F-L-N NY state radio news network?

[blueboy]

There's an ad on allaccess for a new state wide radio news network headed by F-L-N located in Bath. They are looking for anchors, reporters, etc who have experience. Anyone know anything about this venture or the religious not for profit? Will it be secular? They say it is slated to take flight in June.

 

[SirRoxalot]

Perhaps this is related to the Finger Lakes Radio Group, which just purchased WDOE & WBKX in Dunkirk. They also own WSFW 1110 AM in Seneca Falls, WFLR 1570 AM in Dundee, WGVA 1240 AM in Geneva, WCGR 1550 AM in Canandaigua, and WAUB 1590 AM in Auburn.

They run the Finger Lakes News Network on their existing stations. Maybe they plan to expand their coverage into WNY with the acquistion of WDOE/WBKX.

 

[Call Me Sherlock]

Rox, I don't think so. They are Family Life Network and they have their headquarters and studios in Bath.

 

[Mark_Giardina]

Re: F-L-N NY State radio news network?

Network Anchors, Reporters, Editors
The largest state without a state news network is about to get one. NEW YORK.

67 stations pre-signed
Launch date: June '07

F-L-N now accepting applications for Network Anchors, Reporters and Editors.

No beginners. Women and minorities encouraged to apply.

Tape, Resume, and References to:
Terry Easley, News Director
7634 Campbell Creek Road
Bath NY 14810-0506
[email protected]

No phone calls please.

 

[SirRoxalot]

So, What Ever Happened to the IVY Network?

I stand corrected. Looks like Family Life. Just think, you could be on 67 stations that nobody listens to...

PS - Mark, keep that Radio Monster under control. I'm sure that the idea of going statewide made your heart beat a little faster for a moment.

 

[Mark_Giardina]

Re: So, What Ever Happened to the IVY Network?

PS - Mark, keep that Radio Monster under control. I'm sure that the idea of going statewide made your heart beat a little faster for a moment.

Just posting the address in case anyone is interested. I started my radio career in Bath 33 years ago. I have no desire to return there.

 

[Element9]

Bath, eh?

PS - Mark, keep that Radio Monster under control. I'm sure that the idea of going statewide made your heart beat a little faster for a moment.

Just posting the address in case anyone is interested. I started my radio career in Bath 33 years ago. I have no desire to return there.

It all started at a 1 kiloWatt daytimer in Bath. Beautiful wine country. Funny name. Conjures up a Monty Python skit... or a Beavis & Butthead episode... "kheh-heh... he said Bath... kheh-heh... Bath."

 

[Mark_Giardina]

Re: Bath New York

Actually Bath is a very nice rural community.
The station that I worked for (the AM in Bath, the FM in Hammondsport) was owned by the late Walter Taylor.
Besides learning the ropes about broadcasting, the staff got along and it was fun going to work everyday.
The AM was a country format (old-time country) while the FM played top 40.
I have not kept up on who owns the Bath station or what format the station carries today. But I highly doubt they have the number of employees that were there back in 1973 when I started out in the business. Most likely it could be part of a mini-conglomerate that simulcasts syndicated programming, which is a true shame since these small market stations were the training grounds that many of us 'old timers' used to break into larger markets.

 

[SirRoxalot]

Speaking of Family Life...

Somehow it seems that there should be a Chaucerian reference to the bawdy "Wife of Bath", especially in light of the fact that Bath is the home of the F-L-N...

 

[The Voice of Reason]

There's an ad on allaccess for a new state wide radio news network headed by F-L-N located in Bath. They are looking for anchors, reporters, etc who have experience. Anyone know anything about this venture or the religious not for profit? Will it be secular? They say it is slated to take flight in June.

From what I've read it appears that Family Life is attempting to establish a statewide news network that will air over its affiliates. This might be a great opportunity for people just starting out in broadcasting. As for finding any veteran broadcasters, it's highly unlikely that the FLN network will offer a salary that veteran news people are accustom to. One also has to question if there will be any editorial restrictions as to content.

 

[Ed Trefzger]

Re: So, What Ever Happened to the IVY Network?

I stand corrected. Looks like Family Life. Just think, you could be on 67 stations that nobody listens to...

Whose loyal aggregate listenership will be larger than if one was on one station that nobody listens to.

 

[dampier]

I commend them for actually considering doing something beyond automated programming forced all over the community FM band. A statewide news network seems grander than what this will probably turn out to be - down and dirty local newscasts read by someone in the studio, perhaps in a central area, and then customized for a local region and sent down for replay.

 

[raymond_shaw]

The largest state without a state news network is about to get one. NEW YORK.

..that's from the ad - yes, NY is a large state and we don't have a state news network. But who's going to listen to this - most people never heard of Family Life Radio or their stations.

And yes, Bath is a nice little town in the Finger Lakes - but no veteran news people are going move there or commute their from Rochester or Syracuse.

Doesn't sound like much. Too bad the low end of the FM dial has so many repeater religious stations. Would be nice to have 2-3 community stations down there for Rochester, Buffalo, Syracuse, etc. Also would be nice if the new Democratic congress would restore LPFM to metro areas. But now I'm rambling.

 

[Radknowski]

The largest state without a state news network is about to get one. NEW YORK.

That's from the ad - yes, NY is a large state and we don't have a state news network.

Really, do we NEED a state news network? Last time I checked, it's 2006. News can be found on line, on TV with 24-7 cable news (take your pick), financial news, show biz news, pet news, hell, even media covering the media (which is kind of what WE do here.) As we know, New York is a diverse state, east to west, north to south. How will FLN report the news to reflect that diversity?

But who's going to listen to this - most people never heard of Family Life Radio or their stations.

I'm skeptical of what kind of news will be covered and HOW it will be covered. Family Life has a pronounced agenda and it's likely their newscasts will pursue and foment that agenda. That's fine, just don't expect ME to believe it's NEWS, as defined by conventional standards: Objective, unbiased and uncensored.

And yes, Bath is a nice little town in the Finger Lakes - but no veteran news people are going move there or commute their from Rochester or Syracuse.

No, but some true believers (and a few zealots) will undoubtedly work for 18-5 a year.

Too bad the low end of the FM dial has so many repeater religious stations. Would be nice to have 2-3 community stations down there for Rochester, Buffalo, Syracuse, etc. Also would be nice if the new Democratic congress would restore LPFM to metro areas. But now I'm rambling.

Rambling? Join the club! Whenever I see and hear these religious outfits snatching up every available FM non-com frequency, end-running the intent of the FCC Rules with regard to non-commercial broadcasting, my blood begins to boil. They remind me of the Sadducees and the Pharisees and the money changers who were cast from the temple.

And when we hear about these pray for pay religious outfits that prey on the elderly, the poor, the hopeless and the infirm, I'm reminded of the line from scripture, "It is easier for a camel to pass through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of heaven."

Sorry if this sounds anti-religion. I'm not Saul on the road to Damascus. There are so many good, decent religious people of faith who are doing hard missionary work that benfits the poor and the needy. The St. Vincent dePaul Society, Catholic Charities, Hospice, Habitat For Humanity, The United Church of Christ Outreach and others have been tarnished by the Falwells, Swaggarts and Robertsons.

Frankly, I've had my fill of the "religious right" and its political agenda. Jesus Christ wasn't a politician, as witnessed by his comments to Pontius Pilate, "My kingdom is not of this earth..." [/MR]

 

[JakeLongwell]

Bath, NY Radio

Swaying, if I may, back to the brief discussion in this thread about radio in the Bath, NY area.
To answer Mark's questions about the current status of the two staton group there. Robert Pfuntner bought the stations back in 1990. At the time, the stations were known as WVIN (AM) and WVIN-FM. There was no split programming, it was a straight AM/FM simulcast. When Pfuntner bought the stations, he changed the AM callsign to WABH, and promised to split the stations into two different formats, and boost power on both frequencies. Needless to say, none of this happened until 1997! Today, WABH runs satellite oldies, with very little local programming. The only exception being coverage of high school sports. WVIN runs an AC format, and is live and local weekdays, but goes to the bird after 6pm, and doesn't do anything live on weekends anymore.
This is indeed a pitty. Growing up in Bath, WVIN was the station that sparked my curiosity about broadcasting. Now, like most small town stations, it is only a shell of its former self.
Now, I have a question for you, Mark. I know it's a long shot, but by any chance do you have airchecks from the stations during the time you were there? I would love to hear a sample of what they sounded like back then. I was not aware that they were doing split programming in the 70s. I know the stations originally started out as two different entities, but I thought once they were brought under one roof, they began simulcasting. Apparently, the person who told me this was ill informed. Also, were they known as WVIN AM/FM when you were there? Or were they still using the WFSR/WEKT callsigns? Thanks for your insight, as always.

 

[Mark_Giardina]

Re: Bath, NY Radio

Swaying, if I may, back to the brief discussion in this thread about radio in the Bath, NY area.
To answer Mark's questions about the current status of the two staton group there. Robert Pfuntner bought the stations back in 1990. At the time, the stations were known as WVIN (AM) and WVIN-FM. There was no split programming, it was a straight AM/FM simulcast. When Pfuntner bought the stations, he changed the AM callsign to WABH, and promised to split the stations into two different formats, and boost power on both frequencies. Needless to say, none of this happened until 1997! Today, WABH runs satellite oldies, with very little local programming. The only exception being coverage of high school sports. WVIN runs an AC format, and is live and local weekdays, but goes to the bird after 6pm, and doesn't do anything live on weekends anymore.
This is indeed a pitty. Growing up in Bath, WVIN was the station that sparked my curiosity about broadcasting. Now, like most small town stations, it is only a shell of its former self.
Now, I have a question for you, Mark. I know it's a long shot, but by any chance do you have airchecks from the stations during the time you were there? I would love to hear a sample of what they sounded like back then. I was not aware that they were doing split programming in the 70s. I know the stations originally started out as two different entities, but I thought once they were brought under one roof, they began simulcasting. Apparently, the person who told me this was ill informed. Also, were they known as WVIN AM/FM when you were there? Or were they still using the WFSR/WEKT callsigns? Thanks for your insight, as always.

Thank you so much for providing me with updated information about the two radio stations in Bath and Hammondsport. When I worked there the call letters were (I think) WGHT and WEKT.
The GHT calls I'm pretty sure of because Walter Taylor named one of his stations after either his Father or Grandfather; Greyton H. Taylor.

Back in 1973 the AM had live announcers (it was a daytime operation) while the FM had some announcers and then automation overnight. AM's format was country and FM was top 40. It was a great place to actually learn about broadcasting, unlike a lot of smaller market stations today where automation and syndication replaces live announcers. Does Pfunter still own the Bath stations? I heard he's bought a number of radio stations in the Southern Tier over the years. Sort of a mini-me Clear Channel. ;D

Sorry but I do not have any airchecks of the stations during the time I was there. Actually I wasn't there that long before WCBA in Corning scooped me up to do morning drive on their top 40 station. That was the last job I had spinning records before going into news. I had a lot of fun being a "jock."

 

[JakeLongwell]

Very interesting... I never knew about the WGHT calls in Bath. My guess is those calls were used between the WFSR and WVIN incarnations of AM 1380.
Yep, Pfuntner still owns the stations. He's been expanding his empire to the west, buying stations in Olean, and just recently in Salamanca.
Interestingly enough, he now owns two stations on the same channel with the acquisition of the Salamanca properties. WVIN and WQRS are both on 98.3. But I guess in these days of big group ownership, owning more than one station on the same channel is nothing out of the ordinary.

 

[audio4tv]

The largest state without a state news network is about to get one. NEW YORK.

..that's from the ad - yes, NY is a large state and we don't have a state news network. But who's going to listen to this - most people never heard of Family Life Radio or their stations.
Doesn't sound like much. Too bad the low end of the FM dial has so many repeater religious stations. Would be nice to have 2-3 community stations down there for Rochester, Buffalo, Syracuse, etc. Also would be nice if the new Democratic congress would restore LPFM to metro areas. But now I'm rambling.

A couple of comments: what will be the editorial control and slant of this? I would have a great concern over a religious network controlling the content. If you have listened to their news, there is a slant to it, in terms of a "moral viewpoint". They also air SRN news, I believe. I agree a statewide news network would be welcome and useful, but one based in Bath and run by a religious group, is not what I would have in mind.

On the LPFM issue, even restoring the 3rd adjacents would not bring LPFM to metro areas. They are pretty much left out.

 

[wirelessinnepa]

I haven't heard about this venture of the Family Life Network, but I'll just put in my two cents that every time I've come in contact with this group, they've been really a first class outfit. I believe they already have "satellite offices" for news production in various cities in which they broadcast.

I can't speak to any slant that they may or may not have on news content, but I do not believe that the FLN are any sort of ramshackle small time religious operator....quite the opposite in fact! If I were looking for a news job on radio in suburban/rural New York State, I'd definitely give it a shot.

Ben

 

[The Voice of Reason]

As I posted earlier I have my doubts that this statewide network will consist of any veteran news people since it is very unlikely this organization is willing to pay the salaries people with experience would expect.
The smart thing for FLN to do is have a veteran reporter in each of the big cities across New York to file reports on a daily basis. If you want to have your main anchor in Bath that's fine, but still this operation would need to subscribe to the Associated Press for wire copy and all of this takes operating capital. The big question is who will pay the bills and what do they expect in return? Remember this is a religious organization that is running things and I am concerned that their agenda will influence the news content.