New GM or not?

[IndyDan]

Bruce Quinn did not want to sell to Russ
Oasis. It was done while he was in the hospital for a stroke. I think there is going to be
another story soon.

Well, that could very well be..I didn't catch that article. My guess is that his relatives probably thought that given the medical problems, it would be in his best interest since they had their own lives to live. But whatever the reason is, I think Bruce is better off in the long run without all the stress of running a business.

 

[Hionradio]

Gee...that's a story I'd like to see in the Indianapolis Star, because that's not what the story said. Bruce Quinn did have some medical issues, but they were the same issues he's had for many years. Yes, he had a stroke, but there was no decision to sell the station "While he was in the hospital." Some of you that post here think like kids. Many have criticism for Russ Oasis and nothing but praise for Bruce Quinn. Obviously, the masses (i.e. ratings....and isn't that what successful radio is about) think that WKLU is a better station now, than then. Then others, who work for the large corporations rag on Oasis for turning around an underdeveloped station and praise their own corporate guys, who never saw any value in buying WKLU. The reason that some people never get ahead is because they scorn those who are successful and tell themselves that getting ahead and being successful is somehow a sell-out. Thanks, but I want to be like the guys who are successful.

 

[Lafayette Unplugged]

Some of you that post here think like kids.

(i.e. ratings....and isn't that what successful radio is about)

The reason that some people never get ahead is because they scorn those who are successful and tell themselves that getting ahead and being successful is somehow a sell-out. Thanks, but I want to be like the guys who are successful.

Getting on here and defending the heart and soul of radio is why most of us come here to vent. NOT because we think like kids. If "thinking like a kid" is trying to get radio back to it's roots somehow and knocking some of the pretentious "business" end out of it, get out my short pants, bro.

You're throwing the net too wide on what can be called "successful radio". There are PLENTY of high-rated radio stations and radio shows that TOTALLY SUCK [EDIT] and deliver high ratings. Appealing to the lowest common denominator (check any CHR playlist or syndicated morning show) is what delivers ratings most of the time.
Focus too narrowly or too cleverly and risk a format change.

Finally, I don't want to be like the guys who are successful. However, I WOULD like to be like myself and successful.
Can I stop holding my breath yet?

[EDIT-vulgarity.]

 

[Bunny FooFoo]

WKLU was a diamond in the rough. Radio personalities at KLU have not changed Libby, Kevin, Jay, and James were all pre-Russ. WKLU sounds about the same. Mark Clark is gone....maybe problems in the business department?

 

[Ur-A-Dawg]

I will never make a lot of money doing what I love. Being on the air.
When people still say your name after you've been gone 3 years,
that's success in broadcasting. How many of us will they remember
when we are gone?

 

[Tired-Old-Dog]

Hionradio-Ratings are indeed important. Have copies of the book going back 10 years in my office.
The low ratings at WKLU did not belong to Bruce The Radio Pirate {Quinn}.
It burns your ass that someone could come here to Indy with almost no experience and beat
someone like you.
But he did.

 

[Tired-Old-Dog]

We might just track Bruce down and put him on the air here. Bet he can smoke you
again and again and again.

 

[Lafayette Unplugged]

Not at all said with hate:

The only thing I've ever heard anybody say about Bruce was that he was some blind guy who was horrible on the air.

I'm sure that's not what you mean by "still talking about him".

I don't know Bruce. Don't like him or dislike him. He's non-existent in my world.

But that's the only thing I ever remember being mentioned about Bruce Quinn.

 

[Lafayette Unplugged]

Some of you that post here think like kids.

(i.e. ratings....and isn't that what successful radio is about)

The reason that some people never get ahead is because they scorn those who are successful and tell themselves that getting ahead and being successful is somehow a sell-out. Thanks, but I want to be like the guys who are successful.

Getting on here and defending the heart and soul of radio is why most of us come here to vent. NOT because we think like kids. If "thinking like a kid" is trying to get radio back to it's roots somehow and knocking some of the pretentious "business" end out of it, get out my short pants, bro.

You're throwing the net too wide on what can be called "successful radio". There are PLENTY of high-rated radio stations and radio shows that TOTALLY SUCK [EDIT] and deliver high ratings. Appealing to the lowest common denominator (check any CHR playlist or syndicated morning show) is what delivers ratings most of the time.
Focus too narrowly or too cleverly and risk a format change.

Finally, I don't want to be like the guys who are successful. However, I WOULD like to be like myself and successful.
Can I stop holding my breath yet?

[EDIT-vulgarity.]

By the way, by editing my supposed vulgarity, you actually made it more VULGAR, somehow. Good one.
Censorship always backfires!

 

[Ur-A-Dawg]

Can't really cooment of his radio show. I never heard Bruce Quinn on the air. I think he's more
known for what he did with the FCC. In a February 2003 Indianapolis Star, FCC officials
say Bruce Quinn is a pioneer. Why? Because he changed some rules and he started many
radio stations. Did you know he started half the FMs here in Lafayette? You may be at a station
that would not exist if not for him.

 

[Hionradio]

Tired Old Dog- In Sept. 2004, WKLU was 21st / 25-54. In the past year WKLU has been as high as 3rd / 25-54 and as low as 7th / 25-54. Both are a far cry from 21st.
By the way, for whoever on this board said that serving the lowest common denominator wins, is correct. You can serve some "elitist" higher group, but you fail. Did Microsoft serve the masses? How about Toyota? By serving the masses, you are succeeding. Would Bob and Tom be as successful if they told "higher minded" jokes but had much lower ratings? Get real. Ratings are success. If you want to complain that the general bar for quality has been dramatically lowered over the past 15 years, then I'll agree completely. But ratings (when matched with signals of parody) are the determiner of who does it best. My comment about acting like kids refers to the fact that people pay HUGE money for signals. Are they expected to lose millions of dollars a year playing music that the masses don't want but a few fanatics do? When you try to satisfy one fanatic group, another fanatic group thinks that you're ignoring them. A station cannot be everything to everyone. It must march down common ground that the masses can agree upon.
As far as vulgarity being edited out of this site....WOW...really cool dude, you said a dirty word.

 

[Lafayette Unplugged]

Can't really cooment of his radio show. I never heard Bruce Quinn on the air. I think he's more
known for what he did with the FCC. In a February 2003 Indianapolis Star, FCC officials
say Bruce Quinn is a pioneer. Why? Because he changed some rules and he started many
radio stations. Did you know he started half the FMs here in Lafayette? You may be at a station
that would not exist if not for him.

As I said, it's all an education for me about the guy.

Hearing all this stuff for the first time.

Half the FM's in Lafayette? Educate me further by providing a list.
Thanks.

 

[Lafayette Unplugged]

By the way, for whoever on this board said that serving the lowest common denominator wins, is correct. You can serve some "elitist" higher group, but you fail. Would Bob and Tom be as successful if they told "higher minded" jokes but had much lower ratings? Get real. Ratings are success.
My comment about acting like kids refers to the fact that people pay HUGE money for signals. Are they expected to lose millions of dollars a year playing music that the masses don't want but a few fanatics do? When you try to satisfy one fanatic group, another fanatic group thinks that you're ignoring them. A station cannot be everything to everyone. It must march down common ground that the masses can agree upon.
As far as vulgarity being edited out of this site....WOW...really cool dude, you said a dirty word.

There's got to be an innovative way to serve that "elitist" higher group...oh, wait! It's called SATELLITE RADIO! And it's slowly but surely killing the relevance of terrestrial radio. That's why there's the surge of "new" formats like "Jack" etc. "Let's be all things to all people!". Otherwise known as "radio before 1996". Seems like these "new" formats are "succeeding" for some folks. Just not anybody in smaller or small-medium markets, that is.

"March down common ground"? "The masses"? Good one. That would be the (half dozen) people who still want to hear the same old thing from the same top 2 or 3 radio stations in their town? Everybody else who can afford it and fed up with terrestrial radio is wired for satellite in their cars and homes. Lots of narrow-minded "fanatics" signing up for that service.
The same reason cable tv is clobbering broadcast TV even with the fall premieres.

And who knows what those funky "people meters" are going to honestly reflect about the decline of radio...

Success in radio these days is like being the winner of sack race at the Special Olympics.

Finally, I didn't consider it to be a dirty word, DUDE. That's my point. It's like Jimmy Kimmel's "Unnecessary Censorship" where the bleeping or cutting out makes it MORE vulgar somehow.

 

[gr8oldies]

Satellite Radio doesn't even have enough subscribers nationwide to give it a ine share in New York..it's way premature to proclaim that "everyone's abandoning traditional radio in droves". Even heavy iPod users on average listen to radio 15 minutes less per week.

Does anyone really think that the handful of businesses in Battle Ground could support a radio station? And who in the heck needs Tradio when you've got eBay.

 

[Ur-A-Dawg]

Have you been to Delphi or Attica? Bruce Quinn originally filed for 102.9 at Delphi.
It is said, he became enraged when everyone who wanted a Lafayette FM began competing
with him for the only open channel in the market.
Quinn then went on a filing tirade, opening every frequency he could find in this
market with the FCC. It was his divide and conquer scheme which was very
unpopular with the local broadcasters. He put 106.7 in West Lafayette and found 101.3
for Purdue.
He then built 95.7 in Attica and 107.7 in Monticello.
But this wasn’t the end. He then put frequencies in Indy and again played divide and
Conquer. This time, he split Indianapolis with his friend Bill Shirk. Quinn got 101.9
And Shirk 96.3.
This wasn’t the end either. He tried again in Bloomington. This time however, he got
nothing. He started stations for other people.
Bruce Quinn was in the process of assigning 97.3 just west of Lafayette when the
FCC changed the spacing rules and threw it out If Quinn had not filed for these
channels at a later time, few of these stations would exist today.
Bruce Quinn sold 95.7 in Attica and was upset that his employees were let go when
the station was moved to Lafayette. So, he started another station for them WFWR.
By the way, how did his Swap Shop Show go over in Indy?

 

[Lafayette Unplugged]

It's definitely a rich history with the FCC.

In the end, I'm not sure it changed any FCC laws or helped anybody keep their jobs or opened new pioneering ways of programming once the signals were opened up, but I give the guy credit for trying to do whatever he was trying to do.

:-\

 

[Lafayette Unplugged]

Satellite Radio doesn't even have enough subscribers nationwide to give it a ine share in New York..it's way premature to proclaim that "everyone's abandoning traditional radio in droves". Even heavy iPod users on average listen to radio 15 minutes less per week.

Yes, you definitely have a "not yet anyway" spin to your point, but declining radio revenues and less live airstaff/staff over the last 5-10 years should have radio troops on the ground scrambling for some sort of innovative way to keep people listening to local radio and keep them from investing the tiny bit of scratch to get hundreds of new, commercial-free channels of just about anything they want. Add I-Pod to that scenario, and you've got some real trouble for the next 5 years.

Compare listenership trends of today to just a few years ago. That constitutes "droves" in my book and not premature to see what's coming up the road.
Obviously, an antiquated tracking mechanism like Arbitron isn't going to show that in New York or anywhere else. Until Arbitron gets up to speed, you'll never see any dramatic shift in ratings anywhere because it's the same people filling out the diaries. Certainly not (many) I-Pod and satellite technology owners.

And the owners will keep making money. Just never as much as they did 5-10 years ago because of what's going on with satellite radio. They'll admit to that as well.
Throw in the inability of anybody to think beyond reading off index cards, following the playlist to a tee, and having your morning show or most of your broadcast day off satellite, and that's more gas on the fire.

Everyone is thinking ahead, but just the wrong way. There's no "preservation" attitude to terrestrial radio, just "how can we crawl into the tar pits as painlessly as possible".

 

[newb]

We need to face it - "local" radio is dead in towns surrounding metropolitan areas and will not come back without the government breaking up the big boys. That breakup will not guarantee local focus, but will likely lead to less professional radio in the short term. Besides, how many of these communities actually have the local feel like they did before. Most of them are a place to live for those who work and play in the city. It's no surprise then that people who consider themselves as part of the city don't care about the town's local radio station.

 

[gr8oldies]

Couple of doses of reality. Government breaking up the big boys? By the time the3 court challenges are done, we'll all be too old to care.

A couple graduates from college, moves to Noblesville and both work in Indianapolis. They tell their frioends the live in "Indianapolis"Some station switches format to "all Noblesville all the time". Does this couple listen? No.

 

[MACK184]

the FCC Doesnt care about Community of Licesnce these days why do you think the incoperated Suburb of Norwood Ohio aka Cincinnati Ohio got Connersville WIFE.

exactly. that sort of think is, oh, about 30 yrs ago

While it's correct that the FCC isn't too worried about so-called "Community of License" anymore, they are taking a good look at the "Main Studio" clause. Not because they care so much about the community of license, but it's a money maker for the commission in fines. If you check into some of the FCC fine activity, you'll find more and more actions on stations that moved far enough away from their license area that they really needed to keep a "Main Studio" and didn't keep a main studio in their hometown. You're right, they don't care as far as serving the community, but they care when it comes to padding the FCC's coffers.