By Greg Matics
Jackson Newspapers
Posted Aug 03, 2012 @ 08:30 AM
Jackson County, W.Va. —
Rod Willis is a 30-year veteran of radio who is living his lifelong dream of owning a radio station, and has transformed WMOV 106.5FM into the “Mid-Ohio Valley’s Fun Station” including a format change to ‘70s-‘80s rock-n-roll.
“I got my first job in radio at age 15 in Catlettsburg, KY at WCMC,” said Willis. “I moved on to WIRO in my hometown of Ironton, OH, and then to WQBE in Charleston, WV for eight years. From there, I went to WLAP Power 84 in Lexington, KY, and then came back to The Dog 93.7 in Huntington, WV, before purchasing WMOV about three months ago. I’ve always dreamed of owning my own station.”
Willis says his first love is country music, but with so much country around, he chose to go a ‘70s-‘80s rock-n-roll format. “I’ve only had one complaint so far,” he said. “Response has been 99 percent positive with the new format. I want this station to be very community-involved with all of Jackson County and to deliver a quality product to listeners.”
Willis says that the Bloxton Brothers (Heath and Jared) are returning to broadcast Ravenswood Red Devils Football this fall, and new head football coach Mick Price will have a weekly call-in show.
Willis has been a part of “Jamie Oliver’s Food Revolution,” as the “Miserable Bastard” disc jockey who gave him trouble, as well as appearing on The Oprah Winfrey Show and making other TV show appearances.
He promises comedian Bob Zany as a regular feature on Tuesdays at 8:40 a.m. and plans other celebrity comedians as guests. Zany is known as a regular on The Bob and Tom Show on radio and played Matt Damon’s at torney in the 2009 comedy film, “The Informant” and is a stand-up comedian noted for performing with his signature cigar.
“I like to have fun,” said Willis. “Make vacation your vocation and you’ll always be happy.”
Willis encourages listeners to call in to WMOV at 304-512-7314.
What makes you say unauthorized transfer of control? Hypothetically speaking, what if Mr. Willis joined the existing ownership team? Wouldn't that make him a new owner? Not the sole owner, though, but a new owner. Just a thought.
Spiceman wrote:What makes you say unauthorized transfer of control? Hypothetically speaking, what if Mr. Willis joined the existing ownership team? Wouldn't that make him a new owner? Not the sole owner, though, but a new owner. Just a thought.
FCC Part 73.3615 wrote:Before any change is made in the organization, capitalization, officers, directors, or stockholders of a corporation other than licensee or permittee, which results in a change in the control of the licensee or permittee, prior FCC consent must be received under § 73.3540. A transfer of control takes place when an individual or group in privity, gains or loses affirmative or negative (50%) control. See instructions on FCC Form 323 (Ownership Report). Each permittee or licensee of a commercial AM, FM or TV Broadcast station shall file an Ownership Report on FCC Form 323 within 30 days of consummating authorized assignments or transfers of permits and licenses. The Ownership Report of the permittee or licensee shall give the information required by the applicable portions of paragraph (a) of this section.
(i)(A) The name, residence, citizenship, race or ethnicity, gender, and stockholding of every officer, director, trustee, executor, administrator, receiver and member of an association, and any stockholder which holds stock accounting for 5 percent or more of the votes of the corporation, except that an investment company, insurance company, or bank trust department need be reported only if it holds stock amounting to 10 percent or more of the votes, provided that the licensee certifies that such entity has made no attempt to influence, directly or indirectly, the management or operation of the licensee, and that there is no representation on the licensee's board or among its officers by any person professionally or otherwise associated with the entity.
------------------------ Cameron Smith - CSRE®
Senior Member - SBE 68 Birmingham
Senior Technical Product Manager - JD Sports U.S.|Hibbett Sports
This is awesome! Rod is living out that secret dream of every radio guy. He gets to do radio without the interference of a gm or owner. Big ups to Rod for having both the werewithal and balls to make it happen. Even bigger kudos for having the balls to pull the trigger when the opportunity came up. Very few people can do that. I know I can't.
I hope it's a huge success for as long as he wants to do it and then he sells it for big dollars and retires rich enough to tell everyone to fornicate with themselves.
Jay Nunley wrote:This is awesome! Rod is living out that secret dream of every radio guy. He gets to do radio without the interference of a gm or owner. Big ups to Rod for having both the werewithal and balls to make it happen. Even bigger kudos for having the balls to pull the trigger when the opportunity came up. Very few people can do that. I know I can't.
I hope it's a huge success for as long as he wants to do it and then he sells it for big dollars and retires rich enough to tell everyone to fornicate with themselves.
Interesting that Rod is sort of following in the footsteps of Calvin Dailey, Jr. (A K A Randy Jay), when he took the WCEF call letters from his Parkersburg gig to HIS new station in Jackson County in the 80's.
- the life and health insurance broker formerly known as Joel Jackson
Dave Harman wrote:So the FCC will let you "translate" an AM station into FM after sunset, even when that AM goes off the air at dark?
Loophole for Class D AMs:
FCC CFR Part 74 Rules wrote:
§ 74.1263
(b) An FM booster or FM translator station rebroadcasting the signal of an AM or FM primary station shall not be permitted to radiate during extended periods when signals of the primary station are not being retransmitted. Notwithstanding the foregoing, FM translators rebroadcasting Class D AM stations may continue to operate during nighttime hours only if the AM station has operated within the last 24 hours.
------------------------ Cameron Smith - CSRE®
Senior Member - SBE 68 Birmingham
Senior Technical Product Manager - JD Sports U.S.|Hibbett Sports
WMOV sounds pretty good. The station seems to join up with, break away and come back to the Jones Classic Hits Network pretty good.
I love the jingles, especially the sung legal id jingle.
How are ad sales on WMOV, anyone know? I heard one local break at 50 after get skipped and go right back into music, plus I heard a PSA or two during the day.
i am not knocking WMOV lack of commercials (or so it seemed to me) on this particular Thursday that I listened. I am just asking because I'm curious.
