[BC] City of Dallas & WRR-FM Classical

[Rich Wood]

------ At 08:24 AM 6/25/2006, DHultsman5 at aol.com wrote: -------

>As I recall this is nothing new,  just a new version.  There were  four 100
>kW. Class C* FM move-in's over the past 10 years in the DFW  market.   I seem
>to recall a major group owner making a similiar cash  offer with a swap of
>101.1 for another commercial channel for a substantial cash  pay out 
>and still
>have a station.

I lived in Dallas about 30 years ago. Even then people were lusting 
after the WRR frequency. The city seriously considered selling it a 
number of times. WNYC-AM/FM/TV, New York was sold. Mayor Giulianni 
didn't feel the city should be in the broadcasting business. The 
change happened on July 1, 1996. Fortunately, the FM went to a group 
that paid far less than it was worth to keep the format. The TV was 
sold for $207 million and changed to WBIS-TV under ITT and Dow Jones. 
I was to be a combination Business/Sports station since ITT owned 
Madison Square Garden, the Knicks and Rangers. The format was a 
disaster and lost a fortune. It was sold for $225 million to Paxson 
in 1997 after an LMA and became religious/violence and Business 
(daytime) as WPXN-TV under PAX.

Unfortunately, it's a one-time cash infusion for the city that 
probably went into many pockets and disappeared. I don't recall my 
taxes going down. WNYC radio was a treasure and was saved. The TV was 
a very poor excuse for a public TV station, though it did carry a lot 
of foreign language programming that disappeared. The swap of boring 
talking heads for infomercials and violent "family" programming was a wash.

>The age old problem is that 101.1 mHz. should make some money after all of
>its expenses.  (No Rich,  its isn't so the can buy HD equipment 
>that  has been
>done already).

There are no known problems with IBUZ so I wouldn't worry. Any major 
city that runs a commercial facility will get constant offers to sell 
or swap. The same is true for owners of great signal facilities 
running Classical music will endure the same. San Diego's KFSD had a 
monster 100Kw signal at 94.1 from Mt. Soledad. It's now Hot AC under 
Clear Channel. The Classical format went to Escondido.

Lotus owned it when  it was Classical.

Look at the complicated swap in Cleveland with WCLV. How about WTMI, Miami?

Rich

Rich Wood
Rich Wood Multimedia
Phone: 413-454-3258