Herald: sticking points in the Carr issue

[David Tomm]

I'm sorry, but that would make absolutely no sense at all.  Why would 
Entercom want to blow up Mike-FM, a top FIVE 25-54 station with NO 
airstaff and minimal overhead to put WRKO on FM?  Just for the right to 
overpay Howie to do morning drive and keep him from WTKK, a station 
that's currently tied for 12th 25-54?  That's insane!  Right now 
Entercom is maximizing the amount of revenue it can generate from a 
rimshot suburban FM.  Why would they want to mess with that?  Besides, 
the billing for WRKO is horrendous, with or without Howie and it won't 
get much better by moving to FM.  All the 55+ wingnuts would come along 
and the more lucrative 25-54's currently listening to Mike would leave 
for Greater Media or CBS Radio stations in the market.

WAAF isn't a better solution.  The 107.3/97.7 simulcast isn't as 
effective in reaching all of the market as 96.9 is, and isn't competing 
with WTKK the point here?  Plus Entercom would take a major PR hit by 
blowing up WAAF--a heritage station with well over 30 years playing 
rock music.  While the ratings aren't great on WAAF, their 25-54 
numbers are still better than WRKO's, so why make the change?

There's no ratings or revenue upside in either scenario.

Dave Tomm
"Mike Thomas"


On Aug 30, 2007, at 1:34 PM, radiotony wrote:
>
> They can't do anything about WRKO being an AM station. But, they could 
> drop
> one of their FM music stations - Mike FM and 'AAF are their lowest 
> rated FMs
> - and make them talk and compete directly with WTKK with talk on the 
> FM. If
> it was really that important, it would be worth the move. But, that 
> probably
> wouldn't be feasible either, not just to please Howie.
> Better to just suck it up and let Howie go and try to rebuild the 
> station
> with something completely different.