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iheart to launch black information network on WGST

Overall, it is a well-produced, all news radio network but the amount of news stories is rather limited. As a result, it can become boring and repetitive if you listen to it for a long period of time. My suggestion to iHeart is to add more engaging and informative African-American-oriented talk programming to make the station more appealing to listeners. lf you don't add some compelling, informative, and engaging talk programming to the Black Information Network along with the news, then it can cause listener fatigue and they will tune away from it, which will result in its ultimate demise long term.
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You are being very kind with that assessment.

I sampled the programming on a few occasions since launch; it is utter garbage. Zero compelling content. Quick reads of rehashed news headlines that in some cases are days old. There is a clear lack of news gathering resources, and the single topic orientation of the format is destined for failure.

I predict this programming will earn terrible ratings in every market it airs, and I'll also predict the "Black Information Network" won't survive even a full year.
 
MarkW said:
the single topic orientation of the format.
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Wait a minute. Formats are based on single topics. It would be great if talk radio offered the full range of opinion, but you don't get that. Just a single topic orientation. If it works for conservative politics, why not black information? The great attraction of Don Cornelius is he was the black Dick Clark. Who needs Dick Clark when you can have someone like Don Cornelius, who you can relate to.
 
MarkW said:
You are being very kind with that assessment.

I sampled the programming on a few occasions since launch; it is utter garbage. Zero compelling content. Quick reads of rehashed news headlines that in some cases are days old. There is a clear lack of news gathering resources, and the single topic orientation of the format is destined for failure.

I predict this programming will earn terrible ratings in every market it airs, and I'll also predict the "Black Information Network" won't survive even a full year.
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How much would ratings really matter with a network such as BIN? Some of the IHeart stations which were switched to BIN were previously designated as throwaway by RD radio experts, implying that IHeart had nothing to lose, and the revenue seemed guaranteed by the numerous BIN corporate sponsors. So, would ratings really matter?
 
ThePowerCow said:
Did Iheart park the WGST calls somewhere else? Would Salem be interested in putting them back on 920?
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iHeart can't park them because they're still on 640. I'm guessing they're waiting on the license to lapse on that silent station to get WBIN.

Clear Channel did park WPCH (another heritage callsign they dumped) on a station in Macon. Now it's on an iHeart religious daytimer in West Point.

WKLS was picked up by a Class A album rocker near Gadsden not owned by CC/iHeart.
 
MarkW said:
You are being very kind with that assessment.

I sampled the programming on a few occasions since launch; it is utter garbage. Zero compelling content. Quick reads of rehashed news headlines that in some cases are days old. There is a clear lack of news gathering resources, and the single topic orientation of the format is destined for failure.

I predict this programming will earn terrible ratings in every market it airs, and I'll also predict the "Black Information Network" won't survive even a full year.
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I've been hearing a lot of short newsy snippets that remind me of viral news stories, not necessarily old news stories.
 
Wait a minute. Formats are based on single topics.
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You know what I meant - the single topic orientation of the so-called "news" stories.

In markets where significant African American populations exist, there are usually multiple ways to place ad buys to target African American radio listeners. Once the corporate sponsors figure out this national format is a cataclysmic ratings failure and a complete waste of time, the ad dollars will vanish.

Urban One tried a network of news/talk stations many years back; most if not all have long since changed formats. The content on those stations was far superior to what iHM is offering now, and Urban One specializes in African American programming, yet even they couldn't make a go of it.
 
I heard the same story THREE times in a half hour.
Mike Stevens is on there. He was once an anchor for TV46 (in Tribune days).
Haven't heard any $pot$ on there. Not good.
Its hard to launch a national network running 1-800-number spots to make the payroll.
 
iHeart has little to nothing to lose and might make a few dollars. The stations in the network are mainly AM signals that were no longer viable or FM translators. It's a better use of 640 than what was on prior to BIN. This is a time when people are paying attention to racial issues, and those issues are attracting a lot of passion. The network will cost iHeart very little to run. It's worth a try.
 
Part of the problem...

is how many times the spot airs versus the return on a PI spot. You can run a hundred spots and only make $100. Its a commission thing.
Results based advertising. I think Salem's strength is the sales generated by the local stations.
I heard a Lowe's and McDonald's spot today on BIN. Sounded like national spots rather than local spots. So tha'ts a good start.
I hope BIN doesn't become a forum for SJW's.

SO, what happens to Levin, Shapiro, Beck, and Savage? Fodder for a new talk station. 1550 or 1690 anyone?
The could re-brand the station as "the bad boys of talk radio." And maybe throw Jones in there too.
And with 1690's dial position they could re-brand as "the last bastion of Atlanta radio."

I've heard that Blacks don't really like the term "Black" but rather prefer African-American. So, that might be a problem.
 
kf4rca said:
I heard a Lowe's and McDonald's spot today on BIN. Sounded like national spots rather than local spots. So tha'ts a good start.
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Those are two founding sponsors, so yes those are national spots. I imagine the PIs are all local, because there's no sales data available yet for local sales.
 
BIGSTICK said:
Well I prefer European American since I am white...
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I began years ago to fill in "race" blanks on forms with "human" as I found self-classification and categorization to create the opposite of commonality and unification. But then again, where I worked the CEO had some business cards made up for me that said "Agent of Change" instead of "VP of Something or Other". It got a laugh from folks, but it also helped cut through a lot of BS.

And, in true family tradition, one of my daughters got a T-Shirt that said, "Not Latina. Not Hispanic. Just a Person". On the Census where you can check off several "kinds" of Hispanic heritages or fill a blank, she inserted "earthling". I will bet she gets a follow-up call from someone with a sub-zero IQ for clarification.
 
network on WGST cont.

I hope some station will take over call letters as there Georgia radio history almost lost.
 
network on WGST....

Mike I help the new owner of WDOL FM sell there fm transmitter I got $1000. for my help. it was at the am antenna site back then
 
Wgst calls gone

i see that iheart decided to ditch the WGST calls, no sign of them being parked anywhere.
 
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