Radio Disney selling stations – including WDDZ
August 13, 2014WDDZ (1250) is up for sale, but that’s because Disney is selling all but one station as it moves to digital delivery. The stations are set to go dark on September 26 – expect for KDIS in Los Angeles. Pittsburgh’s 1250 is best remembered as 1250 WTAE and was sister to 96.1 and WTAE-TV (4). Though Hearst sold its radio stations in 1997, 1250 has remained housed at 400 Ardmore Boulevard despite being sold a few times since.
Well, for starters, I didn\’t see anything in that article about the stations going dark. Let\’s not start a rumor like that. If 1250 were to go dark, that would be a travesty indeed, but I truly don\’t see that happening. Chris Lash, if you were to buy a radio station, this would be it. Mortgage everything down to your skivvies if you have to!
Ken, Lance Venta was the one who used the term “going dark” in his report. He credited Broadcasting and Cable as “saying that” which they didn’t… unless of course they changed it. To me, what B&C is saying is that the staff at each station will be cut by then and, unless they have a buyer in mind, who will mind the shop in the meantime? Perhaps that’s what he means by “going dark”?
If they take the station dark, it can’t remain dark for more than 30 days without notifying the FCC by application of an STA. Once it goes dark, the value of the license pretty much dwindles down to nothing. Especially an AM license using a DA system. But for no one to have snatched it up immediately, that says one of two things…a) the asking price is unreasonably high, and/or b) there’s just no more interest in AM radio in Pittsburgh. FM is starting to feel the pain now. The fundamental structure of radio as we know it is changing, and we need to get ready. 20 years ago, it was the business model. Now we’re getting to the basics.
Hummmmmmmm, the chance for someone to step up, purchase the station and return adult standards/nostalgia format to the Pittsburgh market. We can “Wish Upon A Star”!!
Bring back Bill Cardille!
I agree Doug. Wouldn’t that be interesting to move the adult standards/nostalgia format to 1250.
It will certainly be interesting to see what happens to 1250.
1250 for sale. Anyone want to buy a radio station and play standards?
Despite its long and rich heritage when it comes down to it 1250 is just another AM radio station for sale.
As a broadcaster who has long supported AM radio as a viable and relevant medium – I find myself more and more in agreement with those who are pronouncing AM radio dead. It’s over for AM… in a few years the bulk of AM’s remaining audience will have gone on to meet their maker… advertisers (even Mom n’ Pop businesses) won’t spend money to reach whatever tiny audience that is still around.
While I do give major props to those AM broadcasters who are fighting the battle to win listeners and revenue it’s time for them to lay their weapons down and move on.
Since they’ve been totally useless in any efforts to keep AM alive, the best thing the FCC should do at this point is to, whenever possible, encourage AM licensees to simply turn in their licenses so that the AM band can be totally shut down as a broadcast medium in the US and be put to other use.
This should also serve as a warning to the FM broadcasters that unless you start to offer creative, unique AND LOCAL programming rather than the bland cookie cutter McRadio that’s on the air now… the same will soon happen to the FM band as well.
Disney wants “digital delivery”. Doesn’t that show that times are changing and the future of radio. WOW!
If I bought AM 1250 I would return the Sports format and put NBC Sports Radio on the station. From what I heard. It is better sports talk then what is heard on KDKA -FM. With Brian Kenny,Newy Scruggs,and others NBC sports Radio needs a station in Pittsburgh. 1250 has a great signal and could fit NBC sports Radio Programming.
http://www.nbcsportsradio.com/