Bill Keeler on WIBX

[therealjm12]

From: http://www.cnyradio.com/2013/01/02/wibx-taps-bill-keeler-for-mornings/

I think this is a great matching. I don't think I've met him but Keeler is a talent whether you like him or not. He may have to tone down his act for WIBX, but I think he can be cutting edge and entertaining.
A while ago I suggested he might go to the Leatherstockings' AMs. That way he would have Syracuse/Oneida/Rome-Utica coverage but this probably works better. WIBX already has an audience so he really doesn't have to build one and his loyal followers will find him there.
CNY ponders if he'll play music. I would think not. I don't think WIBX has had a daily music show since Hank Brown leased mid days from them in the 70's.

For those of you not familiar with WIBX's history, they never really recovered from radio network days. Like other old school stations they never really became a music station. Never were an A. C. format. By the 70's they pretty much were an all talk station. Their numbers have always been strong but for the 54+ crowd, but in Utica that's good because everyone is over 50.

 

[BobRoss]

CNY ponders if he'll play music. I would think not. I don't think WIBX has had a daily music show since Hank Brown leased mid days from them in the 70's.

I agree. I don't think he played any music (or if he did, it was very little) on his previous stations, 92.7 The Drive, or even further back, when he was leasing time on KISS-FM. He's definitely a talk-heavy personality. Good fit for WIBX. I don't think he'll be able to do song parodies, or the same kinds of pranks he used to pull on those FM stations, but I could see him being a good selection to make WIBX's morning show more like WSYR's... where a "personality" does some interviews, some "top of mind" stuff, and then leaves the "real news" to a separate news anchor who appears a few times an hour. And since WIBX isn't constrained to "traffic and weather every 10 minutes," that might allow Keeler to get some local political figures on the hot seat.

For years and years, word was that the old GM had basically written off WIBX's audience as mostly older people who just want plain old news and talk. When you treat a station that way, that's what the audience is going to be. With the right amount of promotion, and if Keeler is given the right amount of freedom (read: keep the newscasts at the top and bottom, where people expect them, but if he's got a really compelling interview, let it go, even if some other service element winds up running 3 minutes late), I think this could the ticket to bringing a broader audience over to the AM dial.

The only question is: do Keeler's fans still care about Keeler? The guy's been on and off the radio, jumping from station to station over the past few years. No doubt he does a good job, and is probably one of the most-talented radio personalities Utica has ever had. But will the fans follow him to one more station, or have they already settled in elsewhere? And I think the other question is: will Keeler fulfill the usual hope that a good morning host will keep listeners tuned in for the rest of the day? Or will his fans who previously listened to him on FM music stations flip right back over to the FM side at 9:00am?

 

[doctorcomputer3]

From a conservative broadcaster in the area.
I shouldn't say "stay out of my town" with a shotgun in hand but it depicts just how conservative the radio listener-ship, in the 40, 50 and 60 year old range is in this area.
Lets make absolutely sure you understand this:
CNY is a VERY, VERY Conservative place.
Doing what 5 blocks of liberals, downtown, telling you how to program, will not get you a lot of listeners, Bill.
If Bill programs to his Dads Grandma, assuming he can get that down. Then can hold that thought for a few years on the air. Then he will get some listeners.
As a listener I have only been able to tune in to his shift for a few minutes. Except of course the times Mikey and I were there. Then we made cd's, copied it, and spread it throughout the community. Mikey and I were the funniest listeners to ever happen on Bills show by far. Mike still gets calls. Me? Im still a hobo.
It would help if Bill would refrain from placing ads for fake jobs. That was just rude, and insensitive to any listener base. Men and Women are out there cracking asses to eat cat food because they have to. Posting a job, about a promise for a more interesting existence, then leading the Girl down the road to bullshit pay and no hours, is a story about Bill that got spread around quite quickly to his listeners.
Now the argument would be "Love him or hate him" people are tuning in. But just remember that there is a third factor involved which is "Can they hate him too much". I think Bill has crossed that line way too many times. Why does he keep paying to be on the air? Why dont the radio stations dig deep and find someone that is relates to their audience (TSA, not just the 10 people they talk to every day in liberal land)?
The answer to why is they dont focus on the individual. The owners gms and pds of the area are not from the area and have a specific criteria for what they think "works" and get it wrong 99% of the time in Syracuse.
This is a town of people that bust their ass shoveling snow. The opposite of going around messing things up like Bills Schtick.
One of these days im going to buy some airtime too and show you how its done in CNY. A place that is as unique as any in the world (Snow). I was taught by a very experienced group of radio broadcasters and started in 1982.
Good luck to Bill. Honestly. I bet this post helps him and we know he looks here regularly. My money is on another short run and yes I will listen in EXACTLY this way (Probably). Just as I did on KROCK 15 years or so, ago.
1st try Tune in for 5 minutes because what I am hearing is unlistenable.
2nd try Two minutes .... bye (Stupid)
3rd try Two minutes....still stupid, try to hang in, stupid then bye (Gone for good)

Im a 45 year old male listener.

Thoughts?
Still no comprehendo?

 

[therealjm12]

Thoughts?
Still no comprehendo?

I guess not. I think what you are saying, in a condensed manner, is that Keeler is a Liberal on an otherwise right wing station. I don't know anything about Keeler's politics. I've only heard him a few times. He more satirical than political from what I heard. But if what you say is true, I hope he doesn't follow the right wing path and stays non political.
Chet Walker does mornings on Clear Channel's WHAM. What could be more right-winged than that? He pretty much stays out of the political wars. He does interviews, tells some stories, and gives the time & temperature. There's plenty of news, sports and other information. I hope that is what Keeler will do at WIBX. It would make a great morning show. Problem is, it might hurt the ratings of their other stations.

 

[doctorcomputer3]

I honestly wish the best.
Yes, you could say he is a liberal. Im not sure if he was on right wing stations but you certainly cant blow off the right wing listener in a VERY VERY conservative TSA. Im also saying that he has gone around making a lot of people mad at him. Which is very bad for the station as a whole as well as it is not conservative.
WIBX may already have him doing a straight forward deal which would be fine. But if you want a stellar Idea, make him sit next to someone that knows how to correct him live on the air (Burst the bubble). Ron Bee used to do that to Rick Gary. Funny stuff as long as they are within the fcc about it. Grab somebody part time to sit there with him.
It sounds like Chet Walker does a similar thing to Joe Galuski (WSYR). Joe gets good ratings and keeps the straight forward, but informative thing going. Great Talent for this area.

 

[JustPastBuffalo]

(1) Reviews of Keeler's first day on AM 950 WIBX?

(2) Question: Did Karen Carey at one time manage the Clear Channel cluster in Rochester?

Always good to check in with the Utica-Rome contingent. Thanks, from the West End of the I-90.

 

[BobRoss]

(1) Reviews of Keeler's first day on AM 950 WIBX?
(2) Question: Did Karen Carey at one time manage the Clear Channel cluster in Rochester?

Didn't have a chance to tune in, was running late this AM. I'm a bit outside of WIBX's over-the-air area, and didn't have time to bother with trying to stream it online. But I can answer item #2 with a yes.

 

[doctorcomputer3]

I checked out Bill's morning shift yesterday morning and he, and the nice woman sounded just fine. Will check it out again in a few minutes and I know I am critical, but in all sincerity. Good Luck.

 

[therealjm12]

So he's been on about a month now. Anyone listen. How's he doing?

 

[yugoidar]

(1) Reviews of Keeler's first day on AM 950 WIBX?

(2) Question: Did Karen Carey at one time manage the Clear Channel cluster in Rochester?

Always good to check in with the Utica-Rome contingent. Thanks, from the West End of the I-90.

JPB, I can't answer #1, but Karen Carey did manage the CC cluster in the Flower City for several years. She was replaced by your friend, Kevin Legrett upon resigning. Karen joined an ad agency in the Utica area where she worked until returning to radio a few months ago.

 

[doctorcomputer3]

(1) Reviews of Keeler's first day on AM 950 WIBX?

Im really trying to enjoy Bill Keelers morning shift. The last two times started to be like all of the rest of the times I have tuned in....
5 minutes and gone, never to come back.

He has toned it down a bit, but Bill, on the air, reminds me of one of those guys I would never want to sit down and have dinner with. Its just the ****** bag stuff that he says and does. Bill seems to think that everyone in CNY is one of those downtown Utica, aggressive people. He sounds like a little kid trying to get attention or something. In Utica, I listen to Bob and Tom.

 

[BobRoss]

Still haven't had a chance to listen to the regular Keeler show yet, as I would need to listen online and I don't have time for that most mornings. But my father, who lives within WIBX's coverage area, told me awhile back that he doesn't listen like he used to. He preferred the solid news format better than listening to Keeler's opinions between the newscasts.

But for what it's worth, I did tune in WIBX's coverage on the afternoon of the Herkimer shootings and Keeler did a great job in his live reporting from the scene. They set aside regular programming for awhile and he just describe things as he saw them happening. He didn't seem to be sensationalizing. Love him or hate him during his regular show, this incident proved the value of having experienced, local broadcasters on the air, especially for a news/talk station. Had this happened 2 or 3 years earlier, I can't imagine what WIBX would have done -- when the WIBX staff was mostly comprised of younger, inexperienced people.