WLNG

[RadioFixerCLE]

[ one of the reasons why WWRL needed it to go away.

And a whole fat lot of good it did WWRL. It's not as if their signal in New York City and surrounding areas improved all that much. :-\

 

[davideduardo]

Let me preface here by saying that I posted my earlier comments for those who may not have any inside experience. It's a safe bet that PD's, MD's and jocks will not be flocking to back up Mr. Eduardo's comments.

For every bad experience, there are many good ones, particularly in medium markets where good consultants have benefited newer PDs and developing talents.

As an example, when the company I was with owend Country WTNT in Tallahassee, we had Rusty Walker and his associate Phil Hunt as consultants. The station had been losing money, and had a huge, overly eclectic playlist. With Walker's help, we immproved programming, trained a first time PD and deveoped talent in the key dayparts. We came to an understanding that most talent would not want to spend their entire career in that city, so we openly encouraged talent in smaller markets to join us with the understanding that, when the time was right, we would actually help and encourage them to find the next station where they wanted to be.

I have worked in Market #18 and in Market #1. Telling me what goes on in music meetings, staff meetings, jock meetings, morning show meetings, morning show boot camps, programming meetings, promotional meetings, production meetings, and meetings with consultants, in person, over the phone, through IM and through email is fruitless. Declaring that talent is encouraged or that music isn't influenced, or that research isn't done by consultants is not the road to go. What I'm saying goes on every day. These aren't arguable points, but in fact - yes, fact - daily occurrence. To say otherwise is insulting.

They may have been daily events for you, but I have never seen such things in my own experience, and that includes working with consultants like McVay, Valerie Geller, Scott Shannon, Bill Tanner, Joel Salkowitz and a number of others. I know of no consultant, for example, that does their own music research (although there may be one...) but consultants do help in finding the right research company for each client... often different in each market due to competitive covenants. Every one of these folks has fostered "thinktank" creative sessions and worked on talent development either directly or through training the PD how to aircheck and develop talent.

And not to harp on the crushing of talent, but saying that there isn't enough talent out there is ludicrous. I have the sad responsibility of often throwing out demos of jocks who are too experienced or too talented to offer low-paying jobs to.

I'll accept that different formats or markets may find a greater supply of talent. I was referring to stations that are generally two of the top 3 in a top market, where every detail is enormously important.

Regardless of what Burger King makes, I know that most owners, from corporations to on-the-job owners can afford to pay a jock $30,000...which they often don't.

You mean an FM in Lake City, FL, where billing is between $200 k and $300 k a year are going to spend 10% to 15% of gross revenues on each jock? I don't think so. Considering that a $30 k salary actually costs about $40 to $45 k with FICA, insurance and other benefits, that is a lot of money for the bulk of the stations in the country. Only 20% of US commercial bill over $1 million, so over 8,000 stations bill on the average around $500,000 a year. Take off sales commissions, and the nut is in the vicinity of $400 k to $425... with which to pay all bills and have something, hopefully, left over.

If you want to blame someone, blame the FCC for Docket 80-90 which made radio unprofitable or marginally profitable for most smaller market stations in the US. When there is no revenue growth in a smaller market, and the number of stations doubles, most have no alternative but to use satellite formats, voice tracking and reduce news and such.

When I see my 28-year-old production director forced to do weekend shifts just to keep from being replaced by a CBS grad who will take minimum wage to do the same thing, minus any experience and minus polish, I question a consultant who tells that same production director how vital he is, then informs the PD that they should consider making a switch for a "younger-sounding talent". This, by the way, is only one example, not the only example.

Part of that is duplicitous, and not defensable. But in many formats, relating to the lifestyle is critical. Nobody complains when successful TV shows come to an end... somehow it is coldhearted if this is done in radio.

I know of an FM that is basically a 12-24 format, and they hire total novices out of college to do the morning show with a contract that says that when they hit 25, they are done. The station cumes 2.1 million just in the core, and has a 25.5% share in a market where 53 stations make the Arbitron book. This is a different mentality, one that reflects the show business and entertainment value of radio, and it works.

Everything I have said is a fact, in New York City, on Long Island, on the East End and everywhere else. I don't fault consultants who throw the same advice to a country station in Oklahoma that they give to a pop station in New Jersey, because there are owners who will pay them hundreds for that privilege.

Hundreds? Try again.

Nor do I fault PD's who take consulting advice in order to protect their livelihoods, because for some being a PD is the only way to make a living and stay in radio. I fault lazy ownership that allows this entire system to be the case.

At the end of the day, radio is still a business and the value of any expense is measured in the income that expense will help generate. I think you are looking too much at the art form and not enough at the business. Each is part of radio, as the "art" is essential to getting an audience, but when excessive expenses make the ratings into a Pyrrhic victory, you see that there has to be a business model, too.

 

[RadioFixerCLE]

If you want to blame someone, blame the FCC for Docket 80-90 which made radio unprofitable or marginally profitable for most smaller market stations in the US. When there is no revenue growth in a smaller market, and the number of stations doubles, most have no alternative but to use satellite formats, voice tracking and reduce news and such.

Then these struggling stations should be bought out by their stronger competitors with the condition that the licence will be turned in and permanently deleted. This would clear up the band and increase the revenue pie for the good money making stations.

With increased income, the remaining stations can't use the "not enough money" excuse for not hiring live and local talent 24/7.

 

[davideduardo]

If you want to blame someone, blame the FCC for Docket 80-90 which made radio unprofitable or marginally profitable for most smaller market stations in the US. When there is no revenue growth in a smaller market, and the number of stations doubles, most have no alternative but to use satellite formats, voice tracking and reduce news and such.

Then these struggling stations should be bought out by their stronger competitors with the condition that the licence will be turned in and permanently deleted. This would clear up the band and increase the revenue pie for the good money making stations.

Under present rules, buying and extinguishing a station opens the fequency up for a new filing. I'd bet that a reduction of competition would be considered monopolistic, too. The big issue is that in the smaller markets, where owners often make only a salary as manager, where would the money come from? The FCC would have to allow fequencies to be permanently deleted... a dramatic change in rules.

The only cases of killing stations I know of are to immediately allow a station in another market to improve its signal, effectively closing off the old station forever. An example would be WINS' purchase of KLRA 1010 in Little Rock to open the night pattern and WADO's purchase of 1290 on LA to permit WADO to go to 50 kw... and the best one of all was the downgrading of WOWO in Ft. Wayne so 1190 in NY could add night operation.

 

[bernzee]

LNG is a living legend. All else aside, why fix what isn't broken? They're making money, they score in Arbs, and they break virtually every "consultant" mandate constantly. Radio has become dependent on being over-researched by bean counters and wannabe's. Air staff is groomed to be plug 'n play. After all, loyalty costs money. Personality breeds loyalty. You do the math. Consultants believe for the most part that listernship of any given radio station is determined by its playlist. Fortunately, I trained with a "consultant" who believes that what makes a station powerful is what happens between the songs, between the listener and the announcer. Hard to argue with but fewer owners are willing to make that investment.

 

[herethere]

One more post before I bow out.

I absolutely see radio as an art form. The day jocks, PD's, MD's and production people stop seeing it that way, those creative people will look elsewhere for work that they can enjoy.

Some consultants and owners may secretly dream of the day that a station's staff will consist of one person who can drop music into AudioVault, voicetrack 50 stations and cut sweepers for an entire chain for under $20,000, but for now there are still creative people whose desire to be in radio outweighs everything else, even common sense at times. Those people are there because they are creative. All enthusiasts should hope that industry people see radio as an art form.

As for the idea that there are stations that can't afford to pay $30,000 to a jock, that's just wrong. An owner pulling in $200K may not want to shell out 15% of the take, but this isn't a fast food job where many people can be quickly trained to do a basic job. I do realize that many owners and managers often feel like they're doing a jock a favor by putting them on the air, but if you are going to create a position that requires experience and singular ability, you should be able to pay for it.

Yes, there I basically said it - jocks are taken advantage of - and most know it. That's where the creative side kicks in. The consultant strategy defense of pointing out that creative people don't see things in business terms (there's another one I've heard many a time) is a wonderful way to impugn the integrity and power of creativity. They also know that creative people will take poor treatment in order to do a job they enjoy.

Every time I see a new intern arrive, I die a little bit more when I see their enthusiasm. It's only a matter of time before it gets squashed by the attitude I'm railing against. Owners can pay 15% of their take to have a great staff. Owners can pay 50% if they wanted to. You get what you're willing to pay for. If you don't believe that, turn on the dial these days and listen.

I'm dropping out of this as I find myself being swept up into a creative and concerned rage. ;D

 

[davideduardo]

As for the idea that there are stations that can't afford to pay $30,000 to a jock, that's just wrong. An owner pulling in $200K may not want to shell out 15% of the take, but this isn't a fast food job where many people can be quickly trained to do a basic job. I do realize that many owners and managers often feel like they're doing a jock a favor by putting them on the air, but if you are going to create a position that requires experience and singular ability, you should be able to pay for it.

In most cases, a station billing $200 k is not making money unless it is almost literally a one-man-show.

It's interesting and distressing that the awarness of what it costs to run a business is so poorly understood.

Let's take the kind of station that might bill $200 k... a Class C AM or a Class A FM in a small market.

If the owner does most of the selling, commissions will be reduced, but some will go to regional agency buys and there will likely be at least one other seller. So on the really low side, $20 k goes to selling. You will have a combined receptionist, traffic manager and bookkeper... $22 k minimum. Contract engineer, probably base around $500 to $1000 a month, major jobs extra. Technical parts and repairs $500 a month, if you are lucky. Already we have used up 25% of the gross, and have not started.

Utilities, including phone, electrical, etc. around $1500 to $2000 a month. ASCAP, BMI and SESAC about $500 a month. Insurance, including peril, liability, slander, business interruption, tower failure etc. $500 a month. If the station is lucky, it is at the transmitter site. If not, figure rental of land and building between $500 and $2000 a month. Office supplies, billing forms, postage bathroom and cleaning supplies, janatorial, office maintenance, business machine repairs $500 to $1000. Capital expenditures, like replacement equipment, computers, copiers, etc. a reserve of $1000 a month. I have not even included things like printing sales material, cost of remotes, etc., and 60% of the gross is already gone with no talent cost at all. This means the owner is going to have to decide whether wants to pay $30 k for a dj and earn about the same himself, or pay minimum wage and make about $50 to 60k a year.

Oh, year, I forgot about bad debts, debt service on the purchase of the station, dues and memberships, legal, station vehicle for remotes, part-timer for remotes, FICA, business taxes, use permits, etc., etc., etc. Since there is no way to make money at that level, the office person usually ends up being Mrs. Owner, and both the owner and his wife are underpaid and overworked.

 

[davideduardo]

LNG is a living legend.

Hardly. They are a good little small market station, very competently and skillfully run by Paul Sidney. But there are many other good small market stations all over the US.

All else aside, why fix what isn't broken?

I do not think anyone has suggest that the station be "fixed." It is billing as well as anyone could dream of in such a small, overradioed market, and it has a decent listenership for the market.

They're making money, they score in Arbs, and they break virtually every "consultant" mandate constantly.

I don't think consultants have mandates against serving the listener. There is no set of rules, no national playlists, etc., etc.

 

[Ted Russell]

If you want to blame someone, blame the FCC for Docket 80-90 which made radio unprofitable or marginally profitable for most smaller market stations in the US. When there is no revenue growth in a smaller market, and the number of stations doubles, most have no alternative but to use satellite formats, voice tracking and reduce news and such.

Then these struggling stations should be bought out by their stronger competitors with the condition that the licence will be turned in and permanently deleted. This would clear up the band and increase the revenue pie for the good money making stations.

With increased income, the remaining stations can't use the "not enough money" excuse for not hiring live and local talent 24/7.

Interesting. I had typed up, and decided not to post at the last minute the other night, a whole thing about the change in focus of radio stations. It had to do with local focus vs regional focus and signal range.

Basically my observation was that when AM was king, there were the few regional signals out of the big cities. Then there were the very viable small local AM stations that really didn't go very far, and thus did a fantastic job of serving the local communities. Once FM caught on, things began to change. Look at the coverage area difference between WALK FM and WALK AM for instance. How about WBAB FM and WNYG which used to be WBAB AM. Couple the fact that now WBAB simulcasts on WHFM for island-wide coverage. Then there is WBLI FM and its long ago former AMs, WGLI and or WLIM. Look at the difference between WRCN FM and its former AM counterpart WFTU. There is just no comparison. The FM signals cover much larger areas than the AMs do. It would be silly for the FM stations to focus on one or two, possibly three communities the way the old-time AM Stations did. There would be a lot of people listening that wouldn't be served. It makes economic sense for the FM stations to sell to their entire service area. What is the result though? Radio without a local focus. There should have been a few big signal FMs out of the cities, and the others should have been smaller signal FMs that could serve the local towns. Of course, they would have been screwed anyways, because a lot of the local Mom & Pop businesses in the suburban downtowns are going out of business, so there goes local radio's clientelle.

I think what's happening to the radio industry reflects what is happening in all business/industry. Should there suddenly be a shift in our economic paradigm where big business diminishes and local independant commerce makes a resurgance, I think we will also see a rekindled interest in locally focused radio. I wouldn't count on that happening any time soon though.

 

[bub]

I know Paul Sidney from the times in the 70's when WLNG was a daytimer on 1600 and went about 6 miles in any direction...

WLNG FM signed in 1969. The AM was one of the best on Long Island, in that cove, with 500 watts... could be heard as far west as Islip (approx 50 air miles) and on Cape Cod as clear as a bell during the day, which is one of the reasons why WWRL needed it to go away.

That's what attracted me to listen to WLNG. I live across LI Sound in the Land of Steady Habits (or is that the TaxU2Death State) and I recall that AM signal at 1600 came in like a shot...much better than 92.1 FM! Could never understand why WWRL wanted to take over that part of the dial...then again, they bought up the 1590 frequency just to keep that off the air.

 

[bernzee]

Not to drag out this thread to the breaking point but, LNG has achieved its status for being run on a shoestring budget all these years. Are they even stereo yet? They are a living and thriving artifact of what radio once was in its "glory days"
Second, I can't believe Mr. Eduardo has spent so much time in radio and accomplished so much without ever meeting a consultant he didn't like. I've met many consultants and there have been some I think were terrific and some who were dreadful. And there were those who said one thing to you while convincing ownership to flip to "Music of Your Life". I've worked with consultants who thought my other people should study my performances to get an idea of what a pro sounded like, and others who harbored an immediate personality conflict and worked to eliminate me. Obviously, a consultant who makes a list of your flaws and then regurgitates them every time he comes to your market to consult, whether or not his suggestions have been implemented, is not a "good " consultant. A talented consultant will build strengths out of weaknesses, use positive reinforcement to obtain results and pray that management will implement his suggestions after he leaves town. A "poor" consultant likes to tell you how "this worked magic in Albequerque so it oughta kill in Bangor, too"" and then tries to mold the station in his own, generic image. Most of the consultants I've worked with have also worked on the air, some with a lot more success than others. Usually I find that the people who were weak on the air are the most arrogant and insistant consultants. Psychoanalysis, anyone?

 

[bub]

Usually I find that the people who were weak on the air are the most arrogant and insistant consultants. Psychoanalysis, anyone?

;D ;D ;D

 

[davideduardo]

Not to drag out this thread to the breaking point but, LNG has achieved its status for being run on a shoestring budget all these years.

In a market with, today, around $6 million in revenue and 15 stations home to the survey area, you have to be frugal. This is the same story for any station in a market with around 100,000 population or less.

Are they even stereo yet?

I don't know, but the reason WLNG was mono was always explained to me as trying to optimize the coverage... mono has a couple of advantages for low power stations. Since the station is a lot more than music, Paul Sidney may not feel that there is anything to gain by being in stereo...

Second, I can't believe Mr. Eduardo has spent so much time in radio and accomplished so much without ever meeting a consultant he didn't like.

I have only worked with a few consultants, and have had excellent experiences with the ones I know. I am sure there are bad ones, just like there are bad auditors (Arthur Anderson comes to mind) and bad architects. The fact is, a consultant... a good one... can bring new perspectives, training, broad experience, etc. to a station.

I've met many consultants and there have been some I think were terrific and some who were dreadful.

Here we agree. Any profession has good and bad. Like the saying, "half of all doctors graduated in the bottom half of their class."

And there were those who said one thing to you while convincing ownership to flip to "Music of Your Life". I've worked with consultants who thought my other people should study my performances to get an idea of what a pro sounded like, and others who harbored an immediate personality conflict and worked to eliminate me. Obviously, a consultant who makes a list of your flaws and then regurgitates them every time he comes to your market to consult, whether or not his suggestions have been implemented, is not a "good " consultant.

Agree again. Training and helping a person progress in a career is one thing. Ragging on a person is infantile.

A talented consultant will build strengths out of weaknesses, use positive reinforcement to obtain results and pray that management will implement his suggestions after he leaves town. A "poor" consultant likes to tell you how "this worked magic in Albequerque so it oughta kill in Bangor, too"" and then tries to mold the station in his own, generic image.

That's a bad consultant. See, we agree yet again.

Most of the consultants I've worked with have also worked on the air, some with a lot more success than others. Usually I find that the people who were weak on the air are the most arrogant and insistant consultants. Psychoanalysis, anyone?

Sure, why not. Not everyone's talent is suited for air work. Some recognize thier own shortcomings on the air, and that understanding helps them discover the best talents and develop them. Those that are resentful of not being a famous morning show host or jock should look for another career, as they will drag everyone down with them as they are negative.

In my teens, I realized I sucked on air and would likely never be more than mediocre. I also felt that I could program and find the people who were not mediocre as I had set a standard of what mediocrity was... by listening to my own tapes. When you do that, you can feel very satisfied in helping true talent develop as there is no jealousy... just the utmost respect.

 

[chuckydoll]

WLNG: Enjoy it while you can

Paul Sidney has run it for years as his personal ego trip. Never saw the rise of FM, never saw the value of stereo FM, hardly modified the format to keep with the times.

Radio geeks and oldies snobs may love WLNG but its selfish ways will be prove to be fatal. Younger adults (if they listen to radio) think it's an old people's station. Ad agencies hear the mock-Musicradio approach and correctly see it as dated. You don't need a consultant to figure that out.

The irony is that Sidney could have used Telecom '96 to his advantage. WLNG could have purchased another station in the East End and used it for a complementary format if not a simulcast. WEHM has 2 signals to blanket all of the Hamptons, something that couldn't be done prior to Telecom '96.

As for WLNG going away on AM? WWRL wanted to increase its daytime power to 25,000 watts. In order to get that power increase the owners of WWRL bought out and closed down 3 stations -- WERA-1590 in New Jersey, WQQW-1590 in Connecticut and WLNG-1600.

 

[RadioFixerCLE]

Re: WLNG: Enjoy it while you can

As for WLNG going away on AM? WWRL wanted to increase its daytime power to 25,000 watts. In order to get that power increase the owners of WWRL bought out and closed down 3 stations -- WERA-1590 in New Jersey, WQQW-1590 in Connecticut and WLNG-1600.

Fat lotta good it did them too.

Someone should have told the genius owner of WWRL that it's not only the power that counts, but also where you're aiming your signal. 25,000 watts does you no good if the bulk of it is just going out over the water.

Maybe passing steamship tourists, sailboaters and freighter crews -- not to mention a few schools of fish -- enjoy the tripe piped out over AM 16, but the station remains inaudible in a lot of places in the New York area.

 

[davideduardo]

Re: WLNG: Enjoy it while you can

Paul Sidney has run it for years as his personal ego trip. Never saw the rise of FM, never saw the value of stereo FM, hardly modified the format to keep with the times.

The fact is, as low as the number is, WLNG is the top biller in the market. With a population 12+ of 110,000 the market does not get much agency business... it's all a local sell in a tiny market.

 

[bub]

Like I said, arguing with a consultant is like arguing religion, as there is no end.

Definition of a consultant: Someone who borrows your watch and then charges you to tell you what time it is.

 

[lalumia]

Definition of a consultant: Someone who borrows your watch and then charges you to tell you what time it is.



lol.....PRICELESS!!!.......

 

[RadioFixerCLE]

I was bummed to find out that WLNG overnights and evenings are now all automated & pre-recorded.

I got a chance to hear the station this weekend. I think the deejays sounded awesome!

 

[cspence]

I was bummed to find out that WLNG overnights and evenings are now all automated & pre-recorded.

I got a chance to hear the station this weekend. I think the deejays sounded awesome!

Sven, you mean Chuck Macken isn't reading those long endless sports scores and giving the precipitation percentages for the whole week anymore???