WXCC power increase

Force Commander · Post by **Force Commander** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 7:08 am

Any thoughts?

http://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/finder ... &x=15&y=12

cgarison · Post by **cgarison** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 9:23 am

Are they going to be able to pay for the increased electric bill with ad revenue from the bigger coverage area?

Dave Allen · Post by **Dave Allen** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 12:07 pm

They are invading my territory. Hope they offer me a job.

lastone · Post by **lastone** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 3:42 pm

First, let me say the power increase has been available to XCC for nearly 20 years. Harvit wouldn't do it because of the cost and the slight increase in coverage and the fact the tower HAD to move 10 miles into Kentucky. Harvit wanted a WV stastion....as licensed.

East Kentucky Broadcasting has owned the station since 2000. They dupe Pikeville's WPKE and (according to the Williamson people I have spoken to) could care less about the Williamson area. By moving XCC they now have overlapping coverage of all three of their FM's, WXCC, WPKE and WELK (I guess it's still called that). Thus THEY serve only Pike county Kentucky.

I wish them well but do feel for those who came to respect us and trust us in the Williamson area over the decades. The origional listeners and supporters of the station seem to have been tossed aside.

Another travesty of consolidation. And yes I am biased, for I built the damn place 30 years ago.

And Dave, be glad you don't work for them....trust me. I know the history.

Dave Allen · Post by **Dave Allen** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 7:50 pm

I was kidding about that. I'm happy where I am. It is true from what I've heard...with them dumping the Williamson area. They at least had a sales office there for a while but I don't know if they still do or not. Hey, their loss is our gain!

lastone · Post by **lastone** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 9:13 pm

Now if you could just talk Speedy into going stereo......

kentuckymedia · Post by **kentuckymedia** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 12:12 am

I am a huge fan of local radio, hell I even own two FM stations and an AM station. However, it has always puzzled me that East Kentucky radio still sounds like it is stuck in 1989.

The imaging sounds awful, Jingles were cut by Jams in 1977, Jocks sound terrible.

Walter May is a millionaire. Why doesnt he invest in making radio "great" instead of half assed?

Gormon Collings is another millionaire. I hate to admit, he probably has one of the better sounding stations in the area and it still sounds like Top 40 in a tin can on US 23. I mean, I listened one time for 30 minutes and thought I was listening to an I-Pod, no liners, no jingles, nothing.

Adam Gearhart, I would say he atleast is on somewhat the right track. He understands what it takes to make a station grow, what he doesnt understand is the common sense of programming.

Key Broadcasting should be ashamed of theirselves. They have a 100,000 watt beauty pageant going on in Paintsville and it sounds like a Class A in Letcher County.

I used to have an employee who moved to Kentucky from Ohio to program two stations and he was told that his "Ohio" programming skills were unwanted in Kentucky and that everything is just fine. YIKES!

Walter should hire someone who has a brain about radio and let them operate the stations, music..programming..promotions, etc.

Hoosier Daddy · Post by **Hoosier Daddy** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 12:18 am

kentuckymedia wrote:Walter May is a millionaire. Why doesnt he invest in making radio "great" instead of half assed?

Because he ... MIGHT ... have ... to pry ... those ... fingers ... away ... from ... a ... few ... Dead ... Presidents ... to do it!

kentuckymedia · Post by **kentuckymedia** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 12:21 am

true...sad, but true

kentuckymedia · Post by **kentuckymedia** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 1:32 pm

The big question is, do you think Eastern Kentucky will ever see advancement in their radio operations or act like they are playing with their pre-skool my first radio station kits?

genlock · Post by **genlock** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 1:35 pm

Is Eastern Kentucky Broadcasting making money?

kentuckymedia · Post by **kentuckymedia** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 1:56 pm

The BIA Financial stats for Eastern Coalfields (PIKE, FLOYS, MARTIN, JOHNSON and MINGO) counties had this to say...

EAST KENTUCKY BROADCASTING - 2.47
WDOC RADIO INC. - 1.93
GEARHART COMMUNICATIONS - 0.91
S.I.P. - dba KEY - 0.83
HIGHLANDS BROADCASTING - 0.35

----------------------------------------------

TOTAL EARNINGS - 6.49 MILLION PER ANUM
EARN POTENTIAL - 10.7 MILLION PER ANUM

From what I take away is that there is more potential for stronger station formatics and sales development among the stations in the region. You see there are plenty of stations recording less than 300,000 per year income, thats bad!!!

genlock · Post by **genlock** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 2:02 pm

If the owner(s) are happy with the income and there are no competitors to worry with, so be it. Change is bad.

Arp2 · Post by **Arp2** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 3:27 pm

Although I've been through it a number of times and have vacationed there more than once, I'm not that familiar with the area; nevertheless, I'm going to hypothesize that $4.2 million is a whole lot of revenue to just magically make appear.

You know, especially given that that figure represents about 65% of existing total revenue. You know. I'm just sayin'.

I mean, the opportunity of "easy" 65% growth in the top line, an incredibly high percentage of which could drop straight down to the bottom line, would attract a "name" player or two, wouldn't it? I'm just sayin'. You know, like, at least "Flip This Stick" or something. At the least.

kentuckymedia · Post by **kentuckymedia** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 4:14 pm

I agree change can be bad if it isnt executed properly. Thats why they need to bring in someone who can change it without ruffling too many feathers. Why would adding jingles and liners between songs be bad? Shortening the length of commercial breaks by 1 or 2 minutes be bad?

It takes planning, study and then proper execution.

genlock · Post by **genlock** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 4:24 pm

If things are fine the way they are, why change?
A big city slicker PD could upset the applecart and
cause the other stations to do the same.
That might cause a spiral of inflationary spending
for no reason. Maybe the locals like no jingles.
Maybe the advertisers like the spot clusters just the way they are.
Change is bad.

lastone · Post by **lastone** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 4:36 pm

The money is hard to make there. And the operations (May's stands out) are "bare bones". Walter's business sense was always; If he's making money, you have a job. If not, you are unemployed. Meaning, the staff would expand/contract with monthly sales! He'd hire you today and fire you tomorrow.

The entire region relys on coal and its ups and downs. Coal has been up for a while and the "center of production" has moved to Pikeville. They are third in the line to share this "wealth", behind Williamson and Logan. Now having a "hard time" now that coal has moved on, both Williamson and Logan are struggling to hold on. In as little as a decade Pikeville will be in the same boat. When the mines go, so does the money.

One other note. East Ky at 2.47 sounds like a lot. But I remember Harvit bringing in between 950 and 1.3 every year for years with only WXCC/BTH. And that's in 1980 dollars. Their ownership expansion hasn't gained them as much as I would expect.

Dave Allen · Post by **Dave Allen** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 5:42 pm

I can't speak for Williamson or on into Eastern KY but I can see our ad revenue is through the roof right now. Of course I've been doing this long enough to know that statement should be followed up with the proverbial knock on wood.

kentuckymedia · Post by **kentuckymedia** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 5:45 pm

I understand no change, trust me. Im not saying run around and change everything, but what I am saying is to PROGRESS WITH THE TIMES.

Move forward with the rest of the radio world. Your not going to all of a sudden have a mass exodous of listeners going to XM, that would be completely silly. What you will have is people moving along with you.

Jingles and Liners between songs WONT upset the apple cart. What it will do is help remind people (top of mind awareness).

Stronger Jocks in specific dayparts WONT upset the apple cart. What it will do is provide a stronger and better sounding source of information to the listener.

Shorter Commercial Breaks WONT upset the apple cart. What it will do is cause a lean in commercial inventory making people be more creative for local businesses and charge an extra dollar per spot.

Radio is moving forward, nothing wrong with moving forward with it.

genlock · Post by **genlock** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 5:50 pm

The coalfields do not move forward.
The radio stations have changed with the times.
Most have touchtone phones and their cars have radial tires.
What their listners expect is what they are getting.
These cites for a special market where radio
is a constaant and unchanging companion.

Change is bad.