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Oldies WIAU (GOLD 95.9)/INDIANAPOLIS has released their stable of live jocks and switched to the ABC OLDIES RADIO network. Out in the change are STEVE RICH, DON RILEY and WENDY CARROLL.
Next stop format change as the ratings can't go up with ABC on.
The station is a rimshot signal licensed to Franklin, Indiana. Until it has a signal strong enough to cover Indianapolis, it will never be a factor in the ratings. Even with the Gold format and former 104.5 personalities it didn't show up in the numbers. ABC satellite feed will make no difference except to cut ownership's expenses.
radio2100 said:
Wow! Those poor guys. They were just blown out by the original Gold and now this.
With the signal and coverage issues, that station will always have a problem making it in this market.
From what I understand, the way Don Riley left WASK he wouldn't come back...especially with John Trent in charge...and I don't think Don is stupid enough to work for AMP.
Dr. Don held out quite a while after leaving WASK to join Gold part time....and worked into full time.
That is a terrible shame about that little station...we all knew it was doomed to start...but hoped it would hang on
As I've said on here before, if it's a choice of NOT having a gig or working for somebody willing to hire you even though you're not in love with their management style...you never know until you're in that dilemma.
Enough people (I guess) remember Don from WASK and somebody might decide it's a good "old school" move to put him on The Wolf in some shape or form.
Also, many jocks roll out of town for whatever reason (bailing for a better offer and "the big time") and end up getting hired back for whatever reason ("getting blown out by a bigger market and kissing behind to get back on the air in Lafayette).
I don't hide the fact that I love ABC Oldies Radio...but if I were a listener I would notice that all the air personalities changed and I would change to The Track.
I think they would have been better served to blow everyone out and switch to The Touch (Urban AC) if they were going to switch to an ABC feed.
So I guess all the DJs knew this was coming: the one year anniversary of the station becoming WIAU was two weeks ago. I wouldn't be surprised if they had 1 year contracts, and were attempting to renegotiate when ownership decided they weren't worth the $$$.
At this station and under this ownership I highly doubt that there were any contracts with anyone.
PTBoardOp94 said:
So I guess all the DJs knew this was coming: the one year anniversary of the station becoming WIAU was two weeks ago. I wouldn't be surprised if they had 1 year contracts, and were attempting to renegotiate when ownership decided they weren't worth the $$$.
I don't hide the fact that I love ABC Oldies Radio...but if I were a listener I would notice that all the air personalities changed and I would change to The Track.
I think they would have been better served to blow everyone out and switch to The Touch (Urban AC) if they were going to switch to an ABC feed.
So I guess all the DJs knew this was coming: the one year anniversary of the station becoming WIAU was two weeks ago. I wouldn't be surprised if they had 1 year contracts, and were attempting to renegotiate when ownership decided they weren't worth the $$$.
Let's run through the choices for ABC feeds:
- ABC AC -- would be competing against the Track, but a fairly good choice
- Classic Rock -- Indy has Q95 and WKLU (and according to Steppenwolf, Jack)
- Country Coast-to-Coast -- Already run by WCBK, so it isn't an option
- Hot AC -- Also workable
- Jack FM -- not market-exclusive
- Oldies Radio -- in use
- Real Country -- Hardy-har-har. Real Country is well-produced, but seems best for micromarkets
- Stardust -- Oldies. (well, standards really)
- The Touch -- Topic of discussion
- True Oldies -- Oldies
So, choose between the 3 AC feeds. I kind of arbitrarily picked The Touch. It wouldn't compete with WHHH, granted. I just think choosing something other than oldies would have been a good idea.
Wasn't the old "Kiss 106.7" affiliated with The Touch at one time?
Back to the topic at hand, though. Oldies Radio is a pretty good format. It's definitely improved over the past year as well with new weekenders and it's highly interactive programming. I think Gold 95.9 made a wise decision with which oldies satellite format to go with. It's just too bad that everyone had to get blown out of there. Then again, no one said radio wasn't a heartless business.
yes the old Kiss 106.7 Used the Touch Format when they first flipped from Oldies to Urban ac at 106.7. 1310 and 93,9 at on point used ABC's Old Solid Gold Soul format. I Dont know if Solid Gold Soul Service is steal available or not at ABC. since its been Years since Panche Broadcasting owned 105.7 and 1310 WTLC and had a Breif LMA on 93.9 when Mary Weiss still owned the Station before she sold 93.9 to Susquehanna when 93.9 went to taking over the old 104.5 the Bear format which lead to Gold 104.5 being born in the late 90's
Nope, ABC did away with it's "Classic R&B" (formerly known as "Solid Gold Soul") format about a year or so ago. Toward the end, the network had a lot of specialty shows. It wasn't very pleasant to listen to unless you were big into blues and gospel on top of Motown. ABC also recently dropped their Memories format, which was, more or less, adult contemporary music from the 60s, 70s, and 80s.
Don Riley is in Crawfordsville selling radio now. The management of Gold 95.9 actually had Don setting up the ABC feed and then let him go. Can you imagine how that must have felt?
It's extremely unfortunate what has happened to the staff at Gold 95.9. The staff went from 30 to 7 within weeks. The station is now run by the same people that were there when it was WIJY. A bunch of non-radio people! I spoke to one of the on-air personalities the week after they were let go and it was UGLY! But, Randy Tipmore is sitting back collecting a nice paycheck keeping Jonathan Byrd in the dark about the truth. It's such a shame that so many people's lives have to be disrupted!
The Satellite Dish was on the ABC feed as the stations had network afffiliations with ABC in the past. It may be rusted on the former Satcom C1 azimuth and polarity...
If oldies was doing well based on feel of Gold 104.5 and the familiar jocks chances are it wouldn't have made changes.
Technical upgrades have the station at it's max power as far north as it can go with WFMS and WHHH shortspaced to the facility. WHHH is building a backup near Greenwood at 1300 watts also. New transmitter, good processor, all the pump that can be pumped.
Even great programming, and admittedly the jocks were what made the station sound good because everyone has the same CD's, sales of the product were the key.
Franklin and Greenwood, if Indy is left out..., have a large customer base. Most of the ad agencies were in Indy. Mom and Pop retailers don't spend cash and the large companies do. they put their trust in ad agencies which are hesitant to spend time with a 1 or .6. May not even retrun phone calls.
This may be a band aid on an artery because of cash flow.
Southern Gospel would fit well with the Byrd companies ( c-a-f-e-t-e-r-i-a) and leave ad agencies (and sales) out of the picture. A 24 hour promotion of the restaurant and groups appearing at the restaurant. Dance with who brought ya.
I understand there is a big push for another hispanic FM also. heavy sales needed.
Neither option will bring the cash to pay for the station (overpriced maybe) or the daytime AM with no owned tower field).
If you had 5 million (with debt from two years of operating underperforming facilities, what would you do? How do you make the note? AND how do you pay 30 employees even minimum wage and keep the thing running?
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