WKZV

[WCWalker]

Good story. I like reading these because it clearly illustrates the AM band is far from dead and that Full Service live and local radio can still work. People that live in metro areas fail to realize there are still lots of these stations in smaller cities and rural areas around the country. Sadly, the big companies that own most of the stations in metro areas will not format a station out of community need but instead only look at the bottom line.

 

[mc_billy_bob]

It must be far from dead. With this long of a conversation about a small time am station in Washpa, there must still be a lot of interest.

 

[WCWalker]

I've been doing a lot of online research on this very subject. I was amazed at the number of live and local AM stations that still exist and seem to do quite well in many areas of the country. Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa and Missouri have a lot of them. I've also noted several in New York State as well. In your area WBVP 1230 fits the bill.

 

[Boss Radio]

It must be far from dead. With this long of a conversation about a small time am station in Washpa, there must still be a lot of interest.

Don't go by that. The interests of a handful of radio hardcores don't translate into a broader appeal.

 

[OhioMediaWatch]

Two comments to that:

1) WTTF in Tiffin doesn't go that route without Doug Stephan, a successfully nationally syndicated host who has ties to the area and is an alumnus of that college. Without Doug, and the money he brought in to buy it, it'd continue to operate as it does now, a lightly staffed small commercial oldies station run by BAS Broadcasting, with music off the bird and maybe a local news person or host, and maybe local sports PBP. (I'm not sure which service WTTF uses now...BAS Broadcasting uses a lot of the Citadel formats on its other stations nearby.)

The arrangement with Mr. Stephan and Heidelberg is very unique. It's a donation of the station, by Doug, to further his alma mater's educational interests.

2) If you're talking about "local radio" in Washington PA, you're talking WJPA. WKZV is pretty much a non-factor as far as being an example of local service, no?

That said, there are still a decent number of examples of small, local stations superserving their communities in this part of the world, even in 2009. Many of them do use satellite/automated music formats to fill out their days (like WQKT/WKVX not far from here, in Wooster OH).

But these stations do have a significant enough local sports/news operation, and are very much "plugged in" to their small communities...not just "plug in the bird and walk away" operations.

 

[cingram]

Like so many other stations, WKZV potentially could "be something" (or at least something more) with the proper programming, financial investment, technical improvements, and acceptance of its limitations.

Those things are unlikely to happen. I bet it ends up with some religious outfit.

C.

 

[OhioMediaWatch]

It is a low-powered, directional daytime AM not even running its full facilities, and has numerous technical problems. I'm pretty sure you can't even GIVE those kinds of stations away today.

But yes, the religious operators could still sniff at it.

 

[hypwr]

I agree that these stations should be run as a local, tied to the community. However, this is quite expensive and you must have nerves of steel to pull it off. The owner/manager has to join the Rotary Club. The leading sales person must join the Lions and they both must get involved in everything in the community.

Then, there's the real problem. Will anyone listen to the staion? I doubt if anyone under thirty will since it's not FM.

Religious groups are also hurting and will not pay much for such a facility.

 

[Zipperhead]

I hear it could be the Pittsburgh market's first Spanish station.

 

[hypwr]

Hey!

Whatever works!

 

[kenhawk1160]

I hear it could be the Pittsburgh market's first Spanish station.

There isn't one now, and the Hispanic demographic is growing. Why not? Get Sima Birach to throw some money at it...he's the only one I know of who's been able to really make money with ethic-formatted radio stations.

 

[kenhawk1160]

I agree that these stations should be run as a local, tied to the community. However, this is quite expensive and you must have nerves of steel to pull it off. The owner/manager has to join the Rotary Club. The leading sales person must join the Lions and they both must get involved in everything in the community.

Then, there's the real problem. Will anyone listen to the staion? I doubt if anyone under thirty will since it's not FM.

Religious groups are also hurting and will not pay much for such a facility.

Yes, it should be run local and tied to the community, but no...it can still be pulled off rather cheaply. If you have a hands-on, selling GM capable of doing production and maybe sports, you can do it. Hire an extremely responsible operations manager capable of overseeing the entire programming operation and can think outside of the "air chair". That's much more valuable than someone who just wants to feed their egos for four to six hours daily.


The fact that it's an AM is irrelevant if you in fact program it as a traditional information-based station. You go as a music machine that's not a niche-based format with profit potential, you're gonna lose. As long as FMs hold true to the 25-54 demo, you'll see some of those listeners migrate to the other side of the band if what they want isn't available elsewhere.

And if this station is outfitted with a new transmitter, that signal will go much further than it does now. I get it in clearly up to Neville Island as it is now.

 

[hypwr]

Of course, they would be up against WJPA. Whether one likes their music mix or not, they do a very good job of identitfying with Washington and the surrounding communities. I attended the Washington County Agricultural Fair last week and JPA was there broadcasting every afternoon. Most of their staff has been on board for many years. Someone said that Bob Gregg has been there for 30 years. Hey, even if it's 20 that's great for this screwball industry.

I've been doing this for 56 years and I can't count the number of stations I've worked for either full or part time.

 

[kenhawk1160]

Of course, they would be up against WJPA. Whether one likes their music mix or not, they do a very good job of identitfying with Washington and the surrounding communities. I attended the Washington County Agricultural Fair last week and JPA was there broadcasting every afternoon. Most of their staff has been on board for many years. Someone said that Bob Gregg has been there for 30 years. Hey, even if it's 20 that's great for this screwball industry.

I've been doing this for 56 years and I can't count the number of stations I've worked for either full or part time.

Going up against WJPA would be difficult, but not impossible. One thing that JPA has going for them is the fact that they spare no expense when it comes to promotion. Offering the full-service elements that I mentioned earlier would make the station competitive, and that's what you should be going for...not to put JPA out of business. There's more than enough business in that market to go around. And if you run the leanest possible operation, it can be done. Spend your budget on a quality sales force and promotion, not on airstaff. That can be farmed out.

 

[petey99]

WJPA exemplifies classic small-city radio. They know their audience and area well and serve them well.

On the other hand, WKZV is what is going wrong with the AM dial - small town daytimers who try and try their damndest but will never be able to succeed in selling to its listeners. I give them a huge kudos for trying as long as they have for filling a niche for Washington and the South Hills. I tune in when south of Neville Island but I sometimes fear I may be the only one listening...

I wish them and others like them the best of luck. I really do, but I fear in 2009, its near hopeless.

 

[kenhawk1160]

WKZV is what is going wrong with the AM dial - small town daytimers who try and try their damndest but will never be able to succeed in selling to its listeners. I give them a huge kudos for trying as long as they have for filling a niche for Washington and the South Hills. I tune in when south of Neville Island but I sometimes fear I may be the only one listening...

I wish them and others like them the best of luck. I really do, but I fear in 2009, its near hopeless.

Here's what's wrong with WKZV...in the following order:

1. Unreliable transmitter. You don't know if it's going to be on the air or not.

2. No news presence, local or otherwise.

3. No promotional efforts.

4. Outdated technology...still running carts, and some of them wow every now and then.

5. No non-music programming that's relative to the local community.

There's still some daytimers out there that are profitable. It's a challenge, but it can be done.

 

[Parttimer]

Add a really minor-league presentation with a bunch of segues and a couple of old, disinterested sounding jocks and you've got a recipe for going out of business.

When I was there many, many, many years ago there was some talent on the staff.... John Gallagher, later of WLTJ was the PD and did noon-5 weekdays, I did weeekends, and 5-signoff sometimes (and later went on to several years on-air in Pittsburgh) and another of our part-time/signoff guys was Al Steele, who has been at WKYE/Johnstown for many years. But of course the days of smaller stations being "farm teams" for the bigger stations are long gone.....

 

[hypwr]

To make it work one must have at least 6 months of working capital. Most clients will string you out for 90days before paying. It will take several months to build up any cash flow.

I remember an owner of a small, full-time AM bragging how he had finally reached the $10,000 per month level.

You may as well shut the station down if that's all you can do.

 

[kenhawk1160]

To make it work one must have at least 6 months of working capital. Most clients will string you out for 90days before paying. It will take several months to build up any cash flow.

I remember an owner of a small, full-time AM bragging how he had finally reached the $10,000 per month level.

You may as well shut the station down if that's all you can do.

I know some who have billed far less per month, but were still able to make it a go. You have to be in this business because you love it, not because you just want to get rich. There's a lot of people out there with money who either buy or build a radio station for the sheer sake of owning a radio station, yet fail to realize that running a radio station is way different than running a furniture store, restaurant, funeral home or car dealership. They don't understand regulatory fees, EAS, public files, or any of the essentials required for the privilege of having a broadcast license, and then hire someone to do it for them. That's when it all goes downhill.

 

[kenhawk1160]

Add a really minor-league presentation with a bunch of segues and a couple of old, disinterested sounding jocks and you've got a recipe for going out of business.

When I was there many, many, many years ago there was some talent on the staff.... John Gallagher, later of WLTJ was the PD and did noon-5 weekdays, I did weeekends, and 5-signoff sometimes (and later went on to several years on-air in Pittsburgh) and another of our part-time/signoff guys was Al Steele, who has been at WKYE/Johnstown for many years. But of course the days of smaller stations being "farm teams" for the bigger stations are long gone.....

You're talking about the old days of the long-dearly-departed WKEG. Which, for a Johnny-come-lately AM daytimer, ran a pretty respectable operation for many years. Then from 1987 to 1992, it was run into the ground not once, but TWICE, resulting in it going dark both times. The real head-scratcher was, those two ownership groups that picked up where the Joe Nascone Era left off were experienced radio professionals with proven track records in the business. It's very hard to come back from silence once it happens.