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WKPT-AM now "ESPN Tri-Cities"

S

Sammy Reed

Guest
One Mr. Squarepants' dream has come true - WKPT-AM is now sports-talk!

**********PEOPLE WHO ARE NOT SAMMY REED DISCRETION ADVISED**********

Those who want Bristol's name changed to Bristol, Baby instead of Bristol, Tennessee, have at it. The rest of us who like oldies are stuck with the 5-10 obscure / novelty song playlist of WABN.
Thanks a lot.
 
Okay, guys. I've calmed down a little. My comments were kindof knee-jerk after the shock of my first experience of what happened. I apologize for any bad feelings.

"Tight", I am happy for you that what you wanted to happen nearly 10 years ago has finally happened. As you can tell, I'm not a fan of sports-talk myself, but really, I hope anyone out there who's glad about the change will chime in and offer your congratulations for this. Others who aren't, in expressing your sentiments, please try to be not as harsh as I was.

I'll make a separate thread in regard to WABN, to keep this from going off-topic.
 
I'll give it a year if HV don't go broke first. When your "network" moniker is as boring as watching badminton, well. I was wondering why the signal improved in the last month. Something was up and this is it.......Brilliant. No one ever said Tri-Cities radio people did anything original. Maybe the Hog is about to be slaughtered and something else for 95.9?
 
eacalhoun1 said:
Is WOPI still going to do country/bluegrass weekends?
Click to expand...
They're playing country right now as I type this, so yes, they do still have country on weekends.
 
Is Scott Gray on there anymore? He's not mentioned on their website.
 
I have often said that the Tri-Cities is not a good sports area, but rather is a good music area. The fact that the responses on here are not "it's about time!" but rather waxing poetic for a dying format, and music on AM to boot, speaks volumes to the truth of that sentiment.

And they think they're going to get 160,000 fans to watch a football game here? Well, I guess with four years to sell tickets . . . .
 
But what bothers me is that to my knowledge, correct me if I'm wrong, but WKPT is not really making an effort to take on WXSM with this format but rather is running the station in almost the same way as before- they just have another syndicated network around their programming with Dave Light and the paid preachers and doctors. Instead of Carly Simon and the Captain and Tennille, 23 hours of filler is provided by Colin Cowherd and Mike and Mike.

The filler just happens to be sports, but as of now, there is no local sports programming of note save for the occasional high school broadcast.

I find this very disappointing. We now have three all sports radio stations in the market after it took a generation after the format debuted to be accepted here. Yet none of them are all that good- two of them are basically automation and the other is really set in their ways and perhaps ripe for the picking.
 
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As I see it is:

I'm of the opinion that the syndicated network means very little when it comes to sports radio, aside from the fact I'd bet ESPN recruited WKPT to come on board. I could be wrong- the 105th largest radio market in the USA isn't going to make or break ESPN. But you get the idea ESPN has become so huge that their philosophy is if one market gets away from them, it could spread.

But CBS, FOX, ESPN- all of them have recognizable hosts. I think Rome's audience is more cultish, Cowherd is a parrot for the ESPN line of thinking, and Scott Ferrall may be more of an acquired taste, but essentially they all put forth a strong lineup.

For the market, I think getting Mike and Mike is a positive. I'll let you decide what the biggest or most popular sports talk show in the country is- but Mike and Mike would certainly be a prime candidate. I never could understand why WXSM didn't take the natural marketing that the show would give the station with its simulcast on ESPN2 and put Bobby Rader in Cowherd's spot.

And I don't listen to Mike and Mike. I'm just sayin'
 
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But please, please, don’t tell me that WKPT-AM is just going to stay as it is. Please tell me they are more imaginiative than that.

Sports talk can advance the culture of a community. Sports are a major part of the culture of any community, and the sports talk show host(s) of that community have pied piper qualities with the public forum presentation sports talk has.

This community is not any different. But after 23 years, wouldn’t it be nice to have a pied piper who has a different take; who commented with objectivity instead of fan boy blinders, who didn’t shy away from local controversies, and maybe did a show that wasn’t so caller-driven, especially since that style is so passe?

Don’t the cultural needs of the community, let alone advertising needs, demand it?

That’s why I think it is imperative for WKPT to do more than it is. They have a real chance to make it as the No. 1 sports station in the market with their FM frequency, their play-by-play contracts, their reputation already as a sports station, and the fact the market is ripe for the taking.

What I’d like to see happen is:

A- ETSU wanted to be on FM for a long time, which is why they went to WKOS with their play-by-play for awhile. It was a poor fit for a variety of reasons, primarily because it was a music station. Now an FM perfectly suited to them has arisen. WKPT could stand to gain thousands of dollars in advertising revenue and also pick up a frisky young colt, as ETSU would seem primed to be about to enjoy a resurgence in popularity with the revival of football and new facilities. Shuttle UT to AM when there is a conflict- to be honest with you those who wish to listen to the Vols are going to listen to WQUT and their superior signal, anyway.
B- Quit playing the game like they always have, as the No. 2 sports player in the market. Stop that. Go for the Gold. Produce a local talk show(s).

I mentioned ETSU, and getting Jay Sandos in to the fold would be tremendous. Not only is Jay younger, hipper, and more connected than just about anyone else currently on the air in the Tri-Cities sports scene, but he has a stable of young sportscasters he teaches at ETSU. Therefore, he will always have a stable of fresh, cheap talent that could also host a second show on the station or perform other duties.

I believe Mark Peace is over at the TV side of things selling ads, but he has the perfect personality for a sports talk show host- enthusiastic, experienced, and also not afraid to make a comment. Years ago I interviewed him as to who would win the Super Bowl for a radio show I hosted and he was great. He’s older, but his personality is lively and young.

Sandos and Peace worked together on high school football telecasts. While either one could carry a solo show in my opinion, a pairing would also be great to listen to.

Other guys? They are part of the 50 something crowd, but Chip Kessler has name recognition and, presumably, sales accounts from his post-ETSU work. Steve Wilhoit down in Greeneville is professional and kind, though maybe not real rah-rah. Still, local audiences could relate, and he speaks with knowledge.

Put a want ad out and you'll also find hundreds of young men from all over the country who will work for seashells and bottle caps and be able to attract new sponsors.

I’d love the opportunity, but evidently I am the market’s Rod Smart!

Hopefully the powers that be will allow the station to grow.
 
Interesting. I live up in Akron, OH and we have WAKR on 1590. Thought I was hearing things one evening when I heard a WKPT ID coming in underneath the WAKR signal. Familiar with WKPT because my parents live west of Kingsport. Heard other stations coming in under WAKRs signal but first time I've heard WKPT!
 
I'm glad I don't live there. I have fond memories of "beautiful music" after dark, which they later changed. I could pick this station up when I went to the mountains even better than at home, where I was only able to listen clearly enough to tell what it was.

It sounds like the Tri-Cities has turned into a radio wasteland. Even the good country music station has a lousy signal and can't even be heard after dark. Though I suppose WSM reaches that far at night even with WXSM.
 
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