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radioaddict22
Guest
Jim Douglas is now hosting mornings on WFRL...it's no longer simulcast with WEKZ-FM...good move? Also, any idea when or if Scott will return to the Morning Mess?
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SlashsHat
Guest
I'll take this one...
IT DOESN'T MATTER
EVERY SINGLE STATION owned by "Big joke" radio = DEAD STICK
I've heard student run stations that sound 100% better! The programming on each of those stations are HORRIBLE. Singing, horn section jingles for a "rock" format??? OMG, I die every time I hear that.
All "Big" joke radio wants to do, is suck every last dime out of Freeport, Monroe and it's surrounding communities. Programming quality is, and never will be a concern.
I've heard student run stations that sound 100% better! The programming on each of those stations are HORRIBLE. Singing, horn section jingles for a "rock" format??? OMG, I die every time I hear that.
All "Big" joke radio wants to do, is suck every last dime out of Freeport, Monroe and it's surrounding communities. Programming quality is, and never will be a concern.
P
P-R
Guest
I haven't been to their (Big Radio's) website in a long time. I went this morning after seeing on Radio Locator that WFRL's site was under Big's umbrella and was surprised to see it as barebones as it was. Very little data available...just a single page with the logos of the various Big Radio stations and few links to listen to some archived PBP.
http://www.wekz.com/
http://www.wekz.com/
If you really miss Scott and/or the "Mess", he can be found at 92.1 fm, wfps, in Freeport.
Another one of his "big" stations.
Why he switched his show to the Freeport FM station, from his hometown Monroe FM station, I do not know.
But I am sure he had a good reason.
???
Another one of his "big" stations.
Why he switched his show to the Freeport FM station, from his hometown Monroe FM station, I do not know.
But I am sure he had a good reason.
???
I can see by the outpouring of responses, nobody really cares where they can find "The Mess".
Does that mean, I am the only listener?
Slash, are you there?
:'(
Does that mean, I am the only listener?
Slash, are you there?
:'(
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SlashsHat
Guest
Nobody cares is 100% correct. A lot like shopping, Freeport folks go out of town for quality radio. Rockford, Madison, Quad Cities. I would love to find out the AWFUL numbers that the Freeport stations get in a ratings book. Plain and simple, no one cares.
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P-R
Guest
Ratings...that is FUNNY.
Sales dollars is what matters in small market commercial radio (and any marketsize) and those are obtained not from ratings...but from good client relationships.
Freeport/Stephenson county is not Rockford and by stating that, I mean there are not a large amount of diaries placed in Stephenson County as in Winnebago.
A decade ago, Stephenson County only received a handful of diaries from ARB...something around 50 for the survey. Numbers were not used to sell and should not have been. Don Werntz, Kim Grimes, Big Daddy Denkert and the crew in Monroe were able to do sales without them. They sold service elements, packages, and yes a ton of local sports. This with a local paper in the city of Freeport and Cable gobbling up ad dollars.
For a spell...around seven years ago or so there were rumors of The Big Easy moving it's focus towards Rockford. Regardless if that could have been done from an engineering perspective, the question is why do that if you are making good coin in the market you have entrenched yourself in.
The bottom-line, is Thompson making money doing what they are doing? By having what staff they do on payroll...are they able to pay them? Is the company placing money back into the local communities? Do they make more now than before acquiring the Stephenson county sticks?
Think it sucks...great don't listen. Think it doesn't matter...ask some of the people there who make a living doing something they like. I'm sure Jim Douglas would tell you it is better working there then being the Milk Manager at the Lena grocery store.
Sales dollars is what matters in small market commercial radio (and any marketsize) and those are obtained not from ratings...but from good client relationships.
Freeport/Stephenson county is not Rockford and by stating that, I mean there are not a large amount of diaries placed in Stephenson County as in Winnebago.
A decade ago, Stephenson County only received a handful of diaries from ARB...something around 50 for the survey. Numbers were not used to sell and should not have been. Don Werntz, Kim Grimes, Big Daddy Denkert and the crew in Monroe were able to do sales without them. They sold service elements, packages, and yes a ton of local sports. This with a local paper in the city of Freeport and Cable gobbling up ad dollars.
For a spell...around seven years ago or so there were rumors of The Big Easy moving it's focus towards Rockford. Regardless if that could have been done from an engineering perspective, the question is why do that if you are making good coin in the market you have entrenched yourself in.
The bottom-line, is Thompson making money doing what they are doing? By having what staff they do on payroll...are they able to pay them? Is the company placing money back into the local communities? Do they make more now than before acquiring the Stephenson county sticks?
Think it sucks...great don't listen. Think it doesn't matter...ask some of the people there who make a living doing something they like. I'm sure Jim Douglas would tell you it is better working there then being the Milk Manager at the Lena grocery store.
Speaking of Sales dollars...What ever happened to Big Daddy Bill Denkert?
He used to be at every remote the Freeport stations did.
Now that they don't do remotes, I have not seen him in a long time.
I heard he was the #1 sales guy there and was sales manager in Freeport for a while.
Is he still there?
He used to be at every remote the Freeport stations did.
Now that they don't do remotes, I have not seen him in a long time.
I heard he was the #1 sales guy there and was sales manager in Freeport for a while.
Is he still there?
P
P-R
Guest
peteandrepeat said:
He left Monroe/Freeport for The New Magic 104-WBJZ (Oshkosh/Appleton/Fond du Lac) and AM1600-WRPN (Ripon/Oshkosh/ Fond du Lac) to be sales manager. Now I believe he is at 1100AM/97.3 WISS Berlin/Fox Cities, Wisconsin as General Sales Manager.
http://wissradio.com/index.php?page=staff
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theaterofthemind
Guest
peteandrepeat said:
He used to be at every remote that offered free food! ;D I remember him eating a dozen steaks at Golden Corral at an all you can eat night...and then the Tutty Baker Days events what stories I and others could tell ;D In all seriousness I am surprised he is still around...I always thought he was a walking stroke/heart attack to happen
As mentioned above, ratings were never used in Freeport. Kim Grimes and the others mentioned had built up long good standing relationships with clients and they were deeply involved in the community. Funny thing, Grimes found Denkert at an appliance store. Big Daddy was selling appliances. Grimes brought him on-board to 'FPS.
Do more people listen outside the Freeport/Monroe markets? Probably have for 20 years...and especially now with webcasts/podcasts and mp3 players easily available.
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SlashsHat
Guest
"I'm sure Jim Douglas would tell you it is better working there then being the Milk Manager at the Lena grocery store".
BUT, can you pick up "dates" programming half baked radio stations? He probably did better in the grocery store...right around the time school got out.
BUT, can you pick up "dates" programming half baked radio stations? He probably did better in the grocery store...right around the time school got out.
Since there seems to be so many of you who know what happened to all the "greats" that worked in Freeport's Radio past, can I ask what happened to Patrick Walston?
He was probably the best programmer those stations have ever had.
Someone told me that he left shortly after "flipping out" and is now combing the beaches in Florida with a metal detector looking for lost change.
Would he be welcome back to help out his Bigness?
He was probably the best programmer those stations have ever had.
Someone told me that he left shortly after "flipping out" and is now combing the beaches in Florida with a metal detector looking for lost change.
Would he be welcome back to help out his Bigness?
Pete he is in Florida you are correct. He is going by Patrick Riley now. Here is his website:
www.patrickriley.us
If you go to the site click on his resume and check out the for security reasons the names have been changed to protect the innocent
broadcast company A broadcast company B stuff! I have never seen anything like it! Maybe he is a spy like in the movie spies like us.
Big Doug
www.patrickriley.us
If you go to the site click on his resume and check out the for security reasons the names have been changed to protect the innocent
broadcast company A broadcast company B stuff! I have never seen anything like it! Maybe he is a spy like in the movie spies like us.
Big Doug
Big Doug
Thanks for the update! Incredible story on the website of the "behind the scenes" drama of Freeport Radio.
Who knew such a crazy world existed in small town radio?
Thanks for the update! Incredible story on the website of the "behind the scenes" drama of Freeport Radio.
Who knew such a crazy world existed in small town radio?
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XGirl
Guest
WOW...a radio person just coming out for free food. That is UNHEARD of.
Seriously, if it wasn't for the occasional "free" meal at a station remote or event, would anyone really want to work in radio?
X
XGirl
Guest
Amen Pete!
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