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87.7FM Chicago's METV FM has 4 months before they have to go dark off the air as a Franken-FM.

Posted by WYTZZ95FM on March 7, 2021, 1:03 pm

MeTV FM still does not stream. Unheard of in 2021 when a recent article states 30% of people consume their "radio" via app. Their website is atrocious. Not one word what they plan to do, if anything.

Can they manage to LMA 95.1 or buy it outright feeding it from an HD2? Rent time on an AM? Intent to purchase another FM translator? Rent time on an Full Signal FM or another translator? Online only? Rent time on an HD2? Go dark? I will upset a lot of people, but the last one is most likely the answer. High ratings do not translate to high revenue. Listening to their ads, they are not billing big ad dollars.

The article spells it out along with the FCC notice that was sent out. FCC is stating absolutely no analog signals will be extended even if the digital has not be built out, by end of day July 13, 2021.

Z

The FCC sent out a notice this week reminding analog LPTV stations that they must complete their digital conversion by 11:59pm on July 13.

This will mean the end of all low-power television stations on channel 6 using the analog loophole to operate as a radio station on 87.7 MHz such as “87.7 MeTV-FM” WRME-LP Chicago, “La Nueva 87.7” WDCN-LP Washington DC, “Streetz 87.7” WMTO-LP Norfolk VA, and “Drake Hall Memphis Radio” WPGF-LP Memphis TN. While WMTO-LP operator Core Radio Group is in the process of purchasing 102.1 WXTG-FM Virginia Beach, none of the other so-called “Franken-FMs” have announced anything yet to keep their brand on the air past the July 13 deadline.

Link: FCC Report 3/6: FCC Reminds Franken-FMs Of Upcoming Conversion Date

Re: 87.7FM Chicago's METV FM has 4 months before they have to go dark off the air as a Franken-FM.

Posted by Readit on March 7, 2021, 1:24 pm, in reply to "87.7FM Chicago's METV FM has 4 months before they have to go dark off the air as a Franken-FM."

Their format is top ten. Look for station to flip formats and screw it up! 95.5??

Re: 87.7FM Chicago's METV FM has 4 months before they have to go dark off the air as a Franken-FM.

Posted by WYTZZ95FM on March 7, 2021, 1:27 pm, in reply to "Re: 87.7FM Chicago's METV FM has 4 months before they have to go dark off the air as a Franken-FM."

One more time in case you did not read this:

High ratings do not translate to high revenue. Listening to their ads, they are not billing big ad dollars.

WLOO in Chicago was either the #1 station or in the Top 3 through the 80s and went off the air due to no billing! I would not doubt someone does something "similar" like WLIT did a few years ago playing some of the songs but not all of them.

Z

Re: 87.7FM Chicago's METV FM has 4 months before they have to go dark off the air as a Franken-FM.

Posted by Sal on March 8, 2021, 5:04 pm, in reply to "Re: 87.7FM Chicago's METV FM has 4 months before they have to go dark off the air as a Franken-FM."

Radio.....it’s amazing how others don’t get the way this works. The young end is gone from radio and the ones that are winning understand what classic and recurrent songs can do for a station. In a pandemic where everything is nuts people want comfort food. They get that with 94.7, Wrme, the drive. Yet you turn on a station like US99 and they are still jamming new new new the listeners throats. Maybe GN was on to something when they put Bob in mornings. You can still stream and innovate But you may as well understand who the audience is. There’s money 35-64

Sal.

Re: 87.7FM Chicago's METV FM has 4 months before they have to go dark off the air as a Franken-FM.

Posted by Jeremy Andrews on March 7, 2021, 1:28 pm, in reply to "87.7FM Chicago's METV FM has 4 months before they have to go dark off the air as a Franken-FM."

The format is beyond WRME now that it is in syndication even though it’s the largest and highest rated of the stations as far as I know. They could probably shift it to HD2 and lease or buy a translator if they absolutely had to. If another station in the market wanted the syndicated version, this would potentially allow for it.

Some stations that carry the syndicated version include:

Larry Langford’s 910 WGTO (Streams):
https://971.fm/

Entercom’s WMYX HD2 (Streams):
https://www.radio.com/metvfmmke/listen

KXXP east of Portland (Streams):
https://www.metv.fm/kxxp

WXZO in Burlington, VT
https://www.967me.com/

WDQN in downstate Du Quoin:
https://www.metv.fm/wdqn

Re: 87.7FM Chicago's METV FM has 4 months before they have to go dark off the air as a Franken-FM.

Posted by D on March 7, 2021, 1:50 pm, in reply to "Re: 87.7FM Chicago's METV FM has 4 months before they have to go dark off the air as a Franken-FM."

Also, remember Weigel isn’t a radio company and also isn’t broke like iHeart, Entercom and Cumulus. Their business model is completely different so billing is probably not as important to them since it’s basically an extension of the MeTV brand. Hopefully they can stick around somewhere. I thought there was a talk of carrying a digital TV signal with an analog audio carrier.

Re: 87.7FM Chicago's METV FM has 4 months before they have to go dark off the air as a Franken-FM.

Posted by PhilJSmith on March 7, 2021, 9:56 pm, in reply to "Re: 87.7FM Chicago's METV FM has 4 months before they have to go dark off the air as a Franken-FM."

It’s hypothetically possible with ATSC 3.0 to omit some OFDM carriers to leave room for an analog FM signal with stereo and RBDS subcarriers, but the FCC hasn’t approved any such configuration for DTV broadcasting. Getting that approved would take years, not to mention Weigel hasn’t given any indication they are preparing to switch WRME Channel 6 to an ATSC 3.0 signal several months from now. There’s now way Weigel has the money nor the ROI to do RF experiments like that, either. The fact of the matter is unless some amazing, legal magic happens (like 0.0001% chance) 87.75 MHz will not have any analog FM signals in July.

Re: 87.7FM Chicago's METV FM has 4 months before they have to go dark off the air as a Franken-FM.

Posted by John, from Wisconsin on March 8, 2021, 9:34 am, in reply to "Re: 87.7FM Chicago's METV FM has 4 months before they have to go dark off the air as a Franken-FM."

Another for the list, https://1250wjmk.com/

1250-99.3 WJMK Bridgeport, Michigan. (99.3 is a translator)

Re: 87.7FM Chicago's METV FM has 4 months before they have to go dark off the air as a Franken-FM.

Posted by JP on March 7, 2021, 9:46 pm, in reply to "87.7FM Chicago's METV FM has 4 months before they have to go dark off the air as a Franken-FM."

Why is the FCC so obsessed in selling more spectrum when they should let all 87.7FMs operate as commercial FM stations without a video signal. As for the channel 6 part, isn’t that what PSIP is for? A “virtual channel 6” would have no bearing on 87.7 since the frequencies would be different anyway.

Re: 87.7FM Chicago's METV FM has 4 months before they have to go dark off the air as a Franken-FM.

Posted by John, from Wisconsin on March 8, 2021, 8:42 am, in reply to "Re: 87.7FM Chicago's METV FM has 4 months before they have to go dark off the air as a Franken-FM."

I've thought, for the longest time, to free up the Educational Band, 88.1-91.9, with REL & EDUC stations all over 92.1-107.9, why not?

Re: 87.7FM Chicago's METV FM has 4 months before they have to go dark off the air as a Franken-FM.

Posted by WYTZZ95FM on March 8, 2021, 8:51 am, in reply to "Re: 87.7FM Chicago's METV FM has 4 months before they have to go dark off the air as a Franken-FM."

John I do not understand what you mean? Wipe out all the educational and religious stations on 88.1 to 91.9? Or from 92.1 to 107.9?

Z

Re: 87.7FM Chicago's METV FM has 4 months before they have to go dark off the air as a Franken-FM.

Posted by John, from Wisconsin on March 8, 2021, 9:31 am, in reply to "Re: 87.7FM Chicago's METV FM has 4 months before they have to go dark off the air as a Franken-FM."

As long as the Educational and Religious stations are on 92-108, why not let commercial radio go on 88-92, as in Canada, etc.

Aside, Z, I always appreciate your input.

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