It's a shame. The owner really did sink a ton of money into improvements. He put everything he could into making that station the kind of "community AM station" that the FCC held up as its shining example of why AM radio should be "revitalized". But being an X-band station I don't think it was eligible for a translator and it flopped. What sad irony.
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WRCR 1700 AM FOR SALE
- Thread starter Prg333
- Start date
I think the station definitely lost sponsors and listeners when Steve Poscell who was the longtime morning host from when the station started in 2001 retired a couple of years ago. They used to have a good afternoon show Monday through Friday with Peter Clemente. But he had to leave the show because of his family and chimney business. They even had a big band type music show with other interesting music and a good host on from 10 AM to 2 PM Monday through Friday that show was on for several months. But it went off the air due to the host I think not wanting to do it anymore and perhaps something to do with sponsors. Most of the listeners to the station are in their mid 60s into their 80s. The Morning Show is currently hosted by an older host who’s 55 with a cohost who is 25. The audience I think can’t relate well to the young cohost. Steve Poscell was beloved by the audience. The two hosts on The Morning Show now certainly are NOT professional like Steve was. I suppose they do their best but no doubt they’ve lost listeners and sponsors.
Unfortunately, I don’t think the station has too much of a future. It be a shame for her to go dark or turn into a foreign language or religious station many of the politicians like to go on the radio a few have a paid segment, but many others go on for free. I guess we’ll have to see what happens this year with the station. If the owner drops the asking prices the station down from what it is currently at 595,000 to maybe 490,000 he may get a buyer.
Trying to revitalize AM radio is like trying to revitalize 78 rpm records.😖🤮
How does that saying go? 'The road to hell is paved with good intentions.'
Why don't you buy it? Make him an offer to do $500K with $100K down if he carries the paper at a lower interest rate than a bank.
Offer the term of something like ten or fifteen years. That way he gets a quick cash infusion, gets out from under an albatross, and you can serenade the township with those do-wop hits that you love so much.
WRCR had South Asian music about 7-8 years back, before they went off the air. Heard the signal out here in Seattle one night, not that that would mean anything. Ethnic would be the only way to go, that is if the owners had a rapport with a local ethnic business community. It seems to work on AM stations in other metros where there are large ethnic populations. Does Rockland county have any large ethnic populations, like South Asian or Hispanic or otherwise?
If not, I would bet that the station goes off the air, turns in license, etc. before long. AM is a tough sell. Anything that isn't on the internet increasingly is a tough sell, too. It looks like WRCR might have a stream, as internet searches show a TuneIn, and a couple other streaming platforms. But just because a station has a stream doesn't mean it's going to prosper. I'm aware of a few AM stations that had streams which still went under, post-Pandemic.
If not, I would bet that the station goes off the air, turns in license, etc. before long. AM is a tough sell. Anything that isn't on the internet increasingly is a tough sell, too. It looks like WRCR might have a stream, as internet searches show a TuneIn, and a couple other streaming platforms. But just because a station has a stream doesn't mean it's going to prosper. I'm aware of a few AM stations that had streams which still went under, post-Pandemic.
Absolutely! And, according to Prg333, there are a lot of listeners. So that means it should be an easy sell for advertisers. Prg333 will make tons of money! I love a great comeback story! Show us how it‘s done!
I would love to be wrong, but in my humble opinion, a stand alone AM station with no heritage that is not eligible for a translator has no future.
To be fair; I haven't drilled down on any potential property or asset valuation with this station. If indeed it sits on owned land and is included with the sale, then depending on where the land is plus any real estate analysis that would predict whether the land would be of interest to a future industrial or housing developer, then that could be an ejection seat should the radio business attempt fail. Hey, if Prg333 is so passionate about doing AM radio and saving do-wop, then this would be a passion play, not so much a business-growth model anyway.
Why are you so snarky and negative kind of like a wise ass? What do you have against the station? Are you even in the area where you can turn it on and listen to it? You hide behind your computer keyboard and make unpleasant posts.
No, I will not be buying the station. You seem to have a snarky attitude. Do you even live in the area where you can tune in the station on the radio or have you listened online the doo-wop dream machine with Bob Trevero hosting is a very good show. The Morning Show not so much anymore since Steve Poscell retired. It’s enjoyable to listen to music throughout the day. On a strong. AM SIGNAL LIKE THE OLD DAYS OF 77 MUSIC RADIO WABC
I'm not being snarky, I'm serious. $500K is the price of a small home in many communities. My suggestion is based on years of professional experience in the business, including station ownership. For the price of a small home, you could own a radio station and live your dreams. Based on my experience, the owner is probably open to someone making a reasonable offer, and you could avoid having to look for financing.
You were a broadcaster a professional broadcaster? That’s interesting. Was it in the New York Metro ? I won’t be buying the station.
I don't think he's negative and snarky. It's more of a counterbalance to posts that do not acknowledge the fundamental business aspects of radio. You need to buy and maintain the facility. Pay the taxes and utilities. You need to pay staff who do the programming, engineering and most importantly, sell advertising.
You may be among a very small number of passionate doo wop enthusiasts, but that does not necessarily make it a viable radio format...let alone on a small, little known station that is barely audible outside of Rockland County, where there are not abundant available revenue opportunities.
Country artists routinely sell out major venues all over the NY area, but it historically has not been a viable radio format in the market. Doo wop, with a minimal following, does not seem like a sensible choice.
I was senior V.P. of a company that owned several TV stations in NY State and the West Coast. Along with that, I was part owner of a decent-sized radio group. My first stations, an AM/FM combo in a rural market was purchased almost exactly the way I suggested; the owner was tight on cash and desperate to make a deal. I made him a lowball offer, including him carrying paper on the balance at 4% interest. The whole process took less than two weeks.
Yes, country does do well country artists. Doo-wop is only for a select audience, but the station has been struggling for a while now. They just can’t get any new advertisers. They certainly don’t have enough money to advertise to let people know. They are in existence. The station will eventually sell. I think to someone even if they use the land as a transmitter for a cellular tower and don’t bother with the radio station
That’s good you’re able to have success in the broadcasting industry before all this social media and other ways of people reaching people podcast, etc. I think sadly WRCR will continue on until the owner runs out of money. The station may go dark or he’ll sell it to someone else who might keep it a radio station, though, no one knows what will happen yet
This is the problem right there.
The business of radio is to deliver large numbers of listeners (or listeners of a specific demographic) to advertisers who want to reach them.
Some listeners think that radio is supposed to super-serve them with niche programming that is a turn off to general population.
Desirable demographics are looking elsewhere for entertainment and news. Hardly anyone anywhere is looking at AM radio.
There are less advertising dollars to spend, and more places to spend them.
Not a good formula...especially for AM radio. FM has problems too, but you see the struggles that they have to deal with and how some operators are trying to adapt.
Great points. Many folks think radio is there solely to entertain them, which in essence is true. But it exists by selling advertising or collecting donations from their listeners. Behind all the music and entertainment are purchase costs and all sorts of ongoing operational expenses. Owning radio isn't for the faint of heart but when it's working, enough people are listening, and advertisers want to be partners, it's well worth the pain and effort. Unfortunately, since 2008 traditional media has struggled with the advertising part. That part isn't getting any easier.
I get Prg333 wants no part of owning WRCR. But, if someone really wanted to put their heart into it by forming a non-profit and collecting listener donations instead of relying on ad revenue, a niche format like do wop might just work. Especially if you promote a stream too. Nobody will get rich for sure, but maybe between volunteers and donations, one could keep the lights on for a while.
If there was a deep pocketed philanthropist. Maybe he could take over the station and program it for local talk shows other times playing music from the 50s and 60s if someone wanted to they could do a 60s 70s music show. Politicians could buy time on the station. They could be a good successful station if someone would deep pockets bought it and could finance it now the person who owns the station is struggling with it radio had a real golden age in the 80s WPLJ/ WHTZ Z100 WNEW/WAPP. THOSE ARE GREAT YEARS, WCBS FM
BUT 2005 OR SO THINGS STARTED NOT TO GET THAT GREAT FOR RADIO. IT HELD ON FOR A LITTLE WHILE LONGER. IT’LL STILL HAVE A PLACE FM RADIO STILL PLENTY OF STATIONS DOING WELL ENOUGH BUT NOT LIKE IT WAS IN THE 80S OR CERTAINLY THE 60S AND 70S.
Reality check: Anyone who was in high school during the Doo-wop era is now in their 80s. Not an advertiser friendly demographic.
And set a huge pile of money on fire.
Radio has to program to the audiences of 2024 and beyond, not those of 50, 60, 70 years ago.