CBS Selling off 50 Stations

[David Tomm]

Sounds like WZMX has a sales problem, not a format problem.  It  
shouldn't be that difficult.  Hartford has higher black and hispanic  
populations than Boston, and in a few years one out of every four  
people there will be non-white.  If they're in the top 3 18-49 doing  
rhythmic and reaching suburban audiences as well, they should be  
making a lot more than 4-5 million a year.

Historically CBS Radio doesn't handle rhythmic & urban stations well  
as a company.  Sure, they own urbans in DC and Baltimore that do  
well, but those are heritage signals (with longtime accounts) that  
were built long before CBS bought them.   I'd be willing to bet if  
Clear Channel owned WZMX they'd be billing a lot better.  They know  
the format and how to sell it.

Also keep in mind that for most of last year WZMX had direct format  
competition from WPHH (now WURH.)  I'm sure most of 104.1's  
advertising base moved over to WZMX once they flipped to  
alternative.  WZMX shot back up to the 7 share range right after  
that.  93.7 should leapfrog over a few stations in the billing race  
next year.

Dave Tomm
"Mike Thomas"

On Aug 4, 2008, at 2:08 PM, Alan Tolz wrote:

>> 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.
>
> They are currently billing between $4-$5 mm, putting them 9th in a  
> 10 horse race with only WURH on the FM side billing less.
> If they were to take 10% of the market revenues as a "WEEI network"  
> station, they would bill $6.5 - 7.5 mm.
> And you are correct, they are top3 everywhere A 18-49, but the  
> 25-54's are marginal.
>