ESPN Radio - FishbowlNY

ESPN Deportes to Broadcast Met Games in 2013

Jerry Barmash — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 09:31:52 +0000

ESPN Deportes Nueva York will be the Spanish broadcast home for the New York Mets starting next season. Under the agreement, 1050 AM will originate 150 regular season games, including select spring training, and postseason. In addition, all games on ESPN Deportes will feature pre- and post-game shows.

“We are thrilled to launch our new partnership with ESPN Deportes, which has become a destination station for Hispanic sports fans in New York,” said Dave Howard, executive VP, business operations, New York Mets. “Through ESPN Deportes, we look forward to building our connection with Spanish-speaking fans.”

In September, ESPN 1050 became ESPN Deportes Radio, the first and only Spanish-language 24-hour sports radio station in New York.

“Our commitment to serving the Hispanic sports fan is a top priority for our company,” says Dave Roberts, VP and general manager of ESPN Radio New York 98.7 and ESPN Deportes Radio Nueva York 1050 AM. “We are delighted to join forces with the Mets organization for this comprehensive and wide-ranging opportunity.”

The Mets join an ESPN Deportes lineup that already includes New York Jets play-by-play action.

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New York Jets to Call ESPN New York Home for Several More Years

Jerry Barmash — Wed, 05 Dec 2012 11:37:23 +0000

Another vital piece of the ESPN 98.7 FM game plan has come to fruition. The station inked a multiyear deal with the New York Jets. As part of the package, 98.7 will continue to be the radio home of the team. The Jets also maintain a presence on ESPN Deportes Nueva York at 1050 AM, the only 24-7 Spanish sports talk station in the city.

“Our partnership with the New York Jets is one of the finest in professional sports,” ESPN New York VP/general manager Dave Roberts tells FishbowlNY.

The Jets contract features all the bells and whistles of game-day coverage, including the pre- and post-game shows on both stations.

In addition, 98.7 keeps its focus on J-E-T-S throughout the season with the Jets Player Spotlight Mondays at 3:30 p.m. Head coach Rex Ryan is interviewed Mondays at 5:15 p.m. on the Michael Kay Show, and the Inside the Jets segment takes place Mondays at 7 p.m.

With the Jets locked in, all current play-by-play properties have been secured long term. In August, the Knicks and Rangers re-upped with ESPN Radio.

“The Jets, like the Knicks, are part of an overall strategy to serve the sports fans,” Roberts says. “Play-by-play partnerships are a crucial part of what we’re about.”

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WLTW Takes April PPM; KISS Closes Shop in Fifth

Jerry Barmash — Tue, 15 May 2012 13:34:22 +0000

As the adage goes, the more things change, the more they stay the same. That could have been written about WLTW/Lite FM and its ratings prowess.

Once again, the Clear Channel heavyweight was tops on the overall PPM Arbitron ratings for April by maintaining a 7.5 rating for the second straight month.

WCBS-FM, which last week announced programmer Brian Thomas is leaving to run the CBS Radio cluster in Tampa, kept its number two position by posting a slight gain to 6.4.

The number three and four stations are familiar dwellers as well. Clear Channel sister stations WHTZ/Z100 was third with a .4 boost to 5.6. WKTU marked time at fourth by again registering a 4.7.

It was a strong finish for KISS FM/WRKS, jumping to fifth place with a 4.0. Last month, ESPN/Disney took over the Emmis’ 98.7 FM frequency.

More from the monthly radio ratings after the jump.

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Emmis Emerges from Six and a Half Years of Transformation, Says Jeff Smulyan

Jerry Barmash — Fri, 11 May 2012 11:42:24 +0000

The company logo could have been a person tightening his belt. Emmis Communications has completed a 6 1/2 year transformation. Jeff Smulyan, the Indianapolis-based chairman of the board, said in the conference call yesterday that Emmis is moving forward with a group of stations in secondary markets such as St. Louis, Austin, and Terre Haute. He also mentioned New York’s lone wolf–Hot 97/WQHT.

Emmis is down to one radio destination in the biggest market. Last year, Emmis sold off Rocker WRXP to new Merlin Media, which created FM News/WEMP.

More recently, Emmis was at the center of another radio surprise, leasing 98.7, the former KISS FM home, to ESPN/Disney.

In the two deals last month, Emmis stands to pocket $92.5 million, according to the Indianapolis Business Journal. Despite the sadness loyal fans felt about their beloved KISS leaving the air, with several personalities and shows shifted to WBLS, the news sent Emmis stock soaring 21.5 percent, to $1.05 cents per share. It was the first time Emmis shares had traded above $1 since July.

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Most Popular FishbowlNY Stories for the Week

Jerry Barmash — Fri, 04 May 2012 14:39:16 +0000

Here’s a look at what FishbowlNY stories made the most buzz this week.

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Fallout from ESPN-FM Deal: Syndicated Tom Joyner and Michael Baisden Fight Back Without KISS, New York Outlet

Jerry Barmash — Tue, 01 May 2012 11:21:25 +0000

While the rumors were flying for weeks that ESPN Radio would bolt the inferior 1050 AM signal for a quality FM sound, the station’s ultimate destination caught most by surprise.

ESPN/WEPN made it official yesterday with a new home in FM stereo at 98.7. That was the home of Emmis’ KISS since its inception in 1981.

WBLS formed a merger as several personalities, most notably midday Shaila and nighttime Lenny Green, joined the on-air staff.

As we reported last week, gone from the air are morning host Tom Joyner and Michael Baisden in the afternoon. The two syndicated shows did not find a home at WBLS, meaning they are not heard in the nation’s top market.

Joyner has declined FishbowlNY’s interview request, instead discussing the KISS/WBLS situation on his radio show and writing about it on his blog. Joyner and Baisden agree that the bigger picture means that the black audience suffers with fewer options.

“Thursday, we found out that a very important voice in New York City would be silenced,” Joyner writes. “After 20 years of broadcasting to and advocating for a mostly African-American audience, our New York affiliate, KISS 98.7, is now gone. It makes me sad, not just for our own personal loss but because of what the community-at-large is losing.”

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