A quick, pointless observation about WDIA.

[DeadElvis]

I was on the Gulf Coast this weekend...

WDIA's nighttime signal in Biloxi is better than its nighttime signal in Germantown.

See? I warned you it was pointless.

-DE

 

[tomservo]

Some nights it seems to blow in down in the Delta. It's a shame the daytime signal is so hampered by that HD they feel the need to foist on everyone.

 

[radiosaur]

Not entirely pointless. It means the nighttime antenna system is working.

 

[vchimpanzee]

How in the world does this station make it to no. 1?

It is on AM, yet has no Rush Limbaugh and is not a news/talk station in one of the top markets in the country.

 

[radiosaur]

Simple. Heritage coupled with superserving the core audience...something CC has not yet been able to destroy.

 

[briancraig]

WDIA was the first station in the country geared toward a black audience and have been an integral part of the community for over 60 years.

The Memphis market is about 45% black, so in many ways WDIA is our heritage AM station the same way KMOX is in St. Louis or WCCO is in Minneapolis.

Because of their horrible night signal in most of Shelby County, I'm still surprised they do as well as they do but probably no PD in the country understands the audience better than Bobby O'Jay.

I wonder if they are thinking about simulcasting WDIA on 101.9 when Clear Channel moves that signal to Memphis. The aging AM audience and the continued migration of the black community to the suburbs especially to Southeast Shelby County where WDIA's signal is poor will eventually catch up with them.

 

[tomservo]

Would the 101.9 signal really help WDIA in SE Shelby that much? I would think it would be more of a downtown/midtown performer like KXHT.

CC certainly tried to destroy the audience by putting that horrible HD buzzsaw on there. Sounds like it's been off the last several times I've passed through, though, but the audio is still brickwalled sounding.

Since they play so much music, they need to just go back to stereo (it did operate with some form of stereo in the 80's correct?) and be done with HD.

 

[mikl73]

I don't think WDIA was ever stereo.

I know 680 & 1210 were stereo.

1210 sounded great in stereo playing oldies and later CCM.

 

[DeadElvis]

I wonder if they are thinking about simulcasting WDIA on 101.9 when Clear Channel moves that signal to Memphis. The aging AM audience and the continued migration of the black community to the suburbs especially to Southeast Shelby County where WDIA's signal is poor will eventually catch up with them.

That's an interesting question, one that would seem in-line with what they have done in other markets. But, the signal by itself isn't the reason to do it.

To be sure, WDIA's night signal is practically unlistenable once you get east of about Kirby (and, as has been pointed out, it does prove the tight array is still working properly). But, one might ask, how important is a signal at night to WDIA that far east? Maybe, not that much, looking at basic demographics.

And, the new 101.9 will have some signal issues out east. The 70 dBu will only get about as far as The Hilton at 240 & Poplar. The 60 dBu will not make through much Collierville. In fact, the new facility has a small notch in its pattern to the Southeast to clear WFTA/Fulton. Still, there may be reasons to simulcast on FM, but signal is not topping the list.

DE

 

[vchimpanzee]

WDIA was the first station in the country geared toward a black audience and have been an integral part of the community for over 60 years.

Didn't help WGIV or WAAA, both of which have mostly been off the air in recent years, though their signals weren't nearly as good.