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WSPQ Requests STA

As offered months ago, the best option is to turn the land on which the towers stand into a cash crop. Frankly, a translator would not have helped much. WPIG (the Big Pig) in Olean, WYRK, WBEN and WGR have a lock on that community.
 
I have reliable information that Lash offered just over $100,000 for WSPQ before the offer fell through for whatever reason. At this point the strategy might well be to let the clock run down. After December 31 the license goes bye bye unless the current licensee puts it on the air before then. Lash or some other investor then acquires the tower land for a relatively low price and applies for a new license. The land around Springville isn't worth a whole lot so this strategy might work well. Of course there's nothing to prevent some crop from being grown around the towers. The first song on the new station could be "Wildwood Flower" by Jim Stafford.
 
CAVEMANager said:
I have reliable information that Lash offered just over $100,000 for WSPQ before the offer fell through for whatever reason. At this point the strategy might well be to let the clock run down. After December 31 the license goes bye bye unless the current licensee puts it on the air before then. Lash or some other investor then acquires the tower land for a relatively low price and applies for a new license. The land around Springville isn't worth a whole lot so this strategy might work well. Of course there's nothing to prevent some crop from being grown around the towers. The first song on the new station could be "Wildwood Flower" by Jim Stafford.
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If the intent is to use the towers again under a new license, there is no way to farm the land without destroying the radials.

As to a new application, it's likely new engineering would have to be done for the directional to meet new protection standards. It would have been cheaper to pay $100 k for it "as is" and with a license rather than reapplying for a DA-2 facility.
 
I drove by the studio today, it is all empty. Must be they will just liquidate the assets to recoup some of the loss. I would have bought the station but they never got the translator so just a stand alone AM 1kw in a very small town would not be worth a lot these days. It also needed major DA work and they never streamed content so it was bad management that killed them.
 
WJPYFM said:
... so it was bad management that killed them.
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Was it? Or was it a changing radio and social landscape? It's a question, not a contention. The lack of a translator is notable, as is the needed maintenance on the present directional antenna system. The station once had a presence in the community's when it was a local yokel station (offered as a compliment) with live local jocks who lived in and around the community, Franklinville, Sardinia and Arcade. The station offered local HS sports and auto racing, which were embraced by listeners and advertisers. So yes, management bungled it. You weren't going to get rich owning that station, but you could make a living and be a hometown hero with the Chamber of Commerce, Lions Club, Kiwanis and PTA. Yes, translator would have certainly helped, if it was properly located on one of the hilltops. Still, a translator wasn't an free ticket to riches. More a lifeboat to survival, IF the programming was properly targeted. And sold. And promoted. And embraced.
 
Element9 said:
Was it? Or was it a changing radio and social landscape?
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Or maybe both? Failing to adapt to a changing radio and social landscape is bad management, no?

Look at our friend Buddy. Look how hard he's working and how much he gets criticized. But he's making a go at it. This station doesn't even have that.
 
Element9 said:
Was it? Or was it a changing radio and social landscape? It's a question, not a contention. The lack of a translator is notable, as is the needed maintenance on the present directional antenna system. The station once had a presence in the community's when it was a local yokel station (offered as a compliment) with live local jocks who lived in and around the community, Franklinville, Sardinia and Arcade. The station offered local HS sports and auto racing, which were embraced by listeners and advertisers. So yes, management bungled it. You weren't going to get rich owning that station, but you could make a living and be a hometown hero with the Chamber of Commerce, Lions Club, Kiwanis and PTA. Yes, translator would have certainly helped, if it was properly located on one of the hilltops. Still, a translator wasn't an free ticket to riches. More a lifeboat to survival, IF the programming was properly targeted. And sold. And promoted. And embraced.
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WECK is not just "making a go of it" - it's a player again in the radio landscape. the wall street companies now have another radio station that can take from them with revenue and ratings that they did not have 17 months ago. WECK tied 12 plus with a 3 share 3 months ago with 96.1 (50,000 watts) . It beat 92.9 (like 90,000 watts) 3 months ago. It demolished 1077 (17,000 watts) just three months ago. It is a player. WECK is doing far more than making a go. Other companies are now reacting because of WECK. WE have a long way, and a lot of work still to be done, but it is now a player in Buffalo radio. The demise for WSPQ was management. Totally. A broadcaster did not own it, and did not care. WSPQ could of never played the ratings game because it is not a metro signal, but it could have made some serious money, especially for what the previous owner paid for it. 100K. I could have made money with that station and paid that price back within a year, easy. Let's compare. WBEN 5,000 watts. WECK 1,000 watts with 2 FM translators, WHLD 5,000 watts, WGR 5,000 watts, WWKB 50,000 watts, WXRL 7,000 watts plus small FM (I could be wrong on wattage), WBBF 1,000 watts, WUFO 1,000 watts daytime with small FM, WWWS 1,000 Watts with new small FM Translator. The TOP three AM stations in Buffalo are, in order. WBEN, WGR,WECK................Notice that power has NOTHING to do with success, and with the advent of digital platforms, it is going to mean even less. It is content, sales, management, and promotion. Now I have to get ready for my "Elvis Experience" show on WECK live from 5p-7p. Hope you can listen. It's my favorite 2 hours of the week.
 
And just like that.... For sure, WSPQ was a pretty interesting small town radio station at one time. I'd listen to it when making deliveries to Springville and Gowanda.
 
Rusty Bridges said:
And just like that.... For sure, WSPQ was a pretty interesting small town radio station at one time. I'd listen to it when making deliveries to Springville and Gowanda.
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It is sad. But all the owner bought it for was to try to make money, we was not interested in making it a vital part of the community
 
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