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AM 1260 (WNWK) airing Del State Basketball

M

MikefromDelaware

Newark's AM 1260, has kept the Oldies music, but has changed their calls again (he could probably save some money to the FCC by not changing the calls so often). The on the hour legal id's say WAMS Dover, WNWK Newark-Wilmington. I'm guessing that they never did finish getting a studio up here other than the transmitter/tower so the Dover station is the "flagship" station and as WAMS is the name they are using, he probably decided to give the Dover station those calls.

I noticed yesterday that both stations were airing Del State Basketball. I wonder if he'll be trying to get the Del State Football for this upcoming fall season?

They still are airing live and local during the weekday afternoon and early evening taking phone in requests during both shows.

Great music, but doesn't come in at work (I work near New Castle not only about 10 miles from their tower), great in the car, and pretty good at home until evening.

Maybe he'll generate enough spot revenue with the Del State Basketball that he could finally do some billboard advertising to let other Oldies listeners know about the format. Of course, what will keep his station from ever doing well, no matter what format he uses) is that many people won't be able to get it during the day while at work. If I can't get it from New Castle in an industrial building, then folks in the office buildings in Downtown Wilmington won't be able to get it either. I can't get WVLT from Vineland at work either, but can get WOGL, not great, but good enough. If his station was on 1290 or 1380, he'd be in the clover as both of those stations come in really well during the day.
 
Going to local play by play sports could be a good move.
Ballgames are an easy sell. Local advertisers like being identified with local high school and college teams.
Stations can sell evening and weekend times, which generally go unsold.
Prime listening hours are still daytime during the week, which is almost completely unaffected by high school and college ballgames.
Del State likely provides the play by play, so almost no cost.
On top of that, it draws attention to the station and can encourage sampling.
If this works OK, look for U of D and Wesley; some high school games, too. Whatever the other stations don't carry is fair game.

Remember who owns most (maybe all) the billboards in town.
Hint: Their initials are CC. The world's largest billboard company. They also are involved in radio.
They need some outrageous stunts to create buzz. Costs less; works better.
 
The WAMS calls were on the Dover station years ago, when the current owner was working there They were also carrying The Geator for awhile down there. I never could believe that Jerry Blavat would work in the Dover market, and apparently he didn't.

The sports has been airing for some time now. That should bring in some money, although basketball has never been a big seller in Delaware. But it does get attention for the station.

Also, they are airing the John Tesh show in the mornings, starting a 5. The show is not exactly my thing, but now that it is off in Philly, this was probably a good grab for the station.
 
It is interesting that the 1260 calls were changed. When the owner first took over 1260, it was claimed WNRK was being dropped because it served no marketing purpose. WAMS was much better known. Actually, the fact was WNRK had already been picked up by Newark, Ohio when 1260 went dark. WNWK is an attempt to build on whatever memory it brings of the great station that was there since 1964. Much like WWTX is an attempt to link 1290 to the old WTUX. The calls only have meaning to us radio fans, unfortunately. But it is nice to see current owners pay tribute to the past.
 
WTUX said:
Much like WWTX is an attempt to link 1290 to the old WTUX.
Click to expand...

A lame attempt IMO. I always thought "WWTX" was a play on "The Ticket" like so many calls are a play on their branding.

ixnay
 
The call letters have been changed because the station has been sold and the owner wanted the WAMS calls. The Dover station with continue with WAMS-Oldies and on line at www.wamsoldies.com. 1260 will operate under a LMA until the FCC approves the sale. Last day for the oldies is March 2, 2007.
 
What sort of format will the new AM 1260 WNWK have?

Radioeng500, I guess you don't know what sort of new format the new owner of 1260 WNWK will air? I'm assuming that Oldies will disappear, as you said on March 2nd, at least your oldies. I'd sure like for the new owner to continue with an Oldies format, but my guess is the new owner will air Hispanic programming. Why not. What that station needs is a niche audience that is very underserved that would put up with a difficult station to get and that has a loyal group of businesses that would support the station. The one format Wilmington does not have (and I believe Philly does not have either) is Hispanic. Rumba 104.9 in Egg Harbor (Atlantic City) doesn't come in that well in the car in all areas of New Castle County much less at home or in the workplace so a Rumba 1260 might just be the niche for Newark's struggling radio station.

By the way, I wish you well with your Dover version of WAMS. I'll have to listen in on line since 1600 WAMS doesn't come in up here. In spite of the various problems you encountered as the owner of 1260, you can at least know that you've improved 1260 from what it was when you bought it. The signal, albeit still weak is far better than it used to be. You can actually get it at night in your car without being less than a 1/2 mile from the tower. You can pick it up clearly in the car almost anywhere in New Castle County, again that's a major improvement. So those improvements might make a difference for the new owner in making it work as a successful business.
 
Mike,

Apparently you missed the big switch when CC dumped the formats on 104.5 and 106.1. Put Whoopi and Hot AC on 106.1 and Hispanic on 104.5

So now that we have a loud and clear FM outlet, would 1260 go Hispanic? That would be a bit of very bad timing.
 
WTUX, I stand corrected. I forgot about that switch in Philly. Apparently, though I may have hit upon the correct answer per radioeng 500's reply. It could still work for them if there are enough hispanic businesses in the Wilmington metro that buy spots on 1260.
 
MikefromDelaware said:
WTUX, I stand corrected. I forgot about that switch in Philly. Apparently, though I may have hit upon the correct answer per radioeng 500's reply. It could still work for them if there are enough hispanic businesses in the Wilmington metro that buy spots on 1260.
Click to expand...

How's 900 La Exitosa in Milford doing? BTW I remember listening to 900 in 1974 when it was C&W WAFL(AM). Taking 1260 Hispanic would just about cover the First State with espanol, si?

ixnay
 
I don't understand how it makes sense to put a Hispanic format on 1260. The Spanish population in the northern part of the state is served with music from their Mother Land on 104.5 from Philadelphia. It does make sense for the Milford station, since the town has a large Spanish population (most of them illegal immigrants working in the chicken farms). I believe the majority of the town has Spanish residents.

Yes, it's true. That Purdue chicken facility in Milford was busted some years ago for employing illegal immigrants. Yes, this part of my post is off topic, but I am not supplying false information.
 
It makes sense to the new owner because, he has clients on his other stations that will buy time on 1260 as a package deal. I told him about 104.5,1310, 930 and 900 but, it did not matter to him. He wants to move the tower site south and build a three tower directional near the oil refinery on rt 13.
 
Just because it makes sense to the new owner doesn't mean it makes sense at all.
 
Re: AM 1260 (WNWK) to become Rumba 1260

Radioeng500, You are probably better aquanted with 1260's signal than most. How would moving 1260's tower south to Delaware City help the station? Wouldn't that make the reception in Wilmington less desirable. Of course, I guess it depends on how that directional was set up. If a fairly narrow focus North and South rather than East and West so as to protect the 1260's in Jersey and DC, maybe he'd cover New Castle and Wilmington better than the current set up. As there are a fair number of Hispanics in both the New Castle and Wilmington areas that might just work.

You say the new owner owns other stations and figures on clients from those other stations buying spots on a Rumba1260. Maybe he is the owner of Milfords Hispanic station. I would think that a local hispanic station could make a go of it financially. As I said earlier, I believe for 1260 to be at all successful, in a business sense, they need to serve a underserved group that would be willing to put up with a lesser quality signal and be on AM. The New Castle / Wilmington area Hispanic businesses are small operations and probably wouldn't want to spend the larger sums of cash needed to advertise on Rumba 104.5 in Philly, but would buy time on a local 1260 for far less cash and reach their local customers. I think the new owner of 1260 is on to something and has found his niche that will make 1260 successful. I say best of luck to him or her.
 
Mike,

It is not only Hispanic businesses which would make buys. It is any business seeking to reach the growing Hispanic population. For example, when WNRK ran the weekly Hispanic show early this decade, MacDonalds bought time, running their jingles in Spanish. The home of The Big Mac would never buy WNRK normally, but did for a show niching this population. The potential is there.
 
Radioeng500 said:
It makes sense to the new owner because, he has clients on his other stations that will buy time on 1260 as a package deal. I told him about 104.5,1310, 930 and 900 but, it did not matter to him. He wants to move the tower site south and build a three tower directional near the oil refinery on rt 13.
Click to expand...

It will be fun watching that array being built. I come up Rt. 1 every day going to work (unless I take a different route longer in miles but with little difference in commuting time). How long does it take to put up a 3 stick array once ground is broken?

ixnay
 
When he gets the CP from the FCC he has three years to build it. It would take about 30 days for the install, towers and ground system.
 
One commenter says "WAMS" sold, under LMA. Well, the owner is WXXY, owner of a non-comm in Port Republic, New Jersey, and has been for sometime. Nothing new on the FCC website, except another application of another STA running until May. There have been many rumors that either Newark or Dover or both would sold, but nothing filed with the commission. Vince Kepeck owns part of WXXY and either part or all of East Coast, he seems to like changing the company names, and changing call letters. It's a shame he doesn't put that money in to fixing his transmitter site problems. There was actually a time when both 1260 and 1600 had some respectability back in the 60's and 70's, when they were real radio stations. These people just love the format wheel, gospel, oldies, country, rock, satellite, computer. But then again it's AM, the commission doesn't care about AM, it hasn't since it couldn't make an am stereo choice (didn't do that to FM, or TV, or TV digital).
 
It is rather sad to see 1260 sold again. For the first time since Vince has had the frequency, 1260 actually sounds like a legit radio station. Professional djs, news, weather, not a bad music mix generally - although too many songs that never cracked the Top 40. After all this time of playing Amature Hour Radio, it actually has a sound that could attract a listener or two. And now its sold!
 
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