Backyard Broadcasting? Steve Lindell?

[Keith Kidd]

I might have my year wrong for the WMUN sign now that I think about it, but the point being is that WLBC FM isn't the Oldest. I don't believe WLBC FM came into exsistance until the early 1970's.

 

[richmcdonald]

Well, you should get another calculator because the WLBC you're talking about that signed on in the 1920's isn't even in existence anymore, and hasn't been in years. WXFN is on that frequency now and it's a sports station. WLBC FM is still on the air, but isn't even close to being the oldest. As a matter of fact, 104.1 was originally WMUN, and it didn't sign on until summertime 1958, much less 1926.
Same for WERK. Backyard Broadcasting tries to play it off that they own a heritage station here. Well, they don't and never did. WERK was an AM station located in a little red and white house off of Highway 3. After WERK sizzled out, Muncie lost the calls for years before it was brought back and assigned to an FM frequency. 104.9 doesn't even closely resemble and can in no way attach itself in a timeline to the original WERK. Ya snooze ya loose. You can't say you're the original just because you scraped up identical call letters ...especially if you aren't even on the same damn band as the original.

Well, my dates may be inaccurate. But my point remains that WLBC call letters are old to the community. You are correct about 104.9, that frequency hasn't been in Muncie for a little over twenty years. One thing is for certain. You wont here a Blackford county drive-in spot on 104.9 WERK. Now, if you remember that, then I am going to print you out in my word document a award for radio geek of the year. lol

The WERK that was on Highway3 in the little red house was a great little AM radio station. Everyone who went to high school in Central Indiana in the 60s and most of the 70's listened to that station. It was in fact a local icon. I could see why they would want to wrap their company around that "heritage". That's as cheesy as "Americas hometown station". But, I think its a good idea to play on that. It is all about perception in radio. If you think about all the terrific broadcasters that cut their teeth at WERK back then. It is the who's who of radio and television. Lee Kelso invited me to spend a Saturday morning with him and Dave Micheals aka Dave Dugan one Saturday morning, when I was just a teenager. Little did I know that I would spend the next 25 years around the business, all because of that invite. I should sue them. lol I wonder how many people currently on-air in Indianapolis started their career there? I can think of seven off the top of my head.

 

[Keith Kidd]

ha ha ha ha ha wipe out! Start printing out my award buddy because I do indeed remember the Blackford County drive-in commercials. The background music for those was Surfin' Bird by the Trashmen and of course Wipe Out by the Surfaris.

And you're right, they are wrapping their company around that heritage, but they were never a part of it. The original WLBC and WERK are both long gone, and the WERK we have here now is in no way related to the WERK Radio of yesteryear. Doesn't even have a remote resemblance. Not even on the same band. Not even a timeline attachment.

 

[ten_four]

You are correct about the call letter change to WXFN. However, the point I tried to make is the 1340 frequency has served the Munice area since the 20's. Don Burton put the 104.1 fm signal in Muncie in 1948, one of the first FM sticks in the state. (He also put TV channel 49 on the air in 1953) 104.9 was orignally on the air in Hartford City, Robert Poorman, owner of WERK at the time, put into motion the frequency changes that landed 104.9 in Muncie. He just didn't get FCC approval to get it, even though he was one of the first applicants.

 

[richmcdonald]

ha ha ha ha ha wipe out! Start printing out my award buddy because I do indeed remember the Blackford County drive-in commercials. The background music for those was Surfin' Bird by the Trashmen and of course Wipe Out by the Surfaris.

And you're right, they are wrapping their company around that heritage, but they were never a part of it. The original WLBC and WERK are both long gone, and the WERK we have here now is in no way related to the WERK Radio of yesteryear. Doesn't even have a remote resemblance. Not even on the same band. Not even a timeline attachment.

Oh, you are good, I will need to print you out a certificate fior that one.

" Robert Poorman, owner of WERK at the time, put into motion the frequency changes that landed 104.9 in Muncie. He just didn't get FCC approval to get it, even though he was one of the first applicants.

I wasn’t aware that Robert Poorman was the one to get 104.9 into Muncie. He passed away in I think 1981. Maybe that is why they dropped the ball on it. His wife Betty may have not wanted to deal with it. Although, if Bill Shirk would have went after it, that would have been interesting. He has the ability to have made that into something special. Perhaps he had other things going on at the time. This I know for certain. The folks who started it were running east looking for a sunset.

 

[Keith Kidd]

Poorman Smoorman, it doesn't matter ten_four what Robert Poorman tried to do for whatever reasons he tried to do it, the point is he didn't do it. I have a feeling that you are trying to make a connection between the old WERK and this one, and it's not holding up. There is absolutely no connection. That's a whole new ball game of people that acquired that frequency for the Muncie listening area, and it wasn't WERK, it was WOKZ. It became WERK later when big business wrapped itself around a heritage that they had nothing to do with.

The original WLBC is gone. It ended it's tenure with the community. Does the frequency still exist? Well yeah, of course, most don't go dark like WERK did. New stations do take the place of old ones. Your statement was, and I quote " it is the 7th oldest continuously operated station in Indiana" and I'm saying HELLO, that's kind of hard to accomplish wouldn't ya think seeing that WLBC AM ended years ago.

 

[board_manager]

Some posts have been relocated to Take It Outside

http://www.radio-info.com/smf/index.php/topic,97844.msg758887.html#msg758887

 

[ten_four]

I wasn’t aware that Robert Poorman was the one to get 104.9 into Muncie. He passed away in I think 1981. Maybe that is why they dropped the ball on it. His wife Betty may have not wanted to deal with it. Although, if Bill Shirk would have went after it, that would have been interesting. [/quote]

The Poorman family DID apply for the frequency. The FCC at the time was focusing on giving first time applicants and minority applicants approval. The Poormans were not awarded the frequency. It went to the people who put WOKZ on the air. If the Poormans hadn't asked the other stations involved to change frequencies, 104.9 would PROBABLY still be licensed to Hartford City and there would only be 3 FM stations running out of Daleville instead of 4.

Yes, I know that this WERK is not the old WERK. That WLBC AM is now WXFN. That video killed The Blackford County Drive-in, so they aren't advertising anywhere anymore. If I owned 104.9, I would have tried to get the
WERK calls and use the link with the musical (not personality) heritage of the station.

 

[Keith Kidd]

The 30 something's that listen to the station don't remember the old WERK, nor do they care. They aren't relating to that kind of hype. The 40 and 50 something's know too much about the old WERK, those folks grew up on radio. They know the difference. The company isn't loosing anything by attaching themselves to the heritage I guess, but they aren't bigger for doing it either. I think it's silly to say when seeking a PD that they will be the PD of heritage oldies property in this case. They won't be. Besides, I believe it's important to take from the past and intertwine that with fresh and even ground breaking ideas, and not just throw out a music driven format and say "hey, we're WERK". Take a risk, build your audience, be creative. Just because you've cornered the market doesn't mean you can be lazy. You still need to be entertaining and keep people on board.

 

[Wazzie]

http://indianabroadcasters.org/opportunities/job_listings.php?action=display&id=1698&page=1

Can anyone tell me much about this company? Am thinking about this job. Thanks.

To answer your question (without the B.S. spread between), try for the job, learn as much as you can, and plan for your escape in about two years. Do NOT stay in Muncie. Remind yourself that it is ONLY a training period.

I worked there FAR TOO LONG and finally discovered the real world.
On Air in Market #19, Voice Track in Market #34 & #47.

And how are things in Market #40 ladies? ;D

 

[Keith Kidd]

Wow, that was informative. No "B.S. spread between" either. Thank you for gracing us with your post. The part where you think you are wonderful was very refreshing. It's so not typical of a jock.

 

[richmcdonald]

http://indianabroadcasters.org/opportunities/job_listings.php?action=display&id=1698&page=1

Can anyone tell me much about this company? Am thinking about this job. Thanks.

To answer your question (without the B.S. spread between), try for the job, learn as much as you can, and plan for your escape in about two years. Do NOT stay in Muncie. Remind yourself that it is ONLY a training period.

I worked there FAR TOO LONG and finally discovered the real world.
On Air in Market #19, Voice Track in Market #34 & #47.

And how are things in Market #40 ladies? ;D

So, do the VU meters in the studio flip differently in #19 as they did in Muncie?

 

[N_D_Radioguy]

So, do the VU meters in the studio flip differently in #19 as they did in Muncie?

...and I'm SURE that the crappy food in the vending machine tastes better, too.

 

[Wazzie]

I don't recall vending machines in Muncie. And I wasn't going to reach in "Uncle Steve's pocket for a candy bar.

And thanks for taking the bait Keith. I knew you would bite.

It doesn't matter if you're in Market #1, market #19, market #40 or market #218, we're ALL busting our humps, trying to earn a living. The original writer is either trying to get his start or further his career by moving to a larger market. Why not give him solid advice? Pissing on a small market doesn't help him. Just as boasting about what size market you're in doesn't help him.

You was once there. Help nurture new talent.

And Rich, the cigarette burn you made in the hallway carpeting at LBC is STILL there!

 

[SheJay]

Everybody, let's all point at Mike Smith from WYNR and laugh.

Rich, I don't mind using my real name here. I don't give a crap if these people know it's me saying all this or not. I understand the people who don't want to say who they are and I respect that, it's just I personally don't give a rats McAss.

Years back I posted under the name HOT COFFEE at the Indiana Radio Roundtable (which I ran) and at Matt Scheidler's Indiana Radio Forum. I didn't say who I was then simply because people were having too much fun trying to figure out who I was. Some people actually wanted to come after me back then lol. A few said that if they ever found out who I was they'd make my life hell. If things got too out of hand though I was prepared to do the right thing and apologize and tell everyone that I was Johnny George. HELLO!

HOT_COFFEE, Oh how I loved your posts. You always made me laugh, so thanks so much for the entertainment. I will have to watch your posts more closely now and see if you have retained your razor sharp wit! To the kid who wanted to know about the job. I never worked in Muncie, but as far as I am concerned, they (small markets) are all pretty much the same. You will work your behind off for low pay, take a lot of crap from the GM and Sales, and you will hate much of what you are are put through. However, you have to start somewhere and someday, you will look back at those small market days with fondness. At least I do. I believe doing time in small towns is called paying your dues. Good Luck!

 

[richmcdonald]

I don't recall vending machines in Muncie. And I wasn't going to reach in "Uncle Steve's pocket for a candy bar.

And thanks for taking the bait Keith. I knew you would bite.

It doesn't matter if you're in Market #1, market #19, market #40 or market #218, we're ALL busting our humps, trying to earn a living. The original writer is either trying to get his start or further his career by moving to a larger market. Why not give him solid advice? Pissing on a small market doesn't help him. Just as boasting about what size market you're in doesn't help him.

You was once there. Help nurture new talent.

And Rich, the cigarette burn you made in the hallway carpeting at LBC is STILL there!

When I worked at LBC it was about 21 years ago. Right after Morrie, Dave and Al took over. For radio it was decent money. They were union at the time. So, they havent replaced their carpet in over 20 years? Oh, my past will never go away. Nobody can say that I didnt leave my mark in Muncie.

My intention wasnt trying to put down a small market, if I sounded that way then excuse me. Never burn your bridges unless your a good swimmer. The market size never mattered to me one bit. In fact, I would be willing to bet that many of the full time people in a town like Muncie earn as much as many of the full timers in Indianapolis. Wow, I wish I could survive on what radio pays then I can get a cush radio job and wouldnt have to work anymore. lol