How Long Does VKO Get a Pass?

[redsfan1966]

Trust me, I admire what Gary Richards, Michael Cole, Mike Alwood, etc. are trying to do at 1580 am WVKO. Trying to satisfy the progressive fans while trying to be "full service". I understand they are a little pebble trying to take on mighty giants in the radio scene. But how much slack are listeners willing to give?? Case in point, VKO promoted on its website days ahead its "Post Super Tuesday" coverage on Wednesday (2/6) at 7:30am.....I figured, what the heck, lets listen to a little local talk opposite Bob Connors....flipped on the old radio to 1580am at 7:30 and heard-----dead air. I kept going back for about a half an hour and kept hearing nothing. So, BC it was. I did flip back at 8:40 on the way to work and finally heard some talk from the progressives...it was ok--so I decided to call in and was "accidently" hung up on three times. Apparently Mr. Alwood was having a hell of a time trying to work the phones.

How long can this kind of ineptitude continue before the plug gets pulled? This is only one example I am bringing up right now--but I have heard many embarrasing glitches and dead air lapses. I really think VKO has to at least for the time being give up on trying to do local talk and just worry about getting its syndicated stars on glitch free...

 

[Allfirdup]

How long can this kind of ineptitude continue before the plug gets pulled?

My guess is till the money runs out, there are still a lot of PSA's running instead of local advertising. that wont change a lot untill some ratings info comes in im sure.

 

[SeanMGilbow]

In spite of the glitches, which are comparable to Clear Channel's negligence of AM 1230 (and Cincinnati's station), WVKO is still further ahead than AM 1230 was in its first two months on the air.

1. There are still more advertisers than AM 1230 had in its first two months.
2. It actually has a local talk show, which is getting both guests and callers.
3. It has local news.

Yes, there are technical issues that still have to be dealt with, and the Jones Radio talkers (Bill Press, Stephanie Miller, Ed Schultz) have been more than supportive. Steph is actually making a visit to Columbus on Saturday, March 1.

To the critics: Keep things in perspective. It is just after 7 p.m. as I write this, and 610 WTVN is now also on auto-pilot, as is the case with WVKO, WYTS and WTDA. No local news will be heard on any Columbus station until 5 a.m. tomorrow.

And Redsfan, I listen to the station all day while I am at work at the Ohio Department of Public Safety. While I do have a radio background, and I have offered my services to Gary as well as my advertising dollars, there is no way I am sacrificing my $42,000-a-year customer service job (matter of public record) to do it.

Further, if anyone recalls what the station sounded like prior to bankruptcy forced it off the air, the on-air presentation is comparable. But the substance has improved big-time, and a cross-section of listeners are calling in from both inside and outside the Outerbelt. And this is without sacrificing WVKO's longtime support of the African-American community. At least a half dozen local businesses are now sponsoring segments celebrating Black History Month narrated by musician Arnett Howard. That's in addition to the Black History Month segments sponsored by the Ohio Democratic Party.

Lastly, listeners are finding the station, as indicated by calls to Mike Cole's show. Many of these listeners are delighted at the fact one Columbus radio station is discussing real issues.

 

[redsfan1966]

Sean,

Good Luck with the Stephanie Miller appearance--I would have hoped station brass would have given more time between the announcement of the appearance and the event itself. I enjoy listening to Steph as I bounce around the dial in the morning. March 1st is only weeks away and far as I can tell, no ticket info has been released. The points you bring up are valid...yes, Clear Channel neglected a format that was performing way above the current 1230 programming (even though I will admit to being a Jim Rome fan). However, I never heard the horrible amounts of dead air, ad spots for other stations (WCPT in Chicago) and butchered breaks and production I have heard from VKO. Not to mention the horrible audio quality that persists on 1580.

I give them props for bringing progressive talk back and and also would like to point out the morning news breaks are well done. I am a listener, not all day, but quite frequently. I just find it very disappointing that the glitches dont seem to be fixed...they just continue....

 

[SeanMGilbow]

Sean,

Good Luck with the Stephanie Miller appearance--I would have hoped station brass would have given more time between the announcement of the appearance and the event itself. I enjoy listening to Steph as I bounce around the dial in the morning. March 1st is only weeks away and far as I can tell, no ticket info has been released. The points you bring up are valid...yes, Clear Channel neglected a format that was performing way above the current 1230 programming (even though I will admit to being a Jim Rome fan). However, I never heard the horrible amounts of dead air, ad spots for other stations (WCPT in Chicago) and butchered breaks and production I have heard from VKO. Not to mention the horrible audio quality that persists on 1580.

I give them props for bringing progressive talk back and and also would like to point out the morning news breaks are well done. I am a listener, not all day, but quite frequently. I just find it very disappointing that the glitches dont seem to be fixed...they just continue....

Forgive me if I sounded a little defensive...actually, quite defensive. I've been continously having to defend my support of this format the last two years. And if I weren't investing advertising dollars into it, I wouldn't be posting here at all.

Be sure to check the message board at www.wvko1580.com for ticket information. A thread on Steph's appearance is posted.

 

[SportsRadioDoc]

Sean,

I respect your passion, your support of the format, and the station as a whole. However, when the listeners expectations do not meet the reality of the actual broadcast the channel will be changed, and alternative listening plans will be made. That is not my opinion, that is just the way it goes. Case in point by redsfan. As you know, "trying" to tune in to WVKO is not the only way to access the programming offered by that station. When you didn't have that option, you indeed found alternate ways to enjoy those shows. There is a level of frustration that both the listener and the advertiser will endure before pulling the plug. When will that point be reached? I don't know, but changes must be made and very, very quickly or even the most loyal will make the switch. I don't care if you're black, white, yellow, brown, or purple, that's the nature of the beast.

 

[heresjohnny]

i must say i've come to admire sean's passionate defense of this format. but it really is a matter of how long their $ holds out. i'm not so enamoured with anything as to give it a free pass. if bored, i move on to something else. but that said i must admit i'm rooting for the folks at 1580, since they're small, struggling and undercapitalized same as it was back when i thought radio was fun and not the greed motivated corporate controlled behemoth that controls the dial today. don't get me wrong, i'm all for profit. but absolute power does not breed innovation.

 

[KFodor]

And, as an "honest conservative", I am supportive of what WVKO is trying to do...

However, as a broadcaster, if there are significant shortcomings to the technical operation of the station which are not resolved in a reasonably quick fashion, people will tune out because they're not getting what was promised when they tuned in.

And that isn't conservative...or liberal...it's good radio.

Excuses don't work very long with an unforgiving public.

 

[xmusicmatt]

I agree nothing against the format but if the technical snafus are not resolved then folks will tune out no matter how loyal they are. Reminds me of the days that 103.1 would have 8khz mono hip hop and was very unlistenable.. no matter how great the product was it was not enjoyable for long periods of time.

I will say I am for what WVKO-AM is trying to do, I hope the little guy is able to pull this off!

 

[enzytebob]

And, as an "honest conservative", I am supportive of what WVKO is trying to do...

However, as a broadcaster, if there are significant shortcomings to the technical operation of the station which are not resolved in a reasonably quick fashion, people will tune out because they're not getting what was promised when they tuned in.

And that isn't conservative...or liberal...it's good radio.

Excuses don't work very long with an unforgiving public.

Even the local shows have that low bandwidth sound to them! I think they're going to figure out relatively quickly why so many commercial stations dumped these shows. The demographics have to stink, and the libs have other options (CNN, CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN), so I doubt you can make money with this format.

 

[cadkins6739]

Well, as I have mentioned on an on-going bassis on this list, the audio quality will never improve because the audio going to the transmitter "stl" is so bad. There is no excuse for the ammount of dead air you hear.

I have also offered my help by email and heard nothing. I think the audio is some of the worst I've heard on AM but, I think this format has such an appeal and they have such a captive audience, if they could stay on the air for god sake, they might have a shot but sooner or latter, the audio will have to improve. If I decide to go in to the restraunt buisness, should I expect the public to support me if I open my restraunt knowing all I have to cook with is a micro-wave???

And, as an "honest conservative", I am supportive of what WVKO is trying to do...

However, as a broadcaster, if there are significant shortcomings to the technical operation of the station which are not resolved in a reasonably quick fashion, people will tune out because they're not getting what was promised when they tuned in.

And that isn't conservative...or liberal...it's good radio.

Excuses don't work very long with an unforgiving public.

Even the local shows have that low bandwidth sound to them! I think they're going to figure out relatively quickly why so many commercial stations dumped these shows. The demographics have to stink, and the libs have other options (CNN, CBS, NBC, ABC, CNN), so I doubt you can make money with this format.

 

[Radioboy989]

I have also offered my help by email and heard nothing.

THAT is the most ponderous part of this whole shebang. You and I and at least one other PROFESSIONAL radio person (that I know of) have offered help only to be ignored. They are looking for volunteers off the street and won't reply to volunteers that know that they are doing? This just makes no sense to me. I recently started working for another broadcaster so I can't help them now, anyway but an acknowlegement of some sort wouldn't have hurt, would it?

 

[Nu_Roo_2]

I have also offered my help by email and heard nothing.

THAT is the most ponderous part of this whole shebang. You and I and at least one other PROFESSIONAL radio person (that I know of) have offered help only to be ignored. They are looking for volunteers off the street and won't reply to volunteers that know that they are doing? This just makes no sense to me. I recently started working for another broadcaster so I can't help them now, anyway but an acknowlegement of some sort wouldn't have hurt, would it?

Maybe you need to buy a ticket to Stephanie Miller.

 

[willcail]

The ticket info for the WVKO Promo is on the front page. I hope you know how hyper-links works. WVKO is doing just fine. They are getting local ads and having local shows. Does low rated WYTS have local show? No. WTDA have one local show. Plus WYTS and WTDA mostly operated on auto pilot and doing poorly in the ratings. Even WTVN is mostly on auto pilot during the weekends. Plus WTVN is loosing listeners as well. Look at Carla she doesn't do her show half the year. Then mostly no one is listen to her anyway.

 

[Radioboy989]

Roo-Don't do it.
I know you want to but don't.
Yes, I read it, but don't.
I will pee, I swear...

 

[SportsRadioDoc]

Can I do it? Please?

 

[Nu_Roo_2]

I'm afraid to ask.

 

[Chuck Douglas]

Oh, SOMEbody do it, please!
I'm too new so I defer to the elders.

 

[willcail]

Well I'm now a semi-pro radio person now. Since I help out WCRS 102.1/983 LPFM. Plus my name is in their operating log book now. Now WCRS does have a FCC lic. so that makes it legit radio station.

 

[jakej]

Don't let any of these other guys bother you, willcail. I think you make a lot of sense. Anyone who dumps on 'YTS and 'TDA is all right by me.