WAZX silent?

[davideduardo]

Another board, radionotas.com, reports that WAZX on 1550 is silent, the staff has been let go and that the FM is just playing music. True?

 

[wbz1030]

I haven't heard anything on 1550 in the last week or two. I thought it was possibly related to moving to a new transmitter site or lightening from last weekend thunderstorms.

Who knows?

 

[HGR1290]

They are indeed off the air, not sure why though. They did move the TX about a year ago...wonder is that cost did them in?

 

[amlover]

They did spend a ton of money moving the site and I'm sure money is an issue. It's been off 3 weeks now. It's a tough market out there, especially for am's.

 

[tlyle]

Remember when 1550 AM was WYNX. I used to listen from the south side of Atlanta back in the middle seventies. They used to carry the CBS radio network and would air radio serials. It was amazing to be able to pick up WYNX in Forest Park very clearly in 1975. Now, I live north of Marietta in Cherokee County and can barely pick them up on my car radio.

 

[jabba17]

Website's down too, with an "under construction" page (http://www.radiolaquebuena.com/).

En ingles:

Because of maintenance work, our website is closed momentarily. Please return later. Thanks!

Not the best signal pattern for a Latino station. If it covered Gwinnett and Hall and DeKalb better, it would make mucho mas dinero.

FM's too far north to get much ATL coverage.

 

[RoddyFreeman]

When the FM Hispanic stations came on, things of course became very tough for the AM's that cover only part of the market. And now with the economy, you know the story.

WAZX in effect gave up its nighttime signal with the transmitter move. The station was 50,000 watts day and 500 hundred watts night. With the move, it became flea power at night.

WAZX's owner--can't think of his name--was a promoter who put on shows and originally bought WAZX to promote the music acts in his concerts. He also owned El Azteca, a restaurant chain.

 

[jabba17]

When the FM Hispanic stations came on, things of course became very tough for the AM's that cover only part of the market. And now with the economy, you know the story.

WAZX in effect gave up its nighttime signal with the transmitter move. The station was 50,000 watts day and 500 hundred watts night. With the move, it became flea power at night.

WAZX's owner--can't think of his name--was a promoter who put on shows and originally bought WAZX to promote the music acts in his concerts. He also owned El Azteca, a restaurant chain.

That's a good point. La Raza 100.1 (Sunny 100 RIP) covers the northern half of the AM, and La Raza 102.3 (Lake 102 RIP) covers the southern part of the FM (the part with the money demo). Meseems that La Raza would be a better buy than WAZX. Plus the two CC Latino FMs are right in the AM's way--especially Viva.

What was the rationale of the Tx move? I mean, the current pattern looks like nothing to pay good money for. Where was the original transmitter?

Too bad the station isn't in Gwinnett--they could flip to Korean, Bosnian, or Romanian and make the big bucks.

 

[RoddyFreeman]

What was the rationale of the Tx move? I mean, the current pattern looks like nothing to pay good money for. Where was the original transmitter?

They were forced to move because the shopping center on Atlanta Road in Smyrna, where the towers were, is being redeveloped.

 

[trusty]

What was the rationale of the Tx move? I mean, the current pattern looks like nothing to pay good money for. Where was the original transmitter?

They were forced to move because the shopping center on Atlanta Road in Smyrna, where the towers were, is being redeveloped.

When was the TX move? radio-locator (Google maps) shows the towers at Atlanta Road (In the path of an old Dobbins AFB runway .)

 

[RoddyFreeman]

The move was over a year ago. Try www.recnet.com. I find it a much better site for TX locations than Radio Locator.

I see that recnet still has it on Atlanta Road. Try fcc.gov. That's where I first saw it.

 

[IFB64]

They were forced to move the site, due to (I beleive) the land being sold out from under them for a real estate development.

 

[amlover]

The old towers were taken down and saved. They were actually in nice shape and I'm gonna get my grubs on a 50ft. section hopefully in the near furture.

 

[jal41]

They were forced to move because the shopping center on Atlanta Road in Smyrna, where the towers were, is being redeveloped.

Belmont Hills to be exact, at the corner of Windy Hill and Atlanta Road. Last I heard, the project was on hold due to the courts overthrowing the TADs.

Once Clear Channel brought Spanish to an FM, it was the beginning of the end for the small Spanish AMs. Once CC brought a second Spanish FM and Davis brought his FM simulcast, the writing is on the wall.

WFTD (licensed up the road in Marietta with the transmitter near Kennesaw) was Spanish until it was LMA'ed to a Korean group. Several others have come and gone (including WPBC and WGFS).

I believe the La Favorita trimulcast (WAOS 1600 Austell/WXEM 1460 Buford/WLBA 1130 Gainesville) is still on the air. They broadcast from Austell.

It is akin to WalMart and small grocery and drug stores. The bigger guys are pushing the smaller ones out of business.

 

[jabba17]

They were forced to move because the shopping center on Atlanta Road in Smyrna, where the towers were, is being redeveloped.

Belmont Hills to be exact, at the corner of Windy Hill and Atlanta Road. Last I heard, the project was on hold due to the courts overthrowing the TADs.

Once Clear Channel brought Spanish to an FM, it was the beginning of the end for the small Spanish AMs. Once CC brought a second Spanish FM and Davis brought his FM simulcast, the writing is on the wall.

WFTD (licensed up the road in Marietta with the transmitter near Kennesaw) was Spanish until it was LMA'ed to a Korean group. Several others have come and gone (including WPBC and WGFS).

I believe the La Favorita trimulcast (WAOS 1600 Austell/WXEM 1460 Buford/WLBA 1130 Gainesville) is still on the air. They broadcast from Austell.

It is akin to WalMart and small grocery and drug stores. The bigger guys are pushing the smaller ones out of business.

WPBC flipped to Korean (big demo--seriously). Go into many Korean-owned businesses and it looks like they're trying to DX one of the local Korean AMs--I looked at WFTD's pattern and, like most of the AM dial, Gwinnett coverage leaves a little to be desired. Room for growth here.

I've been wondering how long Teresa Prieto's WPLO can hang on. Between folks wanting a high school football outlet (see http://www.playbyplayadvertising.com/ ) and an exploding Korean demo in Gwinnett, I'm wondering if she would just take a check and move on. There's also WISK moving up from Americus.

WGFS is being taken dark by WATB (the old WAVO), which is moving from 1420 to 1430 and upping their day power to 50kW directional.

 

[RoddyFreeman]

How about 670 in the L.A. market? It's "Radio Iran."

WATB is not really Hispanic any more although they probably have brokered Hispanic programming at some point during the day. The morning show, last I listened, was Reggie Gay's gospel program.

 

[the_widows_son]

The story I hear is that the power has been disconnected and the site has been locked.

 

[downloader38]

The owner of the station ran into financial troubles and was forced to close La Que Buena 1550 AM.

His employees were laid off and there currently is no word of it coming back.

However,they will continue transmitting on their FM stations.

times get tough...

 

[Mr_Winston-Salem]

101.9 is now silent and the website is gone. I'm sure someone will pay good money for the FM; if it is now for sale?

 

[radioguybroadcasting]

Their AM in Alabama, WCOC-Am 1010 has been silent for months too.

WGFS has an app to move to 1220, but it was filed ONE DAY after the proposed move of 1210 from Dahlonega and I don't think theyd both fit in.

The WCOC/WAZX owners name is Javier Macias.