I must compliment WMTR for expanding their playlist to include hits from the late 1960s after the demise of WCBS-FM. Why must they retain their talk programming on weekend mornings? I assume that they must have contractual obligations. Does 1050 WEPN have a very poor night signal in Morris County? It seems that the sports coverage detracts from the station's oldies programming. I am also guessing that they didn't lose many listeners when 1170 AM adoped an Asian format. I was in New Brunswick a while back and 1250 came in stronger than 1170.
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A few comments about WMTR
- Thread starter BruceS8852
- Start date
W
westlife
Guest
> I am also
> guessing that they didn't lose many listeners when 1170 AM
> adoped an Asian format. I was in New Brunswick a while back
> and 1250 came in stronger than 1170.
Here in the northwest corner of Somerset County, WMTR actually has a better signal at night than during the day. During the last half-hour of their daytime signal they can get quite beat-up by skywave interference, but when they jump up to 7000 watts and switch around their directional pattern at sunset, WMTR's signal clears up and becomes listenable again. However, their nighttime signal is sharply nulled to the north and west; at my aunt's house in Randolph, just a few miles northwest of Morristown, WMTR's signal gets noticeable weaker at sunset.
Anyway, I've heard WMTR's daytime signal all the way in Trenton, but of course neighboring 1260 WBUD splatters onto them pretty badly. WBUD is deeply nulled to the northwest (towards NYC), but there is still quite a bit of overlap between WMTR and WBUD in the southern half of Somerset and Middlesex Counties.
<P ID="signature">______________
"This is the New York Emergency Broadcast System satellite channel. They took the crosstown bus."</P>
> guessing that they didn't lose many listeners when 1170 AM
> adoped an Asian format. I was in New Brunswick a while back
> and 1250 came in stronger than 1170.
Here in the northwest corner of Somerset County, WMTR actually has a better signal at night than during the day. During the last half-hour of their daytime signal they can get quite beat-up by skywave interference, but when they jump up to 7000 watts and switch around their directional pattern at sunset, WMTR's signal clears up and becomes listenable again. However, their nighttime signal is sharply nulled to the north and west; at my aunt's house in Randolph, just a few miles northwest of Morristown, WMTR's signal gets noticeable weaker at sunset.
Anyway, I've heard WMTR's daytime signal all the way in Trenton, but of course neighboring 1260 WBUD splatters onto them pretty badly. WBUD is deeply nulled to the northwest (towards NYC), but there is still quite a bit of overlap between WMTR and WBUD in the southern half of Somerset and Middlesex Counties.
<P ID="signature">______________
"This is the New York Emergency Broadcast System satellite channel. They took the crosstown bus."</P>
O
OldiesJock
Guest
If you listen to WMTR for any length of time, you will hear why they continue to run infomercials and brokered shows, like the terminally whining and boring "Everybody's Uncle" and all sorts of "health shows".....no spot sales. In spite of it's big ratings success, the station seems to be lacking advertisers. The GM was recently let go.... 1170 was leased out to bring in cash..that's all. Good ratings..no sales. AM stations tend to (BLEEP) themselves out for a quick buck and end of destroying whatever audience they have built.Sad but true that more money can be made in brokerage than is spot sales. In other words, without an improvement in the sales picture, oldies fans could wind up screwed again.
Look at the age of the average account exec. A 20 something has no clue on the strengths of the oldies format and is embarassed trying to sell the "old people station." They would rather sell the "more hip" FM station. If you want oldies sales, get yourself some hired sales guns who understand the motivations and buying habits of the oldies audience. Hint to WMTR: it's NOT the same audience that reads "Steppin' Out." If WMTR dies, it won't be for lack of audience..it will be for inept sales efforts.
Look at the age of the average account exec. A 20 something has no clue on the strengths of the oldies format and is embarassed trying to sell the "old people station." They would rather sell the "more hip" FM station. If you want oldies sales, get yourself some hired sales guns who understand the motivations and buying habits of the oldies audience. Hint to WMTR: it's NOT the same audience that reads "Steppin' Out." If WMTR dies, it won't be for lack of audience..it will be for inept sales efforts.
> If you listen to WMTR for any length of time, you will hear
> why they continue to run infomercials and brokered shows,
> like the terminally whining and boring "Everybody's Uncle"
> and all sorts of "health shows".....no spot sales.
I heard a commercial on WMTR for Catholic Cemeteries in New Jersey. Are we ready for that already?
> why they continue to run infomercials and brokered shows,
> like the terminally whining and boring "Everybody's Uncle"
> and all sorts of "health shows".....no spot sales.
I heard a commercial on WMTR for Catholic Cemeteries in New Jersey. Are we ready for that already?
K
KC2LDY
Guest
> > If you listen to WMTR for any length of time, you will
> hear
> > why they continue to run infomercials and brokered shows,
> > like the terminally whining and boring "Everybody's Uncle"
>
> > and all sorts of "health shows".....no spot sales.
>
> I heard a commercial on WMTR for Catholic Cemeteries in New
> Jersey. Are we ready for that already?<
This is the same problem that WPEN had - but without the good ratings. Greater Media seems to have a problem giving its AM properties the attention and support they need. WJRZ runs an Oldies format on FM and seems to be doing well enough. I can't understand why the same parent company can't get serious about the same format on a heritage AM.
Steve
KC2LDY
> hear
> > why they continue to run infomercials and brokered shows,
> > like the terminally whining and boring "Everybody's Uncle"
>
> > and all sorts of "health shows".....no spot sales.
>
> I heard a commercial on WMTR for Catholic Cemeteries in New
> Jersey. Are we ready for that already?<
This is the same problem that WPEN had - but without the good ratings. Greater Media seems to have a problem giving its AM properties the attention and support they need. WJRZ runs an Oldies format on FM and seems to be doing well enough. I can't understand why the same parent company can't get serious about the same format on a heritage AM.
Steve
KC2LDY
W
westlife
Guest
> If you listen to WMTR for any length of time, you will hear
> why they continue to run infomercials and brokered shows,
> like the terminally whining and boring "Everybody's Uncle"
> and all sorts of "health shows".....no spot sales. In spite
> of it's big ratings success, the station seems to be lacking
> advertisers.
Greater Media has put considerable effort into WMTR's programming. Now, whether the sales department can live up to that is uncertain.
The amount of live, local programming on WMTR is now far more than during their previous Adult Standards format. The weekday drive time shows used to be the only locally-produced music on WMTR; otherwise they would just play the satellite feed of Westwood One's syndicated "Great Songs and Great Memories" format. They even ran infomercials and brokered talk shows during weekday evenings.
However, since the "Classic Oldies" format began, it has not used any syndicated music programming, except if you count the one-hour "Elvis Only" show on Sundays. The infomercials and talk shows are now gone from weekdays, and are now only heard from 5 AM to Noon on weekends. Yes, it would be nice to have a live, local DJ playing music on Sunday mornings, but even many FM music stations don't have that.
And as for the spot load, my parents have actually complained that WMTR plays too many commercials during the weekday drive-time shows. However, at any other time, especially on weekends, there are far fewer commercials to be heard on WMTR -- sometimes almost none. And from what I recall, WMTR doesn't seem to clear any nationally syndicated spots; all of the advertising is local, and much of it is produced in-house.
<P ID="signature">______________
"This is the New York Emergency Broadcast System satellite channel. They took the crosstown bus."</P>
> why they continue to run infomercials and brokered shows,
> like the terminally whining and boring "Everybody's Uncle"
> and all sorts of "health shows".....no spot sales. In spite
> of it's big ratings success, the station seems to be lacking
> advertisers.
Greater Media has put considerable effort into WMTR's programming. Now, whether the sales department can live up to that is uncertain.
The amount of live, local programming on WMTR is now far more than during their previous Adult Standards format. The weekday drive time shows used to be the only locally-produced music on WMTR; otherwise they would just play the satellite feed of Westwood One's syndicated "Great Songs and Great Memories" format. They even ran infomercials and brokered talk shows during weekday evenings.
However, since the "Classic Oldies" format began, it has not used any syndicated music programming, except if you count the one-hour "Elvis Only" show on Sundays. The infomercials and talk shows are now gone from weekdays, and are now only heard from 5 AM to Noon on weekends. Yes, it would be nice to have a live, local DJ playing music on Sunday mornings, but even many FM music stations don't have that.
And as for the spot load, my parents have actually complained that WMTR plays too many commercials during the weekday drive-time shows. However, at any other time, especially on weekends, there are far fewer commercials to be heard on WMTR -- sometimes almost none. And from what I recall, WMTR doesn't seem to clear any nationally syndicated spots; all of the advertising is local, and much of it is produced in-house.
<P ID="signature">______________
"This is the New York Emergency Broadcast System satellite channel. They took the crosstown bus."</P>
Re: A few questions about WMTR
Is there any way possible that WMTR can be heard in Port Washington, NY?
I own a Sony SRF-A100 and even when traveling via AMTRAK from NYC to Philly or Trenton, I have not ever gotten WMTR.
Maybe there are airchecks somewhere?
And if I remember from a thread before, they do not broadcast in AM Stereeo. Correct?
Thanks,
John
<P ID="signature">______________
John
E-mail: [email protected]
AIM: RainAngelsRule
MSN: [email protected]</P>
Is there any way possible that WMTR can be heard in Port Washington, NY?
I own a Sony SRF-A100 and even when traveling via AMTRAK from NYC to Philly or Trenton, I have not ever gotten WMTR.
Maybe there are airchecks somewhere?
And if I remember from a thread before, they do not broadcast in AM Stereeo. Correct?
Thanks,
John
<P ID="signature">______________
John
E-mail: [email protected]
AIM: RainAngelsRule
MSN: [email protected]</P>
Re: A few questions about WMTR
> Is there any way possible that WMTR can be heard in Port
> Washington, NY?
> I own a Sony SRF-A100 and even when traveling via AMTRAK
> from NYC to Philly or Trenton, I have not ever gotten WMTR.
> Maybe there are airchecks somewhere?
> And if I remember from a thread before, they do not
> broadcast in AM Stereeo. Correct?
> Thanks,
> John
>
Personally I have received WMTR as far North as Danbury Connecticut by Car of course. WMTR does throw a pretty decent signal to the North, more so than to their immediate West towards Warren county as has been pointed out on here ad nauseum by such folks as Harold. Anyway WMTR is not in AM Stereo but I'm fairly certain by a contact of mine that they could be with minimal effort if they felt the urge.
They have a great thing going, especially with the addition of the Late 60's tunes but unfortunately they are falling into the same dilemma that CBS-FM and other Oldies outlets are: Selling to Advertisers that feel the Old folks should only be buying the forementioned Cemetary Plots. Clearly with common sense and thought anyone can see that is just NOT the case. These people have "Empty Nests" and the disposable incomes that advertisers should be drooling over. Such a shame. I WILL agree about Sales Staffs and their lack of knowledge when it comes to the Oldies format itself.
At the current rate, we'll be lucky if there are ANY Oldies stations on Terrestrial radio in the next year or so...
> Is there any way possible that WMTR can be heard in Port
> Washington, NY?
> I own a Sony SRF-A100 and even when traveling via AMTRAK
> from NYC to Philly or Trenton, I have not ever gotten WMTR.
> Maybe there are airchecks somewhere?
> And if I remember from a thread before, they do not
> broadcast in AM Stereeo. Correct?
> Thanks,
> John
>
Personally I have received WMTR as far North as Danbury Connecticut by Car of course. WMTR does throw a pretty decent signal to the North, more so than to their immediate West towards Warren county as has been pointed out on here ad nauseum by such folks as Harold. Anyway WMTR is not in AM Stereo but I'm fairly certain by a contact of mine that they could be with minimal effort if they felt the urge.
They have a great thing going, especially with the addition of the Late 60's tunes but unfortunately they are falling into the same dilemma that CBS-FM and other Oldies outlets are: Selling to Advertisers that feel the Old folks should only be buying the forementioned Cemetary Plots. Clearly with common sense and thought anyone can see that is just NOT the case. These people have "Empty Nests" and the disposable incomes that advertisers should be drooling over. Such a shame. I WILL agree about Sales Staffs and their lack of knowledge when it comes to the Oldies format itself.
At the current rate, we'll be lucky if there are ANY Oldies stations on Terrestrial radio in the next year or so...
Re: A few questions about WMTR
> Is there any way possible that WMTR can be heard in Port
> Washington, NY?
> I own a Sony SRF-A100 and even when traveling via AMTRAK
> from NYC to Philly or Trenton, I have not ever gotten WMTR.
> Maybe there are airchecks somewhere?
> And if I remember from a thread before, they do not
> broadcast in AM Stereeo. Correct?
> Thanks,
> John
>
Remember WMTR does webcast at http://www.wmtram.com I can pick up WMTR during the day in Flushing, Queens loud and clear. At night, even with the boost in power, it comes in fuzzy.
Bruce
> Is there any way possible that WMTR can be heard in Port
> Washington, NY?
> I own a Sony SRF-A100 and even when traveling via AMTRAK
> from NYC to Philly or Trenton, I have not ever gotten WMTR.
> Maybe there are airchecks somewhere?
> And if I remember from a thread before, they do not
> broadcast in AM Stereeo. Correct?
> Thanks,
> John
>
Remember WMTR does webcast at http://www.wmtram.com I can pick up WMTR during the day in Flushing, Queens loud and clear. At night, even with the boost in power, it comes in fuzzy.
Bruce
K
KC2LDY
Guest
Re: A few questions about WMTR
> They have a great thing going, especially with the addition
> of the Late 60's tunes but unfortunately they are falling
> into the same dilemma that CBS-FM and other Oldies outlets
> are: Selling to Advertisers that feel the Old folks should
> only be buying the forementioned Cemetary Plots. Clearly
> with common sense and thought anyone can see that is just
> NOT the case. These people have "Empty Nests" and the
> disposable incomes that advertisers should be drooling over.
> Such a shame.<
It's incredible to me. Sales types and/or agencies need only do the math to realize the boomers are still, for the most part, younger now than the Big Band generation was 25 years ago. And the Big Band/Standards stations have only disappeared over the past couple of years. Nothing more than laziness at work here. It's WAY too early for ads about burial plots.
> I WILL agree about Sales Staffs and their lack
> of knowledge when it comes to the Oldies format itself.<
The solution: Don't have the sales staff selling both AM and FM any longer. Hire a dedicated AM-only sales staff (even a modestly sized one) that lives and dies by spot sales on the AM station. I guarantee they'll be motivated and hungry enough to consider new ideas about selling to a middle-aged audience.
Steve
KC2LDY
> They have a great thing going, especially with the addition
> of the Late 60's tunes but unfortunately they are falling
> into the same dilemma that CBS-FM and other Oldies outlets
> are: Selling to Advertisers that feel the Old folks should
> only be buying the forementioned Cemetary Plots. Clearly
> with common sense and thought anyone can see that is just
> NOT the case. These people have "Empty Nests" and the
> disposable incomes that advertisers should be drooling over.
> Such a shame.<
It's incredible to me. Sales types and/or agencies need only do the math to realize the boomers are still, for the most part, younger now than the Big Band generation was 25 years ago. And the Big Band/Standards stations have only disappeared over the past couple of years. Nothing more than laziness at work here. It's WAY too early for ads about burial plots.
> I WILL agree about Sales Staffs and their lack
> of knowledge when it comes to the Oldies format itself.<
The solution: Don't have the sales staff selling both AM and FM any longer. Hire a dedicated AM-only sales staff (even a modestly sized one) that lives and dies by spot sales on the AM station. I guarantee they'll be motivated and hungry enough to consider new ideas about selling to a middle-aged audience.
Steve
KC2LDY
Re: A few questions about WMTR
> The solution: Don't have the sales staff selling both AM
> and FM any longer. Hire a dedicated AM-only sales staff
> (even a modestly sized one) that lives and dies by spot
> sales on the AM station. I guarantee they'll be motivated
> and hungry enough to consider new ideas about selling to a
> middle-aged audience.
>
> Steve
> KC2LDY
>
Steve, couldn't agree with that MORE!!
> The solution: Don't have the sales staff selling both AM
> and FM any longer. Hire a dedicated AM-only sales staff
> (even a modestly sized one) that lives and dies by spot
> sales on the AM station. I guarantee they'll be motivated
> and hungry enough to consider new ideas about selling to a
> middle-aged audience.
>
> Steve
> KC2LDY
>
Steve, couldn't agree with that MORE!!
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