Hearing big voices on LPFMs

[Tube Shortwave]

Not sure if this is the right forum for this, but I hope so.

While listening to a few LPFM's while traveling, I am impressed with the BIG voices some of these little stations manage to land.

The LPFM out of Turlock uses that guy from MIP for their station voice. He does all the big car lots in Modesto. I remember him most on 'Al's Furniture' spots. He's the guy that used to be on KJOY 1280 back in the day 'All hit radio KJOY' and a few others. He has gotten lazy with time, seldom completes sentences before taking a deep breath, but still has big pipes.

Once while traveling down highway 99, I heard KATM's Dave Homes on a station I later found out was unlicensed. They were on 107.7 so it was fine around Ripon but was beat up pretty badly by 'The Bone' out of San Francisco when you got further away.

While cruising highway 99 just the other day, I heard none other than Sacramento's Rockin Rick Shannon on KWLK LP out of Valley Springs!

So how is it that puny little stations land big voice talent? Do LPFM's have magic budgets we never heard about?

 

[Chuck]

So how is it that puny little stations land big voice talent? Do LPFM's have magic budgets we never heard about?

No, the stations usually have no money at all. Sometimes a big name talent will “adopt” the station and do some work for free. These people will do it because they love radio and want to give something back. It turns out there are a lot of really good people who have had careers in radio. Several such folks have certainly helped my station.

Sometimes the stations are actually run by real radio people. They may have moved on to other things, while others, still in broadcasting, are trying to provide a valuable service to their communities. Imagine that. Just because it is low power, nobody said it has to sound like it.

 

[WRPO]

We have three "big voices" on our LPFM. I have been in many major markets and now retired, still manage the LPFM at Indian Lake, Ohio. Two of the other helpers at the stations have also worked at major stations and for the love of radio, they help at the station on a full-time basis. No, LPFM don't have any "magic buttons", just some good people trying to make local radio sound better. Hopefully I can keep going for several more years, providing the "big voice" at our station.

 

[frankh19]

Some of us are lucky to have friends still in the industry, and they are willing to help.

 

[Tube Shortwave]

Hey, that's great!

It is just awful impressive to hear big voices on little stations. Thinking back, I think I even heard Dr. Don Rose on the high school station KVHS in the past... I definately remember hearing Dr. Don Rose doing mornings at KKIS and laughing my butt off. After hearing the Dr. on KFRC for so many years, hearing him on the little KKIS seemed funny to me. Without all the big audio compression and big 610 sound, he sounded just like himself, but smaller. I remember thinking that he sounded just like he does on the telephone now.

Dr. Don- What an awesome human being in so many ways! I miss you, friend. Had lunch with him several months before his passing and talked radio for a couple hours. Seemed like only seconds had passed. I miss him so much. Sorry for the sidetrack...

Anyway, it will be interesting to see how many LPFM's get big voices on them if the FCC opens the floodgates on LPFM apps again. Meanwhile, I will continue to log LPFM's and see how many big voices I can recognise!

 

[educ-engineer]

Yes still some nice radio people who care about the industry.
Have several NYC and Long Island talent that provide liners, ID's and promos for an educ station. Gives the station a Big Sound !