What's with KFRO-AM?

[Chuck]

It's been off the air more than it has been on recently. Is anyone listening? Probably not...

 

[snoman]

See this topic...

http://www.radio-info.com/smf/index.php/topic,71383.0.html

 

[Chuck]

See this topic...

http://www.radio-info.com/smf/index.php/topic,71383.0.html

Well, I've seen that string. I was hoping that someone has some specific information, like "Their Transmitter was hit by lightning," or "They are rebuilding with big plans for the future," etc.

It seems they were on the air yesterday for the Sunday broadcast from First Baptist church, then went off again. I'm under the impression that they get paid by the church for the broadcast, but it seems to me that turning the signal on and off is more trouble than it is worth. Somebody has to actually do that, unless the thing is connected up to a timer they bought at Home Depot. Even if they kept it on playing something off of a satellite, you'd think it would attract more listeners than no signal at all. They were rebroadcasting "The Ranch," which at least made sense. Now there is nothing. There are plenty of programming sources out there that are available for barter, so being silent makes me wonder what the real story is.

It may be a facility issue. The last time I visited their transmitter site (several years ago) things needed a lot of work. Maybe it has simply self destructed.

 

[gbranch]

KFRO is back on the air as of Monday 5/21. Perhaps they did have an equipment failure.

 

[gbranch]

...then back off on Wednesday. ???

 

[Chuck]

...then back off on Wednesday. ???

That seems to be the pattern....

 

[snoman]

I'd still like to see what it would take for Access-1 to do an LMA with it. My plans fell through to come up there this week, but I hope to make it up there within the next couple of weeks. I'm really going to try and check into it, because I'd hate to see it go by the wayside.

 

[Inagadadavida]

Aren't they flipping to Tejano? That's third party info, not sure how true it is.

 

[billyg]

And it's a shame, KFRO-AM used to have a fine signal into Kilgore, even at night back in the eighties-early 90's. And they used to broadcast in Motorola AM stereo with clean processing, not the old single band "sump pump" processing they used for several years. It wouldn't cost that much for Abcess 1 to spring for a good used 1K or solid state transmitter and a budget Inovonics processor? I hate to see 1370 go down the same way as the other dark stations.

 

[jd]

Hey, Billy...I was thinking about you the other day. Good to see you back on the board.

It wouldn't cost that much for Abcess 1 to spring for a good used 1K or solid state transmitter and a budget Inovonics processor? I hate to see 1370 go down the same way as the other dark stations.

Now that's classic!

 

[C414B]

Hey, Billy...I was thinking about you the other day. Good to see you back on the board.

It wouldn't cost that much for Abcess 1 to spring for a good used 1K or solid state transmitter and a budget Inovonics processor? I hate to see 1370 go down the same way as the other dark stations.

Now that's classic!

I agree. It's classic. But not the first time it's been posted on here.


While it may not cost an arm and a leg for a good XMTR and processor, does anyone else get the feeling that KFRO-AM is on the AM band what KYKX is on the FM side...a good tax write-off?

 

[billyg]

While it may not cost an arm and a leg for a good XMTR and processor, does anyone else get the feeling that KFRO-AM is on the AM band what KYKX is on the FM side...a good tax write-off?

It just shows that nobody except perhaps Glesier, Salt of the Earth (and the man who runs KWRD, forgot his name sorry) gives a damn about running an AM station in the Longivew-Tyler market anymore. If you cant make a profit with them sell that AM station off to someone who will. Cheap Channel and Abcess 1 aren't serving the market by simulcasting FM stations on poorly maintained and poor sounding AM stations. The only time people here in Kilgore listen to 1240 is when they run Kilgore Bulldog Football.

 

[jd]

Billy, I haven't been through Marshall in ages. How's things over there? I know about KCUL doing the KOYE simulcast on FM but what else is noteworthy, like KMHT? Are they doing small town radio right, like years ago when Tony Bridge owned it?

 

[C414B]

While it may not cost an arm and a leg for a good XMTR and processor, does anyone else get the feeling that KFRO-AM is on the AM band what KYKX is on the FM side...a good tax write-off?

It just shows that nobody except perhaps Glesier, Salt of the Earth (and the man who runs KWRD, forgot his name sorry) gives a damn about running an AM station in the Longivew-Tyler market anymore. If you cant make a profit with them sell that AM station off to someone who will. Cheap Channel and Abcess 1 aren't serving the market by simulcasting FM stations on poorly maintained and poor sounding AM stations. The only time people here in Kilgore listen to 1240 is when they run Kilgore Bulldog Football.

Phillip Burr is the one running KWRD-AM/Henderson now.

 

[C414B]

Billy, I haven't been through Marshall in ages. How's things over there? I know about KCUL doing the KOYE simulcast on FM but what else is noteworthy, like KMHT? Are they doing small town radio right, like years ago when Tony Bridge owned it?

I'm not Billy, but I can answer that question for you with a resounding YES! Jerry Hanszen, owner of KGAS-AM/FM in Carthage bought it a few years ago. Tony Bridge was the consultant that brought KMHT-A/F back from the ashes and brought Jack Dillard, Marshall Mavericks sports and I think ETBU sports to the north side of Marshall from KCUL. This was, IIRC, before all the simulcasting started with KCUL. I know that KCUL's "Open Line" tradio program had dwindled to closing early almost every day toward the end.


www.kmhtradio.com

BTW, Tony Bridge is a nominee for the Texas Radio Hall of Fame this year. I can't think of anyone more deserving than Tony.

 

[billyg]

I haven't been over to the Marshall stations in Years. Last week when I was driving down I-20 I passed by the KCUL studios (around 10 am) and nobody was there. I doubt they even do sales in Marshall anymore.

I'm glad KHMT-AM/FM has risen from the dead too. Even though they rely on ABC Radio for programming they run a lot of local-regional sports and news. I just wish 103.9 put a stronger and louder signal into Longview-Kilgore. They keep flipping 1450 from simulcasting the FM, to Southern Gospel to Standards and now ESPN.

 

[C414B]

I just wish 103.9 put a stronger and louder signal into Longview-Kilgore. They keep flipping 1450 from simulcasting the FM, to Southern Gospel to Standards and now ESPN.

That'd be a tricky endeavor with KKUS right next door at 104.1.

I'm wondering why they keep spinning the "Wheel of Formats" on the AM side. I would have thought the Southern Gospel would have been a good thing...especially knowing that area is heavy SG. But, it might not fare well because it is on AM and folks forget it's there.

 

[snoman]

Billy, I haven't been through Marshall in ages. How's things over there? I know about KCUL doing the KOYE simulcast on FM but what else is noteworthy, like KMHT? Are they doing small town radio right, like years ago when Tony Bridge owned it?

I'm not Billy, but I can answer that question for you with a resounding YES! Jerry Hanszen, owner of KGAS-AM/FM in Carthage bought it a few years ago. Tony Bridge was the consultant that brought KMHT-A/F back from the ashes and brought Jack Dillard, Marshall Mavericks sports and I think ETBU sports to the north side of Marshall from KCUL. This was, IIRC, before all the simulcasting started with KCUL. I know that KCUL's "Open Line" tradio program had dwindled to closing early almost every day toward the end.


www.kmhtradio.com

BTW, Tony Bridge is a nominee for the Texas Radio Hall of Fame this year. I can't think of anyone more deserving than Tony.

I whole heartedly agree, Tony was a class act. He did a lot for East Texas Radio with KLUE, KMHT, and KCUL amongst others.

 

[C414B]

BTW, Tony Bridge is a nominee for the Texas Radio Hall of Fame this year. I can't think of anyone more deserving than Tony.

I whole heartedly agree, Tony was a class act. He did a lot for East Texas Radio with KLUE, KMHT, and KCUL amongst others.

He hasn't died, has he? I saw him in January of 2005 and he looked frail. But, he still had his wits about him.

 

[snoman]

Not sure if Tony is still with us or not? I'm kind of out-of-the-loop on radio people up that way. I'll have to check into it. I think someone would have let me know, or I would have read it someplace had it happened.