IS TERRESTRIAL RADIO DYING IN NASHVILLE?????

[scottwmro]

I got a chance to go out last night, and my wife and I stop in at Rafferty's at Rivergate to eat. As we were seated, I noticed the music sounded good, but as I listen more, I noticed all the titles of the songs were original 70's hits, and then I heard a jock do a short break. He mentioned something about the best of the 70's, all night long. At first, I thought a station here in the market had changed format, then it dong on me it was an XM Format.

I asked the waitress about it, and she was very educated about XM vs. old terrestrial radio. She told me that during the day, the XM receiver was tune to their 60's Oldies Channel, then about 4 PM, it switched to the 70's channel, and as the night went on, the receiver was changed to more Adult AC Hits of Today.

Our waitress went on to tell me the reason that they and other restaurants are playing XM, instead of terrestrial radio is because of no spots, better variety, and she said in her own opinion, all the FM stations in Nashville stink and who listens to them anymore. She went on to say that she has XM in her car. She went on to tell me nobody listens to FM radio anymore.

I told her I owned a local AM station in Gallatin. She quickly pointed out to me she couldn’t figure out why they still put AM on car radios, she said in her words, and I quote “Nobody knows what it is and could careless.

This morning, I went into a Great Clips store to get my hair cut. The music playing in the shop was from an XM receiver tuned to the 80's oldies channel. I’m now even going down the road on Highway 386 from Gallatin to Rivergate and seeing small indoor, mounted antennas in cars attached to an XM receiver that has an FM Modulator on it so the listener can hear the XM Channels on their care radio.

I know most of you on these boards are working inside the industry or trying to get in the industry. Tell me I’m wrong, but I have this gut feeling that XM is going to wipe out terrestrial radio in our lifetime. I also read somewhere the other day that there is a satellite receiver that will receive internet stations.

I feel the NAB and Congress has screwed around with IBOC so much that the other forms of media have an outlet to reach terrestrial listeners. To me, FM IBOC is not that great, I can’t tell much difference in quality, as far as music goes, until you get to the outer boundaries of the FM signal.

Do some of you feel terrestrial radio (and I mean FM) is sitting on the sunset, ready to die like AM did in the mid to late 70’s. If programming doesn’t get any better on Nashville’s FM airwaves, stop changing formats like a freaky woman changes clothes, they might as well hang it up. XM will have them beat, along with mp3, ipods, portable internet radios, etc.

 

[romer979fm]

XM/Sirius is a great product: however they need to come up
with boatloads of cash...fast...to stay afloat...IIRC next note due is $400 mil
(and they have about $186 mil available). could get messy.

 

[firepoint525]

One reason why some establishments that you may visit don't play local radio stations over their sound systems is because they don't want you to hear commercials, particularly commercials for their competition! You are hit with advertising all the time whether you realize it or not, and your dining (or whatever) experience should be free of advertising.

I have an interesting experience of my own, which takes on more significance in light of what has happened in recent years. The year I lived in Clarksville (1992), I got my hair cut at a Fantastic Sam's there. This was on either Christmas Eve or Christmas Eve Eve (December 23rd). They had a boom box in there, and they were listening to Garth Brooks' No Fences CD. My hair cutter told me that it was because they were all sick to death of Christmas music! (And keep in mind this was back before stations started playing wall-to-wall Christmas music from Thanksgiving until Christmas! )

 

[scottwmro]

One reason why some establishments that you may visit don't play local radio stations over their sound systems is because they don't want you to hear commercials, particularly commercials for their competition! You are hit with advertising all the time whether you realize it or not, and your dining (or whatever) experience should be free of advertising.

I have an interesting experience of my own, which takes on more significance in light of what has happened in recent years. The year I lived in Clarksville (1992), I got my hair cut at a Fantastic Sam's there. This was on either Christmas Eve or Christmas Eve Eve (December 23rd). They had a boom box in there, and they were listening to Garth Brooks' No Fences CD. My hair cutter told me that it was because they were all sick to death of Christmas music! (And keep in mind this was back before stations started playing wall-to-wall Christmas music from Thanksgiving until Christmas! )

You lived in Clarksville! I was born in Clarksville! My cousin, Johnny Bailey had ownership in 1400 WJZM, with Charlie Malone in the 60's to about 1990. Johnny passed away around 1995 or 96. Today, WJZM looks like a disaster area, but that's another show.

THis sort of reminds me of the days of Muz-ack. I recall the music service, but not fully aware of how the stores got the feeds. Later on I found out, but not sure if it was some FM's station's SCA channel. Yes, you're right, we don't want to play "Logan's" Spots in Rafferty's!

 

[aeulgr1]

I have access to both satellite and terrestrial radio and I listen to both. And I've been in the business since 1975. It's just a personal opinion but I think "regular" radio is struggling because of its fear or unwillingness to be different, to compete. There are no less than 10 country stations within my listening range. There could just as well be three because you can't tell one from the other. They all sound just alike, play the same songs, etc. "Well, they say, you've got to play what sells. You've got to do what the competition does, what the consultants say you should do." Not so, I say. If the experts are so smart, why is everybody struggling? Personality made radio. It, for the most part, has lost that. Jack and Jill for three hours in the morning and that's about it. Switch over to the feed, turn out the lights and send everybody home. "Well, they say, we can't afford to do differently. Can't afford to hire people. Can't do this. Can't do that. We have to run the business conservatively." Quick sports analogy: You never start playing consevatively unless you're ahead or until you're close enough to the end of the game to be satisfied with protecting your lead. Maybe "regular" radio has seen it's better days. If you can't play to win, there's really no need to play unless you're just doing it for fun. How many are in that category? I love the radio business but we've got to get away from this can't do attitude or I'm afraid it may get to the point where 7 of those 10 I mentioned earlier are gone. Who needs em? Three is enough.

 

[Journeyman]

It isn't dying. It's dead. It died of negelect when it became possible to own handsfull of stations in one market. I used to want to better than you so I could could have higher numbers, sell more airtime and make more money. Now, as a corporation, selling in combo, I can give you a ten share with five twos. Plus, somwhere in the late '90's, corporations stopped being about how much money thay made, to caring more about how much they didn't spend. Rdio RIP. What's next?

 

[olebud]

Journey.....

Rdio RIP. What's next?

Radio Sex??????

 

[TheBigA]

I think "regular" radio is struggling because of its fear or unwillingness to be different, to compete. There are no less than 10 country stations within my listening range. There could just as well be three because you can't tell one from the other. They all sound just alike, play the same songs, etc.

That's what competition means. Ten stations all playing the same songs, competing for the one big audience, rather than trying for the fringes. If all ten stations were owned by the same company, just as Sirius owns all its channels, then you'd get ten different stations. But as long as each station is owned by a different company, they'll all try to be #1, and no one will aim for the fringe.

That's also the difference between ad-driven media vs. subscription media. Advertisers are only interested in the big audiences. Not the fringes. Subscription programs to all the styles in order to attract subscriptions.

The problem now is that people don't want to have to pay for things. So subscription media is in trouble.

But it's not fear or unwillingness to compete. The drive to compete and win has led to sameness in radio. And let's face it...more people want sameness than want differences. Which is why McDonalds is more popular than sushi.

 

[TheBigA]

I used to want to better than you so I could could have higher numbers, sell more airtime and make more money. Now, as a corporation, selling in combo, I can give you a ten share with five twos.

In between those two things, something else happened. The FCC expanded the number of radio stations in markets. Once Nashville had less than a dozen radio stations. You had a couple with big ratings, and the rest in the basement. Then all of a sudden, there were more than 30 radio stations in the area. All of a sudden, no one was getting the big double-digit ratings any more. AM was dying. The rules said you could only own two stations in a market, but two stations in a market out of 35 meant you only got a 9 share (if you combined the AM & FM.)

So the rules where changed where you could now combine the ratings of several FMs with an AM, and the total share was about what WLAC used to get in the 60s.

 

[scottwmro]

I have access to both satellite and terrestrial radio and I listen to both. And I've been in the business since 1975. It's just a personal opinion but I think "regular" radio is struggling because of its fear or unwillingness to be different, to compete. There are no less than 10 country stations within my listening range. There could just as well be three because you can't tell one from the other. They all sound just alike, play the same songs, etc. "Well, they say, you've got to play what sells. You've got to do what the competition does, what the consultants say you should do." Not so, I say. If the experts are so smart, why is everybody struggling? Personality made radio. It, for the most part, has lost that. Jack and Jill for three hours in the morning and that's about it. Switch over to the feed, turn out the lights and send everybody home. "Well, they say, we can't afford to do differently. Can't afford to hire people. Can't do this. Can't do that. We have to run the business conservatively." Quick sports analogy: You never start playing consevatively unless you're ahead or until you're close enough to the end of the game to be satisfied with protecting your lead. Maybe "regular" radio has seen it's better days. If you can't play to win, there's really no need to play unless you're just doing it for fun. How many are in that category? I love the radio business but we've got to get away from this can't do attitude or I'm afraid it may get to the point where 7 of those 10 I mentioned earlier are gone. Who needs em? Three is enough.

Sundown,

I learned very quickly that my little 1000 watt, daytimer wasn't going to set the world on fire.

First: I was playing an 60's-early 70's format. At the time, I found out nobody was listening, nobody cared. At the time, (and I guess still do, according to some stupid people) compete against a 5 KW station in the same town my station is in, that has been here way longer than I have. Heck, that other station went on when my mother was only 8 years old!

Second: Nashville had an "60's/early 70's station going strong, but now is gone. Now even if I went back to my old format, it would not increase business, and it would draw just maybe a listener or two. The college radio station here in town took my old format, and they are doing better with it, fully automated.

Third: My signal stinks: 1000 watts day, and almost none at night. If I stay on with my nighttime power, I could see my tower if it had lights on it, but I can't get it due to all the interference on the channel. Daytime, I can't even get a power increase if I wanted, and it would be just a waste of electricity, nobody is listening. The 1 acre of land my station sits on is worth more than the station itself!


So, I just have fun with it, it plays a Hot AC/Rock format, and I've take the attitude that I don't care who in Gallatin thinks about it. Guess what? I ended up make a little more money, have fun listening to it, and the station is paid for. I don't owe anybody but yearly taxes and montly utilities. It's unique because there are only 4 AM stations in the U.S. doing "Hot AC" on the AM dial. I didn't want to be the typical "hometown station" playing Country, Southern Gospel, News/Talk, Oldies Music that is older than me (I'm 45). I just let it play the current Top 40 Adult Hits, with NO RAP! (HA!)

One person on this board stirred me the right way, he does some work for the other station here in town, and he was right. Just have fun with it, let it run like an mp3 player, play what you want, and don't worry about what others think. He is older and wiser than me, and when he stirred me to go this way, less stress, and more fun! He was truly right! To give a clue to who he is, his voice on the air reminds me of Lyle Dean, the best newsman has at WLS in Chicago, when it was a Rock Station.

In the past 20 years, since 1989, I've seen many folks buy a small AM station, hire a full time staff, and coming in thinking they are going to set the world on fire, BEING LIVE, PAYING EXPENSIVE AIR TALENT, with a hot classic and current country music. THEN, all of the sudden, reality sets in! They are in debt up to their butts, and end up owing D.J.'s (their former live talent), owing the bank, back taxes, etc., then they are gone.

*Thank Goodness I'm now where near that shape. I just let the my little AM, Rock On, and make me happy until I die. Yea, it may be satellite automated (ABC's "Hot AC" Format) with just me, and my part time salesguy adding local content to make some folks around here happy, but that's about all the little station can do.

Since there are so many options out there for listeners, like XM, ipods, etc., I guess corporate has sat the world on fire, but with over 200 thousand or more that have lost their jobs in "08", is this a sign that the big boy's flame is about to "crash & burn out"?

 

[Goat Rodeo Cowboy]

Scott... when I saw the subject line for this thread, I thought you were going to make a case that NASHVILLE had a problem of dying stations that maybe was not a problem elsewhere... but in reading your messages along with the others that is not what you are saying.

It could be Nashville, it could be Asheville. It could be Kalamazoo, it could be Kokomo. You are describing the dilemma that faces broadcasters, that faces listeners, that faces advertisers nationwide. What do I do? Can I help solve the problem? Will I still have my station in five years? Will I be listening in five years? Will I be able to buy advertising in five years?

What I dislike is seeing so many despondent people. Station operators. Listeners. Hobbyists and enthusiasts. So much despair. So little optimism.

But Scott, the good news is that YOU seem to somewhat be at peace with where you are and what you are doing. I think that is an emotion, a state-of-mind that many station operators have not found.

 

[jetfli]

Yes, it is correct that many establishments out there are playing satellite radio because customers will not hear competitors' spots. It is also true that in some cases, satellite radio has provided equipment and/or service for the purpose of having their product advertised simply through its play. If I were an establishment that has been playing it and had to pay for equipment and/or service, I'd be honked.

It's interesting to me how good corporate-created "radio" sounds over the in-house speaker systems at Sonic, Walmart, and Kroger. It's amazing that these companies seem to know more about programming radio than radio companies do.

I doubt that commercial radio is dying, it's just going through "the change". Like when Billy Bob & the Local Yokels no longer gathered around the mic to sing, and what we know now as Old Time Radio took over. Or like when that satanic rock 'n' roll pushed OTR out of the format, and record-playin', moon-howlin' disc jockeys were born (mothers lock up your daughters). Funny, how, by the time all of this led to Top 40 radio, several stations in town were playing the same music, but we (and listeners) could tell them apart by their air persona.

It's most likely music radio as we know it that's dying, and new formats with different kinds of content are waiting to be discovered.

 

[Journeyman]

It's interesting to me how good corporate-created "radio" sounds over the in-house speaker systems at Sonic, Walmart, and Kroger. It's amazing that these companies seem to know more about programming radio than radio companies do.

It's most likely music radio as we know it that's dying, and new formats with different kinds of content are waiting to be discovered.

Dang Skippy. Sonic and Kroger have the best stations going. I'd like to listen in my car... well at Sonic I can, but if it's cold I have to keep the window up

 

[firepoint525]

In the past 20 years, since 1989, I've seen many folks buy a small AM station, hire a full time staff, and coming in thinking they are going to set the world on fire, BEING LIVE, PAYING EXPENSIVE AIR TALENT, with a hot classic and current country music. THEN, all of the sudden, reality sets in! They are in debt up to their butts, and end up owing D.J.'s (their former live talent), owing the bank, back taxes, etc., then they are gone.

If this is the attitude that radio station ownership and/or management takes towards their staff (and it is! :), then it's no wonder that radio is dying! I realize that making payroll is one of the biggest expenses that almost any business has, and it must be one of the highest priorities, because employees who are not paid will not stay with you very long (and may even sue you!), but far too often, station management kills morale at the station by underpaying employees, trying to squeeze as much work out of their staff as they can for the chicken feed that they actually are paying, and then still has the absolute unmitigated GALL to bitch about what DOESN'T get done! Well, it's always been my experience that if you don't put gas in your car, it won't run! And if you don't pay your employees well enough (and don't at least treat them with basic human respect and decency!), then they won't stick around! If you ain't payin', I ain't stayin'! I've been to too many staff meetings that were little more than bitch-fests! They pay their staff about what they would pay their local weekend part-time high schooler, but then expect him to sound as smooth and polished on the air as Rick Dees or Casey Kasem! Not only that, but they don't believe in allowing their people any time off to rest and relax! Six-day (or even seven-day!) workweeks, get off at midnight, but be back by six a.m., then come back and do the overnight shift the next night, then still come back the following evening! I'm sure there are some businesses where machines aren't worked as hard as the people in radio are! : www.krud.com Bottom line, if you kill employee morale, it WILL show on the air! If you're lucky, your staff won't embarrass you!

As for the rest of that paragraph, you are spot on. Lon Sosh came to WDXN in 1993 like a house afire with big dreams much like you described above, but a year later, he had left that station with his tail between his legs! Even I had been around long enough to know that AM radio in 1993 was not exactly going to set the world on fire. He did everything that you said above, EXCEPT for treating his people with respect, and paying them anything like he wanted them to perform! :

 

[firepoint525]

It's interesting to me how good corporate-created "radio" sounds over the in-house speaker systems at Sonic, Walmart, and Kroger. It's amazing that these companies seem to know more about programming radio than radio companies do.

It's most likely music radio as we know it that's dying, and new formats with different kinds of content are waiting to be discovered.

Dang Skippy. Sonic and Kroger have the best stations going. I'd like to listen in my car... well at Sonic I can, but if it's cold I have to keep the window up

Some Sonics even have their picnic table area enclosed in plastic, so that you can eat outside there in the winter time without freezing to death. Granted, it is not as warm as you might be at home, but at least you don't have direct wind blowing on you. If you have a jacket on, you should be fine. I considered doing that the last time I was at Sonic, but they didn't have the plastic up there.

 

[firepoint525]

Yes, it is correct that many establishments out there are playing satellite radio because customers will not hear competitors' spots. It is also true that in some cases, satellite radio has provided equipment and/or service for the purpose of having their product advertised simply through its play. If I were an establishment that has been playing it and had to pay for equipment and/or service, I'd be honked.

It's interesting to me how good corporate-created "radio" sounds over the in-house speaker systems at Sonic, Walmart, and Kroger. It's amazing that these companies seem to know more about programming radio than radio companies do.

I doubt that commercial radio is dying, it's just going through "the change". Like when Billy Bob & the Local Yokels no longer gathered around the mic to sing, and what we know now as Old Time Radio took over. Or like when that satanic rock 'n' roll pushed OTR out of the format, and record-playin', moon-howlin' disc jockeys were born (mothers lock up your daughters). Funny, how, by the time all of this led to Top 40 radio, several stations in town were playing the same music, but we (and listeners) could tell them apart by their air persona.

It's most likely music radio as we know it that's dying, and new formats with different kinds of content are waiting to be discovered.

Except that they will actually interrupt their programming with a commercial! You can be grooving to a great song, and then they will cut it off and go to commercial! :'( It would be better if they could actually incorporate the commercial(s) into their programming! In other words, between songs, NOT over the tops of songs!

 

[Tibbs4]

I think "regular" radio is struggling because of its fear or unwillingness to be different, to compete. There are no less than 10 country stations within my listening range. There could just as well be three because you can't tell one from the other. They all sound just alike, play the same songs, etc.

That's what competition means. Ten stations all playing the same songs, competing for the one big audience, rather than trying for the fringes. If all ten stations were owned by the same company, just as Sirius owns all its channels, then you'd get ten different stations. But as long as each station is owned by a different company, they'll all try to be #1, and no one will aim for the fringe.

That's also the difference between ad-driven media vs. subscription media. Advertisers are only interested in the big audiences. Not the fringes. Subscription programs to all the styles in order to attract subscriptions.

The problem now is that people don't want to have to pay for things. So subscription media is in trouble.

But it's not fear or unwillingness to compete. The drive to compete and win has led to sameness in radio. And let's face it...more people want sameness than want differences. Which is why McDonalds is more popular than sushi.

Sadly, the problem with radio is that it thinks like old advertising dinosaurs. Playing average to the average.
(Read Seth Godin's books) He's right, though. The days of the Walmart's, McDonald's, etc reaching mass size
through mass advertising is gone. Fringe is where it's at. There's to much alternative out there, musical sources,
advertising sources. Radio is still thinking to BIG. It needs to niche more and focus. All that's happening is half
a dozen (if that many) radio companies per city are fighting to be average, when people expect more. McDonalds is
more popular than sushi, but sushi has made some people very wealthy. Radio would overlook it. Meanwhile, the
accounts like McDonald's are drying up.

You're right about the future of XM/Sirius. It's going to limp along with the costs to consumers. It could have
destroyed radio in a year with pinpoint formats, blip (3 second) ads, better marketing, but they thought old school
on that.

Next will be cable TV --- no matter how many choices, lower costs,etc., computers will take over that.

Radio has the ONE advantage of nostalgia. It can re-create itself as the industry with heart and soul. Otherwise, it
will slip deeper into mindless boring formats that are to broad, overdone and tired. Wait, it's already there. Look at
Jazz (Nock) --- gone in many cities, what replaces it? Another copy cat format that will fail. Jazz could have been
a huge niche for small restaurants, music venues, local shops, etc. But, NO, that's to much work.

Why is it that with all the creative talent that has come through this industry --- every city sounds like the last city.
Cost cutting, bad business decisions, pencil pushers, etc. have made radio suffocate. And sadly, not one leader
has risen up and demanded a change in the order of where radio has gone. We've all been forced to become clones, or
be clones listening to diminished radio of 2009.

 

[TheBigA]

Fringe is where it's at.

If that's the goal, radio is the most inefficient way to reach a fringe audience. It';s easier and more direct to send them a text. Consider the word "broadcasting." When you use a broadcast spreader in seeding your lawn, the goal isn't to get the fringes. The goal is to broadcast far and wide. You need to use the right tool for the job, and if the goal is to reach the fringes, don't use radio.

Jazz could have been
a huge niche for small restaurants, music venues, local shops, etc. But, NO, that's to much work.

Radio is ad supported. People in small restaurants don't listen to the radio. They're too busy talking. So to program a format that will be used as background music is a waste. And stores won't use it because of the commercials advertising their competition.

Why is it that with all the creative talent that has come through this industry --- every city sounds like the last city.

Why is it with all the great retail that was created in this country during the last 100 years, the store still standing is Wal Mart? Why is that? And every store in every city looks the same. A Wal Mart in NJ looks like a Wal Mart in Texas. And they're all filled with people fighting to get inside and buy. Why is that? What happened to the small niche stores that used to cater to individuals? No one shopped there, and they went out of business.

 

[jetfli]

Why is it with all the great retail that was created in this country during the last 100 years, the store still standing is Wal Mart? Why is that? And every store in every city looks the same. A Wal Mart in NJ looks like a Wal Mart in Texas. And they're all filled with people fighting to get inside and buy. Why is that? What happened to the small niche stores that used to cater to individuals? No one shopped there, and they went out of business.

Why? On the surface it is all about price. WallyWorld offers lower prices than small niche stores can. It seems people are saying "We don't care how well we are treated somewhere else, at the end of the day we want to get more stuff for better prices."

Dig a little deeper and you'll understand it is all about marketing and gullibility. WallyWorld has built a reputation on giving you lower prices, but in reality, I can go into a Kroger or Publix and find items that sell for less. It's all about smart shopping and knowing what to buy where. But who has time to shop when you can go to the big store with everything under one roof and get everything for, well, usually less... or at least break even depending on what you buy.

Oh, and about Publix... they've built a whole chain on providing service... obviously some consumers must want service.

I'm just fearing that in poor economic times, the small niche stores won't be able to stay open. And who'll be left but the big guys. That doesn't bode well.

Guess small niche stores will have to do something bold to stay in business, such as... such as... advertise on radio! ;D Radio, yeah, that's the ticket!

 

[scottwmro]

In the past 20 years, since 1989, I've seen many folks buy a small AM station, hire a full time staff, and coming in thinking they are going to set the world on fire, BEING LIVE, PAYING EXPENSIVE AIR TALENT, with a hot classic and current country music. THEN, all of the sudden, reality sets in! They are in debt up to their butts, and end up owing D.J.'s (their former live talent), owing the bank, back taxes, etc., then they are gone.

If this is the attitude that radio station ownership and/or management takes towards their staff (and it is! :), then it's no wonder that radio is dying! I realize that making payroll is one of the biggest expenses that almost any business has, and it must be one of the highest priorities, because employees who are not paid will not stay with you very long (and may even sue you!), but far too often, station management kills morale at the station by underpaying employees, trying to squeeze as much work out of their staff as they can for the chicken feed that they actually are paying, and then still has the absolute unmitigated GALL to bitch about what DOESN'T get done! Well, it's always been my experience that if you don't put gas in your car, it won't run! And if you don't pay your employees well enough (and don't at least treat them with basic human respect and decency!), then they won't stick around! If you ain't payin', I ain't stayin'! I've been to too many staff meetings that were little more than bitch-fests! They pay their staff about what they would pay their local weekend part-time high schooler, but then expect him to sound as smooth and polished on the air as Rick Dees or Casey Kasem! Not only that, but they don't believe in allowing their people any time off to rest and relax! Six-day (or even seven-day!) workweeks, get off at midnight, but be back by six a.m., then come back and do the overnight shift the next night, then still come back the following evening! I'm sure there are some businesses where machines aren't worked as hard as the people in radio are! : www.krud.com Bottom line, if you kill employee morale, it WILL show on the air! If you're lucky, your staff won't embarrass you!

As for the rest of that paragraph, you are spot on. Lon Sosh came to WDXN in 1993 like a house afire with big dreams much like you described above, but a year later, he had left that station with his tail between his legs! Even I had been around long enough to know that AM radio in 1993 was not exactly going to set the world on fire. He did everything that you said above, EXCEPT for treating his people with respect, and paying them anything like he wanted them to perform! :

All I can say is you're right on target how this business has been in the last 20 years. Your first paragraph described what went on at 92Q in the early 90's when I was there. Staff Meetings that dragged moral down, "One on One" Air Check Meetings with the P.D., and yes, we had the famous "HOT LINE", so if the P.D. or Sam Howard heard something they didn't like, you would get chewed out!

I had to live and breath 92Q morning, noon & night, for very, very low pay! That's why I got smart and got away from that place. I would get called in to work all the time, none of the other jocks wanted to work, due to moral in that place. Myself and Vic Clemmons had to work the 92Q Haunted House in Madison for free, just to keep our jobs!

I caught wind that our bookkeeper was not sending out all the invoices, affidavits, etc., so the station wouldn't get paid for ads, and the billing department was in a mess, and I would get calls from clients buying ads, chewing me out about their spots, when I had nothing to do with the contract the client had between them and the station. No wonder Sam had to file Chapter 11 around 1990! Low pay and no money coming in.

Speaking of Lon Sosh, he's trying to set the world on fire at WRUS in Russellville again. I know some things about Lon that I won't mention on this board due to it deals with his personal life. In the 90's, before Saga (Five Star) stepped in, WDXN was everything under the sun, news/talk, CHR-Dance, back to country, you named it, they tried it. Where they are now is the best move the station has ever taken since it went on in 1966.