WHLM-FM

[NigelWick]

Make sure you pay them something. The Labor Department frowns on free help.

 

[masterg]

I agree.. not a stupid idea. A service to members of your community and a breeding ground for future talent if done correctly.

While I won't comment on the validity of the idea, I will ask a question about future talent. Just what future jobs will future talent be filling? Put another way, does a future exist at all?

 

[joewhlm]

When I was Program Director of WTAM 1100 in Cleveland we hired a co-host for afternoon driver Mike Trivissano, off of a 60 second phone message from a listener.

We asked listeners to call a dedicated telephone line with an answering machine that simply said, "thanks for calling at the sound of the beep you have 60 seconds to prove to us that we should give you a live on air audition with Mike." Each morning the APD and I would review the tapes. We did and we hired a school teacher! She is a great talent.

 

[ratingsgeek]

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

I've been reading the comments & your replies--most interesting, though I'm not sure anyone has provided any kind of knowledgable programming critique... and I'm way out here on the signal's fringe and don't listen often enough to do so, either.

My question is: how are sales? After a full year, the numbers should provide you with some clues for that "next move?" What are they telling you?

 

[crmc]

I remain convinced, if you focus on the local community the station will be rewarded with listener loyality and advertiser support.

As to the dim perspective on jobs and future opportunity, Perhaps aspiring broadcasters have to be willing to move to larger markets. The average station in a big market employs 35-60 people.Perhaps 20 in programming, promotion and production.It's always been a business that requires you to be flexible about where you work, to find the right opportunity.

 

[radioboss]

Joe,

You are such a tremendous programmer and friend. You know what you want to do with WHLM-FM; but, your wanting to know what everybody else thinks should be done to see if Central & NE PA is ready for your ideas. Right?

Being a Classic Hits/Classic Rock station, I would make the following suggestions from what I did with 98.7 in the late 90's.

We did promotions everywhere. We did High School FB, NFL Football and anything relating to a demo such as what you are targeting.

But, you know more about programming than me. Who am I to suggest to the MASTER OF PROGRAMMING.

Sam

 

[masterg]

I remain convinced, if you focus on the local community the station will be rewarded with listener loyality and advertiser support.

As recently as ten years ago I would have bought you a beer on that idea, I was a firm believer. Firm, but sadly not immovable. It's a different game afoot, local radio is no longer small town America's link to the outside world. Everything has changed, and the internet played a huge role in that change. Music? Why turn to local radio? I can dowload, burn, and carry with me a ton of stuff for a small fee. News? What local station does news these days? Sports? Ahhh, okay, I'll give you that one...but not without several caveats; the biggest of which is how many local teams have a big enough following that your carrying their game matters? You used to be able to sell sports, because you could trade on the notion of community pride. Can you do that today with so few local merchants? Man, I doubt it, I really doubt it.

You have no idea how wrong I wish I was - it pains me to say that I doubt that I am...

 

[Skunkboy]

I listen to your station 40 hrs. a week. It's on all day at my mind-numbing warehouse job.

As vastly improved as your playlist is... my co-workers and I could very nearly set our watches by it.

The Beatles' "Come Together" is usually just before first break.
Count 4 Bon Jovi songs(normally 2 per hour) until lunchtime.
Aerosmith's version of "Come Together" marks last break.
Quitting time is either "Thunder Island" or "Share the Land", depending on the day.

I was never a program director, but come on. There's gotta be a truckload more classic rock you could mix in.

And why no more all-request noon hour? We miss having a chance to throw a deep track out there.

 

[jackandcoke]

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

Joe, the "free radio school" idea is actually a very good one. As a previous poster noted, you do need to be a little careful about how it would be structured to meet labor laws, but that's fairly easy--especially given your proximity to Bloomsburg University. BU has a mass communications department and I'd suggest that you consult with them about providing an internship program based on your "boot camp" outline. As long as its sanctioned by BU, you'd be golden--though it would not need to be limited to BU students. It could be open to anyone, but for those kids still in college--BU, Kings, Kutztown, Penn State, wherever--internship credit would be available. It's done all the time.

 

[joewhlm]

I listen to your station 40 hrs. a week. It's on all day at my mind-numbing warehouse job.

As vastly improved as your playlist is... my co-workers and I could very nearly set our watches by it.

The Beatles' "Come Together" is usually just before first break.
Count 4 Bon Jovi songs(normally 2 per hour) until lunchtime.
Aerosmith's version of "Come Together" marks last break.
Quitting time is either "Thunder Island" or "Share the Land", depending on the day.

I was never a program director, but come on. There's gotta be a truckload more classic rock you could mix in.

And why no more all-request noon hour? We miss having a chance to throw a deep track out there.

Ethen,

Excellent comments.

Frankly...there is a struggle between playing "Hits" and mixing in tasteful deep cuts. But what are deep cuts? Are they the singles that never charted top 10 or top 20? Or are they album cuts that were never released as singles? I believe we talk about this topic more than anything else at the station.

I can remember some great hit album deep cuts that we don't play, because I seem to be the only one that appreciates the tunes. Songs like 49 bye byes, CS&N. On the other side of the coin, there are those tunes my consultant suggests that make me feel uncomfortable as some of those tunes, I have never heard before, and common sense tells me that if I have never heard the song before with my exposure to music that maybe there are many others that find the song unfamiliar. We know that adults at 25 years of age have less and less tolerance for unfamiliar music as it takes energy to "get into the tune."

We play "Home and Dry" by Gerry Rafferty. It was a sales stiff, but, research has moved the song into "hit" status without the tork of record sales, propelling it as a "hit" song. I listen to songs that are "hits" three times back to back...the same way I did it when I was a top 40 MD and PD. If after three times I could not hum the hook or get into the song...I suggested that we did not add the song.

I can remember my program consultant in Louisville adding, right into power rotation, In The Air Tonight by Phil Collins. I was having a shit fit. Indeed it was a researched hit...but it was so difficult to consume.

Joe

 

[Skunkboy]

Frankly...there is a struggle between playing "Hits" and mixing in tasteful deep cuts. But what are deep cuts? Are they the singles that never charted top 10 or top 20? Or are they album cuts that were never released as singles?

A bit of both, actually. Even some tunes that did chart pretty high, but faded into obscurity.

I can remember some great hit album deep cuts that we don't play, because I seem to be the only one that appreciates the tunes. Songs like 49 bye byes, CS&N. On the other side of the coin, there are those tunes my consultant suggests that make me feel uncomfortable as some of those tunes, I have never heard before, and common sense tells me that if I have never heard the song before with my exposure to music that maybe there are many others that find the song unfamiliar. We know that adults at 25 years of age have less and less tolerance for unfamiliar music as it takes energy to "get into the tune."

Consultant? Is it the dreaded market research that is often utilized by "Big Brother Broadcasting"?
Seriously, if your consultant knows his stuff, I'd let him give it a try, and see how it goes. Also adding the tracks you like couldn't be all bad, either. Don't assume you're the only one who likes a track, just because you "seem" to be the only one who likes it. Nobody's tastes are that unique, especially if they're listening to a classic rock station.

We play "Home and Dry" by Gerry Rafferty.

I noticed. Hadn't heard that song, literally, since I was on the bus to my elementary school. Nice.

I can remember my program consultant in Louisville adding, right into power rotation, In The Air Tonight by Phil Collins. I was having a ------ fit. Indeed it was a researched hit...but it was so difficult to consume.

Difficult, really? Even with the most famous drum pickup in recorded history?
I might be showing my youth and inexperience here, but that's from my formative years, musically speaking. It's taken me a while to accept that the music I grew up with is now considered "classic."

Ethan


P.S. - Thanks for not getting offended at my initial post. After a re-read, I found it comes off a tad bitter. I didn't mean it to.

 

[dmer]

I like deep cuts myself. Everyone plays "I Can't Get No Satisfaction" by the Rolling Stones. And that's fine. But add in some lost classic hits that have been left off most stations 300 song playlists and some album cuts off popular albums. I was in Allentown a few weeks ago and I was listening to a classic hits station there (the Hawk) and they played "Superman" (I think the title's a little different but I can't remember) by the Kinks. Man, I have not heard that song since it came out. Also, I like the idea of requests like WKAB used to do. That gives your listeners a chance to tell you what they want to hear. They may actually give you ideas as to what deep cuts we're looking for. I think your album hour is a great start. I also like blocks and double shots of songs from the same group. Out in Sunbury, Eagle 107 does a good job with their 70's at 7. When I'm out that way I take a listen (I admit, I am a closet disco fan and they play a lot of disco for that). WKAB used to have a 70's at 7 (although they mostly played what they played anyway--I would play songs that don't usually show up on the playlist.)

Just a couple of ideas--play around with the music. Mix an match--blocks, double shots, yesterday-today sets, album, album sides. Have fun with it. I think listeners love that sort of thing.

 

[Inventor989]

Having been around in radio during the early 80s, I gotta tell ya..."In The Air Tonight" was radically different...dark, downtempo, not exactly what you'd expect from a Top 40 hit. But then it was featured in the biggest TV hit of the era, "Miami Vice"...and it was a standard from then on.

 

[gwjr67]

Let's not forget that "In The Air Tonight" was also used heavily in the successful "The Night Belongs To Michelob" ad campaign in the mid 80's. That may have also played a part in the song's staying power.

 

[NightCourtFan]

IMSR, I believe that the michelob commericals of the 80's used "Tonight, Tonight, Tonight" by Phil Collins...which had the same dark presence that "In the Air" had. Although, you don't hear that song as of late

 

[gwjr67]

Both songs were used. "In The Air Tonight" about 1984 (along with the slower, original version of "After Midnight" by Eric Clapton) and "Tonight Tonight Tonight" around 1986. The campaign ended soon after. "Tonight Tonight Tonight" probably faded for two main reasons. 1) It was very repetitive and 2)There were 2-3 other singles from the album that were bigger hits.

 

[NightCourtFan]

So we were both right, hope you didn't trying I was trying to contradict you. It's funny, they talk about TOMA, even now 20yrs after those songs were chart toppers when I see a Michelob sign I think of Phil Collins..and vice versa when I hear one of those songs...not many commercials do that for me today! There are some that make me think of a brand when I hear the song like veriaon and Fall out Boy, however I don't think they 'll have the staying power that in 20yrs form now I'll remember that commercial when I hear that song.

 

[DStroyer]

My "seek" stopped on this WHLM translator at 100.9 in the parking lot of the Gerrity's on the San Souci this evening:

http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/FMTV-service-area?x=FX991792.html

Did that just come on the air recently?

 

[ColorRadio]

My "seek" stopped on this WHLM translator at 100.9 in the parking lot of the Gerrity's on the San Souci this evening:

http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/FMTV-service-area?x=FX991792.html

Did that just come on the air recently?

The site is in Folstown, PA (between Nanticoke and Nuangola). The site is owned by Metrocast Communications. The translator has an ERP of 5 watts, with 2 watts out from the transmitter. I'll post more later. Here is a link to some photos: http://entertainment.webshots.com/album/559610751XxLYSR