Really? CBS buys NY FM to simulcast AM sports talk

CBS has signed a definitive agreement with Merlin Media to purchase its New York station, WRXP-FM, for $75 million.  CBS Radio will reportedly use the FM station to simulcast its powerhouse sports talk AM station, WFAN.  Analysts suggest the move was prompted by ESPN radio moving its sports talk programming to an FM station.

“This is an extremely exciting opportunity to expand our radio presence in the nation’s largest market,” said Dan Mason, CBS Radio CEO. “Sports is a very popular format and a huge growth category for our business. As a result of this new asset, we look forward to The FAN building on its position as the leading sports radio franchise in the country.

For Merlin, the sale of its NY station will allow the company to pay off debt and focus on its stations in Chicago and Philadelphia.

CBS's move in "simulcasting" its AM station programming may seem a bit weird initially, as FM stations have the lion's share of audiences and revenues in radio markets.  But if you look at it as a way to bring a venerable and valuable sports talk AM to that more lucrative FM portion of the market, it makes a bit more sense.

Source - Merlin sells WRXP to CBS Radio, RBR.com

Tips For Interviews

Post contributed by Austin Moyers -

Here are a few interview tips for sports hosts from Talkers.com  -

• You don’t always have to over prepare questions for interviewees. It doesn’t hurt to come into the interview a native curiosity. However, a good middle ground for interviewing is to ask the basic questions and follow up accordingly. This also establishes a natural rhythm to the interview, and makes it easier to ease into the more serious issues you may have with your interviewee.
• There is no need to establish your own credentials with a subject. It can lead to citing your own opinions rather than inquiring to the interviewee.
• If you fear the interviewee is going on to much, and could be boring your audidence, it is alright to interrupt the person. Make sure you do it the right way though. Be polite and respectful.
• Most of your audience probably already knows your own views. There is no need to truncate a quest’s reply.
• Lastly, be careful about arguing a point with your guest. Sometimes this makes for great radio or television, but you run the risk of drowning out interesting comments by those who are actually on the front line.

[I'll add my own summary interview tip - in interviews, be more of a listener than a talker.  Pose the question, but then get out of the way, and listen to the response rather than thinking about what your next question will be.  Ben Bates]

Source -  Interview tips for sports hosts,  Talker.com

"Sports Guys” In Sports Talk

Post contributed by Austin Moyers -

This may come as a disappointment to guys like me who are not athletes but would love to get into sports talk radio, but a lot of people around the nation are calling for more former athletes to be on the shows as opposed to regular people like you and I.
   In a unfortunate way this does make sense. You can turn on any sports talk show and here some Joe ripping apart an athlete for his performance. What does this guy know bout what an athlete goes through? Bringing in more athletes to do the shows brings a more credible opinion to the show.
  However, for the regular sports fan/journalist, this is terrible news because this will take jobs away for us trying to break into the industry. I understand that the everyday sports broadcaster doesn’t fully understand what a current athlete goes through like an former athlete would, but you don’t have to be a former athlete to form a formidable opinion on a player or game.
   Regardless, station managers are looking for more former players to be on air so we’ll see how far this goes down the road.

Source - We need more jocks in sports talk radio (and I don't mean former disc jockeys),  Talkers.com