Someone told me that WREB in Greencastle was purchased by someone by the name of John Fisher who use to work for WTWO-TV 2. And that it was going to flip from real country to AC. Anyone hear anything?
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WREB Greencastle
- Thread starter radio lover
- Start date
radio lover said:
No sale contract has been filed with the FCC yet...
This is the first I've heard of it. I did hear that John was leaving WTWO some months ago, though.
Hey Chief Engineer...you know WREB pretty well...heard anything?
This would be great for that area. I was there as OM in 2004 for about 4 months and got the heck outta there. We couldn't sell anything...classic country may work in the south and west, but not in Indiana. The biggest sell was an add-on with Menards...problem was I had to do remotes from the Menards in Avon...where you can barely hear WREB! It was embarrasing...everyone asked who we were!
I tried my hardest to get the on-air quality up, but it was hard when all the engineering was all f'd up...we would get struck down by lightning EVERY storm, blow satellite switchers EVERY time and so on and so on.
I tried to get Mr Lange down in Vincennes to change formats and get working on the engineering, and they didn't. At 23, I knew it was time to get out of there after only 4 months.
This station has incredible coverage, and could make a ton! I loved that place while I was there, and had plenty of dreams where it could go...now hopefully it will.
Good luck to the purchaser. Let me know if I can help with anything.
I tried my hardest to get the on-air quality up, but it was hard when all the engineering was all f'd up...we would get struck down by lightning EVERY storm, blow satellite switchers EVERY time and so on and so on.
I tried to get Mr Lange down in Vincennes to change formats and get working on the engineering, and they didn't. At 23, I knew it was time to get out of there after only 4 months.
This station has incredible coverage, and could make a ton! I loved that place while I was there, and had plenty of dreams where it could go...now hopefully it will.
Good luck to the purchaser. Let me know if I can help with anything.
I too hope this rumor is true and also hope a new owner can put some life into it. This was my first station I worked at (then WXTA.) At the time they, of course, were all live with local news, local sports, farm reports, "The Trading Post", call in reports from area communities, high school shows and other locally oriented features. At the age of 17 I thought all this was "hicky" now I realize how vaulable the station was to the community.
Does anyone know the story of the change to classic country? When, why or anything else about it?
Leafygreen said:
The Original Company had Classic or "Real" Country on several stations and ran ABC-satellite fed material on other stations too. I image it was a throw in with the Vincennes stations. I have heard good things from TOC's Evansville-area stations, sounds like they have turned things around a bit down there...
It was just never right...trying to go up against WFMS & WTHI. Too many people work in Terre Haute and Indianapolis out of Putnam County to try to compete on that level with limited funds. I always thought they should try some sort of HAC/AC. Become the station all businesses listen to during the day.
I can now confirm that this rumor is not true. There has been no transaction.
Dang...if I had the money I would buy it...but I work in radio.
It would be a real uphill battle for any new owner of WREB. The station's coverage is actually very limited due to it's small tower. A lot of upgrading of facilities is needed. The image in the business community of the station is not good.
M
Mid West Clubber
Guest
I dont think any form of AC or CHR would work in greencastle,,, its been a heritage Local community station forever,,, plus im sure most in greencastle listen to Terre Haute B-102.7 and 100.7 Mix FM for their CHR/ or Hot AC fix,, plus their well within range of the Indy stations, so a format to compete with them considering most people are communiting to indy or terre haute wouldnt work... If they had a better signal, they might be able to pull off some kind of AC/CHR/HOT AC format like the old CD 106.3 in Crawfordsville,,, anyone remember that station or know what format they are now?
106.3 in C'Ville is running True Country from Jones Radio.
M
Mid West Clubber
Guest
OH Okay thanks,, I wasnt sure,, I know the flipped from their Experimental CHR/Hot AC/Alternative format some time ago, but I cant pick the station up in martinsville very well.. Wasnt they some form of talk, or religious for a while.
I don't remember them ever running any talk format.
WXVI was some weird format before being purchased by Key. Xavier University ran talk, old time radio shows, and other seemingly odd things.
The Rebel was on the air at 106.7 on Greenwood. This is the first appearance of "The Rebel" monicker. Bill Shirk developed the idea. It was on the air at least 3 years from sign on. Shortly after it became oldies the name appeared on the Greencastle station. The trip from Indianapolis to Evansville is through Greencastle (I 70). The use of a developed idea is nothing new to radio.
I guess a Rebel flag, country music, guns, liquor, and poor white trash all mix to form the perfect country music listener. Ask David Alan Coe if you don't agree.
I still have several Rebel car magnets in the garage my kids use for class projects.
With Greencastle and Crawfordsville being so close it does seem odd they both have the format. (Both had the real Country Feed for awhile) FCC Network Rules only protect the City Of License.
The Rebel was on the air at 106.7 on Greenwood. This is the first appearance of "The Rebel" monicker. Bill Shirk developed the idea. It was on the air at least 3 years from sign on. Shortly after it became oldies the name appeared on the Greencastle station. The trip from Indianapolis to Evansville is through Greencastle (I 70). The use of a developed idea is nothing new to radio.
I guess a Rebel flag, country music, guns, liquor, and poor white trash all mix to form the perfect country music listener. Ask David Alan Coe if you don't agree.
I still have several Rebel car magnets in the garage my kids use for class projects.
With Greencastle and Crawfordsville being so close it does seem odd they both have the format. (Both had the real Country Feed for awhile) FCC Network Rules only protect the City Of License.
M
Mid West Clubber
Guest
Do you think maybe a Rock Leaning CHR could work in Greencastle if they would increase their signal and fix the engineering problems,,, A format similar to that of Z-Rock 107.5 in Pikeville Kentucky,, i dont know of many stations with this format, but it could work in greencastle,,, it would basically play the best of the ALT Active Rock charts and the Mainstream CHR charts. Call it something like Channel Z 94.3.... Would have to be executed just right and leave the older country image far behind.
The signal of WREB is GREAT. It is a Class A. I can hear it EAST of 465 many times. Arguably a short tower. The short tower is on a tall hill. From ground level it sees all the coverage area.
When you drive I 70 you are how many miles from the transmitter? At least 15? I hear an occaisional Cloverdale sponsor but not often.
I can't tell you how many times we had complaints from 10 miles away the thing was causing hash on Q 95.
Programming on a small town station? Rock isn't the capture because of the makeup of business owners. Country is probably the best format for the station. Timeless or another format might work. Just like the Heat on Seymour or Newburgh years ago. Sounded GREAT but advertisers really don't care if it sounds GREAT if they don't like the music.
When you drive I 70 you are how many miles from the transmitter? At least 15? I hear an occaisional Cloverdale sponsor but not often.
I can't tell you how many times we had complaints from 10 miles away the thing was causing hash on Q 95.
Programming on a small town station? Rock isn't the capture because of the makeup of business owners. Country is probably the best format for the station. Timeless or another format might work. Just like the Heat on Seymour or Newburgh years ago. Sounded GREAT but advertisers really don't care if it sounds GREAT if they don't like the music.
M
Mid West Clubber
Guest
When did newbourgh have a station like that,,, I remember the Heat quit Well,,, though it was very short lived... the format of The Heat is exactly what I was proposing for 94,3,, except a more modernized version.... Doesnt the market have enough country with HI 99 and WFMS and I just found out that 106.3 on CVille is doing country too.. And is 92.7 still doing their experimental Country and Rock format... If so im surprised its lasted this long.
When I was at WREB, I either A.) wanted to change to a more modern mix of country...leave the 1950's to the AM's...and rename to Rebel 94-3 or B.) change formats to a more Rock HAC/CHR for a more daytime emphasis and go a little more CHR at night. Maybe if they changed the demo from 70+ to something lower, they might start selling some ads. In this economy, 60+ attracts no advertisers! I know, a few people listen under 60...but they don't stay during the classics.
I also wanted to start running traffic reports between Putnam and Indy AND Putnam and TH (if it was available). I felt that we were losing what audience we did have on their way through Hendricks County in morning drive.
ChiefEngineer: I was told when I worked there that if the tower was moved 6 miles north (I believe) that WREB could almost double its coverage area? Is that correct? Also, do you know if they ever got that place wired correctly, I remember too many times having to drive to the station and turn it back on or change out the switcher because it blew up again!
I must be honest, I think I left that place in shambles...but I fixed a lot too. They were not even running contracted ads when I got there, they had two high schoolers as the operations staff and no sales people!
I also wanted to start running traffic reports between Putnam and Indy AND Putnam and TH (if it was available). I felt that we were losing what audience we did have on their way through Hendricks County in morning drive.
ChiefEngineer: I was told when I worked there that if the tower was moved 6 miles north (I believe) that WREB could almost double its coverage area? Is that correct? Also, do you know if they ever got that place wired correctly, I remember too many times having to drive to the station and turn it back on or change out the switcher because it blew up again!
I must be honest, I think I left that place in shambles...but I fixed a lot too. They were not even running contracted ads when I got there, they had two high schoolers as the operations staff and no sales people!
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