Springfields New Home For Country. Nice move to give Springfield a radio station for the Local Community.
-
Get involved.
We want your input!
Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.
After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.
After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/
Thanks in advance and have fun!
RadioDiscussions Administrators
WIZE AM goes Country
- Thread starter Radio Dude
- Start date
H
harb
Guest
Guess Clear Channel did figure it out. 
But the question remains...is it back at Miracle Mile?
Since it's apperantly a sattelite feed (ala:"106.5 The Bull.") I'm venturing they aren't.
I was on the website and I found no Springfield address or Springfield phone number...hence it still must be originating from the Oregon District studio building.
Maybe they are just testing the waters to see if Springfield will respond with listenership and advertising support before they finally decide to move back to Miracle Mile.
Nevertheless this is a huge surprise to me (on CC's part) that the simulcast of WONE has ended..maybe they DO care about Springfield after all...and filling the void left by Kiss Country.
Don't forget to fix those chuckholes at Miracle Mile's driveway...and how about giving Lee Riley a job and making a memorial tribute to John Hall!
BTW CC Dayton:
Leave the deer alone and let them graze...when they see the cars come back to the parking lot they will run away.
Since it's apperantly a sattelite feed (ala:"106.5 The Bull.") I'm venturing they aren't.
I was on the website and I found no Springfield address or Springfield phone number...hence it still must be originating from the Oregon District studio building.
Maybe they are just testing the waters to see if Springfield will respond with listenership and advertising support before they finally decide to move back to Miracle Mile.
Nevertheless this is a huge surprise to me (on CC's part) that the simulcast of WONE has ended..maybe they DO care about Springfield after all...and filling the void left by Kiss Country.
Don't forget to fix those chuckholes at Miracle Mile's driveway...and how about giving Lee Riley a job and making a memorial tribute to John Hall!
BTW CC Dayton:
Leave the deer alone and let them graze...when they see the cars come back to the parking lot they will run away.
Glad to see the change made at wize.
This is not because clear channel "cares" about Clark/Champaign counties. With 800+ stations, it is about the money Mainline left on the table. And with the little to no ratings wone has what would it hurt??
They realize the money in high school sports. Not a ratings getter , but local businesses by spots. Then they can brag to their shoppers they support the local community. It goes hand in hand for both.
******
An interesting thing ( I think ) -
One of the on air talents, Chuck Collier works out of WGAR in Cleveland owned by clear channel. From 1975-1984 the call letters of WGAR was none other than.................WKSW.
interesting indeed! ******
This is not because clear channel "cares" about Clark/Champaign counties. With 800+ stations, it is about the money Mainline left on the table. And with the little to no ratings wone has what would it hurt??
They realize the money in high school sports. Not a ratings getter , but local businesses by spots. Then they can brag to their shoppers they support the local community. It goes hand in hand for both.
******
An interesting thing ( I think ) -
One of the on air talents, Chuck Collier works out of WGAR in Cleveland owned by clear channel. From 1975-1984 the call letters of WGAR was none other than.................WKSW.
interesting indeed! ******
If Clear Channel is only testing the waters then they may stay with no local jocks. It seems to me that it would be such a solid move that if they did go local to go after Lee Riley.
Lee could become the local face of the station and if they are going to do high school sports why not pick up the guy who has been in the market for a number of years doing play by play.
Another good local talent was a jock named Rob Carpenter.
I may be one of a dying breed but I love working on AM's making more money than the so called experts thought was possible and also serving the local community.
Lee could become the local face of the station and if they are going to do high school sports why not pick up the guy who has been in the market for a number of years doing play by play.
Another good local talent was a jock named Rob Carpenter.
I may be one of a dying breed but I love working on AM's making more money than the so called experts thought was possible and also serving the local community.
I doubt an FM translator is going to happen...but maybe a local from Springfield may want to consider starting up a sports webcasting service..similar to Jack Kramer's Scores Broadcast
(see other WIZE posts.)
www.scoersbroadcast.com
WMVR "Hits 105 5" farmed out its high school coverage to this local firm starting about a year or so ago. Kramer used to be sports director at Hits before striking out on his own. It also has an archive of aired games.
(see other WIZE posts.)
www.scoersbroadcast.com
WMVR "Hits 105 5" farmed out its high school coverage to this local firm starting about a year or so ago. Kramer used to be sports director at Hits before striking out on his own. It also has an archive of aired games.
zburns said:
Chuck's been a fixture at WGAR since it was actually WGAR/1220 back in the early 70s, when it featured a semi-Top 40 format; it would be defined today as an Adult CHR.
AFAIK, Chuck wasn't directly **on** what was then WKSW/99.5 (possibly for promos or IDs, but I seriously don't know), but curiously enough, WKSW did sport a country format of their own from 1980-1984 - it became WGAR-FM on July 15, 1984 but maintained their separate country format; that same day, 1220 ALSO went country. Chuck went to the FM dial, IIRC, in 1986 when 1220 threw in the towel and started a total simulcast of 99.5 (Nationwide sold off 1220 in 1990).
Today, Chuck also voice-tracks the midday shift at CC/Cleveland's classic hits WMJI/105.7, once again following his longtime WGAR colleague, John Lanigan.
Limp73 said:
The area actually already has a couple of different "stations" trying to do that.
The Springfield Paper's (the weekly one) parent company Penda Publishing has a website for their sports dept. on www.pendasports.com. They have a radio stream they've used a little bit and have archived games. From what I hear it was basically from the prodding of their sports writers as to why they did it. And they were doing it before KISS left.
That whole company is dabbling into a bunch of stuff and has a TV wing (www.htnchannel.com) that I guess has actually done well. The content isn't going to win any awards but their existence alone shows people will buy ads/support simply for being there and putting out a product.
I guess they also submitted for an FCC license and want to do a radio station as well. However, the company's run by a couple of Evangelicals, so it'd probably be a Christian station, and with Cedarville's WCDR and WEEC right by, the success of that's probably questionable.
Wittenberg's student station also did some HS sports this year as an outreach attempt. I think a former WULMer Jim Scoby is footing the bill himself to do it and buying time. They have an internet stream on WUSO's site and on Wittenberg's athletics website.
As far as WIZE goes, Scott Leo, a former WULMer, is employed by Clear Channel. He worked at WULM under Marty Bannister and knows that the area has some cash for HS sports. I'm sure they will do some (they have a press release on www.wizeam.com stating as much).
Not to be negative, but without a local commitment, this means nothing.
1. WIZE has no "heritage" as a country station.
2. Former Kiss Country listeners are NOT going to move from FM to AM (and more than likely, they don't even know that WIZE has flipped to country in the first place because CC is not going to spend money to promote it)
3. CC Dayton AE's will not make any effort to sell spots in Springfield. If they won't do it on WONE, what makes you believe they will make the drive to Springfield (with $4 a gallon gas) to pound the pavement for $8 spots on a satellite country station? I'm betting a couple of the AE's who will get that assignment are likely "youngsters" who couldn't find Springfield without a GPS...
Neat idea, but I have seen CC do things like this before in other small markets, with zero positive results.
In order for WIZE to work, it needs to be operated in Springfield, by someone with fairly low expectations. At best, WIZE is a $12,000 a month station. It'll never be what it was 30 or 40 (or even 20) years ago. The days of loaded stop-sets and 40-50K a month, and 25 people working at 1529 Miracle Mile are LONG gone.
1. WIZE has no "heritage" as a country station.
2. Former Kiss Country listeners are NOT going to move from FM to AM (and more than likely, they don't even know that WIZE has flipped to country in the first place because CC is not going to spend money to promote it)
3. CC Dayton AE's will not make any effort to sell spots in Springfield. If they won't do it on WONE, what makes you believe they will make the drive to Springfield (with $4 a gallon gas) to pound the pavement for $8 spots on a satellite country station? I'm betting a couple of the AE's who will get that assignment are likely "youngsters" who couldn't find Springfield without a GPS...
Neat idea, but I have seen CC do things like this before in other small markets, with zero positive results.
In order for WIZE to work, it needs to be operated in Springfield, by someone with fairly low expectations. At best, WIZE is a $12,000 a month station. It'll never be what it was 30 or 40 (or even 20) years ago. The days of loaded stop-sets and 40-50K a month, and 25 people working at 1529 Miracle Mile are LONG gone.
Sterolane you are right on nearly every point.
1. If a Kiss listener wants nothing but country music -hello to K99. It's tough to convert a FM fan to AM.However, a number of people tuned to Kiss because of Lee Riley and Andy Lawrence plus the music.
2. WIZE is never going to beat K99 in the ratings game. The station though can be a vital force in terms of revenue and an important position in the marketplace. To be a force they are going to have to implement some local elements as I mentoned before. than just high school sports.
3. Nick Gnau has a real challenge ahead of him but also a fun and exciting opportunity. If Nick goes the standard C.C. way of doing small market radio they will fail.
C.C. needs to think outside the box and get someone on the payroll to run point and pay real attenton to the station. If they can't or won't go in that direction then hire someone as a small market consutant.
4. You are right about they most likely will have young A.E.'s cold calling for accounts . The sponsors know what they are doing and will chew up and spit out the inexperienced A.E.'S.
They need someone who knows how to find out what sponsors supported Kiss on sports and remotes.
Will they make only $12,000 a month? If they send out the young A.E.'s they will have trouble reaching it. I would have a blast running with this as a manager under Nick if I was looking because it woud be a ton of fun. The answer is yes you make more but with the right people.
I know how to make money on the AM band but I believe for WIZE to be a success you have to find someone with small market AM experience in programming and sales. I don't know if Nick has anyone in his building who can pull this off.
I don't have the confidence C.C. will do it the right way and therefore fail. The decisions they have made about on air talent in Cincinnati on their AM stations bears out the lack of confidence.
I love the AM band and have had experience on both bands and really hope WIZE will be a real success.
1. If a Kiss listener wants nothing but country music -hello to K99. It's tough to convert a FM fan to AM.However, a number of people tuned to Kiss because of Lee Riley and Andy Lawrence plus the music.
2. WIZE is never going to beat K99 in the ratings game. The station though can be a vital force in terms of revenue and an important position in the marketplace. To be a force they are going to have to implement some local elements as I mentoned before. than just high school sports.
3. Nick Gnau has a real challenge ahead of him but also a fun and exciting opportunity. If Nick goes the standard C.C. way of doing small market radio they will fail.
C.C. needs to think outside the box and get someone on the payroll to run point and pay real attenton to the station. If they can't or won't go in that direction then hire someone as a small market consutant.
4. You are right about they most likely will have young A.E.'s cold calling for accounts . The sponsors know what they are doing and will chew up and spit out the inexperienced A.E.'S.
They need someone who knows how to find out what sponsors supported Kiss on sports and remotes.
Will they make only $12,000 a month? If they send out the young A.E.'s they will have trouble reaching it. I would have a blast running with this as a manager under Nick if I was looking because it woud be a ton of fun. The answer is yes you make more but with the right people.
I know how to make money on the AM band but I believe for WIZE to be a success you have to find someone with small market AM experience in programming and sales. I don't know if Nick has anyone in his building who can pull this off.
I don't have the confidence C.C. will do it the right way and therefore fail. The decisions they have made about on air talent in Cincinnati on their AM stations bears out the lack of confidence.
I love the AM band and have had experience on both bands and really hope WIZE will be a real success.
SFIND said:
There are at least four FM translators in the Springfield area. Two of them (96.7 and 107.1) are fed by WOKL 96.9, which is essentially a full power translator in itself. One in the Enon area on 103.3 is fed by the Air1 station (88.3), and one on 98.7 is fed by 88.7 Radio U in Columbus. I would imagine that EMF may be able to be talked out of a translator for the right price.
Scott Leo and Jim Scoby both have done work on the GWOC football broadcasts on WONE. Scott's involvement backed off some this year because of his other obligations, probably due to Clippers baseball and also I think he has taken over as advisor to WKET at Fairmont High School in Kettering upon the retirement of their long-time faculty advisor. I noticed that they were airing some Fairmont sports on 98.3 FM again under his direction. I think Jim did color on most of the WONE football games, so I'm not sure if he was buying the time in Springfield and then others produced the broadcasts under his supervision, or how that worked. Scott also acts as an advisor to WUSO too.
I'm not sure what games WUSO was covering but sports can do well even in a non-comm scenario. WSWO-LP has generated a good base of underwriting support from the local businesses in Huber Heights by covering Wayne sports. Of course, all the Braxton Miller hype and a trip to the state playoffs probably helped.
Was on the WIZE website and saw Lee Riley's name added to the fromt page....says that he along with Gary Littel and Rob Carpender will be doing local high school coverage...."coming in august."
Let's take it a step further CC Dayton...Put Lee on NOW (at least as a voicetracker) when the three sattellite DJs are not on.
Still no audiostream on the "listen live" link.
Let's take it a step further CC Dayton...Put Lee on NOW (at least as a voicetracker) when the three sattellite DJs are not on.
Still no audiostream on the "listen live" link.
The WIZE website:
http://www.wizeam.com/main.html
What are the chances CC Dayton will at least voicetrack Lee Riley?
http://www.wizeam.com/main.html
What are the chances CC Dayton will at least voicetrack Lee Riley?
Still, the last thing the Springfield area needs is another all-Christian programming station. There are plenty around. But I guess when "God tell you to" you have to.
Scoby has his own little company. I'm pretty sure he buys out the time. Rumor is he actually bought the rights for WULM in their last year to broadcast Ohio State football, just so he could get a press pass out of the deal.
I always thought WUSO was a non-commercial station. They run commercials on Scoby's events - full fledged, paying advertisers. How could they do that?
Scoby has his own little company. I'm pretty sure he buys out the time. Rumor is he actually bought the rights for WULM in their last year to broadcast Ohio State football, just so he could get a press pass out of the deal.
I always thought WUSO was a non-commercial station. They run commercials on Scoby's events - full fledged, paying advertisers. How could they do that?
It's a solid move getting Lee Riley and company for the broacasts. Now the real work begins for Nick and the gang at Dayton C.C. The question is do they have the people in place to accomplish the following:
1. Program and lay out on the various elements to the play by play broadcasts and if they have the know how to make additional program elements outside the game.
3. As I mentioned before where are they going to get the right A.E.'s to get the kind of revenue that is possibe? I have seen stations do as low as $800 on football Friday to as high as $4,500. I have been part of the success of generating high dollars in high school sports coverage not only on game day but outside the broadcasts.
.
Plus, do they have the experience in programming and selling programs and NTR events that can really generate some very sweet additional revenue.
It was also suggested to getting Lee to at least do some d.j. voice tracking. That's the safe inside the box type thinking that continues to limit AM radio. It's time to build on what Kiss has accomplished and make Lee a morning or afternoon 'live" jock. He knows the market and the market knows him.
I am sure C.C. made the switch hoping to achieve some revenue off a dormat station. I am also quite sure that C.C. is making up the game plan as they go.
I can tell you there are a lot of ways to make money on this station doing sports. However, do they have the right people to make this work? I hope they do and if not I trust they will know where to look to get the assistance they need. I know there those of you who believe they will fail. Perhaps they will. I hope they won't.
1. Program and lay out on the various elements to the play by play broadcasts and if they have the know how to make additional program elements outside the game.
3. As I mentioned before where are they going to get the right A.E.'s to get the kind of revenue that is possibe? I have seen stations do as low as $800 on football Friday to as high as $4,500. I have been part of the success of generating high dollars in high school sports coverage not only on game day but outside the broadcasts.
.
Plus, do they have the experience in programming and selling programs and NTR events that can really generate some very sweet additional revenue.
It was also suggested to getting Lee to at least do some d.j. voice tracking. That's the safe inside the box type thinking that continues to limit AM radio. It's time to build on what Kiss has accomplished and make Lee a morning or afternoon 'live" jock. He knows the market and the market knows him.
I am sure C.C. made the switch hoping to achieve some revenue off a dormat station. I am also quite sure that C.C. is making up the game plan as they go.
I can tell you there are a lot of ways to make money on this station doing sports. However, do they have the right people to make this work? I hope they do and if not I trust they will know where to look to get the assistance they need. I know there those of you who believe they will fail. Perhaps they will. I hope they won't.
I stand by what I said before. Kiss Country listeners are NOT going to listen to WIZE, under any circumstances. I don't know Lee Riley (my history with WIZE goes back to the Great Trails days) but high school sports is comparable to window dressing. If WIZE has nothing more than HS sports, it'll never hit the $12K a month that I cited earlier.
You have to consider this: How many years has WIZE been irrelevant?
WIZE would be a good purchase for an entreprenuer, but only at a total Fire Sale price.
Clear Channel is NOT the right company to own this station. Look at their track record with it so far.
You have to consider this: How many years has WIZE been irrelevant?
WIZE would be a good purchase for an entreprenuer, but only at a total Fire Sale price.
Clear Channel is NOT the right company to own this station. Look at their track record with it so far.
- Status