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KMIC's on the chopping block

DavidEduardo said:


I put LED lights in every socket and fixture indoors and CFLs in the outdoor ones, and have not been able to listen to AM for the last 2 years... the exception is 50 kw KRLA which is just about 2 miles away. But on it's night facility, they are way under the noise.
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In my last house, it took me over two years to purge all those CFL's. My initial purge only lasted hours, but unknown to me there was a CFL on continuously in a remote portion of the attic! The new construction here was all incandescent, thankfully. When one goes out, I replace with LED. I never have a problem with RFI from an LED light, its only the darn CFL's full of mercury and other nasties that make interference. Some of the first LED bulbs had interference problems, but they seem to have solved that.

The other problem I found was the automatic night lights - if a bulb goes out it put out lots of RFI. And light dimmers. Home networking is installed in all these new houses and it is pretty noisy, but the radiant barrier keeps it indoors so if you put a loop outdoors AM reception is still excellent. I find RFI in the strangest things - that new washing machine I got my wife puts out loads of it when running.

The point is - it takes someone really savvy and motivated to clean up the average house to the point where AM reception is good. Lots of time and patience, and a willingness to pay for things that don't cause RFI. That won't happen in the case of the average consumer. They will flip on the radio, hear nothing but interference, and give up on AM. They fault? The FCC, which could have put interference standards on all these devices, but failed to do so. And the AM radio stations - obsessed with format changes, vanity call letters, focus groups - and later HD - turned a blind eye while their signal was literally being jammed out of existence. AM gets what it deserves.
 
Still on the air, but there were people at the tower site off of Tidwell this morning. Not sure what was going on. They were just standing around shooting the breeze when I passed by.
 
purpledevil said:
Still on the air, but there were people at the tower site off of Tidwell this morning. Not sure what was going on. They were just standing around shooting the breeze when I passed by.
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possibly potential buyers?? All the RD stations are still on......Scott Fybush says he will have something in his column on his website later today....(nothing yet)...so maybe the shutdown has been delayed?? Maybe a mass buyout?? (one of the FL RD stations may have missed their TOH IDs overnight though...not a good sign!)
 
I don't know, CW. I'm working in Brookhollow this week, so instead of heading down to 610, I decided to take the back way to TC Jester just to see if anything was happening at the tower site. There were 3 guys out there in jeans standing around the two trucks in front talking. I was heading to work, so couldn't really just stick around to asee what they were up to, but I'll take the same route home and see if anything is happening or has happened since this morning. I was listening to it this morning on the drive in, and can verify at 3 minutes before 8 1590 IDed as "KMIC-Houston, AM 1590 Radio Disney", so they are keeping it legal here in Space City.

I heard nothing local this morning, besides the ID. No promotions, upcoming events, nada. Take that for what you will. I don't typically listen to RD, but I know I've caught local events being promoted on their what's happening around Houston segments several times before.
 
The Detroit station is evidently having a promotion on Sunday.....some speculate that was the cause for the delay...kinda hard to have a live promo in the field with the signal gone!! So it may be now Sunday night/Monday midnight when the shutdown happens....we should know more later today
 
I have to say, I'm selfishly disappointed. I was looking forward to DXing 1590 without KMIC there. I've never heard KMIC, or its predecessor KYOK, off the air for any lengthy stretch of time. Oh well...

You know who would know what's going on at the tower site? Dragrage. He's the CE for KMIC, and used to post here from time to time. He's the one I spoke with about Radio Disney losing audio when it switched to nights, and after a couple of questions about what I was hearing, it was fixed and Disney was 24/7 again. We lost Dragrage in the shutdown of Radiodiscussions, sure wish he'd weigh in now.
 
His account should still be there, maybe you can find an old thread and PM him asking him to come back.
 
Disney's lawyers decided it would be best to keep the signals on the air until someone buys them...to take the stations dark would require a reason....usually technical or financial is given...sorta hard for Disney to claim financial!!!
No news of any offers (yet)....
 
I can imagine outlets like WQEW as well as other high powered outlets have buyers already lined up with millions of $$$$$$$ at their disposal!
 
If so, nothing has been said....the 50KWs will go first...I doubt all of them will be sold together to one buyer..they have been on the market since August and nothing yet on any potential buyers...
 
Article about the Radio Disney station sales was linked on the Boston board today:

http://www.thedeal.com/content/tmt/schutz-leads-radio-disneys-station-sale-process.php

Potential combined sale price seems high to me. Also don't know why they talk about KSPN in Los Angeles, which is not RD. Probably related to confusion over the format swap some years back between 710 and 1110 in LA. I've heard nothing about KSPN being sold, and Disney has already announced they are keeping KDIS.
 
News out of New York is that they have found a buyer for WQEW 1560. It appears Family Radio is the big winner in the Big Apple. Sales price is $12 million, a far cry from what Disney paid for it only a few years ago.

That's one down, 22 to go. Since they stated that the largest markets would go first, and #2 LA's 1110 KDIS isn't being sold, that brings us to Chicago's 1300 WRDZ at the plate. KMKI, it appears you're on deck.
 
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purpledevil said:
News out of New York is that they have found a buyer for WQEW 1560. It appears Family Radio is the big winner in the Big Apple. Sales price is $12 million, a far cry from what Disney paid for it only a few years ago.
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Apparently the reports of the WQEW sale are premature. Not completely denied, but no deal is in place yet.

I would imagine lawyers are drawing up sale contracts for most of the RD stations right now. There may be several stations going to common buyers, so a more complicated process.
 
Yep, got to love it when a story gets reported and then retracted. Good journalism there, no doubt about it.

Here's another one for you. Tom Taylor's article says that Salem is a likely suitor for KMIC (me and Frog saw that one coming a mile away), as either a business format, which means KTEK would be looking for new programming, or as their Spanish offering "Luz". Perhaps if Salem DOES purchase KMIC, a move of Business 1110 KTEK to 1590, with Radio Luz occupying 1110?

Where's our resident Operations Manager for Salem Houston? He'll shoot straight, and leave no doubt about it, one way or another.
 
purpledevil said:
Yep, got to love it when a story gets reported and then retracted. Good journalism there, no doubt about it.

Here's another one for you. Tom Taylor's article says that Salem is a likely suitor for KMIC (me and Frog saw that one coming a mile away), as either a business format, which means KTEK would be looking for new programming, or as their Spanish offering "Luz". Perhaps if Salem DOES purchase KMIC, a move of Business 1110 KTEK to 1590, with Radio Luz occupying 1110?

Where's our resident Operations Manager for Salem Houston? He'll shoot straight, and leave no doubt about it, one way or another.
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It has been discussed and there has been much speculation. IF it were to happen, there would be no changes for the three existing Salem stations. If it had a better pattern and power, then moving a format over would be considered. The daytime pattern is good, but the night is least desirable. Of course, the decision to purchase it, is up the ladder. How about "15-90 Gold," and go oldies with it. I would have a 'live' morning show and automate the rest. It would not be profitable to have a 'live' staff around the clock.
 
One more thing

It would not be me on the morning show. I would get some well known heavy duty cat from this area to do the show.
 
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