I wanted to follow up on my earlier posts regarding the overnight automation issues and the status of 1110 AM.
This morning I called the station about last night’s overnight problems. Mike Schaefer, Program Director of WBT, personally returned my call. He was professional, thoughtful, and engaged. He explained there was maintenance work involved and said plainly, “I can’t fix what I don’t know about.” He indicated they will work to address the overnight automation reliability issues.
One comment he made stood out: even one overnight listener deserves a flawless presentation.
Those of us who’ve programmed or engineered stations understand that overnights often aren’t staffed and issues don’t always surface unless someone flags them. That said, dead air is dead air — especially on a heritage news/talk brand. Reliability matters. I suggested that when maintenance is planned, a proactive social media note might help manage perception. He seemed receptive.
Regarding 1110 AM, he stated clearly:
• 1110 is not going off the air.
• It is not being sold.
• A new format is in development.
• Work is happening behind the scenes.
He wasn’t at liberty to discuss specifics or the reasoning behind not continuing the simulcast, which is understandable during development.
I’ve been critical of how the transition has appeared publicly — particularly the extended redirect loop and lack of visible communication. That perspective hasn’t changed. When you’re dealing with a 103-year signal, perception and messaging matter.
But leadership engagement also matters. A Program Director returning a call from someone who has been publicly critical speaks to professionalism.
If they’re building something intentional for 1110 rather than rushing a placeholder flip, that’s preferable to a quick band-aid format.
I’ll keep listening. And if something breaks overnight again, I’ll call again.
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