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josh said:
Dear Friends,
Like many of you I am terribly distrsssed when companies like the Educational Media Foundation (K-LOVE), and others should be limited when to gobble up independent Christian stations.
The BIG problem is that they offer nothing local whatsoever. They're not involved with the local churches, schools or anything.. They do nothing whatsoever to grow their ministries by reaching out to the local communities.
Last week I ran an ad in R&R that started with "Don't Sell Your Station to K-LOVE". The purpose of the ad was to encourage troubled radio ministries to give us a call and invite them to seel their station(s) to independent groups like us looking to expand localism .
Presently we run an LPFM in New Jersey. We have found that the greatest fruit is in reaching the local communities with local programming. Our high school sports coverage is very popular with the local region. It is an area of programming that we plan to expand tremendously as we grow financially. We also broadcast local church sermons which is a great way to get non-church goers to hear the word and to encourage them to attend a church (our participating churches are seeing good results).
We also co-sponsored a major concert that benefited the poor living in South Jersey.
AND we're winning hearts for Jesus. Will your typical non-Christian tune into K-LOVE or AIR1... No way, but they wil tune into "LIFT FM, South Jersey's Hit Music Station", a station that involved in people's lives.
http://www.lift985.com
The purpose of this was not to boast but to acknowledge that local Christian radio is a 1000 times more beneficial to local communities that aloof giants like K-LOVE. Within the last week or so, K-LOVE bought a local Christian station in our area, WSJI for 2.5 million dollars. ......... It's truly a tragedy as WSJI, though it ran a satellite feed often, did run some impressive local programming.........
The point is, local is always better. :-X
Y'all sound pretty good!
i thought i was angst ;D you guys take the cake. i still dont understand the hatred. and local is not better. local usually means 1/2 dollar a hollar 1/2 music in most markets. the LOCAL station in new orleans has added a full days preaching to its lineup...zzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz..klove..yep ..still playing music 
I totally agree with you smashedcd. I do not understand the hatred and saricasm on this board to me and to EMF and that is way I usually do not post. And I agree local is not better. K-Love or Air1 is better than almost all local religious stations. I think the majority of the hatred to EMF comes from people in the field either losing a job or fear of less jobs being available. I only care about being able to hear good music. It is far better to have 1 sourse of programming in as many markets as possible than 1 signal in 1 market. I think its cool to think of K-Love or Air1 being broadcast all over the country and other people all over are hearing it the same time as me. That is awesome. And for listeners more than one christian music station in a market is much better. I would love having more than 1 choice. But if the market than forces 1 station to have to fold I prefer the EMF station over local. I wish EMF was here in central Illinois instead of the boring local ccm here.
And to people like neutral observal who only have sarcastic and hateful things to say please never talk to me or make comments about me. I asked you that once before and you have not listened.
And to people like neutral observal who only have sarcastic and hateful things to say please never talk to me or make comments about me. I asked you that once before and you have not listened.
I don't have any first hand information about EMF, but some of their practices I would call questionable. I'm from the Dayton-Cincinnati area. We have 4 full powered EMF sticks in the area: 3 Klove and 1 Air One.(stations either currantly owned or previously owned by Vern Baldwin). Why when we can now hear EMF on 4 places on the dial did they apply for open translator frequencies when the FCC opened that window a few years a go. In Cincinnati we can't start our own station like Elizabeth suggested a few pages a go. All the rich (including EMF) boys have MX'ed the available frequencies.
No one ever did CCM in at least Dayton, and to this day we have three high-powered stations with essentially the same programs (Dobson, Evans, Stanley, et al)...and if K-Love hadn't come to town there still would be no CCM. I really believe translators should be for what they were originally intended, to boost the coverage of an existing broadcaster in its own area, not taking programming by satelite from thousands of miles away.
I'd prefer local CCM radio, but only when it's done right. If the only choice is a station that is only part time music and programs at other times, or one that is poorly done, I'd rather have a station like K-LOVE or Air 1 to listen to.
Also, EMF is bringing CCM radio to areas that haven't had it before, and in some cases it has actually led to more competition. In Jackson, TN WWGM, the primary local Christian station, was Southern Gospel and wouldn't give CCM a chance until K-LOVE came in and proved that there was an audience for it In the past 2 years they have started the Dove network that covers most of West TN outside of Memphis. I still prefer K-LOVE or WAY-FM when I can get them over the Dove though.
Like I said in an earlier post, at least KOKF was sold to a group that kept some sort of CHR format. A local group would have been better, but if the choice was selling to someone that would have totally changed to a non-CCM format (or possibly even a secular format) or selling to EMF, I would have sold to EMF.
Last year WAJJ in McKenzie, TN was sold to an anti-CCM and KJV only group. No effort was made to try to find a buyer that would keep the CHR CCM format, and they sold to the first buyer to make a bid. I would have rather seen the station be bought by EMF or WAY-FM than for it to fall into the hands of group that ended up with it.
Be thankful that KOKF wasn't sold to an anti-CCM group, or someone who would have changed it to a dollar a holler station.
Also, EMF is bringing CCM radio to areas that haven't had it before, and in some cases it has actually led to more competition. In Jackson, TN WWGM, the primary local Christian station, was Southern Gospel and wouldn't give CCM a chance until K-LOVE came in and proved that there was an audience for it In the past 2 years they have started the Dove network that covers most of West TN outside of Memphis. I still prefer K-LOVE or WAY-FM when I can get them over the Dove though.
Like I said in an earlier post, at least KOKF was sold to a group that kept some sort of CHR format. A local group would have been better, but if the choice was selling to someone that would have totally changed to a non-CCM format (or possibly even a secular format) or selling to EMF, I would have sold to EMF.
Last year WAJJ in McKenzie, TN was sold to an anti-CCM and KJV only group. No effort was made to try to find a buyer that would keep the CHR CCM format, and they sold to the first buyer to make a bid. I would have rather seen the station be bought by EMF or WAY-FM than for it to fall into the hands of group that ended up with it.
Be thankful that KOKF wasn't sold to an anti-CCM group, or someone who would have changed it to a dollar a holler station.
R
radioelizabeth
Guest
ChoiceFM said:
And that is why it's called America.
G
GaryTheThompson
Guest
I, too presently live in the Dayton-Cincy area. Just moved here. And frankly if it weren't for K-Love being here, I wouldn't have any CCM to listen to. Kudos to WAKW in Cincy for appearing as though they are trying to move forward and polish themselves. But back to Dayton:
Would I like Dayton to have a full-power, professionally run local CCM? Yep. Do I think the market is ripe for it? Absolutely.
But pretty much everyone here doing Christian radio with a full-power stick has chosen to run a hodge-podge of teaching, talk, organ music, and the occasional worship tune. Sorry. I just can't listen to that. I'm sitting here scratching my head over why 50 thousand watt WFCJ hasn't figured out or isn't concernced that they could easily pull LARGE numbers, HUGE support and reach more people if they just ran an all Christian AC format. I mean, it's mind-boggling. With their current hodge-podge, they're pulling a 12 plus rating of 2.1. And that's WITH K-love in the market. If they flipped to AC 24/7, that share would EASILY approach the 3's. But for some reason, they continue with their hodge-podge. They could be a GIANT!!!!!
Here's their pattern and power: http://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WFCJ&service=FM&status=L&hours=U
I don't know. Maybe they're doing what they feel they've been called to do. And if so, then I have no right to speak against what they're doing. It just pains me to see such a strong signal not living up to it's potential of reaching as many people as possible. That hodge-podge mentality is surpisingly still draining the life out of stations from coast to coast. It's an age-old programming addage; If I go to a Coke machine, I want to be able to get Coke 24/7. Same with a radio station. If I go to a radio station, I expect to get the same programming pretty much 24/7.
I have no options in this market (Dayton) for good, local Christian radio. So K-Love gets my #1 pre-set. And frankly, thank GOD for them. I'd be going freaking nuts if it weren't for EMF in this case.
And side bar: Read my previous post a page or two back to see how I feel about EMF being in markets that already have good CCM signals. Here's a hint: I'm not against it. It's actually a good thing for the listeners. More choices are never bad for the listener. And isn't that really who we all claim to be most concerned about?
Would I like Dayton to have a full-power, professionally run local CCM? Yep. Do I think the market is ripe for it? Absolutely.
But pretty much everyone here doing Christian radio with a full-power stick has chosen to run a hodge-podge of teaching, talk, organ music, and the occasional worship tune. Sorry. I just can't listen to that. I'm sitting here scratching my head over why 50 thousand watt WFCJ hasn't figured out or isn't concernced that they could easily pull LARGE numbers, HUGE support and reach more people if they just ran an all Christian AC format. I mean, it's mind-boggling. With their current hodge-podge, they're pulling a 12 plus rating of 2.1. And that's WITH K-love in the market. If they flipped to AC 24/7, that share would EASILY approach the 3's. But for some reason, they continue with their hodge-podge. They could be a GIANT!!!!!
Here's their pattern and power: http://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WFCJ&service=FM&status=L&hours=U
I don't know. Maybe they're doing what they feel they've been called to do. And if so, then I have no right to speak against what they're doing. It just pains me to see such a strong signal not living up to it's potential of reaching as many people as possible. That hodge-podge mentality is surpisingly still draining the life out of stations from coast to coast. It's an age-old programming addage; If I go to a Coke machine, I want to be able to get Coke 24/7. Same with a radio station. If I go to a radio station, I expect to get the same programming pretty much 24/7.
I have no options in this market (Dayton) for good, local Christian radio. So K-Love gets my #1 pre-set. And frankly, thank GOD for them. I'd be going freaking nuts if it weren't for EMF in this case.
And side bar: Read my previous post a page or two back to see how I feel about EMF being in markets that already have good CCM signals. Here's a hint: I'm not against it. It's actually a good thing for the listeners. More choices are never bad for the listener. And isn't that really who we all claim to be most concerned about?
WFCJ and WEEC has literally run the same programming (maybe not all the same preachers) since the 1960s. Maybe the concern is the revenue loss from the teaching programs..I do hear a lot of mention of "your local Christian radio station" on WFCJ's fundraising mentions. I know some of these preachers are popular, but wonder how many under 55 listen to non-stop preaching.
Bill Nance is a heck of a nice guy..he's putting together the reunion for Dayton's legendary AM top 40, WING.
Bill Nance is a heck of a nice guy..he's putting together the reunion for Dayton's legendary AM top 40, WING.
WFCJ and WEEC as non coms don't consider Dayton and Springfield the same markets. They weren't the same markets until the population of Dayton started declining. The commercial boys wanted to count the population of Springfield to keep their advertizing rates. As a former WFCJ employee I know we were happy to work with WEEC as much as possible, but we did not consider ourselves to be in competition. It's true both stations are heard in parts of Dayton. WFCJ gets to many parts of Cincinnati as good as Dayton. WEEC is heard in many parts of Columbus on car radios. While WFCJ can never be heard in Columbus and WEEC never in Cincinnati. It's better now with digital tuning car radios but previously WEEC could never be heard around downtown Dayton because 100.7 is close to 99.9 and the then WVUD blew them off the dial. The preachers are the necessary (evil), they pay for air time it was the only way we existed in the 70's. Just like informercials on TV. I wouldn't think many would listen to them but the sponsor is willing to pay for the air time. On the positive side both WFCJ and WEEC have screening boards reviewing what goes on the air so that preacher would have to have a statement of faith passing the board standards before hitting air. I know WFCJ turned away many local churches because ther technical quality wasn't up to standard. As far as Infomercials go one day we had one on the air and the 800 number wasn't working. Our station got calls from viewers..............surprised me!!!!!
B
bueller
Guest
What I find amazing is how KOKF isn't being treated in this discussion like they had any format to preserve. Air 1 and 91 FM were dramatically different radio stations. The product 91 FM offered was far better than Air 1 and I'm concerned anytime I see "Christian" broadcasters taking off better local programming to repeat national programming that has no local input. KOKF was licensed to serve that area of Oklahoma, not to be repeat bird droppings from California, period. It's insanity to have no local content in a market the size of OKC. Might as well just get XM and not have to listen to funding drives.
Some of you have your heads so full of science that you can't comprehend that 91 FM was a truly great radio station, that took chances and did things very few others did. And, as usual, innovation is stifled due to a large radio group that can't realize what they bought and do something with it. I'll go so far as to say it was stupidity. Any company with the resources of EMF who can buy a station as good as KOKF was and then completely screw it up and put it on the cheap is ignorant of the opportunity they have. I cannot believe that any radio company with scruples or creativity would blow up that format reaching OKC youth and still consider themselves to be doing great ministry.
Because EMF ABANDONED the previous audience of 91 FM. No, Air 1 is not a substitute. Nobody was asking for this format. There wasn't a lack of it.
If EMF wants to put stations in areas that lack Christian radio, good on them. If they want to destroy already good stations, then they are just as bad as Clear Channel if not worse.
Some of you have your heads so full of science that you can't comprehend that 91 FM was a truly great radio station, that took chances and did things very few others did. And, as usual, innovation is stifled due to a large radio group that can't realize what they bought and do something with it. I'll go so far as to say it was stupidity. Any company with the resources of EMF who can buy a station as good as KOKF was and then completely screw it up and put it on the cheap is ignorant of the opportunity they have. I cannot believe that any radio company with scruples or creativity would blow up that format reaching OKC youth and still consider themselves to be doing great ministry.
Because EMF ABANDONED the previous audience of 91 FM. No, Air 1 is not a substitute. Nobody was asking for this format. There wasn't a lack of it.
If EMF wants to put stations in areas that lack Christian radio, good on them. If they want to destroy already good stations, then they are just as bad as Clear Channel if not worse.
A question I haven't seen answered for sure is if KOKF had to sell or go under, and did they have a choice other than to sell to EMF? If the choice was EMF or going under or selling to someone who wouldn't do ANY type of CCM format, then I believe they made the right choice.
G
GaryTheThompson
Guest
bueller said:
While I hear and understand your frustration about the "lack of local content"...I've gotta disagree with what you said about it being "stupidity" for a radio company to buy locally and then put on national programming.
I wouldn't say that buying a HUGE signal and going national with it is stupidity. I'd say it was right in line with EMF's vision and right in line with what they do and always HAVE done as a company. For them to try to switch gears go local with a station WOULD be stupidity, because that's NOT what EMF does. It's not in their ministry model. So why WOULD they step outside of that? Why would they try to be something that they're not. Why would they try to be something that they're not called by God to be?
I don't think signal size automatically puts a "call" or a "responsibility" on someone to be local. Back to our earlier conversation about locality. Yes, Local and compelling is the best-case scenario. But good radio trumps local... if local doesn't contain good radio.
I don't know much about KOKF. So I'm really not qualified to speak as to the quality of their product. But I do know they had some good people there who listened to God and heard from him. So if they sold the station to EMF, it was probably the right decision. For me, you, or anyone else to throw out words like stupid is well...stupid.
GaryTheThompson said:
as for this local thing. that depeneds on where you are. in some parts of the country local means a local dj who knows nothing about radio or the music.and quite often means someone who cant even read a liner card very good. where i lived in the early 90s they had a local ccm station. ran by kids! 16-19 year olds. and not only that the signal was in mono! the local outfit fianlly sold it to someone who started airing the morningstar radio network which actually improved it! then it was sold to a now bankrupt outfit that switched it to urban. now ..yep..its klove. and other than its days as morningstar radio..is better than its ever been. the city...hazelhurst ms..
What you have to understand is the WFCJ will not leave it comfortable demographic that it has. Even though they don't want to accept it they are an older demographic station, sure just like and other station they have a few of the other demographic listener. The age group they broadcast for has more disposable income then to say the the 25 to 40 year old (i am not saying every older person has disposable income so don't email me). The 25 to 40s still have kids at home or in college, car payments and mortgages, where the older demographic eith does not or does not owe as much (once agin that is not true for all older demos, so once again do not email me). This is a very comfortable situation for WFCJ, they are one of the few stations tha make their pledge drive goals and they do a wonderful job in focusing on the community, they give money back to charieties and they have great people working for them. I sometimes question why they are at certain events (like last year when they were at winterjam in cincy with Toby Mac, Krystal Meyers, and more CHR, that seems to be a watse of their time , but hey maybe they like Toby!). Recently they just went HD and I am not sure how that will go for them, I do not see their main demographic buying these radios. They did a all music channel on HD2 but with it not really being any different in Dayton, I do not think anyone will buy a radio for it. It is just like WMMX having HD 2 Christian, just K-Love with no announcers. WFCj will continue to do staus quo until their pledge audience dies off and they are forced to leave their comfortable situation in Dayton. Besides they were the first Christian in Dayton!
northernlightsmedia said:
A "technical" point:
Actually, they're likely to have less disposable income but more discretionary income.
"Disposable" is what's left after taxes.
"Discretionary" is what's left after taxes and basic living expenses. It's what's available to do something with.
25-44ish (or whatever you want to go with) likely earns more than 60+, but 60+ likely has significantly lower "musts" when it comes to what does come in.
Thanks for clearing me up on that point ;D
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