Question: Does anyone think a major radio station--maybe even a 50,000 watt blowtorch, that would serve NW Indiana (Lake, Porter, and LaPorte counties and Chicago's south suburbs) would be a viable venture? Or is the "Chicago" influence to great for someone to try? Your thoughts.
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Da Region Radio
- Thread starter KlunkLetter
- Start date
Sounds like an exciting prospect but I don't think it would ever be considered a "Chicago" radio station. There are too many VERY good "blowtorch" stations actually licensed to Chicago for a NW Indiana station to be in the running.
> Question: Does anyone think a major radio station--maybe
> even a 50,000 watt blowtorch, that would serve NW Indiana
> (Lake, Porter, and LaPorte counties and Chicago's south
> suburbs) would be a viable venture? Or is the "Chicago"
> influence to great for someone to try? Your thoughts.
>
> Question: Does anyone think a major radio station--maybe
> even a 50,000 watt blowtorch, that would serve NW Indiana
> (Lake, Porter, and LaPorte counties and Chicago's south
> suburbs) would be a viable venture? Or is the "Chicago"
> influence to great for someone to try? Your thoughts.
>
1
11south
Guest
WPWX is a 50KW licensed to Hammond, how about that one? WIND could have been had. Granted it is not 50kw, but at 5kw at 560khz it has a damn fine signal throughout the area.
Would either one work? Doubt it...Chicago stations can afford much better talent, than what a suburban station could get. THe only way I see it being a success would be WPWX programming Hispanic language format like 107.9 licensed out of Aurora does. <P ID="signature">______________
I get paid to be suspicious when I've got nothing to be suspicious about.</P>
Would either one work? Doubt it...Chicago stations can afford much better talent, than what a suburban station could get. THe only way I see it being a success would be WPWX programming Hispanic language format like 107.9 licensed out of Aurora does. <P ID="signature">______________
I get paid to be suspicious when I've got nothing to be suspicious about.</P>
J
jcurtis
Guest
> WPWX is a 50KW licensed to Hammond, how about that one?
> WIND could have been had. Granted it is not 50kw, but at 5kw
> at 560khz it has a damn fine signal throughout the area.
>
> Would either one work? Doubt it...Chicago stations can
> afford much better talent, than what a suburban station
> could get.
If you are the owner of a 50,000 watt radio station in Merrillville that covers Lake, Porter, LaPorte and Cook Counties are you going to be happy generating revenue with a $25 to $50 rate at the top of your card or $250 to $500? By the way, all of your listeners are accustomed to hearing Chicago level programming, so your stuff has to be just as good, or you can't attract a saleable audience. There are also significant engineering costs associated with a high power operation. That means you're already spending the money, but can't make your investment payoff on the sales side. What do you do?
I know what I do. I follow the money, which is what Westinghouse did when it moved WIND from Gary to Chicago; which is what Crawford did when it turned WPWX to the streets of the South Side.
> WIND could have been had. Granted it is not 50kw, but at 5kw
> at 560khz it has a damn fine signal throughout the area.
>
> Would either one work? Doubt it...Chicago stations can
> afford much better talent, than what a suburban station
> could get.
If you are the owner of a 50,000 watt radio station in Merrillville that covers Lake, Porter, LaPorte and Cook Counties are you going to be happy generating revenue with a $25 to $50 rate at the top of your card or $250 to $500? By the way, all of your listeners are accustomed to hearing Chicago level programming, so your stuff has to be just as good, or you can't attract a saleable audience. There are also significant engineering costs associated with a high power operation. That means you're already spending the money, but can't make your investment payoff on the sales side. What do you do?
I know what I do. I follow the money, which is what Westinghouse did when it moved WIND from Gary to Chicago; which is what Crawford did when it turned WPWX to the streets of the South Side.
> WPWX is a 50KW licensed to Hammond, how about that one?
> WIND could have been had. Granted it is not 50kw, but at 5kw
> at 560khz it has a damn fine signal throughout the area.
>
> Would either one work? Doubt it...Chicago stations can
> afford much better talent, than what a suburban station
> could get. THe only way I see it being a success would be
> WPWX programming Hispanic language format like 107.9
> licensed out of Aurora does.
>
Actually, I believe, that WIND was licensed to the city of Gary at one point. It seems that the "IND" referenced Indiana and not the "WINDY" city. It's been a long time, but its towers were just off 80-94 around Burr St. Maybe someone can correct me if I'm wrong. Yes, WIND's signal is a very good one.
> WIND could have been had. Granted it is not 50kw, but at 5kw
> at 560khz it has a damn fine signal throughout the area.
>
> Would either one work? Doubt it...Chicago stations can
> afford much better talent, than what a suburban station
> could get. THe only way I see it being a success would be
> WPWX programming Hispanic language format like 107.9
> licensed out of Aurora does.
>
Actually, I believe, that WIND was licensed to the city of Gary at one point. It seems that the "IND" referenced Indiana and not the "WINDY" city. It's been a long time, but its towers were just off 80-94 around Burr St. Maybe someone can correct me if I'm wrong. Yes, WIND's signal is a very good one.
J
jcurtis
Guest
> Actually, I believe, that WIND was licensed to the city of
> Gary at one point. It seems that the "IND" referenced
> Indiana and not the "WINDY" city. It's been a long time,
> but its towers were just off 80-94 around Burr St. Maybe
> someone can correct me if I'm wrong. Yes, WIND's signal is
> a very good one.
>
You are correct on all points, sir. There was a transistion period for WIND that saw both a Chicago operation and an Indiana operation. The manager of the Indiana operation was Dee Coe. Once the transition was complete, Coe stayed in the Calumet Region and put WWCA (Working With Calumet Area) on the air first from the Hotel Gary and then from the First Federal Savings building. He also owned WLOI in LaPorte, which is still operated by his family (along with FM WCOE).
Check out the WIND signal on Radio Locator. It's a monster.
> Gary at one point. It seems that the "IND" referenced
> Indiana and not the "WINDY" city. It's been a long time,
> but its towers were just off 80-94 around Burr St. Maybe
> someone can correct me if I'm wrong. Yes, WIND's signal is
> a very good one.
>
You are correct on all points, sir. There was a transistion period for WIND that saw both a Chicago operation and an Indiana operation. The manager of the Indiana operation was Dee Coe. Once the transition was complete, Coe stayed in the Calumet Region and put WWCA (Working With Calumet Area) on the air first from the Hotel Gary and then from the First Federal Savings building. He also owned WLOI in LaPorte, which is still operated by his family (along with FM WCOE).
Check out the WIND signal on Radio Locator. It's a monster.
Doesn't 105.5 hold its own covering that area. Not a listener, but from just a passing interest, it seems as though there is not a lot of locally originated stuff, but they are all over. Their efforts with 103.5 (?) seem to do okay, though certainly lacking the coverage; and I believe they are transmitting out of Lake somewhere.
The local stations are so 'local' they are impossible to listen to. Been living in NW Ind (Valpo) for almost 7 years and been a 99% XM listener for 4.5 of that. Ironically, I listened to Chicago radio more (the old AM1000, WLS) more when I lived in Lafayette.
Overall as person who consider himself a resident, taxpayer and support of the State of Indiana, it is really annoying to be this disconnected from the rest of the State from a media/information standpoint. It doesn't do much to endear new people to the area...unless you are a Chicagoian moving east.
> Question: Does anyone think a major radio station--maybe
> even a 50,000 watt blowtorch, that would serve NW Indiana
> (Lake, Porter, and LaPorte counties and Chicago's south
> suburbs) would be a viable venture? Or is the "Chicago"
> influence to great for someone to try? Your thoughts.
>
The local stations are so 'local' they are impossible to listen to. Been living in NW Ind (Valpo) for almost 7 years and been a 99% XM listener for 4.5 of that. Ironically, I listened to Chicago radio more (the old AM1000, WLS) more when I lived in Lafayette.
Overall as person who consider himself a resident, taxpayer and support of the State of Indiana, it is really annoying to be this disconnected from the rest of the State from a media/information standpoint. It doesn't do much to endear new people to the area...unless you are a Chicagoian moving east.
> Question: Does anyone think a major radio station--maybe
> even a 50,000 watt blowtorch, that would serve NW Indiana
> (Lake, Porter, and LaPorte counties and Chicago's south
> suburbs) would be a viable venture? Or is the "Chicago"
> influence to great for someone to try? Your thoughts.
>
> Doesn't 105.5 hold its own covering that area. Not a
> listener, but from just a passing interest, it seems as
> though there is not a lot of locally originated stuff, but
> they are all over.
WLJE owns Porter County but struggles outside of that
Their efforts with 103.5 (?) seem to do
> okay, though certainly lacking the coverage; and I believe
> they are transmitting out of Lake somewhere.
>
Think you mean 103.9 WXRD (crown point). 100% sat. station.
There is only one real owner of station in NWI. Radio One Communications (studios in valp at WLJE). WLJE, WAKE, WZVN, WXRD. WLJE does very well in Porter County. Outside of that the stations struggle to get noticed in Lake County. The only other station that is local over there would be the WJOB...and that one is ULTRA local these days...does well in Lake Co but doesn't get outside of that.
If a station was ABLE to be full coverage of NWI and funded well, marketed, and programmed well...I believe the "Region" would love it. Most "Region Rats" would rather not associate with Chicago...but their local choices are not reliable...if severe weather happens M-F during business hours the Radio One group covers it well...but if something happens outside of that...Chicago is the only place that will give any info (if they do at all as well)
> listener, but from just a passing interest, it seems as
> though there is not a lot of locally originated stuff, but
> they are all over.
WLJE owns Porter County but struggles outside of that
Their efforts with 103.5 (?) seem to do
> okay, though certainly lacking the coverage; and I believe
> they are transmitting out of Lake somewhere.
>
Think you mean 103.9 WXRD (crown point). 100% sat. station.
There is only one real owner of station in NWI. Radio One Communications (studios in valp at WLJE). WLJE, WAKE, WZVN, WXRD. WLJE does very well in Porter County. Outside of that the stations struggle to get noticed in Lake County. The only other station that is local over there would be the WJOB...and that one is ULTRA local these days...does well in Lake Co but doesn't get outside of that.
If a station was ABLE to be full coverage of NWI and funded well, marketed, and programmed well...I believe the "Region" would love it. Most "Region Rats" would rather not associate with Chicago...but their local choices are not reliable...if severe weather happens M-F during business hours the Radio One group covers it well...but if something happens outside of that...Chicago is the only place that will give any info (if they do at all as well)
D
D1075
Guest
> > Doesn't 105.5 hold its own covering that area. Not a
> > listener, but from just a passing interest, it seems as
> > though there is not a lot of locally originated stuff, but
>
> > they are all over.
> WLJE owns Porter County but struggles outside of that
>
> Their efforts with 103.5 (?) seem to do
> > okay, though certainly lacking the coverage; and I believe
>
> > they are transmitting out of Lake somewhere.
> >
>
> Think you mean 103.9 WXRD (crown point). 100% sat. station.
>
>
> There is only one real owner of station in NWI. Radio One
> Communications (studios in valp at WLJE). WLJE, WAKE, WZVN,
> WXRD. WLJE does very well in Porter County. Outside of
> that the stations struggle to get noticed in Lake County.
> The only other station that is local over there would be the
> WJOB...and that one is ULTRA local these days...does well in
> Lake Co but doesn't get outside of that.
>
> If a station was ABLE to be full coverage of NWI and funded
> well, marketed, and programmed well...I believe the "Region"
> would love it. Most "Region Rats" would rather not
> associate with Chicago...but their local choices are not
> reliable...if severe weather happens M-F during business
> hours the Radio One group covers it well...but if something
> happens outside of that...Chicago is the only place that
> will give any info (if they do at all as well)
>
WJOB is now on the bird for a lot of the time as well. Just a couple weeks ago, they flipped to satellite oldies although they still have local news & sports. But, I'll agree that NWI radio just sounds kind of low budget compared to Chicago radio. Although WXRD and WZVN sound a lot better under Radio One than their previous owner St. George Broadcasting. Maybe Nextmedia can buy a couple stations over here. Most of their stations are locally programmed and have pretty good production for suburban stations. A station like 95.9 WERV in Aurora would sound good in NWI.
> > listener, but from just a passing interest, it seems as
> > though there is not a lot of locally originated stuff, but
>
> > they are all over.
> WLJE owns Porter County but struggles outside of that
>
> Their efforts with 103.5 (?) seem to do
> > okay, though certainly lacking the coverage; and I believe
>
> > they are transmitting out of Lake somewhere.
> >
>
> Think you mean 103.9 WXRD (crown point). 100% sat. station.
>
>
> There is only one real owner of station in NWI. Radio One
> Communications (studios in valp at WLJE). WLJE, WAKE, WZVN,
> WXRD. WLJE does very well in Porter County. Outside of
> that the stations struggle to get noticed in Lake County.
> The only other station that is local over there would be the
> WJOB...and that one is ULTRA local these days...does well in
> Lake Co but doesn't get outside of that.
>
> If a station was ABLE to be full coverage of NWI and funded
> well, marketed, and programmed well...I believe the "Region"
> would love it. Most "Region Rats" would rather not
> associate with Chicago...but their local choices are not
> reliable...if severe weather happens M-F during business
> hours the Radio One group covers it well...but if something
> happens outside of that...Chicago is the only place that
> will give any info (if they do at all as well)
>
WJOB is now on the bird for a lot of the time as well. Just a couple weeks ago, they flipped to satellite oldies although they still have local news & sports. But, I'll agree that NWI radio just sounds kind of low budget compared to Chicago radio. Although WXRD and WZVN sound a lot better under Radio One than their previous owner St. George Broadcasting. Maybe Nextmedia can buy a couple stations over here. Most of their stations are locally programmed and have pretty good production for suburban stations. A station like 95.9 WERV in Aurora would sound good in NWI.
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