Stephen King "losing his shirt" on his Bangor radio stations

[forevernight]

When I say the power drops off dramatically, I mean that the output meter goes from 5000k to 500k. As Mainedude2007 said, there is an STA in effect. I'm throwing the switches, I'm reading the meters, why is this an issue?

 

[MixerInMaine]

As someone that worked as a part timer at 861 Broadway for four years, I do not see how his comments were insulting to anyone that works or ever has worked there. I see it as a simple statement of fact. Eight years after I left, WKIT still has the same talented full time air staff. The biggest changes have been WZON and the former WDME, which both changed formats and are now mostly simulcasts with the exception of some programming (high school sports for example, I believe.) The WZON studio has also been completely remodeled and is a beautiful studio. He mentioned in the forward of one of his books that the stations were losing money, and that was a decade ago. Once WZON was not able to continue as the flagship station for UMaine sports, there really was not a lot on there that pulled in the ratings other than the morning show and certain sports broadcasts. At least now it is doing something with more of a purpose, and Clem and Dale moved to afternoons. He still kept the localness there and brought in Pat Lamarche on the morning show. Meanwhile, Bob, Mark, Jason, Scotty and Dave are still doing the fantastic job they've always done down the hall. If he didn't feel that way they would not all be there. To say he is insulting the staff is a bit overboard. He has made some tweaks, and my guess is that if he couldn't be successful with WZON or WDME, he might as well broadcast a message that he feels strongly about. And good for him. The fact is that WKIT is one of the only real radio stations left not just in Maine, but in the country. That fact alone tells me to want to support it as much as possible. Unfortunately, that is difficult since I live in Portland..... but that is a company with fantastic folks under it's roof, and I think Mr. King would agree with me there. I saw nothing that indicates anything other than the fact that.....unfortunately, it loses money. That being known, that makes me more grateful to him for his continues support of one of the most unique radio stations on the dial.

Jeremy

 

[JIBGUY]

When I say the power drops off dramatically, I mean that the output meter goes from 5000k to 500k. As Mainedude2007 said, there is an STA in effect. I'm throwing the switches, I'm reading the meters, why is this an issue?

WOW! A five-million watt station! Not as bad as what a "Coastal Journal" writer said in an article about WJTO, describing WJTO's power. "1,000 megawatts". - The next week, there was a letter to the editor stating that WJTO's described power is more than what the rest of the entire state of Maine consumes.

 

[NHRadio]

According to the FCC, that STA expired in January 2012. Is this just sloppy Commission paperwork or did it really expire?

 

[forevernight]

Yes, I made a mistake. Power still goes down at night.

 

[True Grit]

Maybe the studios are in one of the pattern nulls, so the drop in signal strength would sound like a power reduction.

AM nulls are a funny thing. There is/was one in Surry barely a couple miles from the WDEA Xmitter.

 

[rjoc]

Maybe the studios are in one of the pattern nulls, so the drop in signal strength would sound like a power reduction.

AM nulls are a funny thing. There is/was one in Surry barely a couple miles from the WDEA Xmitter.

I've noticed that myself along Route 172; just south of Surry Village and their AM signal in "Downtown" Blue Hill is surprisingly poor.
But, they sure do pound out a strong signal to the east down into the Bay of Fundy.

 

[DougD]

I live about five miles south of Blue Hill on 172. WDEA comes in just fine during the day, but after sunset it's a stretch. Interestingly, the station's satellite-driven format is identical to that of WFEA in Manchester, which of course broadcasts on the same frequency. The feeds are a split-second apart. One evening this past winter, while driving on 172 toward Blue Hill, I was picking up both stations playing off one another, almost but not quite simultaneously. It sounded like stereo . . . weird and, at the same time, amusing.

 

[True Grit]

I live about five miles south of Blue Hill on 172. WDEA comes in just fine during the day, but after sunset it's a stretch. Interestingly, the station's satellite-driven format is identical to that of WFEA in Manchester, which of course broadcasts on the same frequency. The feeds are a split-second apart. One evening this past winter, while driving on 172 toward Blue Hill, I was picking up both stations playing off one another, almost but not quite simultaneously. It sounded like stereo . . . weird and, at the same time, amusing.

Wow. That's bizarre. Cool though.

Loved my 5 years at 'DEA.

 

[raccoonradio]

Listening to audiobook of King's 11-22-63. Some radio mentions...some inaccuracies, but hey
if you can believe that time travel is possible, then...

--Jake is sent back in time to the fall of 1958 and at one point is listening to WJAB, The Big Jab
1440. In the real world "The 1440 frequency first went on the air November 8, 1959 as WJAB"
(Wikipedia) but this is the year before then...

--Jake listens to oldies on XM Sixties on Six

--A woman Jake talks to should have died at the age of 7, but his actions in going back in
time has her living to be at least 60. Occupation? "I'm a DJ at WKIT." Owned by...guess who!

--During Jake's time in Dallas he starts singing the Stones' Honky Tonk Women and his girlfriend
is offended by the song--which wouldn't be written and recorded till 7 years afterward. She gets suspicious. He tells her it was a song he heard on KLIF. She's still suspicious.

 

[True Grit]

Listening to audiobook of King's 11-22-63. Some radio mentions...some inaccuracies, but hey
if you can believe that time travel is possible, then...

--Jake is sent back in time to the fall of 1958 and at one point is listening to WJAB, The Big Jab
1440. In the real world "The 1440 frequency first went on the air November 8, 1959 as WJAB"
(Wikipedia) but this is the year before then...

--Jake listens to oldies on XM Sixties on Six

--A woman Jake talks to should have died at the age of 7, but his actions in going back in
time has her living to be at least 60. Occupation? "I'm a DJ at WKIT." Owned by...guess who!

--During Jake's time in Dallas he starts singing the Stones' Honky Tonk Women and his girlfriend
is offended by the song--which wouldn't be written and recorded till 7 years afterward. She gets suspicious. He tells her it was a song he heard on KLIF. She's still suspicious.

That's the great thing about time travel. You can keep going back and forth, suspend logic/reality, etc.

 

[Jimmy128]

Stephen King is a generous man with some pretty good sounding radio stations. It's too bad he said what he said in the article, because that's not what you'd call a high compliment to his staff.

Poor choice of words/phrases indeed. And I'm no prude, but in a public forum, why use foul language to try to get one's point across?

There are people who can't speak intelligently and must use profanity to emphasize their points.

 

[forevernight]

I'm sure Mr. King would appreciate your insights on effective communication and proper use of the English language.

 

[newsbot]

I, for one, would never denigrate Mr. King's exceptional facility with choice Anglo-Saxon epithets, no doubt learned from his time spent studying UMO restroom stall hieroglyphics.

 

[forevernight]

Yes, I'm sure that is where he honed his craft :

 

[MatrixMan]

his stations sound excellent, better than all other Bangor stations.

Too bad he has that witch LaMarche doing mornings.

 

[ProducerGuy]

I give the guy credit for sticking with what he likes in radio, even if it's a losing model. Must be nice to be able to live in a fantasy world where 3 radio stations can employ 60 people and run formats that don't make money.

I did find it rather ironic that he starts by calling someone fat, then immediately complaining about the level of discourse in the country.