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WMT AM - Once Great, Now?

M

mediawatcher

No question, WMT dominated the CR market for years. Upon sale from FMitchell and partners to the WHO owners the consolidation of station began and leads to today. Recent additions of AM and PM drive time personalities have gone a long way to give the station back its personality. Still, with no local weather, limited news content breaks, shared resources, etc., the essense of the station as a community leader remains challenged.

Posts on this forum a year ago talked of the station's greatness. With so much of the content syndicated that leaves drive times, news hours, local sports events (thank you)and such at minimums for a local touch. Greg Alan and Bob Bruce are good -- no question. They will require time to rebuild an audience and potentially expand the domenation of the station.

Its a shame what the station owners did to the local farm broadcasters and local sports broadcasters (elimination and merged with other stations) which leads to more bland coverage. And don't get me started about the local news coverage. Please, if the owners read this -- devote more focus on the primary market.

I know, you always have choices to turn to if you don't like something. Look at Rick Seller's operation on KMRY -- its a WMT clone without all the corporate baggage. While we work on Rick to "update" his music selection he and team have been successful in becoming a "single voice" rather than a large station with a merry go round of on air talent.

Ok, enough for today. Your thoughts please.
 
i'm not all that familiar with WMT and really don't care for WHO here in Des Moines. However, what you are talking about, I kinda expeirenced last night while driving home from an Elks meeting around 8:30 last night with severe weather coverage, or lack thereof from any of the Des Moines radio stations. IMO, WHO need's to do a better job of severe weather coverage, they seem to wait until the storms are right over the metro until any updates are given. Last night, all I could see was dark storm clouds with lighting all over the place, yet WHO was going with normal programming and myself hoping like heck I don't get caught in a wind or hail storm while driving. When I was growing up and still to this day, whenever there are warnings issued in the KMA listening area, KMA goes non stop with constant updates through the NWS, that anyone can access for free via the internet, until the storms have cleared the listening area or at the very least a severe weather potential no longer exists.

> No question, WMT dominated the CR market for years. Upon
> sale from FMitchell and partners to the WHO owners the
> consolidation of station began and leads to today. Recent
> additions of AM and PM drive time personalities have gone a
> long way to give the station back its personality. Still,
> with no local weather, limited news content breaks, shared
> resources, etc., the essense of the station as a community
> leader remains challenged.
>
> Posts on this forum a year ago talked of the station's
> greatness. With so much of the content syndicated that
> leaves drive times, news hours, local sports events (thank
> you)and such at minimums for a local touch. Greg Alan and
> Bob Bruce are good -- no question. They will require time to
> rebuild an audience and potentially expand the domenation of
> the station.
>
> Its a shame what the station owners did to the local farm
> broadcasters and local sports broadcasters (elimination and
> merged with other stations) which leads to more bland
> coverage. And don't get me started about the local news
> coverage. Please, if the owners read this -- devote more
> focus on the primary market.
>
> I know, you always have choices to turn to if you don't like
> something. Look at Rick Seller's operation on KMRY -- its a
> WMT clone without all the corporate baggage. While we work
> on Rick to "update" his music selection he and team have
> been successful in becoming a "single voice" rather than a
> large station with a merry go round of on air talent.
>
> Ok, enough for today. Your thoughts please.
>
 
I agree. In the not so distant past, the local severe weather coverage was immediate and effective to the community. Now WMT must rely on a weather team based in Waterloo (55 miles distant) to discuss the situation. To WMT's credit Randy Lee pops on and helps with the situation as a news person---taking calls and updating the NWS bulletins. Too bad WMT can't patch in KGAN's weather professionals--they are in the same bulding but each station has a different owner.

This is the kind of thing I was talking about in the opening forum post. Local coverage has high value because its local---its the same thing that KMRY touts.
 
Frankly, you must be listening to the wrong station.

5am - 10am WMT is local with Greg Alan

10am - 11:30am WMT is local with a regional syndicated program. Certainly a lot different than a total national syndication, but I'll give you a technical point for that one.

11:30am - 1:00pm WMT is Farm...so your comments about the farmers not being catered to is way off base

1:00pm - 4:00pm WMT is Rush Limbaugh...duh on that one. Name for me a local show that could possibly pull the numbers and audience he does. Syndicated.

4:00pm - 7:00pm WMT is local with Bob Bruce

7:00pm - 9:00pm WMT is local with the Evening Edition

9:00pm to 5:00am they are in syndication.

Weekends are another matter...a lot more local stuff than any other station on the air around here. Most others are voicetracked and "syndicated" music shows. Leo Greco, Jim Doyne, the call-in shows...and lots of local community events and information.

The Sports station (KCRG) is totally syndicated and sounds crappy as hell with their canned weather and news from TV audio. And they're owned by the same company! WMT does more with local Cedar Rapids weather than any other station in the market. They simulcast on WMT FM when severe weather and news are appropriate to do so. Can you say that for the "local" company that owns KCRG, The Gazette, and The Zone? Don't think so...

What difference does it make if KWWL reads the weather for WMT? If you were a programmer, would you seriously take Channel 2 over KWWL just because they're in the same building? Why in the world wouldn't you cross-brand with the number one station in the market? Since KCRG isn't available (I did mention they are seriously lacking in their own coverage on their own radio station, didn't I?) who else would you suggest? KFXA? They're in the same building too.

Besides, The National Weather Forecast reporting office itself is located in Dubuque and another in Des Moines. So technically, the weather forecasts and stuff every radio station gets come from there anyway. The only difference being local observations...which you mentioned they already do quite well on WMT.

As for news and sports...WMT covers more area with their 6K stick than you may realize. Daytime, you can catch a good signal all the way to Rochester and down to Keokuk. WMT is currently the number 1 news talk station in Dubuque for crying out loud. Again...as an expert programmer (sarcasm), why would you direct a REGIONAL signal to only serve a LOCAL market?

Please. Tell me the benefit of having a local dork reading the same sports off the same AP wire that everybody else uses instead of the voice of the number one sports team in the state, Gary Dolphin?

Way off base, man. You gotta be a disgruntled something-or-other to come up with that lame re-hash.<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small">Edited by LowDown on 07/26/05 09:13 PM.</FONT></P>
 
> Frankly, you must be listening to the wrong station.
>
> 5am - 10am WMT is local with Greg Alan
>
> 10am - 11:30am WMT is local with a regional syndicated
> program. Certainly a lot different than a total national
> syndication, but I'll give you a technical point for that
> one.
>
> 11:30am - 1:00pm WMT is Farm...so your comments about the
> farmers not being catered to is way off base
>
> 1:00pm - 4:00pm WMT is Rush Limbaugh...duh on that one. Name
> for me a local show that could possibly pull the numbers and
> audience he does. Syndicated.
>
> 4:00pm - 7:00pm WMT is local with Bob Bruce
>
> 7:00pm - 9:00pm WMT is local with the Evening Edition
>
> 9:00pm to 5:00am they are in syndication.
>
> Weekends are another matter...a lot more local stuff than
> any other station on the air around here. Most others are
> voicetracked and "syndicated" music shows. Leo Greco, Jim
> Doyne, the call-in shows...and lots of local community
> events and information.
>
> The Sports station (KCRG) is totally syndicated and sounds
> crappy as hell with their canned weather and news from TV
> audio. And they're owned by the same company! WMT does more
> with local Cedar Rapids weather than any other station in
> the market. They simulcast on WMT FM when severe weather and
> news are appropriate to do so. Can you say that for the
> "local" company that owns KCRG, The Gazette, and The Zone?
> Don't think so...
>
> What difference does it make if KWWL reads the weather for
> WMT? If you were a programmer, would you seriously take
> Channel 2 over KWWL just because they're in the same
> building? Why in the world wouldn't you cross-brand with the
> number one station in the market? Since KCRG isn't available
> (I did mention they are seriously lacking in their own
> coverage on their own radio station, didn't I?) who else
> would you suggest? KFXA? They're in the same building too.
>
> Besides, The National Weather Forecast reporting office
> itself is located in Dubuque and another in Des Moines. So
> technically, the weather forecasts and stuff every radio
> station gets come from there anyway. The only difference
> being local observations...which you mentioned they already
> do quite well on WMT.
>
> As for news and sports...WMT covers more area with their 6K
> stick than you may realize. Daytime, you can catch a good
> signal all the way to Rochester and down to Keokuk. WMT is
> currently the number 1 news talk station in Dubuque for
> crying out loud. Again...as an expert programmer (sarcasm),
> why would you direct a REGIONAL signal to only serve a LOCAL
> market?
>
> Please. Tell me the benefit of having a local dork reading
> the same sports off the same AP wire that everybody else
> uses instead of the voice of the number one sports team in
> the state, Gary Dolphin?
>
> Way off base, man. You gotta be a disgruntled
> something-or-other to come up with that lame re-hash.

I agree,He is way of base with remarks on WMT and KMRY . The music they play gets them decent ratings and a very loyal listenership. Rick and his team knows what they are doing and its working.WMT is locally focused
>
 
Actually, WMT sounds better lately than it has in a very long time. They were beginning to be nothing more than a simulcast of WHO, stale and bland, but with the addition of the new morning guy and some other additions, WMT is starting to enjoy a type of rebirth. A little more edgy and a little more modern. (I said a LITTLE,so don't have a fit,OK?). And not to dismiss KMRY - That is a good solid station as well. Both have a lot to be proud of.





> No question, WMT dominated the CR market for years. Upon
> sale from FMitchell and partners to the WHO owners the
> consolidation of station began and leads to today. Recent
> additions of AM and PM drive time personalities have gone a
> long way to give the station back its personality. Still,
> with no local weather, limited news content breaks, shared
> resources, etc., the essense of the station as a community
> leader remains challenged.
>
> Posts on this forum a year ago talked of the station's
> greatness. With so much of the content syndicated that
> leaves drive times, news hours, local sports events (thank
> you)and such at minimums for a local touch. Greg Alan and
> Bob Bruce are good -- no question. They will require time to
> rebuild an audience and potentially expand the domenation of
> the station.
>
> Its a shame what the station owners did to the local farm
> broadcasters and local sports broadcasters (elimination and
> merged with other stations) which leads to more bland
> coverage. And don't get me started about the local news
> coverage. Please, if the owners read this -- devote more
> focus on the primary market.
>
> I know, you always have choices to turn to if you don't like
> something. Look at Rick Seller's operation on KMRY -- its a
> WMT clone without all the corporate baggage. While we work
> on Rick to "update" his music selection he and team have
> been successful in becoming a "single voice" rather than a
> large station with a merry go round of on air talent.
>
> Ok, enough for today. Your thoughts please.
>
 
> I agree,He is way of base with remarks on WMT and KMRY . The
> music they play gets them decent ratings and a very loyal
> listenership. Rick and his team knows what they are doing
> and its working.WMT is locally focused
> >

WMT is fairly locally-focused, but not nearly as locally-focused as they used to be. It used to be a great station, now it's okay.
 
Oh I listen intently to WMT and talk to it's employees...that's why the comments. They are getting better (much so this year) but the station has a ways to go to be great again...and they will. Thanks for your take on the situation.
 
> Oh I listen intently to WMT and talk to it's
> employees...that's why the comments. They are getting better
> (much so this year) but the station has a ways to go to be
> great again...and they will. Thanks for your take on the
> situation.
>

Like who? Tim Boyle is no longer there and your comments seem awful familiar to an op-ed he did in the Gazette before he left.
 
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