• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

550AM THE BREEZE

R

Runrigger

I'll start a new thread since I'm taking the 550 topic in a new direction. Let's spend someone's money with wild abandon. Could these people benefit from buying 550? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breeze_Publications
It's a weekly newspaper group so I don't believe there would be any thing that prohibits cross-ownership which applies to daily publications. This newspaper group seems to be successful at selling ads for their free publications covering North Providence, Pawtucket, etc in the Blackstone Valley. A real local retro format encompassing everything from a little music, news for those areas, birthdays, obits, etc with lots of cross promotion for the newspapers. The sales staff could sell packages that would include both print and radio ads. I know it's a wild thought, but any input? They obviously have a staff of reporters already.
 
While some free papers are simply press release news and strong ad sales, it appears these might be more 'newsy' and localized. Being far from Rhode Island I have never seen the papers.

The idea is an exceptional one. I really like your thinking. The localization of each edition would allow for well distributed coverage of local news, features and human interest stories that could offer a perfect alternative to the primary fodder of most news stations: world, national and state headlines and 'blood and guts' local. Few even delve deep enough to get past those elements and most had trimmed their local content to a minimal level.

I like the idea staff is in place in the news and sales departments. There might not be much cross-over among the newspaper staffs to radio, but they sure have the content and sales relationships.

In short, I really like the idea and admire your thinking.
 
You're on to something! The cross-promotional synergies WOULD be there.

If not the "Breeze" people, then how about 550-"THE RING":
http://www.rinewspapergroup.com/
● Barrington Times
● Bristol Pheonix
● Cranston Herald
● East Providence Post
● North East Independent
● Newport Daily News
● Seekonk Star
● South County Independent
● Westport Shorelines
● Warren Times Gazette
● Warwick Beacon
 
N1WVQ said:
So "The Breeze" wouldn't be smooth jazz?
Click to expand...

Not if they wanted anyone to listen. As far as The Ring, a station located in Cumberland wouldn't be serving those communities. The Breeze does sound light and airy but theoretically if Breeze Publications were to buy the station you just know that's the moniker they'd want to use in spite of the format.
 
fullabaloney said:
550's daytime signal would certainly be good enough to serve all the communities those RING papers have readers in, with the probable exception of the one in South County.

If only the cross-ownership rules regarding daily papers could be eased up......The Times of Pawtucket would be such a natural....either on its own, or perhaps in conjunction with The Attleboro Sun-Chronicle.
Click to expand...
 
N1WVQ said:
But what would the format be? All news? News/talk?
Click to expand...

Runrigger's post....which started this thread...is suggesting what used to be called a "full-service" format, which would feature music, news, and various features......while drawing on the built-in resources of the newspaper group (sales force, news content, and on-air talent).

Hey......It's worth a try!
 
Dighton Rockhead said:
N1WVQ said:
But what would the format be? All news? News/talk?
Click to expand...

Runrigger's post....which started this thread...is suggesting what used to be called a "full-service" format, which would feature music, news, and various features......while drawing on the built-in resources of the newspaper group (sales force, news content, and on-air talent).

Hey......It's worth a try!
Click to expand...
Sorry, I didn't see that part (I thought I had re-read it, I swear!). Whilst I personally like the idea of oldies on 550 the best, I do like this idea. It seems akin to the Rhode Island Network (I don't know if it was ever named that) which was proposed awhile back on this board where the suburban A.M.s would be in various amounts of syndicating their programming to other stations as well as sharing resources.
 
VelvetR mentioned that idea, and that it was kicked around in the '50's with stations like WYNG and WADK.
 
DG02816 said:
VelvetR mentioned that idea, and that it was kicked around in the '50's with stations like WYNG and WADK.
Click to expand...

At the time WYNG and WADK were under the same ownership. That ended when The FCC discovered that the separation between the two stations had been expressed in road miles rather than as-the-eagle-flies miles and there was a forced sale of WYNG to the (then) Attleboro Radio Association (WARA).
Even with that, the basic orientation of each of the stations was not news and it was more an effort at having to have only one very small news department, saving some bucks.
 
Runrigger said:
I'll start a new thread since I'm taking the 550 topic in a new direction. Let's spend someone's money with wild abandon. Could these people benefit from buying 550? http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Breeze_Publications
It's a weekly newspaper group so I don't believe there would be any thing that prohibits cross-ownership which applies to daily publications. This newspaper group seems to be successful at selling ads for their free publications covering North Providence, Pawtucket, etc in the Blackstone Valley. A real local retro format encompassing everything from a little music, news for those areas, birthdays, obits, etc with lots of cross promotion for the newspapers. The sales staff could sell packages that would include both print and radio ads. I know it's a wild thought, but any input? They obviously have a staff of reporters already.
Click to expand...
I like it. A station that has a local focus with a variety of news and music.... Nice.
 
If this is my money being spent, I'm brokering the radio station. It's the only way to make money on AM radio with low overhead. Sorry!
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom