WIQR Is Dark Again

[R.D.P.]

I was able to confirm it today.

Went to Prattville and they were off.

Been checking on them for the past few days anyway.

What's going on with that station?

Just curious.

R.D.P. <><

 

[Nate Wesley]

Run a satellite format on the cheap, and go hard after local businesses that can't/won't buy with the big FMs.

Maybe 1410's current owners are doing it all wrong.

 

[R.D.P.]

Why don't they try the Adult Album Alternative format and see what happens. 

They might do very well with that idea. 

And once they got that format in place, then they could fish for a FM translator rebroadcast and see if that would help them make a real go of it.

R.D.P. <><

P.S. Be creative with your presentation WIQR.  Do something that no one else in The Gump is already doing.  This idea might be your meal ticket to real success.  Try it out and see what happens.  You might just find a winner in this one.

 

[StrayKats]

WIQR would be the perfect opportunity for a Hispanic station in the "River Region". With two sports outlets already available - limit the sports to local high school stuff as you have in the past. Prattville could certainly squeeze in a translator at 94.1 or 94.3 or possibly 98.3 or 99.3.

The unique format would certainly garner at least half a point worth of rating, you'd think. <If they could stay on air>

 

[secondchoice]

Is this station for sale?

 

[tomservo]

With the new illegal immigration laws in effect, is programming to the remaining Hispanic population really worth it? The Spanish-speaking population here in Baldwin County seemed to dwindle significantly after the new laws went into effect.

 

[sflaboy]

WIQR is a perfect candidate for a turned in license and deleted frequency. Either that, or just donate the station to a school. The 2mv signal (which is horribly deficient in the direction of Montgomery when LEGAL) makes a translator useless. You can put lipstick on a pig....

 

[R.D.P.]

One thing that sticks out about that station.

The sound quality is less than to be desired.

For years now, I've always considered them as a bottom tier type of station.

They can't seem to find their place.

Unless they're soon able to, I just don't see no need for them to carry on.

Time for them to turn in the license and leave for good.

R.D.P. <><

 

[StrayKats]

Well, this (Saturday) they were back on the air again - the daytime signal was strong but horrible; sounded like someone talking into a dutch oven instead of a microphone. The nighttime signal was unavailable, but it rarely is where I live east of Montgomery. However, it was easy to tell WIQR was relaying the radio feed from ESPN Deportes (the Spanish-language radio compadre, for lack of a more appropriate term, to ESPN Deportes TV). The only legal ID 'window' I had a chance to hear was the 5:00 PM one, and it was skipped, omitted, or forgotten.

I tend to agree with all the comments concerning the new law, but Autauga, Elmore, and Montgomery counties, with the exception of some pastures, aren't really agricultural havens like Baldwin County where the sharper declines of Hispanic populations the last six months have been prevalent.

Could WIQR be going Hispanic - possibly sports (ESPN Deportes) weekends only or full time? Or might there be some local Hispanic-produced programming, like the Sunday afternoon show which has been on 1250 / 95.5 most of the last year? I guess we'll find out.

 

[WBGR FM 93.1]

One thing that sticks out about that station.

The sound quality is less than to be desired.

For years now, I've always considered them as a bottom tier type of station.

They can't seem to find their place.

Unless they're soon able to, I just don't see no need for them to carry on.

Time for them to turn in the license and leave for good.

R.D.P. <><

Typically I don't disagree with what you post, RDP, but there's a first time for everything. It is never a good idea to let a license become deleted. We've had way too many stations do this, just give up and hand it back in to the governemnt. They can always donate it to a religious group, such as Queen of Peace radio, or either sell it super cheap - then, at least, the owner will make a little money off the station.

"For a station to have a satellite-fed format, and to be on the air, is better than no station at all"

-Travis

 

[R.D.P.]

Thanks for the response Mr. Tallred.

My only concern is this, what format holes still exist in Montgomery outside of AAA Rock and/or Spanish?

I just don't see anything else Montgomery needs, outside of those two.

Hope that WIQR will run with either one and see if they can make a go of it.

I also hope they'll clean their sound quality up and improve on it.

R.D.P. <><

 

[tomservo]

I gotta side with RDP on this one. If the location and condition of this facility are bad enough, just turn in the license and clear up the band of a minuscule bit of clutter. But then I'm kinda hoping the AM band will one day be a mix of super locals and super regionals, and ne'er the twain shall meet.

 

[w9wi]

It is never a good idea to let a license become deleted. We've had way too many stations do this, just give up and hand it back in to the governemnt. They can always donate it to a religious group, such as Queen of Peace radio, or either sell it super cheap - then, at least, the owner will make a little money off the station.

I'm afraid I'll have to disagree with this one too.

Most of AMs problems stem from interference -- too many stations on the dial. I would suggest the band contains roughly 5x as many stations as it can reasonably support.

*Most* AM stations are causing interference to one or more other stations; and/or, the need to protect a station from interference is limiting the coverage of other stations. Allowing financially-unviable stations to go away reduces interference to the stations that remain, and potentially allows the stations that remain to increase their signals.

 

[stereolane]

Last time I heard WIQR, I was on my way to Mobile, and they were playing a recorded diatribe of the GM, explaining why they were being barred from carrying some all important high school ballgame. There seemed to be some dispute between WIQR, and the bubba's at the school athletic association. I'll admit, it was fascinating. I have to wonder if there is some motivation afoot among the local yokels to shut this station down.

 

[R.D.P.]

To w9wi,
Amen to your thoughts.

To stereolane,
I hope the locals will agree with you and demand this station leave the airwaves for good.

To everyone else reading,
WIQR is no longer serving a purpose.
All they're doing now is taking up space on the dial.
Hence the reason why I say it's time for them to go away for good.

R.D.P. <><

 

[busterluck]

The call sign WIQR stands for "I Quit Radio" There are a lot of AM and FM stations just taking up space on the dial. Probably 1/3 of the Montgomery area stations could go silent and not be missed except for some of those people on these boards. Radio stations do not go dark, they go "silent". Only TV stations go "dark"

 

[R.D.P.]

Now For My Thoughts On the Radio Dial In Montgomery:

AM

740 (Detest Cumulus Anyway)
800 (Detest this station, due to its presentation and sound quality)
950 (Detest Cumulus Anyway)
1170 (Love their presentation)
1210 (See 107.5 FM)
1250 (A Big Joke Indeed)
1410 (Taking Up Space On The Dial)
1440 (When I Need Talk, I listen To WMRK FM)
1600 (Leave Them Alone)

FM

89.1 (Leave Them Alone)
89.9 (Leave Them Alone)
90.7 (Leave Them Alone)
WAY FM (Combine those two stations and turn them into one big full powered FM station)
92.3 (Detest Cumulus Anyway)
95.1 (Loved Them Years Ago but Now Detest Them)
95.5 (A Big Joke Indeed)
96.1 (Love their presentation)
97.1 (Detest Clear Channel Anyway)
97.5 (Love their presentation but wish they could up their power and cover more areas here in Central Alabama, with their awesome product)
97.9 (Leave Them Alone)
98.9 (Leave Them Alone)
100.5 (Love Their Presentation)
101.5 (If 97.5 could up their power, then shut this station down) (Otherwise, I love this presentation) (Keep up the good work guys)
101.9 (Detest Cumulus Anyway)
102.7 (Leave them alone)
103.3 (Listen to them some)
104.3 (Detest Clear Channel Anyway)
104.9 (Love their presentation)
105.7 (Detest Clear Channel Anyway)
107.1 (Leave Them Alone)
107.5 (Just add Atlanta Braves Baseball and you'll have it made, Mr. Stroh)
107.9 (Love their presentation)

 

[R.D.P.]

I like the name you gave to WIQR, Mr. Busterluck. It has a very funny touch to it.

R.D.P. <><

 

[Nate Wesley]

To w9wi,
Amen to your thoughts.

To stereolane,
I hope the locals will agree with you and demand this station leave the airwaves for good.

To everyone else reading,
WIQR is no longer serving a purpose.
All they're doing now is taking up space on the dial.
Hence the reason why I say it's time for them to go away for good.

R.D.P. <><

"Fewer radio choices! Fewer radio choices! Fewer radio choices!"

Yep, that's what the people want. What an overreaction.

 

[passtheword]

I like the name you gave to WIQR, Mr. Busterluck. It has a very funny touch to it.

R.D.P. <><

Here's a thought: Call the station "Wicker" for the WIQR calls. Picture it...24 hrs a day of selling wicker furniture...