CBS Looking To Sell Off Their Radio Stations

[Scott Fybush]

There is no reason, given current practice and FCC rules, for either AM 
or TV to have to change their calls regardless of what happens to their 
ownership. Just ask WABC, or WLS, or WSYR, or WHAM, or KFYR, or WHAS, or 
WFLA, or...

On 3/29/2016 8:27 AM, Shawn Mamros wrote:
> I'm actually thinking the calls may have more value to the AM station than to the TV.  Aside from the top of the hour ID, the radio uses "WBZ News Time" for their time checks all the time.  Do the calls ever really get mentioned on TV?  The TV station often brands itself as "CBS Boston" or "CBS 4 Boston", doesn't it?  That's how I'd do it, which of course likely means they'll do just the opposite.
>
> -Shawn
> ________________________________________
> From: Boston-Radio-Interest [boston-radio-interest-bounces@lists.BostonRadio.org] on behalf of Rob Landry [011010001@interpring.com]
> Sent: Monday, March 28, 2016 11:37 AM
> To: Kevin Vahey
> Cc: Boston Radio Group
> Subject: Re: CBS Looking To Sell Off Their Radio Stations
>
> CBS will want to keep "WBZ" for the TV station, I suspect.
>
>
> Rob
>
>
> On Sat, 26 Mar 2016, Kevin Vahey wrote:
>
>> Perhaps the new owners keep the WBZ calls on AM - perhaps they don't.
>>
>> On Sat, Mar 26, 2016 at 2:58 PM, Gary's Ice Cream <gary@garysicecream.com>
>> wrote:
>>
>>> My CBS sources say that the intention is to divest of ALL radio
>>> properties....nothing sacred
>>>
>>>                      Gary's Ice Cream, Chelmsford, MA
>>> www.garysicecream.com           www.icecreamcollege.com
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> -----Original Message-----
>>> From: Boston-Radio-Interest [mailto:
>>> boston-radio-interest-bounces@lists.BostonRadio.org] On Behalf Of Sean
>>> Smyth
>>> Sent: Saturday, March 26, 2016 7:50 AM
>>> To: Kevin Vahey
>>> Cc: Boston Radio Group
>>> Subject: Re: CBS Looking To Sell Off Their Radio Stations
>>>
>>> Given how much that's been invested in 1030 and 98.5 to tie them in with
>>> 4, I'd think they'd stay like you said. Maybe peel off another FM for a
>>> 1030 simulcast before the sale?
>>>
>>> On Wednesday, March 16, 2016, Kevin Vahey <kvahey@gmail.com> wrote:
>>>
>>>> iheartMedia (Clear Channel) is in no position to buy anything and
>>>> their situation may have forced CBS's hand. Station prices are going
>>>> to drop dramatically.
>>>>
>>>> I think you might see CBS hang on to the news AM stations they have
>>>> and also hang on to their sports radio properties and unload everything
>>> else.
>>>>
>>>> The Chicago CBS cluster is similar to Boston and Robert Feder writes
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> http://www.robertfeder.com/2016/03/15/cbs-sale-would-include-chicagos-
>>>> top-radio-group/
>>>>
>>>> Here is the reality of radio today - music stations do not bill well
>>>> and there are also music license fees to deal with. I would love to
>>>> see the Boston billing figures but I would guess it would mirror
>>>> Chicago with WBZ=AM and WBZ-FM doing well and the rest surviving.
>>>>
>>>>
>>>>
>>>> On Wed, Mar 16, 2016 at 1:56 AM, Don via Boston-Radio-Interest <
>>>> boston-radio-interest@lists.bostonradio.org <javascript:;>> wrote:
>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> ---------- Forwarded message ----------
>>>>> From: Don <Donald_Astelle@yahoo.com <javascript:;>>
>>>>> To: Mark Watson <markwats@comcast.net <javascript:;>>, "'Boston
>>>>> Radio
>>>> Group'" <
>>>>> boston-radio-interest@lists.bostonradio.org <javascript:;>>
>>>>> Cc:
>>>>> Date: Wed, 16 Mar 2016 01:14:22 -0400
>>>>> Subject: Re: CBS Looking To Sell Off Their Radio Stations
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>>> CBS is putting their entire radio division up for sale according
>>>>>>> to
>>>> this
>>>>> article in Variety. CBS CEO Les Moonves confirming this at the CBS
>>>> Investor
>>>>> Day presentation today.
>>>>> <<
>>>>>
>>>>> Will they sell as a whole....or in bunches...or individual stations?
>>>>>
>>>>> I know in Boston Clear Channel (IheartMedia) would love to pick up a
>>>>> few more full-signal FM's in Boston....as they only have 2-1/2 right
>>> now.
>>>>> (Although, IHM Has other problems right now...)
>>>>>
>>>>> I can't think of who might want to run an all-news 50KW AM station
>>>>> (and run it in a good way) if CBS doesn't want it.
>>>>>
>>>>> Clear Channel does have some experience running 50KW blowtorch
>>>>> stations
>>>> in
>>>>> many markets.
>>>>>
>>>>> But what could they get for these stations?  In the same
>>>>> announcement,
>>>> CBS
>>>>> stated that they "don't see radio as a growth industry any longer".
>>>>>
>>>>> Does anyone see it as a growth industry worthy of investment?
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>> Don
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> --
>>> Sent from my iPhone
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
>