Technical Problems at WXCT 990 (or why radio stations should be staffed 24/7)

[MarcB]

I didn't think I'd ever post another topic about WXCT 990 unless they were sold and flipped formats, but on Tuesday their computer melted down and they ran a dead carrier for more than 16 hours. For those of you who don't know WXCT runs the internet feed of Radio Cantico Nueveo over their airwaves most of the broadcast day. It's more or less a simulcast of WNSW 1430 in NYC.

I was listening to WLAT 910 on my walkman. At about 5:45PM I pushed the scan button on my Walman and it stopped on WXCT 990. Normally I would've just pushed scan again since I haven't listened to WXCT since they dropped their talk format in May 2007, but my ears picked up the sounds of their computer melting down. There is just one way to describe what I heard on 990. It was the noise one used to hear in the early days of streaming audio when your computer's connection wasn't fast enuff to pick up the stream. So I go to the bathroom and when I come back there's nothing but a dead carrier on 990.

I kept checking every so often. I checked all the way until the time I walked inside Walmart at 930 Wednesday morning and they still had a dead carrier. When I took my last break of the day at 4:30PM I checked and they were back on the air. So sometime between 930AM and 430PM they had come back.

There is no excuse for a station to run a dead carrier for more than 16 hours. This is why there needs to be someone staffed at all radio stations (no matter how small) 24/7. If there was someone at WXCT Tuesday night chances are when the gerbil that powers their internet feed died, they could've put on some kind of alternate programming until they got a new gerbil to power their internet feed of Radio Cantico Nuevo instead of running a dead carrier for 16 hours.

 

[bub]

And until you pointed it out, it was nothing more than a tree in the forest that fell but nobody was around to hear it. :

 

[kms575]

And until you pointed it out, it was nothing more than a tree in the forest that fell but nobody was around to hear it. :

That's what I was thinking....

 

[nd2023]

Re: Technical Problems at WXCT 990 (or why radio stations should be staffed 24/7

Isn't it illegal to run a dead carrier for more than an hour, since you need a legal ID?

 

[MarcB]

Re: Technical Problems at WXCT 990 (or why radio stations should be staffed 24/7

And until you pointed it out, it was nothing more than a tree in the forest that fell but nobody was around to hear it. :

True, but I was looking for an excuse to make a comment about why I think radio stations need to be staffed 24/7 and 16+ hours of a dead carrier was the perfect excuse to make a comment about it. And why did I want to comment about it? I heard some rumblings that the FCC is trying to mandate 24/7 staffing again.


PS The Gerbil running the automation computer at MEGA 910 died last night. When I tuned into WLAT around 4AM this morning they too had a dead carrier.

 

[The Beave]

Marc,

When I worked at KKOB-AM Albuquerque, We had 1 op to run 6 signals - if the programming went off, or the computer belched... an off air alarm would sound.

We would just simply pot up the network or run the programming from the production room PC (where the comms, and music was uploaded from.) And pot it up on the console. those 10x10 routers are sure great.

A nice redundant system incase something happens.

 

[RonTheEngineer]

Re: Technical Problems at WXCT 990 (or why radio stations should be staffed 24/7

Will you be paying the salary of the people to cover these stations? Figure 3 8 hour shifts per day, plus weekends, holidays, sick and vacation coverage, a station will have to hire AT MINIMUM 6 additional people.

If/when the FCC mandates 24/7 coverage (there is noise about this from Washington, the NAB is fighting hard to prevent it), a VAST majority of stations will go dark at 10/11pm till the next morning. Only the Clear Channel (or similar conglomerate) radio and "big three" TV stations will remain on the air.

Do you really want this?

 

[bub]

Even though the 990 frequency in Southington is licensed for broadcast 24 hours a day, never in my 5 1/2 years there did the station stay on around the clock; and I was there off and on between October of '93 and July of '99. When I first started there, we were on the air most days from 6a-8:30p unless an evening sporting event required us to stay on past 8:30. And I can remember signing off as early as 5:30 PM during the winter months. Even if the FCC approves 24/7 coverage and staffing, it's not like this station in particular needs to do so. Other than MarcB, no one I know listens to that station for any length of time. Heck, to this day there are long-time residents of Southington who have no idea that a radio station exists in their home town.

As a side note: The station's old call letters have resurfaced on an FM station in the Fort Myers, Florida area that recently flipped from Country to Oldies. They made the format flip first, they changed the call letters a week later.

 

[The Beave]

2 issues explain it all...

1) localism/the fairness follies

2) local information - in some markets the sirens go off in cities that have
volunteer FD's - the only way to tell if communities roll downstairs to the basement or load up and evacuate is those sirens waking you up to turn on the radio for official information.

Try it sometime!

 

[DToTheJ]

As a side note: The station's old call letters have resurfaced on an FM station in the Fort Myers, Florida area that recently flipped from Country to Oldies. They made the format flip first, they changed the call letters a week later.

That would be Oldies 92.5:
http://www.floridaweekly.com/news/2008/0402/arts_ent/082.html

"The station applied for new call letters with the FCC and is now WNTY-FM..."

 

[DToTheJ]

Other than MarcB, no one I know listens to that station for any length of time.

You don't say?

 

[MarcB]

Re: Technical Problems at WXCT 990 (or why radio stations should be staffed 24/7

Other than MarcB, no one I know listens to that station for any length of time.

I haven't listened to 990 AM for any length of time since May 9, 2007 the day before they flipped to this Radio Cantico Nueveo garbage. No I don't have anything against Spanish Language Religious Programming. (Each to his or her own). I have something against someone using a 2500 watt AM station to rebroadcast an internet stream with poor sounding audio. Listening in 5 minute intrevals to see if they flipped formats again does not count as listening to the station. As for why I was listening and heard their computer melt-down on the air, I mentioned previous I was doing a band-scan from 910 AM going up and the scan on my Walkman stopped at 990. I love hearing technical difficulties on any radio station (whether I'm a regular listener to the station or not). It's the radio geek in me.

Heck, to this day there are long-time residents of Southington who have no idea that a radio station exists in their home town.

This is partially true. When I tell people I used to have a radio show on the Southington radio station and they ask where's that I tell them next to Chuck & Eddie's their response is "Oh. I always wondered what that little White Building with the 2 towers in the back was used for."

As a side note: The station's old call letters have resurfaced on an FM station in the Fort Myers, Florida area that recently flipped from Country to Oldies. They made the format flip first, they changed the call letters a week later.

Good. This should end my friend's crusade to bring back the WNTY call letters to AM 990. I have nothing against the WXCT call letters that 990 uses now. Would I keep those call letters if I were running the station? Who knows?

And for the record the reason I was so fond of this station is because they lasted so much longer as a community oriented radio station than the station in my own hometown of Bristol. WBIS in Bristol went Spanish in November 1993. 990 lasted until The Summer of 99 and then again from 2002-2004 and 2005-2007. And I was also fond of this station because it was the only radio station I was ever involved with.

 

[DonM]

>>>" they lasted so much longer as a community oriented radio station than the station in my own hometown of Bristol."<<<

Just for the record though, Marc, WBIS came on the air way before WNTY. 'BIS started in 1948, 'NTY sometime (I believe?) in the 60s.

 

[MarcB]

Re: Technical Problems at WXCT 990 (or why radio stations should be staffed 24/7

Just for the record though, Marc, WBIS came on the air way before WNTY. 'BIS started in 1948, 'NTY sometime (I believe?) in the 60s.

Don, I know. By lasting longer I meant that WBIS ended community programming in 93 while NTY was still doing t until 99. As they say in Espanol, comprende mi amigo? (Understand my friend?). And yes NTY came on in 69. And they've missed every milestone anniversary since 99. Their 30th in 99 they were Tropical. Their 35th in 04 the were Spanish AC. (It should be noted before they went Spanish again in 04 I was in discussions with then GM Charlie Profit about putting together a 35th Anniversary Party). And most likely (unfortunatly) they will be Spanish Christian Programming for their 40th in 2009.

 

[bub]

>>>" they lasted so much longer as a community oriented radio station than the station in my own hometown of Bristol."<<<

Just for the record though, Marc, WBIS came on the air way before WNTY. 'BIS started in 1948, 'NTY sometime (I believe?) in the 60s.

You're right, Don. WBIS first signed on in 1948. WBIS was the station that gave Bob Crane his start in radio after "failing an audition" at WATR and being told by the GM at the time to look for another line of work. After 'BIS, he advanced to WICC in Bridgeport, then Los Angeles, then Hollywood. WNTY came to Southington in 1969 upon transfer of the license from the late WLCR in Torrington after they went dark in 1964 (or therabouts).

And yes NTY came on in 69. And they've missed every milestone anniversary since 99. Their 30th in 99 they were Tropical. Their 35th in 04 the were Spanish AC. (It should be noted before they went Spanish again in 04 I was in discussions with then GM Charlie Profit about putting together a 35th Anniversary Party).

MarcB: I was at WNTY in '94 and we missed the 25th. And I was there briefly through July of '99 and there was no mention of a 30th.

And most likely (unfortunatly) they will be Spanish Christian Programming for their 40th in 2009.

If they haven't gone dark before then. ;D

 

[bub]

Re: Technical Problems at WXCT 990 (or why radio stations should be staffed 24/7

Heck, to this day there are long-time residents of Southington who have no idea that a radio station exists in their home town.

This is partially true. When I tell people I used to have a radio show on the Southington radio station and they ask where's that I tell them next to Chuck & Eddie's their response is "Oh. I always wondered what that little White Building with the 2 towers in the back was used for."

LOL! I worked at WNTY the year we actually made the Arbitron ratings and we got that a lot. ;D

 

[MarcB]

Re: Technical Problems at WXCT 990 (or why radio stations should be staffed 24/7

Bub, in your tenure at 990 did you ever see the ghost cat that haunts the building? My friend (who now does Sunday mornings at WATR in Waterbury) told me about the day they buried WiNTY the cat in the front yard of the radio station. He says the ghost of WiNTY the cat haunts the building. I've seen it once or twice when I was there.

I still believe if given the right circumstances that station can be viable again. (Relaying an internet stream does not make a radio station viable. I don't care how much money Radio Cantico Nuevo is paying Davidson Media Group). Part of the problem is I've heard from a reliable source that if Davidson were to sell the station he wants more than the $1.4 million he paid for it, which if you ask me is just ridiculous. Besides the fact he overpaid for it (in the opinion of myself and others) radio station values are down across the board and therefore there's no way someone would pay that much for the station.

 

[bub]

Re: Technical Problems at WXCT 990 (or why radio stations should be staffed 24/7

Bub, in your tenure at 990 did you ever see the ghost cat that haunts the building? My friend (who now does Sunday mornings at WATR in Waterbury) told me about the day they buried WiNTY the cat in the front yard of the radio station. He says the ghost of WiNTY the cat haunts the building. I've seen it once or twice when I was there.

MarcB:
Not only did we have an actual live tiger cat named WiNTY at the station, I was there at the time the owners finally had to put her down at the ripe old age of 19 . When I worked there, one of my duties was to feed her, although I did draw the line on cleaning the litter box and the owners were O.K. about that. I do remember WiNTY was buried in the front of the station. I never saw the ghost and I hoped Charlie Profit's Rotweiler dogs didn't dig up her remains when they lived at the station.

I still believe if given the right circumstances that station can be viable again. (Relaying an internet stream does not make a radio station viable. I don't care how much money Radio Cantico Nuevo is paying Davidson Media Group). Part of the problem is I've heard from a reliable source that if Davidson were to sell the station he wants more than the $1.4 million he paid for it, which if you ask me is just ridiculous. Besides the fact he overpaid for it (in the opinion of myself and others) radio station values are down across the board and therefore there's no way someone would pay that much for the station.

MarcB:
IMHO, the station was overpaid when it was sold in 1999 and it has jumped the shark since!

MarcB, with all due respect, please face reality: The viability and credibility of that station has been so far gone since before I left for the last time in '99 that it's not even worth a damn on this board or anywhere for that matter. More power to the current owners if they can get back the original purchase price. But never mind trying to sell a radio station - as it is, it's tough to get a credible price for advertising on a station when you don't have an air product to sell.

Call me cynical, but speaking from 5-1/2 years there, I'm just calling a spade a spade. I hope you understand.

 

[uncleDJ]

Re: Technical Problems at WXCT 990 (or why radio stations should be staffed 24/7

...aaaah, something I can really sink my teeth into...

For DECADES I have been complaining that if radio stations are unmanned, they are not serving the communities in which they broadcast. Case in point: several years back one stormy June there was a Tornado Warning which hit New London county. The ONLY people who knew about it were those tuned into the Weather Channel! Not ONE radio station at the time had ANY local people around to tell us at 7pm Sunday Evening to watch the skies. Thankfully the event produced not much damage to some trees and a few structures in Salem.

It is irresponsible for any broadcaster to broadcast at any time where they are not able to warn citizens of emergencies, disasters or health and safety urgencies. That is still the primary focus of all laws and precepts within the founding documents of the FCC, they have not gone away nor should they!

Besides, at the ridiculously low wages paid by most stations you mean to tell me they could not afford hiring a newbie to work the 'grave' shifts? Gee, maybe the broadcast schools would actually have more places to refer their new grads to if stations actually had positions to work! So an extra 10K a year would mean ruin? Then I guess one would need to rethink why they have no audience and make some drastic changes (by the way I am available for those who need that kind of help and have 30+ years in this business knowing what people want).

It's time to GET REAL. It's not always about the bottom line. It IS about the responsibility a licensee holds to serve the public in ways that INFORM and entertain. Period. Did we not learn that painful lesson on 9/11/01? Oh...how many of you still do local, if any, news????

Bill Alley

 

[oldschooltv]

Re: Technical Problems at WXCT 990 (or why radio stations should be staffed 24/7

...aaaah, something I can really sink my teeth into...
For DECADES I have been complaining that if radio stations are unmanned, they are not serving the communities in which they broadcast. Case in point: several years back one stormy June there was a Tornado Warning which hit New London county. The ONLY people who knew about it were those tuned into the Weather Channel! Not ONE radio station at the time had ANY local people around to tell us at 7pm Sunday Evening to watch the skies. Thankfully the event produced not much damage to some trees and a few structures in Salem.
It is irresponsible for any broadcaster to broadcast at any time where they are not able to warn citizens of emergencies, disasters or health and safety urgencies. That is still the primary focus of all laws and precepts within the founding documents of the FCC, they have not gone away nor should they!
Besides, at the ridiculously low wages paid by most stations you mean to tell me they could not afford hiring a newbie to work the 'grave' shifts? Gee, maybe the broadcast schools would actually have more places to refer their new grads to if stations actually had positions to work! So an extra 10K a year would mean ruin? Then I guess one would need to rethink why they have no audience and make some drastic changes (by the way I am available for those who need that kind of help and have 30+ years in this business knowing what people want).
It's time to GET REAL. It's not always about the bottom line. It IS about the responsibility a licensee holds to serve the public in ways that INFORM and entertain. Period. Did we not learn that painful lesson on 9/11/01? Oh...how many of you still do local, if any, news????
Bill Alley

You all make a good point. Has anyone ever noticed how the media, homeland security, NOAA, local law enforcement, etc. tell us that when there is going to be a storm, to have a battery-powered radio on standby, supplies, etc.? I never gave it much thought, but what's the darn point of having a battery-powered radio? Most of the time, there's no one at the station anyway!

Not too long ago, there was a letter to the editor about this in one of the CT papers. Unfortunately, it's in the archives now, so you need an account (paid) to see the whole thing. But from the "free preview" online, it starts like this:

"During one recent wicked storm, Milford and Orange suffered an electricity blackout, so tips from the smart people in government came to mind, including having a flashlight and portable radio with good batteries ready and not opening the refrigerator until power is restored. The tips all sound good, so I turned on my portable radio and checked station after station on both the AM and FM dials and there was not one mention about the power outage in Milford and Orange..."

From what I remember while reading this in the paper last month, the gentleman said he was a senior citizen. He was somewhat confused and dismayed because he said he did everything the government told him to do, he heeded the warnings, etc. But there was not one thing on the radio about the storm or power outages. He said there wasn't even anyone on the air live when he was listening. This is the funniest part: ... He went as far as to ask himself if there was even anyone at the stations while he was listening, or if everything was run by computers today. We all know what the answer to that is, don't we!? ;D

But what a joke, especially when the government and the media gets everyone excited about natural disasters or national emergencies. Then you have the poor elderly who believe everything the government and media tells them, they think they're doing the right thing, they get all prepared with their supplies, and then it was all for nothing. Gotta love it!

So I agree with the other posters...
either the FCC makes it mandatory that every radio station is staffed with at least 1 living person 24/7/365 in order to keep their license -
or the government and media should quit giving out these tips about portable radios when there's an emergency because it's a joke.