Barry The story Teller will be on WEBR Radio 1440 am on Sundays 7am-10am with the American Song Book.He will be heading to mornings Mon-Friday at 10am after the first of the year.
-
Get involved.
We want your input!
Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.
After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.
After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/
Thanks in advance and have fun!
RadioDiscussions Administrators
Barry Lillis Back on the WEBR 1440 am Radio.
- Thread starter Bill Yuhnke
- Start date
Where does that put Tony Venturoli? I really enjoy listening to him, he's very good.
No change for Tony V. Same time same station
Has Viewpoint been shortened to one hour (9-10am)?
Also glad Barry is back. I missed his unique sense of humor, always made me laugh. Just real fun to listen to.
Tom D. requested to do 1 hour.Says he can get all in that time.Monday- Friday at 9am
This should be interesting relative to the recent revamping of the music being played on WEBR since Dave Gillen's departure. Generally, the playlist seems to be much more contemporary than what the station was playing when Barry worked at the station previously.
Barry, who I understand is a great guy, is reportedly in his mid-80s. I suspect he'll find it hard to identify with, and be comfortable with the music that he'll be playing on his daily show.
Time will tell...
Barry, who I understand is a great guy, is reportedly in his mid-80s. I suspect he'll find it hard to identify with, and be comfortable with the music that he'll be playing on his daily show.
Time will tell...
Well, here we are 10 days into the new year and where is Barry Lillis? I recall hearing him a day or two in the 10-12 noon slot on WEBR a week or so back, but I haven't heard him since. Bill Yuhnke, where's Barry?
Barry hasn't been feeling well during this time.He text me yesterday and tells me he ok and will be returning on the air at 10am to noon Monday-Friday.Everyone gets sick from time to time.
R
Roch989
Guest
I wish they would pick a viable format and stay with it. The Great American Songbook is the best choice. The other formats are taken.
They have two star talents on the station, Barry Lillis and Ralph Irene. They are actual reasons to listen to WEBR.
No one is going to seek out WEBR to listen to the same songs you can hear on several stations that sound better on FM and you can pick up easily. No one is going to seek out WEBR unless they specialize. They don’t have anyone in charge that seems to understand that.
Older listeners are more loyal, have money to spend and will still listen to AM radio. Advertisers in healthcare will spend money.
The station must be losing money. You never hear many commercials.
Hopefully they will finally figure it out at some point…
They have two star talents on the station, Barry Lillis and Ralph Irene. They are actual reasons to listen to WEBR.
No one is going to seek out WEBR to listen to the same songs you can hear on several stations that sound better on FM and you can pick up easily. No one is going to seek out WEBR unless they specialize. They don’t have anyone in charge that seems to understand that.
Older listeners are more loyal, have money to spend and will still listen to AM radio. Advertisers in healthcare will spend money.
The station must be losing money. You never hear many commercials.
Hopefully they will finally figure it out at some point…
Some thoughts about where WEBR goes from here. It appears they have settled on a format — soft rock from the 1970s and early ‘80s. No more mixing Ella Fitzgerald with Air Supply. That’s a good thing! The Great American Songbook is relegated to Saturdays with Ralph Irene from 12:30-4pm and Sunday mornings from 7-10am. Sundays feature golden oldies with Wink Martindale and John Farley, plus a show dedicated to Elvis. And there’s Polish and Italian programming on Saturdays and Sundays. Yeesch! Roch989 suggested WEBR should have stayed with the Great American Songbook. There is some validity to that suggestion. You won’t find that music anywhere on the radio dial in Buffalo. WEBR made a mistake when it debuted two-and-a-half years ago. It was music from the Great American Soundbook. But it wasn’t the right music. For instance, the station failed to play the Sinatra hits. Or Tony Bennett. Eventually, Ralph was asked to consult on the playlist for the Sunday show. But it was too late. Dave Gillen had already committed Monday through Friday to the failed mix of ‘70s music and standards. That satisfied no one. Again, I quote a noted Buffalo radio consultant who likes pickles and ice cream but not together. The audience dropped from an anemic .4 to .1 in the most recent 12+ ratings.
After Gillen left, new programmer John Anthony went with the ‘70s and ‘80s approach. It was pointed out earlier in this thread that this music is available elsewhere. Well, not really! WHTT may play some songs. WECK will play some others. But I’m hearing a lot of music I haven’t heard in 40+ years. And it’s making me smile! I played some of these songs in my brief stint as a top 40 jock at Olean’s WMNS in late 1977 and early 1978, before I transitioned into a career in news. It appears Kelly Wahl has assumed Bob Stilson’s old time slot from 3-6pm. Kelly is not a name. But her energy and enthusiasm is infectious!
But here’s the problem. As I write this post at 5:30pm, WEBR can’t be heard outside the confines of Niagara Falls. It’s a low-power AM radio station playing music without an FM translator. Now, I’m listening with the WEBR app connected to my Bluetooth speaker. The music sounds great! But how many listeners are doing this? Plus, at 6pm, WEBR will be going back to talk for an hour. Sure, that pays the bills. But it sure as heck is disruptive. The same story in morning when Bob Stilson and music reverts to Tom Darro and talk. The weekends sound different than weekdays. This is not a formula for success.
And now with this lawsuit hanging over Kenmore Broadcasting’s head, the situation is complicated even further. I wish WEBR success. But I don’t yet see a path to that.
After Gillen left, new programmer John Anthony went with the ‘70s and ‘80s approach. It was pointed out earlier in this thread that this music is available elsewhere. Well, not really! WHTT may play some songs. WECK will play some others. But I’m hearing a lot of music I haven’t heard in 40+ years. And it’s making me smile! I played some of these songs in my brief stint as a top 40 jock at Olean’s WMNS in late 1977 and early 1978, before I transitioned into a career in news. It appears Kelly Wahl has assumed Bob Stilson’s old time slot from 3-6pm. Kelly is not a name. But her energy and enthusiasm is infectious!
But here’s the problem. As I write this post at 5:30pm, WEBR can’t be heard outside the confines of Niagara Falls. It’s a low-power AM radio station playing music without an FM translator. Now, I’m listening with the WEBR app connected to my Bluetooth speaker. The music sounds great! But how many listeners are doing this? Plus, at 6pm, WEBR will be going back to talk for an hour. Sure, that pays the bills. But it sure as heck is disruptive. The same story in morning when Bob Stilson and music reverts to Tom Darro and talk. The weekends sound different than weekdays. This is not a formula for success.
And now with this lawsuit hanging over Kenmore Broadcasting’s head, the situation is complicated even further. I wish WEBR success. But I don’t yet see a path to that.
Last edited:
I remember back during the Blizzard of 77, Barry Lillis waving a white flag on television,
during his weathercast, proclaiming "we surrender" to the deadly storm. Folks back
in W.N.Y are sooooo LUCKY to have stations like WEBR and WECK as well. Not afraid
to change things up a bit........
during his weathercast, proclaiming "we surrender" to the deadly storm. Folks back
in W.N.Y are sooooo LUCKY to have stations like WEBR and WECK as well. Not afraid
to change things up a bit........
No radio station in America having a 0.1 ("zero point one") share gets as much attention as the station formerly known as WJJL.
Carry on.
Carry on.
Okay if it really was soft I might agree. Soft Rock no, Soft Adult Contemporary would be something unique. Listening the first thing I heard was "Boogie Shoes" I gave up when I heard that.
I am, but then I'm well out range. I enjoyed "The Great American Songbook" I was seeking something different. WEBR will never beat other bigger stations by doing the same thing they are doing.
I agree and how do you do talk on a station with such a small signal? Do they take calls? If so it's probably the same people calling in. Not a formula for success.
That's a nice statement. I hope someone gets control who knows what they are doing. If I was trying to sink a station, this is what I would do.
- Status