WWPR -TAMPA BAY 1490 LOOKING FOR A MORNING TEAM

[BIG ED EDWARDS 1490]

Actually, this is very entertaining. True, block programming can be very profitable for a station and I'm sure Big Ed is making big profits banking the checks of folks who want their very own radio show and can be a "celebrity". It's a profitable way to do business, but it's really bad radio. Like WWBA during non-prime hours, it's all about a few extra bucks, not good radio to generate listeners. Seriously, who would spend any time listening to a station that runs a colon cleaning show, followed by a mortgage program, followed by a car show, followed by a psychic hour? Signal aside, the short-sighted "money now" mentality is why stations like 1040, 1340, 1490 will NEVER have a decent following. I am very disappointed in talk radio in Tampa Bay, especially considering the way it used to be, some of the best local talk nationally. More money now will always equal bad radio forever. Attempting to deliver quality programming will always have the opportunity to deliver much bigger long-term gains, and, good radio, which is why all of us should be in this business in the first place.

HI Radio Free,I will take your post mostly as a compliment,I also prefer the way radio used to be...however like many other things in the world,different times force different changes....its not BAD RADIO,its different radio,just keeping up with the real world changes that need to happen to make money,those who dont adapt are left behind........ "which is why all of us etc.".... not really ,this idea is much like many people have of their sports teams ,they are "not there to entertain the kids",it is big buiness...they are there to make money..and as much as possible and they do ..."entertaining" is just the hook to produce profits from merchandise,food sales,marketing,parking etc. IT APPEARS THAT WWPR WILL BE SOLD OUT OF AIRTIME IN THE NEXT FEW DAYS,I MUST BE DOING SOMETHING RIGHT.

 

[BIG ED EDWARDS 1490]

Big Ed-

Maybe you are very suckesful, and yuv lirned 2 mak et werk withowt rilly lrning how to spel...

LOL.....LOL.....LOL.... DEAR MR. Deutschendorf, LOL... yes, you win on this one ..a very funny and well done post at my expense. One of the things I dont do well is type (I use the one finger peck method)insert one finger jokes here _____________________ and I need to use spellcheck as I spell phoneticly from years of writing radio scripts.I also dont have strong computer skills and didnt realize this site didnt have spell check.......but other than that my mom says im perfect...and being Mothers day weekend,who's to argue with Mama Edwards. HOWEVER, after spending many minutes with my thesaurus recently bought from the dollar store,I think that my spelling in this post is correct....maybe ... and also a thank you goes out to my current morning guy for bringing my spelling errors to the attention of all,but maybe he should be spending his time uh....trying to get a sponsor or maybe 2,maybe 3????? for a 2 hour show...but thats just my thoughts on the subject.AND FINALLY MR. JOHN DENVER AIRLINES, you have a good sense of humor and I like that ...in fact , I would ride on your airline anytime over taking a ride in TED KENNEDYS car.....eddy

 

[BIG ED EDWARDS 1490]

I have to admit I find the local talk scene so depressing that I do often flip to the brokered stations. There is somethng surreally entertaining to listen to those trainwreck programs and the promos for the trainwrecks to come.

THANK YOU MR. ZONE GUY , you understand .... I enjoy listening to TAMPA BAY 1490.. We have programs you will not hear any place else ...if your not some "radio purist" (WHATEVER THAT IS)you will be hooked into listening to see "what will happen next" ...RICK ON THE RADIO 10-11am is the perfect example Listen for a few days and you will be hooked.

 

[BIG ED EDWARDS 1490]

Who cares if they ever make the book.... The idea is to make money. They will never make the book. They cant possibly keep an audience because you never know what language they will be in. If I owned that station, I would be doing the exact thing they do now. BTW, I recall Big Ed playing oldies every once in a while. Maybe that was when he was on 1280. Way back in the 80's 1490 was WTRL. They still used live jocks and had a country format then. On Sunday mornings, they sold out the station to a black preacher who took over the studio and had a bunch of people in there with him.... That obviously didnt follow the format back then either.

GREETINGS MR.SBE1,
"Who cares if they ever make the book.... The idea is to make money. They will never make the book."...You are correct SIR.....In Fact we made "the book" the 3rd month I was at WWPR...and it didnt matter one bit........................."If I owned that station, I would be doing the exact thing they do now. BTW, I recall Big Ed playing oldies every once in a while. Maybe that was when he was on 1280."..................... THANK YOU,YOU ARE CORRECT ...Thats always my question to the people who have a problem with what we do,IF ANYONE OUT THEIR THINKS THEY HAVE A BETTER PLAN, BY ALL MEANS CONTACT ME...IM INTERESTED !!!!!, BUT RULE #1 IS IT MUST MAKE US MORE MONEY .... IM NOT INTERESTED IN "helping the over all good in the world B.S. " FOR THAT...go to the democratic convention and tell them(like that would do any good-lol).BY THE WAY, IF YOU DO HAVE A BETTER PLAN,I WILL GIVE YOU A NEW WWPR/TAMPA BAY 1490 KEYCHAIN..HOW ABOUT THAT !!!!!!!!!! -LOL-....and yes, from time to time I have done a D.J. show on WWPR and also 1280 when there was an open hour(its a great way to get the commercials all played if your running behind schedule)and it was alot of fun...but,IM HERE TO MAKE MONEY....if I want fun,I'll ask to be paid in single dollar bills and go to the strip club...(ODESSEY 2001 OF COURSE,THEIR A SPONSOR)LOL... THANK YOU FOR A POST THAT IS JUST ABOUT COMMON SENSE

 

[BIG ED EDWARDS 1490]

UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE UPDATE


THIS JUST IN TO THE WWPR/TAMPA BAY 1490 NEWS ROOM ...................................


THE MORNING SHOW THAT WAS FOR SALE FROM 9AM TO 10 AM HAS JUST BEEN SOLD !!! REPEATING THE MORNING SHOW THAT WAS FOR SALE FROM 9AM TO 10 AM HAS JUST BEEN SOLD !!!


THE CONTRACT WILL BE SIGNED AND FINALIZED ON MONDAY MORNING SAID A JOYFUL BIG ED EDWARDS WHILE PLANNING HIS NIGHTLY DINNER TRIP TO A NEARBY BUFFET

HOWEVER, STAY TUNED TO THIS SITE FOR THE POSSIBILITY OF MORE MORNING HOURS BECOMING AVAILABLE LATER THIS MONTH !!!

MORE NEWS LATER .... WE NOW RETURN YOU TO OUR REGULAR BROADCAST OF
ITs YOUR TOOKUS WITH DR. BEN DOVER (LOL)

 

[smedge2006]

So if 1490 is such a great deal, why was morning drive available in the first place?

Can you say.... CHURN???

 

[BIG ED EDWARDS 1490]

So if 1490 is such a great deal, why was morning drive available in the first place?

Can you say.... CHURN???

HI THERE MR. SMEDGE, WHY ????

Why did the sales person change at the local car dealer,Why was the afternoon d.j. at the oldies station changed,why is Tony Dungy not the coach of the Buc's,Why are the reds moving from Sarasota,why did they build another drug store right across the street from the other,why did they make changes to the new kia,why did Mrs.Johnson not give me that extra point from a B to an A in third grade,why did voters elect Bush again,Why do fools fall in love,why did I paint my house brown and tan,why does garbage get picked up on mondays,why did you ask such a wacky question,Did you run out of things to ask????????

BECAUSE THINGS HAPPEN AND CHANGE IN THE WORLD FROM TIME TO TIME

THIS GUY WAS HERE WHEN WE TOOK OVER THE STATION AND AFTER THREE YEARS THINGS WERE NO LONGER WORKING OUT.... SO IT WAS TIME FOR A CHANGE

JEEZ, I EXPECT BETTER QUESTIONS FROM YOU .........ed

 

[smedge2006]

THIS GUY WAS HERE WHEN WE TOOK OVER THE STATION AND AFTER THREE YEARS THINGS WERE NO LONGER WORKING OUT.... SO IT WAS TIME FOR A CHANGE

... in other words, he got tired of paying to reach more people inside the studio than outside. Good to see that people eventually stop drinking the kool-aid even in AM brokered radio.

 

[FiveStar]

Reminds of the station manager at the first place I worked: WFSH/1340, a class IV AM in Niceville. He couldn't convince the owner to pay a Midnight to 6 guy so he started his own "broadcasting school" and charged his "students" for the "real life" experience of working the graveyard. Didn't last long, but interesting idea nonetheless.

 

[MichaelCrose]

Dear Big Ed,

Truth is, I can not see how a station like yours can make money unless you broker it out. Perhaps you can pick up free programming from one of the many talk networks out there then sell spots. It would take a while to find the right mix of programming, and then garner enough listeners to make the local businesses successful running spots.

But alas.. I do truly understand your situation. You are here to not only pay the bills but to make money. I am amazed at how much it cost to buy a radio station in a market like this compared to the income the smaller stations make. I personally know of a station in this market that sold for a million dollars when it was bringing in about $120,000 a year. I can tell you of no other business that uses that model for buying a company.

So Big Ed, go forth and prosper. But I will leave you with this. You Sir are a broadcaster. I as a listener (and a broadcaster) want you to succeed. Why not make WWPR the very BEST brokered station anywhere. I have a strange feeling deep down that you can do it and still make a bunch of money. I will be listening.

 

[DJ Mo]

Isn't WWPR call letters Power 105.1 in NYC?

 

[Wazzie]

New York's station is Power 105.1 WWPR-FM.
AM 1490 is WWPR-AM.

Interesting calls for a brokered station... P.R.?

 

[flwfg]

Actually the AM used to have studios and tower on Bradenton's downtown Memorial PIER... (From 1946 when they 1st went on the air until just a few years ago when the Miller's upped their rent on the pier to the point it was too expensive...) They also used to call themselves PIER 1490...

 

[fwillis]

When it was Pier 1490 it had a great daytime signal across the gulf in the panhandle. I've picked it up loud and clear at least 300 road miles away.I'm no longer in the area,so I have no idea what the signal is like now.They programed Westwood One satellite oldies with Florida network news on the bottom of the hour.

 

[flwfg]

when the tower was on the pier, the radials were in the riverbed...the signal really did bounce with the assistance of the brackish water there... When I worked there in the early 70's (the 1st time) we really had a good signal into tampa/st. pete...and a bit to the south... most of the radials were north and west...

 

[sbe1]

The salt water really makes the ground signal get out. Go to the beach sometime and you will hear the little 500 watt Key West station on 1600 very well. Same with WWL in New Orleans, 550 from Panama City (I think), a black gospel station on I think 1460 or 1360 from up around New Orleans area and a whole bunch of cuban and mexican stations. Get away from the beach and those stations are gone. 620 on the Gandy bridge is heard from Key West to New Orleans in the day time. When 1490 moved off the pier, they were subject to the ratchet rules and had to lower power to protect 1500 in Tarpon Springs. Even though there is another 1490 in Winter Haven, they dont have to do much protection to each other because they are class C formerly class IV stations. I think WWPR is only 800 watts now eminating from the Samoset swamp, the former WBRD stick

 

[flwfg]

I think that the tower there now was just a back up for wbrd... they were allowed 500 or 1000 watt non directional authorization as a back up when they moved txmtr, tower to Palmetto and increased power and went 24 hours... They had the old 1000 watt Collins txmtr there (beforre the fire) for that use, with relays hooked up to the studio location at 26 Ave & 1st street west (now Firkins used cars), and the Palmetto transmitter location...

Robert N (Bobby) Nelson was great for trying the latest gizmos, and for always having back ups to back ups to insure staying on the air... Even having the antennas placed 3 feet below the top of the towers, and grounding the hell out of the tower, so that the tower took lightning hits... not the antenna... When I started there in 1974, he was one of the first to have an automated system that changed power and direction, because I didn't have a 1st class ticket, and wasn't authorized to do it on my own... I was their 1st 3rd class licensee ever... I can remember that everything was so clean back then, you could even (barely) hear the que tones from the carts on the air...

Oh well... that was then, and this is now...

walt

 

[sbe1]

I remember Bobby had one of the first solid state transmitters at the Palmetto site for WBRD. Remember when the RCA FM transmitter caught fire? Good thing they had that backup site. During the fire, the AM stayed on the air right up till the fire dept cut the power to the building. The Samoset fire had to be arson. The original WBRD samoset site had 2 towers and was directional daytime only. When they moved the transmitter to Palmetto, they took down one tower and did as you said, had a ND backup. 930 WKXY had a similar set on 10th St. in Sarasota. They had 2 towers and were daytime only. When the Fernandez family built the new 4 tower site in eastern Sarasota County, they took down one tower, and sold off most of the property for apartments.

 

[flwfg]

wkxy was 3 tower on 10 street...used to be 1,000 day, 500 night... two different patterns...mostly in the gulf of mexico @ night...
They used to call themselves "the triple towers of power".....

The old WBRD / WDUV studios on 26 Ave E. were reportedly crammed full of junk from Bobby... God only knows how much radio memorbilia and equipment went up smoke...Just Robert R.Nelson left now...and he's in his mid 80's....


wfg

 

[ajhenderson]

I gave up on the second page, so maybe I missed something, but this is so typical. AM stations in Sarasota have a tough time making a buck... just like the AM stations on Long Island, California's Inland Empire, Tacoma, WA, etc. do, because of the adjacent major market, better-monied competition with much bigger signals preventing them from upgrading. Ed is a good guy and easy to work with. His game isn't ratings, yet it's amazing how long some of those people have been on the air at WWPR considering "no one is listening".

Everyone who talks about how the FCC is clamping down on what you can say on the radio and how "cookie cutter" corporate radio is today should applaud stations like WWPR for allowing for diverse viewpoints. Yes, you have to pay, but don't you think if the station could sell it, they would? The hosts are paying because they have no talent and just walked in off the street. These people get big heads very quickly and begin talking about how their show on Norwegian stamp collecting has a huge audience and is really building the station. It's nonsense. Funny thing is, the joke's on them. The station is built just the way the owners want it.

By the way, would the radio people who strive for such diverse programming prefer WWPR hand in the license? Without brokered programs, that's what would happen. On that frequency, you'll be schlocking spots in the street for a buck a cluck. That's no way to make a buck, and even CC couldn't do it with their own network programs and economies of scale, with multiple stations in one building and virtually no staff. How is an independent with comparitively no cash on hand to fight against corporate radio, and fewer resources, supposed to do it? If you want less diversity, force every station you don't like to turn in the license. What it really comes down to is how people who've been making low radio wages their entire life are now mad that any loser with an MBA can make ten times what they do, and then come in and get to play radio, too. The reason so many people got into radio, for the exclusivity that filled the void in their insecure beings, is now an non-factor.

By the way Ed, what about American AM? No more? Or is this replacing the legal show?