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How One AM Station's Successful Rebirth Is A Lesson To All Others
An L.A. radio writer looks across the country to WABC New York for inspiration on how a smart owner can turn around a dying station to again make it a vital part of the city it serves. And that it happens to be on AM only makes it that much more impressive.
"[John] Catsimatidis then did what some think is impossible: He brought a dead radio station back to life. How? He made it local. He served his local audience. He wasn’t afraid to embrace older listeners, and he started super-serving those willing to tune in.
And tune in they did. The station has been above a 3.0 share for at least the last six months and has had a 3.9 share for the last two months. It is the top-rated AM station in New York. Under previous ownership, it had fallen to the mid to upper 1s. Could other stations learn from the recent success?
Yes."
Regardless of how you feel about WABC's political stance, there's no doubt going heavily local is the secret sauce that's been lost on too many cookie cutter stations. It's a lesson we all remember from the Waters and Slaight families here, who actually cared about their on-air product and treated their people decently. Maybe Catsimatidis is a lone voice (albeit on a 50,000-watt blowtorch) but wouldn't it be great if others re-learned that lesson?
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This classic AM station’s rebirth could improve radio if the industry listens
- RadioAaron
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Re: How One AM Station's Successful Rebirth Is A Lesson To All Others
This again.
The lesson is if you're a billionaire you can buy a dying station, pump a bunch of money into it and juice the 55+ ratings.
Meanwhile, revenue is flat and costs aren't being shared with profitable FM sister stations anymore.
It's very likely he's losing money on this station; it's his hobby, not his business.
Last edited by RadioAaron (April 17, 2023 12:08 pm)
- Jody Thornton
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Re: How One AM Station's Successful Rebirth Is A Lesson To All Others
RadioAaron wrote:
This again.
The lesson is if you're a billionaire you can buy a dying station, pump a bunch of money into it and juice the 55+ ratings.
Meanwhile, revenue is flat and costs aren't being shared with profitable FM sister stations anymore.
It's very likely he's losing money on this station; it's his hobby, not his business.
Precisely. I don’t see where the “lesson” is here, unless it’s to …”get rich if you ever want operate an AM radio station and buy your own career”. I don’t see where he convinces Tops Friendly Markets or Jersey City Bowl to advertise to upper demos. Did I miss that part?
RA knows I loved AM radio, but most times, it seems AM “successes” involve promoting streaming, or building FM translators, and NEVER even mentioning the AM frequency. True, at least this fellow is investing in his programming. But what of the sales question? Who is buying time on here? Cousin Brucie and far right talk doesn't sound like a formula for attracting younger demos that most businesses want to attract.
Plus, you can tell that the author is all gaga over the “save AM radio” bit, so it loses objectivity. It sounds like it could have been pulled from Dick Taylor’s blog.
Last edited by Jody Thornton (April 17, 2023 1:46 pm)
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Jody Thornton
- Paul Jeffries
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Re: How One AM Station's Successful Rebirth Is A Lesson To All Others
Then again, aren't FM stations also guilty of making out like they're more successful than they really are? Let's face it, even stations that claim to be "killing it" in the ratings can't be doing that great, given that cutbacks have been part of the radio lexicon for at least the past few decades, and now many stations are eying AI as a viable cost-cutting measure. A far cry from the days when owning a radio station was "a license to print money", as the expression went.
PJ
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Re: How One AM Station's Successful Rebirth Is A Lesson To All Others
I get where you guys are coming from, but if you'll notice, there's almost always one station in every big market in the U.S. where at least one heritage AM station is at or near the top of the ratings. So it can work.
I'm a big fan of local and I think it can still attract an audience. In fact, any station can attract an audience if the people running the place do it right and care about their product. That, to me, is what's really missing from many stations on either dial.
The problem isn't the band. It's the conductors. No wonder so many sound out of tune with their listeners.
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Thread Starter- RadioAaron
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Re: How One AM Station's Successful Rebirth Is A Lesson To All Others
I get where you guys are coming from, but if you'll notice, there's almost always one station in every big market in the U.S. where a heritage station is at or near the top of the ratings. So AM can work.
I'm a big fan of local and I think it can still attract an audience. In fact, any station can attract an audience if the people running the place do it right and care about their product. That, to me, is what's really missing from many stations on either dial.
The problem isn't the band. It's the conductors. No wonder so many sound out of tune with their listeners.
This is not an example of an AM station "working" however, unless the objective is solely to fluff its owner's ego.
Anyone can do what he's doing if they've got enough money to burn.
Last edited by RadioAaron (April 17, 2023 4:08 pm)
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I get where you guys are coming from, but if you'll notice, there's almost always one station in every big market in the U.S. where a heritage station is at or near the top of the ratings. So AM can work.
I'm a big fan of local and I think it can still attract an audience. In fact, any station can attract an audience if the people running the place do it right and care about their product. That, to me, is what's really missing from many stations on either dial.
The problem isn't the band. It's the conductors. No wonder so many sound out of tune with their listeners.This is not an example of an AM station "working" however, unless the objective is solely to fluff its owner's ego.
Anyone can do what he's doing if they've got enough money to burn.
But is it any worse than the FM station that claims they're "killing it" in the ratings, while most of the money goes back in to feed the hungry beast with contests and promotions that are practically buying listeners, while the people working there are just barely making a living wage, if they're lucky? It seems to me this puffery isn't exclusive to the AM band, it's just a different brand.
PJ
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- Jody Thornton
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Re: How One AM Station's Successful Rebirth Is A Lesson To All Others
But is it any worse than the FM station that claims they're "killing it" in the ratings, while most of the money goes back in to feed the hungry beast with contests and promotions that are practically buying listeners, while the people working there are just barely making a living wage, if they're lucky? It seems to me this puffery isn't exclusive to the AM band, it's just a different brand.
PJ
Well in your example; yes! If the FM owner does contra deals or uses ad revenue to keep the station afloat, at least the FM station survives with its own money. As for WABC, the owner is just throwing away good money after bad, likely making up for a massive ad shortfall. I’ll bet the FM station reaches some of the advertisers desired demo too.
Just to touch on RA’s comment on how AM can work, given that some of the highest rated US outlets are AM, I think you’re trying to suggest the exception is the rule. After that handful of top-rated AM stations, it’s a LOOOONG way down to the rest. I wonder how well streaming does on AM stations overall. Is the content found on AM compelling enough to draw millennials and Gen Xers to even care to stream it? Most of the demo that’s desirable to advertisers aren’t even aware that AM still exists as an option. Outside of this board, are there many complaining about the absence of AM from EVs?
Last edited by Jody Thornton (April 17, 2023 5:42 pm)
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- RadioAaron
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Re: How One AM Station's Successful Rebirth Is A Lesson To All Others
In the top US markets, the majority of the highly rated "AM" stations have full-power FM simulcasts. Only exceptions are KFI Los Angeles and WBZ Boston, but both are hanging on for dear life, demo-wise.
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Re: How One AM Station's Successful Rebirth Is A Lesson To All Others
In the top US markets, the majority of the highly rated "AM" stations have full-power FM simulcasts. Only exceptions are KFI Los Angeles and WBZ Boston, but both are hanging on for dear life, demo-wise.
I hear that in NYC, there’s one all news station that really ... ahem ... WINS with this approach 😜😁😁
Cheers,
Jody Thornton
- RadioAaron
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Re: How One AM Station's Successful Rebirth Is A Lesson To All Others
In the top US markets, the majority of the highly rated "AM" stations have full-power FM simulcasts. Only exceptions are KFI Los Angeles and WBZ Boston, but both are hanging on for dear life, demo-wise.
I hear that in NYC, there’s one all news station that really ... ahem ... WINS with this approach 😜😁😁
It hasn't been long, but it's looking like that was a REALLY good move.