Re: WHAZ-FM
> > > >
> > > The last rumor I heard was that 97.5 would be silenced
> for
> >
> > > good in favor of another signal owned by the "God
> Squad".
> > I
> > > don't know what sort of shape the Bennington business
> > > community is in, but a station like WEQX should be
> > pouncing
> > > all over it. How about the Berkshire signals, do they
> > reach
> > > Bennington? Can you imagine paying 1.2 million $$$ just
>
> > to
> > > turn it off?
> > >
> > Bennington is currently going through a small bit of
> > growth...a couple of new auto dealerships, a new Home
> > Depot...a new hotel, a new Chili's in the works...not to
> > mention the possibility of a Walmart Super Center...as
> well
> > an the new bypass our tax dollars paid for...I'm surprised
> a
> > local station couldn't make it with advertising dollars...
>
> >
> I don't think it's a matter of a station being able to make
> it. I think the new owners just have their own master plan
> that doesn't seem to include a need for "local" advertising.
> They bought the signal for a reason that I guess is only
> known to them. Their furthering their message at the
> expense of the Bennington community. How would a station
> like WEQX capitalize on this? They focus hard on Albany
> where I'm sure the ad rates are better than what they would
> be in Bennington. Didn't Quizno's also just open? The more
> I think about it, Bennington really does have a lot
> happening. I'm sure the local paper is benefitting. That's
> too bad because the Bennington Banner is hardly a good
> newspaper. It's a waste of trees!
>
I think the market's been conditioned that local radio is bad radio, having survived the years with the WBTN AM and FM. I was once chowing at the Bennington Taco Bell, and the station was giving away advertising as a promotion. The WZEC incarnation was a good idea, just need time to develop. Who knows what kind of staff was in place there, especially in the sales department. Would oldies work better there, than a blah blah blah ho-hum AC station that never really stood out amongst the choices there.
The business community of Bennington voted, and supporting a local radio station did not win. WEQX could do very well there, I hear a fair amount of Bennington business already on them.. WEQX sounds as good as ever these days, perhaps save that for another post. Plus some organization paid a hell of a lot more than what WZEC was worth, that's ultimately the bottom line there.
WJAN Cat Country "South" could benefit quite nicely, since there rate structure is bargain basement compared to what WEQX charges. Stuff from North Adams does not get into town that well.