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WORST STATION IN the USA

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AX421

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TOM 92.9 FM! I want to listen to Delaware because I live in Delaware. I e-mailed Bob Walton and told him his jocks stunk. He laughed at me.
Who's laughing now Mr. Walton. I like cool 101.3's FM format. But Mike Butz and all this dog lover's crap is just stupid. Morning radio sucks in Delaware HO- HUM. I guess I'll hook up my MP3 player.
 
AX421 said:
I e-mailed Bob Walton and told him his jocks stunk. He laughed at me.

Bob Walton is probably laughing at you for two reasons:

1. He doesn't work there anymore (since November of '08), so the fact that his jocks suck isn't his problem...

2. ...and, as far as I know, TOM FM doesn't have any jocks...
Click to expand...
 
Great diplomatic skills AX421. I used to work at WILM and Bob Walton is a decent guy, who does know his business. I don't care for TOM- FM's music, so I don't listen. I like WDSD's music, so I listen when I'm in the mood for Country. When I worked there, I used to discuss ideas with Bob and he was very open to my thoughts and we'd have some good conversations. A lot of it has to do with how you approach someone. Most people aren't going to be real interested in someone's opinion when that person bashes them or their work.

There may be all sorts of reasons for why CC Delaware is doing what they are doing on TOM-FM, or any of their other Delaware stations as well. Some may be limitations or edicts from the corporate office in Texas. Believe me, Bob is no one's fool. I'm sure he's working hard to make TOM and WDSD (as CC's only FM's in Delaware) to be as successful as he can (since that's where the money is made in today's radio world), same with their AM's WILM, WWTX, and WDOV (finding ways to make money with them as well as AM radio can in today's world).

Remember, only WILM and WWTX are Wilmington stations, both FM's are rim shot stations from Dover (WDSD 94.7 with a strong signal in New Castle County) and Smyrna (TOM-FM 92.9 the weaker signal that isn't very good in many parts of New Castle County), and of course WDOV is from Dover serving Kent and Sussex Counties and isn't a factor in the Wilmington area at all.

Apparently, Bob Walton is no longer at CC Delaware, so it isn't his problem now, but whomever, CC brought in when they moved Bob to another market is seriously thinking about how to make their cluster of stations make money. My suggestion to you, if you choose to write the new person, is be a bit more diplomatic. These people are professionals who do know a thing or two about the radio business. Sometimes we radio geeks here at RI forget that fact. You get more fly's with sugar than you do with vinegar.
 
It might just me, but TOM FM sounds like a jockless WSTW. Not a bad thing, since the air staff at 93.7 sounds aged too. Clear Channel could make much more money with sports on 94.7, they already run U O D and Nascar, add the Blue Rocks or The Phillies and you have a local sports station. As for 92-9. Why not give it a try at news Talk? Morning news, then Glenn, Rush and Hannity....that woul make a pretty good day and cheap to run like cc likes it.
 
I think what we as radio geeks think of as good radio isn't necessarily what the average listener likes.

Having said that, there are some truly great stations in Delaware. There are one or two abysmal ones. None of the ones mentioned in this thread would be considered bad by any stretch of the imagination. And to keep things positive, I'll say that all 4 major news talk stations in Delaware are all VERY good stations.
 
Some things we need to consider and remember when discussing WRDX (Tom-FM) and WDSD. They are Dover stations. Dover isn't a rated market. We see WDSD and WRDX show in both Wilmington and Salisbury markets, but really have no idea how well they do in their primary market, Kent County. Both may be the major listen to stations in Dover/Smyrna/Milford. CC Delaware surely knows the answer to that question, which may be why they keep those stations as they are.

As Wilmington rimshot stations the 12+ numbers aren't great for WDSD as WXCY is the major player for Country music in New Castle County also beating out Philly's WXTU which has even smaller numbers than WDSD (of course WXTU doesn't really care if they're top dog in Wilmington, Philly's their target). WDSD lost that top dog spot for country music years ago when their format was switched with WRDX making the weaker 92.9 country. WDSD hasn't been able to win back those lost NCC country listeners from WXCY after switching back to country a few years ago. I listen to WDSD because it comes in far better at work. In my car, I'll see which has the music I want to hear or which is in a long spot break, as I can get both well there. They both essentially play the same music. WRDX does even worse in Wilmington.

However, the big question is, what is their billing? Just as with WWTX AM1290, Wilmington's sports talker that rarely shows at all on the 12+ numbers, but none of us know how well these three stations bill. WDSD airs a fair amount of local spots, so someone is buying local time on WDSD, and they're not all Dover advertisers, many are from the Wilmington area. My point is, WDSD and WRDX may be making reasonable money for CC Delaware just as they are, which is the bottom line. WWTX doesn't sell many local ads, but apparently, just as with news/talk WILM and WDOV, CC Delaware must make money by airing the Premiere Radio Network shows clearing two additional markets, essentially the entire state of Delaware (other than the beach) for the Conservative Talk CC's network provides and the Wilmington market for their sports talk programming.

I said a lot (not very well) to try to say, granted, each one of us probably had our own ideas as to what would make each of those stations great, but as radio isn't a hobby for CC Delaware, they need to make money and that's the one piece of the pie, we here don't have data for. WWTX, WDSD, WRDX, WILM, and WDOV all may be making reasonable money for CC Delaware (especially in this economy), even though as a listener and radio geek, we don't see how. Now granted, if CC Delaware's stations are NOT making a reasonable profit, then we might indeed see some changes.

I'd agree with Don C, that all four of Delaware's news/talkers WDEL, WILM, WDOV, and WGMD-FM Rehoboth Beach are very good stations that are serving their respective markets quite well. As Delaware truly lacks any real TV news coverage for Northern Delaware, other than the once a week news magazine "First" on Channel 12 Wilmington / 64 Seaford (which is well done and worth checking out) radio offers the only other Delaware news source other than the Wilmington News Journal. Lower Delaware does get good local news coverage from Salisbury's TV stations and Dover's Del State News.
 
Isn't Eagle 97.7 Milford simulcasting Wilmington's WSTW? Seems like we discussed that a few months ago. It seems to me that Delmarva is smart, in a business sense, to save money and simulcast their Wilmington FM in Milford rather than paying two sets of jocks. This way WSTW covers the entire state. Seems like a win /win for Delmarva as they can sell it statewide. Personally I don't like their music, but someone does as they are still rated in the top 3 or 4 station in Wilmington.
 
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