Commentary: So What Will Happen In NYC

From Vince Santarelli, NY Radio ExaminerRead More.

Now that Emmis Communications has sold a majority interest in WRXP (101.9 FM) to Merlin Media, the speculation is on as to what happens to the station. For quite some time, the market has been abuzz with the possible move of ESPN Radio to the 101.9 spot, but it looks like that's out of the question now. Everybody is anticipating a move to a news / talk format. Adding fuel to that fire is the announcement that Walter Sabo has been named COO of Merlin.

Sabo, as you probably know, is the guy who put the highly successful New Jersey 101.5 (WKXW FM) in Trenton, NJ on the air. In the most recent Monmouth-Ocean ARB's, WKXW is the number one station with an 8.3 share. The second place station comes in with a 4.8. WKXW also consistently pulls around a 1.0 in the New York market.

So, you ask, what does Mr. Sabo do in New York? Work more magic? The fact that he's on board makes it almost a gimme that he's going to do some sort of news / talk format. And by doing that, he puts himself in direct competition with market giants WABC and WOR. So, this had better be big and good.

Basically what I'm hoping for here is that the new station, probably to be called WYNY, goes very local and very live. By that I mean, no syndicated talk shows. We have all we really need with Rush, Hannity and Imus on WABC and Michael Savage and Michael Smerconish on WOR. The new 101.9 needs to put on people who are in tune with the New York market. People who will actually be in the studio to take phone calls from the listeners. To talk about what New Yorkers want to talk about. What's happening at City Hall and the five boroughs. And they need hosts with no agendas. Not a bunch of right wing conservatives. And no left wing liberals either. A host who straddles the middle and is able to carry on an intelligent conversation with those who wish to do so