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Minnesota WELY-1450 Back on the air

A story with photos about the WELY studio move.

wtip.org

WELY radio station moves to downtown Ely, operating under temporary frequency | WTIP

WELY is officially back on the air. As of Friday, the WELY radio station in Ely, Minn., is operating under a temporary 103.9 FM frequency. “That is hopefully just a stopgap between where we are now and the work that still is yet to be done for 94.5,” said Kory Hartman, VP of Broadcast Operations...
wtip.org wtip.org

Interesting to note the frequency issues.
 
RF101 said:
A story with photos about the WELY studio move.

wtip.org

WELY radio station moves to downtown Ely, operating under temporary frequency | WTIP

WELY is officially back on the air. As of Friday, the WELY radio station in Ely, Minn., is operating under a temporary 103.9 FM frequency. “That is hopefully just a stopgap between where we are now and the work that still is yet to be done for 94.5,” said Kory Hartman, VP of Broadcast Operations...
wtip.org wtip.org

Interesting to note the frequency issues.
Click to expand...

Not really, the WELY 94.5 transmitter is too old and broken, the antenna was damaged anmd they bought K280AT from KAXE and its a translator for WELY 1450 which is back on air
 
RF101 said:
A story with photos about the WELY studio move.

wtip.org

WELY radio station moves to downtown Ely, operating under temporary frequency | WTIP

WELY is officially back on the air. As of Friday, the WELY radio station in Ely, Minn., is operating under a temporary 103.9 FM frequency. “That is hopefully just a stopgap between where we are now and the work that still is yet to be done for 94.5,” said Kory Hartman, VP of Broadcast Operations...
wtip.org wtip.org

Interesting to note the frequency issues.
Click to expand...

103.9 is the translator for the AM station. 94.5 is WELY-FM.
 
Civic is doing things right, and I admire them for it. You can do that when you have tech money backing you.

But that station has struggled its entire existence to be profitable and will likely continue to operate at best as a break even public service. The revenues just aren't there.

The thing about these charming tourist markets is that a certain type of owner loves them and they have a "vibe" but they're heavily dependent economically on tourist season, and most of those people coming to town, while they may love the station (and a lot of people did love the previous "end of the road radio" feeling of WELY) they're not supporting the station financially.

On the other hand, everyone who lives there knows what's available to them or at least that's how advertisers see it. So where's the money come from?

I love Civic's approach. But I would be amazed if that particular property could ever return what they're putting into it and what it costs to run.
 
Every person that buys is a potential customer. Business owners know this. Just because it's a small town doesn't mean businesses don't want locals to buy from them. And it doesn't mean they do not understand they all need each other as they're the glue that holds the town together. Those are two good reasons to spend money to advertise on WELY. Cash cow? I doubt it but I'm sure it will not be a huge struggle to keep the lights on.
 
I'd love to think you were correct, @b-turner but this station has lost money for decades. I agree with your logic, but you'd think between local owners, Charles Kuralt, the Bois Forte band (who run other successful businesses) they'd have found a way to make the station profitable. It never has been. Does Civic have some sort of inside track sales magic that no one in over four decades has found?
 
RF101 said:
A story with photos about the WELY studio move.

wtip.org

WELY radio station moves to downtown Ely, operating under temporary frequency | WTIP

WELY is officially back on the air. As of Friday, the WELY radio station in Ely, Minn., is operating under a temporary 103.9 FM frequency. “That is hopefully just a stopgap between where we are now and the work that still is yet to be done for 94.5,” said Kory Hartman, VP of Broadcast Operations...
wtip.org wtip.org

Interesting to note the frequency issues.
Click to expand...
A 1O3.9 translator existed decades ago for WAKX 98.9 (now KTCO).
 
Andy Travis said:
I'd love to think you were correct, @b-turner but this station has lost money for decades. I agree with your logic, but you'd think between local owners, Charles Kuralt, the Bois Forte band (who run other successful businesses) they'd have found a way to make the station profitable. It never has been. Does Civic have some sort of inside track sales magic that no one in over four decades has found?
Click to expand...
Civic doesn't even have sales magic on 540/101.1 in the Milwaukee area. Most breaks are all PSA's/Promos. With the possible exception of 1580/92.7 in Madison, Civic's music formatted stations are likely the only ones that are successful from a business/revenue perspective.
 
JJSPC said:
Civic doesn't even have sales magic on 540/101.1 in the Milwaukee area. Most breaks are all PSA's/Promos. With the possible exception of 1580/92.7 in Madison, Civic's music formatted stations are likely the only ones that are successful from a business/revenue perspective.
Click to expand...
Ely is a peculiar market, local businesses clamor to be seen and tourism is spread throughout a large very sparsely populated wilderness, often with no Internet and occasionally no electricity. If community radio can be successful anywhere it can be successful there.
 
JJSPC said:
Civic doesn't even have sales magic on 540/101.1 in the Milwaukee area. Most breaks are all PSA's/Promos. With the possible exception of 1580/92.7 in Madison, Civic's music formatted stations are likely the only ones that are successful from a business/revenue perspective.
Click to expand...

Apparently, Civic is a PBC... public benefit corporation. I wasnt aware of that and didnt know the difference between that and a regular corporation so i asked google

A Public Benefit Corporation (PBC), also known as a Benefit Corporation or B Corp, is a for-profit entity that aims to generate both profit and a positive impact on society or the environment. Unlike traditional corporations focused solely on maximizing shareholder value, PBCs balance financial returns with stakeholder interests and a stated public benefit purpose.

Here's a more detailed breakdown:
Key Characteristics:
  • Purpose:
    PBCs must identify and pursue a specific public benefit, such as environmental sustainability, community development, or access to education.

  • Accountability:
    Directors must consider the impact of their decisions on all stakeholders (employees, customers, communities, etc.).

  • Transparency:
    PBCs are required to publicly report on their progress toward achieving their stated public benefit goals.

  • For-Profit:
    PBCs are not non-profits; they can generate profit and distribute it to shareholders.

  • Not Tax-Exempt:
    Unlike non-profits, PBCs are taxed as regular corporations.
Distinction from Traditional Corporations:
Traditional corporations prioritize maximizing shareholder value. PBCs, while still aiming to be profitable, are legally obligated to consider the broader impact of their operations on various stakeholders and a stated public benefit.
 
WELY FM is back on..lower power and stunting

Ely’s WELY-FM Returns to Air After Three-Year Silence – NorthPine: Upper Midwest Broadcasting

northpine.com northpine.com

On Nov. 21, WELY-FM returned to the air with 450 Watts ERP using a single-bay antenna at 114 meters above average terrain. The FCC has also granted the station special temporary authority to use 3.9kW/100m from an eight-bay antenna. A filing explains that wind conditions would not allow a tower crew to raise the larger antenna when they were on site Nov. 20, so the temporary one-bay antenna was installed instead.

The station is licensed for 6kW/100m (class A) and has a construction permit to upgrade to 35kW/100m (class C2), which would improve its signal to eastern Iron Range cities.

WELY-FM is currently airing a mix of songs about “help” and “friends.” While long-term format plans haven’t been announced, Civic Media has said WELY will feature local news, weather, sports, and information.

Draft Copy « Licensing and Management System « FCC

Licensing and Management System
enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov
 


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