WNDA Radio New Albany

[radiogeek40208]

1450 WAVG Classic Counrty sounded horrible in my opinion. You could barely hear it because the volume was so low. Did they make money?
[/quote

Do you mean poor signal when you mention volume? 1450's problem was management / programming. Blair is a smart guy with a kickass AM radio voice. But for some reason he let that staion sound sloppy. It was like he didn't care. I didn't work in sales so I can't answer the $$$ quesiton. All I know is that 1450 was a great place to work when Charlie owned it. Ron Chilton, Claude Wayne, Mary Ann Stansbury and a few others made that place a living WKRP. It was wonderful.

My first gig in radio was working for WAVG -- Ron Chilton hired me -- he really is a legend!

I started during the 1450 days, 970 was already gone.. but, yeah, just like WKRP... Blair fired Ron, and the thing went downhill FAST!

 

[The King Bee]

The Blues/Jazz/Southern Soul format the station had (as WLBJ, 1993-94) was one of the few things Archie Dale did right over the years! I really enjoyed the music format. Their program syndication net, the American Blues Network, had some very personable, very good talents whose presentation styles were throwbacks to the great Soul Radio announcing school of days past. But, alas, the sales effort was weak and LMA fees weren't getting paid to owner Mortenson, so WLBJ went by the wayside.

I agree with the thought of retuining a Stardust/Music Of Your Life-style format to the market. There's always an audience niche for Standards. Cole, Sinatra, Dino and the like will always bring you listenership, and not only in the upper-age demos...this music does surprisingly well witn 35-49s also. I always liked Charlie Jenkins' approach at WXVW/WAVG with MOYL wrapped around Southern Indiana-centered sports and public affairs. I once put a client up at a hotel where WXVW was holding one of its MOYL Club dances...you couldn't get near the parking lot due to the crowd!

 

[The King Bee]

Sorry...I meant years 2003-2004 for WLBJ's Jazz/Blues/Southern Soul format. By the way, is WNDA using the old WDGS Harris SX-1 transmitter modified from the original 1290 Khz output to 1570 Khz? Such a change would be much easier with that solid-state unit.

 

[kyscott]

Sorry...I meant years 2003-2004 for WLBJ's Jazz/Blues/Southern Soul format. By the way, is WNDA using the old WDGS Harris SX-1 transmitter modified from the original 1290 Khz output to 1570 Khz? Such a change would be much easier with that solid-state unit.

Unfortunatly, yes.

 

[skippertthomas]

..A couple of years back, there were two brothers and another major radio guy who moved back home to the Indiana side of the river and wanted to do a localized news/weather and information AM geard to the 'IANA' side of "KENTUCKIANA"...They would put national shows on when not running local stuff during AM and PM drives.. They were not able to get Jeffersonville's AM (they wanted it)... Wonder if they are involved in the LMA.. They do have a LPTV in the UHF band....????

 

[recordhead]

My first gig in radio was working for WAVG -- Ron Chilton hired me -- he really is a legend!
I started during the 1450 days, 970 was already gone.. but, yeah, just like WKRP... Blair fired Ron, and the thing went downhill FAST!
[/quote]

Ron had the best hair in the biz! I think the problem with Blair was he let his wife (I'm told) play new music during local avails. Now, I'd hear new music around 20 & 50 but I can't say his wife made him do it. I work for WAVG/WXVW for a long time. I left for awhile and returned for about 6 months. My last shift was news on the weekends. I had a few offers from Blair to do other stuff but it never worked out. They had the WORST morning show. Somewhere I have a tape of Blair, H Lucas and the news guy going on and on forever about nothing.

 

[radiogeek40208]

My first gig in radio was working for WAVG -- Ron Chilton hired me -- he really is a legend!
I started during the 1450 days, 970 was already gone.. but, yeah, just like WKRP... Blair fired Ron, and the thing went downhill FAST!

Ron had the best hair in the biz! I think the problem with Blair was he let his wife (I'm told) play new music during local avails. Now, I'd hear new music around 20 & 50 but I can't say his wife made him do it. I work for WAVG/WXVW for a long time. I left for awhile and returned for about 6 months. My last shift was news on the weekends. I had a few offers from Blair to do other stuff but it never worked out. They had the WORST morning show. Somewhere I have a tape of Blair, H Lucas and the news guy going on and on forever about nothing.
[/quote]

I agree about Ron's hair... I was 15 when he hired me, the stories he could tell!

Is it even fair to call "H and Blair" a morning show? HA.. but, you are correct about the local music -- he married Kelly, his younger promotions director, dumped his wife for her and married Kelly...

I haven't heard the name H. Lucas since old man Mr. Lucas passed away

 

[recordhead]

I agree about Ron's hair... I was 15 when he hired me, the stories he could tell!
Is it even fair to call "H and Blair" a morning show? HA.. but, you are correct about the local music -- he married Kelly, his younger promotions director, dumped his wife for her and married Kelly...
I haven't heard the name H. Lucas since old man Mr. Lucas passed away
[/quote]

Old man Lucas was a class act. Hemorrhoid Lucas on the other hand was another story. I went back to 1450 right before the switch to counrty. I took over Ronnie C's Rock & Roll Memories on Saturday afternoons before the switch to country. I did weekend news and ran the board for the Auction Show and Music Talk. My radio days at 210 Magnolia are by far the best.

 

[radiohawkins]

I agree about Ron's hair... I was 15 when he hired me, the stories he could tell!
Is it even fair to call "H and Blair" a morning show? HA.. but, you are correct about the local music -- he married Kelly, his younger promotions director, dumped his wife for her and married Kelly...
I haven't heard the name H. Lucas since old man Mr. Lucas passed away

Old man Lucas was a class act. Hemorrhoid Lucas on the other hand was another story. I went back to 1450 right before the switch to counrty. I took over Ronnie C's Rock & Roll Memories on Saturday afternoons before the switch to country. I did weekend news and ran the board for the Auction Show and Music Talk. My radio days at 210 Magnolia are by far the best.
[/quote]

Hey you guys might've worked together!

 

[recordhead]

Hey you guys might've worked together!
[/quote]

I don't remember working with anyone that young. I was usually there by myself. I went back about two weeks before they switched to country. FYI Blair and H hated Ron. Another guy who worked there and was a class act was Trevor. He went to work for PAX but I have no idea where he is now. Ron, Claude and the great Joe Fletcher could tell some great stories.

 

[radiogeek40208]

Hey you guys might've worked together!

I don't remember working with anyone that young. I was usually there by myself. I went back about two weeks before they switched to country. FYI Blair and H hated Ron. Another guy who worked there and was a class act was Trevor. He went to work for PAX but I have no idea where he is now. Ron, Claude and the great Joe Fletcher could tell some great stories.



[/quote]

I knew they hated Ron, it was obvious!

I was there when 1450 was MOYL before going to classic country -- we probably did work together -- i handled sunday morning "duties" :

Left about 3 months after they went to country to work for Clear Channel...

Do you remember Katy Frank and Ruthie Wilder? Katy's a good friend of mine

 

[The King Bee]

I've got a story about the WXVW days. Back in 1982, I helped out a group of guys who were programming Urban overnights for a while on 'XVW. One of the station's employees was a charming older lady named Charlotte Augustus, who was in Public Affairs.

One day, while I was talking sports with the board op, she asked me to take a look at "a little souvenir" her late husband had received from "Pee Wee" Reese, the great Dodger shortstop and a friend of the family. She wanted to know if it was worth keeping. It was an autographed baseball, but not just any ball...it was autographed by the 1955 Dodgers during spring training that championship year!

My jaw dropped as I looked at the still sharp signatures...Robinson, Reese, Campanella, Furillo, Newcombe, Hodges-even Tom Lasorda (a Dodger pitcher in camp that season) and get this-are you sitting down? Rookies Sandy Koufax AND Don Drysdale had signed this ball! I was actually shaking as I returned the ball to Miss Charlotte and told her "p-p-p-PLEASE insure this ball and get it to a safety deposit box TODAY!" Even in the early 1980's, she held a ball worth TENS of thousands of dollars. I am sure that this baseball, if it still exists, is priceless.

In her quiet, unflappable way, she said "thanks, dear!" and life went on...

 

[radiohawkins]

I've got a story about the WXVW days. Back in 1982, I helped out a group of guys who were programming Urban overnights for a while on 'XVW. One of the station's employees was a charming older lady named Charlotte Augustus, who was in Public Affairs.

One day, while I was talking sports with the board op, she asked me to take a look at "a little souvenir" her late husband had received from "Pee Wee" Reese, the great Dodger shortstop and a friend of the family. She wanted to know if it was worth keeping. It was an autographed baseball, but not just any ball...it was autographed by the 1955 Dodgers during spring training that championship year!

My jaw dropped as I looked at the still sharp signatures...Robinson, Reese, Campanella, Furillo, Newcombe, Hodges-even Tom Lasorda (a Dodger pitcher in camp that season) and get this-are you sitting down? Rookies Sandy Koufax AND Don Drysdale had signed this ball! I was actually shaking as I returned the ball to Miss Charlotte and told her "p-p-p-PLEASE insure this ball and get it to a safety deposit box TODAY!" Even in the early 1980's, she held a ball worth TENS of thousands of dollars. I am sure that this baseball, if it still exists, is priceless.

In her quiet, unflappable way, she said "thanks, dear!" and life went on...

Awesome story! Good man!

 

[recordhead]

I knew they hated Ron, it was obvious!
I was there when 1450 was MOYL before going to classic country -- we probably did work together -- i handled sunday morning "duties" :
Left about 3 months after they went to country to work for Clear Channel...
Do you remember Katy Frank and Ruthie Wilder? Katy's a good friend of mine
[/quote]

I don't remember Ruthie but I kept on touch with Katy for awhile after she left. I think she moved to Tell City, IN to help out her parents. Blair (in my opinion) did her wrong too.

 

[radioville]

Hey you guys might've worked together!

I don't remember working with anyone that young. I was usually there by myself. I went back about two weeks before they switched to country. FYI Blair and H hated Ron. Another guy who worked there and was a class act was Trevor. He went to work for PAX but I have no idea where he is now. Ron, Claude and the great Joe Fletcher could tell some great stories.

I knew they hated Ron, it was obvious!

I was there when 1450 was MOYL before going to classic country -- we probably did work together -- i handled sunday morning "duties" :

Left about 3 months after they went to country to work for Clear Channel...

Do you remember Katy Frank and Ruthie Wilder? Katy's a good friend of mine
[/quote]

I wish the Louisville market had a MOYL station. Would it be sellable?

 

[recordhead]

I wish the Louisville market had a MOYL station. Would it be sellable?
[/quote]

I say yes. PD's, GM's and the all important agency's would say no. I don't think you good dip into the 40's more than once an hour but 50's thru some 80's would be fair game. Thre is a whole genre of music thats being ignored that falls into the void between WRKA and WVEZ. If I owned a middle of the road AM I'd give it a shot.

 

[BobOnTheJob]

I wish the Louisville market had a MOYL station. Would it be sellable?

[/quote]

And maybe someone will. But watch out for CC...they took on 1450 with 1080 playing MOYL & forced WAVG out of the format...then changed 1080 to talk. If I were to try this, I'd only do it if I had at least a 1080 caliber signal.

I further contend that claims of this format being "unsellable" point more to a defective sales staff than a defective format. I'm not in the demo (yet), but I've seen the passion these listeners have for this format. Give them what they want & gently inform them via spots as to which car dealer should get the order for their next caddy...many of these listeners have a lot of discretionary spending power & very little debt...and no station to enjoy. Go Figure!

 

[recordhead]

[/quote]

And maybe someone will. But watch out for CC...they took on 1450 with 1080 playing MOYL & forced WAVG out of the format...then changed 1080 to talk. If I were to try this, I'd only do it if I had at least a 1080 caliber signal.

I further contend that claims of this format being "unsellable" point more to a defective sales staff than a defective format. I'm not in the demo (yet), but I've seen the passion these listeners have for this format. Give them what they want & gently inform them via spots as to which car dealer should get the order for their next caddy...many of these listeners have a lot of discretionary spending power & very little debt...and no station to enjoy. Go Figure!
[/quote]

1450 didn't stand a chance againist 1080 because of its poor signal. And (from what I heard) CC treated 1080 poorly. Big surprise. I was always told that agencies wouldn't buy the station. I agree about your sales staff comment. When I got to WAVG 970 in the early 90's I think it was #10 or #12 w/ 12+ in Arbitron. The listeners were devoted like no other format I worked for.

 

[radiogeek40208]

I knew they hated Ron, it was obvious!
I was there when 1450 was MOYL before going to classic country -- we probably did work together -- i handled sunday morning "duties" :
Left about 3 months after they went to country to work for Clear Channel...
Do you remember Katy Frank and Ruthie Wilder? Katy's a good friend of mine

I don't remember Ruthie but I kept on touch with Katy for awhile after she left. I think she moved to Tell City, IN to help out her parents. Blair (in my opinion) did her wrong too.

[/quote]

katy is still in new albany, but, yeah taking care of her parents - her father died a few years ago, but she's still taking care of her mother

 

[radiogeek40208]

I wish the Louisville market had a MOYL station. Would it be sellable?

And maybe someone will. But watch out for CC...they took on 1450 with 1080 playing MOYL & forced WAVG out of the format...then changed 1080 to talk. If I were to try this, I'd only do it if I had at least a 1080 caliber signal.

I further contend that claims of this format being "unsellable" point more to a defective sales staff than a defective format. I'm not in the demo (yet), but I've seen the passion these listeners have for this format. Give them what they want & gently inform them via spots as to which car dealer should get the order for their next caddy...many of these listeners have a lot of discretionary spending power & very little debt...and no station to enjoy. Go Figure!
[/quote]

1080 wasn't MOYL they were "stardust"