Overcomer Ministry ending radio broadcasts

[Gregg.]

Gene Scott is kind of like the reason broadcasts are still syndicated of J. Vernon McGee's Through the Bible (died 1988) and Adrian Rogers' Love Worth Finding (died 2005).

Charles Stanley is still being heard on Christian Radio, even though he died in 2023.

Gene Scott was great! I didn't believe anything he said but his eccentric shows were a hoot! And he was the first, I believe, to have stations running him 24/7. He had a full power FM station in Los Angeles, now KKLA-FM. It was Scott's station from And he had a UHF station in San Francisco, also running his shows around the clock.

 

[gr8oldies]

Most likely the episode will deal with stock market datacasting services, which use direct shortwave transmission of digital market information in order to reduce the lag times present with other forms of distribution. Even a few milliseconds can make a major difference for automated trading programs that rely on up to the moment information.

The FCC has yet to finalize rules for such datacasting services, though many are already on the air under experimental authorizations. Such signals can cover 50 to 60 kHz of bandwidth, and have a “buzzwhine” sound when received on a regular shortwave receiver. If you switch to SSB mode and very slowly tune through the signal you will hear multiple streams of digital data being modulated across the signal range.

I’ve heard a few of these stations, which are usually on the air during normal Wall Street trading hours. 14 to 18 MHz seems to be the range most likely to contain such transmissions, though I’ve seen reports of them operating elsewhere on the HF spectrum.

Interesting! Thanks!

 

[Mediafrog+]

Interesting! Thanks!

This article is from a couple of years ago, but it gives a good overview of stock market shortwave datacasting stations in the Chicago area: https://www.udxf.nl/HF-Trading-Stations_03AUGL2023.pdf

Video from earlier this year with examples of datacasting signals:

 

[DelmarvaDX]

I'm curious, what do those stations need to bring in per hour to keep the lights on? About what was Overcomer paying? I was just thinking, a wild idea, if it could make sense for a "legitimate" advertiser to sponsor some cheap programming. It could be something like old time radio or automated "standards". It would get some listeners...enough to be worthwhile for someone who sells internationally, like Coca-Cola, Toyota, Energizer?

 

[Mediafrog+]

I was just thinking, a wild idea, if it could make sense for a "legitimate" advertiser to sponsor some cheap programming. It could be something like old time radio or automated "standards". It would get some listeners...enough to be worthwhile for someone who sells internationally, like Coca-Cola, Toyota, Energizer?

No big time advertiser is going to use shortwave as a platform. They need quantifiable audiences, which SW can’t provide. Potential listenership is tiny to nonexistent. What would those companies be trying to accomplish?

Standards and old time radio are just a wallow in nostalgia when you need programming that is relevant in 2025 and beyond.

 

[PTBoardOp93]

I'm curious, what do those stations need to bring in per hour to keep the lights on? About what was Overcomer paying? I was just thinking, a wild idea, if it could make sense for a "legitimate" advertiser to sponsor some cheap programming. It could be something like old time radio or automated "standards". It would get some listeners...enough to be worthwhile for someone who sells internationally, like Coca-Cola, Toyota, Energizer?

We don't know how much Overcomer was paying to any of the shortwave outlets, because those are private business contracts.
A sales pitch on the WRMI website says "as low as $1 per minute", so let's assume $60 per hour is break even for them, with their scale of a dozen or so transmitters.

Even with "low cost" programming, you'd need $100 per hour to pay WRMI and for the programming -- probably more. Which is a million dollars a year.

You'll be hard pressed to get a million dollars out of one advertiser for anything.

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

We don't know how much Overcomer was paying to any of the shortwave outlets, because those are private business contracts.
A sales pitch on the WRMI website says "as low as $1 per minute", so let's assume $60 per hour is break even for them, with their scale of a dozen or so transmitters.

Even with "low cost" programming, you'd need $100 per hour to pay WRMI and for the programming -- probably more. Which is a million dollars a year.

You'll be hard pressed to get a million dollars out of one advertiser for anything.

Stair was paying alot less than $60 an hour... id wager less than half that based upon two things;.... what they paid me at my AM in south carolina years ago and the fact some of Stairs broadcasts can be pre empted by full paying clients.

Heck, even when I buy time. i dont often pay $60 per hour, and i buy time maybe a few times a year.. and its been awhile.

$100 hour for what?

 

[PTBoardOp93]

Stair was paying alot less than $60 an hour... id wager less than half that based upon two things;.... what they paid me at my AM in south carolina years ago and the fact some of Stairs broadcasts can be pre empted by full paying clients.

Heck, even when I buy time. i dont often pay $60 per hour, and i buy time maybe a few times a year.. and its been awhile.

Fair enough. I'm unlikely to ever buy SW time, so I'm reliant on what WRMI published on their own website.

$100 hour for what?

I'm assuming whoever would try to program standards music on shortwave would be doing it as a business, and potentially hiring employees (jocks) to make it more than jukeboxed oldies. Even so, $40 an hour to cover overhead is probably too much for "cheap programming."

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

Fair enough. I'm unlikely to ever buy SW time, so I'm reliant on what WRMI published on their own website.


I'm assuming whoever would try to program standards music on shortwave would be doing it as a business, and potentially hiring employees (jocks) to make it more than jukeboxed oldies. Even so, $40 an hour to cover overhead is probably too much for "cheap programming."

$60 is what youd call the rate card rate

and yes, youd go broke on SW trying to do anything commercially like regular broadcast radio does

 

[boombox4]

$60 is what youd call the rate card rate

and yes, youd go broke on SW trying to do anything commercially like regular broadcast radio does

Yeah, it's more the 'get out the message' types (i.e., religious programs) and a few other outliers, along with hobbyists that enjoy getting their program out on the medium -- like you do when you go on the SW. And some of the programs seem to have sponsors of sorts.

Not much different than some of the brokered AM stations in cities, actually, at least from a business model perspective.

 

[boombox4]

RW Shambach is a name I haven't heard in decades. He was screaming on WJYM, Bowling Green, Ohio after Jimmy Swaggart took over, but years before it became "all Jimmy all the time". They also carried Oliver B. Green, who died in 1979, and is still heard on many stations.

I haven't heard for myself but have been told that there are episodes of J. Vernon McGee's "Through the Bible" referring to President Nixon in the present tense.

I've been somewhat fascinated by the Armstrongs (Herbert W. and Garner Ted) though not a believer in their doctrine. Herbert practically started the business of media preaching in the 30s. Garner Ted sounded like a news commentator, not a preacher. Nothing could freak out a kid more than Garner Ted coming in on a distant 50kW station talking in graphic terms about nuclear holocaust). about Garner Ted was kicked out and H.W. took the show back while GT started his own offshoot church and show. Once H.W. passed a couple of other speakers were brought in, but eventually the Worldwide Church of God became a more standard Evangelical denomination. Offshoots continue Armstrong's media ministry and doctrines, probably the most known is Gerald Flurry, (The Key of David), who owns the copyrights on the elder Armstrongs' books.

All interesting stuff.

I remember Garner Ted. I used to listen to him back in the day (when a little kid). Garner Ted had a radio voice, and somehow knew how to work radio. He could have made it in regular radio had he wanted to. He had the voice and the style down. Probably inherited from his father, who I think was one of the first radio preachers (the Worldwide Church of God was originally called the 'Radio Church of God', operating out of Eugene, Oregon, apparently).

 

[Mediafrog+]

WRMI has posted its new schedules starting July 1, and the Overcomer broadcasts are being replaced by something called “Classic Redneck Radio”. Appears to be another preacher. Never heard of it, and an online search brings up hazy details.

No word yet as to what the other SW stations running Overcomer will do after July 1.

 

[yeoldeschool]

Google gives me this:

"Classic Redneck Radio with Rabbi William aka Brother Billy Redneck"
https://bbsradio.com/sites/default/...e/Classic_Redneck_Radio__2025-05-24__Show.mp3

I can hardly believe this is real. The show's 4 minute long opening sounds downright demonic if not psychotic, the subsequent scriptural readings are all about fear and dread, and the final minutes (skip to around 49:00 and then 52:00) are full of distorted, fanatical shouting. I couldn't stand to listen to the whole thing straight through.

WRMI's Facebook page claims that "as of July 1, Classic Redneck Radio will be on WRMI 24 hours daily on different frequencies at different times."

What a trainwreck. I would rather have Brother Stair back.

 

[Rusty Muck]

Google gives me this:

"Classic Redneck Radio with Rabbi William aka Brother Billy Redneck"
https://bbsradio.com/sites/default/...e/Classic_Redneck_Radio__2025-05-24__Show.mp3

It sounds like an SNL skit that went on for too long and they forgot how to end it. (So basically a typical SNL skit.)

The opening is unintentionally hilarious.

 

[Mediafrog+]

I can hardly believe this is real. The show's 4 minute long opening sounds downright demonic if not psychotic, the subsequent scriptural readings are all about fear and dread, and the final minutes (skip to around 49:00 and then 52:00) are full of distorted, fanatical shouting. I couldn't stand to listen to the whole thing straight through.

Somehow I’m totally disinclined to listen to that audio file. Guess I will wait until tomorrow to check the programming on WRMI.

I’ve seen some online discussion as to whether Classic Redneck Radio isn’t some type of social satire or performance art.

WRMI's Facebook page claims that "as of July 1, Classic Redneck Radio will be on WRMI 24 hours daily on different frequencies at different times."

What a trainwreck. I would rather have Brother Stair back.

Programming Brother Stair wasn’t scraping the bottom of the barrel, but rather digging underneath it. Now it appears WRMI is burrowing a mineshaft under the barrel.

Gotta wonder when Jeff White will get to the point where he decides “enough is enough” and retires, and either shuts down the Okeechobee transmitter facility or attempts to sell it.

 

[kevtronics]

According to WRMI’s Jeff White on the Wavescan program (via Glenn Hauser on his World of Radio forum) the Overcomer broadcasts on shortwave and local radio affiliates will end on June 30. Internet stream will continue, and there are supposedly plans for an LPFM at the group’s South Carolina home base.

Brother Stair was still on 1170 WWVA early this morning, June 30th.

 

[Mediafrog+]

The WWCR July schedule is out, and Overcomer is gone. The transmitter that had aired most of that content is now down to just four hours a day Monday through Friday and completely off on weekends.

That would be a loss of around 600 program hours a month, likely many tens of thousands of dollars in lost income. WWCR shut down another transmitter at the beginning of this year, so they’ve received a couple of huge revenue hits.

Meanwhile it appears Overcomer will continue on WTWW for a while longer, no definite end date.

 

[boombox4]

I've heard Classic Redneck Radio a bunch of times, as it's on early in the evening (West Coast time) on WRMI. The Redneck guy is a preacher who has a lot to say about the use of data tracking, all sorts of big brother type stuff along with the end of the world preaching. He doesn't come off like a typical preacher, more of a unique mix of holy name movement (insisting that the only name for God is Yahwah or Yahweh) and End Times preaching.

Or something on that order.

 

[boombox4]

I’ve seen some online discussion as to whether Classic Redneck Radio isn’t some type of social satire or performance art.

I don't think the show is performance art or satire. I think the presenter truly believes in what he is preaching.

Programming Brother Stair wasn’t scraping the bottom of the barrel, but rather digging underneath it. Now it appears WRMI is burrowing a mineshaft under the barrel.

Gotta wonder when Jeff White will get to the point where he decides “enough is enough” and retires, and either shuts down the Okeechobee transmitter facility or attempts to sell it.

Unless there has been a huge number of non-Overcomer shows that dropped from the schedule, I wouldn't think WRMI is scraping the bottom of the barrel anymore than any brokered AM'er in any major metro is scraping the barrel by having a lot of the shows and informercials they play, by selling their time to all comers. I also wouldn't call shows like the music program "Teacher's Corner" is scraping the bottom of the barrel. Same with the music by the decade program, or other ones I've heard on WRMI.

 

[boombox4]

Google gives me this:

"Classic Redneck Radio with Rabbi William aka Brother Billy Redneck"
https://bbsradio.com/sites/default/...e/Classic_Redneck_Radio__2025-05-24__Show.mp3

I can hardly believe this is real. The show's 4 minute long opening sounds downright demonic if not psychotic, the subsequent scriptural readings are all about fear and dread, and the final minutes (skip to around 49:00 and then 52:00) are full of distorted, fanatical shouting. I couldn't stand to listen to the whole thing straight through.

WRMI's Facebook page claims that "as of July 1, Classic Redneck Radio will be on WRMI 24 hours daily on different frequencies at different times."

What a trainwreck. I would rather have Brother Stair back.

The opening and closing music sounded like a shofar or similar horn trumpet being blown over the music of the Mongolian musical group The Hu (they're a real group -- look them up). It may not be the Hu, but sounds similar.

I've heard louder shouters on SW religious radio (and AM as well). There's one preacher who shouts and wails to the point you can barely understand what he's saying. Can't recall the name. African American guy, who starts a sentence and then wails out loud, before finishing the sentence. Compared to shouters like that, this guy is tame.