Format Flip In Indy!!!

[radio2100]

From R&R:
Thursday, July 13, 2006


WEDJ/Indianapolis Goes Regional Mexican


Thursday at noon, Continental Broadcasting's WEDJ/Indianapolis will flip from Spanish Contemporary to Regional Mexican "La Nueva Radio Latina 107.1, La Más Mexicana." The station's PD is Manuel Sepúlveda.

[EDIT: SEE Radio and Records for the complete story]

 

[MikeStandardsFromIndiana]

When I saw this I thought one of the big company's flipped not little ol WEDJ doing a Spanish Seque so to speak. I Thought when I saw this post i\I thought the Song or WKLU flipped. hehe

 

[radio2100]

That's the reaction I was looking for. Isn't it funny how we don't really consider them a part of the radio scene in town. At least we seem to forget about them.

 

[MightyFrenchman]

That's the reaction I was looking for. Isn't it funny how we don't really consider them a part of the radio scene in town. At least we seem to forget about them.

In addition, WSYW-AM is a 250 watt daytimer.

 

[Apollo7979]

Given the substantial amount of Mexicans making up the Hispanic population in Indianapolis, I think it this was a smart idea on Continental's part. WEDJ was more or less just a hudge-podge of various forms of music before. Now, the format will be streamlined and will probably see some growth.

I know WSYW has to get a format tweak because of this, but the real question is whether this move will affect the newer regional Mexican station, WNTS 1590. Given WEDJ's signal disadvantage, WNTS may not see much of a drop in listenership or revenue, but it'll be interesting to see how everything pans out.

 

[PTBoardOp94]

I have no real reason to listen to a Spainish language station if I don't speak Spainish. I'm guessing the problem is the same for all of you.

 

[indypglist]

I can't believe some of your thoughts on the hispanic station. \

In this thought thought, I will not care nor speak about rap music, hip-hop, or local talk radio. I am not black, I don't dance, and local talk bores me. I also only want to talk about "real station" meaning only 50,000 watts and their ratings need to be in the top 5...everyone else is too small or not my taste. Am I close to this boards' parameters?

I forgot this was "all about me" boards and not a radio board.

Sorry that all stations don't fit your mold.

I will first run all my thoughts by PTBoardOp94 and MikeStandards to see if it qualifies for real conversation. I would hate to bore you with such small dribble.

WOW!!

 

[PTBoardOp94]

If the discussion were boring me, I wouldn't have engaged in it in the first place. I said

I have no real reason to listen to a Spainish language station if I don't speak Spainish. I'm guessing the problem is the same for all of you.

Could you please explain to me why I should listen to radio that I can't understand?

Having said that, the intricacies of programming such a station are of interest to me. I just don't understand the results.

And for the record, I don't listen to any of the top 7 stations (12+) in Indianapolis.

 

[Kent]

If the discussion were boring me, I wouldn't have engaged in it in the first place. I said

I have no real reason to listen to a Spainish language station if I don't speak Spainish. I'm guessing the problem is the same for all of you.

Could you please explain to me why I should listen to radio that I can't understand?

Having said that, the intricacies of programming such a station are of interest to me. I just don't understand the results.

And for the record, I don't listen to any of the top 7 stations (12+) in Indianapolis.

I'll defend what you said in as much as you had pretty mild comments compared to what many say when criticizing a Spanish-language format. You're simply saying you don't listen to it because you don't understand the language. I didn't see you calling for the elimination of Spanish-language radio everywhere, Spanish speaking immigrants, or anything near the reactions a lot of people on these boards have when talking about Spanish-language programming.

Now, having said that, I'm not quite sure what your point was and how it relates to the overall discussion of the changes at WEDJ 107.1. To me, it's a matter of segmenting the market. Marketing 101 says you should ALWAYS segment the market. It costs you nothing extra to do, and every business does it. I can't think of a single one that doesn't. Whether you segment the market by English speaking/Spanish speaking, male/female, black/white, old/young or any other factor/combination of factors, it's essentially the same issue. Because of how they're segmenting the market, I doubt Continental cares that you don't speak Spanish. The Census estimates that Indy is nearly 6% Hispanic and that nearly 10% of the population speaks a language other than English. They're focused on whatever percentage of that 10% that speaks Spanish for a "language other than English," and they're further segmenting that market, though probably not much, by going after a Mexican audience.

 

[gr8oldies]

When you have people as far away as Logansport listening to this station, it has an impact on a lot of people, if not on board posters. The FM alone will beat the AM Regional Mexican station.

 

[radioho]

I can't believe some of your thoughts on the hispanic station. \

In this thought thought, I will not care nor speak about rap music, hip-hop, or local talk radio. I am not black, I don't dance, and local talk bores me. I also only want to talk about "real station" meaning only 50,000 watts and their ratings need to be in the top 5...everyone else is too small or not my taste. Am I close to this boards' parameters?

I forgot this was "all about me" boards and not a radio board.

WOW!!

I'd say that's about right - you're just now figuring that out?

It's all about ME baby! Otherwise, why the hell would I be here? FOR YOU?

 

[MACK184]

That's the reaction I was looking for. Isn't it funny how we don't really consider them a part of the radio scene in town. At least we seem to forget about them.

In addition, WSYW-AM is a 250 watt daytimer.

I was the Operations Manager of WSYW AM & FM when the FM was flipped to Smooth Jazz and the AM was flipped to Hispanic in 1998. First, the engineering point. WSYW-AM has a daytime power of 980 watts and a nite power of 35 watts, it is not merely a daytime only station. At the time we first explored turning 810 into an hispanic station, I doubted that there was sufficient audience to support such a radio station. There was however more than enough population who wanted that format. It has been a reasonable success. It is amazing some of the thinking that has popped up on this board in this subject. I had thought we had made it to the 21st century. I guess not. WSYW serves a section of the Indy community and does it well. I am currently the GM of WAZL in Hazleton, PA. You might recognize that city's name, as our mayor has been all over the national media in the past several weeks, because the city has enacted what appears to be the first "English Only" law and local Illegal alien law in the U.S. Hazleton is a city of about 30,000 people. About 10,000 of them are hispanic. Our station has a 4 hour weekly hispanic show. Since the "English Only" law came about, we have received numerous "hate" calls because we serve part of our community who speaks spanish. Interestingly many communities have shows that offer Italian, Polish, Irish or Jewish shows, and there's no complaint about that. Why should it matter? Good luck to their new management & format switch.

 

[brian_stevens]

That's the reaction I was looking for. Isn't it funny how we don't really consider them a part of the radio scene in town. At least we seem to forget about them.

In addition, WSYW-AM is a 250 watt daytimer.

I was the Operations Manager of WSYW AM & FM when the FM was flipped to Smooth Jazz and the AM was flipped to Hispanic in 1998. First, the engineering point. WSYW-AM has a daytime power of 980 watts and a nite power of 35 watts, it is not merely a daytime only station.

http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/amq?list=0&facid=13795

 

[MikeStandardsFromIndiana]

I can't believe some of your thoughts on the hispanic station. \

In this thought thought, I will not care nor speak about rap music, hip-hop, or local talk radio. I am not black, I don't dance, and local talk bores me. I also only want to talk about "real station" meaning only 50,000 watts and their ratings need to be in the top 5...everyone else is too small or not my taste. Am I close to this boards' parameters?

I forgot this was "all about me" boards and not a radio board.

Sorry that all stations don't fit your mold.

I will first run all my thoughts by PTBoardOp94 and MikeStandards to see if it qualifies for real conversation. I would hate to bore you with such small dribble.

WOW!!

Well EXCUSE ME for my comment. When I saw this post how the topic was word'ed that a Big Company like Cumulus since they are the new Company in the market was Flipping the Song or Jack. Ever since Cumulus bought the Susquehanna Stations late last year people were putting death preprations ready for either the Song or Jack. I Wasnt Expecting to read this thread to see that it was WEDJ sequing Spanish Format. I Really don't call it much of a Change when they are taking there sister stations Format and putting it on Full Time instead of a Daytime AM Signal.

So let me say this if you dont like how i was expecting this thread to be when i first saw the thread title. I'll clear it with you before i post

Now Back to your regular posting on Radio-info

 

[Steve]

Boys, boys...cmon...

Take your Paxil and your prune smoothies and go sit in opposite corners till you can play nice.

Sheesh....there wasn't this much cattiness and backbiting on the old boards...and there were like 10 times the people then.....

 

[MACK184]

That's the reaction I was looking for. Isn't it funny how we don't really consider them a part of the radio scene in town. At least we seem to forget about them.

In addition, WSYW-AM is a 250 watt daytimer.

I was the Operations Manager of WSYW AM & FM when the FM was flipped to Smooth Jazz and the AM was flipped to Hispanic in 1998. First, the engineering point. WSYW-AM has a daytime power of 980 watts and a nite power of 35 watts, it is not merely a daytime only station.

http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/amq?list=0&facid=13795

Not quite sure how to explain that one! I personally ordered the LPB XMTR for night service. That XMTR was installed by Susquehanna Chief Engineer Max Turner & his partner Jeff Goode. We ran shows at night, and we also had an hispanic program net that we used in late night and overnights on the AM. We had the authorization to operate at night. So I am confused by what you posted. Of course the FCC data base has NEVER been wrong.

 

[brian_stevens]

Not quite sure how to explain that one! I personally ordered the LPB XMTR for night service. That XMTR was installed by Susquehanna Chief Engineer Max Turner & his partner Jeff Goode. We ran shows at night, and we also had an hispanic program net that we used in late night and overnights on the AM. We had the authorization to operate at night. So I am confused by what you posted. Of course the FCC data base has NEVER been wrong.

Can't explain that one either. Certainly WBAA can attest to the unerring accuracy of the FCC. But I for one can't recall when 810 has ever been anything either than a 250 watt daytimer. And I remember when Tarzian signed on WATI. When it became black gospel WGRT. When it played rap weekends. Programmed Radio Ahhs. Even a brief stint as classic country in the 90s. Was it a CP that was never built out and eventually deleted? Trouble obtaining the tower site? That sounds vaguely familiar. Ain't it a pain getting old?

 

[MACK184]

Not quite sure how to explain that one! I personally ordered the LPB XMTR for night service. That XMTR was installed by Susquehanna Chief Engineer Max Turner & his partner Jeff Goode. We ran shows at night, and we also had an hispanic program net that we used in late night and overnights on the AM. We had the authorization to operate at night. So I am confused by what you posted. Of course the FCC data base has NEVER been wrong.

Can't explain that one either. Certainly WBAA can attest to the unerring accuracy of the FCC. But I for one can't recall when 810 has ever been anything either than a 250 watt daytimer. And I remember when Tarzian signed on WATI. When it became black gospel WGRT. When it played rap weekends. Programmed Radio Ahhs. Even a brief stint as classic country in the 90s. Was it a CP that was never built out and eventually deleted? Trouble obtaining the tower site? That sounds vaguely familiar. Ain't it a pain getting old?

Brian...I understand old. I was there at the end of Classic Country. I don't know if you remember, but as the FM flipped from Classical to Smooth Jazz, there was a short time that Classical actually played on the AM. When we got the low power XMTR for the night time, we also had an OK to gas up the AM to 980 watts. They wouldn't let us go all the way to 1 Kw because of WGY in Schenectady. I do remember one night when we forgot to turn the power down and we got a nasty call from WGY!! I do seem to remember that the permission we got was a provisional OK from the FCC. I am wondering if the necessary paper work never got filed to make the changes permanent and the changes got 86'd. Also in the early 2000's the FCC was looking to freeze CP's on AM facilities. If they didn't file the right forms, I bet they lost it. I left there at the beginning of 1999 to return to the east coast. That was not exactly the sanest operation on the planet and it wouldn't have surprised me, if they just forgot about it, and let it lapse.