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WLEC 1450 AM

T

tradrev

I'm a Cleveland listener of the former WLEC 1450AM. A number of us younger ex-WRMR listeners tuned in to WLEC regularly and I wonder if the radio experts here know what's going to happen to that station now, and also what happened to the DJs there, Dick Conrad, Dave Hayes and Jeff Baxter.

The end of WLEC shows how horrible local newsreporting is in Sandusky and in Cleveland. The Sandusky Register didn't note the passing besides a tiny backpage notice about sports, the PD was quiet, and even letters to the program manager were not acknowledged. (Although we're happy to report that the current advertisers are receptive to our calls and letters -- these big-money radio people seem to forget that listeners still matter, maybe once in a while.)

Even if you hate Standards, you have to admit that in today's world a station keeping its format for 48+ years was a great run. It was worth decent coverage and certainly the Register should have had it on the front page. And the local programming on WLEC was pretty good -- the station was a "part" of the community in ways that radio stations really aren't anymore. (Even if the CC people themselves didn't seem to grasp that).

I'd love to see an AM station with local news, community programming, local talk, hs football and local sports, and a mix of Standards (classics, new stuff like Diana Krall) and Old-Time Radio (I think they have stuff on WERE sometimes) and jazz. WLEC used to have some great late-nite jazz shows. And recently they broadcast their stream on the net .... I'd think a station like that could get quite a following if they tried it. But what do I know, I'm just a radio listener.
 
I agree with everything you stated as a matter of fact I know some members over at WEOL have stated that depending on the sale from CC stations in the SMALLER MARKET i.e. Sandusky we might see standards return somewhere down the road. Currently Mike Young has a program on Sundays after Jerry Quinns Irish Hour Program at NOON-2PM ON 1420 WHK PLAYING THE MUSIC OF YOUR LIFE STYLE SHOW as WRMR DID IN THE DAY OF RANDLE IN THE MORNINGS,CARL REESE IN THE AFTERNOONS AND JIM DAVIS IN MID-DAYS WITH TAKE YOUR PICK AT NIGHTS FROM TALL TED,CHRIS QUINN TO RONNIE BARRETT OVERNIGHTS. Mike mixes music of Glenn Miller,Carly Simon doing Moonlight Serenade,Diana Krall doing the LOOK OF LOVE,plus middle of the road country singers PATSY CLINE,KENNY ROGERS,JIM REEVES,DOLLY PARTON. Plus Paul Anka doing Diana and Ray Conniff with INVISIBLE TEARS,great flow too bad only 2 hours once a week . In the time we have too wait for N.E. OHIO RADIO TOO GET IT'S ACT TOGETHER WITH A STANDARDS FORMAT TRY THIS ON YOUR COMPUTER AM 880 KIXI OUT OF SEATTLE.
 
How about WKHR 91.5?

Some people think that they play too much historical 20s-30s-40s stuff, but I like it. I would much rather hear Tommy Dorsey and Ella Fitgerald
than "sing along with Mitch" (bletch!) and mediocre MOR-pop like Vicci Carr and Anne Murray.

We should consider ourselves fortunate that we have a station like that....on FM, yet! Plus, they stream on the internet.
 
While true 91.5 is a good station the problem they face down the road is people who are 60+ and over want a mix as in WRMR style. You can program Glenn Miller,followed by oh let's say The Modernaires(Millers singers)with a pop standard as in Perry Como and then finally a Diana Krall or Michael Buble. 91.5 depends on contributions however if they do not see things or program towards the long term finacial success for the station they could just fade away. As for the streaming that could come to a halt as other smaller and in most cases non-commercial stations are under the gun I refer you to check out THE SUNDAY OLDIES JUKEBOX WEB SITE THEY JUST A FEW DAYS AGO HAD TO PULL THE PLUG,91.5 COULD BE NEXT. Bob Conrad 2 1/2 years ago had his version of the music of your life and destroyed it by focusing on just BIG BAND,SOME JAZZ AND SHOW TUNES THE SAME THING 91.5 CURRENTLY ARE DOING IN THE END CONRAD ADMITTED IT WAS A PROGRAMMING MISTAKE ON HIS PART BUT THE DAMAGE WAS DONE. To keep this station going for another good 10 years they must make adjustments if not they will fall by the wayside,mix it as we mentioned to keep those 40 and over happy and in your financial pocket. 60+ and let's say the average age of the listeners of 91.5 60+ to 70 and over might be closer to reality when they die so do the the finacial support or worst bad health,meds cost an arm and a leg,nursing homes outrageous in cost so they have to make a budget cut ,at that will be at the expense of 91.5.
 
Standards

First, a big THANK YOU to alans for the 880 station recommendation! I am in my mid-30s but love the standards music format. I've seen Tom Jones and Engelbert in concert. The music is pure and the people who sing it have talent...not like the crap of today. I listen to 880 everytime I turn on the computer.

Secondly, I totally agree with the assessment of 91.5 FM. I have tried over and over and over to give this station a listen while on the way to work during my 40 minute commute (west side to east side of Cleveland) and I can always count on hearing at LEAST one Billy Eckstine song. It got to the point of annoyance. There's way too much good music to play to hear Billy Eckstine so often. Variety is needed. Throw in more Engelblert, Diana Krall, Tom Jones, Andy Williams, and others.
 
High Frequency your welcome I too have attended Engelbert,Tom Jones &Barry Manilow concerts I'm in my early 40's and saw people from pre-teens to about mid to late 70's and thank you for your obeservation about 91.5. 880 is a good station really reminds me of WRMR,on sundays from NOON-2PM CHECK OUT WHK 1420AM Mike Young has a show called MUSIC,MEMORIES&ME with that same WRMR OR AM880 FEEL. Mike as of last year was a member of 91.5 and did a MUSIC OF YOUR LIFE PROGRAM FOR 4 HOURS Plus a lot of fill-ins it's still a mystery as to why they let him go,I called him at WHK and on his cell which is posted on the WHK website to ask why and he said management didn't feel the music fit the station after 5 years and after the manager who put the station together thought otherwise. The new regime have no clue and thus Mike left went to 1420 and from his statements on the air the listeners from 91.5 have followed him there even if it's only for 2 hours once a week.
 
I forgot I also have seen Neil Diamond a couple times recently. Neil, Engelbert, and Tom Jones all put on great shows. I just don't see many folks in today's "pop" music world having the kind of longevity that these legends have.

WRMR...Jim Davis was my favorite jock there. Smooth delievery.

I will tune into WHK this Sunday if I remember! Thanks for the tip.
 
High Freq I saw Diamond out at RICHFIELD years ago what a show but again people of all ages TODAYS MUSIC JUST BLOWS AND CANNOT HOLD A CANDLE TO THE POP CLASSICS/GREAT AMERICAN SONGBOOK. Jim I agree totally smooth he is currently the OPERATIONS DIRECTOR AT RADIO ONE IN CLEVELAND,very funny guy and those jokes about SPOOKY OLD ALICE PRICELESS. Check Mike out NOON-2PM 1420 AM WHK,WITH MUSIC,MEMORIES&ME THE OLD WRMR FORMAT,Mike also does another radio show that you have to drive around for on 88.9FM The Sunday Oldies Jukebox normally 4pm-7pm,I KNOW A LOT OF PEOPLE WOULD LOVE TO SEE HIM GO FULL-TIME SOMEWHERE IN RADIO. A throwback to how radio personalties were witty,informative with personality talking about books,movies family life unlike today,Hi Joe Jock ON NON-MAJIC FM BILLY JOEL WITH UPTOWN GIRL,PARTLY CLOUDY TONITE LOW 35 CURRENTLY CLOUDS AND 45 HERE'S KANSAS WITH DUST IN THE WIND ON NON-MAJIC.
 
Re: WLEC 1450 AM;the Prune Juice & Depends Days are over

The station wasn't generating any revenue playing all the "MUSIC TO DIE BY" as we called it. High school sports was the only thing generating revenue(next to the Sunday morning church programming), therefore they decided on ALL sports. I also think you young old farts are very narrow minded & one dimentional by saying "all of today's music is crap"...go to the blue light section at K-Mart & actually BUY the garbage they used to make us spin on 'LEC(Herb Ohta, Kai Winding, Keely Smith & other music to have a bowel movement to. I'm not saying this new all sports/little news format was the remedy, but even if CC wasn't down our throats to make them look good before they sell us, that format had to go! WLEC should've gone back to the Light Easy Classics format like we had in the early '90s(at least then we had listeners that weren't too weak & fragile to be able to hold a telephone reciever & call in when we gave away Indians tickets!!! I cleaned out the attic of the hut a few years ago & found music logs from 1962-63 & they didn't even play those atrocities back then when it was first out! Granted, SOME was okay, but GET W/ THE TIMES PEOPLE! btw...Dave Hayes can now be found on our 5,000 watt FM, 100.9 The Coast(classic rock doing overnights) "Magic" Dick Conrad's probably somewhere in Lakewood with a rose in his mouth looking for a couple swingin' young studs, & Baxter hasn't been doing anything for 'LEC for at least 4 years, check with Crestlawn Cadillac, that was the last place I heard his voice. My favorite WLEC memory: Sitting in the old studio w/ Dickie Schock sarcastically laughing our asses off blasting Julias Larosa at the office women who also thought the station was so old it blew popcorn farts.
 
Carlos,
I'm sorry you are taking our taste for music so personally. Please go back and re-read all of these posts. We weren't attacking you, your station, WLEC, if that's where you worked or are working at now. If your station changed format to get more ad revenue, that's simply the smart thing to do. Sure, the reason why stations today play what I consider 'crap' is because it caters to the young crowd which has a lot of the expendable income. No brainer there.

Now, as a member of the "very narrow minded & one dimentional (it's "dimensional" by the way)" population as you put it, let me repeat what I have said in an earlier post. You will not see a LARGE portion of today's artists still touring 30 or 40 years down the road. Even in the rock world, no one will have the staying power of a band like Aerosmith or the Rolling Stones.

Here are the top 10 grossing concert tours of 2006 according to the Associated Press.
Rolling Stones $138.5
Barbra Streisand $92.5
Tim McGraw/Faith Hill $88.8
Madonna $85.9
Cirque Du Soleil - "Delirium" $82.1
Celine Dion $78.1
Kenny Chesney $66.0
Bon Jovi $59.7
Dave Matthews Band $51.3
Elton John $48.9

Do you see anything? Discounting Cirque Du Soleil, I strongly believe that the majority of that top ten have been in the music business for at LEAST 20 years. Oh, and wait a minute!!! Three of those artists: Elton John, Celine Dion, and Barbara Streisand would probably be considered music "to have a bowel movement to." Surely, someone who is as knowledgable about the radio/music business as yourself can see that.

So, please, keep listening to your music. I'm sure it's timeless. I'll keep listening to mine.
 
I always thought that Jim Davis was the best possible programmer for a standards station. WRMR was the best possible example: in spite of the aging demos, they always billed well and had great ratings - even when Salem tried to ruin it in 2001.

If Elyria-Lorain ever thought of resurrecting the standards format in the Sandusky market (hell, why not try it at WMJK?), they would do well to consult Jim - or try to steal him away from Radio One... Oh, well... something to think about.

- Nathan Obral
 
Thank-You Nathan & High Freq for setting the record straight for Mr.Carlos,I agree about having Jim consult if and when the time comes for a standard format to return to the N.E.OHIO AIRWAVES. I would try to get Jim back on the air along with several names such as Ted Alexander,Chris Quinn,Carl Reese if his health permits the same with Tall Ted and Mike Young who is doing a fine job on WHK on Sundays Noon- 2pm.The money demo we get it Carlos but remember those 35 and over are the displaced listeners with the real disposable income. 18-30 year olds are among the highest debt ridden group in this country for a variety of reasons FINANCIAL AID FOR SCHOOL,CREDIT CARDS BEING USED TO BUY EVERY LITTLE THING SUCH AS $$$ NIKKE,PLAY STATION ETC,AND CAN'T OR WON'T LIVE WITHIN' THERE MEANS. 35 nad over yes we may have some debts but not as much we are home owners with pension plans with our companies,our cars might be paid-off but then we have to take the kids shopping for clothes,school supplies,dental needs but WE HAVE A BUDGET AND SAVINGS ACCOUNTS BIG $$$$DIFFERENCE and if the advertising community would wise-up I think programs on radio/tv would be a little more even keeled.
 
Re: WLEC 1450 AM: KEEPERS OF THE FLAME

One of the few things I miss about the old 'LEC was the lost & found pet reports...oh yeah...and making fun of the song"The Ill Wind" when I filled in . Those bitter ex listeners act like that format was around forever on WLEC. It actually only lasted around 11 years when the GM came to Sandusky after driving WRKG 1380AM in Lorain(now a goodtime rock & roll oldies station doing well) into the ground with the same stale old format.It just SEEMED like forever!!! Before that it was a nice Light Adult Contemporary format on WLEC that played everything from light Todd Rundgren to Gloria Estevan to Seals & Crofts to...even the BEATLES(perish the idea of that, yet when the American Music Classics came along we WOULD play the God aweful Esther Phillips version of "And I love Him" or Vicki Carr catterwalling her rendition of the Lennon/McCartney classic "You've Got to Hide Your Love Away". Even before that in the 70's & 80's it was an AC "light hit" format. At least back then you could listen in your car w/out fear of falling asleep at the wheel waiting to hear the vital statistics & becoming one! A good news bulletin for fans & former listeners of the American Music Classics: All the songs are still in the library, none have been deleted & COMING SOON: AMC's streaming on the web! So soon you'll be able to hear all the old songs on line(jockless,but the old Singing Nun jingles will be back) 24/7 ! So now every nursing home around the planet can pipe in the "favorites" & having the listeners once again jiggling 'til their colostomy bags fall off listening to Perry Como & Xavier Cougart! And "Tell a friend"...the "Keepers of the Flame" will soon be re-igniting via webcast. The Sandpiper's version of "Louie Louie" was always a great pick me up too.
 
Why so bitter?

Carlos,
What's the point? It sounds like you hate or hated where you worked and who you worked with. I'm sorry you were burdened to fill in on a station that you hated so much. That must have been awful.

I d-j'd, did news and sports at a station that ran lost pet reports and it was adult contemporary. I also worked at a country music station that ran quite a bit of community/public affairs and news. It's part of the job. If you truly love your job or radio, catering to your target audience isn't such a big deal and you do your best to please the folks who tune to your station, no matter who it is.

For someone who hates the "music to have a bowel movement to," you certainly have a pretty good grasp on the artists and the latest in news surrounding the format (American Movie Classics streaming). Keep up the good work.
 
Carlos,while this is a country of freedom of speech and opinions which you have displayed in the last couple of postings I have one question and I'm sure High Freq,Nathan&others along with me are wondering,if you were offered a full-time gig for THE AMERICAN STANDARDS CHANNEL would you turn it down yes or no,my guess you would take it in a heartbeat radio is radio I'm sure not all air-talents like a format or the bosses but as long as the checks are good they'll do the job.
 
Nathan:

Regarding WRMR toward the end.

"The billing was great": According to reliable sources, WRMR was only billing about 2 mil per year at the time of the change. They had just sunk a lot of money into a transmitter upgrade with additional tower(s) and expensive legal manuvers. There was very little national business on the station. Many of the car dealer ads (and other spots) that you heard were trade. The local ads that they did get from loyal businesses who were fans and/or wanted to reach 55-65+, were not enough to justify the salaries of several live air personalities and associated staff.

"The ratings were great": If you look at the ARB from that time, the vast majority of the audience was over 65, the rest were 55+, and they showed virtually NOBODY below 55. Now I know that there were probably some under 55s who enjoyed the format, but they were statistical fly-specs. Yes, the 12+ was "great" but that means nothing when the demos were off the chart old.

Look, I like pop standards myself (although more Sinatra and Bennett than John Gary and Vicci Carr) and the demos shouldn't matter when there are a considerable amount of human beings who desire the format. But this is how commercial radio works. When you are over 55, you might as well be dead.

This is why WKHR (a non-comm) is so important to support. Also, www.live365.com streams lots of standards formats of many variations for free. Plus the satellite services have standards formats (both Sirius and XM have more than one each). So it is out there. Just don't expect commercial terrestrial radio to do it.
 
Alans, I've already been at 2 stations like that & if it paid well I'd even go to an opera station if there were an opening.That format has made me numb to just about anything. Sandusky is "Vacationland", not a retirement community. When people are on Rt. 2 in the summer & see the road sign "Tune to 1450 AM for Cedar Point Traffic reports", it's usually families coming into the area to have fun, not to tune in & hear "Art & Dottie Todd". When people are on the beach in the summer they wanna hear "fun" music...not Dinah Shore "The Gypsy". It's always interested me how some people that have the illusion of themselves as the "swingin' lounge, Bel Air" type enjoy that music & write off other music as "crap". Example: Acceptable music to a WLEC listener..."What's New' by Linda Ronstadt (after she got into the crooning), but "You Won't Matter Anymore" or "Different Drum" is "rock crap"...Anne Murray "Shadows in the Moonlight" is acceptable but Barry Manilow "Weekend in New England" or "Mandy" is unacceptable. Where's the fine line? A great station (that plays some crooners even!) is AM 580 CKWW, "Motor City Favorites"...it's a little similar to the old "Big 8". That's where WLEC could've struck it rich, by making themselves a "Light" version of the old CKLW, & spared everyone the Arthur Prysock. Businesses could've at least have left it on in the background & not had to worry about hearing "Que Sera Sera" & scaring everybody off, but it's too late now. Anyway, Check out AM 580...I believe they're streaming now...that is if you were a CK fan.
 
Carlos,
First of all, I agree with you about the point of hitting your target audience. "Old music" is often found on a lot of stations that feature news/talk.

Second, as someone who listens to a lot of the standards, I don't see Barry Manilow's music as "unacceptable." I'm not sure where you get that. Anyway, Seals and Crofts, Jim Croce, Gordon Lightfoot and other artists that are NOT from the swing era or Sinatra period have found a home on some standards stations. It makes for a decent mix.

As far as the "crap" music is concerned, I will stand by that comment as long as the Britney Spears and Ashlee Simpsons of the world continue to sell A LOT of records.
 
Yeah, I have to agree, Mariah Carey or Christina Aguilera have nothing on Eydie Gorme or Ethyl Ennis, they both had so many chart toppers( :D) Blame it on the Bossa Nova made it all the way up to #7 !
 
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