Breaking News at WXNT!!

[radioho]

the only thing ibc wins here is that during pm drive - they are LIVE - it gives the sense of "security" that they can continue to talk about a topic if it warrants. xnt must leave the regularly scheduled program, then when they go back to the syndication, it leaves you wondering if ibc will still be talking about it - and suddenly, that national show isn't as important on your way home as the local story.

i'm not saying wilson does it well, but you know they're sitting there downtown, and they DO have a news staff. You can play david/goliath all you want, but you're not even in the game with pm drive talk if you don't have a live body sitting there relating to the audience -

1-4pm is only going to get the scraps - so that leave am and pm drive - good attempt at am, but until you can put it together for at least 2/3 of the day - you're going to be a DISTANT second at best.

 

[11south]

WBRI 1500 AM has been the religious talk station in Indianapolis since 1964 and the people who want to listen to that format already know about it. It's too late for WXNT or any other station to pick up that particular format.

If XNT went paid religion, which they should, WBRI would drift off to eternal slumber. There is no way a daytimer could compete with WXNT's fulltime signal.

It's all about cash flow. Couple of computers that can play .mp3's of Dr. Billy Sol Hargis from the First Church of Gooey Death and Discount Beverage Drive Through...you get rid of board ops, Abdul, Hummel, Graves, et. al. Money comes in every week..fill out the deposit slip....walk over to the 5/3rd across the way...and spend most of your time hoping Smiley doesn't get arrested for something.

XNT billed slightly over $500K last year (net), sooner or later Entercom will either pull the plug on it...or donate it. It is not working. WWFT will destroy them.

 

[Slurp]

Why did they have a TV feed? Because they have ZERO reporters. Credibility, at least in my eyes, has to be more than taking a TV feed that the board op spots on TV. WIBC had a reporter on scene and did the same traffic reports about what areas to avoid. No comparison.

I listened to both stations that morning and never heard an 'on-scene' report from WIBC. In fact, based on what I heard, XNT won the information battle that morning.

Because they took a TV feed? That doesn't make you credible. That just makes you lazy.

So let's say (and I don't really listen to WXNT for the news-I listen for Abdul because he's entertaining) WXNT is winning this information battle ZV described. Great. So where are their listeners??? If they are truly the most credible news source in town, then it would stand to reason that more people would turn to them for news. Apparently, they aren't.

They're still tuning to the station with the actual staff who goes out to the stories (WXNT was about a day late on those raids the police were doing).

I just read some other thread about some lady going to WIBC and in the article she talked about growing up listening to WIBC and how this was her dream to be a part of that news team. I would highly doubt anyone has said the same thing about WXNT.

 

[11south]

Credible news on WXNT? I think their overnite board operator is the correspondent on many of the morning drive stories. They give the guy the story and have him record it to give the impression they actually have a news staff. Oldest trick in the book.

 

[TalkRadioGeek]

Hmmm, Slurp is a complete WIBC mark, and they still listen to Abdul? Why is his show entertaining? Good jokes? Dave the King Wilson has jokes...

 

[11south]

Is this the best use of our idle time? Arguing over a station, who has been in the format for several years, and has an AQH of 3500 M-F 6a7p to show for it (I mean seriously, WIBC at low power, has twice that number of listeners hearing Ed Bousman and "God is Just a Prayer Away" on early Sunday morning). Shouldn't we be doing something more productive...say beating up on Oasis for lying to his listeners and advertisers about the number of commercials he plays.

 

[ZV]

Hmmm, Slurp is a complete WIBC mark, and they still listen to Abdul? Why is his show entertaining? Good jokes? Dave the King Wilson has jokes...

Slurp sounds like Squirt.

 

[Slurp]

Hmmm, Slurp is a complete WIBC mark, and they still listen to Abdul? Why is his show entertaining? Good jokes? Dave the King Wilson has jokes...

Slurp sounds like Squirt.

Eeew. But thanks. :

If I have to choose who I listen to in the car each morning for talk content, it's gonna be Abdul. He has interesting things to say and comes off as a nice mixture of intelligent/humorous. Yes, he has an ego. But I don't think it's unwarranted. (then again, what do I know?)

But, if I have to choose who I am going to listen to for news each morning, its gonna be WIBC. Sorry guys, a huge staff of experienced news reporters(how many is WXNT's staff? Two?)against a couple of people who, as far as I've seen (based on watching TV newscasts and seeing WIBC reporters out, but not WXNT-am I wrong?)don't go out to cover stuff. That's pretty much a "game over." I'd rather get my news live and with reporters who actually are on the scene of stuff.

 

[TalkRadioGeek]

Ok, let's take South's suggestion and raise the debate...

There are some constants from everyone's comments, no matter what side the poster may be on. WIBC has the best newsroom, if not the best news product. WXNT's Abdul is the best Newstalk host. Not only is he entertaining, but he has substance. WTF is far behind both, but they are new in the market, and it takes time to catch up.

SO back to WIBC and WXNT... What wins in Newstalk, News reporting or content?

My opinion is that WXNT and WFT are a lot more interesting because they have opinion-based content. They will never rival WIBC in news gathering. That isn't their strength. Their strength is the opinions on the news. WXNT wins because of Abdul. WFT will eventually have a local show, but probably not soon. WIBC may have a local afternoon drive, but I think they waste the time.

 

[PTBoardOp94]

It isn't that different from music radio...people don't tune into radio news (with the exception of long-form programs such as WIBC's noon news). The promotion, signal, and talk are each as important or more important than news.

WXNT should have made WWFT's arrival an opportunity to add a live PM Drive show (since their syndie went to WWFT) and to do some significant promotion.

And I don't really see what is so wrong with Dave Wilson's show besides Joe Stazniack. I hear there is a sports opening at WIBC...

 

[11south]

Ok, let's take South's suggestion and raise the debate...

You didn't take my suggestion. WXNT is over...done....put a fork in it. Entercom will not support it. They have too many troubles with their FM stations in Indy to put any effort or resources into a regional directional AM station. (Let alone defending themselves for either payola problems or from the stupid water event in Sacramento)

They can't find sales people, and when they do get someone dumb enough to sell WXNT...sooner or later they figure it out, run their guarantee out, then they quit and go work at WIBC or WWFT or Taco Bell. WXNT is impossible to sell twice to the same advertiser, as it does not provide results. And, after all, that is the game we are in...selling our customers products or services.

Donate the thing to a church. Sell the towers and ground system for scrap metal. It is a hole in the ionosphere into which they pour money.

It is a slightly better scenario than WXLW. I doubt a church would take it as a donation.

 

[ZV]

WXNT is impossible to sell twice to the same advertiser, as it does not provide results.

Actually, the advertisers who have been on XNT prove to be very loyal... it's getting new business that's the challenge. But they've had some very good long term clients - because they get results.

The audience isn't big, but it's very affluent and responds extremely well to the advertising.

 

[radioho]

WXNT is impossible to sell twice to the same advertiser, as it does not provide results.

Actually, the advertisers who have been on XNT prove to be very loyal... it's getting new business that's the challenge. But they've had some very good long term clients - because they get results.

The audience isn't big, but it's very affluent and responds extremely well to the advertising.

but you need numbers to sell more than a $500 per month package.

I went in once not too long ago to interview for the sales job (always good to see what's happening on inside stations I've never been in) - was blown away by (believe the name was Hartley?) the amount of hours/workload expected by the salespeople, with a LOW base that fizzles to commission only - this would work with a station that gives the opportunity for large sales, but at the low per spot rate, it's no wonder they struggle getting/keeping salespeople. It's not a mark of "lazyness" - it's expectation that you can earn a living. XNT does not currently offer a "seasoned" salesperson that possibility. My guess is there are YOUNG salespeople there, or non-experienced - either way as pointed out above - hard to sell something that only hard-core AM listeners know about.

Here's a thought - how 'bout some ads on TV to let the general public know the station even exists? That also goes a long way when calling on potential advertisers -

just being "on the air" isn't enough to pull the average office worker listener in - PROMOTE! That's the ONE thing KLU did well when it was sold - many people didn't even know that station existed, even after being on the air for 15 years.

 

[Slurp]

Here's a thought - how 'bout some ads on TV to let the general public know the station even exists? That also goes a long way when calling on potential advertisers -

TV ads require cash flow out of the owners and I don't see that happening.

RH, you mentioned sales people. How many sales people have come and gone through WXNT in the past few years? Countless.

The reason being is that while the audience maybe affluent, they're few and far between, when compared to the numbers WIBC is pulling. So it's hard to sell something that has a 1.0.

 

[11south]

When it comes to WXNT...remember this:

They have hit the iceberg
They are taking on water
The rats have already started jumping overboard (sales people)
Discussing better line-ups is akin to rearraging the deck chairs

The ones that are left better get religion fast. Like I said earlier cash and carry religion might keep the thing afloat a few more years...til one of the lower powered FM stations around here really starts crashing and swipes that format.

 

[radiowannab]

Any odds Entercom might just ditch the station, sell, and run their two FMs? When you are banking on Dennis Miller to carry you that might be a bad sign. Though I am going to give him a try.

 

[ZV]

Why? It's still making money. Not a lot, but they're not losing cash on it. Besides, who would buy a stand alone AM station?

If anything, Entercom is looking for stations to buy in Indy to increase their footprint.

 

[Burt Reynolds]

Good Lord, All I can say is that Jason Hammer has a hell of a WXNT show on Sunday Night! Smack my sweet bottom! it is great! Speaking of religion, Hammer is the jesus of sports radio!

Sincerely,
Jason Hammer

 

[bigtime]

Hammer seems to have a unique sound. Sounds like he's always off-mike. Maybe doesn't want to pop his Ps. Either that or the mike is backwards. Of course the content is really matters.

 

[Slurp]

Why? It's still making money. Not a lot, but they're not losing cash on it. Besides, who would buy a stand alone AM station?

If anything, Entercom is looking for stations to buy in Indy to increase their footprint.

Entercom doesn't have the cash to buy stations in Indy, due to a wrongful death lawsuit in California, a payolla scandal, and trying to gloss over one of their talk show hosts getting arrested for murder (which have all been well publicized).