Stop whining about WFMX!

[johnqdoe]

No, WFMX did NOT run Lia at night. They did for a short time about 2-3 years ago. Yes, they did have After Midnite. But they had After Midnite almost since its inception. Believe it or not, there were a lot of people that listened to After Midnite.

OJ

So, it's ok to take jobs away from young broadcasters if the syndication or VTd show gets more listeners???

No it is not ok to take jobs away from the young broadcaster...but at that time WFMX never found or probably didn't want a young broadcaster in there at that late an hour...sometimes I do believe that the DTMF tones, were just perfect in WFMX for shows on the late night, and don't flame Opie. I have known him since I worked there 2 years ago, and quite honestly, he was there when the rest of the crew wasn't....except sometimes myself, but I would be in the AM control room board opping a game or something, and there is nothing wrong with a VT'ed or Syndicated Program, as my station that I run, Is all syndicated...well i have synd. programming, but I rarely do a talkover or VT, I leave in the auto mode and it picks songs and ads at random, so hey, if you wanna flame someone, flame yourself for making such a harsh comment to a fellow broadcaster and his friends....

Wayne

I wasn't flaming anyone in particular...just trying to open some eyes. Tooooooo many people read something on the net or hear something and form the opinion on that small bit of wrong info. CC has been lambasted as the big, evil, job taking monster in this and other threads on here....When in fact,it happens EVERYWHERE from Mom & Pop radio in NC to New York City

 

[Mr Winston-Salem]

Better question would be what 100kw DOES serve it's COL.

105.3 WAGI - Gaffney (SC), but not for long. They have Gaffney everything and it could easily be a Greenville-Spartanburg station. It has good signal in Asheville too. Of course the plan now is to move it in to Charlotte and sell it. I will miss the country preachers from the SC Upstate when I drive through the area late at night. ;D WAGI is more local than WFMX ever was. I seem to remember the city and/or county trying to fight the move? I do know they make a lot of money and make most of their money from the country preachers. Their tower site has so many other services on it, it will still make money for them after WAGI is gone.

Young people can still find work in radio. It's more of who you know than how much radio school you have. The people you know are a lot more valuable than talent, but you do need some talent. In larger markets, you can find some people with little talent who know all the right people. Some college radio stations also allow students with good grades to gain a little radio experience. However, if you've been to college, radio is usually at the bottom of the list when it comes to finding employment.

 

[ElCheapo]

I think many of the misconceptions about Clear Channel originated during the Randy Michaels era - only they weren't misconceptions then.

KISS-FM (the CHR brand - not the new name of the station being discussed here) is a perfect example. It was Randy's vision that "KISS" would be a nationally recognized brand for CHR radio - as common as Coke is among soft drinks.

Because Randy liked to micro-manage and had very specific ideas about what constituted good radio, he hand picked an airstaff and voice-tracked them to as many of these KISS stations as possible. It wasn't an entirely financial move - it had more to do with Randy's ego and the fact that he didn't think anyone else was smart enough to do CHR right, so he tried to recreate his exact vision of what CHR radio should be on as many stations as possible.

This earned Clear Channel a rather unflattering reputation both inside and outside the industry.

But these days, things are different at Clear Channel. As a former CC employee in a few different markets - before, during and after the Randy Michaels days - I can let you in on a few different things that you might not be aware of that make the company appear a little less evil...

Earlier in the thread, someone alluded to the facility in Covington. When I worked for Clear Channel, that's where CCADS was located. CCADS stands for Clear Channel Audio Distribution System. Basically, it's an internal web application that is tied to the Prophet automation network. Whenever a local PD decides to add a song, he logs onto CCADS, tells the system he wants the song and a short while later it magically appears in his automation system.

Instead of having 1,000 different people spend 5 minutes each dubbing a song into automation, it's done once. It improves audio quality (like it or not, many facilities have sub-par production facilities) and it saves thousands upon thousands of man hours of labor each year.

It's no more evil than that - better audio quality for the listener, and more time for PDs and MDs to spend doing things that will actually benefit the station.

Like most other decisions, the decision to voicetrack (or not) is made on the local level. I worked for CC in a very small market and in two top 50 markets. It would probably surprise you to know there was quite a bit of imported voicetracking in the largest market and NONE in the smallest. It was all about how the local GM wanted to spend his budget (this is after the Randy Michaels days - during the RM era, yes - voicetracking of specific talents into the market was forced by corporate.)

If you need further proof that this is a local decision, check out the positions wanted sections of a few radio trade websites - you always see CC employees on there trying to land VT gigs. They have to apply for gigs and are then "hired" just like anyone else - it's a local decision. If voicetracked talent was being forced on individual markets by corporate, do you really think they'd bother having their talent post bogus ads?

A lot of the reputation Clear Channel gets for being the so-called "evil empire" originates with local managers. Whenever they have to make a decision that's unpopular, they blame it on corporate.

"Corporate said we HAD to start voicetracking middays and nights on station X."

No, corporate didn't say that... What corporate said was "Mr. GM - you need to improve your bottom line by $50,000." Then the local GM makes the decision to voicetrack and blames it on corporate so he doesn't personally take the heat from his staff.

That's not unlike any other business in corporate America. Managers are given financial goals to meet. If they fail to meet those goals consistently, they lose their jobs.

The managers at Clear Channel simply have better technology at their disposal to help meet those goals.

 

[XTalker]

ElCheapo is right!

Clear Channel takes full advantage of technology and it can be a good thing. Like any other innovation, in the wrong hands, it can be dangerous.

GM's just love to blame corporate when listeners compain or it involves letting people go. Corporate seldom says "get rid of the afternoon guy" because corporate has little knowledge of the performance or personality. The GM makes that call - and corporate signs off on it.

Same thing happens with format changes. Most often it begins at the local level. Naturally, the corporate guys get in on it and sign off on it.

Funny how GMs pass the buck when bad things happen - but love to take all the credit for the good stuff.

I also worked for CC before, during, and after the Randy days. Before, it was a wonderful company. They had a strong belief in local control - let managers and program directors make the call. Randy had (has) some great ideas, but he loves to be involved at the local level - harkens back to his old days in the trenches. Randy brought the Jacor style of management - with multiple levels of VPs and corporate structure, and while it relaxed some after his departure, it is still there to a great extent.

We can also thank the late Ken Lay for a number of radio's troubles. These days, managers at all levels spend way too much time with SOX and way too little time developing interesting programs, promotions, and sales efforts.

I am not in radio any longer. Left at the end of 2005. But I sitll remember the last rules promo I had to run for a national contest - took three and a half minutes to satisfy SOX and the lawyers. Most listeners won't sit still for a three and a half minute stop set with lots of different messages - much less one long one full of lawyerspeak!

Lots of things wrong with radio these days. Let's hope it gets fixed before it dies.

 

[eacalhoun1]

No, corporate didn't say that... What corporate said was "Mr. GM - you need to improve your bottom line by $50,000." Then the local GM makes the decision to voicetrack and blames it on corporate so he doesn't personally take the heat from his staff.

That's not unlike any other business in corporate America. Managers are given financial goals to meet. If they fail to meet those goals consistently, they lose their jobs.

Slightly off the subject of voice-tracking, but had WFMX met certain financial goals, could it have remained in Statesville and still on the air today? Or was it come hell or high water, CC wanted to move WFMX to either Charlotte or Greensboro from the beginning? No ifs, ands, or "butts"?

 

[johnqdoe]

It's alllllll about the local management. I've worked for GMs that will have a Friday Happy Hour at least once a month...and GMs that are so cheap that they cut the grass at the station themselves.

 

[ElCheapo]

Slightly off the subject of voice-tracking, but had WFMX met certain financial goals, could it have remained in Statesville and still on the air today? Or was it come hell or high water, CC wanted to move WFMX to either Charlotte or Greensboro from the beginning? No ifs, ands, or "butts"?

I don't know much about the area, but I'm guessing it would be impossible for a station serving Statesville to have anywhere near the profit potential of one serving Greensboro.

I just ran a quick Google search and found the population of Statesville to be about 23,000. I don't know about Clear Channel, but if I had a signal, I'd much rather it be in Charlotte or Greensboro than Statesville.

 

[wnih-wayne]

Have always read, never posted...but this is the biggest waste of time I've ever seen! Why don't you bunch of girls pull up your knickers and get over it! You're acting like radio is personal not professional...and the station is your dead momma.

No warning, no goodbye, no idea how this could happen. 50 years, 1996, childhood memories, and how poorly the move was handled...so what? NO ONE outside this board/business cares! I always get a kick out of how self-important radio folks always think the audience gives a crap about them, or what happens to them. That's fantasy. Most listeners can't even remember the names of the morning show, let alone how great that night guy was back in 1986. The listeners today use us as a companion, and nothing more. They are as fickle as can be, and have almost no loyalty for any media outlet. That's about the time we live in and the choices they have...not about any one company or the way stations are programmed.

Very few folks among this collection of radio geeks (of which I'm one, or I wouldn't be here) seem to have the slightest idea of how the business of broadcasting works...which is probably why they no longer work in it. I've been lucky enough to stay employed in our fun little business for almost 30 years...long enough to know that it's not a garden club or hobby! It’s also not my life, just how I feed my kids. If I spent this much energy worrying about anything other than my job at hand, I too would be out of work.

BTW, WFMX was a good station...no better or worse than others. Good people doing their best just like any other station. But to treat it like some deity simply because it was so far out in no man's land that it lasted almost 50 years without change, or attempts to upgrade it, is misguided. I know Billy and Ben are emotionally invested…but it’s not a fraternity, and “alum” just means you worked there. Ben was probably on his high school reunion committee too.

Moving WFMX isn't about history lost, it's about doing the most with the opportunities you have to increase your chances to succeed. I'm pretty sure that most of you would take a better paying job with Wal-Mart, than keep working at the drug store on Main Street that's been there for 75 years...if it meant a better life for your family. But God forbid a company do the same.

This whole "man keeping us down" thing is silly. God, you folks must have gone into a tizzy when they shut down the last drive in theater in your town!

You know what...i am apologetic to bitch, but you know what, WFMX was one of the best stations ever, and to be honest with you, I am a radio geek as well, I worked for them, and now I work for myself with my own station...and to be honest...when I go FM, I want to be the same as FMX, b/c I am an all country format, and CC would never touch me...I would keep settled to ASCAP, BMI, and the FCC, and that is it. I wouldn't care for Arbitron ratings, as long as I get the listeners that WFMX had, or better, that would be all I care for...the listeners are WHAT MATTER, not CC, and not Arbitron...THE LISTENERS, AND THE LISTENERS ALONE...I know CC doesnt give a damn about the listeners b/c of their big "corporate" look at radio, but I do, and like i said I run my own station, internet only for now, and the listeners I get enjoy then music...

So hey, that is my round of bitching, and if no one likes it ----> BITE ME!!!!

Nuff Said,
Wayne

 

[johnqdoe]

Have always read, never posted...but this is the biggest waste of time I've ever seen! Why don't you bunch of girls pull up your knickers and get over it! You're acting like radio is personal not professional...and the station is your dead momma.

No warning, no goodbye, no idea how this could happen. 50 years, 1996, childhood memories, and how poorly the move was handled...so what? NO ONE outside this board/business cares! I always get a kick out of how self-important radio folks always think the audience gives a crap about them, or what happens to them. That's fantasy. Most listeners can't even remember the names of the morning show, let alone how great that night guy was back in 1986. The listeners today use us as a companion, and nothing more. They are as fickle as can be, and have almost no loyalty for any media outlet. That's about the time we live in and the choices they have...not about any one company or the way stations are programmed.

Very few folks among this collection of radio geeks (of which I'm one, or I wouldn't be here) seem to have the slightest idea of how the business of broadcasting works...which is probably why they no longer work in it. I've been lucky enough to stay employed in our fun little business for almost 30 years...long enough to know that it's not a garden club or hobby! It’s also not my life, just how I feed my kids. If I spent this much energy worrying about anything other than my job at hand, I too would be out of work.

BTW, WFMX was a good station...no better or worse than others. Good people doing their best just like any other station. But to treat it like some deity simply because it was so far out in no man's land that it lasted almost 50 years without change, or attempts to upgrade it, is misguided. I know Billy and Ben are emotionally invested…but it’s not a fraternity, and “alum” just means you worked there. Ben was probably on his high school reunion committee too.

Moving WFMX isn't about history lost, it's about doing the most with the opportunities you have to increase your chances to succeed. I'm pretty sure that most of you would take a better paying job with Wal-Mart, than keep working at the drug store on Main Street that's been there for 75 years...if it meant a better life for your family. But God forbid a company do the same.

This whole "man keeping us down" thing is silly. God, you folks must have gone into a tizzy when they shut down the last drive in theater in your town!

You know what...i am apologetic to bitch, but you know what, WFMX was one of the best stations ever, and to be honest with you, I am a radio geek as well, I worked for them, and now I work for myself with my own station...and to be honest...when I go FM, I want to be the same as FMX, b/c I am an all country format, and CC would never touch me...I would keep settled to ASCAP, BMI, and the FCC, and that is it. I wouldn't care for Arbitron ratings, as long as I get the listeners that WFMX had, or better, that would be all I care for...the listeners are WHAT MATTER, not CC, and not Arbitron...THE LISTENERS, AND THE LISTENERS ALONE...I know CC doesnt give a damn about the listeners b/c of their big "corporate" look at radio, but I do, and like i said I run my own station, internet only for now, and the listeners I get enjoy then music...

So hey, that is my round of bitching, and if no one likes it ----> BITE ME!!!!

Nuff Said,
Wayne

So are you a lottery winner or something???? Or just SOOOOO much of aradio purist that you don't even care about sales

 

[Mr Winston-Salem]

I still remember the old Clear Channel days at WSJS. Those were good times and CC was a great company to work for back then. Back then WSJS sounded great and so did WXRA 94-5 The Rock Alternative. Size does have its advantages and technology is one of them. As I've said before many times, CC is an innovator. Their implementation of technology is top notch. I of course have never liked the national branding of heritage stations (such as Peach 94-9 in Atlanta) to Lite FM or other brands. It feels like it cheapens the product and takes away the local connection. On the plus side for corporate, it does give newcomers and those driving through a familiar sound on their radios. It's like their favorite station didn't fade out at all, it's just on a different frequency now. CC stations also tend to have a larger playlist and streaming audio. All very nice features for the listener. Like I said earlier, they suffer from a Wal-mart like problem. Being the largest and most aggressive, people will blame all of radio's problems on them. I still think some of the blame belongs on Wall Street, where this pressure to cut costs comes from. A lot more belongs on your law makers. I do agree it would be nice to find solutions that work for both the listener and the owner, but I think with the current rules and pressures, what we have is the best it can be for now.

105.7 WFMX served the Hickory Lenoir Morganton MSA and Iredell County as their main market.

#191 Hickory Lenoir Morganton has 352,734 residents (2005 Census estimate). Of those, 49.5% female and 50.5 are males. There are 138,000 households (2000 estimate). The median age is 38.4 years old. 89% are white, 8% are African American and 5% are hispanic (*some of the hispanic population falls into the other two categories also). 50% of residents are married and 26% are single. 76% of the residents are North Carolina Natives (born in the state). 6% of the population has a graduate degree, 13% has a bachelor's degree, 7% has an associates degree, 17% has some college, 32% are high school graduates and 25% have less than a high school diploma. 31% of the economy is manufacturing; 18% is education, social servies or health care; 10% is retail; and 8% works in the hospitality industry. 86% drive alone to work, 9% carpool and less than .5% take public transit. Average median income is $38,201. 12% lives in poverty. 65% live in single family housing, 24% in mobile homes, 11% in multi-family housing. 74% of all single family homes are owner occupied. The average monthly morgage payment is $935. 33% of the market are renters.

Iredell County was added to the Charlotte market in 2003. It has 140,924 residents (2005 estimate). WFMX also had listeners in the Triad and Charlotte markets, but most of their listener base was in Hickory Lenoir Morganton and their COL.

 

[wnih-wayne]

And NO, I am not a radio purist...but to be honest with you, I LOVE RADIO, OK, YOU KNOW WHAT...DON'T BEEF ABOUT IT, B/C IT WON'T GET YOU ANYWHERE, now, I worked for them about 2 years ago, and their sales were thru the roof, they had enough to pay the FCC and all the necessary licensing joints...so tell me....I do believe that CLear Channel is to blame at some point or another...they forced the move to a point, even though FMX wanted to move sometime...I don't think they wanted to move clear down to GSO, and lose all their talents and service pro's. I mean Greg and Juanita, and Sharon are still with SIC, but hey, they lost Keith Todd, Mark Rose, Edd, Dave, and a few others....and they coulda took them with them, but now some of them didnt wanna go, and that is fine...but some liked working there, and didn't want to leave....but b/c of CC moving them so far out, they had to....

Nuff Said,
Wayne

 

[XTalker]

Everyone who thinks FMX would have been better staying in Charlotte hasn't been paying attention - so here it is one more time - CC was over the numbers in Charlotte and had to place FMX under Mercury (a holding company owned by CC). They had a reasonable amount of time to solve the numbers problem. Their choices:

1) Sell WFMX or one of their Chalotte signals to somebody else. That would have ment a solid signal for a competitor.

2) Move the station's COL to Clemmons and make it part of the Greensboro market where they had room for another station or two.

It had NOTHING to do with ratings or revenue of WFMX. Plain, and simple! Which choice would you choose? They really did the only thing they could have done.

 

[eacalhoun1]

Everyone who thinks FMX would have been better staying in Charlotte hasn't been paying attention - so here it is one more time - CC was over the numbers in Charlotte and had to place FMX under Mercury (a holding company owned by CC). They had a reasonable amount of time to solve the numbers problem. Their choices:

1) Sell WFMX or one of their Chalotte signals to somebody else. That would have ment a solid signal for a competitor.

2) Move the station's COL to Clemmons and make it part of the Greensboro market where they had room for another station or two.

It had NOTHING to do with ratings or revenue of WFMX. Plain, and simple! Which choice would you choose? They really did the only thing they could have done.

..ahh, but the strong rumor is that CC is going to buy WAGI. If that happens, how is THAT not going to put them over the limit in Charlotte? Where there's a will, enough lawyers, and money, there IS is a way. Rules can be overlooked, if there's enough "ch-ching".

 

[johnqdoe]

Does CC come in and point guns to the heads of the station owners to get them to sell?

 

[wnih-wayne]

And if it were me...I would take choice one, or neither of them, FMX, needed to stay, they were the only station in Iredell County to carry NASCAR for one, and two, had some of the friendliest air staff that I have ever known...and to boot, FMX might have been losing a bit of revenue, but not enough to force a sale...I agree with JQD, I really wonder if CC didn't bring the proverbial gun and point it to Greg Ryan's head and force a sale...b/c if it weren't that way, there would be no WMKS in the GSO market, there would still be WFMX in the Iredell market...

Nuff Said,
Wayne

 

[mediaspeaks]

"A Strong Rumor" versus an actual buy are about as far apart as Israel and Lebanon right now.

WAGI IS for sale to the highest bidder. we'll see who that is and IF they can and/or will move it to the Charlotte market....and by the way ..... I can pick up WAGI like a city grade almost anywhere in Charlotte

 

[johnqdoe]

And if it were me...I would take choice one, or neither of them, FMX, needed to stay, they were the only station in Iredell County to carry NASCAR for one, and two, had some of the friendliest air staff that I have ever known...and to boot, FMX might have been losing a bit of revenue, but not enough to force a sale...I agree with JQD, I really wonder if CC didn't bring the proverbial gun and point it to Greg Ryan's head and force a sale...b/c if it weren't that way, there would be no WMKS in the GSO market, there would still be WFMX in the Iredell market...

Nuff Said,
Wayne

I was being sarcastic. Everyone wants to bash the big companies that force their will onto everyone....But for a station to be sold, there has to be a seller. It takes 2 to tango here. Why don't people put ANY blame the local owners that cashed out when we talk about the "death of local radio"???? As far as NASCAR coverage on the radio, unless you have a 1973 model tramsistor with no antenna, you can find NASCAR coverage on the radio. Hit scan this weekend and see how many times it stops on the race.

 

[badnews]

Wayne sounds like a cranky old Uncle who got laid off at the radio factory. While internet distribution is part of our collective present and future...I'm, pretty sure that 105.9 should remain a passionate hobby.

Playing radio is fun, but it don't feed the bulldog.

 

[XTalker]

Wayne may not be the guy to pull it off, but I can seen real locally targeted, internet stations making a go of it. Won't be a jukebox - but some form of local programming aimed at a specific neighborhood, then community, then city could work - and actually make some money. Take the old local channel AM model and apply it to the technology.

You'd have to have some promotion dollars - probably could get an article in the local paper - maybe even some TV coverage on a slow news day - but with perserverence and some business thinking, it could work.

 

[wnih-wayne]

Thank you X, for backing me on my idea of owning and operating a station someday, the internet is the new medium of today, and right now it works for me...and true, I may not be the guy to pull it off, but I do try, and badnews, if I was a cranky old uncle, then well...take that back...I am an uncle, but I am only 18...and radio is one of my favorite pasttimes...so hey, its alright to call me cranky, b/c I can be at times but nonetheless, WFMX was like a family to me and now that they are gone, my radio station is like a growing family, with a few synd. programs, and dj's, but we are growing and will someday be an FM or AM come hell or high water....

Nuff For now...

Wayne