A Simulcast is Occurring (WMRK FM and WJAM AM)

[R.D.P.]

That's right! WMRK FM and WJAM AM are now broadcasting the same program.  This will change in due course, once WMRK FM moves from Selma.  That move is now going to occur, on April the 1st.  No this isn't an April fools joke, B.T.W.  Visit this awesome link for all the details on this move and the programming they'll be catering to: http://montgomerytvandradio.blogspot.com/

Hope WMRK FM does well once they move to Montgomery Alabama.

R.D.P. <><

P.S. WJAM AM didn't have no hum, while I was listening, a few minutes ago.  Dr. Feelgood's Gospel show was sounding real good.  Hope 1340 AM has cleaned up the sound quality, now that they're doing Adult Urban and Gospel.  If they haven't hope they'll work on it.   

 

[fortmill]

So, Selma's only adult urban comtemporary radio station is moving from a strong FM to a very weak AM which doesn't even cover all of Dallas county, a county which is predominately African American. Meanwhile, 107.9 moves to Montgomery and simucasts a far right wing AM talker, and the Selma area is left with one fewer FM station. This hardly seems like good news to me. Too bad the FCC couldn't step in and prevent this from happening. Of course, I realize the FCC APPROVED the move in the first place. What a shame!

 

[R.D.P.]

This "Weaker AM" station won't be here much longer.  Once WTID FM from Thomaston is allowed to move to Orrville, upgrade their power and relocate to 103.9 FM then WJAM AM will move to Thomaston, to compensate the loss for their only Radio station.

Now for WITD's format, me thinks it'll be Classic Country, Oldies or some form of Top 40.  Anyone reading want to take a stab at this and convince me that Alexander will enter a LMA with this station and bring Adult Urban to this station. After all, Great South and Alexander Broadcasting were once co-owners of this station.
 
Now for WJAM AM, me thinks they'll stay Adult Urban once they move to Thomaston.

The Adult Urban crowd will soon be getting two new radio stations, no matter what WTID ends up doing. Once WJUS 1310 AM from Marion moves to Selma and is allowed to rebroadcast at 94.3 FM, then that crowd will two new choices for their kind of music and programming.

R.D.P. <><

P.S. I know that this change, with 107.9 FM, doesn't make much sense but that's the way the ball bounces. 

 

[R.D.P.]

To Fortmill and those Interested:

I believe that Alexander Broadcasting is now going to concentrate on their cash cow and tend to it, like a mother would her children. I know that moving WJAM to AM 1340 wasn't a great idea, but to each his own. Now that they have ALEX FM, they're going to focus all their energy on maintaing and keeping it going. The audience here has spoken and wanted to hear more of the Classic songs on WALX and they got their wish.

What I'm now hearing on ALEX FM, is a playlist similar to the one WMRK AM had, before they switched. Nothing too fancy or too elaborate though. Just a few more of the harder sounding classics, that WMRK never even played at all. Examples: 80s Metal and Classic Harder Rock from the 70s.

Concerning WJAM AM, I do believe that Alexander may not worry too much about sound quality after all. All he's trying to do with this 1000 watt AMer is pay the light bill. Whatever will get that job done, he'll do it. If it means filling in a format hole, then so be it. Once he does move to Thomaston, he may not spend much time with this radio station and just end up selling it, if he thinks it'll profit him to do so.

Now concerning Rev. King's move to Selma, I was told he's moving WJUS to Selma, because we have a bigger market than Marion does. I can understand that logic but when he does move, his audience will be mostly senior citizens and those who dig the blues and soul classics.

Now concerning the WTID move to Orrville, I don't know what this station will cater to but me still thinks it'll be Country, Oldies, and/or Top 40, unless someone still has the balls to prove to me that Alexander will do a LMA with them and cater to Adult Urban. I believe this station is moving, for the same reason WJUS is moving. To be in a bigger market.

If WMRK FM can make money in Montgomery and succeed with their Talk format, then more power to them. Hope they do well. However it would be in their best interest though to simulcast WACV for the time being, until they can get a real program schedule in place.

R.D.P. <><

P.S. Yes fortmill, I've been in Dallas County since my birth in 1971. I'm showing my age here and fully aware that the Blacks outnumber the Whites by a huge number. It's been that way for a long time now and I don't see that changing in the foreseeable future.

 

[tomservo]

So, Selma's only adult urban comtemporary radio station is moving from a strong FM to a very weak AM which doesn't even cover all of Dallas county, a county which is predominately African American. Meanwhile, 107.9 moves to Montgomery and simucasts a far right wing AM talker, and the Selma area is left with one fewer FM station. This hardly seems like good news to me. Too bad the FCC couldn't step in and prevent this from happening. Of course, I realize the FCC APPROVED the move in the first place. What a shame!

It's not the FCC's job to determine formats, nor should it be in a (supposed) free market like we (supposedly) have.

That being said: Follow the money. If the urban format on WJAM was making money elbows over teakettle they wouldn't be shuffling it to a little AM station. If 105.3 leans lighter (I haven't heard it in years) then that might be enough to keep a viable fulltime adult urban station from making a go of it. Or maybe they don't know the audience and don't wanna try anymore. I'm sure there's a good reason*.

* - good for radio, which from my experience is generally clownishly stupid for other businesses.

 

[R.D.P.]

Great response Mr. Zach, Last time I did check, we still live in a free market. It's still not the FCC's job to determine what format(s) said radio station will cater to. With that being said, here are a few other thoughts.

107.9 FM has been wanting to upgrade for a long time now. Due to various factors, they couldn't upgrade from their class A status, while located here. The only way they were able to upgrade, was to move east. Staying in Beloit and attempting to upgrade was an impossibility for them. WVFG from Uniontown, WFXX from Georgiana and WUHT from B-Ham made it impossible for them to do this. Like I stated, switching 1340 AM over to Urban, may have not been a wise idea but to each his own as they say.

Now concerning WBFZ Z-105.3 FM, this station caters to every member the Family, like the now silent WTQX did. This station does programming for the youth, middle aged, senior citizens, Gospel buffs and the information hacks. They've been like this since signing on in 2001. That presentation won't be changing in the forseeable future. B.T.W. this station covers all of Dallas County and the surrounding area and is doing very well.

R.D.P. <><