CBS Selling off 50 Stations

[David Tomm]

Hopefully whoever buys the CBS cluster will keep 93.7 and 1080 just  
the way they are.  WZMX is rhythmic, but their audience goes beyond  
the African American community.  There are quite a few young, white,  
suburban listeners as well.  The situation is most likely similar to  
WJMN.  They are near the top of the overall ratings, and I'd be  
willing to bet their 18-49 and 25-54 numbers are very respectable  
considering the format.  Revenues may lag behind the numbers a bit,  
but billing is still substantial.

People in CT are split down the middle when it comes to sports--some  
are New York fans, others root for Boston teams, and quite a few mix  
it up.   I'm a CT native and love the Sox and Celtics, but I'm also a  
lifelong Giants fan.  After the whole Bob Kraft moving the Patriots  
to Hartford thing which got rescinded at the last minute, there are  
plenty of people there who have a bad taste in their mouth regarding  
the Pats.  Considering how much coverage WEEI gives the team, it  
would probably be a turnoff to many potential listeners.  Besides,  
UConn basketball trumps everything else in season.  Even UConn  
football is building a loyal following.  The areas of the state with  
the most partisan Boston fans live in the extreme east and north-- 
which are covered well by 105.5 and 103.7.  A Hartford WEEI just  
isn't needed and probably wouldn't be profitable.

WTIC has the reputation for being the news and information station  
for Connecticut, and yes, the home of the Red Sox and the Huskies.   
Any change to that formula would be a big, big mistake.  The LAST  
thing they should do is turn it into "WRKO south."  Even if they  
couldn't go full blown news like WBZ, keeping the drivetime shifts  
local and using a information intensive format clock is essential.   
You just don't mess with a station that routinely hovers around a  
eight share, and is currently the number one rated station in the  
market 12+.

Dave Tomm
"Mike Thomas"

On Aug 4, 2008, at 12:39 AM, Alan Tolz wrote:

>> Just wondering is Entercom would go into Hartford and >possibly  
>> makeWTIC part of the EEI network
>
> IMO, based on the historical difficulty CBS and Clear Channel have  
> had monetizing urban ratings in Hartford, and Entercom's recent  
> history of moving toward FM with WEEI programming , they would be  
> better served taking 93.7 and making it part of the WEEI network.
>
> WTIC AM would likely morph into a "WRKO south" from 10 AM forward  
> and on weekends.  They could actually do Hartford a service by  
> upgrading the morning drive to a BZ type news format, but that is  
> expensive and given their history, I woukdn't bet on it.
>
>