If AM 760 WJR were sold would it change much?

[Marcus]

The first three companies to come to mind are Audacy, Beasley, and iHeartMedia. Are there certain programs that would be replaced? Could ratings improve? I know that some of the IHeartMedia News/Talk stations do quite well in certain markets including some of the major ones like Los Angeles.

[Ben Zonia]

Note that WJR has more than three times the ratings of co owned WLS, with a similar format. Still say it has a lot to do with the better signal of WJR in the Northern Suburbs of Detroit, vs. the weak signal of WLS in the Northern Suburbs of Chicago.

Who says so? The late WLS staff engineer (and WLS-FM CE), and highly respected engineering consultant, Glen Clark noted the problem in the 1960s and 1970s. However, at the time, WLS's North Suburban signal was fairly noise free compared to today. David Gleason says you need at least 15 mV/m to be listenable in today's noisy electrical environment. WLS's 15 mV/ M-3 predicted contour barely makes it past the Northern Chicago City Limits. WJR's puts a MEASURED 15 mV/m past Pontiac and Rochester Hills, more than THREE TOWNSHIP TIERS past the BASE LINE/AKA 8 MILE, more than 18 miles.

https://www.thebdr.net/the-audio-prism-story/

In the latest book, WJR is 3.6. WLS is 1.1. Don't tell me it's because Chicago audiences are more sophisticated. I don't buy it. Don't tell me people can listen to WLS online, because it's inconvenient and unreliable to listen that way, especially in the car.

https://ratings.radio-online.com/content/arb011

https://ratings.radio-online.com/content/arb005

Signal Signal Signal.

I think WJR is doing remarkably well now in the ratings, everything considered. They don't need a new owner or format.

[edj]

Obviously if it were sold to a religious organization it would change, If Salem made a plunge it would too since their bigger national hosts would appear on it. Paul W would probably stay since some stations like WIND have local morning shows. They would probably cut one of the local shows though.
IHeart would dump Dan Bongino for Clay and Buck, no doubt.

[Colonel Flagg]

The first three companies to come to mind are Audacy, Beasley, and iHeartMedia. Are there certain programs that would be replaced? Could ratings improve? I know that some of the IHeartMedia News/Talk stations do quite well in certain markets including some of the major ones like Los Angeles.

iHM has done a nice job resuscitating WBZ and especially WRKO in Boston since acquiring those stations from CBS Radio and Entercom, respectively.

WJR, with the right people in charge, should be able to create compelling programming. Lowly WSPD Toledo is often more entertaining than WJR. 700 WLW Cincinnati, while not as good as it once was, beats WJR in terms of entertaining content. I would add WHIO Dayton, WSB Atlanta, and WWL New Orleans to the list. WWTN Nashville is another.

WJR has basically "sold out" to the pay to play crowd, and MSU. They've aired the MSU Today segment where the manager of WKAR is leaving at least 3 times. How many people are listening who could possibly care? The doctor show, the Sloan Brothers, all of these hucksters...other 50kw AM's don't seem to need to stoop that low.

Other than Paul W, and Mitch, it's hard for me to imagine why WJR is doing as well as it is. The "News Anal-ist" format is unbelievable. Marie Osbourne, and Lloyd Jackson are professional news anchors, but in this format, they add very little to the conversation. It sounds clunky, unorganized, and serves little purpose.

Putting this mediocre effort on FM would not make any sense. WJR needs a makeover, but even if IHM is the buyer, they're a little late to the game.

[Rich F.]

... David Gleason says you need at least 15 mV/m to be listenable in today's noisy electrical environment. WLS's 15 mV/ M-3 predicted contour barely makes it past the Northern Chicago City Limits. WJR's puts a MEASURED 15 mV/m past Pontiac and Rochester Hills, more than THREE TOWNSHIP TIERS past the BASE LINE/AKA 8 MILE, more than 18 miles. ...

The reasons for that are due to:

• different path lengths from the tx site to the northern boundaries of their city of license

• their carrier frequency, and

• their (slightly different) RMS values

Summary for 8 mS/m Earth conductivity (all paths):

WJR
- Path length, tx site to 8 Mile road; ~21 miles
- RMS @ 1 km = 2845 mV/m
- FI at 21 miles = 39.4 mV/m
- Distance to 15 mV/m FI = 35.3 miles
WLS
- Path length, tx site to Howard St; ~33 miles
- RMS @ 1 km = 2788 mV/m
- FI at 33 miles = 12.5 mV/m
- Distance to 15 mV/m FI = 30.3 miles

[paul8539]

They would probably be still news/talk. But the talk would be different.

[Deleted User 15783]

Maybe the new owners will buy a lawnmower. Drove by the transmitter last week. It's at least knee high. I had seen Facebook Wahs about it and took a little detour. Yup, it's up there.

[Marcus]

Each market is unique. New York and Chicago have 77 WABC and 720 WGN. Both are locally owned and are winners right now. As mentioned 890 WLS is not the best 50 KW signal in Chicago. In Michigan WJR does not have horrible ratings, but I have a feeling that the average listener is over 60 and I mean that literally. I have to wonder how much longer Conservative talk radio will last on the AM band. Gospel music, Catholic formats, Ethnic language programming (incl. Spanish), and Christian Talk are likely to outlast it (IMHO).