exactly why does SJS do a simulcast on 1200AM? I live between mebane and efland, and I pick up SJS just fine. I understand they break away for college sports from raleigh on 1200, but there must be something more to it, like maybe some grand plan for protecting the talk demo from competition in the triad....But WZTK is the only other talker around the neighborhood, so it's not like there's room for another start-up in greensboro or W-S. Pardon my childlike curiosity, but I've only lived here 1 1/2 years and have never worked at any station or media cluster in this market, and know virtually nothing of the business dynamics here....which reminds me, I went to the WSML office in Graham (always looking for that easy, do-nothing, weekend board-op gig to supplement the income) and saw a sign on the front door indicating that they moved into the same cardboard shack where ZTK is headquartered in burlington. Good Lord! How could they possibly cram any more equipment into that building? I got a tour of the place last year, and quickly decided that I value my health over any job. I'm not kidding, it looks as though the whole structure is about to collapse, and God knows what's floating around in a ventilation system that's probably 60 years old. Not only is ZTK operating there, but they also have an AM oldies station down the hall. Where the f--k did they put WSML? In the bathroom!?
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what's the deal with WSML?
- Thread starter disgruntled
- Start date
WSJS/WSML and WZTK are all owned by the same company. WSJS's transmitter is located in Winston-Salem and has a poor reach into the eastern part of the market and has a trouble in places in Greensboro that WSML doesn't have. It was a purely increase coverage thing. When CBS sold WSJS/WSML and WMFR in High Point, the company (Curtis Media) who owned WZTK bought the stations and since WSML is a similcast of WSJS, they don't need much room, just for the paperwork that the FCC requires of stations to keep and a receptionist as a point of contact for the public and with WZTK in Burlington, it saves them money to combine that function and not have a separate building/person in Graham.
Thanks for the clarification, RF. I know they're all owned by Curtis, I was just puzzled about the redundant coverage where I live, which is waaaaaaaay east of W-S, approx midway between graham and efland. Maybe its just a weird fluke that I get SJS very clear inside my house, which is not even perched on a hill. Is there such a thing as an "amplitude modulation corridor"? (I know the term does not really exist, but it makes me sound all technical and sophisticated-like). And by the way, its not just a night-time thing either, like when I get stations from PA and NY at 2am
And while on the tour did they tell you, "we are about to remodel the place...as you can see we really need it and are about to to it this summer". Do yourself a favor and don't bother with CM.
F
FIDELIPACK
Guest
Chenn's spot on disgruntled, stay clear of Curtis Media if buildings and facilities are what you are all about. However if you want to work with a company committed to local radio, with solid management and the tools necessary to put out a decent product, you might consider them. I continue to be impressed with what they have done in Raleigh over the last few years. To my ear they have made great improvements in the triad as well. They must be doing some things right.
Yep, if you live for flash and cushy appointments and the latest bells and whistles, then Curtis Media won't trip your trigger.
If you want to make money in radio and learn ways to make more money in radio, then I'd go there in a heartbeat.
If you want to make money in radio and learn ways to make more money in radio, then I'd go there in a heartbeat.
Y102.9 has a Rick Dees autographed control board.
Well, he carved his initials on it with a Bic pen back in '72.
We like to call our coffee stained carpet and rotary dial phones "Retro".
In the end, none of that stuff matters, though.
Jack Boston had one of the funniest lines when we were in the West Raleigh
Building - "Star 102.9, where old Radio Shack components go to die".
Another one from JB..
"West Raleigh, where civic pride means removing the old yellow crime scene tape".
Well, he carved his initials on it with a Bic pen back in '72.
We like to call our coffee stained carpet and rotary dial phones "Retro".
In the end, none of that stuff matters, though.
Jack Boston had one of the funniest lines when we were in the West Raleigh
Building - "Star 102.9, where old Radio Shack components go to die".
Another one from JB..
"West Raleigh, where civic pride means removing the old yellow crime scene tape".
As a listener, I can only see the shag carpeting and coffee-stained desks in my mind. 
I have five or six good friends at Curtis who love it. Most of us worked at the old Capstar stations in Raleigh before they were destroyed by Clear Channel, so they know what winning is all about. It wasn't always that way with Don Curtis, but last I looked they were leading the market. I also get where former Curtis employees who missed out on the current regime would be resentful. Bad timing I guess.
I have been puzzled about this for a while...since WZTK serves both raleigh and greensboro.....are they originating programming from studios in burlington or raleigh????
I noticed WSML breaks away from WSJS on sunday mornings to do gospel...
and even with WPCM going down to light bulb power at night, they still put a very listenable signal over most of greensboro.
I noticed WSML breaks away from WSJS on sunday mornings to do gospel...
and even with WPCM going down to light bulb power at night, they still put a very listenable signal over most of greensboro.
ZTK originates totally from Burlington.
WSML breaking away on Sun morn is most likely due to old contracts and/or local clients needing the Burlington area but not the whole WSJS signal and could not pay the rates for that either. WSJS also has it's own legacy clients on Sunday mornings.
WSML breaking away on Sun morn is most likely due to old contracts and/or local clients needing the Burlington area but not the whole WSJS signal and could not pay the rates for that either. WSJS also has it's own legacy clients on Sunday mornings.
Ape
There are a few former Clear Channel people who live in Lexington ... like me .... but I NEVER get rid of my old station ID's .... you NEVER know when you'll be back ... or the station will be back .... GOSH, I'm ready for a few station re-births .... how about 94.5 Kat Country or 100.3 The Fox or Christian 94.1, 98.7 The Point or Oldies 93 .... heck I even have a great leather Jacket from my days at 98.7 Kiss FM ... I've got the wardrobe for them all ... Radio, it's never boring.
Player
"been AROUND for a LONG time"
There are a few former Clear Channel people who live in Lexington ... like me .... but I NEVER get rid of my old station ID's .... you NEVER know when you'll be back ... or the station will be back .... GOSH, I'm ready for a few station re-births .... how about 94.5 Kat Country or 100.3 The Fox or Christian 94.1, 98.7 The Point or Oldies 93 .... heck I even have a great leather Jacket from my days at 98.7 Kiss FM ... I've got the wardrobe for them all ... Radio, it's never boring.
Player
"been AROUND for a LONG time"
disgruntled said:
WSJS has a directional signal, day and night, and as a result, there are some holes in the coverage in the all important Guilford County. The WSJS/WSML simulcast started shortly after Clear Channel purchased the stations and was designed to fill in some of the weak spots in the eastern part of the metro.
For the first year, neither Dr. Laura nor Rush were aired on th 1200 signal. It wasn't until the merger with Jacor that things got worked out and the simulcast was completed.
As for sports broadcasts, both signals carry NC State football and basketball, but the local commercials are different, and therefore the stations are operated separately during those games. There is also some separate programming on Sunday and during high school football season.
E
errandboy
Guest
XTalker, WSML is 10kw NON directional daytime. It is 1kw four-tower directional nights only. Highly directional to the east. Years ago the station was 250 watts directional daytime only on 1190. Question: When did it move to 1200 and which owner did it?
I worked there from 1980-81, when it was 250 watts daytime, a two-tower directional on 1190. At the time, the owner was Aubrey Aycock. I believe it was he who had the engineering study done for the move to 1200. He then sold the station to Ted Gray, who did the actual build-out of the new facility.
In those days, the station operated from a Red Barn-designed facility on Ivey Road in Graham. The twin towers were out back of the station. The facility was small but well-maintained. When the new towers were built, Gray sold the barn and moved the studios into town to a rented facility.
Rush and Laura were not on WSML after the purchase by WSJS because both were under contract to then WBBB-920, which was trying to build an image as a news-talk station for Alamance County. It was weird to hear Glen Scott, followed by Kenneth Copeland, Kenneth Hagin, Marilyn Hickey and a few local preachers who were holdovers from when Ted Gray ran it as a religious station. Of course, when contracts ran out with WBBB, both Rush and Laura jumped ship and the WSJS-WSML simulcasts of their shows began.
Later...
Matt Smith
WGSR-TV
In those days, the station operated from a Red Barn-designed facility on Ivey Road in Graham. The twin towers were out back of the station. The facility was small but well-maintained. When the new towers were built, Gray sold the barn and moved the studios into town to a rented facility.
Rush and Laura were not on WSML after the purchase by WSJS because both were under contract to then WBBB-920, which was trying to build an image as a news-talk station for Alamance County. It was weird to hear Glen Scott, followed by Kenneth Copeland, Kenneth Hagin, Marilyn Hickey and a few local preachers who were holdovers from when Ted Gray ran it as a religious station. Of course, when contracts ran out with WBBB, both Rush and Laura jumped ship and the WSJS-WSML simulcasts of their shows began.
Later...
Matt Smith
WGSR-TV
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