In a somewhat surprising move, WFAN owner Audacy and ESPN New York owner Good Karma Brands (GKB) have entered into a Local Marketing Agreement (LMA) which will begin on August 26. As part of the deal, GKB will be responsible for the programming on 880 AM and will use it as the new home of ESPN New York, replacing the current WCBS all-news format. Audacy will continue to own the frequency and will change the call letters to WHSQ-AM.
ESPN New York currently airs on 98.7, however the lease on that deal expires at the end of the month and while they planned on just airing over-the-air on 1050 AM WEPN-AM, the 880 AM signal is a much stronger signal and will give them much better penetration into the whole New York metropolitan area.
Andrew Marchand of the The Athletic has reported the initial terms are for three years and will begin on August 26.
Audacy’s 1010 WINS will now be the only 24/7 all-news brand in the New York market. According to the company, “across FM, AM and digital platforms, nearly two million people a week come to 1010 WINS@92.3FM to get their news, traffic and weather.”
The New York Mets will still be heard on 880 AM and Audacy will remain the rightsholder for the games and continue to produce them as well as air them on their Audacy app.
“New York has always been proudly unique in supporting two all-news radio brands, but the news business has gone through significant changes,” said Chris Oliviero, New York Market President, Audacy. “The headwinds facing local journalism nationwide made it essential to strategically reimagine how we deliver the news for the most impact. WCBS 880 has been one of the most respected radio stations in history, with a legacy cemented by the hundreds of world-class journalists, on and off the air, who willed it into existence over the decades. If it happened in New York or the world, you heard about it on WCBS 880. Today, 1010 WINS@92.3FM, equally iconic, moves forward as New York’s only 24/7 all-news station with the best distribution platform, the largest audience and the most recognized brand in the industry. All-news is a pillar of Audacy, and this decision, though difficult, fortifies that leadership position for generations to come.”
This is a breaking news story, and we will continue to update it as more information becomes available.
