Out with the old at WMT

[creampuff]

While bored, I was checking out a few radio sites and happened across this...

Who Is Bill Steensland?
Bill is twenty years old (three times). Bill and Linda were married during his second twenty years (1967) and they have six children. If you notice a little Southern accent, it is because Bill was born and raised (reared) in Tennessee and 22 years in Ohio didn't take it all out of him.

THIS is the new morning guy at WMT?

Wow - they're in worse shape than I thought. What are they going to do next year when he starts collecting social security? Any thoughts?

 

[mediawatcher]

Its apparent to me that WMT AM is going for a morningtime with someone that is "like an old shoe," comfortable. While Bill is easy to listen to and folksy, he does not engage in balanced debate or unpopular subjects.

Perhaps the station is still appealing to its once great listening base which it feels identifies with a 60 year old announcer. God forbid the station hires some energetic talent with fresh ideas and engaging ways to appeal to a greater audience.

 

[wondering]

i have to disagree with him being "easy to listen to". i've tried to listen more than once and have had the same experience every time. he sounds like an old man trying to use the "fancy equipment" and is wondering where the records (78 rpm) are. i realize he needs to get used to his new station and he can only get better, but he sounds very out of place. we'll see how long this one lasts. let's see...is that four morning hosts in the past four years? best of luck!

 

[wmtbites]

Unfortunately they've succumbed to "Jerry Carr Syndrome". Jerry was a talented, but very "non offensive" personality of a different generation. He actually was rather bland compared to his predecessor "Howdy" Roberts (his big thing was taking celebrity interviews and recutting them to insert his own nonsense questions). Jerry was a nice guy who traveled the middle road and every host since has been that way except for Greg Alan. Tim Boyle was incredibly restricted (or bored) hosting the AM morning- when he was on FM he was much funnier and much edgier (remember his commercial of Mother Teresa and Slim Whitman for the IA lottery "your chances of winning are Slim and Nun").
At least Greg could get callers at 5am - Tom couldn't and Bill can't get people to respond (unless there is a prize involved).

 

[creampuff]

Just to make my opinion known...and it's not a slam...BUT

Where is it written that the idea of a talk show is to get callers?

The idea of a talk show is to get listeners...callers are incidental to that goal.

Now...back to the debate.

 

[wmtbites]

I mention getting people to respond as a sign that anyone gives a rip about what is being put over the airways. Tom and Bob have asked people to call in and share stories and have gotten little response. Bottom line, buzz can generate listeners, especially regular listeners. There is nothing to get excited about on WMT AM in the mornings. Bob in the afternoon has an entertaining show, but the morning shows have had no personality of their own, they just fill time.

 

[creampuff]

Agreed...good clarification.

It certainly isn't anything to "wake up" to...is there an alternative I don't know about? I'd love to have something interesting to listen to in the morning and I'm an AM band guy - too old for FM silly stuff and I want more news-oriented information. Is that too much to ask from the people operating in this market?

I don't want to sound whiney, but I'm very frustrated at the lack of anything of this sort to listen to. I recently moved to Iowa and the radio out east just kills this area for interesting content. Is there anything like that here? Anywhere? I found Glenn Beck at least, but it comes in fuzzy in my company van sometimes out of 1540...and he's already on by the time I get to work.

I want to be challenged in the morning...to get my brain functioning.

To the radio operators if they pay any attention: Tell me what happened, why it happened, and stimulate me!!! I can't force myself to be excited about 10-dollar pork certificates or whatever!!!

/rant over
//feel somewhat better
///not much tho

 

[wmtbites]

Well, now Bill Steensland is gone. He was actually off the air last week, but Andy Peterson was asked where he was by a caller and he admitted that Bill is no longer with the station. That makes 3 morning guys gone this year...

 

[creampuff]

I haven't read the obits in a while. Did he die?

Are they that bad at hiring? or is the talent pool so lame? There's got to be somebody interesting they could put in that timeslot. Good grief, how the once mighty fall...