WECK: All has been revealed...

[ckg279]

...unless you're a regular on this board, that is.

For everyone else, Alan Pergament's story in today's(6/8)Buffalo News will have to suffice. (I'll provide a link to the full article, but will summarize it).

It looks like station owner Buddy Shula plans to disconnect the America's Best Music satellite format and switch over to do the same music, but do it locally. (Buddy: If that observation is incorrect, please say so.)

So, your new lineup beginning July 10th:

6-9am: Good Morning Buffalo w/Tom Donahue, Gail Ann Huber and John Zach(he's also the station's news director)
9am-noon: Jon Summers
noon-3pm: Harv Moore(ex-WPHD(now WEDG))
3-7pm: Mike Jacobs

Danny Neaverth will be working on Friday afternoons, while Shula will be handling nights.

http://buffalonews.com/2017/06/08/neaverth-summers-harv-moore-huber-joining-zach-new-weck/

 

[Rob Piotrowski]

Only thing you forgot is that Robert W. Taylor is the station voice. Could that mean we MIGHT see the return of "El Grosso" and the "Land of FA"?

 

[ckg279]

Only thing you forgot is that Robert W. Taylor is the station voice. Could that mean we MIGHT see the return of "El Grosso" and the "Land of FA"?

It was revealed in the link to the story. And the answer to your question is...NO! Uh huh huh huh....

If memory serves, Taylor's voice is also heard at times on WBBZ-TV.

Another question I forgot to ask: Where does that leave the syndicated Delilah show?

 

[Buddy Shula]

That is correct CKG. All music programmed in house, with an INCREDIBLE music list. The satellite makes the station sounds "satellite" - so that has to go. Done June 18th. Same with FOX and Delilah. None of these things are "secret programming strategies", so I do not mind sharing. There is another bombshell announcement that I cannot share. The moral of the story is live and local will be back and better than ever. Please always let me know your thoughts, as I am always looking to learn more about doing great radio.

 

[TheBigA]

From Tom Taylor's daily newsletter:

New WECK Buffalo owner Buddy Shula announces the personalities who will light up his recently-acquired “live-and-local full-service station.” That’s the Cheektowaga 1230 AM and translator at 102.9. Morning drive will be Tom Donahue (formerly at WGR, WKBW and WHTT) with Gail Ann Huber (formerly at WYRK and WHTT). They’ll work with previously-announced John Zach, morning anchor and station news director. Jon Summers, who co-hosted WKBW-TV’s “AM Buffalo,” will handle 9am-noon. Harv Moore (ex-WYSL, WPHD) has noon-3pm. Afternoons belong to Mike Jacobs (worked at WHTT, WYRK, WKSE and WEDG). Danny Neaverth, yet another member of the Buffalo Broadcasting Hall of Fame, will swing by for Friday afternoons. And the night personality? That’s owner Buddy Shula himself. Musically, Buddy’s moving from syndicated adult standards to “adult favorites,” mostly selected from the 1970s and 1980s.

 

[Rob Piotrowski]

From Tom Taylor's daily newsletter:

New WECK Buffalo owner Buddy Shula announces the personalities who will light up his recently-acquired “live-and-local full-service station.” That’s the Cheektowaga 1230 AM and translator at 102.9. Morning drive will be Tom Donahue (formerly at WGR, WKBW and WHTT) with Gail Ann Huber (formerly at WYRK and WHTT). They’ll work with previously-announced John Zach, morning anchor and station news director. Jon Summers, who co-hosted WKBW-TV’s “AM Buffalo,” will handle 9am-noon. Harv Moore (ex-WYSL, WPHD) has noon-3pm. Afternoons belong to Mike Jacobs (worked at WHTT, WYRK, WKSE and WEDG). Danny Neaverth, yet another member of the Buffalo Broadcasting Hall of Fame, will swing by for Friday afternoons. And the night personality? That’s owner Buddy Shula himself. Musically, Buddy’s moving from syndicated adult standards to “adult favorites,” mostly selected from the 1970s and 1980s.

Yup, same story was published in RAMP, Radio Ink and probably a few other trades. Buddy's done a great job there. Now to get the word out to those who don't read the trades!

 

[SirRoxalot]

It'll be interesting to hear what "Adult Favorites" consist of. Mostly '70s and '80s doesn't sound like a 65+ format to me. With the exception of Buddy and Tom Donahue, everybody else is a former WHTT staffer. Is that an axe I hear being ground in the background?

 

[ckg279]

Yup, same story was published in RAMP, Radio Ink and probably a few other trades. Buddy's done a great job there. Now to get the word out to those who don't read the trades!

That's what Facebook is for...and, yes, they have a presence on FB.

 

[pab]

Nice to see local independent radio still lives. I'd be more than happy to work for Buddy.

 

[Rusty Bridges]

It'll be interesting to hear what "Adult Favorites" consist of. Mostly '70s and '80s doesn't sound like a 65+ format to me. With the exception of Buddy and Tom Donahue, everybody else is a former WHTT staffer. Is that an axe I hear being ground in the background?

Did not Donahue work as a (two hour) midday show host and Saturday night DJ at WHTT? It appears Ostrander simply hired people with talent and with whom he is familiar and comfortable. As to the grinding axe, WHTT appears to be a granite tree. It'll take more than a few swings, as witnessed by KB's demise years ago when, with a lineup of legends, it took on WHTT.

 

[SirRoxalot]

Yeah, but 'KB didn't have the FM component. That's a very good FM translator attached to WECK. I guess I'm a little surprised that Buddy didn't look at the big target in town - WYRK - when he decided to go with a more mainstream format. There's some country talent out there on the street, too.

 

[Rob Piotrowski]

I guess I'm a little surprised that Buddy didn't look at the big target in town - WYRK - when he decided to go with a more mainstream format. There's some country talent out there on the street, too.

I'm not. WYRK is a hard nut to crack (see WNUC et. al) and based on what Buddy's posted before ratings aren't that critical in getting deals done. Plus he's already hired "country talent".

 

[SirRoxalot]

Rob, the Country format is a lot more fractured now than it was in the '90s. New Country, Classic Country, Hot Country, Real Country - there's a lot more variety now than there was then. With the size and age range of the country audience, it would seem a much more tempting target if you want to super-serve an audience that might be somewhat disenfranchised.

 

[ckg279]

It'll be interesting to hear what "Adult Favorites" consist of. Mostly '70s and '80s doesn't sound like a 65+ format to me. With the exception of Buddy and Tom Donahue, everybody else is a former WHTT staffer. Is that an axe I hear being ground in the background?

It would not surprise me to find out that WECK's playlist post-America's Best Music will resemble what it is now. The playlist is-as Buddy referred to it-"incredible".

 

[tbolt909]

It would not surprise me to find out that WECK's playlist post-America's Best Music will resemble what it is now. The playlist is-as Buddy referred to it-"incredible".

Hype is Buddy's specialty. Wasn't the Breeze format some version
of Adult Favourites? Does Live & Local mean No Voice Tracking?
Buddy will be on air nights and selling during the day?

Since WECK is an independent station and not a Nielsen subscriber,
why bind yourself into any format.? Do whatever you want.
If 3 hours of Gregorian Chants can make money, go for it...

 

[davideduardo]

Since WECK is an independent station and not a Nielsen subscriber,
why bind yourself into any format.? Do whatever you want.
If 3 hours of Gregorian Chants can make money, go for it...

Bitter, party of one. Your table is ready.

What the heck did you do wrong in radio that you are so mean in all your comments? Your reactions are those of a person at fault who does not want to accept the blame and, thus, blames everyone else.

Every station is subject to a form of ratings. In the case of WECK, Buddy knows that he has to produce results for advertisers and that means programming something that will attract enough listeners so that, in turn, enough will patronize his clients.

The cash register is, indeed, a ratings device.

 

[tbolt909]

Not entirely true, Mr. E.
Many Radio and TV stations air Paid Programming that virtually
nobody listens to. It's just a way to scramble up some cash.

WECK has burned through many formats over the years.
They might try something else. British Invasion era rock,
Soul, Country, or any genre that might reach people who
will use AM or an FM translator. They can program specialty shows
featuring different genres. Nothing negative about that suggestion.

It's been pointed out that the advertiser is the customer, not
the listener. Might as well let the advertisers do the programming...

 

[Buddy Shula]

TBOLT - wrong again. The advertiser is the customer. And so is the listener. WECK will be great for BOTH. You are correct that some stations run paid programming in lieu of good content, just for cash. However, Radio One Buffalo does not subscribe to that method. As I realize you are too embarrassed to put your own name on the nasty and incorrect observations you make, you really take the fun out of everything. The reason you do that, is because you are not having fun. Your a disgruntled media person, blaming everything on others. A country format you suggest....how original. Soul format....another incredible idea. You want to think radio is dead. I am here to tell you, it's not. You hope its dead, because it was something that was not kind to you. Again, it's not. Trust me. When you want to have an intelligent conversation, I, or any other of the posters on this discussion board is most likely up for it. And to answer your question, does live and local mean no voice tracking, the answer is yes. Except in the case of 7p-9pm on WECK, where the station owner will be listening to himself, while downing a few glasses of wine, with my family.

 

[davideduardo]

Not entirely true, Mr. E.
Many Radio and TV stations air Paid Programming that virtually
nobody listens to. It's just a way to scramble up some cash.

Infomercials renew if they get results. Results = ratings.
Religious programming renews if they get donations. Donations = ratings.

It's been pointed out that the advertiser is the customer, not
the listener. Might as well let the advertisers do the programming...

Radio is a classic example of bi-modal marketing. The consumer does not provide revenue. But without consumers, there is no revenue.

Advertisers know how to be insurance agents or boutiques or restaurants or cruise lines. They do not know how to create an audience that will be receptive to their message. That is why those of us in radio still have jobs.

 

[davideduardo]

Except in the case of 7p-9pm on WECK, where the station owner will be listening to himself, while downing a few glasses of wine, with my family.

Cheers!