how often do we hear of stations ho think they're going to take the market by storm and in less then a year, its quite the opposite and they're barely hanging on?
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1010 AM WTZA To Relaunch As A News/Talk Station
- Thread starter AMFMRadFan
- Start date
how often do we hear of stations ho think they're going to take the market by storm and in less then a year, its quite the opposite and they're barely hanging on?
I've listened some nights to the replays when nodding off to sleep. The hosts actually are talented but are not on a facility that will ever get them any traction. They do have at least a few advertisers. One guy is trying to sell safes for guns. Kimmer has his Quick Weight Loss Center endorsement. And I think I've heard at least one other advertiser. I'm sure those folks pay very little for their ads. If their monthly nut is $60-70K, I hope the owner has deep pockets.
I agree that the programming is on par with other radio programming. This format might actually be a good niche format for a HD channel since white males own most of the HD radios.
It has been many years since I've seen the fabled WGUN/WTZA/1010khz transmitter site but last time I was there it was a dump. It would be obvious even to the receptionist that closer inspection is warranted.
The translator pattern is one of the ugliest I've run across. They need to work on fixing THAT signal and forget the ancient modulation boat anchor. As Roddy pointed out, you can SEE THE TOWER and can only get a noisy signal. A frequency or facility change is badly needed.
They do have a CP for another translator at 101.9, with a better pattern and a power increase to 220W (from 80W). https://www.radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=W271CV&service=FX&s=C
IMO the AM signal is fantastic when it is good. But it seems prone to a lot of RFI, and when it's bad, it's awful. And that cochannel gospel station out of Asheville (and the 80s station out of Tennessee) walks all over it the closer you get to sunset.
It looks to me like a much worse signal. Look at the coverage area vs the current signal. More wattage but much less height and a poor location. Not sure why they would want to make the move unless it's to save rent.
K
kf4rca
Guest
They need to get the modulation level up a bit on 102.1 so people won't think it's a pirate or an out-of-market station and keep right on tuning.
Where are the billboards or MARTA bus ads? Anybody seen any?
Where are the billboards or MARTA bus ads? Anybody seen any?
It's not another translator.. its a move of the current one.
L
LegalTender
Guest
Mike Brooks says the station is "shutting down." He FB posted that today was his last show.
No word R.C. Media pulled the plug from any of the other WTZA hosts.
No word R.C. Media pulled the plug from any of the other WTZA hosts.
That's strange. I listened last week, and they said they were moving into their new studios this week.
Just a bluff. Bad financial planning. With any luck, Kimmer and Gosset will land on their feet. Frankly, the other blowhards are no real loss. Newsmaker line will still be a viable part of Kimmer's podcast, so we can all party on.
L
LegalTender
Guest
Looks like they'll be around thru next week.
This is what is on their home page:
[h=3]We are ON-AIR UNTIL FRIDAY 03/27/2020 so KEEP LISTENING FOR UPDATES…[/h][h=2]SOMETHING IS IN THE WORKS… SERIOUSLY… IT IS… SO STAY TUNED… WE’RE NOT DEAD YET !![/h]
https://talkofatlanta.com/
Don't know what that means...
[h=3]We are ON-AIR UNTIL FRIDAY 03/27/2020 so KEEP LISTENING FOR UPDATES…[/h][h=2]SOMETHING IS IN THE WORKS… SERIOUSLY… IT IS… SO STAY TUNED… WE’RE NOT DEAD YET !![/h]
https://talkofatlanta.com/
Don't know what that means...
L
LegalTender
Guest
The on-air folks blame "the tower," which suggests an engineering workaround. Never heard of a total shutdown to perform an upgrade or site move.
Maybe it's not "the tower."
The on-air folks blame "the tower," which suggests an engineering workaround. Never heard of a total shutdown to perform an upgrade or site move.
Maybe it's not "the tower."
Wouldn't they have to shut down completely if they don't have an aux?
The on-air folks blame "the tower," which suggests an engineering workaround. Never heard of a total shutdown to perform an upgrade or site move.
Maybe it's not "the tower."
Yes...it IS the tower. Specifically, it is the junk they deployed on the tower so the owner could make more money.
They could take the cell phone crap off and it would work fine again, like it did for years. But someone would have to make up the loss of rent....
My question. Why does anyone care about the AM signal? Seems a better use of resources would be work on the FM signal first. Then...if you're making lots of money and want a tax write off...fix the AM.
Geebus!
L
LegalTender
Guest
IME, they would be likely to tell the staff that.
"See you in 60 days," beats any on-air and online exit stampede.
Years ago I took on the management of an AM and FM in a top 30 US market.
The AM was rated last in the survey, the FM did not even show.
The AM technical plant was so deteriorated that I had to shut the AM down for 4 months to rebuild the plant, including an new phaser, new transmitter and work on the ground system.
The FM antenna was burnt out, and the tower in bad shape. It had to be taken down. We decided to relocate the FM, restoring an abandoned structure on a small mountaintop. Loss of 7 months to get it rebuilt and authorized; 3 months were lost in getting the CP to move the FM site.
So, yes, there are unrecoverable situations where a station is on the air but to fix it takes down time. The one I described was extreme but is certainly an example. Today, there are so many independent stations losing money and with no capital that there as lots of deteriorated facilities that would require total rebuilding to be viable again; in plenty of cases, it is not worth it.
That takes money and they don't seem to have it.
An employee of the station told me directly this morning:
"Sadly yes, we are going off the air. Advertisers cancelling and investors bailing was too much to bare". Not sure what will happen, if the frequency will go dark or the previous owners will take it back"
Show me they went into this with very little cash on hand and they probably weren't even paying the on air talent.
I've rarely seen a station fail in less then 6 months because of a lack of money.. had Corona virus not happened however, i was predicting this to happen in a year to 18 months
"Sadly yes, we are going off the air. Advertisers cancelling and investors bailing was too much to bare". Not sure what will happen, if the frequency will go dark or the previous owners will take it back"
Show me they went into this with very little cash on hand and they probably weren't even paying the on air talent.
I've rarely seen a station fail in less then 6 months because of a lack of money.. had Corona virus not happened however, i was predicting this to happen in a year to 18 months
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