• Get involved.
    We want your input!
    Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.

    After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
    If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.

    After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
    https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/

    Thanks in advance and have fun!
    RadioDiscussions Administrators

I'm Surprised This Isn't a Rumor

T

Towerjunky

Looks like WKDD will be on their new/old site soon. I wonder how well they will do competing with similar formats out of Cleveland. And to find a niche in Akron while competing with 96.5.

However, there is a rather large hole to be filled and WKDD might be the one to do it: WHLO-FM

Consider:
Their new site will cover areas where WHLO's signal is lacking.
Building penetration (downtown).
It will give WNIR fits with their superior signal over Akron.
They would probably pick up listeners in Cleveland.
CC is looking to do this where possible.
It will save $$$.

Don't know if this will happen but it looks like a good business decision.
 
WNIR was a pioneer in FM talk and has held the format for more than a quarter century. Clear Channel doesn't stand a chance of toppling the local talkers with nationally syndicated hosts that can be heard practically anywhere. Keep in mind WHLO already has a strong signal.
 
Going FM talk would be the best move WKDD could make. WNIR only wins because they have no competition. You would not need to put the Becks and Hannity's on. FM talk is a looser more fun format. Keep all the syndicated folks on WHLO and use local talent(bring back Matt Patrick!)on KDD. NIR would fold. They are the first FM talk station in the nation. They are also the worst! Of course this makes to much sense..so it won't happen. :-\
 
Local talk on 98.1 would be ideal but it won't happen. Their AM lineup could do some serious damage if put on FM. WHLO's signal on the north side leaves much to be desired. If you go down Steels-Corner Road west of old route 8 it's unlistenable due to static. I've even heard static while driving on Ghent Road by Summit Mall.
 
NextMedia and WHBC need to consider the same move..moving the AM format to the FM, and then taking their AM and making it an all sports format is the best long term investment they could make.
 
Speaker of Truth said:
NextMedia and WHBC need to consider the same move..moving the AM format to the FM, and then taking their AM and making it an all sports format is the best long term investment they could make.
Click to expand...

Given all the upheaval since switching formats, would it make a difference? Listeners don't usually stick around if they don't know who's going to be on the air from week to week. ::) 1480 is mostly a sports station after 3pm, anyway.
 
I don't think WHBC wants to blow up their FM. It's doing quite well. With Canton being a smaller market, their AM should be able to hold its own,, as long as they don't get a competitor on FM.
 
static_cling said:
Speaker of Truth said:
NextMedia and WHBC need to consider the same move..moving the AM format to the FM, and then taking their AM and making it an all sports format is the best long term investment they could make.
Click to expand...

Given all the upheaval since switching formats, would it make a difference? Listeners don't usually stick around if they don't know who's going to be on the air from week to week. ::) 1480 is mostly a sports station after 3pm, anyway.
Click to expand...

Besides, WHBC is shut out from almost all "top-tier" syndicated talk show talent, excluding Jim Bohannon (Dennis Miller is at best a second or third-tier level host). Again, after 3pm (assuming that Sam B. would stay on an all-sports 1480) how does the FM station fill the 3pm-12am hole? There isn't much to choose from, especially if raiding WCER is the only option.
 
Nathan Obral said:
Besides, WHBC is shut out from almost all "top-tier" syndicated talk show talent, excluding Jim Bohannon (Dennis Miller is at best a second or third-tier level host). Again, after 3pm (assuming that Sam B. would stay on an all-sports 1480) how does the FM station fill the 3pm-12am hole? There isn't much to choose from, especially if raiding WCER is the only option.
Click to expand...

...which begs the question: Why did NextMedia make the switch to talk when it did? I understand the often-cited concerns about an aging audience. The trouble is, it's clear that NM hasn't put a priority on local programming. If we were discussing any other station in Canton, perhaps that wouldn't be an issue. WHBC's bread and butter has historically been local news/information, sports, etc.
Is there any reason to believe that when/if economic conditions favor such a move that NM will, as the saying goes, "spend money to make money"? If not, than using second and third-tier syndicated programming to patch holes in the station's lineup is going to be a tough sell. I sometimes get the impression that much of what has occured at 1480 in recent years has been a case of throwing something against the wall and waiting to see if it sticks. And not waiting very long before waffling, at that. That's my humble opinion.
 
See the other thread...WKDD is now at Bellaire Lane. Much better signal to the north, if posters here/some of our readers are to be believed.

And to further stoke the rumor mill in this thread...WKDD's HD2 is indeed relaying WHLO as of the switch.

Hmm.

Well, I hear/see no sign that 98.1 (primary/HD1) is going to flip to WHLO-FM...so make your own rumors. We're not hearing them here at the OMW World Headquarters(tm).
 
IF WHBC wants to get serious about being a news station again, they need more than 1.25 staffers in the newsroom.











[/quote]
 
X-Nooz said:
IF WHBC wants to get serious about being a news station again, they need more than 1.25 staffers in the newsroom.
Click to expand...
[/quote]

1.25 staffers? I'm surprised 1590 WAKR hasn't capitalized on that. :eek:

:)
 
Bob Bishop=1. Program Director/News Director/Morning Show Co-Host Pam Koch is 0.25, as far as news goes. That's all they've got.
 

1.25 staffers? I'm surprised 1590 WAKR hasn't capitalized on that. :eek:

:)
[/quote]

Who says Rubber City hasn't capitalized on it? Sheer default is enough, isn't it? BTW, is Cal Peters still on staff at WHBC? He used to do weekend news for years, but I hadn't hear him much lately.
 
I don't think Smug Smugsposito views Canton as important to WAKR's news mission; he's probably right.
 
Sour grapes

talkradio1 = Matt Patrick.

EVERY post made by talkradio1 is either about how great of a talk show host Matt Patrick is and/or how bad WKDD is.

If he lacks the creativity of using that as a screen name including postings on the Cincy and Indiana boards, it's no wonder WKDD/WHLO didn't want to keep him.

Sour grapes. Move on.
 
BWAAAAAAAAAAH!! Barry your a funny guy! Never met Matt Patrick..just a fan of his work. I would love to be on the radio! Who are YOU Barry?? Someone from WKDD/WHLO I imagine?? Thanks for the great laugh today!! I'm going to go post on the Cicinnati page! BWAAAAAAH!! :D
 
How do you fill 3pm-12am on an all talk WHBC FM? You move the Indians there..and leave an all sports WHBC-AM to carry ESPN, or the Cavaliers or Ohio State or High School stuff...In the fall, you move the Browns there...and carry the spill over Cavaliers and Ohio State games on the AM..

Once the Tribe is over, you open up a second station for high school football, which can bring in more revenue..while all you need is one guy doing PBP and somebody on the board..where WHBC decided to spend its money was by gutting its news operation, while trying to recreate Monday Night Football every Friday night, with a three man booth and other bells and whistles..

You also save money by not having to deal in music licensing fees..

When no games are on, you find talk talent..there are plenty of people on the beach who could use a gig..and develop another tier of talent for when Ron Ponder and Sam on are vacation or sick..as well as developing their eventual replacements
 
Speaker of Truth said:
..where WHBC decided to spend its money was by gutting its news operation, while trying to recreate Monday Night Football every Friday night, with a three man booth and other bells and whistles..

You also save money by not having to deal in music licensing fees..
Click to expand...

That's all well and good, but how many listeners and ad dollars were lost in the short-term (or long term, for that matter) by swinging the axe so carefree? I don't know how much revenue WHBC was making from news, but one would assume that such drastic cutbacks in the product had to have had an impact on ratings. Is there any reason to believe the boost given to sports, which like local news already had a high profile, has covered any financial losses elsewhere? I'm not blasting NextMedia for doing what it apparently had to do to stay afloat, but am curious as to whether the changes have been successful in attracting the younger listeners and addtional advertisers they seem to want so badly. Anybody in the know?
 
WHBC probably never needed 5 or 6 news people. But 3 or 4 for sure, especially if the morning news reader isn't going to do any significant reporting.
 
Status
This thread has been closed due to inactivity. You can create a new thread to discuss this topic.


Back
Top Bottom