WQMA Marks is toast

[tomservo]

Looks like the FCC finally got around to ruling on an extension request to an STA… from 2006. The STA was denied and the license remains revoked.

It appears the station has had a troubled history since before I lived in Mississippi, with license woes going back to at least 2004. The station has been on and off (mostly on) in the last couple of years, including while the second STA was pending. As of yesterday afternoon, however, it seems to be finally off for good. The license is now shown as DWQMA in the FCC query.

Frankly, I'm surprised this station lasted as long as it did. Flea power, day only operation, serving a county of about 7,000, between two much more happening towns, radio-wise. Last I heard it was still running an oldies format, putting it in competition with 1450/105.7 from Clarksdale and 1290/106.9 from Batesville. Then there's fringe coverage up in Quitman County from Max 99.1 out of Greenwood. This station should have been dark a long time ago.

 

[bturner]

I heard WQMA years ago, I'm guessing around 2000. and I found the coverage exceptional. I was on the freeway heading toward Jackson and I know I listened in excess of 2 hours...likely close to 2.5 hours. They were calling their format 'Delta Blues' and it was a good sounding computer driven station with a spot load of 6 to 8 units an hour.

So many AM stations in such small communities struggled so long with poverty billing ($2,500-$4,000 a month). Aside from this, many of the stations' owners, especially the absentee owners, seemed to attract bad managers.

Another major factor not usuually mentioned is the dwindling number of businesses in many of these once thriving small towns. I don't think its just WalMart that hurt many downs, but likely the difficulty in doing business (ie: operating costs, required inventory, etc.), the number of chain stores that come to the towns like Dollar General, Pamida, etc. While these store often offer services that were not found locally, shoppers choose to shop there usually before going to the local retailer.

I was looking up Iowa towns and noted that many of the small towns have lost over 50% of their businesses. The result is media suffers extensively. Many times the newspaper shuts its doors while the radio station tries to get creative, downsizes, then downsizes again in an attempt to keep itself alive.

It is sad to see this happening. If only Marks, Mississippe was an isolated case.

 

[RadeoEngineer]

It's unfortunate when any radio station goes dark. Somebody loved that place on many levels, and now it's gone.

 

[J Alex Bowab]

Doesn't this county have one of the lowest per-capita incomes in the nation? It has probably been affected more than other areas by the economic downturn.

 

[mikl73]

Quitman County has the fifth lowest per capita income in Mississippi and the 51st lowest in the United States.

 

[Ken38654]

It's unfortunate when any radio station goes dark. Somebody loved that place on many levels, and now it's gone.

Amen, RadeoEngineer

 

[Ken38654]

"This station should have been dark a long time ago."
It Makes ME Very Sad ANYTIME I Hear Of A Station Going Dark.
Bad Ownership, Bad Employees, Bad Management, Bad Finances Alot Of Factors With This The End Result.
It Takes Quite Much, Love, Blood, Sweat, Tears, 18 Hour Days, Headaches, Let Downs And Dedication To Operate A Station Effectively.
If You Are An Owner It's A Must, I Believe-- To Have Several "key" People, Which Is Hard To Achieve.
If You Run Across Them KEEP THEM - At All Cost.
FCC Compliance, Positive Cash,
Acceptable & Clean Programing And People To Show For Shift.