Long time Tallahassee broadcaster seeks LPFM

[radioboy]

Because I either personally know, or are at least somewhat acquainted with, a number of radio pros who frequent this board, I thought I'd let you know that I have decided to try to get an LPFM station in the upcoming filing windows.

My nonprofit, Delta Star Radio of Florida, Inc., was founded back in April of 2001. At that time I was heavily involved as an operations manager for a local AM station. I thought I would probably work there long-term, but it was not to be. I found myself out of work in July of 2004 and have kind of floundered ever since. I spent five years raising grandsons and running an Internet station, which I continue to do now.

I am physically located east of Tallahassee. The area where I live was once known as the community of Lafayette, with Chaires being another small community roughly 5 miles away.
I'm on 17 acres in Lafayette, on a family farm. So the area I'm looking to serve is more in east Leon County. There are still a few farmers, and the average age skews somewhat older.

Because I already have a working studio, a small building (an old construction trailer that I've been renovating for studio/office space), and a local presence, it doesn't seem as far-fetched as I once thought.

One of my hobbies has been collecting records, which I started sometime around 1970, at age 12. I grew up listening to WMEN 1330 AM, which was a country station back in the day. So at least part of the programming would likely be classic country. Naturally, that library does have gaps in it since I just bought what I could at any given time.

Going for an LPFM in a bit of a leap of faith and a stretch, as I am now on disability due to a visual impairment (20/400). However, I have always had a positive attitude about life. I began my radio career in 1979 at WTAL after six attempts at getting hired. Never could get radio out of my blood after that!

Just thought I'd put it out there for those of you who may be interested.

Thanks for your support.

Alan
http://www.bigdcountry.com

 

[R.D.P.]

I'll be rooting for you, all the way.

R.D.P. <><

 

[radioboy]

Thank you, Dan. I appreciate the kind words.

 

[level42]

Alan, let me know if there's anything I can do to help you out...I would love to see you get an LPFM!!

 

[Louis_009]

For me this is a very good idea for Alan to do an LPFM just in time since Magic Broastcasting of Panama City is taking over WGWD-FM.

Well those of u who like WGWD's old country and bluegrass and folk music there is another radio station in Thomasville Ga on 106.3FM WTUF but its doesnt cover Tallahassee unless if u live north-northeast of Tallahassee b/c Tallahassee has 106.1 (oldies).

 

[radioboy]

Thanks, Chris, and Louis! By the way, Chris, I was able to get a tour of the WFSD-LP 107.9
control room some time ago from my long time friend, Brad. Beautiful job, and I like how everything in the rack was neatly labeled.

My LPFM has been in the works for a long time, so it's not really related to WGWD's sale.
Although that may strengthen the case for why it would fill some format holes.

 

[radioboy]

Some of you might enjoy this article. I own the copyrights to it, so here you go:





TALLAHASSEE, Fla. -- Alan McCall of Tallahassee has had almost lifelong loves of two interests - country music and radio.

Now 53, McCall has been legally blind since birth from cataracts. Several childhood surgeries improved his sight somewhat, but it remains 20/400 to the present day. He was supposed to end up at the Florida School for the Deaf and Blind - but he never spent a single day there.

"This boy has really surprised us," remarked the late Dr. Harold Ward, one of the surgeons. "He has a fierce determination that I can't quite explain."

At age 12, he won a prize (an Elvis Presley 45-rpm record called "When You Talk in Your Sleep") from the then-country WMEN radio station. He was fascinated with the station's control room, which he was able to observe while picking up the prize (which he still has, incidentally.)

His love of country music grew, and McCall remembers listening almost exclusively to country radio while he was in high school. At the time, he often listened to small town AM country stations during family vacations.

He began collecting country music in 1971, and has never stopped.

"My wife, Marianne, could have her own sewing and craft room if there weren't so many records and CDs stored in our house," he laughs.

McCall studied journalism and English and worked for Tallahassee Community College's student newspaper, The Talon, from 1977 to 1979. He broke into the radio business during the fall of 1979, after relentlessly applying for jobs, sometimes multiple times. It took him six attempts before being hired at WTAL in Tallahassee, a soft AC and oldies station, working overnights at first, and later evenings and long Sunday shifts.

He went on to attend Florida State University, where he graduated with a Bachelor of Science degree in communications in 1984.

He also landed another radio job, at Christian-formatted WCVC-AM. He began as a weekend announcer, but later worked stints there in programming, sales and promotions, and one as a local station manager. Interestingly enough, WCVC was the once-country WMEN mentioned earlier.

That job ended in 2004, and McCall found himself "on the beach" - radio jargon for "out of work."

He spent the next several years devoted primarily to his family - homeschooling two young step-grandsons, Benjamin and Daniel, now ages eight and seven. The boys are now homeschooled by their mother, Rose, McCall's stepdaughter.

After having the boys full-time for four years, McCall found himself feeling lost.

"Suddenly, I felt as if I had no real purpose in like," he says. "I began taking a course in grant writing, and am planning to do that on a part-time basis. But I had two other passions - radio and country music."

In 2010, he began the transition of turning what once was a hobby - his Internet station on Live365.com - into something more. He tweaked the format, which had been a hybrid of country and oldies, into a solid country station. The music includes a healthy dose of classic country, along with the current Top 40 country singles.

His station, now branded as "Big D Country," is attempting what few webcasters have - live and local Internet radio. Big D Country is targeted specifically to Tallahassee and the North Florida and South Georgia area. McCall hosts a weekday mid-day show complete with weather, community calendar events, and other elements you might expect to hear on an over-the-air station.

All of Big D Country's programming is done by McCall. He is constantly on the look for country music.

"I have a lot of music, but invariably I'll get a request for something we don't have," he says. He would still like to buy the TM Century Traditional Country library, but says it's a bit too expensive for the station to afford right now. The station is owned by Delta Star Radio of Florida, Inc., which McCall founded in 2001. His wife and parents are the other directors of the corporation, which is a registered Florida non-profit, but is not a 501(c)3.

Delta Star Radio has recently purchased an office trailer, so Marianne McCall may get her craft and sewing room after all. The company has also purchased some updated equipment, including a new control board and CD burner for production.

"I absolutely love the full service country format," McCall says. "I'm putting a lot of thought and time into developing it."

With the possibility of low power FM (LPFM) radio stations being made available later this year, McCall is hoping to raise enough support to win one of the LPFM licenses. LPFM stations are restricted to a maximum of 100 watts, so the coverage area is relatively small, usually covering from a five to 10 mile
radius.

The only full power FM near the market with a classic country format is in the process of being sold and the format switched to talk.

"Being able to operate a local country radio station is my lifelong dream," says McCall. "I am saying a lot of extra prayers and sharing the dream with people all around the US." He hopes to be able to build the station for under $10k. His only income is Social Security, less than $700 per month.

He also hopes to one day be able to visit Nashville - the only place he says he hasn't seen but would really like to.

"Mostly, I'm not too keen on traveling," says McCall. "I'm a homebody for the most part."

While he hopes the station can ultimately provide an income, he realizes it will be a difficult and slow path.

His wife, Marianne McCall, works for Leon County Schools, but has had her hours cut and benefits slashed.

"We're having a hard time making it," she sighs. "Our roof leaks despite numerous attempts of repairing it and now the kitchen floor is starting to cave in, in places."

She really would like to be able to work along with her husband with the radio station, she says. But for now, "we have to eat," so she continues working with the schools. She has been looking for better paying positions recently.

McCall does feel the strain and is preparing a media kit to aid with sales. They will offer low-cost packages to area businesses, and time availabilities for churches on Sunday. Southern Gospel is also a part of Sunday programming.

Despite their current situation, McCall is hopeful that pursuing the country radio station will ultimately pay off for them.

"If we can just pay our bills and get out of debt, I'll consider this venture successful," he says.



# # #

The station's website is http://www.bigdcountry.com. Alan McCall can be contacted at [email protected].

Contact information:

Alan McCall
Delta Star Radio of Florida, Inc.
2625 Doll Place
Tallahassee, FL 32311
[email protected]