Over the past few weeks a bunch of more domains, some even registered directly by CBS Radio and its web design partner Intertech Media, have appeared. These domains give a glimpse into where the next round of flips may be happening.
First there’s this batch of 98.7’s which were registered by Intertech Media on March 11.
987AmpRadio.com, 987FreshFM.com, 987TheParty.com, Energy987.com, Fresh987.com, Now987.com, Now987FM.com, Play987.com, and 987NowFM.com. CBS owns four stations on 98.7. Three of them are fairly successful: KLUV Dallas, KUPL Portland, and WLLD Tampa. The fourth, WVMV Detroit, not so much. With Dom Theodore based in Detroit and his former station WKQI meeting the criteria of a CHR without any direct competition, Detroit seems like an easy choice for a potential flip. On the same date, Amp987.com was registered directly by CBS.
The same day CBS also registered Amp941.com. That was a day prior to our post regarding a possible move of sister Sports WIP to 94.1 in Philadelphia. Coincidental timing? Where there’s smoke…
On March 6, a few domains for 94.7, presumably for WTGB Washington D.C. came into being: 947NowFM.com, AmpRadio947.com, and Fresh947.com.
On March 13, a number of domains for 104.1 came into world. Unlike the other markets, New York and Los Angeles included, there was a little more diversity to the possible formats hinted at. There were the mainstays at this point: 1041NowFM.com, Play1041.com, and Fresh1041.com. There were a couple of sports related ones: 1041TheFan.com and 1041TheTicket.com. But the next batch we haven’t seen previously: 1041VirginRadio.com, Country1041.com, 1041TheRiver.com, and Channel1041.com. Unlike the other markets, we cannot pinpoint a possible destination for these domains. WBCN Boston? Hot AC WQAL “Q104” Cleveland? Variety Hits “104.1 Jack-FM” KZJK Minneapolis? The Sports related domains hint towards Boston as WBCN is the flagship of the Patroits and the Fan moniker cannot be used in Minneapolis. The CHR ones could be any of the three, but that River hints strongly towards the mighty Mississippi flowing through the Twin Cities.
Do we have anything factual here? Actually, yes. There’s currently a test domain http://itm2095.com/ requesting CBS Access. We expect action soon and CBS has lots of moves in the pipeline it seems.
