The Fall of WVKO

[Nu_Roo_2]

For those who aren't already aware, the October Columbus Monthly magazine has an interesting, fairly in-depth article about the "Fall of WVKO." Some of the quotes from Percy Squire are mind-boggling. They also include a bit of interesting station history.

 

[Hollis]

Percy Squire is unbelievable. And I mean that in the worst way possible. That man is a criminal. I love the part of the article where he actually "justifies" evading his taxes. I've never seen someone with such a sense of entitlement. No wait, I have. Maurice Clarett. Two peas in a pod.

 

[KevinFodor]

I will say nothing bad personally about Mr. Squire, because I did work for him. I did get the sense that he valued the people who worked for him, even though challenges within his company made taking "care" of his people, to be gentle here, difficult.

However, as a broadcaster, while I could always appreciate Mr. Squire's sense of "mission" in wanting to serve the minority community, I had to question his business savvy. Anyone who has been in the broadcasting business knows "if you build it, they will come" does not always apply. And, in a market that already sported 3 or 4 heavily entrenched Urban stations, succeeding with a shoestring-financed company with signal challenged stations would be, at the very least, an uphill battle.

Plainly put: you're not going to make money being the #4 or #5 urban station in Columbus! And, while making a ton of cash isn't always necessary to be considered "successful", having enough money to pay the electric bill is.

Then, Mr. Squire acquired WVKO. He was already in enough soup with 103.1, a station which seemed as though was trying to niche itself by being "all things to all minority citizens" in Columbus. Programming hip-hop one daypart, soul the next, a talk show in mid-days, and every now and then was broadcasting speeches by Mayor Coleman live. Blues some nights, hispanic programming others, to be interrupted by a Clippers baseball game. It was, simply, a programming mishmash that couldn't get a sizeable audience because of a limited signal coupled with the fact that you had no idea what you were going to get when you tuned it in if you could receive it!

Even when they did narrow their programming a bit and the numbers started to turn around, the numbers didn't get "big" enough fast enough to bring advertisers around. Enter more business related problems. Then, came "Viva 103.1", in a market that's only (according to published statistics) 2% hispanic. 'Nuff said there.

Now, you think succeeding with an AM station, even with the heritage of WVKO would be easy? Ask Jim Johnson in Dayton, who's done a great job with WDAO-AM, but he can tell you it's a challenge. A company with the limited wherewithall Stop 26/Riverbend had at the time simply would have had nothing but the difficulties they obviously encountered.

WVKO could have survived without going dark had reasonable formatic decisions regarding the direction of Z-103 and other properties been made earlier. There were choices in the months and years before this debacle that could have been made, but, for reasons only Mr. Squire can truly comment, were not.

I have not seen the Columbus Monthly article as of yet, but I intend to read it.

I hope all in the end works out for all concerned. WVKO and all the stations involved deserve good ownership and good management. I hope that's how the courts and the FCC ultimately rule.

 

[CBusDave]

Then, came "Viva 103.1", in a market that's only (according to published statistics) 2% hispanic. 'Nuff said there.

I would argue this number but unfortunately there is no data available to back up my argument. This published statistic is from the Census bureau (which no illegal resident would ever respond to) and the best guess estimate of 2% was from the 2000 census. A lot has changed in the last 6 years and the signs of the times are increasing exponentially on the west side. Almost every business offers spanish signage and all the banks offer spanish speaking tellers. Here's another example, South-Western City schools offer all their relatively important documents in English, Spanish and Somali... that wouldn't happen if there wasn't a demand for it.

So I wouldn't really argue that there isn't a niche available for Spanish speaking broadcasting because I think there is... 103.1 is definitely the wrong signal for it though. Geographically speaking, I think the Hispanic population is bigger on the west side and 103.1 is virtually non-existent over there.

 

[Nu_Roo_2]

I love the part of the article where he actually "justifies" evading his taxes. I've never seen someone with such a sense of entitlement.

When I said that some of the quotes from Squire are mind-boggling, I was thinking of that one as the top boggler -- especially the simplistic way Squire "expressed" it. There was no attempt to even couch the absurdity in some sort of trumped-up logic. Come to think of it, I guess he *could* have cut to the chase with even fewer words: "Gimme!"

One thing I wonder about: Is it conceivable the interviewer could have maintained a straight face? He must have bust a gut laughing after Squire was out of earshot.

 

[Nu_Roo_2]

I have not seen the Columbus Monthly article as of yet, but I intend to read it.

Brace yourself. You have to get almost all the way through the article before you get to Percy's revelation that he is planning a blockbuster deal involving 13 stations.

Hey, you say you worked for him -- maybe you can tell us what planet he's from (and I'm not talking about Youngstown).

 

[Hollis]

Come to think of it, I guess he *could* have cut to the chase with even fewer words: "Gimme!"

ROFL! ;D

 

[PaulBWalkerJr]

Can anyone post this article , or a link to it online? If not, .. and you have a paper copy, PM me and Il lgive you my address to mail it...

 

[pbf1]

They don't do electronic. Gotta get the print.

 

[Nu_Roo_2]

They don't do electronic. Gotta get the print.

Actually, Columbus Monthly does put three articles from each issue online for a month, but not until the next print issue comes out. Since this story was one that was teased on the cover, there's a decent chance it will indeed end up online -- in three weeks.

 

[PaulBWalkerJr]

Cool... let me know if it appears online.

 

[KevinFodor]

I have not seen the Columbus Monthly article as of yet, but I intend to read it.

Brace yourself. You have to get almost all the way through the article before you get to Percy's revelation that he is planning a blockbuster deal involving 13 stations.

Hey, you say you worked for him -- maybe you can tell us what planet he's from (and I'm not talking about Youngstown).


Well, NuRoo, I have no idea as to the celestial body you'd like to know about. But, I was PD of Star 107.9, which was, of course, purchased by Stop 26/Riverbend and owned by them for, well, months I guess. And, now you know my "real" name.

I left when it became obvious to me that the financial problems were mounting so high that, though the programming changes we were in the process of making at Star (leaning the station in a more rock direction) would work, ratings-wise (and they did work), it appeared as though Percy was hell bent on making Star an Urban station. And that would have happened, had WBNS not suddenly abandoned oldies and left an obvious potential market.

BTW: to another poster: I was not suggesting in my previous post that a Hispanic format could "never" work in Columbus. I was only saying available statistics at that time indicated the percentage of Hispanics at 2%. I had had discussions with Star G.M. Bill Cusack about "when do you think someone should pull the trigger and do a Hispanic format?" His thought was: at the point statistics show the area with a 4 to 6% Hispanic population. Whose statisics would be better to use, I don't know. But I do agree with the poster...the weak signal of 103.1 was a liability to success. Then add the "problems" the station had (and I use that term loosely) and the result was what you heard.

A 13 station deal? I suppose that's not out of the question. But, I can remember hearing many times from Percy that a 10-20 million dollar refinancing deal for Stop 26 would happen "any day now". Perhaps he can pull it off. (Remember: he beat Clear Channel in a deal in Youngstown.) But, I certainly have reason to be skeptical.

 

[KevinFodor]

Then, came "Viva 103.1", in a market that's only (according to published statistics) 2% hispanic. 'Nuff said there.

I would argue this number but unfortunately there is no data available to back up my argument. This published statistic is from the Census bureau (which no illegal resident would ever respond to) and the best guess estimate of 2% was from the 2000 census. A lot has changed in the last 6 years and the signs of the times are increasing exponentially on the west side. Almost every business offers spanish signage and all the banks offer spanish speaking tellers. Here's another example, South-Western City schools offer all their relatively important documents in English, Spanish and Somali... that wouldn't happen if there wasn't a demand for it.

So I wouldn't really argue that there isn't a niche available for Spanish speaking broadcasting because I think there is... 103.1 is definitely the wrong signal for it though. Geographically speaking, I think the Hispanic population is bigger on the west side and 103.1 is virtually non-existent over there.

CBus: Everything you said here is correct. I lived in Columbus until a month ago. The west side is becoming more "melting pot". But...illegals don't fill out census forms...or...Arbitron ratings diaries. That makes them irrelevant to the argument. They might be there, but until they can be counted, they don't exist to advertisers.

In another post, I mentioned a former G.M. assuming a Hispanic format could succeed when statistics showed a 4-6% Hispanic audience. It ain't there yet. At least in available statistics. So, 103.1 had a minimal chance of succeeding under "Viva". Remember...perception (what is available to be counted) is reality. (To advertisers, the only thing that matters to a business.) It ain't what "is", it's what advertisers and agencies think it "is". (Most often through "statistics".)

 

[gabigley1]

WVKO also has a C.P. for the new tower site as of Sept. 22, 2006. This was issued after this article went to press.... They(WVKO) now claim a Spring 2007 target date for broadcasting from the new site.

Here is the official FCC C.P. for the new site... Note on page four of five that they must get back on the air by May 5, 2007 or loose the license for the station. Click here if interested: http://svartifoss2.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/Auth_Files/1141607.pdf

 

[CBusDave]

I would argue this number but unfortunately there is no data available to back up my argument. This published statistic is from the Census bureau (which no illegal resident would ever respond to) and the best guess estimate of 2% was from the 2000 census. A lot has changed in the last 6 years and the signs of the times are increasing exponentially on the west side. Almost every business offers spanish signage and all the banks offer spanish speaking tellers. Here's another example, South-Western City schools offer all their relatively important documents in English, Spanish and Somali... that wouldn't happen if there wasn't a demand for it.

So I wouldn't really argue that there isn't a niche available for Spanish speaking broadcasting because I think there is... 103.1 is definitely the wrong signal for it though. Geographically speaking, I think the Hispanic population is bigger on the west side and 103.1 is virtually non-existent over there.

CBus: Everything you said here is correct. I lived in Columbus until a month ago. The west side is becoming more "melting pot". But...illegals don't fill out census forms...or...Arbitron ratings diaries. That makes them irrelevant to the argument. They might be there, but until they can be counted, they don't exist to advertisers.

In another post, I mentioned a former G.M. assuming a Hispanic format could succeed when statistics showed a 4-6% Hispanic audience. It ain't there yet. At least in available statistics. So, 103.1 had a minimal chance of succeeding under "Viva". Remember...perception (what is available to be counted) is reality. (To advertisers, the only thing that matters to a business.) It ain't what "is", it's what advertisers and agencies think it "is". (Most often through "statistics".)

It is indeed a good point that anyone not willing to fill out census info certainly won't be filling out arbitron diaries. However from a business standpoint, the same businesses that think it is fiscally intelligent to reach out to the hispanic community by offering spanish language assistance might also find it fiscally beneficial to reach out to the hispanic population through radio broadcasts on the spanish language stations. My guess is this is what Percy was aiming for, however misguided.

 

[gabigley1]

It looks like we have lucked out here. Click here for the entire story on WVKO:

http://www.columbusmonthly.com/article2.html

Columbus Monthly has posted the entire WVKO article that appeared in it's October issue. Since this article was written, around Sept. 15, 2006, the FCC has issued a C.P. for their new 9-acre site at 2708 Morse Road. They(WVKO) haven't touched this new site as of last Friday...

Also, for what it's worth, the old WVKO towers are STILL standing at the old tower site in Upper Arlington. They no doubt could have kept the station running for a few more months at this site if they have wanted to. Click here for a photo of the old WVKO tower site:

http://www.fybush.com/Tower Site/040219/wvko.jpg

Will they make it back on the air before the May 4, 2006 deadline, the date the license will expire if they don't make it back on the air at full power?? They haven't even applied for a S.T.A for the new site according to the FCC.gov web site.

 

[Nu_Roo_2]

The net version is missing the interesting photos that were in the print story, but I guess we can't ask for everything.

 

[PaulBWalkerJr]

Can anyone scan the pictures and post them???

 

[CBusDave]

It looks like we have lucked out here. Click here for the entire story on WVKO:

http://www.columbusmonthly.com/article2.html

Agreed. What a great article. Most of this information about Squire isn't new but it's amazing to me that he continues to maintain his sense of entitlement. The bit about how he didn't pay his taxes because he felt the government owed him for bad policies... ugh.

"(Squire) wrote himself more than $1 million in checks from 2000 to 2003."
"Squire told the FCC he planned to build a new tower in Northland Park, the former home of the Northland Mall, but he apparently forgot to tell the property owner,"
"Squire says he’s putting together a blockbuster deal involving 13 radio stations." (Heaven help us)

Unbelievable. Seriously, does he suffer from delusions of grandeur?

 

[gabigley1]

The C. E. of WSNY-FM confirms the following post. This is what he has to say about the fall of the WVKO towers scheduled for this Tuesday:

"Weather permitting, yes."

** U S A. Hey, the grapevine has it the WVKO towers at 4401 Carriagehill lane
will fall Tuesday. How very sad. All the historic voices that have been
transmitted over those towers, and now they will be gone. I loved WVKO
since I was a little kid (Chuck Adkins, Columbus OH, Nov 5, DX LISTENING DIGEST)