New "Local" WBLF?

[Newbie]

Any critiques of the new morning shows? The hosts? How about the syndicated stuff?

 

[killawatt]

...someone get back to me when they flip-flop the am with the fm


> Any critiques of the new morning shows? The hosts? How
> about the syndicated stuff?
>

 

[shilton]

> Any critiques of the new morning shows? The hosts? How
> about the syndicated stuff?
>
I was wondering what's up with the weird kind of stuttering effect that can be heard on the audio of the satellite feeds almost like they hang for a second and then start again. If you listen closely it makes the voice sound almost like one of those old fashioned robotic voices you used to hear when you dialed information.

Heard it once and thought it was an isolated glitch, but now I have heard it many times. Clearly something is amiss in the satellite feed or something

 

[keystonejock]

Sounds like they're trying to figure out how the equipment works. OTJ training. Would have been nice if they coulda done it off-air.

Critiques? Tor is Tor. Byers is Byers. Rush is Rush. All known commodities. Hartmann, the lefty, is a pro. Todd Brown is Todd Brown. No surprises there. The girl sounds a little lost, but looks kinda cute in the paper.

Don't quite understand Tor's liner about being the "real" Fox News affiliate. A. Who cares? B. Fox brings a hard-right perception with it--the last thing you'd want if you're trying to appear "balanced." Guaranteed to piss off Democrats. Hell, Tor's a Democrat--doesn't he understand this?

Just one man's opinion. What's your opinion?


> > Any critiques of the new morning shows? The hosts? How
> > about the syndicated stuff?
> >
>

 

[shilton]

>
> Don't quite understand Tor's liner about being the "real"
> Fox News affiliate. A. Who cares? B. Fox brings a
> hard-right perception with it--the last thing you'd want if
> you're trying to appear "balanced." Guaranteed to piss off
> Democrats. Hell, Tor's a Democrat--doesn't he understand
> this?
>
> Just one man's opinion. What's your opinion?
>
>
Well, like it or not, Fox news IS considered by many to be the news leader these days. They overtook CNN long ago. Not sure why they spent weeks leqding up to the launch running CNN feeds only to dump them for Fox, but whatever.

I'd say that the Fox feed will compliment the average Rush fan. I myself am rather conservative, but I prefer O'Reilly to Rush any day but of course WRSC has that locked up for the moment.

Honestly recent polling shows that fewer and fewer people are listening to radio news anyway, so I am not too sure how important having the Fox feed over ABC or CBS or CNn's is for anyone. news is news ultimately.

I agree with you that I am sorta surprised they launched so fast without working all the bugs, but hopefully they will get on that quickly if they want to be taken seriously.

Won't take long for something to give. Seeing how weak AM is to begin with, I just don't see WRSC, WMAJ and WBLF all holding on...but I could be very wrong too.

Hitman

 

[mountaineer]

Radio news downtrend?

"... fewer people are listening to radio news..." Nah, Steve, that's just not true. News/Talk/Info shares this past year have been the highest in history, peaking at 18.3 (12+) in the Fall. Check format trends on arbitron.com.

As far as RSC, MAJ and BLF "holding on," that's not an issue. None of them are self-sufficient. All of them are being financially propped-up by their FM bretheren... none will ever be competitive in any sort of music format... so what you hear is what you're gonna get, for a long, long time.

And as for Fox, well... if the intention was to go right at WRSC's heart as a conservative challenger, it would make perfect sense; if the intention was to offer something perceived as politically balanced, it's DOA due to the Fox reputation for being radically conservative--whether that's deserved or not. Lots of other choices in radio news that don't have any particular political reputation: AP, ABC... even NBC is back in radio news, now. Fox just has baggage, that's all, like it or not. Programmers have to be careful not to let the product contradict the marketing, no matter how much they want to get back at their former employers.


> Well, like it or not, Fox news IS considered by many to be
> the news leader these days. They overtook CNN long ago.
> Not sure why they spent weeks leqding up to the launch
> running CNN feeds only to dump them for Fox, but whatever.
>
> I'd say that the Fox feed will compliment the average Rush
> fan. I myself am rather conservative, but I prefer O'Reilly
> to Rush any day but of course WRSC has that locked up for
> the moment.
>
> Honestly recent polling shows that fewer and fewer people
> are listening to radio news anyway, so I am not too sure how
> important having the Fox feed over ABC or CBS or CNn's is
> for anyone. news is news ultimately.
>
> I agree with you that I am sorta surprised they launched so
> fast without working all the bugs, but hopefully they will
> get on that quickly if they want to be taken seriously.
>
> Won't take long for something to give. Seeing how weak AM
> is to begin with, I just don't see WRSC, WMAJ and WBLF all
> holding on...but I could be very wrong too.
>
> Hitman
>

 

[shilton]

Re: Radio news downtrend?

> "... fewer people are listening to radio news..." Nah,
> Steve, that's just not true. News/Talk/Info shares this past
> year have been the highest in history, peaking at 18.3 (12+)
> in the Fall. Check format trends on arbitron.com.
>
Well I'd agree with you to a degree. News talk does fare well on its own however in polling persons who listen to MUSIC RADIO and there are more of those persons than there are in the news-talk camp, they say they have little concern for hearing the news while they listen. This is why you will see most CHR's and AC's and Country outlets in the nation have pretty much done away with any sort of newscasts outside of AM drive if they do them then at all.

So my point was for the person who lsitens for the news, I am not sure it matters too much what the source of the news is as long as they get it meaning no sense screaming you are the source for FOX NEWS or ABC NEWS or any other when it seems any one of them would do just fine. Although yes, for some reason Fox seems to have a reputation for leaning to the right which I personally do not agree with, but I am in the minority on that.

As for comments on "holding on" I meant I wonder how long all 3 can remain even slightly viable with the formats they have. MAJ has already seen growing pains going from Newstalk to Music of your life to Sportstalk. I just don't see 3 Am talkers in town for long but I may be off base on that prediction.

 

[mountaineer]

On Base

C'mon, man. None of them are "slightly viable." None of them would be able to keep the lights on based on their own revenues, assuming even skeleton staff levels. Very few advertisers actually pays money to be on any of them--nearly everything you hear is a bonus spot... part of an FM package. Until this year, WMAJ generated virtually every dime of its revenue from Penn State football, but now that's really Bus money. The AM is just a tagalong. RSC has been a "bonus" for a decade. You're not off base. It's just already happened, that's all.


> As for comments on "holding on" I meant I wonder how long
> all 3 can remain even slightly viable with the formats they
> have. MAJ has already seen growing pains going from
> Newstalk to Music of your life to Sportstalk. I just don't
> see 3 Am talkers in town for long but I may be off base on
> that prediction.
>

 

[inthemorining]

Re: Radio news downtrend?

> > "... fewer people are listening to radio news..." Nah,
> > Steve, that's just not true. News/Talk/Info shares this
> past
> > year have been the highest in history, peaking at 18.3
> (12+)
> > in the Fall. Check format trends on arbitron.com.
> >
> Well I'd agree with you to a degree. News talk does fare
> well on its own however in polling persons who listen to
> MUSIC RADIO and there are more of those persons than there
> are in the news-talk camp, they say they have little concern
> for hearing the news while they listen. This is why you
> will see most CHR's and AC's and Country outlets in the
> nation have pretty much done away with any sort of newscasts
> outside of AM drive if they do them then at all.
>
> So my point was for the person who lsitens for the news, I
> am not sure it matters too much what the source of the news
> is as long as they get it meaning no sense screaming you are
> the source for FOX NEWS or ABC NEWS or any other when it
> seems any one of them would do just fine. Although yes, for
> some reason Fox seems to have a reputation for leaning to
> the right which I personally do not agree with, but I am in
> the minority on that.
>
> As for comments on "holding on" I meant I wonder how long
> all 3 can remain even slightly viable with the formats they
> have. MAJ has already seen growing pains going from
> Newstalk to Music of your life to Sportstalk. I just don't
> see 3 Am talkers in town for long but I may be off base on
> that prediction.
>

What would probably work is a young demo type of news station....i remember that NBC had the Source. It was an answer to the american fm radio network from the seventies....it was sharp 2 minute cast with a couple headlines then like some hollywood updates tv etc........I'm Geroge Taylor Morris and thats news from the Source.....if the place had a decent signal then it could be a 18-44 women leaning running cooking shows etc. but no power means aiming at the older demos......I always thought ABC was best in radio news......Doug Limerick, Bill Diehl.John Maher 3 talkers are tough even in mkts 75 and up

 

[Newbie]

To Mountaineer: Just curious

How do you know so much about radio? You seem to know more than anyone else on here.

And...do you call yourself Mountaineer because you are from West Virginia?

> "... fewer people are listening to radio news..." Nah,
> Steve, that's just not true. News/Talk/Info shares this past
> year have been the highest in history, peaking at 18.3 (12+)
> in the Fall. Check format trends on arbitron.com.
>
> As far as RSC, MAJ and BLF "holding on," that's not an
> issue. None of them are self-sufficient. All of them are
> being financially propped-up by their FM bretheren... none
> will ever be competitive in any sort of music format... so
> what you hear is what you're gonna get, for a long, long
> time.
>
> And as for Fox, well... if the intention was to go right at
> WRSC's heart as a conservative challenger, it would make
> perfect sense; if the intention was to offer something
> perceived as politically balanced, it's DOA due to the Fox
> reputation for being radically conservative--whether that's
> deserved or not. Lots of other choices in radio news that
> don't have any particular political reputation: AP, ABC...
> even NBC is back in radio news, now. Fox just has baggage,
> that's all, like it or not. Programmers have to be careful
> not to let the product contradict the marketing, no matter
> how much they want to get back at their former employers.
>
>
> > Well, like it or not, Fox news IS considered by many to be
>
> > the news leader these days. They overtook CNN long ago.
> > Not sure why they spent weeks leqding up to the launch
> > running CNN feeds only to dump them for Fox, but whatever.
>
> >
> > I'd say that the Fox feed will compliment the average Rush
>
> > fan. I myself am rather conservative, but I prefer
> O'Reilly
> > to Rush any day but of course WRSC has that locked up for
> > the moment.
> >
> > Honestly recent polling shows that fewer and fewer people
> > are listening to radio news anyway, so I am not too sure
> how
> > important having the Fox feed over ABC or CBS or CNn's is
> > for anyone. news is news ultimately.
> >
> > I agree with you that I am sorta surprised they launched
> so
> > fast without working all the bugs, but hopefully they will
>
> > get on that quickly if they want to be taken seriously.
> >
> > Won't take long for something to give. Seeing how weak AM
>
> > is to begin with, I just don't see WRSC, WMAJ and WBLF all
>
> > holding on...but I could be very wrong too.
> >
> > Hitman
> >
>

 

[shilton]

1 Week in and no changes

Well WBLF has made it through their first week on the air in the new digs with the new format and I am quite surprised that all the technical glitches remain. One would think they would have had an engineer all over it by now. That satellite feed from Fox News with the "stuttering" audio is extremely annoying to even the most casual listener.

Anyone know what's up with the technical issues. Does BLF and the Buzz even have access to an engineer who can make these corrections? I wonder because at times the audio on the Buzz sounds funky too and no one seems to be dealing with that either.

How can anyone be expected to listen if the audio quality is poor?

Hitman

 

[killawatt]

St. Jude where are you?

hiring all those ex-Dame folks in sales and programming ran up a little tab, I'm sure the ex-Dame engineer is sure to be on board any month now. It would be nice to hear who's cat the Bellefonte Fire Dept. got out of the tree in am STEREO. My prayers to St. Jude for the SWAP SHOP have gone unanswered.

> Well WBLF has made it through their first week on the air in
> the new digs with the new format and I am quite surprised
> that all the technical glitches remain. One would think
> they would have had an engineer all over it by now. That
> satellite feed from Fox News with the "stuttering" audio is
> extremely annoying to even the most casual listener.
>
> Anyone know what's up with the technical issues. Does BLF
> and the Buzz even have access to an engineer who can make
> these corrections? I wonder because at times the audio on
> the Buzz sounds funky too and no one seems to be dealing
> with that either.
>
> How can anyone be expected to listen if the audio quality is
> poor?
>
> Hitman
>

 

[killawatt]

Re:You may have a problem when...

you have more full-time employees than you do listeners.



> > > "... fewer people are listening to radio news..." Nah,
> > > Steve, that's just not true. News/Talk/Info shares this
> > past
> > > year have been the highest in history, peaking at 18.3
> > (12+)
> > > in the Fall. Check format trends on arbitron.com.
> > >
> > Well I'd agree with you to a degree. News talk does fare
> > well on its own however in polling persons who listen to
> > MUSIC RADIO and there are more of those persons than there
>
> > are in the news-talk camp, they say they have little
> concern
> > for hearing the news while they listen. This is why you
> > will see most CHR's and AC's and Country outlets in the
> > nation have pretty much done away with any sort of
> newscasts
> > outside of AM drive if they do them then at all.
> >
> > So my point was for the person who lsitens for the news, I
>
> > am not sure it matters too much what the source of the
> news
> > is as long as they get it meaning no sense screaming you
> are
> > the source for FOX NEWS or ABC NEWS or any other when it
> > seems any one of them would do just fine. Although yes,
> for
> > some reason Fox seems to have a reputation for leaning to
> > the right which I personally do not agree with, but I am
> in
> > the minority on that.
> >
> > As for comments on "holding on" I meant I wonder how long
> > all 3 can remain even slightly viable with the formats
> they
> > have. MAJ has already seen growing pains going from
> > Newstalk to Music of your life to Sportstalk. I just
> don't
> > see 3 Am talkers in town for long but I may be off base on
>
> > that prediction.
> >
>
> What would probably work is a young demo type of news
> station....i remember that NBC had the Source. It was an
> answer to the american fm radio network from the
> seventies....it was sharp 2 minute cast with a couple
> headlines then like some hollywood updates tv etc........I'm
> Geroge Taylor Morris and thats news from the Source.....if
> the place had a decent signal then it could be a 18-44 women
> leaning running cooking shows etc. but no power means
> aiming at the older demos......I always thought ABC was best
> in radio news......Doug Limerick, Bill Diehl.John Maher 3
> talkers are tough even in mkts 75 and up
>

 

[marpediem]

Re: On Base

The concept of being viable and attracting sales is more involved than it seems. First, you have to believe in the product you sell to sell it effectively. It may just be that no one has had any belief that AM is viable. Magnum does have an advantage in that department, as WPHB has always been self supporting, financed the addition of the FM before it was ever The Buzz, and supported the FM as it grew... There are 2 possibilities to explore. 1) WPHB just happens to be stable, whether it rates in the books or not or 2) the staff believes in what they do, and it carries over to the advertisers beliefs. Only time will tell for sure, but if it's the latter of the two scenerios, the same thing may happen with WBLF...

 

[mountaineer]

Ears & eyes

Even from the outside, my ears and eyes work just fine. If one hangs around for a half-century or more, one can learn a lot, especially from the owner/operator chair. With all due respect, most of the posters here are jocks or hangers-on. By comparison, I suppose I do seem to know more. I should.

I also continue to buy media, so see/hear the pitches on a regular basis. And I ask questions.

No, I'm not a proud WVU alum or have ever lived in West-By-God-Virginia. But, look around. We have mountains, here, too.

Haven't been as active with this board recently, but I still check it every so often. Thanks for asking.


> How do you know so much about radio? You seem to know more
> than anyone else on here.
>
> And...do you call yourself Mountaineer because you are from
> West Virginia?