WEAG

[N1WVQ]

I read yesterday that WEAG turned in its license in December. How many people were listening to this station? For the record, WEAG-FM carries on.

 

[JAWilson]

Where did you see this at?

 

[N1WVQ]

Wikipedia but the F.C.C. database confirms the station is no longer on. The F.M. remains tho.

 

[TommyR]

I saw that a couple months ago, too. Sad. Sure, there was no need to simulcast the AM and FM in the 21st century--I'd imagine there were plenty of vehicles in the area with AM-only radios at some point--but not now. So, what was the big deal? Did it cost that much more to run?

I'd have to imagine the Dial Global/Westwood One/Transtar reps through the years were shaking their heads, wondering why the owner wouldn't put a second network on the AM: Hot Country? Classic Country? Good Time Oldies (when it existed)? Adult Standards? ANYTHING? I'll bet the reps tried.

 

[jmtillery]

That is a real shame. I believe if it were me, I would have attempted to sell WEAG-AM before I relinquished the license. And perhaps Dickerson Broadcasting did try to sell it but received no real offers for the station. Then, again, there is the concept that by signing it off the air rather than sell the station, Dickerson eliminated any potential unwanted local competition. I did express an interest in AM 1490 a few years ago but they did not appear to be too interested in selling.

 

[radioboy]

Maybe it's just me, but turning the license in just seems like a selfish act.

 

[jmtillery]

Maybe it's just me, but turning the license in just seems like a selfish act.

Asterisk Communications did the same thing with WTRS-AM 920 Dunnellon and WJOE-AM 1080 Port Saint Joe. More recently WGUL-FM Radio, Inc. allowed the license of WINV-AM 1560 to be cancelled due the station remaining silent more than 12-consecutive months. Apparently these licensees do not understand nor appreciate the full value these licenses have. There is hidden value that very few have explored.

 

[radioboy]

Mark,

I remember WJOE going silent. My friend Beth Adkins was a station manager there in the late 60s and esrly 70s before going to Channel 7 and doing TV work. She once showed me a photo of the WJOE control room, circa 1970.

I remember we passed by the WJOE building in 1970. I was barely 12 years old and wanted to see inside but was too timid to ask. And, of course, I didn't know Beth back then. Listened to WJOE every summer during vacations at Mexico Beach, Fla.

Because licenses are so hard to get, it just seems like it would be more considerate and a service to try to keep them going, even if they need to be donated, or whatever.

Every radio station was once someone's dream.

 

[Kmagrill]

I suspect that the licensees see little value, but a lot of expense in the AMs. The cost of operation and maintenance can be quite high with no monetary reward. One local AM hasn't earned a dime in decades, but has spent six digits on service, including buying a new transmitter when the old one became problematic. The owner has tried to donate the AM to a non-profit organization, but none could be found. I'm quite surprised that this example remains on the air. It's really not hard to see how a licensee could mentally devalue an expensive money pit like that and just want to be rid of it.

Most of these facilities suffer from step-child syndrome. They are the unwanted sibling of an FM, almost always simulcasting. Very few stand-alone AM stations turn in their licenses, though there are a few, with WTMC being a good example. Simulcasting may be the worst possible thing for an AM. If an AM sister is to remain or become profitable, it has to be worked as if it's a stand-alone. That means separate programming and maybe its own sales dept, even if it's just one or two people.

 

[Groove1670]

I suspect that the licensees see little value, but a lot of expense in the AMs. The cost of operation and maintenance can be quite high with no monetary reward.

The remaining small market AM's will survive it they have served their community for years, or have a translator (many planned for this, and searched for one).

I once work for a small market AM/FM combo (this was 1989). The FM billed 10X more than the AM. We tried standards, talk, oldies. It never caught on. We even tried to sell it as a discount with the combo.

It went dark after I left (the center tower fell), and was sold to CC a few years after that.

I am happy say, the other AM in the market went Spanish, and they have picked up all the local sports , and a network affiliation. It is doing well.

but turning the license in just seems like a selfish act.

Remember, this is a business, and sometimes tough decisions have to be made. It would be selfish to sell a property to someone (who has no radio or business experience) to turn a buck, only to know it will fail. I would rather see it deleted.

Expected to see more D's added to call letters in the FCC AM database.

 

[MN Maniac]

My guess is they tried to acquire an FM translator but were unable to do so. So, they decided to turn in the license, rather than risk getting a new competitor. Sad, but probably the smartest move from a business standpoint.

 

[ThatGuyOnTheRadio]

What makes you think that? Wasn't WEAG-AM simulcasting the FM anyway?

 

[jmtillery]

What makes you think that? Wasn't WEAG-AM simulcasting the FM anyway?

WEAG-AM was simulcasting WEAG-FM; However, by separating the two stations, theatrically two revenue streams would be created. Considering the AM without the FM would be a challenge in today's market, an FM translator added to the AM signal would be a tremendous advantage in creating a secondary audio service. In the case of surrendering the license rather than sell the AM to another entity, Dickerson Broadcasting eliminated any unwanted local competition for local advertising dollars from a secondary competitor as Dickerson owns the only local commercially licensed radio station in Starke and the immediate area with WEAG-FM 106.3.

 

[AM Top 40]

I was about to jump in but Mr. Tillery nailed what I was going to say. They could of had another service with a translator. Maybe they didn't want to go through the expense of setting all that up, knowing what they could draw from the local advertising market... wouldn't justify the expense. Or they might not have had the capital to make it happen.

In Flagler County, where there weren't any commercial broadcasters prior to 2008, they're now airing four different formats through five signals. A class B AM, two class A FMs, and two translators. All feeding out of the same advertising pie. Seems to work.
[/quote]

WEAG-AM was simulcasting WEAG-FM; However, by separating the two stations, theatrically two revenue streams would be created. Considering the AM without the FM would be a challenge in today's market, an FM translator added to the AM signal would be a tremendous advantage in creating a secondary audio service. In the case of surrendering the license rather than sell the AM to another entity, Dickerson Broadcasting eliminated any unwanted local competition for local advertising dollars from a secondary competitor as Dickerson owns the only local commercially licensed radio station in Starke and the immediate area with WEAG-FM 106.3.
[/quote]

 

[jukemaster]

I have been and still am closely connected to WEAG for 15+ years...doing voiceovers and related work for WEAG. The AM was great in it's heyday, but yes no one was listening to it and operating costs (electricity, maintenence, etc.) did not justify keeping in on the air....it was offered to a few non profit groups, but with the great FCC paper shuffle and headaches , it was decided to turn the paper back to the boys in D.C.....some people may disagree....but with a kilowatt and high dial position and NO nighttime signal, it's days were numbered.

 

[jmtillery]

I have been and still am closely connected to WEAG for 15+ years...doing voiceovers and related work for WEAG. The AM was great in it's heyday, but yes no one was listening to it and operating costs (electricity, maintenence, etc.) did not justify keeping in on the air....it was offered to a few non profit groups, but with the great FCC paper shuffle and headaches , it was decided to turn the paper back to the boys in D.C.....some people may disagree....but with a kilowatt and high dial position and NO nighttime signal, it's days were numbered.

I would have bought it and paid cash had I known the Dickerson's were interested in disposing it.

 

[ok walters]

I have been and still am closely connected to WEAG for 15+ years...doing voiceovers and related work for WEAG. The AM was great in it's heyday, but yes no one was listening to it and operating costs (electricity, maintenence, etc.) did not justify keeping in on the air....it was offered to a few non profit groups, but with the great FCC paper shuffle and headaches , it was decided to turn the paper back to the boys in D.C.....some people may disagree....but with a kilowatt and high dial position and NO nighttime signal, it's days were numbered.

I would have bought it and paid cash had I known the Dickerson's were interested in disposing it.

What if the price included a premium for not eliminating a competitor? Considering the high cost of market entry today, the permanent elimination of an existing station in a small market is worth money above and beyond the actual value of the station as a standalone.

So you would have bought it and paid cash if the station was priced fairly as a standalone AM with no revenue, listeners, or night signal, or slightly more than the value of the real estate if any is included.

 

[jmtillery]

I have been and still am closely connected to WEAG for 15+ years...doing voiceovers and related work for WEAG. The AM was great in it's heyday, but yes no one was listening to it and operating costs (electricity, maintenence, etc.) did not justify keeping in on the air....it was offered to a few non profit groups, but with the great FCC paper shuffle and headaches , it was decided to turn the paper back to the boys in D.C.....some people may disagree....but with a kilowatt and high dial position and NO nighttime signal, it's days were numbered.

I would have bought it and paid cash had I known the Dickerson's were interested in disposing it.

So you would have bought it and paid cash if the station was priced fairly as a standalone AM with no revenue, listeners, or night signal, or slightly more than the value of the real estate if any is included.

YES!

 

[ok walters]

I have been and still am closely connected to WEAG for 15+ years...doing voiceovers and related work for WEAG. The AM was great in it's heyday, but yes no one was listening to it and operating costs (electricity, maintenence, etc.) did not justify keeping in on the air....it was offered to a few non profit groups, but with the great FCC paper shuffle and headaches , it was decided to turn the paper back to the boys in D.C.....some people may disagree....but with a kilowatt and high dial position and NO nighttime signal, it's days were numbered.

I would have bought it and paid cash had I known the Dickerson's were interested in disposing it.

So you would have bought it and paid cash if the station was priced fairly as a standalone AM with no revenue, listeners, or night signal, or slightly more than the value of the real estate if any is included.

YES!

What if they wanted $400K - $100K for the station/assets and $300K for it not going dark and the the fact it would remain as local competition? No? Then you wouldn't have "bought it and paid cash" unless it was a steal, and it is obvious it is worth more to the Dickersons dark than for any price because they didn't even offer it for sale.

 

[jmtillery]

I have been and still am closely connected to WEAG for 15+ years...doing voiceovers and related work for WEAG. The AM was great in it's heyday, but yes no one was listening to it and operating costs (electricity, maintenence, etc.) did not justify keeping in on the air....it was offered to a few non profit groups, but with the great FCC paper shuffle and headaches , it was decided to turn the paper back to the boys in D.C.....some people may disagree....but with a kilowatt and high dial position and NO nighttime signal, it's days were numbered.

I would have bought it and paid cash had I known the Dickerson's were interested in disposing it.

So you would have bought it and paid cash if the station was priced fairly as a standalone AM with no revenue, listeners, or night signal, or slightly more than the value of the real estate if any is included.

YES!

What if they wanted $400K - $100K for the station/assets and $300K for it not going dark and the the fact it would remain as local competition? No? Then you wouldn't have "bought it and paid cash" unless it was a steal, and it is obvious it is worth more to the Dickersons dark than for any price because they didn't even offer it for sale.

I am already well aware of what the Dickersons did with the station, and certainly they can do whatever they want with it, which they did. It was their station. However, that was not your question. You had asked me:

"So you would have bought it and paid cash if the station was priced fairly as a standalone AM with no revenue, listeners, or night signal, or slightly more than the value of the real estate if any is included."

To which, without hesitation, I answered YES. The operative two words in your question are "priced fairly" which is subjective. What is fair to me may not be fair to you and vice versa. And, I have already stated in another post that I do not necessarily search for the same end result as most people do. I have my own agenda which consist of the hidden value I see that may be, and often is, blind to others.

I will give you the benefit of the doubt that you are playing devil's advocate. If not, then you are also assuming too much in your interpretation of how I think and the objectives I pursue. Assuming the station is available for sale at $400,000 under the conditions you outlined and I, as the buyer, agree to those terms and conditions set forth by the seller, than that is solely my decision and my decision alone if I choose to go through with the transaction whether anyone else agrees with me or not. I'm not concerned with what anyone else thinks in how I spend my money. I earned it. I'll spend it as I see fit.