Any "farm team" stations left?

[fasttalker]

Are there any small AMs on the Atlanta fringe (or beyond) open to locally originated or regionally syndicate talk?

I tuned down the band last weekend, and it sounded like International shortwave from the 70s.

WDUN seems to maintain significant chunks of programming based on local community. WGAU plugs a few elements into its syndicated line-up.

But surely there are some "mom and pops" still out there operating on the old "farm team" philosophy of being a gateway to launch new shows or talent. Or who might we willing to experiment with local talent.

 

[CompleteGame]

We're doing this as we speak and I am having to balance a lot of factors in finding the right hosts/producers: ability to communicate, credibility in the community, potentially alienating the elected bodies, how long is the show, etc

....and will this even move the needle if executed perfectly....

 

[jabba17]

WIMO out of Winder?

Would WCFO air local talent if they could pass an audition?

WGUN?

 

[MCMagicCracker]

99X is now a pop warner league station with Axel coaching.

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

The "fly stuck in the ointment" in this conversation would be coming to an agreement of what qualifies as a "farm team".

Most of the Mom and Pop operations has made judicious use of automation. Whatever professionalism exists in the sound may be provided by the Owner (that would be Pop, and in some families, Mom has a good sound and can also create some cuts to go into the automation machine.) In so many cases there will be no other person in the operation that can be considered a candidate to ever move from the farm team to, say, Atlanta.

North Georgia is a great place for retirement, and small station operators my turn to people who worked in radio some years ago who enjoy strapping on the chaps and spurs and climbing back into the saddle for a few hours each week. Retired Grandpa is not going to the major leagues (again?) in this lifetime.

CompleteGame is doing something that is not being done in very many stations so he is your "observation laboratory" for this question.

 

[red jones]

Let me beat the drums for Gradick Communications...6 stations in West Ga. Local Local.
Local News with full time news dept. Local sports with all local teams. Tradeline program
(buy sell trade) 1 hour daily WKNG. 2 hours Sat. some 70 calls per hour. LIVE programs
with local personalities. Community Voice with local interviews. Call it ole time radio but
it works. Loyal audiences. I came out of retirement 10 years ago to do mornings WKNG
with as local as you can get. Streaming 24/7. Check our Gradick Communications web site.
Alive and well. Comments? Red Jones WKNG . Ga. Radio Hall Of Fame.

 

[TheRealOtherNeil]

WGST is a fringe frequency and has added local talent, albeit from Modesto.

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

WGST is a fringe frequency and has added local talent, albeit from Modesto.

Makes perfect sense.

Modesto is a farm town.

That is what "farm team" stations means, isn't it?

And if the GST pay package is a bit lacking, he can use his other skills for added income: Pick cotton, avacados and garlic.

 

[doowopdan]

I have to second what Red Jones said. I live right in the middle of Gradick country, and he has 5 or 6 stations with a variety of formats and air talent ranging from folks in their 20s to however old Red is by now . There's voice tracking, of course (even some cross-station), but plenty of live jocks and each station clearly has its own identity. And when we had our big snowstorm they were on the air doing what local radio is supposed to do.

1440 WGMI "the Train" in Bremen (Haralson County) is chugging along, too, playing classic hits Mon-Sat and gospel/Christian on Sunday, although that's very much a family station (husband and wife morning show, for example).

 

[radioboy]

I guess Alabama 810 might be one, in Jacksonville, AL..also a Gradick station.

 

[taylorengineer]

Joe Pedicino's "The Bear 92.5" also is live and local with local talent. My guess is that if you have talent and will work cheap you might get a shot on air there.
Joe and Steve Graddick are two of the few real "broadcasters" left in the business. They are both people who love radio and see the business as more than just real estate and cash flow.
I am generally wary of governmental interference in business matters but it is my opinion that we had better radio when the FCC had a tighter grip on broadcasters and companies were limited to 6/6/6.

 

[jabba17]

I am generally wary of governmental interference in business matters but it is my opinion that we had better radio when the FCC had a tighter grip on broadcasters and companies were limited to 6/6/6.

Perhaps, but you also had 6 different owners chasing the hot format du jour, like when we had 5 or 6 not-too-distinct flavors of ACs (Peach, B98.5, Warm 100, Fox 97, 94Q, Lite 106) in ATL in the early 80s. Fox included oldies and AM gold, and 94Q included (at various times) lite jazz and Rock 40, but they all about sounded the same.

Then again, if you consider the more distinct adult formats today, we have Dave, Star, B98.5, The NEW 97.1 The River (sort of an 'adult' format), Fish, and ATL Greatest Hits--again, each with different owners. But they are all distinct today, which was not the case 25+ years ago. Interesting, though, is 4 of the frequencies are the same in both lists.

 

[ricksegers]

I am generally wary of governmental interference in business matters but it is my opinion that we had better radio when the FCC had a tighter grip on broadcasters and companies were limited to 6/6/6.

Perhaps, but you also had 6 different owners chasing the hot format du jour, like when we had 5 or 6 not-too-distinct flavors of ACs (Peach, B98.5, Warm 100, Fox 97, 94Q, Lite 106) in ATL in the early 80s. Fox included oldies and AM gold, and 94Q included (at various times) lite jazz and Rock 40, but they all about sounded the same.

Then again, if you consider the more distinct adult formats today, we have Dave, Star, B98.5, The NEW 97.1 The River (sort of an 'adult' format), Fish, and ATL Greatest Hits--again, each with different owners. But they are all distinct today, which was not the case 25+ years ago. Interesting, though, is 4 of the frequencies are the same in both lists.

Did something change hands..I thought B98.5 and the River were co-owned by Cox.

 

[jabba17]

I am generally wary of governmental interference in business matters but it is my opinion that we had better radio when the FCC had a tighter grip on broadcasters and companies were limited to 6/6/6.

Perhaps, but you also had 6 different owners chasing the hot format du jour, like when we had 5 or 6 not-too-distinct flavors of ACs (Peach, B98.5, Warm 100, Fox 97, 94Q, Lite 106) in ATL in the early 80s. Fox included oldies and AM gold, and 94Q included (at various times) lite jazz and Rock 40, but they all about sounded the same.

Then again, if you consider the more distinct adult formats today, we have Dave, Star, B98.5, The NEW 97.1 The River (sort of an 'adult' format), Fish, and ATL Greatest Hits--again, each with different owners. But they are all distinct today, which was not the case 25+ years ago. Interesting, though, is 4 of the frequencies are the same in both lists.

Did something change hands..I thought B98.5 and the River were co-owned by Cox.

My bad...

 

[secondchoice]

Would Cox’s Athens GA operation be a “farm team”?

 

[jabba17]

Would Cox’s Athens GA operation be a “farm team”?

I don't see why not...as well as the Southern Broadcasting cluster out of Rome.

 

[Big Dave in Winder]

WIMO AM 1300 in Winder is still local. We have local talk starting at 7am through 7pm Monday through Friday. Our 7pm-10pm Show is live and local playing hits from the 60's through 80's (unless prempted by high school sports coverage).

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

Would Cox’s Athens GA operation be a “farm team”?

For those of us who remember the (maybe disorganized) system of the past, no. But in today's 21st century version of doing business... maybe so.