Bob & Sheri out at 107.9 The Link

[SomeRadioGuy]

Bob and sheri are awful, but im a white guy in my late 30s.. not their target. way too much yakking. too little music. i know a station that picked them up and dropped them in a month because of the lack of music.

the kicker for this station dropping them was when they did a segment on odd compliments women got, one lady who had auburn/red hair said a guy complimented her on how her hair smelled. .bob hemmed and hawed about it for a minute and said.. does the carpet match the drapes.

Nope, they were gone next week

 

[vchimpanzee]

As for 104.7 in Charlotte, they have a weak limited signal due to same channel interference from Columbia, so they are not really received in Spartanburg. I can get 102.9 the Lake with a better signal, but past I-26 there is a Low Power station in Greenville that begins to interfere. So that's when I switch over to the similar iHeart format on 102.5 the Lake. Maybe iHeart could pick up Bob and Sheri for both Lake formats on 102.9 in Charlotte and 102.5 in Greenville.

When I lived in the Monroe area EZ-104, as it was called then, was always getting messed up by WNOK.

102.9 FM would be another good idea. The music is somewhat different, but it seems like a format that would work.

Of course based on Bob's age he should be hosting the morning show on WHVN.

 

[vchimpanzee]

They just need to cover Monroe

Good luck with that. Although I was living near a creek running into South Carolina and getting a lot of Columbia area stations, many of them only 3000 watts.

 

[tylerSC]

Most of the major Charlotte radio stations come in good in Spartanburg, especially 95.1, 96.1, 107.9, and 102.9. Even 103.7 is decent, but 104.7 is problematic due to the Columbia issue. Over the years, 95.1, 96.1, and 107.9 have had listeners in the Upstate, but not as much anymore. And now low power interference issues have developed in the fringes around Greenville. But I would hope Bob and Sheri could find a new home for their Charlotte market.

But do Bob and Sheri program their own music selection or is that left to each individual syndicated station? Do they just host the audio talent portion and let each local station add the music? I think that's what John Boy and Billy do because they are on both country and rock stations.

 

[PTBoardOp94]

Bob and sheri are awful, but im a white guy in my late 30s.. not their target. way too much yakking. too little music. i know a station that picked them up and dropped them in a month because of the lack of music.

It's not like they changed the show in a month. The GM/PD was a dummy for not listening to the show before putting it on his station.

 

[test123]

But do Bob and Sheri program their own music selection or is that left to each individual syndicated station? Do they just host the audio talent portion and let each local station add the music? I think that's what John Boy and Billy do because they are on both country and rock stations.

In the old days when they distributed the show via satellite the music was part of the show. For a while now they have been distributing the show via the Internet as files affiliate stations play out of their automation systems. The music is up to the stations I believe.

 

[vchimpanzee]

But do Bob and Sheri program their own music selection or is that left to each individual syndicated station? Do they just host the audio talent portion and let each local station add the music? I think that's what John Boy and Billy do because they are on both country and rock stations.

I don't know how Bob and Sheri do it but with John Boy and Billy there were two separate music feeds, and then three. I think they're back to two again. From what I read, they sent out the music with the show and let the stations choose which style of music. Originally John Boy and Billy were only on classic rock radio, or at least rock radio, but classic rock was played. That's what their first station WRFX did. Then they wanted to expand the show to markets outside the South. In Buffalo, for example, the show would only work with country music. Not with rock. Ironically, their first country affiliate was in the South, in Greensboro, NC. The station could be picked up in Charlotte or at least north and east of Charlotte, so that was a bonus. For a while the station was doing oldies.

Back when there were shootings in Washington D.C. the rock version played "Another One Bites the Dust". D.C. sniper attacks - Wikipedia

 

[vchimpanzee]

The Charlotte Observer article had a mistake I saw and forgot to mention. Sheri was 26 (and based on her age now this is true) when the show began. However, on the front page, before it was continued inside, it said she was 22.

 

[tylerSC]

Bob and sheri are awful, but im a white guy in my late 30s.. not their target. way too much yakking. too little music. i know a station that picked them up and dropped them in a month because of the lack of music.

the kicker for this station dropping them was when they did a segment on odd compliments women got, one lady who had auburn/red hair said a guy complimented her on how her hair smelled. .bob hemmed and hawed about it for a minute and said.. does the carpet match the drapes.

Nope, they were gone next week

They are not awful. In fact they have been quite succesful for almost 30 years with their targeted demographic, but that just does not happen to appeal to you. Which is understandable. Perhaps John Boy and Billy would be more to your tastes. I have also listened to them over the years. But Bob has a long history alone as a talented radio talk show host and morning host on WBT before he ever teamed up with Sheri down the hall on the FM side. Not to mention he was a top performing PM Magazine host on WBTV as well. So it will be interesting to see where they end up next after they leave the Link.

 

[tylerSC]

But the question remains if Urban One will flip the format on WLNK and move some of its urban format programming to 107.9. Or will it just tweak the current Hot AC format and remain the same. Perhaps move Matt and Ramona to mornings to liven things up a bit there, as changes were announced for their program as well, although it is not yet clear what that will be.

 

[KyleSmith1988]

That would not be a good move. WBT is doing fine the way it is, any audience gain would not offset the loss in revenue from less available commercial inventory. A unique format on 99.3 won't help anyone, 99.3 isn't strong enough to stand on it's own. It's doing fine filling in holes to the west for WBT. 92.7 and 100.9 with signals that cover Charlotte are a perfect match for an Urban format since the city has a large Black population. What other format would you run on these stations? They might not beat the big guns but should be able to carve out a successful piece of the media pie.

I mean it would be cool because then WBT can cover the whole market 24/7 from just 107.9

The WBT 99.3 is mostly useful for at night listening to the west when 1110 adjusts power, there's just too much static driving around South Charlotte and even Gastonia on 99.3.

99.3 is mostly useful in SC anyway, York and Cherokee and Chester Counties is where their 60 dbu signal is.

1110 does excellent during the day...
At night 1110 WBT does better 500 miles north in Northern NJ than just 40 miles west near Shelby NC.

If WBT went fully to 107.9 then 99.3 could be a standalone station focused on the Chester and Rock Hill areas or simulcasting 92.7 or 100.9 into that area would help them too, I think an all 90s format would do well.

Essentially this would be like flip flopping 107.9 and 99.3 (and not be called 99.3 the Link, however).

But probably not likely as was mentioned because Radio One would likely want to expand their Urban Format/programming.

 

[test123]

Years ago a co-worker told me that CBS Radio (at the time) was going to put WFNZ on one of the FMs they owned. She said it was going to happen over the next weekend. It seems she was drinking buddies with a woman who worked at CBS at the time so she thought she had reliable inside info.

I told my co-worker that made no sense. She argued with me a bit. Then I told her to do the math. If CBS moved WFNZ to one of the FMs they would have to generate the amount of revenue both stations would have made in order for the move to make sense. In other words, lets say WFNZ does $50K a month and the FM does $50K a month the new FM WFNZ would need to make $100K a month or there abouts. That is more than likely not possible.

Turns out she was wrong. They never put WFNZ on one of their FMs. UO won't put WBT on 107.9 either. There is nothing they can put on 1110 that would make up for the revenue that they would lose by putting BT on 107.9.

My feeling (I have no inside info) is UO will move the programming on 92.7 to 107.9.

I would put WBT on 92.7 if it were me. That way they cover the south with 99.3 and the city and north with 92.7. Not sure that they will do that. WBT doesn't fit what they do at all. But BT generates all sorts of money which everybody likes.

t123

 

[vchimpanzee]

They are not awful. In fact they have been quite succesful for almost 30 years with their targeted demographic, but that just does not happen to appeal to you. Which is understandable. Perhaps John Boy and Billy would be more to your tastes. I have also listened to them over the years. But Bob has a long history alone as a talented radio talk show host and morning host on WBT before he ever teamed up with Sheri down the hall on the FM side. Not to mention he was a top performing PM Magazine host on WBTV as well. So it will be interesting to see where they end up next after they leave the Link.

In fact, Bob was by himself on WBT-FM before Sheri ever got there.

 

[vchimpanzee]

Years ago a co-worker told me that CBS Radio (at the time) was going to put WFNZ on one of the FMs they owned. She said it was going to happen over the next weekend. It seems she was drinking buddies with a woman who worked at CBS at the time so she thought she had reliable inside info.

I told my co-worker that made no sense. She argued with me a bit. Then I told her to do the math. If CBS moved WFNZ to one of the FMs they would have to generate the amount of revenue both stations would have made in order for the move to make sense. In other words, lets say WFNZ does $50K a month and the FM does $50K a month the new FM WFNZ would need to make $100K a month or there abouts. That is more than likely not possible.

Turns out she was wrong. They never put WFNZ on one of their FMs. UO won't put WBT on 107.9 either. There is nothing they can put on 1110 that would make up for the revenue that they would lose by putting BT on 107.9.

My feeling (I have no inside info) is UO will move the programming on 92.7 to 107.9.

I would put WBT on 92.7 if it were me. That way they cover the south with 99.3 and the city and north with 92.7. Not sure that they will do that. WBT doesn't fit what they do at all. But BT generates all sorts of money which everybody likes.

t123

I can't pick up either station at home. It might work in the car. But WBT needs to be on a full-power signal. Even if it doesn't have Rush, there might be something there for me.

 

[vchimpanzee]

1110 does excellent during the day...
At night 1110 WBT does better 500 miles north in Northern NJ than just 40 miles west near Shelby NC.

I once happened to be listening to WPTF in Raleigh at night. It's in a situation similar to WBT but with its towers arranged differently. Someone was complaining about the signal quality north of Raleigh. The host said they pick us up really well in Cuba.

 

[tylerSC]

I can't pick up either station at home. It might work in the car. But WBT needs to be on a full-power signal. Even if it doesn't have Rush, there might be something there for me.

I would also think they should put WBT on a full power signal as 99.3 only fills the gap west of the Catawba River and parts of Upstate SC. And FM has better audio quality with less static. In Atlanta they put WSB on 95.5 and don't even mention AM-750 in the branding anymore. They should do something similar in Charlotte with WBT. But most likely that is not the plan for 107.9, but we will see what Urban One decides to do.

 

[tylerSC]

In Spartanburg I can get 11.10 in the car before sundown, but I also listen on 99.3 and they also simulcast on 107.9-HD2.

 

[KyleSmith1988]

I’ve had more problems west of Spartanburg on 99.3 lately interference from 99.3 WCON in Cornelia, GA

99.3 from NE Georgia now reaches Greenville SC where it used to be just WBT, though it’s unrelated, WBT in Chester does better in the Rock Hill and Gaffney area than it does in Charlotte...

 

[tylerSC]

I’ve had more problems west of Spartanburg on 99.3 lately interference from 99.3 WCON in Cornelia, GA

99.3 from NE Georgia now reaches Greenville SC where it used to be just WBT, though it’s unrelated, WBT in Chester does better in the Rock Hill and Gaffney area than it does in Charlotte...

Yes there is now an interference problem with 99.3 since the Georgia station increased power and now reaches Greenville County and spills into Spartanburg. Used to be WBT on 99.3 could be heard into Greenville County and I picked it up on my home radio when I lived in Mauldin. Wish 99.3-WBT could increase power or WCON should be more directional to avoid interference which now causes a problem in parts of Spartanburg.

 

[tylerSC]

And speaking of full power, why did they make 105.3 reduce power when they moved from Gaffney to Gastonia? They used to be 100,000 watt full power and reached both Greenville and Charlotte. Now they are 51,000 watts from the WBTV tower. I wish they had kept their old tower and signal power as it reached large portions of both markets.