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Pittsburgh Area Community Radio

W

WCWalker

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Hello all. I'd like to get your feedback on the following:

I have resumed my search for the right place to launch a commercial Part 15 AM radio station. I'm looking at several locations in NY and PA. Eventually, I hope the Part 15 AM station will lead to a licensed LPAM or LPFM station. I've been off the air for three years now and I am itching to return to the air from a place that will welcome a new, small community station. My timetable for startup is between one and two years from now.

Could Vandergrift support a Full Service Part 15 AM station? Thanks to the use of multiple transmitters or a single unit in the right location I could effectively cover the entire city along with Apollo and East Vandergrift and North Apollo city limits with a listenable signal.

Would the same concept work in New Castle? I posted this scenario on a local NC message board and generally the feedback was favorable. Aside from the apparent corruption at the city and county level it seems as though the community would be receptive to the idea.

Or how about East Liverpool, OH? I see they no longer have any real local radio there now that Keymarket has turned the stations into satelators of their larger stations in the Pittsburgh market.

Your feedback is welcome.
 
the right place to launch a commercial Part 15 AM radio station.

I would guess that one of the most important things you'd need for a commercially successful station would be a good base of locally operated businesses who might want to buy commercial time on your station. Though sometimes national chain businesses do allow their local managers to buy local advertising, that's often only from a public relations budget for things like local school sports programs and the like. My guess is that you'll probably need lots of "mom & pop" businesses who are willing to spend some money on advertising in the area in order to be commercially successful.

Have you looked at the local newspapers and other local ad media? Do local advertisers in those areas seem to be willing to spend money on advertising?

What is the general economic climate of each area? Are they dying rust-belt communities with a higher than average number of people with low and/or fixed incomes, or is there a reasonable number of residents with enough disposable income to support local businesses?

Do enough people living in the areas care about local matters enough to support a local radio station? Or do the people living there see themselves as living in a distant Pittsburgh suburb? The local Chamber of Commerce for the county East Liverpool is in has been running ads on Pittsburgh stations encouraging Pittsburgh businesses to locate in East Liverpool, using the theme that East Liverpool is "the 'Burb of the 'Burgh" -- just a distant suburb of Pittsburgh.

How many people living in the area choose their radio station based on what kind of music it plays compared to how many listen for local information? Is there enough commonality of musical taste that any musical format could attract a significant number of listeners? Or would most people who might like a "local" station in theory refuse to listen to one that didn't play the kind of music that they wanted to hear?

How much local information is there in each of those areas that local people care about? Do the local people shop in the local area, or do they drive to near-by "big box" stores for most of their shopping? Are their minor league or semi-pro sports teams that local people follow? Are the local school sports teams popular enough that play-by-play of their games would draw audiences and advertisers? Are there any significant ethnic enclaves that could be reached with targeted programming?
 
Could Vandergrift support a Full Service Part 15 AM station?

I grew up in Vandergrift and am familliar with that whole Kiski Valley region...Apollo, Vandergrift, Leechburg, etc. I think it could survive, but the only way it would is by running it as LEAN as possible. Very few employees with a hands-on operator that's capable of selling. If you go into this venture as an absentee owner-operator depending on others to do the legwork, you will fail. You have competition from four weekly newspapers, a daily, radio stations in Kittanning and Apollo (licensed there but is actually now in Sarver) and cable television. So the revenue is there...but you're asking for a slice from a very small pie to begin with. I would run a satellite-delivered music format with a local announcer to insert local news and sports drops, PSA's, and maybe a contract individual to do Kiski Area High School Football broadcasts. They're about the only district in that region that's not getting radio PBP coverage, and the advertiser support is there for that. Local sports would likely be the bulk of your revenue.
 
For East Liverpool, possibly.

Right now WOGI (Froggy 104.3) is East Liverpool's and surrounding rural communties station and its country. However, what is the format for your station? If it is something else besides country, you could do very well in that community because WOGI (Country) is the only station and people would welcome something a little different.Trust me on that one. ha ha. Though if it is Jazz or Classical, you don't have a chance. Much as I love that type of music and I do like my community, that would never fly well out here so you would have to find a good format but there are a lot of local companies out here that would pay for advertising if you got off the ground. I also would suggest that you keep the station geared to the community as much as possible and have local air talent, sales people, etc. They are very proud of their community despite the difficulties it has had. They know their area well out here. I know a lot of people are mad that WOGI no longer really has much E. Liverpool appeal like it did before Keymarket bought it out. But back in the day, it was the voice of E. Liverpool and that is gone.

If you have any questions or need more information, let me know.

As far as New Castle, I live here on the weekdays and I already know there is a grea number of small stations fighting each other and the big boys in Pittsburgh so it may be harder in that market though.

If you have any questions or need more information, let me know. I know a lot about the area because I grew up around E. Liverpool and know a lot about the local scene and businesses.
 
Radio Realist. Thank you for giving me some things to think about.

kenhawk 1160. The station will be run by a local, hands on owner. Me. I also want to get some local people involved to further develop the "real" local sound of the station. The fact that the area has no local sports programming on the radio makes it a VERY appealing potential location. The Apollo station is merely a religious station which has limited appeal to the masses. For that reason I guess the only real competition is the FM outlet in Kittanning. And my station will hardly have an impact on their ad budget. :) Last Winter I spoke with Alan Walzack at the Chamber of Commerce and he indicated the idea was an excellent one and that I could count on their support.

Chancellor Dukat. East Liverpool is also a very appealing location because I am somewhat familiar with what has taken place with the local AM and FM outlets. The format would be an AC Oldies with a sprinkling of Oldies thrown into the mix. Presently the playlist approaches 2,400 tunes. I already have one local on air talent from the Beaver Valley ready to work for a couple of cups of coffee each day. Adding a few local people to the mix would be the final step in developing a successful station in ELO.

Chancellor. Last February I read on this board that someone was planning to launch a station on AM 1620 from City Hal in ELO. Did that ever get off the ground? It sounded like it was a legitimate part 15 AM operation since they seemed to indicate in the message that a transmitter mounted on the top of the building was going to be used. That is likely to be the same kind of transmitter that I possess. It is a FCC Type Approved Part 15 AM transmitter. I need to know if the other group has or will take to the air in ELO.

As far as New Castle is concerned I am not too worried about the competition. It seems as though the people there are every bit as dissatisfied with the corporate stations as they people in ELO. I already have an offer from one business owner that wants to get involved with my station if I bring it to NC. I can already envision initially launching in either NC or ELO and then expanding to the other at some point in the future. Care would be taken to insure each station would have its own distinct sound and programming for each individual community.

Thanks.
 
William,


I am not to sure about that other radio station. I haven't heard much about it so I doubt it went everywhere.

The country station we have here in East Liverpool (WOGF) was orginally a country (and a locally owned and had local air staff and was all East Liverpool and the outer rural areas). She was called WELA I believe back then. They changed formats around 1998? or something and then they switched to an oldies format for about two years. This was right before the sale to Keymarket who in turn, brought her back to country and junked the call letters and adopted the Froggy monkier.

I am not too sure how the ratings were with olides in E. Liverpool, but I think you would do rather well because of the high amount of older people in that area. If you were to get your station off the ground all you would have to do is market it to that audience and you will be locked in.


Where are you thinking about setting up shop for your station in East Liverpool?
 
kenhawk 1160. The station will be run by a local, hands on owner. Me. I also want to get some local people involved to further develop the "real" local sound of the station. The fact that the area has no local sports programming on the radio makes it a VERY appealing potential location. The Apollo station is merely a religious station which has limited appeal to the masses. For that reason I guess the only real competition is the FM outlet in Kittanning. And my station will hardly have an impact on their ad budget. :) Last Winter I spoke with Alan Walzack at the Chamber of Commerce and he indicated the idea was an excellent one and that I could count on their support.

Just for the record, William, there is no FM in Kittanning, just WTYM-AM. I hope you're able to put the money together for your endeavor, because as my hometown, I would love to see it happen. Steel is definitely not cheap to put up. I would ask about your proposed frequency and power, but I know the last thing you want at this time is your license challenged, so I won't go there. If there's any way I can help you further your goal, let me know.
 
Chancellor. If I locate in E. Liverpool the station would need to be right near downtown. The range will be limited to perhaps a mile and a half to two miles (depending upon the number of transmitters I can synch together in combination with a ground system) which means I need to be right in the center of it all. That would permit me to cover ALL of E. Liverpool plus Chester, WV and then a bit beyond as well.

My friend in the Beaver Valley likes ELO as a potential site and I hope to be talking with him further about this during the course of the next week or two. I've visited it a couple of times and also like the town. It's compact and has a terrific downtown. People were cordial and seem down to earth.

kenhawk. Initially the station would only be a Part 15 AM endeavor. That is legal, unlicensed broadcasting. Tower height would be around 30 feet. I am part of a national group that is petitioning the FCC to create a new licensed LPAM service but at present it is going nowhere and it could be many years before we know whether or not it will see the light of day.

kenhawk. How is the overall economic health of the downtown districts in the communities of Vandergrift and Apollo?
 
Initially the station would only be a Part 15 AM endeavor. That is legal, unlicensed broadcasting.

Wow...I thought that matter was dead and buried. Nice to talk to someone who's not giving up on it, though.

As for the overall state of the economy, the retail district for Vandergrift is abysmal. For Leechburg and Apollo, it's a little better, but not much. However, if you go into the municipalities adjoining those towns (Allegheny, Washington, Parks, and Gilpin Townships), you could also pick up some revenue there. When I worked at the old WACB in Kittanning back in the late 80's, we did have some clients in the Kiski Valley who still believed in radio. Lower Burrell would also be a good bet, but I'm not sure if your signal would reach down there. I would try to maybe work some time brokerage stuff on the weekends to augment your spot income if you can do it. Church broadcasts I can see as a potential moneymaker in those towns. There's a very high elder population, and the shut-ins would love hearing local church services on Sundays. If you approach a church that has its own sound recording system, you can air tape-delay services. Get maybe a three hour block of those every weekend, and your electric bill has been paid for the month.
 
Part 15 AM is still alive and well. Transmitter sales have slowed to a trickle but plenty of stations still are on the air and some of them are commercial successes.

I appreciate the other points you've brought up and indeed, I have given thought to allowing churches to air their Sunday services either live or by tape on my station. Cost would be cheap and as you pointed out, it's a good way for them to reach their shut in congregation.

Ashame to hear Vandergrift's downtown is a wreck. I am working in a plan that would allow me to start initially in one location and then expand to others in the region. Expanding the concept into small towns and cities with little or no local service would serve niche markets that otherwise would not be served. Minority groups could also buy time on the station and reach their target audience when the large stations might prove to be too costly for their needs.
 
Ashame to hear Vandergrift's downtown is a wreck.

Bear in mind, most "downtown" business districts are wrecks. If you're planning a business venture that depends on local management that can make advertising budget decisions at the most local level, you need to look very, very closely at local shopping patterns in the areas you're considering. The areas that are considered economically healthy are now dominated by "big box" and chain store/franchised businesses.

"Dominated" doesn't mean that there aren't still some locally owned and operated businesses where mom or pop can make the decisions about buying advertising. But I'd recommend a lot of advance leg work to see the chances of getting locally owned or managed businesses to support a local radio station.
 
Freddy:

Thanks for the tip. ELO ain't big enough for the both of us. :)

I am still fully engaged in the process of elimination. I've also ruled out New Castle and Vandergrift. However, I am now researching some other communities closer to Pittsburgh that appear to be good candidates for my station. A couple of these locations appear to be more promising because they have less potential obstacles for startup and either don't have a local station or lost their station to a chain that now offers regional programming, not local programming.
 
kenhawk1160 said:
Could Vandergrift support a Full Service Part 15 AM station?

I grew up in Vandergrift and am familliar with that whole Kiski Valley region...Apollo, Vandergrift, Leechburg, etc. I think it could survive, but the only way it would is by running it as LEAN as possible. Very few employees with a hands-on operator that's capable of selling. If you go into this venture as an absentee owner-operator depending on others to do the legwork, you will fail. You have competition from four weekly newspapers, a daily, radio stations in Kittanning and Apollo (licensed there but is actually now in Sarver) and cable television. So the revenue is there...but you're asking for a slice from a very small pie to begin with. I would run a satellite-delivered music format with a local announcer to insert local news and sports drops, PSA's, and maybe a contract individual to do Kiski Area High School Football broadcasts. They're about the only district in that region that's not getting radio PBP coverage, and the advertiser support is there for that. Local sports would likely be the bulk of your revenue.
Click to expand...

OK, it's scary that two of us on this board grew up in Vandergrift. But I think you're right on the money as far as the income prospects. With the improvement of access into Pittsburgh, Allegheny and Washington Townships have become low-tax alternatives for those willing to make a longer commute into the city, so many of those with good incomes likely aren't even going to be in your listening area during the day. Most now shop in Monroeville and at Pittsburgh Mills. I have never heard a single spot during the music programming on WTYM in Kittanning. I think all of their revenue comes from tape-delayed high school sports broadcasts and brokered weekend programming.

I mean really, if a fantastic signal like 620 needs to make its living with brokered programming despite the potential of serving nearly 2 million listeners, how much money can you make on $5 spots? What is your business plan? Are you aiming to clear maybe $1,000/week? (I don't know, maybe you can make that nut just seeling the weekend mornings to churches and the rest is gravy, but WAVL would likely have a vast head start on that front).

Not telling you not to do it, but I wouldn't.
 
Not telling you not to do it, but I wouldn't.

I have to agree with you on that. You have to ask yourself what could a low power local radio station offer that people in the listening area wanted to hear. You can put local news on 24/7, even if it means repeating the same newscast every 15 minutes, and including "news" about cats getting rescued from trees. In this day and age, I don't see that many people so desparate for local information that they'd spend any significant amount of time tuned in to such an ultra local station.

And from what I know of the local church situation in small towns, most congergations in the so-called mainstream are very short of cash, while the non-denominational mega churches with deep pockets want to buy time on stations with a wider reach.
 
ChancellorDukat said:
For East Liverpool, possibly.

Right now WOGI (Froggy 104.3) is East Liverpool's and surrounding rural communties station and its country.
Click to expand...

Not to nitpick, but WOGI is licensed to Duquesne. WOGF or WOGH are East Liverpool and Burgettstown. I'm not which is which though.
 
I'm not which is which though.

Regardless, fans of country music will tune those stations in while people who don't like country music won't. And it really doesn't matter to the people listening to the radio what city the station is licensed to, or where the transmitter is located. What matters to them is whether or not they like the music being played.
 
Actually, it is not only possible for a good part 15 AM station to obtain a significant number of listeners but also turn a tidy profit. In fact, a former part 15 AM station owner (personal friend) was clearing 35 grand a year in his town while a 1kw AM in a nearby city annually grossed 40k. He only had about 5,000 people and perhaps 800 businesses in his 1 mile broadcast radius. My financial goals are more modest and I'd settle for 20 grand a year from this endeavor. That should be doable in the communities I am looking at primarily because they are densely populated and their business districts are holding their own.

Success is primarily dependent upon programming. Give the people what they want and they will listen. I've previously run my station in two small rural towns and in a very short period of time the station actually had a pretty strong listening base. Never got around to selling ad time since the station was in a hobby mode. Putting the station into a larger community with a significant business base will permit it to become a profitable station. Add high school sports and local news plus live remotes from area events and businesses and it will succeed. It has been done by more than one personal friend and there are other successful stations out there that I have heard about...
 
Success is primarily dependent upon programming.

Actually, success is primarily dependent upon good salesmanship. I've also known many people who were very successful with ventures like you describe. They were outstanding sales professionals, and did a great job of convincing local business owners to buy their advertising services. Sometimes it was low powered radio stations, sometimes it was free circulation newspapers, sometimes it was business card sized ads on restaurant place mats. I knew several people who made an excellent living selling imprinted advertising specialties.

Whenever I hear an anecdote about someone make a financial success out of a low powered community radio station, I think to myself, "There's another truly talented salesman who can sell anything!".

There are plenty of successful radio stations, large and small, who owe their success to their sales staff, not to anyone who has anything to do with what is put out on the air.
 
Yes, this statement is largely correct though location, location, location is still the most important aspect of developing a successful business. While I am not such a good salesman I am fortunate that I have a local guy on board who is a good sales guy and is willing to work for just a cup of coffee.:) Now, I just have to find the right location.
 
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