In today's Charlotte Perverter ;D there is a big write up on Danny's plans for the station in Kings Mountain, including the return of Jon Robinson and Liz Luke to the Charlotte airwaves!
http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/business/16165827.htm
Here is the text of the story just in case the link dies in the future like so many newspaper links do:
'WHAT DO YOU THINK?'
New station to hit Charlotte radio
WDYT-AM wants to fill niche with upbeat talk
MARK WASHBURN
TV/Radio Writer
WDYT-AM (1220), owned by broadcast veteran Danny Fontana's CRN Communications, has filed with the Federal Communications Commission for a new tower site north of U.S. 321 and Interstate 85 outside of Gastonia and a power increase that would throw its signal throughout much of the metro area.
Shifting from its present location in Kings Mountain, the station's new transmitter would increase from 1,000 to 25,000 watts during the day.
"Barring complications with the FCC, we should be up in the first quarter of next year," said Casey Shannon, executive vice president of CRN.
Longtime Charlotte broadcasters Jon Robinson and Liz Luke have been paired as morning hosts on WDYT, whose call letters stand for "What Do You Think?"
Robinson is a former co-host of the "Charlotte Morning News" show on WBT-AM (1110) and was an anchor and reporter at WBTV (Channel 3). Luke is the former morning newscaster for the "Shafer and the Eggman" show on the old WWMG-FM "Magic" and was a reporter for Clear Channel's five-station Charlotte cluster until October.
Their show, "Think Mornings," is already broadcast from 6 to 9 a.m. on WDYT, which is mostly audible in Gaston and Cleveland counties from its current transmitter. A traditional morning news and talk show with an optimistic bent, it is part of a new talent lineup that WDYT executives plan to roll out in coming weeks.
Michael Haun, the guitar-strumming traffic reporter on "Fox News Rising" on WCCB-TV (Channel 18) in 2004, is being scheduled for an hourlong talk show at 9 a.m.
Fontana will do a 60-minute financial advice show called "Lunch Money" at noon and serve as afternoon drive personality 3 to 6 p.m. weekdays.
Shannon said the station is pursuing a news affiliation with Fox News radio network and hopes to land some of its syndicated shows.
An upbeat approach
He said the philosophy of WDYT would be to "reach back out to Charlotte and shine a spotlight on people and organizations who lift people up.""People on talk radio sit around and moan and groan, but never get into solutions," said Robinson. "Our mission with the morning show is to get people to think and more importantly to act."
While religion and spiritual topics are part of the menu, it's not meant to be a preachy program, said Luke, comparing it more to the lifestyle talk on the old "Magic."
"It's not a Christian show -- it's news of the day and compelling, provocative talk and humor," she said. "We're not filthy but we will do adult humor that makes you think. Your kids can listen to it in the car."
WDYT is operated by CRN, a sister company to Charis Radio Network, which syndicates the Bill Rosinski sports show and Fontana's radio show (now on WDYT 1 to 3 p.m. weekdays). Fontana's show is also broadcast on the iLifeTV cable channel, one of the Charlotte-based Inspiration religious networks. Broadcasts for WDYT originate from CRN's uptown streetfront studios at Fourth and College streets.
Carving out a niche
Bringing WDYT's signal to Charlotte would be the first major move-in of an out-of-town station since Radio One brought WPZS-FM ("Praise" 100.9) to the metro from Albemarle in 2004.
CRN closed the deal for WDYT, formerly WKMT-AM, in April. It paid $950,000 for the station, owned by Geddings & Phillips Broadcasting, controlled by Kevin and Kristine Geddings.
Competition is formidable in the Charlotte radio market. On the AM dial, WBT dominates listenership with its 50,000-watt voice.
Shannon said that trying to go head-to-head with WBT would be suicide. Instead, the station hopes to carve out a niche in the growing market as an alternative talk station aimed at the 25-and-older market. He plans a major marketing campaign to introduce the station when the signal is strengthened.
Promotion will be key
Promotion and content are the keys with such a venture, said media buyer Doug Thomas of Charlotte's Thomas Communications. He said he would probably wait to see ratings before buying ad time for his clients, although some shows would be attractive on their name alone.
"There's a lot of good syndicated conservative talk programs out there they could pick up," he said. "If they came on with Sean Hannity, I'd buy that before they'd even put it on the air."
WDYT's signal increase would bring it to most corners of Mecklenburg and surrounding counties by day. But it would have to reduce power between sunset and sunrise to 106 watts to avoid conflicting with other stations, handicapping its broadcast day in winter. After the proposed power upgrade is approved, Shannon said, the station plans to apply for a nighttime power increase.
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Mark Washburn: 704-358-5007; [email protected]
http://www.charlotte.com/mld/charlotte/business/16165827.htm
Here is the text of the story just in case the link dies in the future like so many newspaper links do:
'WHAT DO YOU THINK?'
New station to hit Charlotte radio
WDYT-AM wants to fill niche with upbeat talk
MARK WASHBURN
TV/Radio Writer
WDYT-AM (1220), owned by broadcast veteran Danny Fontana's CRN Communications, has filed with the Federal Communications Commission for a new tower site north of U.S. 321 and Interstate 85 outside of Gastonia and a power increase that would throw its signal throughout much of the metro area.
Shifting from its present location in Kings Mountain, the station's new transmitter would increase from 1,000 to 25,000 watts during the day.
"Barring complications with the FCC, we should be up in the first quarter of next year," said Casey Shannon, executive vice president of CRN.
Longtime Charlotte broadcasters Jon Robinson and Liz Luke have been paired as morning hosts on WDYT, whose call letters stand for "What Do You Think?"
Robinson is a former co-host of the "Charlotte Morning News" show on WBT-AM (1110) and was an anchor and reporter at WBTV (Channel 3). Luke is the former morning newscaster for the "Shafer and the Eggman" show on the old WWMG-FM "Magic" and was a reporter for Clear Channel's five-station Charlotte cluster until October.
Their show, "Think Mornings," is already broadcast from 6 to 9 a.m. on WDYT, which is mostly audible in Gaston and Cleveland counties from its current transmitter. A traditional morning news and talk show with an optimistic bent, it is part of a new talent lineup that WDYT executives plan to roll out in coming weeks.
Michael Haun, the guitar-strumming traffic reporter on "Fox News Rising" on WCCB-TV (Channel 18) in 2004, is being scheduled for an hourlong talk show at 9 a.m.
Fontana will do a 60-minute financial advice show called "Lunch Money" at noon and serve as afternoon drive personality 3 to 6 p.m. weekdays.
Shannon said the station is pursuing a news affiliation with Fox News radio network and hopes to land some of its syndicated shows.
An upbeat approach
He said the philosophy of WDYT would be to "reach back out to Charlotte and shine a spotlight on people and organizations who lift people up.""People on talk radio sit around and moan and groan, but never get into solutions," said Robinson. "Our mission with the morning show is to get people to think and more importantly to act."
While religion and spiritual topics are part of the menu, it's not meant to be a preachy program, said Luke, comparing it more to the lifestyle talk on the old "Magic."
"It's not a Christian show -- it's news of the day and compelling, provocative talk and humor," she said. "We're not filthy but we will do adult humor that makes you think. Your kids can listen to it in the car."
WDYT is operated by CRN, a sister company to Charis Radio Network, which syndicates the Bill Rosinski sports show and Fontana's radio show (now on WDYT 1 to 3 p.m. weekdays). Fontana's show is also broadcast on the iLifeTV cable channel, one of the Charlotte-based Inspiration religious networks. Broadcasts for WDYT originate from CRN's uptown streetfront studios at Fourth and College streets.
Carving out a niche
Bringing WDYT's signal to Charlotte would be the first major move-in of an out-of-town station since Radio One brought WPZS-FM ("Praise" 100.9) to the metro from Albemarle in 2004.
CRN closed the deal for WDYT, formerly WKMT-AM, in April. It paid $950,000 for the station, owned by Geddings & Phillips Broadcasting, controlled by Kevin and Kristine Geddings.
Competition is formidable in the Charlotte radio market. On the AM dial, WBT dominates listenership with its 50,000-watt voice.
Shannon said that trying to go head-to-head with WBT would be suicide. Instead, the station hopes to carve out a niche in the growing market as an alternative talk station aimed at the 25-and-older market. He plans a major marketing campaign to introduce the station when the signal is strengthened.
Promotion will be key
Promotion and content are the keys with such a venture, said media buyer Doug Thomas of Charlotte's Thomas Communications. He said he would probably wait to see ratings before buying ad time for his clients, although some shows would be attractive on their name alone.
"There's a lot of good syndicated conservative talk programs out there they could pick up," he said. "If they came on with Sean Hannity, I'd buy that before they'd even put it on the air."
WDYT's signal increase would bring it to most corners of Mecklenburg and surrounding counties by day. But it would have to reduce power between sunset and sunrise to 106 watts to avoid conflicting with other stations, handicapping its broadcast day in winter. After the proposed power upgrade is approved, Shannon said, the station plans to apply for a nighttime power increase.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mark Washburn: 704-358-5007; [email protected]