New Direction for WFYY

[ShadowFan]

After 35-years-old veteran Bloomsburg-NE PA talent Bob Gale has been let go by Maxx Media's WFYY (Bloomsburg-Selinsgrove). He was told the station is moving in a 'different direction'.

 

[dmer]

I was listening to Y 106.5 last week and noticed that they dropped all the 70's songs and almost all the songs they played were from the 90's on with an occassional 80's tune thrown in. They even played a Lady Gaga song, something they would not have played 6 months ago. I get the impression they are moving closer to a rock oriented CHR style station and less a hot AC station. I doubt they go all the way (they will not play hip-hop or metal), but they are getting closer.

A shame for Bobby Gale though. I remember listening to him middays when they were still Mix 106.5 when I first moved to NEPA in 1993. I've noted before their focus has been a waste for such a strong signal. You literally can get them in Williamsport, Wilkes-Barre, Selinsgrove, Sunbury, Lewisburg and beyond, yet since the Flyte 106.5 days have been content to play only to the Bloomsburg, Selinsgrove audience. This board always talks about local radio playing to a local audience. But in this station's case, they have a regional signal and probably would benefit greatly from focusing on the entire region. In the WHLM days, they used to cater to and have listeners in the Wilkes-Barre area (myself being one of them). But that has waned over the years as they have overtightened their focus on a very limited area. With a strong format and personalities, they could be a competitor in the local area. Since they do not reach Scranton well, they will never be a top station, but they could reasonably compete for top 10 ratings instead of being perennial cellar dwellers.

 

[nepa_radio]

They have a signal good enough to reach Scranton to listen to in some areas, but you are right it isn't the greatest. But it comes is with a decent signal past Carbondale, up into Clifford.

 

[rchesnav]

WFYY has a real good signal- I listen to work from Pittston to Tobyhanna, losing it slightly by KRZ on 315, and again a little when behind Scrub Oak on 380/84. I once drove to State College & back and never lost signal. I feel real bad for Bob Gale getting let go. He performed as the DJ's of old did- Like having an old friend doing the show. To me he made a connection with some of his small talk/comments and I would always listen during his time. After listening this afternoon and hearing a new voice "glad to be here", I hit the web site once I got home. They wasted no time wiping him out & off the web site. Thanks for the 35 years Bob. Wonder who Morgan will be poking fun at now?

 

[Zoom]

The signal actually reaches by the border near Binghamton. I was amazed how strong a signal that station has and like a previous poster said, how they don't utilize it more.

 

[bossjock 56]

As far as Bob Gale being let go, I think the reason is that he had been there 35 years. I never heard Bob, but a previous poster said that he performed as DJ's of old, which means that to me he would sound great. The problem is that the management of today want young air people who still sound like teenagers that talk about things like Twitter everytime they crack the mic. I don't agree with it, but it's becoming a harsh reality. There are alot of seasoned pros in the unemplyment line right now....it's ashame. Best of luck Bob! By the way 35 years could also translate into "makes too much money".

 

[dmer]

After listening this afternoon and hearing a new voice "glad to be here", I hit the web site once I got home. They wasted no time wiping him out & off the web site. Thanks for the 35 years Bob. Wonder who Morgan will be poking fun at now?

I notice stations are very efficient at wiping all signs of an employee who has been let go from the stations web sites, advertising, etc. They probably had him removed within seconds of him being told he was out the door. Right now the section is blank and yesterday they had someone on that sounded like he was 18. I think bossjock 56 hit it on the nose. They want younger sounding dj's. Bobby Gale hardly sounded like he was 90 and out of touch, but he did sound older than 21, which probably did him in. If I were Todd Steward (8pm to midnight guy) I'd get the resume ready just in case, since he sounds older than 21 also. The only thing that might save him is his time slot (and to think a he was the morning guy prior to Morgan).

Question for any current or former DJ's/hosts out there: How do the remaining hosts usually feel about the loss of someone like Bobby Gale (who had been at the station for well over a decade)? I guess some are nervous about their own job security and of course may feel bad, but what is going through Tom Morgan or Lauren Hunter's head now after finding out about Bobby?

 

[rchesnav]

Listened at noon news time, and they still had him pitching Flick Bros Appliances- Guess they didn't have a new spot to replace it. But talking about what goes through their minds when staff gets dismissed- Morgan's "Thinking out loud" segment at 0530 today was all about the new year & change and the need to embrace it. Guess he got the message.....

 

[dmer]

Listened at noon news time, and they still had him pitching Flick Bros Appliances- Guess they didn't have a new spot to replace it. But talking about what goes through their minds when staff gets dismissed- Morgan's "Thinking out loud" segment at 0530 today was all about the new year & change and the need to embrace it. Guess he got the message.....

I'm not too surprised they still have his commercials going. I listen to WHLM-FM 103.5 a lot and have heard Tom Morgan, Lauren Hunter and other DJ's voices from other stations doing commercials. I've also heard Eagle 107 DJ's doing commercials that have aired on Y106.5. I don't think commercials are radio station specific and as long as the station collects the money, they don't seem to care who's voice it is.

 

[Nokmo True]

...as long as the station collects the money, they don't seem to care who's voice it is.

As long as the station collects the money they don't care about anything at all.

 

[stoshman]

i would have paid to have seen bob gale let go just to see how uncomfortable it must have been for the person who had the 'honor'............bob is one of the 'good guys' in broadcasting, he always had a minute for me when i was an intern at WHLM in 1980 and always thought he was a genius on the air (and his sarcasm was always FUNNY!!!!).........one thing that bob and i had in common is we never aspired to acquire a management position in broadcasting (little did we know those would be the only jobs left) and that turned out to be a big mistake..........bob also did a fantastic job with 'live reads' which were aplenty in the old WHLM days...........a true legend that will be missed in the bloom berwick area
the former 'gene anthony'.............

 

[ShadowFan]

Stosh...what are you doing thse days?

 

[stoshman]

i work at channel 69 in the traffic dept. part time mornings recording traffic for client radio stations and do some cleanouts part time and have a few private dj jobs..............yawn while reading this please........