Too Quiet

[HGR1290]

Jovial Jay said:

I just keep wondering when some station will convert to a "all monkey farts, all the time" format, and I won't even raise an eyebrow.

At least (i guess) This is safe from the "big boys"...at least Clear Channel cain't voice track this new format. Well, now, wait a minute.....

This does go beyond the "if we aired a fart, it was sponsored" biz model.

I need some research and a consultant to tell me this Monkey Fart format will work.

 

[kyscott]

Last time I heard, Ball was working in sales for Cox Cable in Macon, and...you heard it here first...

Tom Kirk was teaching school in Gainesville, Georgia!

Aww man, they left the dungerees and have become suits!!

 

[Diamondtwo]

I just keep wondering when some station will convert to a "all monkey farts, all the time" format

Hey Jay... I've got a digital recorder in my office. If you want to head out to the Dark Continent and record some monkey farts for me, I've got a ratings-challenged 1kw AM daytimer that might could use some help. You could take a consultant's fee for that.


Kyscott, your venom is as caustic as ever. You misunderstood what I said in my post about 'PEZ's processing -- either that, or you chose to manipulate my words. As I'm sure you know in your enormous engineering mind, most classical stations do very little to process their signal. My point (and I can only speak about my station) is that we process our signal out of necessity... you know as well as I do that. Z is not a classical radio station... therefore we process to be competitive in the marketplace. Maybe YOU are the one who needs to read what is before you more clearly. And rest assured, I have been in this business a long time, and I have a pretty good ear for processing. When I took over as PD of WPEZ in 2005, I almost IMMEDIATELY backed off on the processing big-time, because I thought we were too "squashed" for the female ear. I also considered at one point just putting in an 8100 with a couple of Prisms up front; no questioning that the right ear can make those things sing. But I relented because the only 8100 we had in house is being used on WIFN. Is 'PEZ's processing perfect? Nope. Don't think it ever will be. But it's a helluva lot better than it was.

I agree with johnr (thanks for the back-me-up, boss!). I think if you actually spent some time CRITICALLY listening to some of the Macon stations, particularly the Cumulus group, you would find that things are not as bad as you make them out to be. But sitting up there in bluegrass country making blanket statements about the state of radio in a market hundreds of miles away from you based on a VERY short-term listen is just wrong, pal.

Kturner, thanks for the input on the dearth of good Classic Hits/Oldies programming in the market. I too don't understand the rationale of Clear Channel and Register Communications counterprogramming to WPEZ. I would have liked to have had a chance to bring WAYS on 105.5 more into a Classic Hits direction; it could have very easily been tailored to complement-- not cannibalize -- on WPEZ, and we might have had a fighting chance with it. But the higher-ups decided that sports/talk was the thing to do... so there you go. As for WPGA and its carriage of the TV side's newscasts, well, there's no question that radio takes a BIG backseat to television over there

Anyway, I'm digressing. This is really a good thread, and I appreciate all the comments (good and bad) from all who have chimed in. Especially you, kyscott... you know, radio-info gang, we really should all congregate at scott's house for a party sometime! I understand his Jamaican food is really good... especially the JERK chicken!

TDO
David Nolin

 

[kyscott]

I agree with johnr (thanks for the back-me-up, boss!). I think if you actually spent some time CRITICALLY listening to some of the Macon stations, particularly the Cumulus group, you would find that things are not as bad as you make them out to be. But sitting up there in bluegrass country making blanket statements about the state of radio in a market hundreds of miles away from you based on a VERY short-term listen is just wrong, pal.

I stand behind my original assessment, David. Stations in Macon sound terrible. I did not, however, call out any particular station. You did that for me. And for that, I thank you for calling out names when I was reluctant to. Now, people know exactly which stations I was speaking of without me telling them.

When I worked for channel 13 back in the mid 90's, a majority of the stations sounded very good. Jerry Dowd had 99.1 set up where you could get the full dynamic of the older music without destroying the fidelity. John Timms had 105.3 sounding the best I have ever heard an FM sound, just to name a few. Within a few short years, everyone has jumped in the loudness fray and none of them sound very good anymore.

Your defensiveness and name calling gives away your true colors. Again, thank you for calling yourself out saving me the trouble.

 

[JohnAllan]

I just keep wondering when some station will convert to a "all monkey farts, all the time" format

Hey Jay... I've got a digital recorder in my office. If you want to head out to the Dark Continent and record some monkey farts for me, I've got a ratings-challenged 1kw AM daytimer that might could use some help. You could take a consultant's fee for that.

TDO
David Nolin

Hey David, if you truely have a ratings challenged 1kw daytimer, I might be able to help you. I have made some AM's into GIANT killers....

 

[kturnerga]

JohnAllan:
I think Diamond's daytimer may need a signal boost if it's the one I'm thinking of. I wonder if an all-news format (not just syndicated programming) with largely local content may be in order. Or a modified oldies format with live jocks earning minimum market wages might do the trick- with oldies from 1968 onwards. Get an old timer to teach them how to jock.

 

[daryll]

Prisms, Optimods, & flashbacks

I was very calmly following this thread until the mention of Prisms and Optimods. Now, I gotta heap some serious praise on Oscar Leverette's golden ears with those boxes. I believe he made magic with the audio chain after he came to 107.9 with GM Fred Newton on February 1, 1989. Oscar had 'PEZ as bright as possible but with just enough punch to not be tiresome. He added a Stereomax in '91 and with it more width to the left/right separation. Our only negative was the horrid Shively 8 bay antenna erected by previous management in August 1987 that was a big mismatch for the leased space on the WMGT tower. The erratic multi-path in Macon and weak lobe down I-16 were sometimes a real head scratcher. However, Oscar had our audio processing on the money. He and John Timms made our audio on 13WMAZ pretty robust for a television station. That's no small feat considering all of the different audio sources in that place.

Hey Kyscott, my vote for the nastiest/square wave audio is on 95.9 in Dublin. It's like sandpaper to the ears during the music and when the mic is open. They have 100kw at 1,100 feet and some really gritty processing.

 

[JohnAllan]

JohnAllan:
I think Diamond's daytimer may need a signal boost if it's the one I'm thinking of. I wonder if an all-news format (not just syndicated programming) with largely local content may be in order. Or a modified oldies format with live jocks earning minimum market wages might do the trick- with oldies from 1968 onwards. Get an old timer to teach them how to jock.

Actually, I've programmed all news, and Oldies, throw in Classic Rock, Country, and just about anything else you could imagine. I've got a "new" format that took a last place AM, and BEAT the competition to reach NUMBER 1 in the market! (I even beat our sister station FM) I won't say what the formula is, because I'm hoping to sell an Atlanta station on it. Ok, that's an ultimate goal. The folks I work for keep adding new stations (they just launched one in Douglasville last week). They are aware of the format, and will put it in play when the timing (and station) are right. (All stations right now are either moving, or upgrading and adding FM translators) BUT, I don't have an exclusive contract with these folks. And I can add stations outside our current markets.

 

[kturnerga]

JohnAllan:
The signal boost for the 1kw daytimer might be the cat's meow- or get a CP for doing nights. The only other format I can think of is a comedy format with funny songs and a standup comedy show. I am getting cold feet about an AM oldies channel; it must be done right and be compelling. And scratch my comment about having live jocks work for peanuts; either program a syndicated show as AM 1500 is doing or go automated. Automated absolutely must be done right; don't just stick the Time-Life AM Gold collection on a server.

 

[jovialjay]

Hey Jay... I've got a digital recorder in my office. If you want to head out to the Dark Continent and record some monkey farts for me, I've got a ratings-challenged 1kw AM daytimer that might could use some help. You could take a consultant's fee for that.

Sorry David, but I gave up going to S.W. Alabama for Lent, 2007.

However, in an effort to help you...at no charge that you know of, I have dusted off some ideas I've "imagineered" in days gone by.

Okay, It was nights gone by, and whilst soundly under the alfluence of incohol. None the less...

ALL RELIGIOUS WEATHER. My idea came just prior to the debut of the Weather Channel, which may explain why it never became a viable format for radio.

ROCKERS WHO TALK. Again, I was a day late and a dollar short on this one. If only I hadn't had ALL my brain tied behind my back.

I'll keep searching through the archives, and perhaps I'll come up with something that'll work for the Mighty One-Fifty. Maybe even some stuff that worked for me at another 1500 spot on the dial...(sung like heard on TV) "W-K-R-P in Dal-las, Jawur-guh".

I'm still jovial,
His Jovial Jayness

P.s., Sorry, Scott. He seemed to sincerely need my help, and I do so need to be needed.

 

[kyscott]

Re: Prisms, Optimods, & flashbacks

He and John Timms made our audio on 13WMAZ pretty robust for a television station. That's no small feat considering all of the different audio sources in that place.

I was the transmitter engineer at channel 13 for a time, I had a little to do with that processing. When I go there, we were using an Optimod 8182 with a 8382 stereo generator. All four of the gain reduction meters on the 8182 were were pegged!

A few weeks later, Lacey Worrell (the chief engineer at 13) asked me if I had done anything to the transmitter. I said no, but I had adjusted the Optimod. He said Mr. McGuirk was asking him about it since it was sounding better.

Hey Kyscott, my vote for the nastiest/square wave audio is on 95.9 in Dublin. It's like sandpaper to the ears during the music and when the mic is open. They have 100kw at 1,100 feet and some really gritty processing.

I would be willing to bet that they took the Optimod out of the box and put it in the audio chain then walked away. Not checking levels or anything

 

[JohnAllan]

JohnAllan:
The signal boost for the 1kw daytimer might be the cat's meow- or get a CP for doing nights. The only other format I can think of is a comedy format with funny songs and a standup comedy show. I am getting cold feet about an AM oldies channel; it must be done right and be compelling. And scratch my comment about having live jocks work for peanuts; either program a syndicated show as AM 1500 is doing or go automated. Automated absolutely must be done right; don't just stick the Time-Life AM Gold collection on a server.

Hey K, I program an AM oldies right now with automation. It's on "auto pilot" until some upgrades get done (and it will be changing frequencies). Then they want a live daytime (auto VT at night). And, to be honest, I can VT oldies and most people would NEVER know! All it takes is a good system. Simian works well for this. And you can do temps and time with it.

And no, the format is not Comedy.

 

[kyscott]

Hey K, I program an AM oldies right now with automation. It's on "auto pilot" until some upgrades get done (and it will be changing frequencies). Then they want a live daytime (auto VT at night). And, to be honest, I can VT oldies and most people would NEVER know! All it takes is a good system. Simian works well for this. And you can do temps and time with it.

Simian is an awesome program for the money. What's the situation with black gospel/preaching in Macon? Is WDDO still doing that? I have a client up here with gospel and preaching on his stations, it's like a license to print money. Might be enough room in Macon for two if WDDO is still the only black gospel station there.