WNED Signs Agreement to Acquire WBFO

[TheBigA]

I don't buy WNED based only on ratings however, small commercial breaks, unique programming and a loyal audience do count for something, but the size of the audience is very important.

Have you bought time in their wknd afternoon blues show?

 

[SirRoxalot]

Ratings certainly matter when it comes to selling underwriting, and soliciting pledges from listeners. If they ain't listening, they ain't pledging. If they ain't got numbers, underwriters don't want the airtime. Zorba Pastor and The People's Pharmacy simply aren't going to bring in the money that the Blues brings in. You can't satisfy members if they aren't listening. In fact, they won't even be members.

 

[TheBigA]

If they ain't listening, they ain't pledging.

However, the converse isn't true. Just because they're listening doesn't mean they're pledging. The majority of listeners are freeloaders.

This is an issue for the owners and the blues show producers to deal with. Outsiders like you don't have access to the information they're dealing with. It's their license now.

 

[SirRoxalot]

Outsiders like me know insiders who DO have access to the information that WNYPB is dealing with. And, no, I'm not posting it here because some things are said by some people in confidence. You may know the inside of Public Broadcasting in general, but you've yet to display any knowledge of Public Broadcasting in WNY thus far. In fact, you've demonstrated a real lack of local knowledge several times on this thread alone.

 

[heydaybegone]

The majority of listeners are freeloaders

It's funny you should mention this "A". This transfers to the TV side in this case. I admittedly am a freeloader on the TV side. Why, you ask? (or maybe not). I'll say it anyway. They broadcast the shows I like to watch (i.e. Lubinski's oldies shows) ONLY during a pledge sweep. UNDER THE AUSPICIES of " so you can have programs like this " on your PBS station.
Excuse me...but you only play them when you want money. It is NOT regular programming!! Sorry, not from my wallet!!

I'll stay out of the radio debate due to a conflict of interest!!

 

[TheBigA]

They broadcast the shows I like to watch (i.e. Lubinski's oldies shows) ONLY during a pledge sweep. UNDER THE AUSPICIES of " so you can have programs like this " on your PBS station.
Excuse me...but you only play them when you want money.

So when your local restaurant offers a special lunch that you want, that isn't part of the regular menu, does that justify you getting it for free? If you watched the oldies show, even if it was only during the pledge week, you should pay for it. That's what they're fundraising for. They aren't preaching to you about Nova or Frontline. They're putting on a different show, like McDonalds offering McRibb, and hoping that if you don't care about This Old House, you might be motivated by Tommy James and the Shondells. The fact is you won't see EITHER on NBC. So then....

 

[Element9]

One thing is certain, the decision makers at the University at Buffalo are thrilled to at last be rid of WBFO. The $4 million WNYPBA paid UB and the State of New York will likely go to professorships and research, rather than radio station expenses and personnel. UB will continue to receive payments as WNYPBA leases antenna space on the North Campus tower which SUNY retained. Slick play by UB and the state.

 

[TheBigA]

One thing is certain, the decision makers at the University at Buffalo are thrilled to at last be rid of WBFO.

The other aspect that people should understand is that this is part of an overall trend towards moving broadcasting from educational institutions, like Universities, to companies that specialize in this kind of business. Just as the insurance companies and electronics companies sold their commercial stations 30 years ago. And it's not just happening in Buffalo.

 

[SirRoxalot]

I think that we're aware of that trend, even in our little backwater here. But thanks for keeping us hicks in the loop.

 

[wyatt22]

In response to TheBigA--I never bought the afternoon blues show on WBFO. It would have been a great program to run spots for some of our clients, but under WBFO rules we could not run a pre-produced spot (one which would have adhered to public broadcasting standards). Their only option was a :15 second generic announcement produced by the station thanking the underwriter for their generous support. We couldn't do anything creative in the :15 seconds, we couldn't even use an outside voiceover, and considering the prices charged (overall-not just the blues show) we never had WBFO in our budget. We did work with WNED am/fm/tv.

 

[JustPastBuffalo]

I have to say, the microphones at the new digs sound better on live breaks than did the mics in the Allen Hall studios. I don't know if the mics are processed before reaching the Optimod, but they sound clean and rich. That said, some of the production, like the produced IDs, occasionally sound distorted. Levels?

 

[GeorgeKramer]

Personally, I feel the merged WNED/WBFO lineup has some issues, one of which I discovered this weekend as I was driving around the city and found that they have replaced the very thoughtful and extremely informative Bob Edwards Weekend program with some HA-HA laughing car guys.

 

[Philip_Airtime]

Personally, I feel the merged WNED/WBFO lineup has some issues, one of which I discovered this weekend as I was driving around the city and found that they have replaced the very thoughtful and extremely informative Bob Edwards Weekend program with some HA-HA laughing car guys.

George, I really don't know how to take your posts. "Some HA-HA laughing car guys?" Either you have your tongue firmly planted in cheek or you're a clueless broadcaster. If you're having fun, well, that's okay. You're making me smile. But if you're serious, let me know, and I'll tell you why keeping Car Talk at 11am on Sunday is the smarter choice over Bob Edwards, even though I will agree with you that the latter is a fine show, too. BTW, Bob Edwards can be heard on WBFO from 3 to 5pm on Sundays.

 

[GeorgeKramer]

Thanks for the info on Bob's show. I didn't realize it was airing Sundays from 3-5pm. Got it marked down now.

 

[Element9]

It's been a week, yet the personnel who transferred to WNED sound like they're having difficulty delivering error free local newscasts. The set-up at WNED must be quite a challenge.

 

[SirRoxalot]

Rumor has it that the studio is not particularly "user-friendly" - especially for music programs - and that their automation system is not nearly as facile as what they had at WBFO. It appears that they're simply going to shelve the gear from WBFO, even though it's considerably more advanced than what's in the current news studio. That's puzzling, considering that they don't seem to lack space in the building. It almost makes you think that they're not going out of their way to make the WBFO people comfortable, or that they're not planning to accomodate music programming in the long term.

 

[heydaybegone]

And this is supposed to be any DIFFERENT than any other M & A ??
This has been done SO MANY TIMES before....who missed the memos??

Surly I jest, tongue in cheek...but to humor the process, not the "in the trenches" people involved.

As much as things change, they remain the same.

 

[yugoidar]

Surely, there's nothing worse than a surly jester! A typo, I'm sure! By the way, what's an M & A anyway?

 

[JustPastBuffalo]

Kinda like Double Jeopardy. I'll take Radio & TV for 100, Alex: "What is Mergers and Acquisitions?"

 

[yugoidar]

Thanks, JPB! I've been enlightened! Good to still be learning at my old age!