Columbus' Radio Crystal ball 2011

[jakej]

What did you think they pay their staffers with, anyway? Advertising proceeds?

There are no paid staffers currently at WCRS; we're all volunteers. I'm entitled to a 25% commission on the underwriting proceeds from Used Kids Records, which has been continuously supporting my show since March of 2009, but I've never taken a dime of it.
By the way, I don't know if you heard our new-and-improved signal last night, Dave, but it was much better than it has been recently. Once we get all of our playlist producers trained on the new equipment (which I understand should happen within the next couple weeks), look out!

 

[gabigley1]

JakeJ,

Haven't hard you show over the air since last week.

Are you saying there has been technical improvements at the studio end of the station? What about the antenna and transmitter on 102.1?
Also, what about WCRS-LP's translator at 98.1? Any technical improvements there?

 

[jakej]

What I mean by signal is just the overall sound of the station. All of the improvements have been at the studio level, and things are sounding pretty decent again tonight. (If you notice that the clarity of "Secrets" pales in comparison to some of the station's other local programming, that stems more from the limitations of my own equipment and set-up than anything else.)

 

[xmusicmatt]

By the way, I don't know if you heard our new-and-improved signal last night, Dave, but it was much better than it has been recently. Once we get all of our playlist producers trained on the new equipment (which I understand should happen within the next couple weeks), look out!

You mean they finally got a REAL automation system instead of using Winamp on shuffle?

 

[Dave Sarnoff]

By the way, I don't know if you heard our new-and-improved signal last night, Dave, but it was much better than it has been recently. Once we get all of our playlist producers trained on the new equipment (which I understand should happen within the next couple weeks), look out!

Oh FFS, get a haircut and get a job already.

 

[gabigley1]

Jakej,

Yes, Listen to your show last night and agree your show has new-and-improved audio. Like the Leslie Gore song you played. I've never heard that song before and I'm a Leslie Gore fan.
Who do we thank for making the audio quality better at WCRS-LP? Eugene Beer, the WCRS-LP Chief Engineer?

The only complaint I have is that someone/something pulled the plug on your show 20 minutes after it started last night(Friday).

 

[jakej]

I think it's been a team effort, or at least a small team effort, primarily involving Pat Leonard and Robb Ebright. I imagine Eugene has had a hand in things as well. I most definitely have not, as it's all over my head!!!
That second smiley of yours has the exact same look on its face that I had on mine when last night's show unexpectedly stopped. I've requested an explanation of what happened but haven't heard anything yet. I'm going to rebroadcast that episode next Friday night, but if you don't want to wait until then to hear the rest of it, it's available for downloading or playing at www.wcrsfm.org/audio/user/18 (the show is YTS-221). That Leslie Gore tune, "Movin' Away", was from her 1964 Girl Talk album and is also available on the great It's My Party: Mercury Anthology CD. It's the 11th song of hers that I've played on "Secrets", so yes, I suppose you could say I'm a bit of a fan as well!

 

[gabigley1]

Ted Williams will be doing voice overs for WCRS in exchange for trade dollars for Nancy's Restaurant.

LOL I can hear it now: "When you're eating only the best in trans-fats, you're eating at Nancy's Home Cooking!"

Dose WCRS-LP even get trade dollars from Nancy's Restaurant?? In any case, Ted is locked down in rehab so he won't be going anywhere anytime soon. It would be nice if WCRS-LP gave him his own show and trade dollars from Nancy's Restaurant when he gets out of rehab.

Ted Williams is out of rehab already and may be heading back to Columbus: http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/41255104/ns/today-today_people/

Is there chance WCRS-LP will offer him a gig on the new and expanded WCRS-LP program schedule if he dose indeed wind back up in Columbus?

 

[Dave Sarnoff]

Rehab is for quitters.

 

[gabigley1]

This WBNS TV news report has Ted Williams spotted in Columbus recently:

http://www.10tv.com/live/content/lo...ed-williams-golden-voice-sighted.html?sid=102

So, I hope WCRS-LP FM radio will offer him a gig on their new expanded program schedule as soon
as possible. His agent also clams he is looking for work in L.A. after leaving Rehab, so now is
your chance WCRS-LP FM.

 

[gabigley1]

The Other Paper has confirmed(As posted here five weeks ago) WOSU-AM, 820 is for sale.
Wonder how much tOSU wants for the station? Personally, I think it will be sold and turned
into a Talk or News Talk station.

http://theotherpaper.com/articles/2011/02/10/front/doc4d53fe3000904636925673.txt

MEDIA MORSELS: Anybody wanna buy an AM radio station?
Published: Thursday, February 10, 2011 10:03 AM EST
WOSU took its news station to the FM radio dial last month, and apparently, there’s no looking back.

“We do plan on selling 820 AM,” said Susan Meyer, director of marketing for WOSU.

Also, as speculated by a few, they will hold out for the right price.

 

[del_griffith]

My crystal ball says Salem will own the station. They will put either their biz talk or Bennett, Gallagher, Medved, et al on it with some pay to play weekend stuff. Leave WRFD as the pay to play teach and preach station.

 

[gabigley1]

The only way Salem would buy WOSU-AM is for it to be for sale at a fire sale. As Ohio Media Watch and a couple of other have said, tWOSU can
hold out as long as they want for the price they want. Salem has a long time tradition for purchasing under preforming AM stations, as is, at fire sale prices.

There are still a few syndicated talkers in the top 10 who don't currently air in Columbus:
http://www.talkers.com/2011hhindex.html
That seems to be the best bet now...

tOSU said it is also willing to LMA the station so maybe Gray Richards will be willing to LMA the station, with the help of some of his financial backers.
820 AM has a much better signal than 1580 WVKO anyway. He always has said WTVN needs some competition and 820 AM would be a much better
frequency for him to do battle with WTVN.

Would Real Oldies work on 820?

 

[gabigley1]

The seller of WOSU-AM has this to say about the sale WOSU AM:

The land is not included in the sale. Instead, OSU will be entering into a long-term lease with the future buyer for both the day and night sites.
With regard to price, we are going to let the market dictate, so there is not a specific asking price.

Dose this mean the station will be sold SOONER then LATER? Certainly in the next 90 days! Maybe A DONE DEAL ALREADY?

Any guess on how much the station will fetch? I say around 1.5 million in this economy. It appears they are sincerely interested in selling the station,
so that is my guess.

 

[Nu_Roo_2]

tOSU said it is also willing to LMA the station so maybe Gray Richards will be willing to LMA the station, with the help of some of his financial backers.

With the jockeying already starting in earnest for the 2012 Presidential election, lib-talk may be becoming more viable again, if done correctly. That could be especially true if Keith Olbermann starts doing a radio show, now that he's left MSNBC. I think with some tweaking Ed Schultz might be really marketable, too. He's about the only lib-talker who has a real "everyday-guy" image -- kind of portly, drives a truck, etc. But half the fun with Big Eddie is *watching* him -- the expressions, etc.

 

[Al Timiter]

If 820 ends up as Liberal or Progressive Talk, I hope that someone smartly programs Thom Hartmann 12-3p. Thom is the smartest guy in the room. Intelligent, informed and the real bonus: He wins arguments with conservatives without yelling.

 

[xmusicmatt]

If 820 ends up as Liberal...

I don't see that happening. It will either go a) religion b) foreign lang programmed of some sorts. or c) paid programming.

 

[Limp73]

WOSU-AM 820 is for sale and if the price is right it will be purchased by somebody/someone. I think it will go to a talk format. Maybe CC Columbus
will purchase it and program more local talk? People occasional ask for more local talk on WTVN so why not purchase 820 and put more local talk
on 820 AM.

Since everyone else is doing year end predictions I got a few of predictions of mine that I think might happen as a fan.

#1: WWCD will get C & D from The OSU for using "101" in January. I believe WWCD won't stop using "101" and in Feburary will get sued for it. WWCD will learn a valuable lesson don't mess The OSU.

Don't think it will will get this messy and WWCD will get the message with a C&D order(IF ANY) from tOSU. They will re-brand themselves in January
or early 2011.

I could also see something happen to 1230. It's amazing how poor their ratings are.

I doubt it. WYTS exists solely as an extra revenue source, simply by plugging in the SuperStation KLAC (err... Fox Sports Radio) feed off the bird. It literally doesn't matter what ratings they get - or don't get... it's a cheap ATM.

Why don't they offer some kind of talk format? Why do we need more sports programing?

As far as WTVN simulcasting on FM, I think WTVN will land on 93.3 FM sometime in the future.

Also, don't forget about the 101.7 move-in is supposed to happen by October of this year. That is when their CP runs out. They are going to have
to build a new tower site so maybe they will start construction as early as this Spring?

WOSU-AM 820 perhaps can be sold or leased to a local group to air Spanish language programming since WUCO dropped that format and went back to the WQTT branding of sattellite oldies.

1230 AM has always been a loser signal...even in WCOL-AM's top-40 heyday.
CC made the biggest mistake dropping Real Oldies in 2004 and has failed with different formats and callsign changes ever since. They brought that on themselves....and that bogus "Cash Call" promotion was a brazen ripoff if I ever saw one. WTVN-AM is next in line to join the Clear Channel ghetto....they may as well in this point in the game to donate their 610 AM properties to St. Gabriel Radio and get the tax write-off.

 

[OhioMediaWatch]

610 has its directional signal problems, but last time I checked, it was still pulling in huge ratings, no?

I agree that WTVN-FM will probably come as soon as CC figures out how to do it and fit it within the cluster, but 610 is not donation material anytime soon, even with an FM simulcaster.

Oh, and I wouldn't bet on tOSU doing an LMA for 820. Why would they? The station is much more useful to them repeating 89.7 NPR News, and they are in no hurry to sell it.

Sure, they WANT to sell it (which they've said long before The Other Paper's article, BTW), but the thing will stay WOSU(AM) until they outright sell it to a new buyer.

 

[knowbetter]

Oh, and I wouldn't bet on tOSU doing an LMA for 820. Why would they? The station is much more useful to them repeating 89.7 NPR News, and they are in no hurry to sell it.

Sure, they WANT to sell it (which they've said long before The Other Paper's article, BTW), but the thing will stay WOSU(AM) until they outright sell it to a new buyer.

I see your point, but at the same time, short of a Salem, or religious, I am not sure I see who might buy it... For some reason, I can't see a university sale to any religious group, but I can't tell you why I feel that way.

Some "off the wall" might be Radio One, or another ethnic group, the tax write offs may well justify the sale. Progressive, dunno, as a whole bunch of university types might like that, I don't know if the university would openly endorse that, but that may also be "pretty painless", so I think that LMA might well be a viable option...

One thing I did note, the university has totally removed any mention of WOSU AM from their websites, and just about anything they have, so they don't seem to want to use it. the question is what is the way they can most benefit...so the minority sale might be the best option.