Well, I guess it's official. Christmas-type music all year long. 

RadioActive wrote:

What a sad comment that is, if it turns out to be true. The fact they couldn't make a super-powered FM station available in two countries work is a terrible commentary on how little imagination was put into the place. 

Up on Twitter, I was talking to someone who, WAY back in the day, was producing Jim Bosh's AM drive show.-and noted that the audience response to Majic 102 was awesome(this was back when Majic and Kiss were going full boar with a CHR war.). He pointedly said "Audacity/Entercom was a terrible owner. They didn't give a rat's ass." Later on, he noted that when Entercom took over in 1999, they laid out a pretty good operations model-but within a few years, they began gutting the brands by getting rid of local content in favor of vanilla content.

ckg927 wrote:

RadioActive wrote:

What a sad comment that is, if it turns out to be true. The fact they couldn't make a super-powered FM station available in two countries work is a terrible commentary on how little imagination was put into the place. 

Up on Twitter, I was talking to someone who, WAY back in the day, was producing Jim Bosh's AM drive show.-and noted that the audience response to Majic 102 was awesome(this was back when Majic and Kiss were going full boar with a CHR war.). He pointedly said "Audacity/Entercom was a terrible owner. They didn't give a rat's ass." Later on, he noted that when Entercom took over in 1999, they laid out a pretty good operations model-but within a few years, they began gutting the brands by getting rid of local content in favor of vanilla content.

When Magic 102 was at it's best, WKSE was a PRICE Communications station. 
Then Entercom bought WKSE...didn't like having competition, so they bought Magic 102 and changed that to Q102.
Entercom really bends over backwards to see to it that they have no (identical format) competition.

Then they bought 107.7 for crazy high money just to make extra sure nobody launches competition to Kiss 98.5.
So, here we are today. 
Entercom (now Audacy) is getting a strong return on their investment knowing full well that EMF will never ever air content that is a direct threat to any of their radio stations.
Long story short (as I've said) EMF is their friend. 

 

TheWiz wrote:

I don't quite the business side of this. Why would Audacy want to give up the biggest FM signal in Buffalo?

By selling their most powerful signal they get back a large amount of money that they have invested in the business.
They might now make an exit from the business, selling their remaining frequencies.
If so, they do so with the solid claim that they have no (identical format) competition to worry about, allowing them to get top dollar for the Buffalo market, even though their strongest frequency is not included in the "final exit" sale.

OTOH, they can stay in Buffalo with a secure future, knowing they have no (identical format) competition to worry about. 
It's a win win.
Now, this does free up money for further investment in better signal strength...but I am not aware of any possible signal boost for 104.7 or 107.7 FM.  (even in the slightest...)

Last edited by Radiowiz (April 10, 2023 6:35 am)

Much of this move could also be that Audacy is trying to get some cash ready for a huge debt repayment in 2024.  The company stock is down to 11 cents a share and they will need to pay back a debt of about $625 million in November 2024.  They have been selling off stations for the past few years and property from some AM operations.

About the only upside would be there isn't any debt repayment due in 2023.  The company is going to either try and refinance some of the huge payment due next year or continue to sell some stations and land to help get the cash needed in 2024.  Currently Audacy is about 2 billion in debt which is large but should be manageable considering the size of the company.  So far they have denied any thought that they may declare bankruptcy.

I don't subscribe to this site, but the question it poses in the first two paragraphs that are visible may explain a lot about what's going on at Audacy and the dumping of so many stations. Desperate times require desperate measures. And this is certainly one of them.

Is Audacy Planning An Ad-Free Subscription Streaming Tier?

RadioActive wrote:

While this article from Radio Insight isn't completely available, the most important part is:

"Educational Media Foundation specifically sought out WTSS in Buffalo not only to expand in that city, but also across the border into Southern Ontario and Toronto. With “K-Love” currently heard on rimshot 89.9 WBKV Buffalo, the grandfathered 110kW/355m signal of WTSS will give EMF coverage over most of Western New York, the Niagara Peninsula of Ontario, and rimshot both Hamilton and Toronto in much the same way EMF acquired 94.7 Chateaugay NY in 2021 to reach Montreal.

As of now we do not see any concrete indication that Audacy will relocate WTSS to one of their other FM signals in the market, but that cannot be completely ruled out yet. Otherwise sister CHR “Kiss 98.5” WKSE could shift in a more adult direction to absorb some of the audience overlap between the stations. Such a scenario would also help Townsquare Media AC “96.1 The Breeze” WMSX as it will remain the only AC in the Buffalo market."

The Ramifications of Audacy's WTSS Sale

Will not let me read full story can you put this on the Clear this page trick? I do not like radioinsight.

Last edited by haydenmatthews14 (April 11, 2023 7:24 pm)

TheWiz wrote:

I don't quite the business side of this. Why would Audacy want to give up the biggest FM signal in Buffalo?

They needed to raise cash quick to avoid having their stock de-listed. EMF pays a premium due to being better able to take advantage of the signal size, and Audacy avoids selling to someone who will then compete against them in the Buffalo market.

There were posts wondering about potential competition between K-Love 102.5 and WDCX 99.5. They're both Christian, but actually quite different formats - Christian oriented soft pop on K-Love, and mostly spoken word / preaching on WDCX. There might be music on WDCX, but it's different than that on K-Love. The only similarity, really, is they're both Christian. Still, there might arguably be some similarities - perhaps political viewpoints (though K-Love is decidedly music), and perhaps less diverse than Christianity itself. But I'll leave the last word on that to someone who might know more...
 

Dale Patterson wrote:

When is this format change supposed to be taking place?

In Star's case, unknown as yet. In the case of the Memphis station that was sold along with WTSS, they said the sale would close in 90 days. THAT station, WLFP, is planning to move its country format to 99.7(currently hot AC as FM 100)and it'll become Wolf 99.7 in the near future....and that station runs at 300 kW horizontal/100 kW vertical. 

Latest numbers from March show WTSS-FM is way down, dropping from a 6.7 in February to 4.9 last month. Given its incredible signal, that's just sad. Perhaps Audacy has stopped caring as they prepare to deal the station. 

As for who did well, it's the usual suspects - WBLK, WYRK and 97 Rock remain at #s 1-3. 

Buffalo Radio Ratings

When the switch finally comes, I wonder if some/all of 102.5's listeners will migrate to 96.1?

Radiowiz wrote:

mace wrote:

When the switch finally comes, I wonder if some/all of 102.5's listeners will migrate to 96.1?

I wonder if Star will move to 98.5  
If 107.7 is such a weak signal...too weak for top 40 radio to be successful, why did did Entercom (at the time) pay way too much money for it rather than consider it to be too weak a signal to be a threat to WKSE?

Now WKSE can move to 107.7 and be an actual top 40 there freely without being a threat to any other station. 



 

I doubt that WKSE will move to 107.7 I would rather it stay on 98.5 I love listening to it in the Greater Toronto area because that is the only alternative Buffalo station I would listen to and get away from the annoying Canadian ads on the radio like the provincial/federal ads that have been advertised again on the radio. Spence Diamonds etc. Love hearing the cool ads they do on the american side of the border. I think Star should move to 107.7 the "Wolf" branding is not working anyway. 106.5 WYRK is the most listened to country station in Buffalo anyway.
 

radiokid wrote:

Radiowiz wrote:

mace wrote:

When the switch finally comes, I wonder if some/all of 102.5's listeners will migrate to 96.1?

I wonder if Star will move to 98.5  
If 107.7 is such a weak signal...too weak for top 40 radio to be successful, why did did Entercom (at the time) pay way too much money for it rather than consider it to be too weak a signal to be a threat to WKSE?

Now WKSE can move to 107.7 and be an actual top 40 there freely without being a threat to any other station. 



 

I doubt WKSE will move.   Kiss 98.5 is a heritage format/station and moving it would only harm things more.    I can see them flipping 107.7 to a Hot AC perhaps under the Star brand.   It could be more successful than the current country.   They also could decide to go more adult leaning CHR with Kiss 98.5 to fill the void left.  This could split audiences between 96.1 and Kiss.   They could also sell off the rest of the stations they own in Buffalo.   I sure wouldn't feel good working in the building currently... way to many unknowns. 

I agree. We will have to see what Audacy does next to 107.7 or 98.5. Also I kinda guess the only Hot AC is 105.1 The River now? Their signal covers parts of Buffalo/Niagara Falls in Western New York.
 

haydenmatthews14 wrote:

Any update on 102.5 so far lately?

The only available information right now is that a competing source is determined to get a "Star like" format up and running ASAP, hinting of a stronger signal...or at least, I think that is their point. 

If Star DOES move to 107.7, it will be too weak of a signal to compete with what might be coming down the dial.
(sorry, I did not pay the $5 fee to read more about registered domains here:  https://radioinsight.com/headlines/netgnomes/252376/domain-insight-5-19-are-the-buffalo-dominoes-set-to-start-falling/ )