A Bold Proposal

Radio News from British Columbia

Postby Primitive » Sun Jun 11, 2006 9:44 pm

Here's a thought I've been having. I think that after 5 years of not turning a proffit or registering a rating of a 1 share or higher in several back-to-back books, a broadcasting company should have to give up a license, and a call for applications should be issued. Corus would be allowed to re-apply.

On 730 since the LG 73 days, we had soft AC music, all news, all talk, all sports, and now duplication of the services provided elsewhere on the dial. Traffic can be found everywhere, especially on News 1130, and Everything else is already on NW.

We have to be licensed to drive, and if we wrecked a car four times we wouldn't be allowed to drive. Why aren't broadcasters held to the same standard?

Corus clearly has too many frequencies because they can't think of what to do on 730. Surely someone else can do something that would serve the public better than re-runs during 75 percent of the broadcast day.

The airwaves are public property after all.
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Postby jon » Mon Jun 12, 2006 7:47 am

At the risk of drifting off-topic, I have to admit sharing one question in my mind that the majority of broadcast owners are also asking. "Just what can you do with an AM station, and make money, other than the mandatory one Full Service/Talk station per major market, ala CHED and CKNW?"

I am always amazed, and pleased, when stations like CFCW get decent ratings. And I presume that Cool 8-80 averages out to at least slightly profitable. Likewise, I've heard that Vancouver's AM 600 is not losing money either.

Of course, ethnic and paid programming can also work.

It is just that it is an "FM World" where people like my brother-in-law are in the smallest of minorities: he won't listen to FM in the car, because it is too noisy in stereo while moving past buildings, ravines, etc. And AM does pretty good, even through underpasses when you have 50,000 watts directed North into the city, giving an effective 100-150KW signal.

Even small markets have their AM stations at risk. If they are the only game in town, they do well, until they are blown away by an FM license application. Or, more likely, the owner beats it to the punch by moving the AM to FM. Even the CBC is getting in the act, moving their 40 watt repeaters to FM. Including my beloved CBXB-860 in Banff. Sniff, sniff. They were my best ever reception from Vancouver in the '60s. And I just heard of the (pending?) move. I'll get over it. Just give me time....
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Postby Stn Brk » Mon Jun 12, 2006 8:18 pm

After inadvertently tuning in to AM730 Sunday morning, I began to wonder if it was time a listener or two complained to the CRTC about Corus. Are they living up to their licensing committments for AM730? When I dialed past yesterday, both NW and AM730 were running the same religious program - yet another simulcast. How can running the same programming on two stations IN THE SAME MARKET be in the best interests of the public?
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Postby Destro » Tue Jun 13, 2006 9:46 am

Talk shows in AM stereo sound?
blog: http://morningaftershow.wordpress.com "A voice of reason amongst the doubters!" - Sandclan
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Postby GrumpyOldMan » Sat Jun 17, 2006 9:09 am

Well what audience is not being served by the cluster? Females.


What programming hole is there in the market? 70's music.


Corus's biggest mistake is that they've now created 3 unsuccessful radio stations that only hurt themselves. They were shuffling listeners away from NW to try and prop up Mojo. Before that, they were hoping to get their ROCK 101 audience to listen to Leykis. Before that, they were trying to get their NW audience to tune into NW2.

In every case, they THOUGHT they were going to steal audience from other stations that were threatening THEM. But they spent so much of their OWN AIR TIME cross promoting their newest endeavour, they were actually marginalizing their own properties.

STUPID STUPID STUPID. Corus has never managed to create programming, they've always tried to steal good programming from others. Thankfully, they stole away Rick Dhalliwall from the TEAM and paid him stupid money, and now they're stuck with him. I wonder how he's feeling about that now?

If you want ratings, put nostalgia music on the air. Not corporate stuffy, Corus like Nostalgia, but something fun, funky and silly. A 70's station that wreaks of the 70's. It's cheap fun, and could appeal to audiences of all ages. 70's music has legs, has enough CANCON and think about the position...the 70's on 730.

But that's too good an idea for the dimwits over there.
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Postby DJ Specs » Sun Jun 18, 2006 1:05 pm

That WOULD be a pretty cool idea!
What a sly guy... Radio Vibes..
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