JOhn Pirkle NOT THE BAD GUY

[Mid West Clubber]

I am out of the area so I don't know all the facts... JP is a friend of mine or maybe just someone I know Online... Have I met JP in Person,, No I haven't, I wasn't born till 1980, but Hits 100 and I -100 go down as my favorite stations,,,, I was saddened at the time that WOKi became Country in 1993,,, so at the time I rebelled and listened to 99.9 Kiss FM in Asheville,,,, Well a year later they went country as well,, so I shifted back to WOKI as their Country format was much hipper and energetic for a young teen.. I also enjoed WOKIs run as a classic Rock and later a Tripple A station.

I wasn't happy with the change the Heritage calls of WOKi being moved from 100.3,,, But I considered the change of Talk radio at 100.3 to be of great importance and listened online a lot to WNOX News Radio,, and I think aside from Making money JP wanted to warn us about things.

But why If Journal owns 100.3 now,, Why are they not putting Star or Power 95.7 on that signal.. Also Why do Star and Power have almost a cloned playlist if they are the same company? Hmm.. Something is not adding up... If you reply with your opinion I will tell you more.

 

[Mid West Clubber]

Another option which has nothing to do with what I just wrote... Why are they not putting the 80s 90s proposed format on 100.3.... This is a bit disturbing

 

[Enigma]

But why If Journal owns 100.3 now,, Why are they not putting Star or Power 95.7 on that signal.. Also Why do Star and Power have almost a cloned playlist if they are the same company? Hmm.. Something is not adding up... If you reply with your opinion I will tell you more.

Power 95.7 is owned by South Central, not Journal.

 

[BRH]

Yep, as mentioned above, Journal owns Star 102.1 & South Central owns 95.7 Power FM. Maybe you meant Star and Hot 104.5 (which are co-owned by Journal). As far as not putting Star on 100.3, it really wouldn't benefit them much. Even though Star runs less power, it has a very high antenna and is for all practical purposes about equal to 100.3 or the other class C's in the market.

Also, so far the country format is sounding good on Q100.3. Mike Hammond is utilizing the same edgy/fun production like you liked on 100.3's country format in the 90s (only, I wish the new station wasn't so recurrent & gold heavy. I'd prefer the music to be more current focused like some of Clear Channel's country FMs). But, I figured they'd add more gold as they went to the big signal and tried to broaden their audience. At least the production is really fun though.

 

[Tibbs4]

I had the pleasure of working at OKI during collegitch. That's back when it was one of the South's best Top 40 powerhouse stations! I totally wish and would literally beg for it to go back to the rightful call letters, because nothing sounds better that WOKI Oak Ridge/Knoxville. That being said, Mike Hammond deserves the chance to bury Crums and prove the little guy with a brain and a heart can win. I wish it would be WOKI all the way and some form of hits from the past, but right now, they have picked the right fight. What a crazy set of circumstances. To think JP would ever have control of 100 is unreal. Just wish we could rewind back to when Dick Broadcasting was involved. They were a class act by all standards as far a I am concerned. They also made more money as a rock station with WKDF in Nashville. They weren't perfect, but pretty darn good people and operators.

 

[Mid West Clubber]

Listening to Q 100.3 online right now,,, Here in Indiana.... I like what I hear so far

 

[Kent T]

Star is on a big signal already, 102.1. The 80's format will do fine, but will be no B 97.5 or Q 100.3 in the listen at work ratings battle. WIVK is vulnerable, the Q format tweaked some with more live talent will be able to seriously compete with B and the Frog, smart businessmen Journal are. On the 80's format, the B 97.5 format is strong and features enough of it with the Money demographic.

 

[formerradiojunkie]

I also worked there in the early 90's while I was a student at UT. I also miss the "WOKI-FM, Oak Ridge/Knoxville". Johnny was good to me while I was there so I have nothing bad to say about him. I enjoyed my time there. Also worked there went it went country until I graduated from UT and moved away. I wasn't with them right from the start of country as I followed Clay "downstairs" to Z-93. That was some operation! Hot as heck at night because the AC would turn off then if you opened the windows every bug known to exist would fly into the make-shift studio. It was fun too but before they changed it to Star I jumped ship and went back "upstairs" to The Hitkicker.

 

[K-Town Listener]

Just an outside observation here... but seems to me most folks who actually work or worked for Mr. Pirkle have nothing but respect and pretty good things to say about him. The ones who try to bad mouth him and trash his operation(s) are folks who tried to screw him over at one time or another or folks that work for competing stations or something. That within it's self ought to tell you something. I actually know most of the folks that post in the East Tennessee forum here and that seems to be the case. Just sayin'...

 

[Kent T]

I like and have admired Johnny Pirkle for many years. And I have lots of great things to say about him.

 

[Blatherwatch]

I remember when "FM 100" was "the only one" way back when he was on the air in the mid to late 70's. It was a good station, but most were back then. There was a FM station in Johnson City Kingsport back then mid-70's that had progressive format. Heard Warren Zevon for the first time.

 

[abccbsnbcfox]

Agreed... Johnny P is not the bad guy

I am out of the area so I don't know all the facts... JP is a friend of mine or maybe just someone I know Online... Have I met JP in Person,, No I haven't, I wasn't born till 1980, but Hits 100 and I -100 go down as my favorite stations,,,, I was saddened at the time that WOKi became Country in 1993,,, so at the time I rebelled and listened to 99.9 Kiss FM in Asheville,,,, Well a year later they went country as well,, so I shifted back to WOKI as their Country format was much hipper and energetic for a young teen.. I also enjoed WOKIs run as a classic Rock and later a Tripple A station.

I wasn't happy with the change the Heritage calls of WOKi being moved from 100.3,,, But I considered the change of Talk radio at 100.3 to be of great importance and listened online a lot to WNOX News Radio,, and I think aside from Making money JP wanted to warn us about things.

But why If Journal owns 100.3 now,, Why are they not putting Star or Power 95.7 on that signal.. Also Why do Star and Power have almost a cloned playlist if they are the same company? Hmm.. Something is not adding up... If you reply with your opinion I will tell you more.

**************

I've known Johnny Pirkle for more than 30 years.. I consider him the Ted Turner of Knoxville radio. He's edgy, trendy, and definitely not afraid to push the envelope. I've never worked for him, so think of me as an outsider who has a good opinion of him.

Just visited the Flag Pole outside Lake City where 100.3 transmits from, and noticed signs saying anybody who has towers, transmitters, repeaters on the old WOKI site, had to remove them, effective some date this past summer.... that Journal Broadcasting was not leasing them space anymore. That raised an eyebrow that Journal may be about to do something with the property.

 

[94 Country DJ]

From what I have been able to find, Star is NOT nearly equal to the other class Cs's in the market. The info I have shows Star running 15kW@1972 HAAT while Q100.3 is running 98kW@2028 HAAT. Sad part of this story is that Star waited too long to make its move. WIVK proposed they and what was then U-102 (WMYU) share a transmitting facility but U-102 said no and built their own facility on the Eastern side of Sevierville. After the station was sold to Jack, they took WIVK up on the offer-but the FCC had instituted the new classes for FMs, and 102.1 was downgraded from a C to a C1 and took one huge power hit

 

[Jamesgang2]

Power 95.7 hasn't existed for quite sometime and that format is no
longer around. 95.7 is now WDKW (Duke FM) another stinking country station.

 

[Ktownradioman]

Power 95.7 hasn't existed for quite sometime and that format is no
longer around. 95.7 is now WDKW (Duke FM) another stinking country station.

Power FM was a great station! They played a much bigger selection than 102.1 and I deeply miss it to this day. Somebody needs to bring something like them back.

 

[RMarino]

Power 95.7 hasn't existed for quite sometime and that format is no
longer around. 95.7 is now WDKW (Duke FM) another stinking country station.

The problem with Duke is that is too male-leaning. Their core is '90s country but that was a very female-leaning time for the format. They need to stop playing so many Travis Tritt and Marty Stuart stiffs and mix it up with "Strawberry Wine" or "I Swear."

 

[gr8oldies]

I hadn't so much noticed that listening with my wife in the car, which I admit isn't a lot of time. I have wondered throughout the years, "why not a male-oriented Country format"?. I'd think "Country AOR" could have been a hit at least in some places.

The problem with Duke is that is too male-leaning. Their core is '90s country but that was a very female-leaning time for the format. They need to stop playing so many Travis Tritt and Marty Stuart stiffs and mix it up with "Strawberry Wine" or "I Swear."

 

[Kent]

I hadn't so much noticed that listening with my wife in the car, which I admit isn't a lot of time. I have wondered throughout the years, "why not a male-oriented Country format"?. I'd think "Country AOR" could have been a hit at least in some places.

Country AOR, huh? I'm guessing that's groups like AC Delco, REO Stationwagon and Guns 'N Rodeos?

 

[Ktownradioman]

Duke is actually pulling a 3.1 which is the highest I've seen that signal since Jack. Power and the X were far below that most of the time. I don't see Duke leaving anytime soon,

 

[ThomasFoolery]

Interesting market. 93.1 went oldies several years ago and its audience share is impressive. It seems to have prevented 97.5 from overtaking 107.7. It may have held back 103.5 too. I wonder how 95.7 could be better used to help its more powerful sister stations.