ESPN New York moving to 98.7 FM (WRKS) KISS moves to 107.5 (WBLS)

[Sid Schweiger]

"So basically WBLS is going away?"

No.  The two stations are "merging."  WBLS is the surviving call sign and 107.5 the frequency, but there will be elements of both stations in the revised format.

"With Sports, News and Talk moving to FM....there is going to be less and less musical variety on the radio dial!

"In Boston, Sports has taken the place of TWO FM signals.

"Talk has taken the place of 1 FM Signal."

It's the current trend.  Industry forecasters predicted, at the beginning of the year, that talk formats of all types would be migrating to FM in substantial numbers this year.  An AllAccess bulletin just a few minutes ago stated that Atlanta is getting its first all-news station, which is at 106.7 replacing an oldies station.

"I feel like it's only a matter of time that CBS sees WODS's demos get old enough that sacrificing it for a WBZ simulcast would be a good idea.  (Like Entercom did with 93.7 & WEEI)"

WODS tweaked the format quite a while ago, morphing it into "classic hits," which keeps its demo (in theory, anyhow) younger than an oldies format would.  But, down the road this is a distinct possibility.

"That would be four music stations gone....and for some in their place a simulcast of whats available on AM.

"Add to that an abandonment of any reason to turn on the AM dial...."

AM stations plainly have to do something, because the 55-to-death demo is the hardest sell in radio advertising, and as people (especially boomers) age, that demo is narrowing and shrinking.  Moving previously AM-only formats to FM is an effort to attract the younger demos, many of whom already have listening habits that don't include AM at all.

Sid Schweiger
IT Manager, Entercom New England
20 Guest St / 3d Floor
Brighton MA  02135-2040