Bangor Daily News article on Calais radio

[Maine-i-ac]

Tuesday, the BDN had an article about WCRQ and WQDY/WALZ and DJ's Bill Conley and Tom McLaughlin.

Nice!

http://www.bangornews.com/detail/49972.html

 

[Remaster]

Nice article. Local radio as it should be

 

[S.O.B.]

It was a nice article, but it made me think of WKIT. They still stay live 24-7, holidays, included.

 

[True Grit]

S.O.B. wrote: <made me think of WKIT. They still stay live 24-7, holidays, included.>

You sure about that?

 

[S.O.B.]

Very sure. There's no voice tracking going on there.

 

[Chuckigo]

not every station went auto - even though i was on vacation, Shane Deuben did the live-fill-in for my am shift on Monday.

but props to those who get it done - in all of the "S"-word weather! (great line! i'm stealing it as i type... thanks Bill Conley!)

 

[Mainedude2007]

Very sure. There's no voice tracking going on there.

but there is syndicated programming, so that could be run unattended off the computer

 

[benwnn91]

very good station, the Calais people have a great variety of radio from classic hits to Top40 and even country across the border
lucky.

 

[S.O.B.]

Very sure. There's no voice tracking going on there.

but there is syndicated programming, so that could be run unattended off the computer

But it isn't.
Even when WKIT has a weekly syndicated show on, someone will be breaking in to do weather and what not.
They have someone there, quite simply, 24-7, 365. Call them on Labor Day or Thanksgiving or on Christmas morning and see if you don't talk to a human.

 

[forevernight]

Very sure. There's no voice tracking going on there.

but there is syndicated programming, so that could be run unattended off the computer

Take it from me, Mainedude, it isn't.

 

[True Grit]

Very sure. There's no voice tracking going on there.

I heard otherwise, but my info came via a sister of a jock there. I could be wrong. If I am? Eh LoL

 

[scjr]

Excellent article. I worked at WQDY (AM & FM) and WALZ (was it was added, WCRQ was still the competition then) for many years (1992-1999) with both Tom and Bill. Tom was one of the reasons i got into radio when he was running WSHD at Shead High School in Eastport, and became a very close friend with Conley. Its weird to see Tom and Bill the last remaining on air talent there, the last men standing. The station has changed in the 10 years since being there. Now there is an automation system there and a new control board. When I left it was still cart machines and music on CD and reel to reel. Also a nice Gates Stereo 80 control board, man that thing was long. http://www.oldradio.com/archives/hardware/Gates/Gates-Stereo80.jpg and only live during the morning shift. Back then Conley was the morning man, Rob Hunter was afternoons and I was evenings during the week. Tom was on news and had the Saturday Night Hall of Fame show. Great great "small town" radio stations with a wonderful local owner. I was there last week on a visit and wish i could do it all again. Miss those days.

BTW I do some part-time work at the ZONE stations and WKIT is manned 24/7 365 even during the "syndicated" shows.

 

[Oldbones]

BTW I do some part-time work at the ZONE stations and WKIT is manned 24/7 365 even during the "syndicated" shows.

Of course when your station is owned by someone with pockets as deep as Stephen King's, they can afford to have the place staffed round the clock. I recall reading (on this board?) a few years ago that as long as the station doesn't lose too much money, he's OK with it. Dunno how true that is or was.

 

[dirtyair]

The article stated that the station switched to automation at 12 noon. They even named the automation "Sally Silicone". Five or six hours of local programming versus eighteen hours of automation does not make local radio. The article was media hypocrisy at best.