Will WABC's Owner Purchase Another Local Station?

[Barry]

An article in today's edition of InsideRadio speculates about this. It states that its owner, John Catsimatidis, during a recent appearance on it's morning show, expressed interest in buying another local station, for a music format. He pointed out that about 8% of WABC's programming is music. As WABC and it's music programming appeal to an older audience, perhaps an AM station, such as WLIB, could serve the purpose.
But the article points out that he had also mentioned making another acquisition in the past.

From InsideRadio

 

[Theater of My Mind]

Someone on NYRMB predicted Cats might be looking to buy the AM 1560 license from Family Radio. That former 50kw signal is all but dead right now, running 1kw off a slant wire covering a radius of maybe a couple miles at best in NJ.

Is that a plausible suggestion if the idea is to diplex 1560 into one of WABC's towers? The main WABC tower in Lodi is 648', a little greater than a full wavelength at 1560 kHz. The mostly unused used backup tower is 185', slightly greater than 1/4 wavelength at 1560 kHz.

 

[RadioGuy1864]

Family Radio would probably sell at a very reasonable price. They already made a fortune when they sold the tower land, and let's be real, no one is pounding at their door looking to buy a high dial AM without a tower. Cats has the WABC towers, if 1560 can be diplexed there, it might make sense.

 

[Barry]

Could 1560 AM be transmitted from only one tower? I thought it is required to use a directional signal.

 

[TheBigA]

I think we can be pretty sure it won't be an FM.

 

[Barry]

I think we can be pretty sure it won't be an FM.

Unless WFAS 103.9 is available for a reasonable price.

 

[Theater of My Mind]

Unless WFAS 103.9 is available for a reasonable price.

It probably would have been sold long ago if that were true. Also the signal is pretty undesirable for an owner who would probably find more audience in Staten Island than in the Bronx.

 

[TheBigA]

Unless WFAS 103.9 is available for a reasonable price.

I'd imagine he had a shot at it two years ago.

 

[ZantennaG1]

The mandatory question of the day: How deep are John's pockets that he could afford to turn an AM into an all music format in 2022?

 

[Theater of My Mind]

The mandatory question of the day: How deep are John's pockets that he could afford to turn an AM into an all music format in 2022?

If it's the one being guessed here, he might not have to dig all that deep. He already owns the land and potential tower, and could presumably build out an additional studio in his existing NY space. If he were to buy the WFME license I believe the transmitter that would presumably come with it is a not very old 50kw Nautel. Remember this is the same guy who paid just 12.5 million for a much more move-in ready WABC three years ago, including the land, towers and equipment.

The music would almost certainly be oldies and standards. It's Cat's hobby and that's what he likes. On the morning segment last week where he mentioned potentially adding another signal for music, they were having a conversation about Bobby Vinton at the time.

 

[ZantennaG1]

If it's the one being guessed here, he might not have to dig all that deep. He already owns the land and potential tower, and could presumably build out an additional studio in his existing NY space. If he were to buy the WFME license I believe the transmitter that would presumably come with it is a not very old 50kw Nautel. Remember this is the same guy who paid just 12.5 million for a much more move-in ready WABC three years ago, including the land, towers and equipment.

Sounds like a winner to me!

The music would almost certainly be oldies and standards. It's Cat's hobby and that's what he likes. On the morning segment last week where he mentioned potentially adding another signal for music, they were having a conversation about Bobby Vinton at the time.

What's the likelihood of Cousin Brucie moving to the new signal?

 

[TheBigA]

I am not very hopeful that Family Radio is looking to completely leave broadcasting in NYC. I know that have a few other smaller stations in the area. But they seem to be pretty committed to keeping this station on the air in some way.

 

[DavidEduardo]

If it's the one being guessed here, he might not have to dig all that deep. He already owns the land and potential tower,

But unless he buys 660 or 880, he would need more land for the directional systems of all other AM stations.

and could presumably build out an additional studio in his existing NY space. If he were to buy the WFME license I believe the transmitter that would presumably come with it is a not very old 50kw Nautel. Remember this is the same guy who paid just 12.5 million for a much more move-in ready WABC three years ago, including the land, towers and equipment.

And they need multiple towers to protect othe Cochran el and adjacent stations.

The music would almost certainly be oldies and standards. It's Cat's hobby and that's what he likes. On the morning segment last week where he mentioned potentially adding another signal for music, they were having a conversation about Bobby Vinton at the time.

75 and over old white guys would love it.

 

[Barry]

It may be cheaper to buy WLIB 1190 AM, than to build multiple towers and purchase the land they would require. WLIB seems to have a decent signal in a large part of the area, day and night.

 

[TheBigA]

It may be cheaper to buy WLIB 1190 AM,

Emmis might be more motivated to sell.

 

[Theater of My Mind]

But unless he buys 660 or 880, he would need more land for the directional systems of all other AM stations.

And they need multiple towers to protect othe Cochran el and adjacent stations.

75 and over old white guys would love it.

It has to protect points west but 1560 is still a Class A. How much power could it run ND at night if there were just one tower? Maybe great daytime coverage and reduced nighttime coverage is good enough in 2022.

 

[Barry]

I'm surprised WLIB AM hasn't been sold by now. It has a decent signal, but couldn't be making much money. Its cume averages only around 70,000 listeners.

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

It has to protect points west but 1560 is still a Class A. How much power could it run ND at night if there were just one tower? Maybe great daytime coverage and reduced nighttime coverage is good enough in 2022.

A couple KW at best, 1 to 2 MAYBE

 

[DavidEduardo]

It has to protect points west but 1560 is still a Class A. How much power could it run ND at night if there were just one tower?

Likely less than 1 kw with co-channel and adjacent protections. It would take a full study to find out, though

Maybe great daytime coverage and reduced nighttime coverage is good enough in 2022.

Remember, the night signal would be on for the first hour or so of AM drive, and for part of PM drive in winter (although the night protection is keyed to sunset in Bakersfield)

 

[DavidEduardo]

I'm surprised WLIB AM hasn't been sold by now. It has a decent signal, but couldn't be making much money. Its cume averages only around 70,000 listeners.

It is very directional, and while it is OK but not great for Black or Hispanic audiences, it is a horrible signal at night for much of Long Island and nearly all of suburban NJ. Daytime is not even good for most of the outer NJ suburbs.