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Waei, am 910

It's been off the air since last Wednesday or Thursday. Anyone know what's up? It is ruining my morning commute; I'd forgotten how much I disliked Colin Cowherd and actually appreciate the Dan Patrick Show.
 
According to Allaccess.com, they've applied for a temporary STA to be silent until they can find a buyer. If that fails, a "heritage" AM radio station will go away.
 
The station is probably still available, catch is it must be moved. I run 3 AM's in the market, can not get enough help to run them (sales and voice) and wife is threatening me not to buy. A 2 tower directional is going to be tough to site. I lost several zoning fights in Hermon, trying to put what is now wguy there, and that is about where it has to go
 
TG is right, but still sad to see it go. Perhaps some other stations on 900-920 will be able to upgrade because of this, and survive.
 
The station is probably still available, catch is it must be moved. I run 3 AM's in the market, can not get enough help to run them (sales and voice) and wife is threatening me not to buy. A 2 tower directional is going to be tough to site. I lost several zoning fights in Hermon, trying to put what is now wguy there, and that is about where it has to go

Why does it have to be moved?

Just by way of comment: Diversified Communications always kept up that Brewer transmitter site. Since Blueberry took over, the lawn around the building has gone fallow, the trim needs paint, and the red bulb atop one of the two towers hasn't worked for about a year --- all of which reflects what they've done to the station in general, IMO. It's a shame --- the oldest radio station north of Boston, with a good signal and a large coverage area.
 
Just by way of comment: Diversified Communications always kept up that Brewer transmitter site. Since Blueberry took over, the lawn around the building has gone fallow, the trim needs paint, and the red bulb atop one of the two towers hasn't worked for about a year --- all of which reflects what they've done to the station in general, IMO. It's a shame --- the oldest radio station north of Boston, with a good signal and a large coverage area.

Yep, sad. I have LOTS of great memories of AM 910--as a kid waiting for George to read no-school announcements, as a newcomer to the biz working across the hall at WBGW, many, MANY years later filling in for George on vacations/UMO baseball spring trips, and more.
 
It has to be moved because that's what Blueberry wants. The problem, as I see it, the land is worth much more than station. That's why the station is being offered without the land. My wife is not going to be happy if I buy it, re locating it will be exoensive, and I already have 3 stations in market, all of which have had 0 success in finding sales and or marketing help for years. Even on air, have had 1 inquiry other than people locally who know us
 
It has to be moved because that's what Blueberry wants. The problem, as I see it, the land is worth much more than station. That's why the station is being offered without the land. My wife is not going to be happy if I buy it, re locating it will be exoensive, and I already have 3 stations in market, all of which have had 0 success in finding sales and or marketing help for years. Even on air, have had 1 inquiry other than people locally who know us

I LOVE what you've done in getting 'GUY back on the air. I can't get the station down here near Blue Hill, but I always listen when I'm "up Bangor way". The only other oldies station I know of that's comparable to it is WARE down in Massachusetts --- also locally owned, with local talent.

If I lived 20 miles closer, I'd jump at the chance to help you out!
 
Thank You for the kind words. I'm just the dummy doing WGUY as a labor of love, on top of trying to keep my 2 news talk am's going. If any of you guys want any insight, the advice is free, but it's like an ***hole, and worth about what you pay for it. The guys on air deserve a lot of credit, all 3 major dayparts have other lives. Chuck, Kent and Mike are "sounding" the part. I too, will be sad if it goes away, and just maybe, if price lowered enough. But, it's expensive to file an AM app, probably 5k between legal, engineering and filing fees. Best case, it could be diplexed on one of mine, but a diplexer for my 2 class 4's was about 18k, and still is not 100%. And then, the big question, what do we do with it? I could move the GUY calls there, but it still leaves me an AM needing a format. Sports was the no brainer, until the ticket started. Classic Country could work for audience, but you could never afford SESAC. I'm the third guy to have failed here as all news, Whoever does try is in for a tough fight.
 
. . . And then, the big question, what do we do with it? I could move the GUY calls there, but it still leaves me an AM needing a format. Sports was the no brainer, until the ticket started. Classic Country could work for audience, but you could never afford SESAC. I'm the third guy to have failed here as all news, Whoever does try is in for a tough fight.

I agree with that a Classic Country format might work --- real Country oldies from the '40s through the '60s. Country has a huge following in northern and eastern Maine, where there is also a predominant older-leaning demographic. I'm in my early 60s, and I think people my age and older would love it. It's also just about the only format that isn't being heard / hasn't been tried in the Bangor area.

That having been said --- pardon my ignorance, but is SESAC more expensive that ASCAP?
 
Sesac, in my opinion, is ruthless. You may have to exclude all sesac works to have an affordable format. Sesac seems to "entice" 1 or 2 of each genre, to try to force stations into blanket license. 1 of my stations, run 1 step above a hobby, grossing maybe 2k month, sesac decided to try for 900/month. Have since lowered their demand to 200 or so a month. Their logic, "just in case you get a national buy that happens to use sesac music." Ascap minimal fee recently went from 180/year to 600. Sesac claims lowest fee (for stations charging no more than 2.50 a spot) is about 1500./yr. BMI is about the same as ASCAP. However, BMI and ASCAP both tied to gross revenue, SESAC is tied to highest single spot. If they can get you for charging, say 5/spot, fee is 2k. 10/spot around 3k. This means 1 spot, say AM drive news adjacency, sold once, can really cost mom and pop operator
 
A great bit of history. If none of you guys buy it, I may try a last minute Hail Mary type low ball offer, but I'd better be getting it for a price like 1280 WFAU (former wabk). Even then, my wife won't be happy, but I don't know if I can let that much history die.
 
FYI Your WGUY 94.1 FM translator throws out a great signal. Listened to it the other day coming back from Bangor down here to Mount Desert Island...solid right into Holden along 1A, but dropped out at the 46 junction in the valley, got it back a bit towards Lucerne Inn, then totally gone after the twin hills into North Ellsworth. Sounds great!
 
From the BDN yesterday.
http://bangordailynews.com/2013/09/...r-company-official-says-its-future-undecided/

A 'fair amount of history'? That's an understatement

Article was pretty vague, never mentioned power or reason for signing off...Those towers are classic...they always threw a good signal during the day down here to Mount Desert Island. Shame to see them go, but that stretch of WIlson Street is pretty valuable...Taxes on the land alone must be a fortune, never mind upkeep.
 
The land also has frontage on Dirigo? Drive. Probably more frontage there than on Wilson St. I would have to assume that also is commercial frontage, although I think Brewer has some funky restrictions on what types of businesses can be there
 
Just thinking out loud, dpries, wouldn't one 5,000 watt signal in Bangor be better than three 1,000 watt stations? It sure would increase the coverage for the U of M sports. Have you thought of doing this and letting the others 'go'? Would love to see you get WABI back on the air--you probably could get some public support, like Bob Bittner has at WJTO in Bath.
 
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The above not mutually exclusive. The 5000 watt signal certainly better than any 1 Class 4. Letting others "go" easier said than done, in part $ owed on them, site leases in place etc. And , of course, from a competitive standpoint, adding 100k or so to add a signal, back to earlier, what to do with it. Each of my class 4's can be moved to nearby channels, and get 5k. Daytime, flea power or directional nights. I really feel, as much as I'd like to do something, just too much. Just price the #10 copper, and 2 towers, or diplexer at 1 of my sites (which will hurt coverage,) and I feel I can not add it to my current. You are thinking correctly about bigger signal, give it time. And the headache giving up other stations, no matter whose programs dropped U Maine, NFL, Nascar, Ray Richardson from WLOB etc, going to have PO'd listeners. Have thought about 910, park GUY calls there, keep oldies, take turns making 1 of 4 dark year by year. There are no obvious good answers here.
 
Dan, Nearly a month has passed since your last post, do you have any new developments on your possible pursuit of am 910 ?
 
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