lifeuw19 said:
Sean Gilbow said:
I did move on. I took my advertising dollars out of the Columbus market.
And unlike Columbus and Cincinnati, Clear Channel Akron/Canton is committed to progressive talk. And the operation is poised to attract former AM 1230 listeners from Columbus.
Columbus Radio Fan...keep in mind that advertisers are the ones holding the purse strings. We have the money. You don't. At least, unlike most of my critics, I am willing to stick my neck out by commenting under my real name.
Why is it everytime there's a post about Clear Channel, WTVN, or the former WTPG, this guy comes on here and tells us how big of a mistake it was and how he took his money elsewhere? Well, Richy, Rich. I have a question for you. You claim your "advertising dollars" are leaving Columbus. So... in 2+ years of Progressive Talk, do you mind telling us how much your advertising budget was? Seriously... dollar-wise, how much did you, an "advertiser" commit to the station. I don't know what your "business" is, but I'm pretty sure you're not placing ads for Ricart Auto, or Kroger, or something like that. So, I ask again, since you said, "We have the money"... how much did you spend on the station? So "stick your neck out" and tell all of us who do not "hold the purse strings" just how much your business contributed to the station to keep it afloat. As well... how much did the station's listeners make your business grow? Did they support your company and buy your services or products? My guess is your answers are why the station tanked. No one spending money, no one listening, and no one supporting advertisers. That's what typically happens. "Clear Channel Akron/Canton is committed to progressive talk"... we'll see once that ship goes down as well and you're on here saying once again... "I'm taking my advertising money to Steubenville, they're committed to progressive radio". Goodness... enough all ready. The station sucked. No one wanted to advertise on it. No one wanted to listen to it. It didn't work. It's that simple. Good riddance, ya "pinko commies"!
Since you asked...the total came to roughly $1,700 for a period running a little more than a year. This included being a co-sponsor of Stephanie Miller's appearance in Columbus.
There were a number of factors behind putting my business on hold last year, most notably the fact that I received two promotions last year where I work:
The Ohio Department of Public Safety. In addition to a substantial increase in pay due to two pay range increases plus the new union contract, I received a letter of commendation from then-Director Kenneth Morckel for my work helping Ohio Homeland Security.
This, along with a different product line, resulted in the decision to invest $300 a month on a consistent basis advertising on AM 1230. This would have resulted in a 30-second spot each day. The amount would increase as sales increased.
But within 24 hours of the announcement of the format change, I was in contact with Radio Free Ohio. And for that amount, I am getting between
12 to 13 spots a day on the live stream that can be accessed on any computer. Since my business is a
website, the decision was a no-brainer.
By the way...while I have been in contact with some of the people behind the Ohio Majority Radio movement, I am independent of that group. So while I leave Columbus radio to professionals who make half the money I do, I will be busy promoting Radio Free Ohio's live stream to former AM 1230 listeners. Promotion will begin in full force within the next 90 days.
To the liberal bashers on this board: I am not going away. You can hide behind your usernames as much as you like, but I pretty much live in a "glass house" since 1) much about me is a matter of public record and 2) my co-workers include members of the Ohio State Highway Patrol. Keep this is mind when you formulate a response, or lack thereof.
Now, since I was responsible for the diversion from the original topic, the least I can do is try to get back on topic.
Think what you will about the Akron radio market, but it does have a station that does news the way news should be done. I was an avid listener to 1590 WAKR when I was growing up, and with the recent job slashes by Clear Channel, it won't be too long before WAKR has Ohio's largest radio news operation.
Again this year, the station was recognized as Best Radio News Operation in Ohio by the Associated Press. Its ten-person staff includes three who have been with the station at least 25 years, including a recipient of the Edward R. Murrow Award from the Radio-Television News Directors Association. The station still has extended news programming in the morning and noon hour. It also has been Akron's (and also recently became Cleveland's) home for Paul Harvey when the station once again became locally owned in 1994 (and dumped Rush Limbaugh). You can sample some of the station's newscasts by going to its new website,
AkronNewsNow.com.
For Columbus to again have a news station of WAKR's calibre would require a station swap simliar to what Clear Channel Akron/Canton did to get 106.9 in Canton. It swapped with Cumulus for some stations in...believe it or not...Ann Arbor, Michigan.
The Rubber City Radio Group also has stations in Lansing as well as Akron. But it would be inconceivable to think after the Clear Channel "fire sale" activity that it would swap a station like WTVN for stations in a market comparable in size to those where it's selling stations.
One thing is for certain...If Sally Wagner were still alive, she wouldn't recognize the old place now. And it's doubtful the likes of Sally, John Remy, Dave Claborn, Robert Bauer and Don Alexander will be heard in this market ever again.
