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850AM Raleigh going TALK!

I know the ratings do have clout but I don't even understand some of the numbers they pump out. They seem arbitrary. Knowing how old the technology is, knowing how it's a dying breed, knowing that the programming and/or music on AM radio is so dead, why do you even need these numbers? It's BS in my book.

Radio doesn't need these numbers. Advertising Agencies need the numbers to quantify and justify to their clients why they buy certain media. Radio just plays the game. The stations in the bottom half of a ratings ranker have hardly a chance of getting
bought by the larger agencies.

However, good stations know how to sell directly to the local client. Some of these AM stations are very effective for advertisers.
Sports stations, AM or FM, can do quite well without large Arbitron shares.

I haven't worked for an AM station in 25 years, so I have no dog in this fight. I do work for Advertising Agencies, though.
 
If Curtis had a lick of sense, they would have moved WPTF to 101.1 and sold off ALL of the AM transmitter real estate in Cary (I can see the Walmart Supercenter now), and built a full service giant. WIBC, Indianapolis and WTOP, Washington, are the perfect templates for the move from AM to FM.

BTW, Case in point. The legendary WOWO will start an FM simulcast April 1.

Speaking of the geniuses at Curtis, how's that "Pulse" doin'?
 
Pulse is actually not doing bad for two rimshots up against a long established 100kw stick.

The main problem for CMG, as large a group as it is, is that it exists of a bunch of cobbled together rimshot signals. Only 96.1 and 94.7 are worth anything, and they are wasting away 96.1. Everything else needs a simulcast partner to be viable.
 
+1: music on AM is dead. talk is not.
A. do you think AM will go the way of Morse Code?
B. will the spectrum be auctioned off to use the
bandwidth for future wireless 'whatevers'?
C. will 'pirates' take over?...similar to the
FRS/GMRS radios that no one ever licenses.
 
w00t said:
Pulse is actually not doing bad for two rimshots up against a long established 100kw stick.

The main problem for CMG, as large a group as it is, is that it exists of a bunch of cobbled together rimshot signals. Only 96.1 and 94.7 are worth anything, and they are wasting away 96.1. Everything else needs a simulcast partner to be viable.
Click to expand...
I know it has issues in the outer part of the market, but 102.9 isn't *that* bad, is it? If we're talking RDU coverage, I think I'd put it behind 94 and 96. It's a class A, but licensed to Raleigh. Certainly better than 102.3 or 102.5, and does offer solid coverage to the core of the market.
 
102.9 all but disappears at the eastern Wake County line because of the Kinston station on the same frequency. In Raleigh, Cary, Durham, yes it is a decent signal... but more and more people are moving to Rocky Mount, Clayton, etc...

In Wilson and Goldsboro all you can hear is the Kinston station.
 
So I'm INSANE for still having some belief in AM radio??? Ok I'll go with that. What's really INSANE is the suggestion that we simply give up on AM and sign them off... To me that goes against every principal that I was taught by people who gave all for our business..Believe me I am well aware of the challenges economically,programming wise etc but an AM that serves a local audience with unique programming and is affordable to a small business owner and is doing things that no one else is doing AM or FM and also keeps few people who love radio employed is a heck of a better option than signing it off..We just try to keep growing one listener & one advertizer at a time and when one person calls and says I love your station.. to me that's a great feeling and it never gets old...INSANE maybe..Stubborn absolutely...but I still get that same thrill when I pop that mic open as I did 29 years ago and as long as I keep getting that feeling I'm good...The day I don't I'm done..
 
allenv said:
So I'm INSANE for still having some belief in AM radio??? Ok I'll go with that. What's really INSANE is the suggestion that we simply give up on AM and sign them off... To me that goes against every principal that I was taught by people who gave all for our business..Believe me I am well aware of the challenges economically,programming wise etc but an AM that serves a local audience with unique programming and is affordable to a small business owner and is doing things that no one else is doing AM or FM and also keeps few people who love radio employed is a heck of a better option than signing it off..We just try to keep growing one listener & one advertizer at a time and when one person calls and says I love your station.. to me that's a great feeling and it never gets old...INSANE maybe..Stubborn absolutely...but I still get that same thrill when I pop that mic open as I did 29 years ago and as long as I keep getting that feeling I'm good...The day I don't I'm done..
Click to expand...

AM radio is a delivery technology for content. As with VHS tape, phonograph records, etc. a technology becomes obsolete when the same content can be delivered with a superior technology at a competitive price. The fact that the last financially viable AM content, news, sports, talk, is moving to FM indicates that it's time to shut out the lights.
 
AM is only dead if you let it die. There are literally hundreds of AM stations across North Carolina that are making a nice living for their owners and a few key employees.

Allen is right. Only believe.

No, cookie cutter music formats don't work on AM. Hell, they don't work very well on FM these days.

But people who work hard to be a part of their community, and to provide programs that are interesting and entertaining to the available listeners, and work hard cultivating local advertisers, can make a decent living.

It is not about ratings. It is about results for those advertisers who buy into the program.

I know of one, small, AM station that ran into a Chamber of Commerce who only seemed to care about the large businesses in their area. The radio station started a small business club, hosted luncheons, presented programs about growing your small business, and now has 200+ businessmen and women who gather regularly to network and exchange ideas. It translates to an alternative chamber, and profits for the radio station.

You have to give credit to Don Curtis and his managers. They have chosen to defy the odds and give AM a new chance at success. It is not the first time Curtis has done something against the grain, and I suspect it won't be the last. Remember, Don didn't pay an arm and a leg for these stations, so he doesn't have the huge debt service that companies like Clear Channel have.

And about the signals: This week, I have listened to Brad & Britt from Rocky Mount to North Wilkesboro. Sure, I had to switch stations once, but that's not a problem. I defy you to show me an FM with a listenable signal with that reach.

I have enjoyed Brad and Britt for years. Frankly, sometimes I want to shoot them both, but they do a good job. Too bad they have lost the ABC affiliation. So far, the CBS reporters they interact with are not very conversational. I miss the chats with Steve Roberts, and Ann Compton particularly. Maybe that will come with time.

Congratulations to Don Curtis for trying something all the "experts" on this board say will never work.
 
All I will say is I like the oldies they are playing on WKIX 850 but I will admit that I'm outside of the desired age demographics. So while I like the sound quality of FM I will listen to AM to hear the songs I like.
 
turkeydance said:
+1: music on AM is dead. talk is not.
Click to expand...

Music on AM has been dead since the late 1970s. Talk replaced top 40 on many of the legendary AM stations of the 60s. Talk isn't dead on AM, but it is migrating to FM in many markets. Where that's happened, the station found younger demos, more ad $$$$ and more listeners.

Music on FM is slowly dying. High royalty payments and people getting music from satellite, iPods, MP3s and other sources are making spoken word on FM more attractive. :)
 
XTalker said:
AM is only dead if you let it die. There are literally hundreds of AM stations across North Carolina that are making a nice living for their owners and a few key employees.

Allen is right. Only believe.

No, cookie cutter music formats don't work on AM. Hell, they don't work very well on FM these days.

But people who work hard to be a part of their community, and to provide programs that are interesting and entertaining to the available listeners, and work hard cultivating local advertisers, can make a decent living.

It is not about ratings. It is about results for those advertisers who buy into the program.

I know of one, small, AM station that ran into a Chamber of Commerce who only seemed to care about the large businesses in their area. The radio station started a small business club, hosted luncheons, presented programs about growing your small business, and now has 200+ businessmen and women who gather regularly to network and exchange ideas. It translates to an alternative chamber, and profits for the radio station.

You have to give credit to Don Curtis and his managers. They have chosen to defy the odds and give AM a new chance at success. It is not the first time Curtis has done something against the grain, and I suspect it won't be the last. Remember, Don didn't pay an arm and a leg for these stations, so he doesn't have the huge debt service that companies like Clear Channel have.

And about the signals: This week, I have listened to Brad & Britt from Rocky Mount to North Wilkesboro. Sure, I had to switch stations once, but that's not a problem. I defy you to show me an FM with a listenable signal with that reach.

I have enjoyed Brad and Britt for years. Frankly, sometimes I want to shoot them both, but they do a good job. Too bad they have lost the ABC affiliation. So far, the CBS reporters they interact with are not very conversational. I miss the chats with Steve Roberts, and Ann Compton particularly. Maybe that will come with time.

Congratulations to Don Curtis for trying something all the "experts" on this board say will never work.
Click to expand...

Was this a pitch for job at Curtis XTalker???? LOL ;D

Poor Don has a bunch of AM's that are worthless and he's pulling at straws to make something work. The "New" lineup isn't really new, it's more jumbled programs that exist. I do give him credit for attempting revamp the lineup so there are talk stations with mostly local lineups instead of having a morning show and then just B.S. the rest of the day.

I still say a 101.1 FM WSJS with a 600am simulcast would have been there best bet.
 
It might be easier now though, because the word formats are growing, the music formats seem to be decreasing, and more of the stations looking to change will be looking for "new, different" word formats rather than music. Plus, easier to produce news formats locally, and other factors.
Also, they don't have to fight against funk and disco (as much) today. :D
 
vchimpanzee said:
berlin201 said:
One other question about the lineup on 850: It shows the station as playing "Hall of Fame Music" during overnights and weekends. Are they talking about smooth jazz like WZTK played on weekends or the older "oldies" that 850 was playing before the flip?
Click to expand...
"Hall of Fame" is a term that would be used for oldies.

What WZTK played more correctly belongs in a hall of shame, though there was the occasional gem like "Front Seat" by Sadao Watanabe.
Click to expand...
More "hall of fame" music from WZTK (as opposed to hall of shame), based on my finding online videos or samples with songs on the list I made of songs I heard there, from their online list:

"Tropical Dream" by Oscar Castro-Neve
"Mismaloya Beach" by Ray Parker Jr.
"Tequila Moon" by Jessy J

Wow, that wasn't many. I know what the problem is. There was a second list I'll find it. There were also some vocal performances by the likes of Diana Krall. Most of the vocals were pretty bad.

WZTK also played these songs that I alreadfy knew:

"Breezin'" by George Benson
"Feels So Good" by Chuck Mangione
"Morning Dance" Spyro Gyra
 
Mike Sheridan said:
Does anyone remember NBC's News & Information Service "NIS". Loved it, but it crashed and burned in about a year. What makes them think they can do it now? in 1975 when NIS started, CNN, CNBC, CNN-Headline and MSNBC were not around to compete.
Click to expand...

The NIS flagship in NYC was WNWS-FM at 97.1, an NBC O & O at the time. WNWS couldn't make a dent against WINS and WCBS. Spoken word on a commercial FM in 1975 was sacrilige! Music on FM was growing by leaps and bounds.

WNWS was all-news from June 1975 thorough December 1976. At the stroke of midnight on 1/1/77, it became soft rock WYNY. :)
 
Imus in the Morning still hasn't updated their website. The show is now carried by only one station in NC. But it's streamed, of course.
 
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