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WZUM 1590
- Thread starter PHIL Z
- Start date
I've been sitting back reading the individual posts, and I have to say that there's certainly a lot of debate over the fate of WZUM.
A lot of you make a lot of sense, but I've known Chris (1250WTAE) for probably about 17 years now. He does not go into radio station ownership as a glamour project. There's been lots of guys who have been ambitious enough, but when it comes to actually hitting the streets and being your own salesman, they often find that they're way in over their head. Then they ask themselves "why won't anyone buy my product? I like it!"
A lot of station owners that come out of the programming office and have never hit the streets trying to sell their product are in for a surprise. I was the last GM of WKPA in New Kensington before the sale to its present owner. I knew I had to offer what the community wanted or I was dead. They wanted local news and local sports. I was able to meet them halfway with no budget whatsoever, and was actually able to bring the station into the black. Here's some of the challenges I had to experience:
1. Cold-calling in person and being told "I've heard that garbage you play on the weekend (meaning doo-wop and Pittsburgh Oldies)...forget it."
2. Being thrown out of another business on a cold call after being told how the previous owner screwed that client.
3. Wannabe jocks who illegally raised the power at night.
4. Reps who wanted a salary guarantee of $24,000 a year...you want that kind of money, go sell something.
There's others that aren't coming to mind right now, but that's the long and short of it. I was 21 when I was given the GM stripes and it was the best learning experience I ever had.
WKPA was coming back in a big way...we just ran out of time.
A lot of you make a lot of sense, but I've known Chris (1250WTAE) for probably about 17 years now. He does not go into radio station ownership as a glamour project. There's been lots of guys who have been ambitious enough, but when it comes to actually hitting the streets and being your own salesman, they often find that they're way in over their head. Then they ask themselves "why won't anyone buy my product? I like it!"
A lot of station owners that come out of the programming office and have never hit the streets trying to sell their product are in for a surprise. I was the last GM of WKPA in New Kensington before the sale to its present owner. I knew I had to offer what the community wanted or I was dead. They wanted local news and local sports. I was able to meet them halfway with no budget whatsoever, and was actually able to bring the station into the black. Here's some of the challenges I had to experience:
1. Cold-calling in person and being told "I've heard that garbage you play on the weekend (meaning doo-wop and Pittsburgh Oldies)...forget it."
2. Being thrown out of another business on a cold call after being told how the previous owner screwed that client.
3. Wannabe jocks who illegally raised the power at night.
4. Reps who wanted a salary guarantee of $24,000 a year...you want that kind of money, go sell something.
There's others that aren't coming to mind right now, but that's the long and short of it. I was 21 when I was given the GM stripes and it was the best learning experience I ever had.
WKPA was coming back in a big way...we just ran out of time.
F
FreddyE1977
Guest
hypwr said:
though I would much rather lose money taking a run at my Walter Mitty fantasy than
by having some dark financial manipulations sap it out of my 401-K.
C'mon people....can we get a WZUM thread up to 20 pages???
I think people on this board are interested in WZUM because (1) it's a small station, (2) it has heritage
in three formats (R&B, Top 40 and AOR - not counting the religious years) and (3) everybody has their
own idea of what they'd do with it, perhaps because presently it is dark and therefore it seems "within
reach."
Something is always better than nothing. I hope WZUM signs back on the air. It will never be a major
player in the market (nor has it ever been, really), but there are several opportunities if it really wants
to serve an audience.
C.
in three formats (R&B, Top 40 and AOR - not counting the religious years) and (3) everybody has their
own idea of what they'd do with it, perhaps because presently it is dark and therefore it seems "within
reach."
Something is always better than nothing. I hope WZUM signs back on the air. It will never be a major
player in the market (nor has it ever been, really), but there are several opportunities if it really wants
to serve an audience.
C.
F
FreddyE1977
Guest
1250WTAE said:
There's not a situation on this planet that local politicians can't screw-up beyond repair.
Very sorry to hear this!
F
FreddyE1977
Guest
How about a swap of WZUM's 1590 for WKZV's 1110?
That way Washington County can have another nighttime signal
using WKZV's directional array. And WZUM could find space on
a single tower to run as a non-directional daytimer, maybe at a
reduced power.
I know it will never happen. One more mile closer to Cleveland
is probably out of the question.
That way Washington County can have another nighttime signal
using WKZV's directional array. And WZUM could find space on
a single tower to run as a non-directional daytimer, maybe at a
reduced power.
I know it will never happen. One more mile closer to Cleveland
is probably out of the question.
W
WCWalker
Guest
Fybush.com is reporting that the Crafton City Council has voted to tear down the WZUM towers. Looks like the end of the line for the station.
Go back a page, William, where you'll see that posted by the guy who was going to buy the thing.
Of course, Chris' two stations now (WRTK-turned-WYCL/1540 Niles and WANR/1570 Warren, both here in NE Ohio) were once co-owned as well, even before the Beacon days. They ran R&B and local sports as "Network 15 - The City" back in the early 1990s.
Someone should do a study on formerly co-owned statons, especially those now under the same umbrella again...
Of course, Chris' two stations now (WRTK-turned-WYCL/1540 Niles and WANR/1570 Warren, both here in NE Ohio) were once co-owned as well, even before the Beacon days. They ran R&B and local sports as "Network 15 - The City" back in the early 1990s.
Someone should do a study on formerly co-owned statons, especially those now under the same umbrella again...
F
FreddyE1977
Guest
I have not seen coverage anyplace which states that the Crafton City Council has any better
use in mind for the land. Sounds like they have just not received their rent payment in a very
long time, and are unwilling to take the risk that the new owners would be paying on-time either.
I am guessing that they also have been eating the cost of liability insurance on this property,
which would be substantially cheaper were there not towers located on it.
use in mind for the land. Sounds like they have just not received their rent payment in a very
long time, and are unwilling to take the risk that the new owners would be paying on-time either.
I am guessing that they also have been eating the cost of liability insurance on this property,
which would be substantially cheaper were there not towers located on it.
Neither have I heard of any plans for the land, which is hardly glamorous. My guess is that Crafton got
fed up with the most recent owners, who were clearly in over their heads (in more ways than one) and
were padlocked out of the studio and transmitter, found to be in violation of FCC rules, and so on. Still,
it seems a bit Grinchy to kill off a radio station at this time of year, especially with a willing buyer in the
wings.
C.
fed up with the most recent owners, who were clearly in over their heads (in more ways than one) and
were padlocked out of the studio and transmitter, found to be in violation of FCC rules, and so on. Still,
it seems a bit Grinchy to kill off a radio station at this time of year, especially with a willing buyer in the
wings.
C.
F
FreddyE1977
Guest
They should just set them up smack in the middle of the Crafton-Ingram Shopping Center
parking lot. Not like there's anything else left there at this point...
parking lot. Not like there's anything else left there at this point...
F
FreddyE1977
Guest
PHIL Z said:
You are correct. My bad.
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