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WDYT Going Non-Local ??

  • Thread starter audiomusiclover
  • Start date

A

audiomusiclover

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I see where issues with the economy and their weak signal have forced WDYT to have another layer of cost reductions. It appears that Danny Fontona, Bo Thompson, and Molly Carroll, are all off the air now. Appears that there will be more syndicated programming. Seems a bad time as this could have been a way to make gains on WBT with news being more important to the population over the past 8 months. Guess their poor Charlotte signal really was the killer.
 
The lesson here is don't take on a bazooka with a pea shooter. The economy certainly hasn't been a help either.

The only other signal that comes close to WBT is 610 WFNZ. Maybe 930 WYFQ could be improved on. It seems like the signal used to be better than it is now. I could be mistaken.
 
Danny Fontana from the Charlotte Observer:

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/413/story/396636.html

“We are not immune to the economic situation, so we've pulled back our horns and are looking at everything,” said Fontana. “We need to figure out how we can make our signal stronger so we can be more appealing to more advertisers,” he said. “Then we'll rebudget and figure out how to come back stronger”.

Didn't the engineering experts involved in the project from the beginning, suggest to Danny that the signal improvements that they made would give WDYT a competitive signal in the Charlotte market? I'm no engineer, but I'd be surprised if there's much chance of the signal being improved at this point.

As far as a possible sale - who in today's radio world, and today's economy, is looking to buy an AM station that doesn't have a signal that covers the entire market? Any takers out there? I didn't think so.


[Link added as a courtesy by Radio Info]
 
yugoidar said:
Danny Fontana from the Charlotte Observer:

http://www.charlotteobserver.com/413/story/396636.html

“We are not immune to the economic situation, so we've pulled back our horns and are looking at everything,” said Fontana. “We need to figure out how we can make our signal stronger so we can be more appealing to more advertisers,” he said. “Then we'll rebudget and figure out how to come back stronger”.

Didn't the engineering experts involved in the project from the beginning, suggest to Danny that the signal improvements that they made would give WDYT a competitive signal in the Charlotte market? I'm no engineer, but I'd be surprised if there's much chance of the signal being improved at this point.

As far as a possible sale - who in today's radio world, and today's economy, is looking to buy an AM station that doesn't have a signal that covers the entire market? Any takers out there? I didn't think so.


[Link added as a courtesy by Radio Info]
Click to expand...

IMO, the daytime signal is rather good. However, the interference that is heard in northern sections of Charlotte is pretty unbearable. Early speculation on this board is the interference is caused by 610 WFNZ. It's sad that this station is failing, given the costs to upgrade its signal. Although the WDYT towers are now in Gastonia, it's interesting that the 960 in Dallas gets a similar signal into Charlotte. Fontana should've tried to buy that one -- if possible -- as his program also aired (and maybe still does) on 960.
 
WDYT

What's up with AM 1220 WDYT? Heard a lot of dead air around 2:30 today.
 
A visit to the FCC website reveals that WDYT is indeed "Licensed and Silent" as of Jan 26 -

http://svartifoss2.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/sta_det.pl?Facility_id=6817

Let's see this station (after moving from Kings Mtn) is what 2-3 years old? It's basically a brand new station. Sad, but the audio issues -- reportedly from 610 WFNZ -- they had in Charlotte I'm sure didn't help.

Later that day...

I just had an email exchange with Mark Washburn at the Charlotte Observer. He said there would be a story in tomorrow's (Thursday, Jan 29) paper.
 
It's unfortunate but predictable. As I've mentioned in previous posts, there was little to no local business on the station from the beginning (other than Fontana's Triune Capital Advisors) and his IT provider. No cash there!

It might be even more unfortunate that Danny got bad advice from the beginning about the potential of the move-in. Or perhaps, he was so "pumped up" on owning a radio station and feeding his ego that he was blinded about the realities of trying to compete on the AM band and refused to listen.

If I were to guess, it's probably both. I seriously doubt that he'll find a buyer - not too many folks are interested in what amounts to a "daytimer" with signal issues at that.

He's no doubt learned another very expensive lesson. Shame on those who didn't level with him to begin with about the lack of potential and the uphill battle he'd be facing.
 
All Danny has got to do is find some Hispanic guy with deep pockets and he’ll sell his station.

What do you think of the all new ”Spanish News Talk 1220” ::)
 
From today's R&R:

By Mike Boyle

On Monday (Jan. 26), CRN Communications talk WDYT (1220 AM)/Charlotte informed the FCC that it had turned off its transmitter. "Revenues fell below the expense levels," Danny Fontana, a principle in CRN, told the Charlotte Observer. "I couldn't see running in the red."

Fontana, who launched the station three years ago and moved the transmitter from Kings Mountain to Gaston County to improve signal strength in Charlotte, said CRN will continue to look for financing and does not intend to give back the station's license. He also tells the Observer his group is looking at options ranging from selling the station to coming back with a different format.
 
Another case of a radio station trying to be something it can not possibly be! Owners of AM stations need to understand the limitations of their signals, and program to those within their coverage area, I would think that a station that specializes in Lake Norman and surrounding areas could be quite successful. The hell with all of Charlotte - you can't reach most of the metro - so why not super sevice the portion you can reach???
 
It's too bad Danny didn't make a move to buy WOLS awhile back, and move
WDYT to 106.1, even though it could never compete with WBT, it would have
given Charlotte another News, Talk & Sports station on FM.
 
Here's an idea.

WHVN should buy WDYT. I don't know if WHVN could be allowed to broadcast only at night, but perhaps a nighttime signal upgrade would be possible if WHVN went off the air entirely once the new signal was ready.

I realize WCGC simulcasts. But they wouldn't need to any more. Possible third signal for WAVO/WEGO?
 
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