WRCR 1700 AM FOR SALE

[SomeRadioGuy]

I liked it back when it was a simpler time you had just channels 2? through 13 to watch.AM FM RADIO. HAD TO GO TO THE MOVIE THEATER TO SEE A MOVIE OTHERWISE WAIT 6 TO 10 MONTHS FOR IT TO COME TO HBO. DO YOU WANT TO GET A RECORD OR CASSETTE? GO TO THE RECORD STORE NO STREAMING. THE WORLD WAS MUCH SIMPLER BACK IN THE 70S AND 80S, ALL THIS NEW TECHNOLOGY AND ALL THESE CHOICES ARE OVERWHELMING AND COSTLY COMPARED TO REGULAR RADIO AND CABLE TELEVISION

. 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.
*******

So you wanna go back to like the early 70s and live that again?

And you said yourself why big bands wouldnt work.. sponsors

 

[DavidEduardo]

. 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.
*******

I am in my late 70's and have no interest in the Big Bands and the crooners of the 40's and 50's. And among the kids I went to school with until I left Cleveland, there was nobody who raved about Sinatra or liked the pre-Top 40 songs.

In fact, a common complaint about our Top 40 stations like WERE and WHK was that they'd play some songs "that only grandma would like". But it was easy to flip between 1300 and 1420 (and occasionally 850 or even 1100) that we'd just ignore those songs.

So my experience says that there are few under 80 who like that old music. Yes, there are some but not a viable group for multiple reasons, starting with the fact that advertisers are not attracted to that group unless they are in The Villages or the like.

So you wanna go back to like the early 70s and live that again?

I occasionally converse with people from my own generation, and one of the rather general facts is that most don't want to relive the past. There may be a few old TV shows they like, but after 10 or 12 episodes of Gunsmoke, that itch is cured. And lots of songs we loved sound dated, corny and just old.

And you said yourself why big bands wouldnt work.. sponsors

And really, really old listeners. You can't program a station based on music from wayback that a few people of newer generations have taken a liking to.

 

[SomeRadioGuy]

I am in my late 70's and have no interest in the Big Bands and the crooners of the 40's and 50's. And among the kids I went to school with until I left Cleveland, there was nobody who raved about Sinatra or liked the pre-Top 40 songs.

In fact, a common complaint about our Top 40 stations like WERE and WHK was that they'd play some songs "that only grandma would like". But it was easy to flip between 1300 and 1420 (and occasionally 850 or even 1100) that we'd just ignore those songs.

So my experience says that there are few under 80 who like that old music. Yes, there are some but not a viable group for multiple reasons, starting with the fact that advertisers are not attracted to that group unless they are in The Villages or the like.


I occasionally converse with people from my own generation, and one of the rather general facts is that most don't want to relive the past. There may be a few old TV shows they like, but after 10 or 12 episodes of Gunsmoke, that itch is cured. And lots of songs we loved sound dated, corny and just old.

And really, really old listeners. You can't program a station based on music from wayback that a few people of newer generations have taken a liking to.

one thing ive found is you can sprinkle in some older songs if theyre happy, up beat and dont sound old.. and theyre some of the bigger songs that maybe a young persons parents listen to.

 

[Kelly A]

Oh it’s not IF, it IS surrounded by a park. The green circle below is the station’s property.

Yeah, if the only owned real estate is surrounded by parkland, it's not if but when the State, County, or whatever, will suddenly deem a radio station to be a non-conforming use. I can see it now: 'Here's $10K to go away before we declare the postage stamp of land 'eminent domain' and have the site bulldozed.'
Who knows? There may have already been rumblings of this sort of move and another reason why the guy wants to sell it while there's something to sell. (well, sort of)

 

[MTNProductions]

I am in my late 70's and have no interest in the Big Bands and the crooners of the 40's and 50's. And among the kids I went to school with until I left Cleveland, there was nobody who raved about Sinatra or liked the pre-Top 40 songs.

In fact, a common complaint about our Top 40 stations like WERE and WHK was that they'd play some songs "that only grandma would like". But it was easy to flip between 1300 and 1420 (and occasionally 850 or even 1100) that we'd just ignore those songs.

So my experience says that there are few under 80 who like that old music. Yes, there are some but not a viable group for multiple reasons, starting with the fact that advertisers are not attracted to that group unless they are in The Villages or the like.


I occasionally converse with people from my own generation, and one of the rather general facts is that most don't want to relive the past. There may be a few old TV shows they like, but after 10 or 12 episodes of Gunsmoke, that itch is cured. And lots of songs we loved sound dated, corny and just old.

And really, really old listeners. You can't program a station based on music from wayback that a few people of newer generations have taken a liking to.

Thanks for mentioning in response to another post about a show that played big band music. I was a huge listener at the time when Dan Karcher came on board and hosted “Stardust Memories” which ran from November 2021 until around January 2022 where he was being let go. I missed Dan Karcher so much.

After his departure, I flipped to WCBS-FM and listened to Race Taylor for a while playing 80’s music without playing big band, and then Bob O on WGNY-FM’s “Fox Oldies”, and then JJ Carter on WBPM, Sunny Joe Allen on “Fox Oldies” and back to Race Taylor on WCBS-FM.

After two years of not having a Big Band type show, guess what? I switched to Mike McGann on WLML’s “Legends 100.3”, and I love his show, and this is where he plays big band music the way Dan Karcher played on WRCR, and it’s great to have big band music back to middays following a 2-year hiatus and I called it the “All New Stardust Memories” with Mike McCann”, and I am listening to it now. I started listening to it since April 1st which was last month and it’s started to get better.

It has Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett, Sammy Davis Jr., Dean Martin, Ella Fitzgerald, Bobby Darin, and more to the limelight. I hope my favorite midday show “Stardust Memories” will be my #1 midday show after it took over for Race Taylor from WCBS-FM where they played too much 80’s music.

Like I said, I was a huge listener of “Stardust Memories” with Dan Karcher back in late 2021 until the last show in early 2022, and now I’m a huge listener of Mike McGann’s midday show with the return of “Stardust Memories”.

 

[gr8oldies]

. 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.
*******

So you wanna go back to like the early 70s and live that again?

And you said yourself why big bands wouldnt work.. sponsors

The past is a great place to visit. It's no place to live

 

[MTNProductions]

I definitely do not agree. The station certainly has had more than 290 listeners tune in for example to The Morning Show and the doo-wop dream machine in the last month. I don’t know where you get your numbers from.

I love “Doo-Wop Dream Machine”, because it’s a fun to listen to, and plays doo-wop music and songs that aren’t doo-wop. “Doo-Wop Dream Machine” is a great show along with “Doo-Wop Drive” with Allan David Stein on WMTR where it follows this show, and they’re now part of “A Doo-Wop Double Feature” with two shows back-to-back with Bob Trivero and Allan David Stein.

 

[kwthom]

<...>
If it doesn’t sell, and the operator runs out of money, I guess it will sadly go dark like other stations on the AM dial

Any thoughts on this?

After sixty-odd responses in the thread, I suppose a funeral dirge could be appropriate?

As many of the broadcasting pros (active & retired...) here have mentioned, the ship has sailed - long ago.

Those that continue to live in the 20th century will do so. Meanwhile, there's a lot of 21st century technology out there that will do the job *better*.

 

[CTListener]

I’m not too surprised it was dropped by the owner Alex. 595,000 is a more reasonable asking price. He might have more interest at that price point. But if not, I’m guessing he may have to go down to 500,000 or possibly 450,000 I think he definitely wants the station sold as quickly as he can get a buyer. It’s definitely most likely not making much of a profit at this point. Most likely in the red, I wish they would’ve been able to do better get more advertisers and even have enough money for advertising to alert more people about the station the doo-wop dream machine on Friday nights is a very good program . I’m in Rockland and the signal is strong and I enjoy listening to the music on AM REMIND ME OF THE DAYS OF MUSIC RADIO 77 WABC.

So you're saying you wouldn't listen to the same music if it were available on FM? Why? I mean, I get the nostalgia factor, but who wants to listen to music on AM for longer than a few minutes when you can get the same music on FM?

 

[Mediafrog+]

I occasionally converse with people from my own generation, and one of the rather general facts is that most don't want to relive the past.

The problem with trying to relive the past is that while you recall all the good times, it also dredges up all the negative aspects of those eras in your life. Sort of like thinking of all the pretty girls you knew in high school, and then remembering you were socially awkward with severe self esteem issues, and those girls were “out of your league.” Then you are thankful you’ve moved beyond all of that, and are living your best life in the here and now.

 

[Kelly A]

The problem with trying to relive the past is that while you recall all the good times, it also dredges up all the negative aspects of those eras in your life. Sort of like thinking of all the pretty girls you knew in high school, and then remembering you were socially awkward with severe self esteem issues, and those girls were “out of your league.” Then you are thankful you’ve moved beyond all of that, and are living your best life in the here and now.

Recalling the past, in this example here related to love for their youth and radio, generates endorphins. That's usually why some people like remembering it, whether historically accurate or not.

 

[MarcB]

So you're saying you wouldn't listen to the same music if it were available on FM? Why? I mean, I get the nostalgia factor, but who wants to listen to music on AM for longer than a few minutes when you can get the same music on FM?

I'm 42. I like 60s, 70s, and 80s music. I listen to a station that plays that music via their 200-something watt FM translator. However when walking around my neighborhood listening on my Walkman the FM translator is completely overloaded and I can't really hear it. I have to listen to their 2,500 watt AM signal. I assume the car radio is better than my Walkman as I can pick up the translator crystal clear in the areas where it's overloaded on the Walkman.

 

[K.M. Richards]

AM FM RADIO. HAD TO GO TO THE MOVIE THEATER TO SEE A MOVIE OTHERWISE WAIT 6 TO 10 MONTHS FOR IT TO COME TO HBO. DO YOU WANT TO GET A RECORD OR CASSETTE? GO TO THE RECORD STORE NO STREAMING. THE WORLD WAS MUCH SIMPLER BACK IN THE 70S AND 80S, ALL THIS NEW TECHNOLOGY AND ALL THESE CHOICES ARE OVERWHELMING AND COSTLY COMPARED TO REGULAR RADIO AND CABLE TELEVISION

Please ... stop SHOUTING. Use boldface or underline key words and phrases, but all caps has been considered bad netiquette for as long as I have been online (which is over 30 years at this point).

 

[Kelly A]

Please ... stop SHOUTING. Use boldface or underline key words and phrases, but all caps has been considered bad netiquette for as long as I have been online (which is over 30 years at this point).

They're likely hard of hearing. Too many hours of do-wop at high volume levels can do that.

 

[radiofan2023]

They're likely hard of hearing. Too many hours of do-wop at high volume levels can do that.

What a rama lama ding dong move

 

[Prg333]

So you're saying you wouldn't listen to the same music if it were available on FM? Why? I mean, I get the nostalgia factor, but who wants to listen to music on AM for longer than a few minutes when you can get the same music on FM?

I listen to the same music on FM. I was just hoping against reality. I guess that WRCR would be successful and continue on for many years. The station still hasn’t been sold. We will just have to see how much longer it stays on the air as long as Alex the owner has enough money to keep it going and get money from the advertisers. It will stay broadcasting on 1700 frequency amplitude modulation. It could go dark at some point this year or next year if the owner runs out of funds.

 

[Kelly A]

I listen to the same music on FM. I was just hoping against reality. I guess that WRCR would be successful and continue on for many years. The station still hasn’t been sold. We will just have to see how much longer it stays on the air as long as Alex the owner has enough money to keep it going and get money from the advertisers. It will stay broadcasting on 1700 frequency amplitude modulation. It could go dark at some point this year or next year if the owner runs out of funds.

To that point; I couldn't hear the station nor could I probably listen for long anyway. But the question is; what sort of spot load are they running in a typical day, and what sort of advertisers? Local small shops and services? If so, what are some examples?
I'd be curious to know what an AM music station on such an awful frequency is doing to keep the lights on.

 

[bturner1]

Absolutely, how many commercials are playing and are they ones that repeat the 800 number over and over?

Most AMs are carried financially by their co-located and co-owned FM. In most instances it's the FM employee watching the AM and the FM sales person doing a tack-on for the AM. One example in Arkansas was $6 for the FM and 60 cents for the AM (and that was a decade ago in a small market).

 

[RadioGuy1864]

Absolutely, how many commercials are playing and are they ones that repeat the 800 number over and over?

Most AMs are carried financially by their co-located and co-owned FM. In most instances it's the FM employee watching the AM and the FM sales person doing a tack-on for the AM. One example in Arkansas was $6 for the FM and 60 cents for the AM (and that was a decade ago in a small market).

60 cents? OMG, I've heard about "a dollar a holler" but that's just insane.

 

[Prg333]

To that point; I couldn't hear the station nor could I probably listen for long anyway. But the question is; what sort of spot load are they running in a typical day, and what sort of advertisers? Local small shops and services? If so, what are some examples?
I'd be curious to know what an AM music station on such an awful frequency is doing to keep the lights on.

The advertisements are all from local businesses in Rockland County New York. I don’t know if there’s any advertisers in Westchester.