Is WVKO AM in trouble??

[xmusicmatt]

any truth to the rumors that Saint Gabriel (WUCO owners) have been sniffing around seeing if they can LMA the frequency?

No.

Considering Cowtown is "LMA"ing it from BERNARD OHIO LLC, if someone else came along with a larger cash pile, I am sure they would 'consdier' the offer.

I do wish Progressive Talk 1580 nothing but the best, hopefully they can make it to their 2nd year.

 

[gabigley1]

any truth to the rumors that Saint Gabriel (WUCO owners) have been sniffing around seeing if they can LMA the frequency?

No.

Considering Cowtown is "LMA"ing it from BERNARD OHIO LLC, if someone else came along with a larger cash pile, I am sure they would 'consdier' the offer.

I do wish Progressive Talk 1580 nothing but the best, hopefully they can make it to their 2nd year.

Are you saying if another group/company would offer BERNARD OHIO LLC more money to rent WVKO-AM under a LMA agreement then BERNARD OHIO LLC would cancel Cowtown's contract? Could BERNARD OHIO LLC legally do this?

 

[SeanMGilbow]

From my conversations with the Bernard Media people (one of whom works on-site), plus the fact that News Director Michael Alwood is taking some much-deserved time off, there is nothing to indicate any change of direction. I work in the studio at the same time as Dr. Bob Fitrakis, and we're holding the fort quite nicely while the management is taking some time away.

The fact the station hosted a free listener event just a week ago should also mean something.

However, I will pass along the rumor to the Ohio Majority Radio people and to our readers of the WVKO message board.

 

[gr8oldies]

Which will last longer...the libtalk format or this thread?

 

[david9396]

this thread began 05/01/08, 25 pages

 

[DaleGriffin]

Which will last longer...the libtalk format or this thread?

Both will be around forever... Both will remain sad.

 

[techie2]

Are you saying if another group/company would offer BERNARD OHIO LLC more money to rent WVKO-AM under a LMA agreement then BERNARD OHIO LLC would cancel Cowtown's contract? Could BERNARD OHIO LLC legally do this?

Yes, but it depends on how the contract is structured. There is probably an "out clause" with a required period of notice.

Most program suppliers can cancel their contracts with a 60 or 90 day notice, same is true for program affiliates.

 

[SeanMGilbow]

We will now clarify the previous "no."

From a piece by Portsmouth newspaper reporter Ryan Scott Ottney, who interviewed St. Gabriel Radio's Michael Barone three weeks ago, comes this quote from Barone:

"Our station here in Columbus that we’re purchasing is going to cost us $1.5 million, and it’s a 3,000-watt station, and it’s AM, which is not as good."

There is a difference between LMA and an outright purchase.

St. Gabriel Radio's capital campaign, as posted on its website, is focusing its attention on raising $130,000 for two FM stations to be set up in Circleville/Chillicothe and Portsmouth/West Portsmouth. A far cry from $1.5 million.

And as is stated on the St. Gabriel website:

Our request for help from you is urgent because we have a very limited amount of time to build these two stations. The government granted us two licenses to build these new Catholic stations, but the clock is ticking on the time we have to complete the construction and be on the air. If we fail to finish the projects in the allotted time we will completely lose the opportunity and the two licenses will expire forever and not be renewed.

If St. Bernard can't achieve that goal, which I sincerely hope the company does reach, raising 10 times that much would be like trying to turn water into wine.

Their whole overall fundraising campaign, cited elsewhere on the site, has a total goal of $2 million.

Having said that...

If there were serious money on the table for St. Gabriel to buy WVKO, the listeners at last week's birthday party would have heard about it from Gary Richards. And he and Michael Alwood would not be taking time away from the station right now.

Nonetheless, since I posted the rumor on the WVKO and Ohio Majority Radio message board, the regular posters have been in an uproar. If nothing else, they have been given a serious wake up call.

While I'm not pushing the panic button, I'm also not resting on my laurels. And as a Catholic whose pastor produces a segment on a weekly Catholic radio show airing on a competing station, I know he and I will be talking about this subject tomorrow night, among other things, when I see him for confession.

Yes, I may need penance for some of my remarks over the past year on this board, such as the one I will leave you with--a website that was discussed on Ed Schultz' show yesterday and I was reminded of with Dale Jackson's post here:

http://www.boycottalabamanow.com/

 

[gabigley1]

Here is the link to that article that ran in the http://www.portsmouth-dailytimes.com/articles/2008/11/25/news/5news_gabriel.txt edition of the Portsmonth Daily Times. Click here to
read the entire article for free:
http://ryanscottottney.com/home/?p=68

It looks like BERNARD OHIO LLC has been negotiating with St. Gabriel radio for the last few months now.
Originally, BERNARD OHIO LLC wanted 4M for WVKO-AM. A group wanted to buy the station a couple of years ago and turn it into progressive talk radio station but didn't want to pay the 4M asking price they wanted
for the station at the time. It looks like Benard Ohio is looking to unload the station because they lowered the asking price to a reasonable amount. Who in their right mind would want to pay 4M for WVKO-AM?

St. Gabriel would likely LMA the station Before/IF the sale goes through. They have desperately been trying to get a Columbus signal for the last few years so it's no doubt a big priority for St. Gabriel. It remains to be seen if they can raise the needed capital to actually purchase WVKO-AM. For example, they wanted to raise 2M for this project by December of 2005 and it looks like they may have only a fraction of that amount now.. So, Sean is correct, they haven't been able to raise the funds they need to for their Capital Campaign goal.

Garry Richards of Cowtown Commutations and St. Gabriel read this radio-info thread so hopefully they will shed some light on the matter. Garry Richards must be aware of the sale of the station. Why would BERNARD OHIO LLC want to keep it a secret from him?

Personally, I would like to see St. Gabriel upgrade WUCO-AM 1270 to cover Columbus, Ohio which was their
originally plan. That way, we could have both Catholic radio and Progressive talk radio in the Columbus market.
I have hoped that WUCO would upgrade their signal but don't want to see WVKO-AM sacrificed. I to am Catholic but not a good Catholic like Sean is.

Thanks to Radio-Info.com for the breaking news!

 

[gabigley1]

Here is some info on the St. Gabriel Radio Capital Campaign. Click here to view.
http://www.stgabrielradio.com/extras/brochure.pdf

Five years ago they had plans to have SIX radio stations on the air air by the end of 2006. They only have TWO radio stations on the air at this time. So, Sean is right about St. Gabriel Radio not being able to archive it's fundraiser goals. So, WVKO-AM may not be sold after all to St. Gabriel Radio. Sean has made a good point.
There is STILL hope for WVKO-AM radio and its progressive talk radio format.

 

[SeanMGilbow]

A further clarification on the "no."

Dr. Bob Fitrakis confirmed this ain't no rumor, but the both of us are holding the fort until management gets back.

Neither of us are pushing the panic button.

So, in the hope I don't have to do this on a daily basis over the next week...

Happy Christmahanukwanzakah.

 

[mikenci]

Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.....Bernard Radio Executed an agreement Today to LMA WVKO to Saint Gabreial Radio starting January 1, 2009. It included a Large Downpayment for which gained the a Right To Purchase the station in the future with LMA payments and Deposite to be credited toward the Purchase price if the option is exercised in the first year of the LMA. It would appear that Progressive Talk Is DOA....U N L E S S.....

They Move to WVKO-FM. The [EDIT] formatt currently on the air is not making ANY money. The LMA that Bernard had with LA-X was terminated for NO PAY. Bernard has been operating the station themselves for the last three months and doing poorly I might add. I have also heard that COWTOWN is also not paying all of theirr LMA bill as well.....If COWTOWN has any money at all they may persuade Bernard to Place it on the FM. Even though the signal sucks its better than nothing.. As the say in the business....Merry Christmas and have fun in the unemployement line...


[EDIT-inflammatory]

 

[SeanMGilbow]

To clarify, I'm not an employee of the station. I work for the Ohio Department of Public Safety as a Customer Service Assistant with the Bureau of Motor Vehicles.

Simply put, I'm not a newsman. I just play one on the radio...at least for another two weeks.

 

[ajhenderson]

[EDIT]. Don't Mexicans deserve radio? They are among the best groups for the medium right now.



[EDIT-reply directed at removed content.]

 

[gabigley1]

I noticed that the intern missed a couple of top of the hour local news breaks on WVKO-AM this morning. Also, the intern I listened to on Tuesday morning on WVKO-AM would rather discuss the Columbus Buckeyes then
all the school closings in town like all of the other media. Not to mention the word stuttering and slurred speech
during newscasts by interns.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't most/all air talent start their careers in small radio markets to hone their skills before they go to work in medium and major radio markets??
I was looking for a top of the hour local news break on VKO-AM this morning but instead was treated to five minutes of dead air.
No offense to the WVKO-AM interns but the last time I checked, Columbus is radio market #33 and not market #100.

I moved to Columbus because I wanted to hear radio in a top 30 radio market and not radio from a tiny tiny little town. :'(

Besides, I'm used to listening to top 40 radio markets so this is a little upsetting to me.

One of the WVKO-AM interns has this to say:

http://www.wvko1580.com/forums/topic.php?id=350

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Posted 8 hours ago #
oblue
Post Count: 3 Member

This is the copy of an email I just sent to the St. Gabriel Radio company.

To whom it may concern:

My name is Barton Logan. I am a 20-year-old employee/intern at AM 1580 WVKO. I was here when the station went on air just over a year ago. I currently go to Ohio University, majoring in journalism. I have gone to Catholic school for 13 years, nine years at St. Agatha and four at St Charles Preparatory, and I am disgusted with your decision to purchase 1580.

[EDIT-truncated in order to ensure post complies with standards of Fair Use]

http://www.stgabrielradio.com/contactus/index.html
Let your voice be heard!
(QUOTE)
Posted 32 minutes ago #
(QUOTE)

 

[smedge2006]

A liberal talk station gets the plug pulled just as it starts to pull in an audience, for a replacement with fewer listeners...

Then another liberal talk station draws an even bigger audience and gets silenced...

Is it any wonder people think there's a conspiracy to keep this stuff off the air?

 

[CatFM]

Perhaps Mr. Logan should change his major to Business because he has a lot to learn about the reality of how things work. Broadcasting is really no different than any other business. The bottom line is money, always.

 

[SeanMGilbow]

I noticed that the intern missed a couple of top of the hour local news breaks on WVKO-AM this morning. Also, the intern I listened to on Tuesday morning on WVKO-AM would rather discuss the Columbus Buckeyes then
all the school closings in town like all of the other media. Not to mention the word stuttering and slurred speech
during newscasts by interns.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but don't most/all air talent start their careers in small radio markets to hone their skills before they go to work in medium and major radio markets??
I was looking for a top of the hour local news break on VKO-AM this morning but instead was treated to five minutes of dead air.
No offense to the WVKO-AM interns but the last time I checked, Columbus is radio market #33 and not market #100.

I moved to Columbus because I wanted to hear radio in a top 30 radio market and not radio from a tiny tiny little town. :'(

Besides, I'm used to listening to top 40 radio markets so this is a little upsetting to me.

One of the WVKO-AM interns has this to say:

http://www.wvko1580.com/forums/topic.php?id=350

(QUOTE)
Posted 8 hours ago #
oblue
Post Count: 3 Member

This is the copy of an email I just sent to the St. Gabriel Radio company.

To whom it may concern:

My name is Barton Logan. I am a 20-year-old employee/intern at AM 1580 WVKO. I was here when the station went on air just over a year ago. I currently go to Ohio University, majoring in journalism. I have gone to Catholic school for 13 years, nine years at St. Agatha and four at St Charles Preparatory, and I am disgusted with your decision to purchase 1580.

There are a number of reasons for my disgust -- some are admittedly self-interested. This station is my life for half of the year. In this economy where jobs are sparse, I have had the opportunity to get real-world experience during my summer and winter breaks at WVKO, as well as the money I need to go to school. Paid internships are incredibly hard to find but WVKO has given me the opportunity to do something I love and still go to school to better myself. January 1st I will no longer have that opportunity.

The Ohio Center for Broadcast is a local vocational school that gives the opportunity for not only those that college was not an opportunity, but working adults and students straight out of high school. To graduate, students need 300+ hours of internship experience. WVKO is the MOST ACCESSIBLE media outlet in Central Ohio for these students. Over 25 students have interned at WVKO in the last year. Many of them still work here and are blissfully ignorant to your impending takeover. Our news director, Michael Alwood, attended the graduation of two students just last night who fulfilled their internship hour requirement almost exclusively with WVKO.

Here at 1580, OCB students have had the opportunity to get actual on-air experience. As a result, the quality of programming at times has suffered while the interns have become more comfortable, but they were given the opportunity. In my time here I have seen exponential growth of skills and confidence in many students, the kind of growth could only come from real-world experience and the always encouraging, almost to a fault, staff here. I hope you have taken that into account in your purchase, not just the employees here you are putting out of a job just days after Christmas.

Whether you agree with the political message of WVKO or not is beside the point. WVKO is almost the sole voice of many of the minority communities of Central Ohio, let alone the only voice for progressive talk for the progressive majority in this state. WVKO is one of the loudest voices of the Columbus African-American community. WVKO has programming helps to provide job leads and motivate the un-employed community every weekend. WVKO has programming every Sunday that celebrates and spreads the Good News of Jesus Christ. WVKO is the voice of the LGBT community. You are not just silencing the political message of the station by taking us off the air.

There are a number of stations that are for sale in Central Ohio. There are a number of stations that have nowhere near the devoted, enthusiastic, and diverse listenership that this station enjoys and celebrates. As a fellow Catholic, I implore you to look elsewhere. This is not just a business decision and you of all people should recognize that principle.

Sincerely,

Barton Logan

http://www.stgabrielradio.com/contactus/index.html
Let your voice be heard!
(QUOTE)
Posted 32 minutes ago #
(QUOTE)

A little bit of background may be in order.

Nearly everyone associated with WVKO has been a volunteer or intern, myself included.

My association with the station started as an advertiser, but I ended up doing newscasts in exchange for more commercials. I have radio news experience from stations in Akron and Parkersburg. Needless to say, I make a heck of a lot more money than I did when I was in the business. And, in spite of the state budget crisis, my job is secure because less than one percent of my agency's revenue comes from the General Fund. I went on the air directly from work. And when I was not on the air, it was because I was working overtime.

Granted, the station may have lacked polish at certain times, but the listeners have been loyal.

You might have found Bart to be a little wet behind the ears, but it's been a pleasure to work with him. He's been helpful to me on numerous occasions. And while you may disagree with how he has directed his energies in the wake of hearing of the programming change, I would be more concerned if Bart just got "bummed" over the whole matter. He shows a good deal of potential. Otherwise, Michael Alwood wouldn't have asked him to do the news in morning drive.

As for the fact of expecting more from this market, those day are long gone. Until the majority of radio people in this market--those who are still left--can make a decent living from this industry instead of pay that could be rivaled by a Wal-Mart greeter (and I speak as someone who used to work for that company), it will consist largely of entry-level people babysitting boards.

As was said previously, the bottom line is money. And Bernard found a buyer. So you'll now hear programming from another group of volunteers with little or no radio experience as of this Tuesday...as another religious station goes on the air.

As I told the listeners tonight, to quote a John Wayne sound bite Rachel Maddow likes using to open her show, "The time has come for me to ride hard and fast."

 

[Nu_Roo_2]

No offense to the WVKO-AM interns but the last time I checked, Columbus is radio market #33 and not market #100.

Your last check must've been a long time ago.  Columbus hasn't been ranked that high in years.  It's now market #37, which is actually UP from #38 last year. Besides, as far as what comes out of the speakers Columbus has more in common with a market ranked in the 70's or 80's than one ranked in the 30's or 40's.

 

[SeanMGilbow]

It would appear that Progressive Talk Is DOA....U N L E S S.....

They Move toWVKO-FM. The [EDIT] format currently on the air is not making ANY money. The LMA that Bernard had with LA-X was terminated for NO PAY. Bernard has been operating the station themselves for the last three months and doing poorly I might add.

[EDIT-inflammatory]

Negotiations are underway for such a move. Gary Richards' attorney mentioned this during "The Blue State Diner" this morning.

If Gary can get progressive talk back on the air in quicker fashion, it would not surprise me if a hybrid format similar to WCPT in Chicago is ironed out. WCPT is an AM daytimer with sister FM stations that carry the progressive talk programming by day and dance music at night. A similar format might work here so that Columbus' Hispanic population still has a station, the progressive talk fans have their favorite hosts (Stephanie Miller, Ed Schultz, Thom Hartmann and Rachel Maddow) and Columbus continues to have a station for high-school sports.

Stay tuned. The book has not been closed on progressive talk just yet. Far from it.