non-profit public radio stations can be as cutthroat as competition between commercial stations!

Only if you believe the myth that they are truly "non-profit".

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

One thing to keep in mind and I think its the most important consideration as far as GPB is concerned...when they approach corporate supporters for radio fundraising, they now have a 100KW FM in Atlanta PLUS the entire state of Georgia. If you are asking someone like Delta which likely gives money to both GPB and WABE, this fact is gonna make a big difference in who gets first dibs. In the past, there was a legitimate reason to give to both...one reaches Atlanta and the other reaches all other parts of Georgia. Now one reaches ALL."

Delta may not be the 'poster child' for proving your point. ROAD WARRIORS who travel weekly, sometimes multiple times per week, tend to live in the Metro area. These people are an airlines bread-and-butter. Now, let's you and I go over sit over in the corner and give some thought to who inside the Metro area might listen to WABE.... and who inside the Metro area might listen to GPB.

Now when Grandma down in Macon or Albany or Cornelia flies once every other year for Thanksgiving with family in Missouri, she may be a GPB listener. How much sponsorship money is Delta going to spend to message the likes of Grandma?