Wasted 50 kw AM signals

[klutch00]

WHKW Cleveland - Syndicated religion on a clear channel station? Give me a break! They could at least program music during the evenings. The "inspirational rock" program on Saturday night could also be broadcast on Friday night as well.

It's a shame of what Salem did to the 1220-Cleveland signal, now WHKW. It used to be sports/talk WKNR (which moved to 850 in 2001) and before that, WGAR-AM. Besides non-direct WTAM/1100, 1220 is one of the best night signals in the market. It isn't a "clear channel," as it went to 50 d/n only in the late 1940s.

They also own WHK/1420, which even though 5 kW d/n, carries the standard lock-key Salem conservatalk format. A waste anyway. (Note: 1420-Cleveland was ceded by Salem in a complex ownership purchase/trade in 2001 - which led to the WHK calls and religious format moving to 1220 - but was bought back by Salem in 2004, and became WHK again.)

But regardless of the ratings for their programming... Salem usually profits from it anyway. In WNTP's case, for example, all hosts excluding Laura Ingraham (TRN) and Dennis Miller (WW1) are produced in house. Low cost and overhead, especially if there is no local personalities of any sort (typically the case with these stations), and they get easy money.

It's similar to when Salem almost rode WKNR (yes, Salem owned a sports station!) to the ground. Which, while not 50 kW d/n, was a waste anyway.

To them, WKNR was easy money, and they ran it just like they do with WNTP, with low cost and overhead. Mercifully, Salem finally bailed out last year, selling it off to Craig Karmazin (Mel's son). Craig sinced rebranded it with the ESPN name and affil... but to his credit, WKNR has also done two things - an emphasis on strong local programming and PBP. It's been remarkable as to how much positive changes have came over there in the past year...

- nate81

Maybe Craig could make Salem an offer they couldn't refuse and do a signal swap. I'm not much of a sports fan, but It'd be one hell of an improvement. I'm sure there are people from northern Ohio who've move away that wouldn't mind following sports from 'back home,' even if it was just for the evening.

 

[Rusty Muck]

WHKW Cleveland - Syndicated religion on a clear channel station? Give me a break! They could at least program music during the evenings. The "inspirational rock" program on Saturday night could also be broadcast on Friday night as well.

It's a shame of what Salem did to the 1220-Cleveland signal, now WHKW. It used to be sports/talk WKNR (which moved to 850 in 2001) and before that, WGAR-AM. Besides non-direct WTAM/1100, 1220 is one of the best night signals in the market. It isn't a "clear channel," as it went to 50 d/n only in the late 1940s.

They also own WHK/1420, which even though 5 kW d/n, carries the standard lock-key Salem conservatalk format. A waste anyway. (Note: 1420-Cleveland was ceded by Salem in a complex ownership purchase/trade in 2001 - which led to the WHK calls and religious format moving to 1220 - but was bought back by Salem in 2004, and became WHK again.)

But regardless of the ratings for their programming... Salem usually profits from it anyway. In WNTP's case, for example, all hosts excluding Laura Ingraham (TRN) and Dennis Miller (WW1) are produced in house. Low cost and overhead, especially if there is no local personalities of any sort (typically the case with these stations), and they get easy money.

It's similar to when Salem almost rode WKNR (yes, Salem owned a sports station!) to the ground. Which, while not 50 kW d/n, was a waste anyway.

To them, WKNR was easy money, and they ran it just like they do with WNTP, with low cost and overhead. Mercifully, Salem finally bailed out last year, selling it off to Craig Karmazin (Mel's son). Craig sinced rebranded it with the ESPN name and affil... but to his credit, WKNR has also done two things - an emphasis on strong local programming and PBP. It's been remarkable as to how much positive changes have came over there in the past year...

- nate81

Maybe Craig could make Salem an offer they couldn't refuse and do a signal swap. I'm not much of a sports fan, but It'd be one hell of an improvement. I'm sure there are people from northern Ohio who've move away that wouldn't mind following sports from 'back home,' even if it was just for the evening.

I agree. WKNR always belonged on 1220 AM.

- nate81

 

[vibe]

What was the original purposes of radio? I THINK they were for news, infomation, entertainment purposes. nNow the AM airwaves are filled with all sorts of folks trying to extract one's hard earned $$ from them in the name of God.
I advocate some sore of redistribution of the "clear" 50 kW signals to areas like Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma so that people there have another means of tornado warning/coverage.

 

[Rusty Muck]

What was the original purposes of radio? I THINK they were for news, infomation, entertainment purposes. nNow the AM airwaves are filled with all sorts of folks trying to extract one's hard earned $$ from them in the name of God.
I advocate some sore of redistribution of the "clear" 50 kW signals to areas like Kansas, Nebraska, Oklahoma so that people there have another means of tornado warning/coverage.

I think that was the point of allocating the original "clear channel" signals back in 1927 - the 50,000 watt, non-directional, one tower stations.

That explains why WGY in Albany, WHAM in Rochester, KFAB in Omaha, WHO in Des Moines are 50,000 watts and have been forever. Other small-market stations like WWVA in Wheeling, KOMA in Oklahoma City, WOWO in Fort Wayne and KXEL in Waterloo, Iowa signed on far after this occured and thus operate(d) non-stop at 50 kW on a directional basis. Note, too, that the calls for Los Angeles' "KFI" stand for Farm Information.

Some 50kW stations like WWVA, WCKY and KXEL cede airtime for mentally unstable whackos like Ralph "Bother" Stair because they want to (or in WCKY's case, because their hands are tied in perpetuality) and have done so for over 20 years, if not longer. Plus, you really can't dictate who owns a station - and can't legislate Salem from being in the buisness. (And I am solidly against the Fairness Doctrine, BTW.)

- nate81

 

[vibe]

I forgot about KFAB which we don't get on the East Coast and WHO which we do sometimes. I was thinking about the lask of a strong flamethrower in south centra lKansas where the tornado hit earlier this year. I realize that it was pretty much first come, first served in 1927 but demographics and listening habits have changed dramatically. Radio should serve a basic need/right of the people, to be as safe as possible and to be forewarned of inpending disasters. And a 50 kw flame thrower in Whitica, per se,would cover a large area particularly at night.

 

[bk77]

Some 50kW stations like WWVA, WCKY and KXEL cede airtime for mentally unstable whackos like Ralph "Bother" Stair because they want to (or in WCKY's case, because their hands are tied in perpetuality) and have done so for over 20 years, if not longer. Plus, you really can't dictate who owns a station - and can't legislate Salem from being in the buisness. (And I am solidly against the Fairness Doctrine, BTW.)

- nate81

Just before their switch to that somewhat short lived oldies format, Buffalo's WWKB aired somekind of religious show either at 11pm or at Midnight. Come to think of it I think that program even aired for a short time during the early days of WWKB's oldies format ( just after Armstrong ).

Forgot who hosted the show or where it came from ( maybe it was based in Buffalo ) but talk about far out stuff. On one show alone not only did they more/less called Bill & Hillary Clinton "killers" but also claim that Madonna beats her children.
Of course the mentioning of a past/current President of the US on a radio relgious program is hardly a new thing but talking about Madonna and her kids?

 

[Rusty Muck]

Some 50kW stations like WWVA, WCKY and KXEL cede airtime for mentally unstable whackos like Ralph "Bother" Stair because they want to (or in WCKY's case, because their hands are tied in perpetuality) and have done so for over 20 years, if not longer. Plus, you really can't dictate who owns a station - and can't legislate Salem from being in the buisness. (And I am solidly against the Fairness Doctrine, BTW.)

- nate81

Just before their switch to that somewhat short lived oldies format, Buffalo's WWKB aired somekind of religious show either at 11pm or at Midnight. Come to think of it I think that program even aired for a short time during the early days of WWKB's oldies format ( just after Armstrong ).

Forgot who hosted the show or where it came from ( maybe it was based in Buffalo ) but talk about far out stuff. On one show alone not only did they more/less called Bill & Hillary Clinton "killers" but also claim that Madonna beats her children.
Of course the mentioning of a past/current President of the US on a radio relgious program is hardly a new thing but talking about Madonna and her kids?

I know WWKB did air religious stuff at that time - i.e., "The World Tomorrow" and Ralph G. Stair. What you are describing sounds too whackoish even for Stair (and THAT says a lot!), but I wouldn't put it against him if he did.

Ralph G. Stair is BTW, NOT a religous man. And his shlock that passes for a radio program is not religous. He is a despicable human being that says a lot of unfounded crap just to solicit money from listeners. But I guess most would say the same thing about leaders of the "religous right" so to each his own.

- nate81

 

[RadioFixerCLE]

Some 50kW stations like WWVA, WCKY and KXEL cede airtime for mentally unstable whackos like Ralph "Bother" Stair because they want to (or in WCKY's case, because their hands are tied in perpetuality)

I don't understand. What's stopping WCKY from dumping Ralph Stair? Well, aside from the easy money they get for airing his program. :-\ ???

 

[ajhenderson]

Why keep Brother Stair? He's always paid us on time.

 

[tomservo]

Time to bring this thread into 2008. ;D

All of these are lower power at night, but worth mentioning:

WGST in Atlanta still stinks, going by the Atlanta message board.

WXJC in Birmingham - another massive signal Crawford loaded with fire and brimstone

WSPZ in Birmingham - the former "Mighty 690 WVOK" is now relegated to second tier sports station in a town with no major league teams! The former sports talk moved to FM and now the station's basically Fox sports 24/7.

WCRV in Memphis - an absolutely humongous signal during the day; I'm 100 miles away and it is by far the strongest thing on the dial, but it's just Bott radio preaching.

WSMB in Memphis - another big signal that is the third tier sports station in this mid-sized market. At least as a former Air America (and before that, nostalgia) station it was doing something different in the market.

 

[RadioFixerCLE]

Then there's also WDCD 1540 in Albany. Directional one pattern, day and night.

Awesome signal, even reaches down to NYC. It's got a paid preacher program thing going....

 

[redneckriviera]

Then there's also WDCD 1540 in Albany. Directional one pattern, day and night.

Awesome signal, even reaches down to NYC. It's got a paid preacher program thing going....

Stephanie, FWIW, 1540 was a very good, highly-rated Top 40 as WPTR(AM) back in the day--and not a waste at all.

 

[RadioFixerCLE]

Stephanie, FWIW, 1540 was a very good, highly-rated Top 40 as WPTR(AM) back in the day--and not a waste at all.

Yeah. I remember when WPTR made a brief comeback.....only lasted a year or two I think.

 

[MACK184]

Some 50kW stations like WWVA, WCKY and KXEL cede airtime for mentally unstable whackos like Ralph "Bother" Stair because they want to (or in WCKY's case, because their hands are tied in perpetuality) and have done so for over 20 years, if not longer. Plus, you really can't dictate who owns a station - and can't legislate Salem from being in the buisness. (And I am solidly against the Fairness Doctrine, BTW.)

- nate81

Just before their switch to that somewhat short lived oldies format, Buffalo's WWKB aired somekind of religious show either at 11pm or at Midnight. Come to think of it I think that program even aired for a short time during the early days of WWKB's oldies format ( just after Armstrong ).

Forgot who hosted the show or where it came from ( maybe it was based in Buffalo ) but talk about far out stuff. On one show alone not only did they more/less called Bill & Hillary Clinton "killers" but also claim that Madonna beats her children.
Of course the mentioning of a past/current President of the US on a radio relgious program is hardly a new thing but talking about Madonna and her kids?

I know WWKB did air religious stuff at that time - i.e., "The World Tomorrow" and Ralph G. Stair. What you are describing sounds too whackoish even for Stair (and THAT says a lot!), but I wouldn't put it against him if he did.

Ralph G. Stair is BTW, NOT a religous man. And his shlock that passes for a radio program is not religous. He is a despicable human being that says a lot of unfounded crap just to solicit money from listeners. But I guess most would say the same thing about leaders of the "religous right" so to each his own.

- nate81

Actually going back to when the WWKB calls were the original WKBW it stood for.....
Well
Known
Bible
Witness

 

[alw]

- nate81

Just before their switch to that somewhat short lived oldies format, Buffalo's WWKB aired somekind of religious show either at 11pm or at Midnight. Come to think of it I think that program even aired for a short time during the early days of WWKB's oldies format ( just after Armstrong ).


I know WWKB did air religious stuff at that time - i.e., "The World Tomorrow" and Ralph G. Stair. What you are describing sounds too whackoish even for Stair (and THAT says a lot!), but I wouldn't put it against him if he did.


- nate81

Actually going back to when the WWKB calls were the original WKBW it stood for.....
Well
Known
Bible
Witness

WKBW originally was founded as a fire & brimstone flamethrower ("send me 75 cents and I'll send you a prayer hanky").

When that program faded away it took on block programming.
On July 4th 1958 or 59 Rock 'n Roll moved in.

The rest is Buffalo radio history.

After Armstrong left there were several tepid music formats that dwindled until a futile attempt at bizness radio went down in ignominious(sp?) defeat.

I have an intimate relationship with The Big KB and remember no religious anti Bill & Hillary format before it's current stab at Lefty Talk.

I hope this one hangs in for awhile.....I can't imagine what's next.

Tradio 24/7

 

[bk77]

The "Bill & Hillary killers" bit I heard on KB, I believe it was around 1998. I was in a parking lot waiting to pick up my cousin from her job and being the curious person as I am, I tuned into 1520. It was some preacher, could have been that Brother Stair but after hearing him going on about Madonna the pop singer, I turned it off.

I seem to recall a few years earlier ( 1993 ) than that WWKB will calling themselves "News First KB", even airing the audio from Buffalo's WGRZ-TV newscasts. Then there was that time the sounds of Buffalo's CHR 98.5 KISS-FM found its way to Buffalo's 1520.

 

[New Castle]

I am reading about the changes on 3WT. It seems to be programmed to repulse audience. Tony Kornholer has generally failed to capture an audience and will not be missed. Stephanie Miller has failed to gain any sizable audience anywhere except wingnut Portland, OR. Why doesn't 1500 get serious about getting an audience. Do an interesting morning show that competes with WMAL, do Boortz live, do O'Reilly live...dump the progressive crap.. nobody can stomach bitter crybabies and their dirty diapers. The car guy on Saturday is pretty good and so is the Nat broadcast.

 

[ajhenderson]

Stephanie Miller has failed to gain any sizable audience anywhere except wingnut Portland, OR.

Stephanie Miller is not on in Portland. She was briefly on CBS' hot talk outlet 970, purportedly as their attempt to build their morning audience off of KPOJ's fumes, but was quickly replaced by Dennis Miller, who is syndicated by CBS' WW1.

 

[New Castle]

So Stephanie Miller doesn't even do well in Portland. My mistatement. What does KPOJ do to be successful anyway? How do they get drooling political illiterates to pay attention to somebody else's narcissism or even tune an AM radio?

 

[Hmmm101]

Wasted, hmmm...

1530 WCKY in Cincinnati, for sure. They barely bill enough to keep the lights on.

1550 WLOR in Huntsville, AL. 50kw day and 44 watts at night. What company in their right mind gives up their 50kw nighttime protection and drops to 44 watts?!? Oh, that's right. A cheap one that won't fix the directional system. 1550 was THE killer signal in Huntsville back in the day as WAAY Radio.

OK. That's it for now.