WCBS 880 AM NYC - New ownership, New format - WOW

[Ct Yankee]

https://radioink.com/2024/08/12/journalism-headwinds-cause-format-flip-on-nycs-wcbs-880/

Wow, one of the two local (sister) all news stations in New York City is changing ownership and format.  WCBS 880 is switching its iconic call letters to WHSQ and joining the ESPN Radio Network.  This Class A 50,000 watt station can be heard up and down the east coast and well into the midwest - from personal experience.  It possibly becomes ESPN's highest powered affiliate.  This is ground shaking news in northeast radio.  WCBS AM is the NY Met flagship station and broadcast rights will be retained by the new 880 AM.  The new station will become the second Class A all sports stations in NYC, going up against former sister frequency 660 AM (WFAN).

The station is still generating almost $30 million in revenue per year, a top ten biller.  In addition the WINS 1010 AM signal is no where as blanketing as 880 AM.  https://radioink.com/2024/05/16/bia-reveals-us-radios-highest-billing-stations-of-2023/

Another shoe to drop ultimately as Good Karma now owns WEPN 1050 AM (NYC) which carries ESPN programming, a Class B 50,000 watt station with limited geographic coverage.

[NQC]

Hey Yankee.

I just found out about this today, quite bummed.

I use WCBS as a deep fringe “ test station “ for homebrews and other  experiments .It’s the only
“ dependable “ day time New Yorker here in Boston , though admittedly, some days are better than others.

It can be fair to good N. of Boston , even into NH and
be “ useable “ into S. Maine.

No other daytime NYC comes close.

I  also REALLY liked it for the actual content for bedside listening of national and NY news, weather, etc.

During day it gets “ a bit squeezed “ against a moderate strength local on 890 at times,but not too bad.


But goodbye to the CONTENT side of things ( like NYC really needs yet ANOTHER AM all sports format station  . ).

Apparently , as you mentioned, the station was still making money, but apparently Audacity didn’t want two similar stations ( along with WINS) in the stable, so they cashed out WCBS.

WINS is pretty much only available here after sunset.Usually just a beat note ( if even that much ) during the day and never has any useable audio.At night, it STORMS in , often better than WCBS ( go figure).

Both do QSB some at times, INS is probably a bit more prone than WCBS , or should I NOW say 880/WHSQ ( yuk).

INS 1010 is up against 1030 BZ ( BZ is at + 55 here). But on a decent rig usually not a big problem, maybe a bit of monkey chatter at times.

So while I still have NYC news content, it is now night time only, boo  !!.

 Yet another chunk of the old AM band goes bye bye.

de NQC

[Charlie_Dont_Surf]

https://www.nytimes.com/2024/08/13/nyregion/wcbs-880-radio-closing-espn.html?unlocked_article_code=1.C04.e2sK.svt8p_ITHtUg

[Ct Yankee]

Thanks for posting.  My thoughts on the station exactly.  I was a preteen in Queens when they went all news.  Fondly recall going to my grandparents' apartment down the street and it was always playing on the clock/radio in the kitchen.  To this day, now 100 miles away, my receivers are all preset to WCBS on radios that have that feature.  WCBS was always my choice of the two all news stations.

[flexoman61]

Always strong reliable reception in eastern CT. I would much rather have news then sports. Why couldn't they do both.

[n2avh]

The bigger mystery is that it's changing to ESPN Radio, which dumped salary in 2023 precisely because it couldn't compete with local  sports radio in markets large enough to have sports teams. NY is the prime of example of where they don't and can't do well, because people want their Yankees and Knicks and (etc.) talk.  Is the ESPN label just that, a label (and maybe content for overnight), and the content will be local?

[Ct Yankee]

I am not sure what ESPN's plans are with the three stations.  There are already 2 ESPN stations serving NYC - 98.7 FM and 1050 AM, neither have the reach of 880 AM.  I do not think the current 2 ESPN stations run the same programming - some is local (Mike Kay for example) while other is syndicated.  Undoubtedly, one of the ESPN stations will go on the market.

The 880 am wattage/frequency combined with being the Flagship station of, at least, the Mets, Rangers, and Knicks might sway some WFAN (Audacy) talent to leave.

BTW - How are things in Happy Valley?  I am a MPA '80.    We Are......

[NQC]

 

[Ct Yankee]

Just learned some new information on this switch.  Since it is a three year lease arrangement, the new agreement states WHSQ must run CBS News "Top of the Hour" Syndicated News for 18 months.  As of yesterday, the "WCBS Mets Radio Network" (which literally comprise the flagship and an affiliate in Florida) was renamed the "Audacy Mets Radio Network".  (Jeez, a sinking ship for a sinking ship......I have been going to Met games since '64.)

WHSQ might stand for the "Hudson Square" area of Manhattan where the brand new offices for Disney are located.

[bumblefukery]

I thought the other couple hundred stations across the US would be enough sports radio to last anyone a lifetime. What a shame.

[BoomboxDX]

They were the #10 billing station in the entire United States.

Sounds like a terrific reason to flip to sports to me. NOT.

Sometimes Radio is run well. Other times it seems more like they're running it into the ground.