WKLU

[shortbaldguy2007]

There was a post on All Access a few days ago looking for announcers. It looks like they may be getting ready to clean house and start over with a new staff.

 

[radiowannab]

Wow Kent! Thanks for the analysis. I know when I first moved back here a few years ago I was elated that there was a station like WKLU. In my younger days I had been a Ritz fan when he was at 103 and I was really excited to hear him back. But it was like he wasnt funny any more. Like he was just reading announcements or something? Strange why someone would hire a guy like that then not let him do his thing. Wonder why Russ acts like that? Radio people are supposed to be entertaining. If you dont want them to be and they end up being a detriment to your ratings why even have them?

 

[Steppenwolf]

Wow Kent! Thanks for the analysis. If you dont want them to be and they end up being a detriment to your ratings why even have them?

This will deflate a lot of egos out there but do you know why people listen to the radio? It's to listen to the music. The Bob & Tom show may be the one exception but that's it. It's the music, not the jocks, that attracts and keeps an audience. WKLU is developing the mix of music that's not been played in a long, long time on one radio station. Whoever the jocks are on WKLU doesn't matter.

 

[radioho]

I heard Libby on the air last night (Sunday) after 9 pm... must be short on part-timers right now.

When you're going to get 4% of the station sale, you gotta do what it takes to keep it on the air!

 

[speakerman]

Speaking of reality, radio in general is competing with all other portable media sources. The iPod is number one on the list. I don't buy the old worn out phrase I used to hear from the station managers "why bother working hard on the audio when everyone listens on a 4" cone". From the number of white earbuds I see in public and the hopped up car stereo systems I hear playing MP3s and CDs, I believe music radio of many formats is going to loose potential demographics just as AM music lost out to FM music in the 70s-80s era.

Look at the print media business these days...pathetic. The internet brings most of what you need and local TV news brings the rest.

I've been out of the business long enough to take off the blinders and see reality. There will always be "some level" of potential listeners out there however they have a smogasboard of media choices now.

A quick look at AAPL will show you the trend that has been happening over the last 5 years.

http://bigcharts.marketwatch.com/interchart/interchart.asp?symb=aapl&time=&freq=

The audio you get from 128k AAC sounds a lot better then the smashed crap we have to put up with on terrestrial radio. The Class A stations probably don't have much choice but turn their station into an electronic buzz-saw to stand out across the Metro areas however the Bs don't have that excuse. You also don't get constantly sold when you listen to your own stuff.

I think WIBC will do great with their shift of format to FM. Audio is not as critical with a talk format. It just has to be "loud and clear".

Reality sucks.

 

[BSURadioGeek]

I don't have an iPod, I have a Samsung T9. I don't listen to radio only for the music, I usually listen for sports or news. But otherwise a good assessment.

 

[radiowannab]

I heard Libby on the air last night (Sunday) after 9 pm... must be short on part-timers right now.

When you're going to get 4% of the station sale, you gotta do what it takes to keep it on the air!

Is that something that is common in the radio industry for station management to get a piece of the pie when the station is sold? It seems like most people on here are worried when they are getting sold so I would assume that arrangement is unique to WKLU if it is true? Also what happened to Danno? I used to really like talking to him under the old format. Is he still working there?

 

[flashback]

I really tried to give the new oldies 101.9 a chance .at times the music was pretty good and at other times so-so but listenable. the other day when I was on the way to work they played "sugar,sugar" by the archies.

I can`t mentally accept the station that played the best album cuts playing that tripe.

that cinched it I won`t pick wklu as the station I listen to.I won`t protest if I am with someone who puts it on their car radio or home radio .but in my personal listening I will listen to jack-fm as the lesser evil.

 

[Steppenwolf]

I really tried to give the new oldies 101.9 a chance .at times the music was pretty good and at other times so-so but listenable. the other day when I was on the way to work they played "sugar,sugar" by the archies.

I can`t mentally accept the station that played the best album cuts playing that tripe.

that cinched it I won`t pick wklu as the station I listen to.I won`t protest if I am with someone who puts it on their car radio or home radio .but in my personal listening I will listen to jack-fm as the lesser evil.

Yours is the point exactly. I quit listening to radio some time ago because WKLU, Jack-FM and Q-95 were all playing the same music with so-called well known album cuts tossed in. I turned the radio off and started listening to my mp3 exclusively. Having worked in radio so long I'll turn it on from time to time mostly out of curiosity and liked what I heard on WKLU. Same dull stuff everywhere else.

No radio station has played the pop Top-40 oldies for the younger half of the baby boom generation, ever. For me personally, sure I didn't like "Sugar, Sugar" (which was a #1 song, by the way), but do you know the #1 song that preceded it? Honky Tonk Women by the Rolling Stones. I like a radio station that plays them all. And I suspect that female listeners will, too.

 

[radioho]

Is that something that is common in the radio industry for station management to get a piece of the pie when the station is sold? It seems like most people on here are worried when they are getting sold so I would assume that arrangement is unique to WKLU if it is true?

Each person/station has their own deal, or no deal and you're just told "you're done!" Sometimes GMs get a carrot dangled in front of them that if they meet certain goals they'll get a percentage of sale if station is sold. 4% of KLU's sale to the PD is a great deal, unless you give up and quit before it's sold.

Also what happened to Danno? I used to really like talking to him under the old format. Is he still working there?

He doesn't do shifts anymore - he does the overnight voice-tracking under the name DAN STEVENS (or something like that).

Voice-tracking was something Russ said he'd never do. But with Jack winning the ratings war - If you can't beat 'em, might as well save your money and join 'em!

 

[DrDru]

I quit listening to radio some time ago because WKLU, Jack-FM and Q-95 were all playing the same music with so-called well known album cuts tossed

I agree to an extent.

Jack always played the same songs over and over again. If you look at their list of Recently Played tracks on their website, you'll see a pattern. It seems like they play "Harden My Heart" by Quarterflash once an hour.

WKLU was decent, but never played hard rock. There was some arena rock thrown in on some occasions, but as I mentioned in another thread, WKLU for the past few years has always been an oldies station to me. A vast majority of it was the older, softer classic rock.

Q95 is a mess and it baffles me that they remain one of the most popular stations here in the metro area. They played a nice variety of everything in the classic rock genre, including some good 90's alternative (Metallica, Stone Temple Pilots, etc.), but then throw in nauseating new music by Green Day or Buckcherry and I can't help but turn on my MP3 player. Don't even get me started on the two-three hour pre-game and post-game Colts coverage. I love sports, but it just seems like complete overkill, especially for meaningless pre-season games.

------ Tonk Women by the Rolling Stones

Ahahahahahaha... was the first part of this song title censored automatically? That is TOO funny.

 

[radiowannab]

Also what happened to Danno? I used to really like talking to him under the old format. Is he still working there?

He doesn't do shifts anymore - he does the overnight voice-tracking under the name DAN STEVENS (or something like that).

Voice-tracking was something Russ said he'd never do. But with Jack winning the ratings war - If you can't beat 'em, might as well save your money and join 'em!

Thats to bad if Danno really isnt on there live any more. He did a nice job. They kept moving him around though as they seem to do with all the djs there. Its like they cant make up their mind who should go where or something. Ho where do you get your info? Is it from sources or direct knowledge? Seems like you know a lot about the inner workings of the station.

 

[radioho]

Seems like you know a lot about the inner workings of the station.

Baffling isn't it!

 

[Ann Tenna]

Q95 is a mess and it baffles me that they remain one of the most popular stations here in the metro area. They played a nice variety of everything in the classic rock genre, including some good 90's alternative (Metallica, Stone Temple Pilots, etc.), but then throw in nauseating new music by Green Day or Buckcherry and I can't help but turn on my MP3 player. Don't even get me started on the two-three hour pre-game and post-game Colts coverage. I love sports, but it just seems like complete overkill, especially for meaningless pre-season games.

------ Tonk Women by the Rolling Stones

Ahahahahahaha... was the first part of this song title censored automatically? That is TOO funny.

Maybe this should be another thread, but I've noticed a definite shift in the music since Q95 fired their PD. They have moved more to the true classic rock format, and they are not trying to skew over to X103's music anymore as DrDru mentioned above. I really like the new playlist, not sure who's programming them right now, I know Ace Cosby used to be the Music Director, maybe it's him. In any case, the music is really sounding good now. Rumor is a new PD (out of towner) has been hired, but not yet announced - hopefully he/she doesn't screw with a good thing). Just my two cents, being a classic rock fan.

 

[hipporadio]

This station sounds good! Both technically and musically...

Since I can be counted-upon to be in the corner of any ethical radio operator who isn’t dog-leashed to Wall Street; I’m going to avoid this heap-on Russ spree... And attempt the unthinkable—report TWO POSITIVE con-klu-sions about the current WKLU. While on a home-for-the-holidays visit, I was able [yesterday] to venture into an area strongly-served by WKLU’s over-the-air signal.

First, it is not your Granddaddy’s Oldies Station... I’ll allow you fine folks to dot-“I”, cross-“T”, or debate the rationale of that observation.

Secondly, the WKLU audio signature IS EXCEPTIONAL—better than ANY past/present FM pre-modern music aspirant in this state. The usual culprits may be casually dismissed: 94.3—South Bend [that’s a no-brainer]; the WERK duo-cast; Lafayette’s 98.7; the former 104.9—Columbus; the WAXI rimshot in Terre Haute... And yes – even the renowned and unfortunately-former WGLD—whose audio always seemed “thin” to my 70s-trained pop/rock music ears. Did you notice I left an obvious contender off the audio “honor-roll”? Here’s a notion for you to wrestle with... I’ll bet Russ has taken-notice of Ft. Wayne’s 101.7 WLDE on trips north. For A DECADE, I’ve been extolling the technical virtues of this demure 3kw Oldies station. Now it appears both are cohorts in finely-modulated audio [by Oldies format standards]—the perfect “sweet spot” amidst presence/punch/character and quality has been discovered – and delivered!

Indiana can now claim fame to hosting the best-sounding oldies audio “out thar’ in Radio-Land-a” on BOTH the FM and AM bands—“101.9 – 101.9!” on FM and the 250-watt virtual daytime “pocket-rocket” on 1580—WIFE in Connersville [another BobOnTheJob station]. We now return to our regular program of crank-calling “The Russ Line”!

 

[radioho]

Don't get TOO excited about that coverage area - word from a buddy in a certain 'gov't agency' has it the KLU signal is covering a little more than license allows, along with a couple of other 'interesting engineering' things going on with that signal. That also may be bringing the entire local market into the cross hairs. The next month would NOT be a good time for anyone to 'test' their transmitter 'abilities.'

 

[Tired-Old-Dog]

I found WKLU has the strongest signal of any Indy station on a recent trip to Louisville. It
was blaring just a few miles from the Kentucky line on I-65.
Who is the engineer? IS BRUCE THE RADIO PIRATE BACK?

 

[BSURadioGeek]

94.3—South Bend [that’s a no-brainer]

94.3 WZOC is still in Plymouth.

 

[bigtime]

WKLU has sounded like they were operating with more power than they are licensed to for many months. It seems no competitors have taken any interest in tipping off the FCC. Or maybe the FCC just doesn't care about their own rules anymore.

 

[hipporadio]

94.3—South Bend [that’s a no-brainer]

94.3 WZOC is still in Plymouth.

Correct... WZOC is LICENSED to Plymouth; but for over a DECADE, it has “operated” [via LMA] by South Bend-located WSBT/WNSN. Furthermore, seems WZOC’s era as a Plymouth station may soon end; as an application to change its COL to Walkerton is pending at the FCC and past the comment period with no objection. The Kunze’s would love to sell, but the folks on Jefferson have a pesky cross-ownership limit to contend with—they also are “Grandfathered” to own/operate TV-22 AND The South Bend Tribune.