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Stop whining about WFMX!

I must say it has been an interesting read the past couple weeks trying to keep up with the jargon of you guys in the "know" of all the ins and outs of radio broadcasting. Corporate decisions, the FCC, the government rulings, CC is the great Satan, it's just the way things are with "BIG RADIO" now...blah, blah, blah. I also know that there are a lot of people out there that now don't have their buddies to listen to anymore. I'm a listener from Winston-Salem, an ex-FMX listener, 20 year listener, one of those listeners that some of you didn't think existed. One of those people that hates the fact that I can't find a decent station anymore now that FMX is gone. Regardless of how this transition came to be, it has come. I now realize that there isn't anything on the airwaves that can replace my beloved FMX. Some have said to quit whining, that this has happened before to heritage stations, that history repeats itself, big business will always do what is best for the bottomline. Well, I know that the current 105.7 doesn't meet my requirements, that's for sure.

Yeah, it IS like a death in the family. When you wake up in the morning expecting to hear a familiar voice and all you get is the most annoying "KISS loop" ever created, you feel abandoned, lost in the muck of coporate shenanigans. "What the heck is that?" I believe was my exact comment. Whoever thinks that the loss of FMX is just radio progress is lying to themselves. FMX served not just its own community of Statesville but also any listener that 100KW could reach that wanted quality radio, good music, real downhome humor, personal local stories, community involvement......I've said it before, radio with class. Something that CC or any other big radio broadcasting company doesn't seem to understand anymore. Maybe FMX was centered in Statesville, but its reach was HUGE. They would give traffic reports from Greensboro to Charlotte, even a fender bender on a back road a mile from my house one morning...in Pfafftown. Maybe some of you don't know where that is, but FMX did. So when you say that they didn't serve their area, you couldn't be more wrong.

It seems the purpose of this thread has strayed a bit, nothing wrong with that, I know how conversations can lead off in tangents. But the opening remarks really hit home with me, I am one of those listeners you didn't think was out there. I was a loyal FMX listener to the morning show, lunch and dinner. NASCAR was never covered so well, who else does qualifying? After Midnight was one of my favorites driving back from Boone at 1am. Why would you need a local DJ talking to you at that time of the morning anyway? The programming was always appropriate to the timeslot, even the bluegrass on Sunday nights. Advertising was tasteful, no tittybars here, no giving away of cases of beer from drunk DJ's. I could always count on it to be there when I turned on the radio and now it's gone. Thanks to CC for removing an icon from the airwaves. I know the decision was regional, Kimberly Miller from CC Corporate in San Antonio told me herself and she was very apologetic, in her coporate sort of way. But that doesn't change the fact that big radio will never understand what it takes to be a "local" radio station, integrity, and FMX was loaded with that.

So, if you don't understand what all the fuss is about, maybe you should check your own integrity.
 
I must say it has been an interesting read the past couple weeks trying to keep up with the jargon of you guys in the "know" of all the ins and outs of radio broadcasting. Corporate decisions, the FCC, the government rulings, CC is the great Satan, it's just the way things are with "BIG RADIO" now...blah, blah, blah. I also know that there are a lot of people out there that now don't have their buddies to listen to anymore. I'm a listener from Winston-Salem, an ex-FMX listener, 20 year listener, one of those listeners that some of you didn't think existed. One of those people that hates the fact that I can't find a decent station anymore now that FMX is gone. Regardless of how this transition came to be, it has come. I now realize that there isn't anything on the airwaves that can replace my beloved FMX. Some have said to quit whining, that this has happened before to heritage stations, that history repeats itself, big business will always do what is best for the bottomline. Well, I know that the current 105.7 doesn't meet my requirements, that's for sure.

Yeah, it IS like a death in the family. When you wake up in the morning expecting to hear a familiar voice and all you get is the most annoying "KISS loop" ever created, you feel abandoned, lost in the muck of coporate shenanigans. "What the heck is that?" I believe was my exact comment. Whoever thinks that the loss of FMX is just radio progress is lying to themselves. FMX served not just its own community of Statesville but also any listener that 100KW could reach that wanted quality radio, good music, real downhome humor, personal local stories, community involvement......I've said it before, radio with class. Something that CC or any other big radio broadcasting company doesn't seem to understand anymore. Maybe FMX was centered in Statesville, but its reach was HUGE. They would give traffic reports from Greensboro to Charlotte, even a fender bender on a back road a mile from my house one morning...in Pfafftown. Maybe some of you don't know where that is, but FMX did. So when you say that they didn't serve their area, you couldn't be more wrong.

It seems the purpose of this thread has strayed a bit, nothing wrong with that, I know how conversations can lead off in tangents. But the opening remarks really hit home with me, I am one of those listeners you didn't think was out there. I was a loyal FMX listener to the morning show, lunch and dinner. NASCAR was never covered so well, who else does qualifying? After Midnight was one of my favorites driving back from Boone at 1am. Why would you need a local DJ talking to you at that time of the morning anyway? The programming was always appropriate to the timeslot, even the bluegrass on Sunday nights. Advertising was tasteful, no tittybars here, no giving away of cases of beer from drunk DJ's. I could always count on it to be there when I turned on the radio and now it's gone. Thanks to CC for removing an icon from the airwaves. I know the decision was regional, Kimberly Miller from CC Corporate in San Antonio told me herself and she was very apologetic, in her coporate sort of way. But that doesn't change the fact that big radio will never understand what it takes to be a "local" radio station, integrity, and FMX was loaded with that.

So, if you don't understand what all the fuss is about, maybe you should check your own integrity.
 
THANK YOU, THANK YOU, THANK YOU....WSListener, you have made a point that I have been trying to make on this thread for a while...I worked for FMX, and so did OJ, and it was the best time of our young lives, I am only 18 and OJ is about 21 or 22 I believe, and you said it from the heart, it hit home when they moved and also some of the comments made here, I tell ya what...I do remember one funny time, back in the mid to late 90's they did give away cases of Budweiser on the 5 o'clock drive home, and Edd made it one of the funniest giveaways ever...b/c when you requested a song, you were entered, and if they called your name you won a Budweiser prize pack that included a coupon for a free 12 pack.....I remember that one...lol :)

I mean hell FMX was me and OJ's family like you said, and it hurt to see them say goodbye just on the whim....but times do change and radio just isn't what it was 20 or 30 years ago, when a mom and pop gig would stay there in the home town, and would never leave....b/c of the listeners....

I own and operate an internet station, and it will never be like WFMX, even though I have the same slogan they had of "Good Times And Great Country" I will never amount to what they set the bar at for a local radio station...even though mine can be accessed all over the world, I mean hey, just look at the FCC stats for them...1.2 - 3 million listeners....that was just in the population area alone....that covered every area from the top of Grandfather Mtn. to clear over halfway to Raleigh, and I was over in the area near Cary, and was able to pick up FMX, mighta been a little staticy, but I was still able to get it...I remember all the jocks that came in over the years from 98-06, b/c hell I remember Billy Buck in the Morning on there back in the 90's...that was when I got to meet hime for the very first time, him and Pat Shannon...Billy was the greatest morning dj ever back then....I have tons of other memories from there as well ranging from the late 90's to the current era....

WS you are free to IM me if you wish...I have all my IM addys listed in my thing on here....we can chat more about FMX and SIC....and any others that wanna IM feel free to do so...

Nuff Said For Now...
Wayne
 
kinda new here but it reads like a lot of radio folks from around here...let me explain a well hidden fact...CC is using all their power and using it well...you al think FMX has been licensed to Clemmons. well hang on if you don't know this...their studios are on RT.68 with the rest of the CC clan and their tower is on the TQR tower/sauertown Mtn. they have NOTHING in clemmons..seems almost illegal doesn't it?

BTW..the 30 year veteran of radio just feeding his kids with his"job"...must be a CC employee
 
No surprise to anyone here about no studio in Clemmons. It is legal - main studio must be within 35 miles of the center of the city of license! That makes PAI Park, Greensboro, legal for a Clemmons COL!
 
ya know, it seems like more people would carry Paul Harvey in North Carolina.
[/quote]WSAT Memories 1280 has him. But not on Saturday. And until I talked to them, they weren't aware that half the time they weren't getting the new "Rest of the Story" taped on some days (usually Friday, when WFMX often had NASCAR). I hope they've solved that problem. I wish Mr. Harvey would just put those online because not everyone can hear him, and these are good stories.

On the subject of WSAT, they're playing some really good music now when they get it from satellite. They used to sound like a chimp was programming them (it is not a coincidence I used chimp in my name). Their old supplier still programs Mix 106 in Charlotte, and it's obvious those people are trying to sound like both formats. It's a mess.

To get back on topic, Country Legends 98.3 has the best country music. Never mind that it sounds mostly canned. I like a jukebox. I wish WBRF didn't drown it out.
 
Mr Winston-Salem said:
105.7 WFMX served the Hickory Lenoir Morganton MSA and Iredell County as their main market.
Click to expand...
I wish Arbitron had reports for this area. Or do they? Anyone want to bet WFMX would have been no. 1?

Or maybe WKBC. I've read great things about them today.
 
Makes no difference what the ratings were in the secondary and tertiary markets. Clear Channel had a choice - move it or sell it. They moved it rather than turn the signal over to a potential competitor. You might want to go back and read the early posts in this thread!

As for Paul Harvey, his days are numbered. His voice is incredibly weak and it's only a matter of time before he hangs it up! None of the fillins have made a name for themselves.
 
The reports have Fred Dalton Thompson, former Senator from Tennessee and Arthur Branch from "Law and Order" replacing Paul Harvey when he does decide to give it up. I don't know whether that time has come yet or not...I'm in the Fayetteville market and, surprisingly, nobody carries Paul Harvey news or "The Rest of the Story." The only NC station that I've ever heard Paul Harvey on is the old 105.7 WFMX. I used to work in the Boone market (WMMY/Highway 106), and I would listen to WFMX every day after I got off work. The Highway was a fair station to work for, but 'FMX was a lot better.
 
Harvey is on WMFR in High Point. Used to be on WSJS but they switched to CBS when Infinity took over.
 
Unfortunately Hickory is not. I do know from talking with people who worked at WFMX that most of their audience was in Hickory-Lenoir-Morganton. The area is considered Charlotte, but remains independent by Census standards.

They could've sold it to the Bible Broadcasting Network, which I've seen happen before when there is a forced sale. COX did this in one of their larger markets, selling to Salem to avoid competition. Not long after the sale, "The Fish" was impacting the ratings at their AC. ;D I'm sure BBN in Charlotte would love to have a 100k C signal in their home market, instead of an AM, a weak FM on the far edge and a couple of translators. I'm also guessing they won't try a "Fish" format to compete with Lite? I don't think BBN has ever invested one cent into WHPE since they bought it? It's like a trip back in time.
 
Again, understand the CC didn't want a competitor in Charlotte! And even a religious station would have siphoned som $$ from the Charlotte market. They didn't want to sell it to a Greensboro based company either - would have been competition in that market.

The only solution available to them was to move it and retain ownership.

Of course, what's done is done and it ain't likely to change. WFMX as we knew it is gone and will not return!
 
When I was in the market, 95.5 WHPE was their big fund-raiser oulet. I would've offered a trade of WFMX for WHPE and cash. WHPE is a far better signal for the Triad Market than the weak rimshot they have now and with a few facilities changes (something that hasn't happened at WHPE in decades!), it could be an even better signal, even with the shortspacing problem. This is a 100k C1 signal in the heart of the Triad. Of course my proposal would drop the power, while keeping it a C1, in favor of a newer and taller tower. Even without any changes, it places a good signal over all 4 major cities and all the big suburbs and secondary cities. Something WFMX at its current location can't say. I'm also guessing the ability to cover three metros (including the Triad) and more with a monster signal reaching from Virginia to South Carolina would appear very attractive to BBN. Attractive enough (with coverage of Charlotte-Gastonia-Concord) for them to also offer cash with the trade.

Overall, I think that is the more attractive deal from a corporate radio standpoint.
 
XTalker said:
Makes no difference what the ratings were in the secondary and tertiary markets. Clear Channel had a choice - move it or sell it. They moved it rather than turn the signal over to a potential competitor. You might want to go back and read the early posts in this thread!

As for Paul Harvey, his days are numbered. His voice is incredibly weak and it's only a matter of time before he hangs it up! None of the fillins have made a name for themselves.
Click to expand...
I read the whole thread, I think. I believed that if they were claiming to be a Clear Channel station, they were happy with it and knew who their audience was.

Paul Harvey's voice is fine. If he was going to retire, it would have been a few years ago when he had that problem with his voice. I don't care who tells us the stories. His son writes them. For example, yesterday he told about Mike who was devastated when he was cut from the high school basketball team. Ashamed he had to walk into the gym carrying the team uniforms in front of his parents, during the playoffs. Mike ... Jordan.
 
WFMX update

XTalker said:
Again, understand the CC didn't want a competitor in Charlotte! And even a religious station would have siphoned som $$ from the Charlotte market. They didn't want to sell it to a Greensboro based company either - would have been competition in that market.

The only solution available to them was to move it and retain ownership.

Of course, what's done is done and it ain't likely to change. WFMX as we knew it is gone and will not return!
Click to expand...

The WFMX metamorphosis is now complete: the station is now officially WMKS "105.7 KISS-FM." For a while, they were still saying WFMX on the air (on the station ID), but now it's all WMKS...
 
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