Goodbye Nerve, Hello Huge 107.3, Er... I mean Snap 107.3

[Mike Sheridan]

I have to wonder how much of an impact this station will have in its new incarnation.

If you go to radio-locator.com you find that its primary coverage contour barely even touches the southern fringe of Monroe County, and parts of western Monroe County aren't even within the far fringe contour.

This is a true rimshot station that's really only going to impact the southeastern burbs of the metro...and it's a stretch for many of them. If 107.3 had more than 650 watts, or were relocated to Pinnacle Hill or even Baker Hill (possibly doable), or both, it'd probably do better.

Bob, I just looked at the coverage on the FCC website. Why does CC even own this turkey? Seems like the wrong format for the area. The only format I would have done other than what they were doing would be COUNTRY! Not Rythmic A/C all that thumpin' gets the cows upset!

 

[JakeLongwell]

I have to disagree with Mike. If there's one thing the Finger Lakes area doesn't need, it's another country station! In addition to WBEE, most people in that area can hear stations such as WBBS, WFLK, WUUF, WQNY, and WFLR-FM. There's plenty of twang to go around...
What they should do is bring back the smooth jazz/NAC format that was on 107.3 when it first signed on ten years ago. That's one format that is missing from the Finger Lakes radio dial that I think would have some appeal. No, it won't ever be number one in the ratings, but I think it could still be "sold."

 

[Mike Sheridan]

Thanks for the correction. I didn't know the other stations had an impact there other than WBEE.

I like Smooth Jazz but it rarely seems to deliver the numbers that the big groups are happy with. Thank goodness there are some exceptions to that. WLVE Miami has been sucessful with the format for years, so has KKSF San Francisco, both owned by CC. The thing is they were both Smooth Jazz before CC bought them.

 

[anoldguy]

I have a revolutionary idea what Clear Channel can do with 107.3 WNVE. Since the station has signal limits and will never have an impact on Monroe County, and be much of a revenue producer for C.C., maybe they could sell it to some local interests. Then the local people could could take the station and program it to serve the people of Southern Ontario & Livingston Counties and make a decent profit. Naw, fairy tales never come true.

 

[JustPastBuffalo]

107.3 and Local Radio

I have a revolutionary idea what Clear Channel can do with 107.3 WNVE. Since the station has signal limits and will never have an impact on Monroe County, and be much of a revenue producer for C.C., maybe they could sell it to some local interests. Then the local people could could take the station and program it to serve the people of Southern Ontario & Livingston Counties and make a decent profit. Naw, fairy tales never come true.

Despite the fact that I've enjoyed the benefits of working in Buffalo for many years, I truly like and appreciate small market radio. Whenever I take a road trip through Rochester, Syracuse or Albany, I make it a point to listen to AM radio to hear what the "locals" are doing.

So whether it's Lockport and WLVL (where I worked many years ago and consulted a few years back), Brockport, Springville, Dunkirk, Batavia, Oneida, Little Falls, Amsterdam and points in between, I like to hear local talent and features and listening to the stations because they offer a glimpse of what's going on in those (smaller) communities. About a month ago, I spent the day in Livingston county, enjoying some quiet time in Pifford at the Abbey of the Genesee, visiting Geneseo and having dinner at one of the landmark restaurant on Route 5.

Through much of the day, I listened to WYSL, Avon and was impressed by how smoothly everything worked, but moreso by the number of clients on the air (including, ahem, an adult book and movie store) the production, news and the content of the station. Oh yeah, and it's cool to hear those call letters again... to think so many years ago they used to drop from my mouth every three and a half minutes.

I also listened to WCJW, Warsaw; WBTA, Batavia and for a short while, WDNY Dansville and WACK Newark. I was scoping mostly the AM band just to hear what was going on and yes, I listened to "the big boys" like WHAM, WGR and WBEN as well, if nothing more than to check out their signal strength.

One of the things that still fascinates me is "how far the signal gets out." If you've ever had the pleasure of working on a big signal AM like WGR or WKBW, you know the thrill (in most cases) of getting a call from a listener in Cleveland or North Carolina. And it's much the same for a station like WLVL, where a few years ago, I was listening to Tradio while in Batavia and quite coincidentally, a caller was on the air hawking a set of chisels... where was he calling from? Batavia! A few years ago, I was on the Dunkirk waterfront and WJJL was coming in like a local. (Hmmmm... wonder if the transmitter-on-steroid-power had anything to do with that?)

It's still the same today as I work middays at WHTT, I enjoy getting an occasional call from listeners in Fredonia, LeRoy or Batavia and conversing with them about their towns. It's not North Carolina or Cleveland, but it's a kick to hear the reaction of a listener/caller from Batavia when I mention that "Main Street is looking pretty good these days, but that project sure took a while..." The response is usually "How the do you know what's going on in Batavia... you're in Buffalo?!" Well, because I've been there and looked around.

Radio is a great medium, especially when it connects with listeners... and there are so many (legitimate) ways to make that connection.

I've listened WBKX Fredonia in Orchard Park. Heard WLVL, Lockport clearly on Route 63, south of Batavia, which I thought was pretty impresive. I've heard WBTA fairly well right up to the Williamsville tollbooths. Keep in mind this is daytime AM listening. I realize that after sunset, the AM band sounds like an Osterizer.

Small town radio still fascinates, entertains an informs, whether it's WHDL Olean or WTNY Watertown and guys like me still enjoy hearing good, entertaining, informative and well-produced radio, whether it's on AM or FM, no matter if it's from the city or the 'burbs.

107.3 WOULD be an outstanding local service FM for Livingston and Ontario counties, yet I agree the chances of that ever happening again are slim. It's too bad that to return it to its localism would cost a ridiculous amount of mony. Few small town operators have that kind of cash.

Jim Pastrick

 

[Mike Sheridan]

Wow Jim we have never met but your post was like you were reading my mind and I could not have said it better.

Isn't it funny when most of us started out we wanted to go to the big time, we all wanted to work at WABC and be in that rarified air...the BIG time! Now I'd love to work in Batavia and connect with the people, making friends, reaching out.

I did get a taste of the big time. Sat on the 50,000 watt blowtorch known as WBT. The station was heard from Montreal to Miami at night, I had an oldies show. It was heaven for someone my age...no playlist!

 

[JustPastBuffalo]

Wow Jim we have never met but your post was like you were reading my mind and I could not have said it better.

Isn't it funny when most of us started out we wanted to go to the big time, we all wanted to work at WABC and be in that rarified air...the BIG time! Now I'd love to work in Batavia and connect with the people, making friends, reaching out.

I did get a taste of the big time. Sat on the 50,000 watt blowtorch known as WBT. The station was heard from Montreal to Miami at night, I had an oldies show. It was heaven for someone my age...no playlist!

No playlist!!! Survey says... BONUS! That must have been a trip, Mike!

WBT is most definitely one of the legendary "big time" stations and one of the many stations I enjoyed DX-ing, especially when 1100 WWWE (now WTAM) wasn't eating it up on the lower side or 1120 KMOX wasn't killing it on the upper side. But if the ferrite antenna was angled jusssssssst right, BINGO! It usually came in well on the car radio too.

Small market radio, as noted, is very interesting and can be stimulating. But just in case my bosses are perusing this thread, I enjoy the stimulation and rewards of working in Buffalo.

 

[SirRoxalot]

Hey, Jim, don't worry.

If the morons running NY, Erie County, Buffalo, and the multiple layers of local government don't get their act together, you could end up in Buffalo, and in a small market at the same time...

 

[Mike Sheridan]

Hey, Jim, don't worry.

If the morons running NY, Erie County, Buffalo, and the multiple layers of local government don't get their act together, you could end up in Buffalo, and in a small market at the same time...

Sad but true, hey there may be a chance for this local boy to return home yet! I never worked in Buffalo, always wanted to. I saw two guys I worked with go to Buffalo. One was Charlie Warren who did a brief stint at WBEN on the way to Pittsburgh and the other was Dan Kelley, he worked at KB and some other stations in the Queen City of the lakes.

Yes, no playlist on the WBT "After Hours Oldies Show". It was fun and the PD loved my mix of music. I've always had the knack for knowing what fits. Alas Larry King came in and that pushed me to weekends but I still had fun!

Much of my early musical education came from all the great Buffalo radio stations.

 

[JakeLongwell]

It's interesting how a thread on this board can start off on one topic, and make a complete 360 by the time all is said and done.

I too love small town radio. It was that kind of radio that inspired me to get into the business in the first place. Of course, had I known what the 21st century had in store for radio, well, I might have thought twice about it.

The only criticism I have with some (though certainly not all) small market stations is their reliance on satellite radio programming. So many stations that were all live and local 20, 15, or even 10 years ago are now almost completely automated, with the exception of a live morning show, local news inserts at noon and 5:00 pm, and maybe a play by play of the local HS football and basketball teams.

Granted, this isn't the 1970s or 1980s anymore. And so I suppose it could be argued that it just isn't practical to have live local personalites on the air in all dayparts anymore. But, at the same time, if a station is going to just plug into the Jones or Westwood One program feed of its choice, then does it really matter if the owner of said station is right in the community? Personally, I'm not sure that it does matter.

I suppose I should be greatful to the small market owners who hang on to their stations, even if they do get much of their programming "off the bird." At least that way, you get SOME local community service. Though certainly not nearly as much as you did all those years ago in the "glory days" of local radio.

 

[ScabbaRanker]

I would kill to have this station back. Or at least one that has the same kind of playlist.

I'm dying to know "the announcer's" name. You know, the guy that said "107-3, The Nerve.... ROCKS", and "107-3 The Nerve breaks new rock from (Tool - Vicarious). Always breaking new rock first; 107-3 The Nerve.... ROCKS!"

Who is that? IMO that was the best and most missed part of The Nerve. I would really like to know his name.


Anyone have any clue?

 

[ScabbaRanker]

*Bumpay*