As 104.1 KTDK Sanger, TX went dark on Monday, Cumulus announced plans to give Sports “1310 The Ticket” KTCK a new FM signal in the Dallas market.
News/Talk 96.7 WBAP-FM Flower Mound will shift to a simulcast of KTCK by Monday, October 21. In regards to dropping WBAP from 96.7, Dan Bennett, VP/Market Manager of Cumulus Dallas told DFW.com that, “We have seen no ratings increase since adding the FM. WBAP at 820 AM still covers 114 counties in the day and has been heard in up to 38 states at night and early morning before the sun comes up. WBAP at 820 is one of the biggest radio signals in America.” WBAP will replace KTCK on 99.5 KPLX-HD2.
96.7 WBAP-FM (to become KTCK-FM) rimshots the Dallas market from northwest of the city with 90kW at 621 meters. The 96.7 frequency has been simulcasting 820 WBAP since March 2010.
In order to begin its LMA of “103.3 ESPN” KESN and get under the market cap in Dallas, we hear that as soon as the federal government shutdown ends Cumulus will surrender the license of KTDK to the FCC.
“…we hear that as soon as the federal government shutdown ends Cumulus will surrender the license of KTDK to the FCC.”
Yeah, because finding a legitimate buyer for the license would be stupid.
I agree, Nathan. Cumulus can’t find a buyer for a C3 in DFW?
There must be something wrong with the signal for them to be making all these moves, especially to have two sports talkers in the market.
Cumulus needed to get rid of a signal in the market in order to consummate the LMA with Disney for KESN as it was at the maximum allowed in the market. The original deal to sell KTDK to a broker for $100 and the resale price minus brokerage fees was rejected by the FCC as getting around the spirit of a spinoff as we detailed here.
KTDK is a Class C3 rimshot covering the northwestern suburbs of the Dallas market. KESN and WBAP-FM are also rimshots, but as Class C’s they put a 60dBU signal over parts of Dallas/Fort Worth.
With the first spinoff rejected and the government shutdown in place, Cumulus had no choice but to eat the value of KTDK in order to close the LMA for KESN.
Oh, was this that station?
I need to pay better attention.
Never mind.
I read this morning that Cumulus did try to spin the 104.1 signal off to a broker for resale but the Commission refused it two weeks ago.
Guess this is the Dickeys way of saying “Fine, you won’t let us sell it, we’ll kill it instead … happy now?”
Just off the top of my head, KTDK was a rimshot that resulting from a huge shuffle of stations and frequencies around the Dallas area many moons back. I might be wrong, but that seems to stick in my head. As such, that is why KTDK is basically a non-viable facility. Although, for the life of me, I can’t figure out why they couldn’t spin it off to a religious broadcaster.