WSM SITE - HISTORIC SITE?

[Bob E. Nelson]

This story from former sister station, WSMV, concerns the possibility of WSM's beautiful Blaw-Knox site being added to
the National Register of Historic Places.

http://www.wsmv.com/news/26452635/detail.html

I know Watt Hairston drops by this board on occasion and he deserves real credit for the work he did while at WSM in keeping the facility so nice. I've been to virtually all of the I-A sites (and quite a few I-Bs). Sadly most are in a bad state of disrepair, including some with legendary call letters.

Here in the Dallas-Ft. Worth market, Erik Disen has done wonders with KRLD's building and grounds. While it lacks the panache of WSM, you can tell it's "real radio" when driving by the location.

 

[sweet sour Jerry]

I cannot figure out why WSM does not have it's call letters on the tower ala WLW in Cincy What a biilboard it could be on I-65......Gaylord? Hello?

 

[Bob E. Nelson]

Those who know me have heard this story before but it might be of interest to all reading this thread.

While still a young pup at MTSU, I wrote a long-since-lost paper on WSM's history, focused solely on the technical side. Jack DeWitt was still living and I arranged for an interview with him at his Green Hills home.

His wife greeted me when I rang the doorbell and told me that Mr. DeWitt was out back in the garage/workshop. I was so excited to meet him that I started babbling away thanking him profusely for the opportunity. He said, "Slow down, young man...we can get started in a a few minutes. First I want you to meet a friend of mine that dropped by...".

It was Eddy Arnold.

 

[K4WRF]

Bob: Thanks for the kind words. I have cautioned WSM to proceed with caution and all due consideration in adding the site to the Historical Registry. The commitment can have an impact even for making even small changes to the facility cosmetic and otherwise.

RE: WSM sign on the tower.

The WSM tower existed form many years on rural Calendar Lane now known as Concord Road, a road that at the time, went no where. For much of that time, it was a considerable distance from US-31 to the west. When I-65 came through right next to the site in the 1960's, there had arisen valid concerns about wind loading impacts on the structure. Today, we have EIA Standards RS-222 (rev-E) that really make structural additions or alterations complex. Once had an executive question that as well as why we couldn't string Christmas lights on it....

There was no Concord Road exit off I-65 until the mid 1980's.

Best regards,
w/

 

[Bengalsfan]

Bob: Thanks for the kind words. I have cautioned WSM to proceed with caution and all due consideration in adding the site to the Historical Registry. The commitment can have an impact even for making even small changes to the facility cosmetic and otherwise.

I think they will find that adding the site to the registry will be the worse thing they could have done. For when they do, they will need to get permission from the federal gub'ment to do ANY kind of work to the building, tower and grounds. And we all know how much fun dealing with gub'ment bureaucrats can be. This will be 10 times worse.

 

[tubessoundbetter]

I cannot figure out why WSM does not have it's call letters on the tower ala WLW in Cincy What a biilboard it could be on I-65......Gaylord? Hello?

That would screw up one of the greatest pieces of Tower-Porn in the Western Hemisphere

 

[Tibbs4]

I dunno Tubes ---- SM calls at the bottom of that tower might enhance the quality of life in Brentwood and beyond in ways no
PPM could measure...

 

[firepoint525]

Bob: Thanks for the kind words. I have cautioned WSM to proceed with caution and all due consideration in adding the site to the Historical Registry. The commitment can have an impact even for making even small changes to the facility cosmetic and otherwise.

I think they will find that adding the site to the registry will be the worse thing they could have done. For when they do, they will need to get permission from the federal gub'ment to do ANY kind of work to the building, tower and grounds. And we all know how much fun dealing with gub'ment bureaucrats can be. This will be 10 times worse.

So apparently, they should not seek to get on the registry unless they ever decide NOT to use that site anymore. If that were to happen, then it might make sense, because I could see developers quickly descending on that site, should it ever cease to be used as WSM's antenna site.

 

[K4WRF]

Bob: Thanks for the kind words. I have cautioned WSM to proceed with caution and all due consideration in adding the site to the Historical Registry. The commitment can have an impact even for making even small changes to the facility cosmetic and otherwise.

I think they will find that adding the site to the registry will be the worse thing they could have done. For when they do, they will need to get permission from the federal gub'ment to do ANY kind of work to the building, tower and grounds. And we all know how much fun dealing with gub'ment bureaucrats can be. This will be 10 times worse.

So apparently, they should not seek to get on the registry unless they ever decide NOT to use that site anymore. If that were to happen, then it might make sense, because I could see developers quickly descending on that site, should it ever cease to be used as WSM's antenna site.

Here is the short story on the WSM Transmitter property:

It is a misconception that site is worth something. Cal Turner donated the adjacent property to the city because he couldn't sell it. 75% of the WSM property exist in a flood plane that was 100 year but was made worse due to the Little Harpeth River I-65 over-pass only being wide enough to accommodate the channel width of the stream. When building the adjacent playing fields, the city had to return the ground level to the exact same height as to not affect the run-off, it can't be filled. The South West edge of the property is the only part that does not flood, but it is right across the street from Lipscomb elementary school (no Shell Station or beer sales) and Brentwood strictly prohibits commercial enterprise any where near there. Believe me, I was there; had all those conversations and jumped through all the hoops over and over again. Every time a new Gaylord Executive drove past there on the way home I would get asked that question.

Best,
w/

 

[nuffsaid]

Come on guys, it's great to talk about the site going on the historic registery and I agree that could be a huge mistake. I almost bought a house once that was on this registry and walked away when I found how difficult it was going to be to just change the lights on the driveway. Think the bigger issue here is WSM it self. The station has floundered along in the ratings and continues to drop revenues year in and year out. How long can or will the powers to be continue in this reckless race to failure? Sorry guys but WSM is a great radio station that is begging for help.

 

[tubessoundbetter]

nuffsaid: i happen to enjoy listening to wsm am. much more than any of the other so called country stations in town. i believe that there is till a viable place in nashville for a station doing it the old way. we are steeped in tradition, yet always moving forward, much like wsm am. some stations are bigger than ratings, and i believe that wsm am is untouchable. it, more than a building or tower site, should be put on the register of historic places

 

[nuffsaid]

I agree "Tube". WSM is a fantastic radio station that seems to have lost it's way. Tradition is huge and should be held near and dear however, there are ways to maintain and become more modernized. Management has changed several times but the station continues to flounder in the ratings and suffer with the loss of revenues. When will management wake up and put a team into that station that has a plan to maintain the "tradition" yet improve the revenues. Age old problem but one that must be addressed in Nashville if WSM intends to continue to be a player. This station is not cheap to run!

 

[NashvilleNative]

We all agree WSM-AM is a legend and needs to stay, and while I'm sure there are things it could do to improve ratings, but we've left out (in this post) the elephant in the room...the sound quality is crap! Out of the people left that do have an AM radio (the newer ones I've bought don't even include one anymore), they don't listen. WHY!? Not because the music or programming is bad, but because it's AM! I mean, do you still use an outhouse or do you use the indoor toilet? The only way WSM will increase ratings in its current format (which needs to stay) is to buy-up WNFN or WRQQ. Only then could it even come close to competing with the "big" 3. There are those that argue that FM vs AM doesn't matter, but you'd have to be INSANE to think that. It's 2011.

 

[romer979fm]

The only way WSM will increase ratings in its current format (which needs to stay) is to buy-up WNFN or WRQQ. Only then could it even come close to competing with the "big" 3.[/quote]

you really think being the 4th FM country in the market is the answer?

 

[romer979fm]

The only way WSM will increase ratings in its current format (which needs to stay) is to buy-up WNFN or WRQQ. Only then could it even come close to competing with the "big" 3.

you really think being the 4th FM country in the market is the answer?

(with proper quote)

 

[NashvilleNative]

Answer? No. Just making the point of how much being on the AM dial hurts. I'd imagine they'd be the #3 country station though.

 

[firepoint525]

My parents still listen to WSM-AM! ;D

(But they're in their 70s now!)

Oh, never mind! :-[

 

[romer979fm]

Answer? No. Just making the point of how much being on the AM dial hurts. I'd imagine they'd be the #3 country station though.

point well taken...

 

[sweet sour Jerry]

We all agree WSM-AM is a legend and needs to stay, and while I'm sure there are things it could do to improve ratings, but we've left out (in this post) the elephant in the room...the sound quality is crap! Out of the people left that do have an AM radio (the newer ones I've bought don't even include one anymore), they don't listen. WHY!? Not because the music or programming is bad, but because it's AM! I mean, do you still use an outhouse or do you use the indoor toilet? The only way WSM will increase ratings in its current format (which needs to stay) is to buy-up WNFN or WRQQ. Only then could it even come close to competing with the "big" 3. There are those that argue that FM vs AM doesn't matter, but you'd have to be INSANE to think that. It's 2011.

Maybe one of you engineer types could explain to me why on some nights 200 miles from the 'Ville the Opry sound quality and later Eddie at night sounds great? Much much better than if I was listening in Brentwood? Somebody help me! I are dumb.....

 

[tubessoundbetter]

Amplitude Modulation is effected by interference. at night when the daytimers sign off, it kills some of the bandwith overlap between stations on adjacent frequencies, you get less interference, therefor, a cleaner sound. although AM cannot match FM in fidelity, it is capable of far better sound quality than you have probably ever heard. someone who grew up listening to WSM on a high quality receiver in the 1940s & 50s would be appalled at how bad present day AM receivers sound. in the US, AM stations are actually limited to 10 kHz audio. in particular, many AM receivers are designed with the idea that all you will ever listen to is talk radio, so they cut off the response at 5 kHz -- or even lower. don't blame AM, blame your crappy receivers.