WHLM-FM

[joewhlm]

I bought WKAB FM a little more than a year ago. For what ever reason, not one of the original KAB staffers survived. Search radio-info to get the background.

My original intention was to keep WKAB in tact, closing the board, building new studios with SS 32 equipment, moving the studios and getting everyone acclimated to the equipment and new environment. With in days, for what ever reasons, there was no more WKAB.

So we decided to blow it up call letters and all. We dropped all contesting and promotions, we did not replace the DJ’s, we got rid of all specialty programming for exception of the Magical Mystery Tour Show with Joe and Gary. We went from a very expensive 10 full time employees to 1 full time employee!

In the ratings, before we took over, WKAB went from the highest book it had had to the lowest book. Since the blow up we have had 4 up books in a row. I am told in the latest ARB that WHLM FM is 7th 25-54 m-f 6a-7p, in the entire WB/Scranton Market! 4th 25-54 m-f 6a-7p in Luzerne County!

Our lean, mean and clean FM, fits hand in glove with our very successful Columbia County AM station…so needless to say I don’t want to knock over the apple cart.

My question is: what are your thoughts? I really want to get some great dialog going. If you were the owner of WHLM FM, what would your next move be?

Joe Reilly

 

[Rockin Rob]

Not actually being in the signal range, I would be making a lot of assumptions. All I have to go on is reading these boards and this is what I came up with.

1) The format: Classic Hits. Lots of competition from The Eagle. Sure, there will be lots of shared artists, but I would be thinking "where do I start to differentiate from the other station?" My solution would be a Jack-FM style of rock: not afraid to play some stiffs and Monster Ballads - read: the stuff other don't play anymore. I would not go full blown "classic rock that really rocks", that would hamstring it.

2) Local local local: My philosophy would be "on the streets and in your face". Tons of local promotions to spread the word about the station. Even if its hanging out handing out bumper sticker/window clings at the new furniture store opening. Local would also mean a strong news presence, even if just in AM drive. Sure, it sounds straight out of "Radio Ownership 101", but I feel a "full service morning show/station" is a lost art form.

3) High school and Bloomsburg sports: Sure, you might do it on the AM, but why not a "Game of the Week" on FM? Outside of WBUQ, does Bloomsburg have a commercial affiliate?

4) Regional sports: Raid the competition's contracts when they are up (Phillies, Eagles, etc.). If not, air the Westwood One coverage, if available. If not, make a sweet deal once the current one is up. Don't be afraid to be the "one stop shop". Otherwise, help the local minor league teams by carrying some of their games.

5) Make the advertising affordable: remember Mom and Pop? Let them get their wares out to the local public so they can, at least, keep up with the Joneses.

6) Encourage Bloomsburg students to intern at HLM (be it AM or FM). Radio is dying and can use the help of a small market station to groom the future of terrestrial radio.

Joe, these are just my random thoughts and attempt to stimulate some discussion. I hope, at some point, you are able to stream both of your properties. I would then be happy to come back and make a more detailed synopsis. Otherwise, I do salute you and your company for keeping two stations from being repeaters for national formats. Keep up the good work!

 

[Rockin Rob]

And then, RR reads the AM station webpage. Ahhhhhhhh, save the rock, my station already exists... ITS CALLED AM 930 WHLM!! Back to sleep for me....

 

[warmland]

Hey Joe a/k/a Bobby Hatfield. The qestion you ask is what would I do? I would sell it off ASAP and try and get in a real market. Bloomsburg, Danville, etc is NO palce in the business.

 

[joewhlm]

RR,

Thanks for the comments. And I must say you are right on target. There have been some that say simulcast the AM on the FM. But we feel it is important to retain the identity of the AM station and build an FM that is something a bit different.

One thought I had was to open up a free radio school, something like a boot camp for a couple of weeks. Take on students of all ages, who love music and have knowledge about the songs and artists. Have them go thru a training program, tape them and hire the ones with potential.

Thoughts?

Joe

 

[MACK184]

I bought WKAB FM a little more than a year ago. For what ever reason, not one of the original KAB staffers survived. Search radio-info to get the background.



Joe Reilly

Apparently you weren't in the same room when you fired them! And now many of them work for WAZL.

 

[masterg]

I am told in the latest ARB that WHLM FM is 7th 25-54 m-f 6a-7p, in the entire WB/Scranton Market! 4th 25-54 m-f 6a-7p in Luzerne County!

Since you asked; I think one of the biggest mistakes you could make is believing those numbers. They simply cannot be correct. For many years, WNAK continuously showed great numbers in the metro, while we all knew it just wasn't true. As one very well known WARM PD used to say, "WNAK? I've yet to meet my first WNAK listener."
Explanation for the numbers? I honest to God don't know. But I would bet serious money that they're bogus.

One thought I had was to open up a free radio school, something like a boot camp for a couple of weeks. Take on students of all ages, who love music and have knowledge about the songs and artists. Have them go thru a training program, tape them and hire the ones with potential.

Typical small-town radio mentality; take, take, take, always look for something for nothing. Please, I'm not saying you've made a ton of money, but those who came before you did with that type of thinking. Consider the families who once owned radio in Bloom; they made their fortunes and walked away from it when obscene profits were no longer possible.

But we feel it is important to retain the identity of the AM station and build an FM that is something a bit different.

In this year of 2007, in this time of satellite radio, iPods, every vehicle having a CD player, etc., why in the name of all that's holy would you think propping up an AM signal has any value at all? Even if it were 1977, I'd say move away from AM and don't look back. Mentioning AM and future in the same sentence is absurd. AM is gone, and has been gone for probably 20 years plus.

As much as I wish it wasn't so, small radio stations in small towns ain't what they used to be. Once they were very important pieces of the fabric of every community across this nation, and I so wish they still were. They are not. And they never will be again. Like you, the charm of small-town radio worked its magic on me, I loved it. It's over. Life goes on...

 

[dmer]

I have been a WKAB/WHLM-FM listener for about 3 or 4 years now.

Some improvements that have been made--certainly the music selection. I liked the music on WKAB, but do love the additional songs WHLM plays now. Basically, WHLM still plays most of what WKAB did, just added about a couple hundred songs to that. And I also like the fact that WHLM plays classic hits, not just classic rock. I've heard some motown, a few of the more popular new wave/rock hits of the 80's (Blondie, Men at Work, etc) and even a few discoey sounding rock hits from the late 70's. That helps differentiate them from rock stations like Rock 107 or Eagle 107. I also like the hour long music sets. There I times I drive from Wilkes-Barre home to Hazleton and never have to hear a commercial.

Areas for improvement--I was never a big fan of automation. One thing I miss about WKAB is the on-air personalities. They knew the area well and always did a great job, even when the technology failed them sometimes. I realize that getting back those personalities is impossible, and I am aware some did not want to make the move to Bloomsburg. But I would still try to get some local on air personalities on throughout the day. The Mountain has done a good job with this. You know the voices are there but they are not overly intrusive on the music. Just stay away from goofy morning shows and games on the air.

Also a web site dedicated to WHLM-FM would not be a bad idea. The Mountain has a great web site. I would include information about the usual things for a radio station (like the AM web site) and also, as long as there are no on-air hosts or limited hosts, I would have a section about songs that were played recently. There have been a few times that I heard a song and wanted to see who it was by but could not.

Finally, I would have a weather forecast throughout the day, not just the morning, and maybe bring back Metro Traffic (even though their usefullness is debatable, something is better than nothing). In the car, I can get 103.5 from about Pittston down to about Frackville out west past Danville, and Metro Traffic can cover this area (unless another service is available.) I would even consider news updates for the afternoon drive like you have in the morning (brief updates with weather). It always amused me that radio stations (everywhere) have all these updates in the morning but nothing ever in the afternoon, as if news suddenly stops at 10:00.

By and large, these are all small things. The music is the most important thing on this particular station, and in my humble opinion that has been excellent as of late. ;D

 

[RK]

My question is: what are your thoughts? I really want to get some great dialog going. If you were the owner of WHLM FM, what would your next move be?
Joe Reilly

Joe, ever since you purchased WHLM FM, I don't know what you guys have done, but I now can pick up your signal better in Plains, and even parts of Pittston.

Your next move should be this - Your numbers are climbing up, your signal has showed some improvement, & more people have been talkng about 103.5. It was even on in a local mini mart circa the Wilkes-Barre area last week when I went in for gas. My advice? Pounce on this immediately. Get a lower power FM signal like GEM 107.7 is doing and slam the signal down so where 103.5 tapers off around the Plains area, this lower power FM signal can take over and cover you up though Pittston, Avoca, and possibly up to Scranton if you can get something up that far. I like what your doing, and i know you'll make the right call. You run a tight ship, and if you just explore this option right now, when your station is popular amoung local listeners, you have the chance to be a major player in this area, the likes of what 103.5 has never seen.

Just some of my own own observations.

Keep up the good work!

 

[joewhlm]

Joe, ever since you purchased WHLM FM, I don't know what you guys have done, but I now can pick up your signal better in Plains, and even parts of Pittston.

We shipped out the 8100 FM Optimod to the factory to be rebuilt. We then added an Optimod XT box. We put a scope on the modulation only to find discover our modulation was performing at about 90% rather than 100%.

Another factor is that our source material is much improved and we are using a Mosley T-1 for an STL.

 

[joewhlm]

In this year of 2007, in this time of satellite radio, iPods, every vehicle having a CD player, etc., why in the name of all that's holy would you think propping up an AM signal has any value at all? Even if it were 1977, I'd say move away from AM and don't look back. Mentioning AM and future in the same sentence is absurd. AM is gone, and has been gone for probably 20 years plus.

It is always good to read your posts Masterg. You have always been a great communicator both on and off the air. And I think for the most part you are correct.

As you know I spent the 70's on the air, mostly on AM top 40 stations. Back then they said AM is dead.

Then I spent the 90's programming full service and Newstalk AM stations. I took over the programming of WTVN in Columbus when it was not even in the top 5 35-64, let alone in demo. The first thing the sales manager said to me was that WTVN "has seen the best days, without having Ohio State Football we will never win!" This was from the Sales Manager!!!!!

We never did get OSU football back on WTVN but in the following 5 years we had 7 number one books (the first in 10 years) we consistently scored top three in demo and the morning show moved into the 15 share range...of course number one. By the way, AM was dead then too.

In 1996 I took over a 50,000 watt Clear Channel in Cleveland that did not show up in the ratings during the evening and overnight. WWWE's total revenue did not equal the profits of WTVN. Today WTAM 1100 does million dollar months. By the way, AM was dead in Cleveland.

Here in Bloomsburg I bought a dark AM station back in 2001. Nobody wanted it. It was dead with a capital D. By 2005 our operation, stand along, was more profitable than the FM station I bought in 2006.

Masterg, I am not trying to pat myself on the back, although it certainly sounds that way, but here is what I have learned over the years...product must come first on AM/FM/Shortwave/TV/Internet/and any other technical form yet to be devised. When the product comes first everything else falls into place. If product does not come first they everything ends up dysfunctional.

The idea of a boot camp may be small town radio but our industry has done nothing to give opportunity to those that have dreamed of going on the radio. No training programs, no teaching, no coaching, no opportunity. And having a boot camp may very well be a stupid idea.

Joe

 

[RK]

Our industry has done nothing to give opportunity to those that have dreamed of going on the radio. No training programs, no teaching, no coaching, no opportunity.
Joe

I'll completely agree from experience. It wasn't that long ago I was a bright, wide-eyed, young man who dreamed of being in the radio biz. A coupe of years later, and not enough hours for my old part time radio gid aside, have made me realize my dream of being in radio will never be profitable, not will there ever be any oppertunities locally to showcase skills. There's so many people in this market (myself included) who can or have voice tracked, programed, and can build quality station websites, but the opportunity isn't there.

I feel bad for students who go to college for Broadcast Communications. They should switch majors as fast as they can run to the admissions office. The only place for growth is in the big cities these days, and even then you are competing with 10X more people so the opportunities are just as limited. There's many talented veterans out of work that cannot find a job. If they can't find a job, that should speak volumes for anyone wanting to come into the industry. I wish i could rewing the last 3-5 years and start over, that's for sure.

 

[RK]

Why this board attempted to post my post 2x I'll never know.

 

[warm590]

I do not believe AM is dead.Here in new york I work at a small AM with a "deep oldies" format, 50's and 60's only. There are no other oldies stations in this market, so most of the listeners have migrated to AM to get us. We have 13,000 titles and play stuff that was never charted. Never believed that you need to "test" the music or hire a consultant. We do well and the listeners love us.

I was lucky to get a few PD's to "stick their necks out" and give me some air time, what amazed me was that nobody will hire you without any experience, and how can you get any experience unless they give you some air time??? ???

Sounds like you are going in the right direction...think local...will listen next time i'm in NEPA

longing for the good old days
warm590 ;D

 

[crmc]

Perhaps I'm a hopeless romantic, but I've found that from working in the smallest markets to some of the biggest major markets, AM or FM, at 100 kw FM blowtorchs or at 1000kw AMs, that a focus on local,local,local will move both the ratings and revenue needle in the right direction, relative to the limitations of the format, target demo and economics of the marketplace.

Of course, properly managing expectations is an important part of the success metric. A well programmed AM that is targeting an available audience will do well.It will usually skew older, but lots of spoken word formats are doing a decent job getting younger demos on AM.It takes time and resources.

And, I believe there are no limits to what you can build with an FM.It just takes time, a brand that is consistent, a focus on the local community, and people with passion that share the stations vision for success.

It can't be done with Imaging and a great playlist alone.People are what makes radio special. It can get off to a good start with a researched format covering an area and targeting a certain group.But after a while, a juke box usually won't take it to the top , whatever the top is, considering the limitations of the technical facility, the market it is trying to attract, and the economic opportunity to monetize it locally.

I guess I'm saying execute it with excellence, get some impassioned broadcasters on board, and sell it like there's no tomorrow to everyone in town.

We like to make something simple complicated.

 

[masterg]

It is always good to read your posts Masterg. You have always been a great communicator both on and off the air. And I think for the most part you are correct.

See what a huge mistake you made all those years ago in not hiring me? Yeah, well, alright, you probably did me an enormous favor; my "other" career took it's first wobbly steps shortly after my not being invited to settle along the shores of Lake Ontario.

No argument here on product coming first. Let me assure you I am a "programming" type from the soles of my feet to the fairly decent head of hair still sitting on my weary head. I have always been "sell what you program" and not "program what you sell." My love for local radio and what it once meant in small towns across America is as solid as it was when I opened my first microphone in one of Pennsylvania's greatest small towns. Please know that I think Berwick and Bloom are quintessential Americana; they are what America is. I have much more to gab on about, but I'm tired and ready for some sack. I will be back, promise. Here's hoping you took no offense at my observations, because none was meant - although I still think AM has as much future as learning the art of being a farrier. While horses may always need shoes, there just ain't many horses out there nowadays.

 

[joewhlm]

See what a huge mistake you made all those years ago in not hiring me?

Thank your lucky stars...a year later the station was sold, the manager was fired (but he deserved it), the new owners blew up the format...thats strange it kinda sounds like what happend at KAB.

Here's hoping you took no offense at my observations, because none was meant

None taken Masterg.

Joe

 

[masterg]

Thank your lucky stars...a year later the station was sold, the manager was fired (but he deserved it), the new owners blew up the format...

Seems I remember the guy as being a bit sleazy, slippery. Would that be right? You might recall that I had a friend in the agency biz up there at the time(he now has his own shop)who worked for Hutchins Y&R. He kept me updated, so I did know things tanked quickly. Damned shame, I always liked Ra-Cha-Cha.

 

[Rockin Rob]

Here in Bloomsburg I bought a dark AM station back in 2001. Nobody wanted it. It was dead with a capital D. By 2005 our operation, stand along, was more profitable than the FM station I bought in 2006.

The idea of a boot camp may be small town radio but our industry has done nothing to give opportunity to those that have dreamed of going on the radio. No training programs, no teaching, no coaching, no opportunity. And having a boot camp may very well be a stupid idea.

Joe

Joe, you are to be SALUTED for that idea. And, it is NOT a stupid idea. Heck, an old radio "things the way they used to be" head such as myself might benefit from a class designed to show people radio in 2007.

 

[emo474]

I agree.. not a stupid idea. A service to members of your community and a breeding ground for future talent if done correctly. How many of us remember that first opportunity to flick on that mic switch? If done with trained professional as mentors, this might be a great project.