The Hawk Launches

Bits and pieces of Radio History ... Features, sign ons, sign offs, format changes ... posting what we want!

The Hawk Launches

Postby radiofan » Fri Feb 20, 2009 2:53 pm

At 12:05 PM on Friday February 20th, 2009 CHWK-FM in Chilliwack, BC launched. Chilliwack's Rock Station, 89.5 The Hawk is here!

Here's the Launch of 89.5 The Hawk

Click here for The Hawk's Website

Congratulations to Kevin, Glen and everyone involved with The Hawk!
Those who danced were thought to be quite insane by those who couldn't hear the music.
User avatar
radiofan
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 13719
Joined: Sun Apr 16, 2006 2:24 pm
Location: Keremeos, BC

Re: The Hawk Launches

Postby 45 RPM » Fri Feb 20, 2009 7:46 pm

Nice to see a new station run by a smaller company hit the air. Some familiar names there.

Was Ken Singer at CKCK in Regina at one time? And Glen Slingerland, wasn't he at AM 106 in Calgary 20 years ago?

Good to see some good folks are still in the biz!

Best of luck with the new station.
User avatar
45 RPM
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 228
Joined: Tue Jun 26, 2007 11:01 am
Location: Hanna, AB

Re: The Hawk Launches

Postby Justaprairieguy » Sat Feb 21, 2009 10:59 am

[quote="45 RPM"]

Was Ken Singer at CKCK in Regina at one time?

Yes, Ken Singer was at CKCK. He spent over 20 years with the station, leaving in the spring of 1996.

A creative launch for the Hawk... best of luck to the station!
Justaprairieguy
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 75
Joined: Sun Aug 24, 2008 12:03 am

Re: The Hawk Launches

Postby Howaboutthat » Wed Feb 25, 2009 6:35 pm

Had a chance to listen online today. I hate to rain on everyone's parade, but IMHO, that music isn't going to 'fly' in the valley.
Were any surveys of storeowners done? Do you think Home Hardware or Joe's Hay Barn is going to want to have that on in the background. Nope. Folks who want that kind of rock are going to have it on their ipods.
Store owners who have a few bucks to advertise aren't going to put their money into a station that they wouldn't have on in their own store. Its fun to play radio, but you gotta know your audience and advertisers to survive.
Hockey doesn't last all year.
Houston, We're dealing with morons!.
User avatar
Howaboutthat
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 2509
Joined: Fri Jul 13, 2007 9:28 pm
Location: Vernon

Re: The Hawk Launches

Postby Kevin » Wed Feb 25, 2009 8:22 pm

Howaboutthat wrote:Had a chance to listen online today. I hate to rain on everyone's parade, but IMHO, that music isn't going to 'fly' in the valley.
Were any surveys of storeowners done? Do you think Home Hardware or Joe's Hay Barn is going to want to have that on in the background. Nope. Folks who want that kind of rock are going to have it on their ipods.
Store owners who have a few bucks to advertise aren't going to put their money into a station that they wouldn't have on in their own store. Its fun to play radio, but you gotta know your audience and advertisers to survive.
Hockey doesn't last all year.



I love armchair PD's...

We sincerely hope to get some in-business listening (oh... ummm we are...)...
but we are not counting on the customers wandering around Joes Hay Barn to be the key to the success...
there's a huge amount of traffic moving around this city of 85,000 people...
there's a huge amount of in Home listening...
there’s a huge amount of at work listening
Radio is a One-to-One medium – the in business playing of our or any station is the bonus - the free publicity we get when businesses like the fictitious Joes and others play our station without having to pay fees to the Collective...

Business Owners who won't buy a station because they don’t like the music should get out of business altogether. Business owners should know their target Demo and advertise accordingly. if they are looking for a predominant Male audience aged 25-44 with a broader Male/Female/family 18-54 – we have them. If Business owners are looking for long term listening by a broad range of listeners 25-60+ (Local WHL Hockey Fans) - they ought pick up a hockey package…

And to top it all off… i guess you didn't hear the Home Hardware ad running all week on our station... that business owner understands his target… not necessarily his choice in music.

Thanks for your comments, but don’t shovel the dirt on our station yet - at 4 days old, we're extremely happy with the response...
the 7 months of hockey is a great bonus.

Enjoy

Kg
Kevin Gemmell
Station Manager/General Sales Manager
CHWK FM - Chilliwack, BC
A division of FABMAR Communications Ltd.
Kevin
Member
 
Posts: 25
Joined: Sat Jan 10, 2009 8:01 pm
Location: Chilliwack, BC

Re: The Hawk Launches

Postby crs » Wed Feb 25, 2009 8:35 pm

Where the HELL is Joe's Hay Barn and how can they afford radio spots?? I thought hay bale futures were through the floor!

Seriously though folks, nice to hear a REAL newscast for a change in the Valley where a reporter actually attended a school board meeting to cover an issue relevant to plenty of people in the Promontory area of Chilliwack. Well done! As for the music, I'd have to agree with the last post. I was thinking while at my vet's office (which was playing STAR-FM) that there's no way they would switch the overhead music to the Hawk...it would frighten the animals. :shock:

As a male in your demo, the music is not something that will keep me glued to 89.5 for hours. But I WILL come back for my top of the hour news fix.

And refreshing to hear play-by-play hockey on a Chilliwack station for the first time in a decade.

Time will tell though if the music format will fly.

I guess tomorrow's test will be how they handle the school closures...
Keep your feet on the ground and keep reaching for the stars!
crs
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 432
Joined: Tue Jul 03, 2007 8:00 am

Re: The Hawk Launches

Postby Howaboutthat » Wed Feb 25, 2009 8:41 pm

Kevin wrote:I love armchair PD's...


You're new to this site aren't you. That's all we have here, armchair quarterbacks.
Some will blow smoke up yer butt, others will give you their opinion. That's what I did, based on many years in the biz in the lower mainland.
I will not be a listener because I don't live anywhere near your broadcasting area. From what I heard online, I didn't recognize half the music. Hope you have a big rotation because the 3 or 4 I did recognize, while nice to hear again, will get real old, real fast.
I refer you to the 104.9 frequency.
Again, just my opinion. Get ready for others.
Houston, We're dealing with morons!.
User avatar
Howaboutthat
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 2509
Joined: Fri Jul 13, 2007 9:28 pm
Location: Vernon

Re: The Hawk Launches

Postby Kevin » Wed Feb 25, 2009 8:51 pm

crs wrote:Where the HELL is Joe's Hay Barn and how can they afford radio spots?? I thought hay bale futures were through the floor!

Seriously though folks, nice to hear a REAL newscast for a change in the Valley where a reporter actually attended a school board meeting to cover an issue relevant to plenty of people in the Promontory area of Chilliwack. Well done! As for the music, I'd have to agree with the last post. I was thinking while at my vet's office (which was playing STAR-FM) that there's no way they would switch the overhead music to the Hawk...it would frighten the animals. :shock:

As a male in your demo, the music is not something that will keep me glued to 89.5 for hours. But I WILL come back for my top of the hour news fix.

And refreshing to hear play-by-play hockey on a Chilliwack station for the first time in a decade.

Time will tell though if the music format will fly.

I guess tomorrow's test will be how they handle the school closures...


I'm good with you stopping in over the course of the Day CRS.. I don't need you glued to the Radio all the time... just some of the time. it helps sell the News Sponsors
Kevin Gemmell
Station Manager/General Sales Manager
CHWK FM - Chilliwack, BC
A division of FABMAR Communications Ltd.
Kevin
Member
 
Posts: 25
Joined: Sat Jan 10, 2009 8:01 pm
Location: Chilliwack, BC

Re: The Hawk Launches

Postby Kevin » Wed Feb 25, 2009 8:55 pm

Howaboutthat wrote:
Kevin wrote:I love armchair PD's...


You're new to this site aren't you. That's all we have here, armchair quarterbacks.
Some will blow smoke up yer butt, others will give you their opinion. That's what I did, based on many years in the biz in the lower mainland.
I will not be a listener because I don't live anywhere near your broadcasting area. From what I heard online, I didn't recognize half the music. Hope you have a big rotation because the 3 or 4 I did recognize, while nice to hear again, will get real old, real fast.
I refer you to the 104.9 frequency.
Again, just my opinion. Get ready for others.


I'm much happier with the opinion of those in the market that are the listeners... we certainly can't please them all - that's not what we set out to do.
But... of those in the demo (and many outside just the same)... the vast majority of reviews thus far are great...
Now we settle in and see what happens...

Interesting though... I'm interested in your credentials... care to share your history or do you wish not to blow your anonymity?
Kevin Gemmell
Station Manager/General Sales Manager
CHWK FM - Chilliwack, BC
A division of FABMAR Communications Ltd.
Kevin
Member
 
Posts: 25
Joined: Sat Jan 10, 2009 8:01 pm
Location: Chilliwack, BC

Re: The Hawk Launches

Postby Howaboutthat » Wed Feb 25, 2009 9:08 pm

Kevin wrote:
Howaboutthat wrote:
Kevin wrote:I love armchair PD's...


You're new to this site aren't you. That's all we have here, armchair quarterbacks.
Some will blow smoke up yer butt, others will give you their opinion. That's what I did, based on many years in the biz in the lower mainland.
I will not be a listener because I don't live anywhere near your broadcasting area. From what I heard online, I didn't recognize half the music. Hope you have a big rotation because the 3 or 4 I did recognize, while nice to hear again, will get real old, real fast.
I refer you to the 104.9 frequency.
Again, just my opinion. Get ready for others.


I'm much happier with the opinion of those in the market that are the listeners... we certainly can't please them all - that's not what we set out to do.
But... of those in the demo (and many outside just the same)... the vast majority of reviews thus far are great...
Now we settle in and see what happens...

Interesting though... I'm interested in your credentials... care to share your history or do you wish not to blow your anonymity?


Be happy to... up to a point. I was a DJ/music director at a number of stations through out BC's interior, Van Island and Lower Mainland in the 70s and 80s. In the 90's I got into a different side of the business and eventually left for greener pastures.
Don't get me wrong, I hope to hell you make a go of it, but at the same time I hope you're willing to make changes. I don't know how much 'corporate' influences are at work. Again, from what I heard, I don't know. But like you said, its only been 4 days.
Houston, We're dealing with morons!.
User avatar
Howaboutthat
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 2509
Joined: Fri Jul 13, 2007 9:28 pm
Location: Vernon

Re: The Hawk Launches

Postby mightymouth » Wed Feb 25, 2009 11:16 pm

I just got a call from Joe's Hay Barn, and Joe wonders why nobody has hear of him? Kevin, get a sales rep out there right away! :? If you need any armchair help, Howaboutthatchairinthecorner will be pleased to help you. Obviously! Or maybe Beaver Cleaver who apparently solves all the problems of the world! :alien: All the best!! You'll do well.
Don't count the days, make the days count.
User avatar
mightymouth
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 769
Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2009 9:25 pm

Re: The Hawk Launches

Postby Dan Sys » Wed Feb 25, 2009 11:35 pm

Call me the black sheep on the board, but I kind of like the music mix on The Hawk (and I'm an old fart quite a few years beyond their target demo). Sort of a happy medium between CFOX and Rock 101.
User avatar
Dan Sys
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 1886
Joined: Tue Apr 25, 2006 7:05 pm
Location: Aldergroove, B.C.

Re: The Hawk Launches

Postby mightymouth » Thu Feb 26, 2009 12:14 am

Dan Sys wrote:Call me the black sheep on the board, but I kind of like the music mix on The Hawk (and I'm an old fart quite a few years beyond their target demo). Sort of a happy medium between CFOX and Rock 101.


Ok, you're a black sheep...don't ask me to call you a cab! Ok, You're a cab :? But I agree, DanSys, I'm liking it!
Don't count the days, make the days count.
User avatar
mightymouth
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 769
Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2009 9:25 pm

Re: The Hawk Launches

Postby Kevin » Thu Feb 26, 2009 12:35 am

I love it when it's all good
Kevin Gemmell
Station Manager/General Sales Manager
CHWK FM - Chilliwack, BC
A division of FABMAR Communications Ltd.
Kevin
Member
 
Posts: 25
Joined: Sat Jan 10, 2009 8:01 pm
Location: Chilliwack, BC

Re: The Hawk Launches

Postby mightymouth » Thu Feb 26, 2009 12:43 am

Kevin wrote:I love it when it's all good


Kevin, for God's sake.....get to bed. All the best. Very exciting times for you and your staff.
Don't count the days, make the days count.
User avatar
mightymouth
Advanced Member
 
Posts: 769
Joined: Thu Jan 15, 2009 9:25 pm


Return to Audio Memories

Who is online

Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 73 guests