Re: Is ANYBODY doing good LOCAL radio?
I'm going to have to guess that no one on here but me is older than their 20's or early 30's because it's obvious that no one listens to AM radio.
If you're looking for local radio and GOOD local radio, there's a talented veteran on 1390 AM by the name of Kevin Nelson. He's been around here forever and a day. But just listen from 6A to 9A and you get local news, weather and sports.
On top of that, you laugh your ass off for three hours. With some of the bonehead moves made by just our county commissioners alone, Kevin Nelson and that radio partner of his, Dave Shannon, have more than 3 hours of material on any given morning.
FM morning shows playing music are okay, but frankly, they are rather dull.
> Hard to believe that every radio outfit in Central PA (i.e.,
> State College, Altoona, Johnstown & environs) has followed
> the Forever model: buy 'em , strip 'em and run 'em cheap.
> How 'bout the others? Simpson? Magnum? First Media? WRTA?
> Some of these are still doing local-focused info and public
> service between the tunes, aren't they? In most markets
> that's mostly a morning drive thing. Aren't some of these
> morning shows still local/local/local?
>
> BTW, local doesn't necessarily mean "good." And I guess
> that's the next question: is it more important to be local
> or good?
>
>
> > Jumper, I agree with you 100%. I think the only way local
>
> > radio is going to be an economicaly viable entity 10-20
> > years from now is if it goes back to its roots and becomes
>
> > truly local again...with local people talking about local
> > things.
> >
> > But companies like Forever (and, for that matter, most
> > companies everywhere...not just in radio and not just
> > Forever) are focused on short-term financial goals.
> They'll
> > worry about the future when the future gets here, and not
> a
> > minute before that.
> >
> > Forever's upper-level management seems particularly prone
> to
> > this read-fire-aim disease. Hence, the format-of-the-week
>
> > style that we've seen on their stations over the last
> > several years.
> >
> > > > What did they gain--aside from getting
> > > > the hell out of Mount Union? Lewistown? Hell, they
> don't
> >
> > > > sell anything in Lewistown now on Bus & Hot. So now
> > > they'll
> > > > have 3 stations that get nothing out of Lewistown? I
> > don't
> > >
> > > > get it... what're these guys thinking? Is this just
> > > > "Engineering for Engineering's Sake?"
> > > >
> > >
> > > Moving 99.5 to State College allows them to use the
> signal
> >
> > > to reach a more populated area...maximizing
> profits...but
> > > only in the short term.
> > > I can understand where they are coming from...a lot of
> > > owners would probably simulcast, move signals to reach
> > more
> > > populated areas, etc. I don't want to come across as
> > though
> > > I am bashing Forever--because I am not--it is definitly
> > the
> > > best radio group to work for in Central PA; however, I
> > don't
> > > think the changes are thought through enough. They are
> not
> >
> > > in the best interest of the company. Short-term profits
> > will
> > > be maximized...less staff (both sales and programming),
> > less
> > > overhead, larger audiance...all great things for
> Forever.
> > >
> > > These changes will create numerous troubles down the
> road.
> >
> > > The rural areas around Huntingdon and Mt. Union have
> > almost
> > > no local radio left. Being local is one of the bigest
> > means
> > > of competeing with satellite radio, ipods, and soon (as
> > cell
> > > phone coverage increases allowing for wireless web and
> > > wireless internet prices decrease) internet radio in
> cars.
> >
> > > (I was just talking to someone about internet radio in
> > cars
> > > yesterday.) Lack of local programming in this region
> means
> >
> > > more listeners tuning out of local radio. Then even more
>
> > > people, but this time in the larger towns, follow the
> lead
> >
> > > and listen to other sources.
> > >
> > > More problems ahead: simucasting and programming very
> few
> > > formats.
> > > There are already very few programming choices available
>
> > in
> > > Central PA...at least now we have Smooth Jazz, expanded
> > > playlist on WALY, and K-Love...big improvements;
> however,
> > > with so many stations playing Hot (which seems a little
> > too
> > > rhythmic for mainsteam top 40 to me...no matter what
> > "fwdmo"
> > > would try to convince you.), mainstream rock/small
> > playlist
> > > as Rocky, or the small Froggy library, it is sometimes
> > very
> > > difficult to find something to listen to...espesially in
>
> > the
> > > more rural areas. It seems to me, the way to prevent
> > people
> > > from investing in the new technologies would be to
> program
> >
> > > larger playlists, and more formats...but also be local.
> > Give
> > > the people stuff they can't get elsewhere....like local
> > news
> > > and weather....but also local converstation from the
> > jocks.
> > > I do not subscribe to satellite radio because there are
> > more
> > > than enough choices on the FM band in the city where I
> > live.
> > > I know of many people who are on the air in Central PA
> > that
> > > listen to either Sirius or XM...also a few people have
> > > bought stock in these companies.
> > >
> >
>
