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How would you program CC Delaware's AM stations to bring in more spots

M

MikefromDelaware

If you were the person who got to make the decision as to what to program on CC Delaware's WILM, WDOV, and WWTX what would you program with the obvious goal of bringing in more local spots (they have very few during the day, especially after the AM drive). WDSD seems to have plenty of spots ( I don't listen to TOM-FM so I'm not sure about their spot load) so my guess isthat the two FM's are carrying the three AM's.

I'd probably keep WILM and WDOV as news/talk stations essentially WDOV simulcasting WILM except where a local Dover show might serve that community better. I'd keep the AM drive newsblock on both with WDOV simulcasting as they now do with Phil Feliciangeli adding the local Dover stuff for WDOV's audience. I'd replace John Watson's show with a conservative local talker. I'd simulcast this show also on WDOV and provide a 1 800 number for downstate callers, as WDEL now does for their local talk shows. The mid day report also simulcasted then Limbaugh/Hannity. At 6pm still have the local newsblock and then more conservative talk from the bird.

WWTX- I'd counter WILM's conservative talk format with Lib talk with local lib talker Ted Efaw during morning drive time(6am-9am), then John Watson from 9am -12noon, a noon time local newsblock, then to the bird for more lib talk. At 4pm do a PM newsblock, then at 6pm back to the bird for more lib talk or Blue Rocks, of U of D sports, High School sports, etc.

That's my spin, what's yours
 
I'm no expert, but I'd do something similar with non-political talk on WWTX. I'm still not sold on lib talk, especially on AM radio. I do, however, think that "advice" oriented talk is ready for a comeback.
 
If it can be done in an interesting and entertaining way, I'd agree. One example of a good show that's a similar type show (although not a talk show) is Market Place from American Public Medium aired on WHYY-FM. They make listening to stockmarket news, economic news, etc, which can be a dry subject, very interesting. Good topical format talk shows that's non-political for the most part might also be a great option as well.

I can agree with you Don C, what draws me to some NPR programming and Sports talk via Premeire and Fox Sports on WWTX, and yes interesting advice oriented talk, is I'm very tired of the "political preachers" who dominate our AM talk airwaves today, especially the national talkers. They are angry, they try to get the listener "worked up and upset", etc. There's enough stress in life without some Lib radical or Right wingnut trying to get my blood pressure up over a political point that I really have little to no power to change other than on election day once a year in November.
 
These are three examples why medium market AM radio (particularly in the densely populated Eastern Seaboard) is already past the point of no return. There isn't enough news in Wilmington and Dover to sustain them as news entities, there is no big sports team to build an identity around and even Rush can't carry them. If they were stand-alone operations they would be brokered religious or ethnic. They have proved incapable of drawing an audience, and conventional advertisers aren't going to spend much money with them. I hate to sound cold, but it is what it is.
 
As for WDOV, I've always had this dream that it and other struggling AMs in military towns could form some sort of network, work with the Pentagon, and become sort of civilian Armed Forces radio with news/talk and information of interest to military families. They could pool their limited staffs into one ginormous network of reporters and sell avails to local advertisers in each market.
 
Dear old said, "There isn't enough news in Wilmington and Dover to sustain them as news entities."

Wow! Are you in Heaven? What about police news?? If this is true, What does your newspaper do without news?

I was in a city of 6k - in a county of 25k and there was LOTS of news.
 
Prais said:
Dear old said, "There isn't enough news in Wilmington and Dover to sustain them as news entities."

Wow! Are you in Heaven? What about police news?? If this is true, What does your newspaper do without news?

I was in a city of 6k - in a county of 25k and there was LOTS of news.
Click to expand...

But how much of it will people actually listen to?

Local news is important, but you can't build a station on that alone in a smaller market. Can you imagine a Dover version of 1010 WINS? "Give us 2.2 minutes, we'll give you the world!"

Local news. Advice talk. A little sports. A little politics (maybe even a little local politics). A little tech. Variety. That's what I think the answer is.
 
ok, but you overlooked my question, what does your newspaper do without news?

I can't imagine "a lack of news."
 
WDEL seems to making a go of it with local news and a large in house news team, here in Wilmington. If Wilmingtonians (which includes the entire Wilmington metro area) will sit and watch Action News from Philly pm channel 6 with their "if it bleeds it leads" news stories about Philly, why wouldn't these same Wilmingtonians listen to Delaware news. Same type of news, but from their own neighborhoods rather than in a city in another state. I believe both WDEL and WILM do decently in the ratings for their respective AM drive time newsblocks. Now WDEL has been far more successful in selling that time than WILM, but maybe that has more to do with WILM's sales team than what's being aired during AM drive time on WILM.

Granted, during Rush/Hannity WILM airs mainly PSA's as I can understand why local advertisers don't want their companies name associated with either Limbaugh's or Hannity's show. On the other hand, I believe WDEL's Al Messetti and Rick Jensen's local talk shows get a fair amount of spot load. I listen on a regular basis and it seems, both host's shows are constantly being interrupted for spot breaks that have actual local spots. I've noticed that John Watson's show doesn't do as well, when I've listened to Watson or Ted Efaw filling in for John, I hear far more PSA's than actual local spots. Again, is it Watson's show or a mediocre sales team at WILM.

With the Wilmington area not having a TV news source other than Channel 12's excellent, but only airs once a week news magazine about Delaware "First" that leaves a big hole for immediate local news coverage beyond the Wilmington News Journal, and that's where WDEL and WILM fit in, in my opinion. The question, is how do they fill the other hours of their respective broadcast day after their newsblocks so they can sell as much local spots as possible for an AM radio station.

I think most of us would agree, that music is a no go on AM today other than Nostalgia or Oldies, which pulls in listeners, but advertisers don't want that "older" demo. Talk seems to be a viable alternative that still is surviving for now. The question is what sort of talk would sell well in Wilmington for WILM and WWTX and in Dover for WDOV?

I've suggested lib talk on WWTX and conservative talk on WILM. Don C suggests non-political talk like Kim Kommando for the new and improved WWTX.

If you had that job of trying to make WWTX a viable station what would you do?
 
All very good points, Mike. Though I'm not quite sure why you think that local advertisers wouldn't want to be associated with Rush or Hannity. I know this is a "blue" area, but it's not like this is the KKK we're talking about here.

I totally agree on the local news stuff. There's definitely a market for that, no matter what format fills the rest of the day. As for the liberal talk, I have yet to see that format work anywhere. And airing it just for the sake of balance isn't a way to run a business. Liberal talk has failed everywhere it's been tried. There's obviously no room for any more conservative talk either. We already have way too much of that going on. That leaves non-political. Your example of Kim Kommando is a great start. Clark Howard, Dave Ramsey and Dr. Edell are also good places to anchor the syndicated side. As much as it would never happen on a CC station, I think that a couple of local based variety/advice shows would be good. A local morning show is a must.

Of course none of this would ever happen, but it's nice to dream, right?
 
Move the "news/talk" to 92.9 FM. "Tom" is just not a good station. The am's I would make local talk, local politics. For "DOV" I think I am going to risk it here and say "Country Classics". You might get some good traction out of that format in the rural areas of Kent/Sussex, and the neighboring counties in Maryland. Just a thought as there isn't much you can do with "am" these days.
 
The impression I have gotten over the years from folks at both WDEL and WILM (both have had Rush on their station) was that Rush is a hard show to sell to local advertisers in the Wilmington area. Maybe that's changed, but based on the lack of spots on WILM during Limbaugh's show I'd have to conclude they are correct. I can't get WDOV, but when I've been to the beach WGMD-FM at Rehoboth Beach had plenty of local spots during Rush. Of course Lower Delaware is very Red so I could understand the local advertisers down there wanting their companies name associated with Rush/Hannity. It simply may be that difference of Upper Delaware (above the canal) vs Slower Lower Delaware (below the canal).

Country Classics might be a good choice for WDOV as it's sister station in Dover is WDSD Country Hits. Maybe for TOM-FM, maybe they could do a classic hit format similar to WSOX-FM York PA. It's not quite an oldies format, but plays a good mix and balance of older hits from 60's and 70's with some newer hits of the 80's thrown in without the over emphasis of Motown/Soul that WOGL features.
 
MikefromDelaware said:
I can't get WDOV, but when I've been to the beach WGMD-FM at Rehoboth Beach had plenty of local spots during Rush.
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I was down in Georgetown on Friday, and was quite impressed by the local spots that WGMD plays. They're much higher quality than most stations' local spots, and almost every ad was local. I didn't hear a single "debt consolidation" ad, or any of the normal talk radio ads. I was very impressed.

Is there any chance that the lack of spots on Rush's show on WILM is just due to bad sales staff? Even in a place as blue as Wilmington, the biggest show in the country shouldn't have trouble selling spots.
 
I just thought of something that may be the problem with selling spots on WILM. How does WPHT cume during the mid-day parts in Wilmington?
 
I agree with Old Nr.7 about AM radio being past the point of no return in this area.

It's over.

Regarding not having much news, take a look at the News Journal. Sunday's local news was yet another re-hash of the Lewes doctor. Traffic light cameras. That was it. Add half a column for the crime scene and you have the Sunday paper as far as local news is concerned. I also buy the paper practically every weekday and find zip. Besides the doctor story, of course. Oh yes, I forgot a Sunday story. The Republican candidates going after Mike Castle's seat made bids at an auction.

WGMD having lots of ads is nothing new. That station can get ads for anything. And Rush would be an easy sell in Sussex. But remember: ITS FM!!!!

Regarding the WPHT factor. I listen to Rush on WPHT, then a few minutes of Hannity. When I am driving home and start to lose the WPHT signal in the powerline staic along 495, I switich to WDEL. I will not listen long to WILM because I can't stand the PSA's they run. Green-this and green-that gets boring fast.

WDEL got ratings with Rush, but not much money. WILM is doing worse. I believe WGMD has a better sales staff, but WILM has the nation's top talk hosts and can't sell them.

No really big local news means no really big news station. No big local sports action means no big local sports station.

There is not much CC can do with its stations. I do like the idea of 1410 as classic country, but that is personal taste. It would never bring in much revenue.
 
UncleBozzle said:
Move the "news/talk" to 92.9 FM. "Tom" is just not a good station. The am's I would make local talk, local politics. For "DOV" I think I am going to risk it here and say "Country Classics". You might get some good traction out of that format in the rural areas of Kent/Sussex, and the neighboring counties in Maryland. Just a thought as there isn't much you can do with "am" these days.
Click to expand...

Could not agree more. :D ;)
 
What's to keep at least three out of the four Delaware AMs from continuing to do what they're already doing?

WDEL has become the local-focused news-talk station and is getting respectable ratings. They have a combo sale with their two co-owned FMs.

WILM provides Clear Channel with a place to clear its network programming, including the agreement to clear Fox News on its news/talk stations. (Does anyone else wonder why, while other CC stations in larger markets have had their news departments cut down to nothing, WILM continues with four full-timers and a couple part-timers? Was there an agreement between the Hawkins and CC when the station was sold? Unless something has changed, the Hawkins still own the transmitter and tower site that CC uses for WILM. Do the Hawkins have some right to pull the plug if WILM ceases to provide a certain number of hours of local news programming?)

WDOV: See WILM above. A place for Clear Channel to put its network product.

The Ticket: Maybe they should just turn this station off.

I think in many markets, news and talk will continue to gradually move to FM. However, Wilmington is an under-FM'd market. You have two in-market FMs, and four more signals from Cecil, Salem and Kent counties that don't provide whole market signals. If Wilmington had more FMs, one of the news/talk AMs would move to the FM band, become truly dominant, and the other one would cease to exist as anything but a clearance spot for network shows, if that.

But as long as it's just WSTW, WJBR and the four other less-than-whole market FMs, I don't see that happening.

The death of AM will only be on a market-by-market basis, depending on signals available.
 
radiophiler said:
The Ticket: Maybe they should just turn this station off.
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They should've never dumped that satellite music format. The old AM 1290 was a nice blend of soft AC & standards not heard anywhere else. It wasn't like WPEN, but more like WIP in its music heyday. I think they had decent ratings with it, too. They even found room for a nice local Saturday morning show with Jim Stoddard.
 
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