The Raiders yesterday officially announced that KSAN-FM will
be the team's flagship radio station, with games to be simulcast
on KNEW-AM, according to this morning's SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE.
The announcement "brings an end to a frantic period in which the
deal was confirmed by Raiders executive assistant Al LoCasale,
then reportedly wiped out by rumors of a sale of the broadcasting
company that controls KNEW and KSAN." That sale, of Shamrock
Broadcasting to Chancellor Radio, may still take place, but it
would no longer have any affect on the Raiders deal. KNEW/KSAN
GM Bruce Blevins said the station made a "sizable investment,"
although sources at the station insist that the deal was for less
than $1M. Most believe that the station will not be able to
"recoup the investment" without the time to sell advertising (SAN
FRANCISCO CHRONICLE, 7/26).
BOSTON STATIONS TO CHANGE THEIR SOX? "More and more it
appears tiny Channel 68 may snatch the Red Sox from far larger
Boston television stations," according to Jack Craig in this
morning's BOSTON GLOBE. WABU-TV (Channel 68) is owned by Boston
University, and BU President John Silber is said to endorse the
idea of paying approximately $50M over five years for "a venture
that appears to be a money loser." The Red Sox reportedly are
seeking a direct rights fee (said to be $12M a year for 75
games), "free from revenue sharing that would require also
sharing the risk of lagging sales as baseball goes through a
decline." The parent companies of WSBK (the current rights
holder) and WLVI -- Paramount and Tribune Co. respectively --
"are firmly against a deal destined to lose money." For WABU,
however, the Red Sox would be a way to boost viewership up from
their position as the "least watched station" in Boston (BOSTON
GLOBE, 7/28).
RIDING THE INDIANS WAVE: During the peak baseball listening
hours of 7-10pm, WKNR-AM, which carries all Indians games, is
averaging a 15.3 Arbitron share witb 28,666 listeners age 12 and
above in any given quarter-hour. That is up by almost 5 share
points and 7,666 listeners from a comparable ratings period two
years ago. The current book measures ratings from March 30 to
June 21, and WKNR GM Jim Glass notes that the numbers might have
been stronger with a full season (Bob Dolgan, Cleveland PLAIN
DEALER, 7/26).
