Ga Radio Hall of Fame Low Power FM in Kennesaw

[wavo]

The station has a CP, and thats it as of now. No studio, no transmitter and no antenna as of now. It was shopped heavily toward KSU. Not sure it was the students that said no.

The story I have heard, albeit third hand, is that it was presented to the KSU media advisor and that after consulting students, there was no interest. KSU already has a streaming student station and could not justify the expense of operating an over the air station. The students were happy with it being internet only. Same for SCAD (Savannh College of Art and Design) and Emory. Kids today don't see having a terrestrial signal as paramount.
Yes, there are student stations but most student broadcasters are not interested in a radio career. I'm sure there are exceptions but they are a minority. Things were decidedly different 20 years ago.

 

[RoddyFreeman]

I'm not sure that "the kids" had a vote in the matter. There are lots of student run stations around the country, including WRAS.

WRAS is run by students only after 7PM since Georgia Public Broadcasting took over daytime a couple of years ago. The students would love to be running it full-time again. So far GPB has gotten very little traction, but they need an Atlanta affiliate for their state network.

 

[TheBigA]

WRAS is run by students only after 7PM since Georgia Public Broadcasting took over daytime a couple of years ago. The students would love to be running it full-time again.

Exactly...that's why I question whether KSU students were involved in saying no to the HOF.

 

[TheBigA]

could not justify the expense of operating an over the air station. The students were happy with it being internet only.

Sure, the school is happy with a cheap sandbox for the kids to play in. But studies have shown that internet student stations get next to no listenership on campus. So the students are programming to themselves. Not much in terms of training either.

Yes, there are student stations but most student broadcasters are not interested in a radio career.

I just spoke at a local college, and I can tell you for a fact that's not true. My inbox is filled with resumes. The school I spoke at has an OTA FM station that they turned over to professionals for NPR, and the students started their own LPFM on campus. Some students recognize that internet radio isn't a way to make a living. Ask those who do it.

 

[wavo]

Sure, the school is happy with a cheap sandbox for the kids to play in. But studies have shown that internet student stations get next to no listenership on campus. So the students are programming to themselves. Not much in terms of training either.



I just spoke at a local college, and I can tell you for a fact that's not true. My inbox is filled with resumes. The school I spoke at has an OTA FM station that they turned over to professionals for NPR, and the students started their own LPFM on campus. Some students recognize that internet radio isn't a way to make a living. Ask those who do it.

Well that's encouraging! I hope you can get a few "in the door" and on their way to fame and fortune.
I have no way of knowing if the students were asked as I'm not involved with KSU. My information did come from a staff/faculty member but I don't know how the students were queried for their opinion, if indeed they were.
My guess is that if there was that much demand for access to a radio signal then KSU would be on the air with the LPFM offered to them. The advisors and administrators all understand the student is the customer and they know their customers.
BTW...a "box full" of resumes is hardly a majority. Please read my post again for clarity. Thousands of kids work college radio and, yes, some do want a career in radio but not the majority. Things used to be different.

 

[thegrhof]

This is John Long, CEO and President of the Georgia Radio Hall of Fame and Curator of the Georgia Radio Museum with the facts about WQEZ-FM LP.

Early In the existence of the GRHoF, Rhubarb Jones was on our board and very instrumental in getting us a meeting with the head of the KSU Foundation specifically to discuss how the organization could develop a working relationship with the communications department. The GRHoF offered to apply for a low power FM station and if they I were successful to make it available to the Owl Radio for “real” broadcast use by the students. After the initial meeting, I never heard another word. Rhubarb worked tirelessly on to bring the two entities closer. He obtained financial support for the annual induction event. That support disappeared because of the recent management change. By the way, Rhubarb is still with KSU and is encouraged that their financial support will return under the new leadership.

In the fall of 2014, hoping for a 2nd chance to work with KSU, I applied for an LPFM licenses for Kennesaw. I was encouraged by positive responses from the athletic department who indicated they would love to have an FM as the flagship for their upcoming KSU football program. To our surprise I got the CP in January of 2015.

I contacted Ed Bonza, KSU Director of Student Media. I told him of our past efforts and he was extremely excited about the possibilities. I discussed a broad general arrangement and he took it upstairs. After a few weeks, he told me that they had turned him down. He was very disappointed.

I approached the new mayor of Kennesaw and told him I would like to work with the them to build the station (then WWKG) and never got any response.

In May of 2015, I applied for the WEZM call letters because they are sexier than WWKG and I had been listening to WQEZ-DB (qezradio.com) in Birmingham and liked their music blend. Maybe it’s Steve Goss doing their liners.

Fast forward to June of this year. I didn’t want to lose the CP so I applied for an extension. I got it so now I have until January of 2018 to build it. Last week I woke up in the middle of the night with a thought. I wondered how many cars travel north and south on I-75 and I-575 in the potential coverage area for WEZM-FM. The answer over a million a week. And guess what the time spent listening to radio has got to be at least 30 minutes Monday-Friday. Hence, a Kickstarter campaign. I fortified myself for all the questions about the format stated on the campaign description. Jeff Winter recorded a few bits for me; I produced a small video (because they said it would help) and we’re blazing out way to $50,000.00!

Worst case scenario, I’ll sell the EZ call letters to help pay for the Georgia Radio Museum move in early 2017. Where you ask? Could be metro Atlanta. We’re vetting municipalities who have offered to be our new home.

Questions? [email protected]

 

[TheBigA]

Things used to be different.

Maybe for you. Out of the 125 students who worked at my college FM station, only four ever got work in the business. I'm one of two still in it. Most of them never applied for jobs. The number of students at the station was a fraction of the 50,000 enrolled in the school. That was more than 20 years ago. I find a lot of enthusiasm among students for radio, although their definitions are different. I look forward to the changes they'll bring to the business. They are far more dedicated and motivated that the students I went to school with. I would never have been accepted today to the college from which I graduated.

 

[wavo]

Maybe for you. Out of the 125 students who worked at my college FM station, only four ever got work in the business. I'm one of two still in it. Most of them never applied for jobs. The number of students at the station was a fraction of the 50,000 enrolled in the school. That was more than 20 years ago. I find a lot of enthusiasm among students for radio, although their definitions are different. I look forward to the changes they'll bring to the business. They are far more dedicated and motivated that the students I went to school with. I would never have been accepted today to the college from which I graduated.

I cut my teeth in college and community radio. When I was in school, at least half the staff aspired to work in commercial radio. Many did work in radio, some only a few years, others longer.
My experience is that most modern day kids have no interest in radio. There are exceptions. My kids listen while driving but can't tell you the station name or the jock's name. That is far different then when I was a youngster...EVERYONE knew Cousin Brucie and they knew the station's calls and frequency.
Your experience is different. We can agree to disagree.

 

[wavo]

This is John Long, CEO and President of the Georgia Radio Hall of Fame and Curator of the Georgia Radio Museum with the facts about WQEZ-FM LP.

Early In the existence of the GRHoF, Rhubarb Jones was on our board and very instrumental in getting us a meeting with the head of the KSU Foundation specifically to discuss how the organization could develop a working relationship with the communications department. The GRHoF offered to apply for a low power FM station and if they I were successful to make it available to the Owl Radio for “real” broadcast use by the students. After the initial meeting, I never heard another word. Rhubarb worked tirelessly on to bring the two entities closer. He obtained financial support for the annual induction event. That support disappeared because of the recent management change. By the way, Rhubarb is still with KSU and is encouraged that their financial support will return under the new leadership.

In the fall of 2014, hoping for a 2nd chance to work with KSU, I applied for an LPFM licenses for Kennesaw. I was encouraged by positive responses from the athletic department who indicated they would love to have an FM as the flagship for their upcoming KSU football program. To our surprise I got the CP in January of 2015.

I contacted Ed Bonza, KSU Director of Student Media. I told him of our past efforts and he was extremely excited about the possibilities. I discussed a broad general arrangement and he took it upstairs. After a few weeks, he told me that they had turned him down. He was very disappointed.

I approached the new mayor of Kennesaw and told him I would like to work with the them to build the station (then WWKG) and never got any response.

In May of 2015, I applied for the WEZM call letters because they are sexier than WWKG and I had been listening to WQEZ-DB (qezradio.com) in Birmingham and liked their music blend. Maybe it’s Steve Goss doing their liners.

Fast forward to June of this year. I didn’t want to lose the CP so I applied for an extension. I got it so now I have until January of 2018 to build it. Last week I woke up in the middle of the night with a thought. I wondered how many cars travel north and south on I-75 and I-575 in the potential coverage area for WEZM-FM. The answer over a million a week. And guess what the time spent listening to radio has got to be at least 30 minutes Monday-Friday. Hence, a Kickstarter campaign. I fortified myself for all the questions about the format stated on the campaign description. Jeff Winter recorded a few bits for me; I produced a small video (because they said it would help) and we’re blazing out way to $50,000.00!

Worst case scenario, I’ll sell the EZ call letters to help pay for the Georgia Radio Museum move in early 2017. Where you ask? Could be metro Atlanta. We’re vetting municipalities who have offered to be our new home.

Questions? [email protected]

Thanks for clarifying what happened with KSU. It was another "upstairs" decision and it appears the student body had no say.
You could still run KSU football. High school football and Sunday preaching have made many radio station's payroll.

 

[jabba17]

I'm not sure that "the kids" had a vote in the matter. There are lots of student run stations around the country, including WRAS.

I see what you did there

 

[b-turner]

Not trying to rain on anyone's parade. I think the 'drive through' traffic count is a nice target if you can get that information to those that do. The calls are great but, if the format is to be easy listening as indicated in an earlier post, that would scare me. LPFM is already very limited in coverage and overall audience numbers. To opt for a format reaches such a small group of overall listeners that a full power station reaching many, many more cannot accumulate the needed listeners to be viable, seems like a bad call. I think I'd center on what as many 'drivers' would want and have in common, whatever that might be.

I hope you make it with the funding and create a successful station. You want something that bolster the cause of the non-profit, not a branch of that non-profit that pulls money away.

These comments come from an arm chair quarterback not working with the research you've done. I have, however, seen way too many sincere groups fail to to understand just what they have with an LPFM and make a decision that does not work because of the limited reach of the LPFM.

 

[TheBigA]

Worst case scenario, I’ll sell the EZ call letters to help pay for the Georgia Radio Museum move in early 2017. Where you ask? Could be metro Atlanta. We’re vetting municipalities who have offered to be our new home.

Hi John, thanks for the info.

I think an LPFM would be a great element in the Georgia Radio Museum. You're probably deep in fund raising for that too. I'd suggest to tie those things together in your funding proposals. Donors get visibility in the museum and on air credits. That's how non-coms fund capital projects at their stations. We built studios with a combination of naming rights and on air credit. Once the museum is open, and visitors can see the station, they'll be more likely to contribute. You'll be building membership in the museum, and offer a combined membership in the radio station. I've often said that putting an LPFM in another business spreads the expense, and offers two revenue streams once both are operating. Look to the folks in Seattle, who combined an entertainment center with a non-com radio station (KEXP). They were able to raise $15 million for new studios. Absolutely amazing.

 

[MRFLASHPORT]

Hundreds of thousands automobiles drive through this area every morning and evening. 40-50,000 people live in the coverage area. This signal has possibilities, not as a money maker but as a cume generator. Could those listeners then be translated into underwriting revenue?

With the gridlock that is currently I-75/575 everyday thanks to over population, endless construction, and a taxpayer funded race-to-waste stadium crime zone adding to the traffic problem, it might not be a bad idea to have a station formatted like WQEZ-DB on the air for people to listen to while they take 2 hours to drive 15 miles. May even prevent road rage. Or just go buy an HD radio and get the same music, commercial free, all over the metro area on 98.5HD2.

Seriously, I LOVE the concept, just wonder how it will pan out. Hopefully it will be streamed, that's about the only way for the rest of us south of Kennesaw mountain to even have a chance of hearing it OTA. FWIW, I am picking up a 102.1 out of Athens identifying itself as "Magic 102.1" in my 825ASL low spot in Smyrna on a Bose Wave Radio IV with a wire dipole antenna.