Atlanta Radio: CMG's WSB Drops 750 AM From Branding

News/talk WSB is no longer marketing it's 50,000 watt 750 AM signal. The change co-incides with the move-in of it's 95.5 signal from Flowery Branch, GA to East Atlanta.

According to to ajc.com, it’s a major 45-mile move that provides the WSBB 95.5 signal a major upgrade in places such as Douglasville, Griffin and Peachtree City.   The signal will be on the same tower as: Newstalk WABE 90.1, R&B/hip-hop station WVEE V-103 and sister AC WSB  B98.5 FM.

The removal of any reference to AM in the slogan is symbolic and historic. The AM signal is not changing or going away. The new slogan reflects the reduced importance of the AM signal for its listening audience.

WSBB 95.5 fM (100 Kw) Blue=Old, Red=New

The station's program director Pete Spriggs said only 10 percent of its target 25-to-54-year-old audience now listens via AM. Nearly as many stream the station. “The AM signal is still extremely important and is considered the most historic radio signal in the Southeast,” Spriggs said.

“But for marketing purposes, if I want a new listener to tune into my station, it’s going to be a lot easier to find us on the FM dial.”The new signal, he said, should be comparable to the 100,000 watt power of B98.5, which covers all 20 metro counties.

To get a sense of what the new signal’s reach might be, here is B98.5’s FM new estimated coverage map. The new map will cover a significantly bigger, denser population.

Coverage maps courtesy of RECNet

WSB’s AM signal can be heard in several states as one of the few “clear channel” signals in the country. But fewer and fewer people listen to AM in part because the sound quality is inferior to FM.

WSB added its 95.5 FM signal in 2010 with management well aware at the time of the weakening hold AM was having on the Atlanta public. Cox, which owns the station, sacrificed its successful rhythmic top 40 station 95.5 The Beat for its higher revenue-producing news/talk station.

In fact, once WSB added its FM simulcast, AM listening in Atlanta fell across the board.