I was in Evansville on 6/11 when the skies turned ugly. My gut was to turn to the local news talk station...1280. Poor choice...don't get me wrong, I like Hannity, but that's not what I wanted. So I tried WIKY 104.1 and was given wall to wall weather...with the resources of WFIE TV and the local WIKY staff, I knew everything I needed to know as the active Tornado Warning affected the area I had been through 15 minutes earlier. Indy is blessed to have WIBC...and Evansville is equally fortunate to have WIKY. Good job folks...and thank you.
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WIKY Severe Weather Coverage
- Thread starter BobOnTheJob
- Start date
In Evansville/Owensboro:
WIKY will rebroadcast 14WFIE
Cromwell (105.7, 94.7 in Owensboro) will rebroadcast 14WFIE
92.5 WBKR and sometimes 99.5 WKDQ will rebroadcast News 25. If the storm is affecting Gibson county, Country 98.1 WRAY-FM will rebroadcast News 25.
Why the newstalker won't do weather coverage, I have no idea.
WIKY was a Godsend during the Ice storm back in January. They were one of the few broadcasters on the air and they dropped everything to provide pertinent information for a number of days.
WIKY will rebroadcast 14WFIE
Cromwell (105.7, 94.7 in Owensboro) will rebroadcast 14WFIE
92.5 WBKR and sometimes 99.5 WKDQ will rebroadcast News 25. If the storm is affecting Gibson county, Country 98.1 WRAY-FM will rebroadcast News 25.
Why the newstalker won't do weather coverage, I have no idea.
WIKY was a Godsend during the Ice storm back in January. They were one of the few broadcasters on the air and they dropped everything to provide pertinent information for a number of days.
N
News Guy
Guest
THIS is what local radio is supposed to be about. Big company or small company, THIS is how you serve your community. Not with PSAs and having your staff join civic clubs, but broadcasting timely and potentially life-saving information. Why don't more station owners get that? Kudos to WIKY.
PTBoardOp94 said:
Regent eliminated their news department in Evansville and Owensboro outsourcing the duties to WEHT. Most of the time, there is no one home at Regent.
WIKY has evolved to a full service adult contemporary radio station in the tradition of WHAS, WIBC and many others from back in the day. Long story short, South Central gets it and I'm proud to work there part time. It's the first time in fifteen years I've worked at an actual radio station instead of a get rich quick scheme with a transmitter.
In particular, Steve Simpson is often found on WIBC when severe weather hits. He's one of those rare birds that seems to be willing to drop whatever he's doing & head into the radio ranch when needed. There's a guy named Larry Duke down at WIKI (similar calls to WIKY) in Madison that's the same way...he'd walk to the station if need be to handle severe weather coverage. It's a shame that WHAS can't muster the same kind of commitment that these fine broadcasters consistently provide. Again...all who are involved at WIKY have my sincerest appreciation & admiration. As stated elsewhere in this thread, you guys "get it".kd8hho said:
Thanks gang! Rob and I are honored to work with great people at South Central, where they treat the weekenders like full timers... Our sister stations in the building are great people, as well... We try to cover each other and support the whole package! WIKY keeps the live person in the studios 24/7, even when Delilah and Tom Kent are on, to be at a moment's ready to give local emergency information... Randy Wheeler and the news crew (John and Dave) are on call 24/7.... Last Sunday AM (out of your normal drive time situation), Randy got some update on the homicide in Gibson County the day before....Got on the computer line and redubed the Sunday AM local news and sent it to my main hardrive in the studio!!!! He called on the hotline and gave me the heads up and 'wah-lah', we were on top of it..... It goes to show that since 1948, From John A. to John David and now John Paul, the Engelbrechts believe in the 'big town sound' with small town charm, in a mid-sized metro/adi...... That's why WIKY has been (for the most part) on top of the heep since the former AM Daytimer at 820 signed on...... When John A. saw the future of FM, he developed one of the first successful commerical FM outlets in the US......Though Nashville (Mix 92.9 and 96.3 Jack FM) and our Knoxville stations lie in top of the lists of their markets much larger than Evansville, WIKY is no doubt considered both in success and history, the "FLAGSHIP" of our 61 year history! South Central kept their focus on the three markets in which they hubbed a very successful MUZAK network franchise that covers parts of six states... At times, I feel my passed on mentor, John A. Engelbrecht looking down and saying to this ol' westside kid from Reitz High School; "Damn good job, kid!" Well, off to do "Joyful Noise" at 6:am.... 
This thread should come with an addendum...
"This thread is meant to keep our lips firmly planted on management and the Englebrecht's respective asses. We have printed and framed this thread for company morale. Even though our 100,000 watt flame-thower CHR is performing dismally, and our rock station is getting it's ass kicked by Regent, we continue to believe our own hype".
Excuse me...while I vomit.
"This thread is meant to keep our lips firmly planted on management and the Englebrecht's respective asses. We have printed and framed this thread for company morale. Even though our 100,000 watt flame-thower CHR is performing dismally, and our rock station is getting it's ass kicked by Regent, we continue to believe our own hype".
Excuse me...while I vomit.
....Hummmm Some folk lean on negative living while others lean on positive.. Ratings will go up and down, but it seems 60 plus years under a family plan has outlasted sucesses of some great competition (Metro, Clear Channel, Brill, and Regent)..... I don't see this family selling soon.... Others come and go.... I don't know what the billing amounts are for the two main competitors, but it might not be too hard to realize that advertiser loyalty might be the determining factor in this radio race... Turnover and security seems (not in all cases) leaning to the west end of Evansville.... No chain is perfect, but that's just my angle....That's all it is, my angle, and nothing else... On the street I see, hear and feel the difference from days with other companies that no longer have properties in Evansville... Yes, STO is scratching and looking for improvement, but that's the ups and downs of the game... And Regent has some good solid radio people that I like, as well.... I do defend your right to argue the other side of it... I still have to work through some radio bitterness with one group that I worked and built out a station for (in another market)..... Doo-Doo happens.. I will give you that... I guess I really like working with the people I work with.... That's all....
This isn't severe weather, but worthy of a mention. Passing through Evansville yesterday, I saw huge amounts of smoke east of I-164 & remembering my disappointment with WGBF last year, I listened to WIKY for a little while. Sure enough, the gal on the air said that there were quite a few calls coming in about smoke in Warrick County & an explanation of the rather large 'controlled burn' followed. I can't praise these people highly enough for making radio what radio is supoosed to be : local and responsive to the service area. Good jobs guys (and gal!).
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