Buddy Shula buys WECK

[Prescott Joe]

Buddy, best wishes on your new acquisition. I hope you, like the folks at KAHM,
FM 102.1 here is Prescott, AZ prove how much money a well run radio station
can generate... KAHM has been playing an easy listening format mixed with some
older and newer vocals and they are laughing all the way to the bank............

 

[Buddy Shula]

Buddy, best wishes on your new acquisition. I hope you, like the folks at KAHM,
FM 102.1 here is Prescott, AZ prove how much money a well run radio station
can generate... KAHM has been playing an easy listening format mixed with some
older and newer vocals and they are laughing all the way to the bank............

I really appreciate that Joe. I will check them out online. Trust me, this station is going to be the best ran radio station in the market! Thank you for such positive words. Buddy

 

[Buddy Shula]

I hear that Buddy is incredibly energetic and his clients LOVE him! When Larry Robb left Entercom behind, the wind was blown out of everyone's sails. It's no wonder that many great salespeople left...Mike Ahearn, Vanessa Miller, Steve Fortunato, to name a few. Buddy needed to exit that culture, from what I know. The local management is micro-managing and are cold as stones. Good for Buddy for breaking away, they will be lost without his account control and billing!

I am excited about this purchase, but also am very grateful to my employer, Entercom. As far as I am concerned, they are the best media company in Buffalo hands down. Every company has issues, but I would recommend Entercom to anyone. They have been more than great to me, and have taught me a lot. I know the people above you are referring too, and they are great people too. Everyone has their dream. Mine was to purchase a station. If it was not for this opportunity that the current owner wants to retire, I would be retiring at Entercom.

 

[Rusty Bridges]

I really appreciate that Joe. I will check them out online. Trust me, this station is going to be the best ran radio station in the market! Thank you for such positive words. Buddy

Fantastic news! Local boy makes good. Again! Dick Greene, one of the best sellers in the market at WBEN during its glory years of Clint Beuhlman and Jeff Kaye, passes the baton to another WBEN sales legend. And at $550,000, he stole it! One Buffalo Radio LLC is an astute company name, combining Terry and Kim Pegula's "One Buffalo" with Alfred Liggins' "Radio One." Everybody here knows Buddy has what it takes to make WECK 1230 and 102.9 "the best ran station in the market."

 

[Rob Piotrowski]

Congrats, Buddy on achieving your dream! Ignore the naysayers (like tbolt909 - do you ever post ANYTHING positive?) - you've obviously done your homework and wouldn't take this on unless you knew it would be successful. Wishing you all the best. -Rob

 

[Buddy Shula]

Congrats, Buddy on achieving your dream! Ignore the naysayers (like tbolt909 - do you ever post ANYTHING positive?) - you've obviously done your homework and wouldn't take this on unless you knew it would be successful. Wishing you all the best. -Rob

I really appreciate that Rob! I will do the radio community proud! Thanks again.

 

[flybynight]

Whether you agreed or not with Buddy's over-the-top raving about ETM or WBEN, you have to give the guy credit.

He has done what many here constantly complain isn't happening anymore in radio: He put his money where his mouth is and wants to do local radio the way many here insist it needs to be done.

To do this at this stage of the game, especially regarding AM radio, takes guts.

Don't waste your time trying to poke holes in his plan. We all know the potential downside. Just hope he does well, as it'll be good for all in the business.

 

[SirRoxalot]

Isn't "One Buffalo" a Pegula trademark? Are they involved, Buddy?

 

[Buddy Shula]

Isn't "One Buffalo" a Pegula trademark? Are they involved, Buddy?

It's Radio One....Buffalo

Rox.........Radio One is not trademarked and Buffalo is not trade marked, So Radio One Buffalo should not be trademarked... so I think I am good.

 

[TheBigA]

Radio One is not trademarked

Actually, according to the US Patent & Trademark office, "Radio One" is a registered service mark. It's possible they might say that you're infringing on their company's name. They claim no right to either word, just the decision to use them one after the other. See below:

Mark Drawing Code (4) STANDARD CHARACTER MARK
Serial Number 85911239
Filing Date April 22, 2013
Current Basis 1A
Original Filing Basis 1B
Published for Opposition March 18, 2014
Registration Number 4672418
Registration Date January 13, 2015
Owner (REGISTRANT) Radio One, Inc. CORPORATION DELAWARE 1010 Wayne Avenue 14th Floor Silver Spring MARYLAND 20910
Assignment Recorded ASSIGNMENT RECORDED
Prior Registrations 2876047;3154448;3477163;AND OTHERS
Disclaimer NO CLAIM IS MADE TO THE EXCLUSIVE RIGHT TO USE "RADIO" APART FROM THE MARK AS SHOWN
Description of Mark Color is not claimed as a feature of the mark.
Type of Mark SERVICE MARK
Register PRINCIPAL
Live/Dead Indicator LIVE

 

[ckg279]

An AM country station would probably want to focus on classics, not currents. Surprised no one's done it yet, considering the large country population in WNY.

AHEM....does WXRL ring a bell? They already do classic country.

 

[ckg279]

Just some thoughts from me in regards to WECK's sale...

*Personally, I don't think Shula will move it to country...unless, that is, he wants to be in direct competition with WXRL(as I noted above). Keeping the format as is might be the best move he can make.

*WECK already does some sports coverage(they handle Canisius basketball); I don't see any reason why they can't add some high school football, basketball & even hockey coverage in season(WXRL & WSPQ in Springville already do this).

 

[tbolt909]

Buddy stated that he intends to "help" Entercom with WECK.
What does that mean?

Is Pegula involved in this sale?
That would make sense if the Sabres and Bills want their own
station. That way they control the content and can stifle
criticism of their inept teams.

WHO is actually buying WECK?
Buddy & Friends.? Entercom? Pegula.?

 

[Buddy Shula]

Actually, according to the US Patent & Trademark office, "Radio One" is a registered service mark. It's possible they might say that you're infringing on their company's name. They claim no right to either word, just the decision to use them one after the other. See below:

Mark Drawing Code (4) STANDARD CHARACTER MARK
Serial Number 85911239
Filing Date April 22, 2013
Current Basis 1A
Original Filing Basis 1B
Published for Opposition March 18, 2014
Registration Number 4672418
Registration Date January 13, 2015
Owner (REGISTRANT) Radio One, Inc. CORPORATION DELAWARE 1010 Wayne Avenue 14th Floor Silver Spring MARYLAND 20910
Assignment Recorded ASSIGNMENT RECORDED
Prior Registrations 2876047;3154448;3477163;AND OTHERS
Disclaimer NO CLAIM IS MADE TO THE EXCLUSIVE RIGHT TO USE "RADIO" APART FROM THE MARK AS SHOWN
Description of Mark Color is not claimed as a feature of the mark.
Type of Mark SERVICE MARK
Register PRINCIPAL
Live/Dead Indicator LIVE

It's service mark - not a trade mark.....all above else, who gives a f%&$! Other than this board, you will not be hearing the GD name of the company.

 

[Buddy Shula]

Buddy stated that he intends to "help" Entercom with WECK.
What does that mean?

Is Pegula involved in this sale?
That would make sense if the Sabres and Bills want their own
station. That way they control the content and can stifle
criticism of their inept teams.

WHO is actually buying WECK?
Buddy & Friends.? Entercom? Pegula.?

Folks, I tried...I really tried to include you into the world of facts and give you some insight on my acquisition of a great local heritage radio station, but comments like the one Tbolt makes have just made me realize that trying to converse in a logical way it just too far beyond the scope of this board. So, thanks to TBOLT, and his ridiculous assumptions and thoughts, and just plain being wrong about everything, you will have to now listen to the station on your own to find out the changes. My plan was to get everyone's opinions and ideas, but with posters like this, it's obvious that cant happen. So you just heard the last from me on what is going to happen to WECK AM/FM. You can thank Tbolt. I will no longer be checking this board or participating. If you need info, just ask Tbolt, he has all the answers...if your a friend of mine, feel free to call me and we can talk about the industry we all love- radio.

 

[TheBigA]

It's service mark - not a trade mark.....all above else, who gives a f%&$! Other than this board, you will not be hearing the GD name of the company.

By definition, a service mark IS a trademark. See below:

A service mark or servicemark is a trademark used in the United States and several other countries to identify a service rather than a product. When a service mark is federally registered, the standard registration symbol ® or "Reg U.S. Pat & TM Off" may be used (the same symbol is used to mark registered trademarks).

You're correct that no one in Buffalo cares. However, Alfred Liggins might. I'd recommend checking with your lawyer.

I don't care either. Just offering free advice. I personally wish you all the success in the world with your new venture.

 

[Prescott Joe]

Growing up in Cheektowaga, I had my first transistor radio and used to listen
to Win I ya, 1,2,3 radio, among others. WNIA 1230 AM played the kind of music
I liked to listen to. Fast forward 50 years.... I'm looking forward to a visit
back to W.N.Y. and I'll be certain to have the rental car tuned to 1230 AM.

 

[SirRoxalot]

AHEM....does WXRL ring a bell? They already do classic country.

WXRL does do classic country, but with limited nighttime coverage in the metro, and no FM translator. I don't think that they've bothered WYRK much. Now that Ramblin' Lou has passed on, his personal relationship with long-time clients has diminished as well.

There was a time that there was only room for one major country station in town. With the expansion of the country format over the last couple of decades, that "locked-in" audience can be fragmented, just as the rock audience was. If WNUC was still around, they would have been a player. Arguably, WECK's FM translator hits the major population of Buffalo with a better signal than 107.7.

I have no idea where Buddy's going format-wise, but he will be the owner, and has options. His thinking that Radio One Buffalo won't trigger challenges from either Radio One or One Buffalo. I'm not so sure.

Could the Pegulas be interested in a radio outlet with an arguably better metro signal than WGR, and content that doesn't regularly carp about them and/or the teams that they own? Perhaps. They wouldn't have to own it to be interested. Of course, the bottom line is what a corporation can afford to pay for rights. That would seem to put Buddy at a significant disadvantage. If the Pegulas were smart, they'd leverage coverage of the Bills and Sabres onto an FM signal to accompany 550 AM. I'm talking about an actual listenable signal, not and HD2 or HD3 that has little installed user base. 107.7 would fill in 550's gaps at night, but it might not thrill their 1.2 share of hipsters. OTOH, it could increase revenue more than "hipsters 18-34".

 

[flybynight]

Folks, I tried...I really tried to include you into the world of facts and give you some insight on my acquisition of a great local heritage radio station, but comments like the one Tbolt makes have just made me realize that trying to converse in a logical way it just too far beyond the scope of this board. So, thanks to TBOLT, and his ridiculous assumptions and thoughts, and just plain being wrong about everything, you will have to now listen to the station on your own to find out the changes. My plan was to get everyone's opinions and ideas, but with posters like this, it's obvious that cant happen. So you just heard the last from me on what is going to happen to WECK AM/FM. You can thank Tbolt. I will no longer be checking this board or participating. If you need info, just ask Tbolt, he has all the answers...if your a friend of mine, feel free to call me and we can talk about the industry we all love- radio.

Oh lawdy, it sounds like he's already starting to crack!

The AM radio business is a jungle I tell ya!

 

[davideduardo]

Oh lawdy, it sounds like he's already starting to crack!

Nah. He sounds like a reasonable business person who finds dealing with over-the-top conspiracy theories a waste of his time.