Indiana RadioWatch: February 24, 2010

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First off, let's talk about a radio sale that pertains to several of our areas. The Calvary Radio Network purchases 31 FM stations and translators from Calvary Chapel of Costa Mesa for $1 million. In Indiana, this includes stations in Cicero (WJCY), Crothersville (WOJC), Hanna (WHLP), Howe (WQKO), Montpelier (WJCO), Morgantown (WCJL), Wanatah (WTMK), and translators in Auburn, Bremen, Buffalo, Crown Point, Fort Wayne, Goshen, Mishawaka, Rochester, South Bend, Warsaw (currently silent; see below), and West Lafayette, along with radio facilities in four other states.

Now, onto the news.

Northeast

It is quite sad to report that Chris Larko, the owner of Larko Communications' Hot AC/WMYQ (101.1fm, South Whitley) and Oldies/WBZQ (1300am, Huntington) passed away on Friday 19 February. The 51 year old Larko founded Larko Communications, and purchased 101.1fm in 1992, and AM in 1998. Larko also worked at WAFX (and its successor WLYV on 1450am), WLKI, WAJI, and stations in West Virginia and Florida. Larko also produced a Peabody Award winning documentary in 1984, while working for WAFX. Larko is survived by his fiance, a daughter, his father, and multiple other family and friends.

As for the future of Larko's stations, Holly Abrams at The Journal Gazette reports that Ron Gregory, who handled mornings at both stations, exited the stations about two weeks ago, when the stations were placed on the sale block.

IRW will keep you posted on the latest.

Fallen Timbers' AC/WFGA (106.7fm, Hicksville, Ohio) moves transmitter sites, from Hicksville, Ohio (on OH-2), to a new tower and site on County Road 30, southeast of Butler, Indiana. The new tower runs 2800 watts at 492 feet (a change from the Hicksville site, which was 6000 watts at 328 feet).

Swick Broadcasting's AC/WLKI (100.3fm, Angola) adds HD Radio, and adds a rock format ("U Rock") to WLKI-HD2, and ESPN Radio sports to WLKI-HD3. WLKI-HD2 is also heard via translator W267BE (101.3fm, Angola), while WLKI-HD3 is also heard via translator W224BY (92.7fm, Angola). Both translators are on the same tower as WLKI, on IN-327, north of Angola.

The FCC has picked "tentative selectees" from three groups of mutually-exclusive applications for new non-commercial signals, two in northeast Indiana and one in southern Indiana. The two northeast Indiana tentative selectees are 601 Reed Road Corporation (91.3fm, Woodburn) and Club 1915, Inc. (89.9fm, Edon, Ohio), just across the state line from Angola.

The FCC has posted its latest Order: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-10-29A1.pdf (Please see pages 22 through 24). Those not selected are directed in the FCC Order as to the process for filing FCC petitions to deny.

Both stations seem affiliated with the Knights of Columbus, so you might hear religious (EWTN?) programming on each. The 91.3fm station will run 8700 watts at 148 feet, from a cellular tower on Doty Road, northeast of I-469 and east of IN-37, between Fort Wayne, and Hicksville, Ohio. The 89.9fm station will run 2000 watts, at 262 feet, from a tower north of I-80/90 and US-20, north of Columbia, Ohio (also north of Edon, Ohio).

IRW wonders how well the 91.3fm signal will be heard, as the frequency finds itself sandwiched between Homestead High School's WCYT (91.1fm, Lafayette Township) and Columbia City High School's WJHS (91.5fm, Columbia City). Also of interest will be how the formats of these new stations overlap with Redeemer Radio's WLYV (1450am, Fort Wayne).

The remaining newly granted station is in Tell City, and that will be discussed below, under "Southcentral."

Rob Livergood resurfaces in radio as GSM at Independence Media's Talk/WNUY (100.1fm, Bluffton). A few years ago, Livergood was in sales management at crosstown Summit City Radio Group. WNUY also staffs up by adding three new salespeople.

There's a change at the top of a radio network. After 48 years, Dick Bott is retiring and his son Rich is taking over at the helm. The Bott Radio Network owns just under 100 stations, but its lone Indiana station is Fort Wayne's WFCV (1090am, Fort Wayne).

A former northeast Indiana station owner has passed away. Joseph P. ("Joe") Sweeney started stations in Kokomo, Rochester (WROI), and Columbia City (WFDT; now coincidentally WJOE), among others. The 84 year old Sweeney passed away on Sunday 31 January.

Northeast Indiana Public Radio's Jazz-Talk/WBOI (89.1fm, Fort Wayne) drops NPR's "Fresh Air" and replaces it with one hour of the NPR show "On Point," which began airing on Monday 8 February at 1:00PM.

Three Amigo's Broadcasting's Rhythmic CHR/WGBJ (102.3fm, Auburn) flips monikers on its "Power 102.3" to "B102.3." Also, they have a new website at: http://www.b1023.com/ (finally, this makes the third Fort Wayne area frequency, in recent memory, to go "B". The other two are 106.3fm and 93.3fm)

A former WOWO (1190am, Fort Wayne) News Director has passed away. Gary Froseth passed away on 9 January in Nicaragua. We believe he was News Director there at the end of the Westinghouse era (late 1970's/early 1980's), shortly before Bob Price purchased WOWO. Other stops in Froseth's career included Los Angeles (KFWB and KFI), Philadelphia (KYW), Pittsburgh (KDKA), and he recently retired from a sixteen year career with WTOP in Washington, DC.

An LPTV window opened for stations far enough away from a Top 100 market. Several more applications were received for Fort Wayne. Westminster, Colorado-based Syncom Media Group, Inc. has filed for a LPTV station on Channels 14, 19, 21, 33, or 51. If one of the current filings is accepted, the station would transmit from the tower of WJFX, on Tillman Road in southeast Fort Wayne.

Where Are They Now (Part 1)? Former WBYR PD (and former WABX/Evansville PD) Cindy Miller is now PD at both Beasley WSFL-FM and WXNR-FM in Greenville/New Bern/Jacksonville, North Carolina.

Where Are They Now (Part 2)? Former then-WKJG-TV (Channel 33, Fort Wayne) News Director Bob Rockstroh recently left Tribune's FOX affiliate WTIC-TV in Hartford, Connecticut, after several years as News Director there.

Where Are They Now (Part 3)? Former WBTU GM J.R. Greeley exits as GM at the Regent Communications stations' in Peoria, Illinois.

Northcentral

Michiana Public Broadcasting's PBS affiliate WNIT-TV (Channel 35, South Bend) announced that they plan on adding a "Michiana" channel to their DTV lineup, which will have local programming. They are also adding connectivity to a Benton Harbor, Michigan college, which will give WNIT the chance to broadcast events live, from that college.

Mark down WXNL as the new call letters assigned to the CP for 90.1fm, Rochester. Noll Club, Inc. has this license. When built, this station will broadcast 300 watts at 312 feet, from a tower about a mile east of the WROI/WQKV tower, on IN-14, west of Rochester and US-31.

The Calvary Radio Network translator W254BG (98.7fm, Warsaw) remains off the air, with a STA from the FCC. The tower, southeast of Warsaw and Winona Lake, is being decommissioned.

Where Are They Now? Former WNDU-TV News Director (and one-time WSBT-TV reporter) Norm Stangland is the new Assistant News Director at WLNS-TV in Lansing, Michigan.

Northwest

A rather prominent broadcaster passed away in January. Jan Gabriel, who worked at WJOB in the 1960's, rose to prominence as the announcer that coined the phrase "Sunday! Sunday! Sunday!" when doing commercial voiceover work for the now defunct Hobart-based "U.S. 30 Dragstrip." Gabriel was 69, and passed away on Sunday 10 January 2010. A celebration of his life was held at his house in Lombard, Illinois on - you guessed it - Sunday 17 January.

Crawford Broadcasting's Urban Contemporary/WPWX (92.3fm, Hammond) completed a surprise antenna replacement over the New Year's holiday. Shortly before the end of 2009, engineers discovered a problem at the WPWX transmitter site, in Burnham, Illinois. The directional antenna had significant problems, and so it came down. Once the 800 pound antenna was down (31 December 2009), it was stored, and the damaged vertical element was sent back to the manufacturer (ERI) in Chandler. The replacement element was returned, and the antenna was replaced (in four pieces; as opposed to when the antenna came down in one piece) on 15 January. The new tower was up, and on the air, in about six hours.

Speaking of towers, Lakeshore Public Broadcasting's News-Talk-NPR/WLPR (89.1fm, Lowell) applies to the FCC to move a few miles northwest, from the tower of Radio One Communications' WXRD, off IN-55, to the tower of Lakeshore-owned WYIN-TV, near Cedar Lake. With this proposal, WLPR would gain antenna height (from 253 feet to 886 feet), but reduce power (from 2400 watts to 600 watts) with a directional antenna, which would pick up additional northern coverage.

And before leaving the "antenna beat," there's a large project starting in northwest Indiana. Radio One Communications received FAA and local zoning approval to build a new 500 foot tower, in the heart of Lake County. The new tower will co-locate AC/WZVN (107.1fm, Lowell) and Classic Rock/WXRD (103.9fm, Crown Point). There will also be a back up site.

A former Lafayette programmer has passed away. Justin Kaiser, who was once PD of Artistic Media Partners' then-WLFF, and on air at WSHP, passed away on Sunday 17 January, at the entirely far too young age of 33. Kaiser also worked at Artistic sister station WZOW in Goshen.

LIN-TV's CBS affiliate WLFI-TV (Channel 11, Lafayette) news anchor Sue Scott, News Director Chris Morisee, Sales Manager Jenny Olszewski, and a part timer all exit, in a round of economically influenced job cuts. WLFI GM Tom Combs will add Olszewski's SM duties. Jeff Smith (Sue Scott's co-anchor) and GM Combs will share ND duties.

An LPTV window opened for stations far enough away from a Top 100 market. Several applications were received for Lafayette. Sunrise, Florida-based DTV America II, LLC has filed for a LPTV station on Channels 16, 22, 23, 31, or 35. If one of the current filings is accepted, the station would transmit from the tower on US-24, between Wolcott and Remington (a few miles east of I-65).

Eastcentral

The $750,000 sale of WURK (101.7fm, Elwood) closed on New Year's Eve, and the station (sold by Barry Drake's Backyard Broadcasting to Educational Media Foundation) is now broadcasting EMF's "K-Love" format. "K-Love" began on the evening of 5 January 2010. There's a call letter shift, too, as WURK becomes WIKL. The former WIKL (90.5fm, Greencastle) is now WQRA. The $750,000 sale was $250,000 down, with Backyard holding a six year long note. The deal was brokered by Florence, Kentucky-based John Pierce and Company.

The current fate of Pendleton Heights High School station WEEM (91.7fm, Pendleton) hangs in the balance, as the South Madison Community School system tries to solve a budget crisis. IRW was told that the station may go silent, and the educational program eliminated at the end of the school year. There are several ideas which may save the station.

On 1 February, Andy Scott joined as the new afternoon host on Rodgers Broadcasting's Country/WIFE-FM (94.3fm, Rushville) and the voice tracked morning host on sister Oldies/WIFE (1580am, Connersville).

At the end of January, Jim Wagner retired as Chief Engineer of the Moody Radio Indiana stations. Replacing Wagner is Joel Wright.

Chris Nolte exits mornings at Rodgers Broadcasting's Talk-Sports/WKBV (1490am, Richmond) for morning co-host duties ("Lakeshore This Morning") at Northwest Indiana Public Broadcasting's News-Talk/WLPR (89.1fm, Lowell). Replacing Nolte at WKBV is Mike and Mike from ESPN Radio. With this change, WKBV rebrands as "ESPN Radio 1490."

Another of the NCE applications filed in October 2007's window are starting to become CP's. Redeemer Radio Group now has a CP for a station on 90.5fm, licensed to Swayzee, with call letters WXZA. According to the CP, the station would run 1000 watts at 213 feet, from a transmitter on the south side of US-35, east of IN-13 (southwest of Marion).

An LPTV window opened for stations far enough away from a Top 100 market. Several applications were received for Marion. Sunrise, Florida-based DTV America II, LLC has filed for a LPTV station on Channels 15 or 22. If one of the current filings is accepted, the station would transmit from the tower on the east side of I-69, just north of Warren.

Central

Two new programmers have been named at Emmis/Indianapolis, as David Wood and Alan Furst join the Monument Circle facility. Wood is now PD at Soft AC/WYXB (105.7fm, Indianapolis) and Sports/WFNI (1070am, Indianapolis), while Furst is the new Director of News Talk Programming, along with programming News-Talk/WIBC (93.1fm, Indianapolis). Furst replaces Kent Sterling, who exited the station in mid-January. Both Furst and Wood now report to Bob Richards who is Director of Programming for the Emmis/Indianapolis cluster, along with being the PD of Emmis' other Indianapolis property: Country/WLHK (97.1fm, Shelbyville). Early in Furst's career, he was PD at WIRE (1430am), where he worked with the late Tom Severino. As for David Wood, as Emmis GM Charlie Morgan said in an email: "David [Wood] will be in touch with his feminine side as PD for B [105.7] and his sports fanatic side as PD of WFNI."

Jimmy "Mad Dog" Matis exits as afternoon host at Clear Channel's Rock/WFBQ (94.7fm, Indianapolis). Replacing the 52 year old Matis is Dave Gunn ("Gunner"). Matis' last day was 7 January, and he had been with the station for nearly 25 years. Matis told Cathy Kightlinger at The Indianapolis Star: "They just said, 'We're going to go in a different direction. My direction was out the door.'"

Also happening at Fall Creek Road, Clear Channel's Sports/WNDE (1260am, Indianapolis) adds Mark Patrick in afternoons (3:00PM until 7:00PM). Patrick returns to Indianapolis from XM Radio, where he hosted "Major League Baseball This Morning" for the past four years.

The University of Indianapolis' Jazz-Classical/WICR (88.7fm, Indianapolis) adds Chuck Workman's long running "Sunday Morning Jazz Show." The show, formerly heard on then-WTPI (107.9fm), airs on Sunday's between 11:00AM and 1:00PM. Workman's show mixes music and interviews with local and touring musicians, and broadcasts from local venues.

The FCC denies an application for a minor change by Indiana Community Radio Corporation's W287BR (105.1fm, Carthage). The station had proposed a city of license change, and used the FCC's translator interference rules to try and prove that the translator would not interfere with Cumulus' WJJK (104.5fm, Noblesville), but the application had different coordinates than the exhibit which was part of the application.

Where Are They Now (Part 1)? Former WZPL afternoon host Kelly McKay is now handling middays at WLNK in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Where Are They Now (Part 2)? Former WTHR-TV sports anchor and reporter Henry Wofford is now a sports anchor and reporter with Comcast SportsNet Bay Area in San Francisco, California.

Where Are They Now (Part 3)? Former then-WGRL morning host Jeffrey T. Mason is now doing afternoons at KMLE, as "JJ" and middays at sister KOOL-FM, as Jeffrey T. Mason.

Westcentral

The FCC has scheduled a "closed" auction on 20 July. This auction aims to resolve mutually exclusive applications for stations across the country. Three of these stations are Indiana-based. The auction is "closed" in that it is only open to the bidders who are mutually-exclusive from a prior FCC filing process. Two of the frequencies are Mike Rice's former AM stations at 640am and 1230am. Both have been silent since their 4 October 2001 shutdown, after Rice's Contemporary Media lost the licenses. Rice was convicted on multiple criminal charges, thereby making him a felon, which is a big FCC No-No. The applicants for both frequencies include Contemporary Media, Inc., Fort Bend Broadcasting Company, Inc., Powell Meredith Communications Corp., KM Communications, Inc., Bott Broadcasting, Inc., Word Power, Inc., and Birach Broadcasting Corporation (640am only). The minimum bid for either 640am or 1230am is $50,000. Will any of the applicants still have that kind of extra dough, in today's economic climate?

After 18 months in format, Midwest Communications' News-Talk/WPRS (1440am, Paris, Illinois) flips format on Monday (15 February) to country (with perhaps a bit of C&W thrown in).

An LPTV window opened for stations far enough away from a Top 100 market. Several applications were received for Terre Haute. Sunrise, Florida-based DTV America II, LLC has filed for a LPTV station on Channels 16, 23, 28, or 49. If one of the current filings is accepted, the station would transmit from the tower of WFXW-TV, on US-41 in Farmersburg, which is home already to multiple broadcasters.

Southeast

Cincinnati-based Sacred Heart Radio's Religious/WNOP-FM (89.5fm, Versailles) signs on. They are using some EWTN programming, as "Sacred Heart Radio 89.5." WNOP is transmitting from the former WXCH-FM tower, north of Versailles, and east of US-421. WNOP has a co-owned AM station on 740am, licensed to Newport, Kentucky.

Southcentral

Reising Radio's WXCH (102.9fm, Hope) returns from its holiday music format to classic rock, as "The Pirate."

Good Shepherd Radio's Southern Gospel/WYGS (91.1fm, Columbus) has received a CP to move its city of license from Columbus to Hope. No other changes with this move.

But why is WYGS making this move? Now that's a bigger story. It's the other station in Hope.

Reising Radio Partners' WXCH (102.9fm, Hope) has received a CP to move its city of license, and make some other technical changes. Once complete, WXCH will be licensed to Columbus. Also, the station will broadcast from a new transmitter site (east of I-65), and will run 5100 watts at 318 feet (up from 1300 watts at 443 feet), and will change from horizontal only polarization to both horizontal and vertical polarization.

Moody Bible's Religious WMBL (88.1fm, Mitchell) received a CP to drop the protection for Channel 6 in Indianapolis, increase the power from 1000 watts (ERP) to 15,000 watts (ERP), and will allow both horizontal and vertical polarization.

Continuing our earlier discussion from the "Northeast" section, the FCC has made a "tentative selectee" from multiple applicants of several non commercial MX'ed groups. The FCC has posted its latest Order: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-10-29A1.pdf (Please see pages 22 through 24). The Tell City, Indiana selectee is Electronic Applications Radio Service, Inc., which will run 1000 watts (vertical only) at 112 feet, from a tower just east of IN-145, northeast of Tell City. IRW thinks the Vertical only will be changed later (to vertical and horizontal), since nobody needs to protect Channel 6 (i.e. Indianapolis' WRTV) anymore.

At Indiana University's News-Classical/WFIU (103.7fm, Bloomington), IU president Dr. Michael McRobbie will guest (solo) host Joe Bourne's radio program "Just You and Me" on 5 March between 3:30PM and 5:00PM. Dr. McRobbie will play his favorite rock songs from the 1970's. Dr. McRobbie might spin his favorite tunes from the U.K. (or is that favourite?), including hits from the Who, Cream, Pink Floyd, the Beatles, and Jethro Tull, along with some hits from this side of the pond.

The FCC has denied an application (and appeal) by Calvary Radio Network's Religious/WJCL (90.9fm, Morgantown) to move its city of license to Paragon. The FCC ruled that the station would abandon Morgantown (thereby giving Morgantown no local service), and the FCC also pointed out the smaller population of Paragon (964 vs. 663). Calvary argued that WCJL never fully served Morgantown, since the WCJL transmitter is over twenty miles west southwest of Morgantown (it's north of Bloomington, just west of IN-37). The FCC's primary concern was the loss of local service from Morgantown, and Calvary could not override that concern.

Where Are They Now? Former WVNI MD/Morning host Joey Krol recently exited WIBI in St. Louis, Missouri, where he was Production Director and midday host. Krol is now an Associate Pastor at the First Baptist Church in Farmer City, Illinois (Farmer City is in between Bloomington and Champaign-Urbana).

Southwest

A prominent former Evansville radio station owner has passed away. Larry Aiken, former owner of WGBF(AM) and FM, passed away on 13 February at age 69. In 1987, Aiken purchased WGBF(AM) and FM for $750,000 and later sold them in July 1996, for $2.5 million to Connoisseur (later Cumulus, but now owned by Regent). He also worked at WEOA and hosted a dance show on WEHT (Channel 25). In between WEOA and WEHT, he made a name for himself as a DJ in cities including Louisville, Kentucky (WAKY), and Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania (KQV). Aiken also had a large concert promotion and management business (Aiken Management) and was the chairman of the Vanderburgh County Democratic Party from March, 2005 through mid-February, 2008.

The FCC's Auction 88 also aims to clean up another mutually exclusive Hoosier frequency. There are six applicants interested in an allocation on 101.1fm (Class A), licensed to Bloomfield. Those applicants include Robert M. McDaniel, Sarkes Tarzian, Inc., Mid-America Radio Group, Inc., Music Ministries, Inc., Willtronics Broadcasting Corporation, and William S. Poorman (also known as Bill Shirk). The bidding for this frequency is set at $20,000.

Henry Lackey's Standards/WSON (860am, Henderson, Kentucky) flips format, after the end of Citadel Media's "Timeless Favorites" format, and is now a Classic Hits station, using Citadel Media's "Classic Hits" format. Also, a pair of Cromwell Group stations: Standards/WTCJ (1230am, Tell City) and simulcast WVJS (1420am, Owensboro, Kentucky) both flip format, dropping the ended "Timeless Favorites" standards format, for an oldies format, using Dial Global's "The Oldies Channel."

Withers Broadcasting's WVMC (1360am, Mount Carmel, Illinois) switches format from a brief period of silence (some programmers say that is a format!) to a simulcast of sister AC/WYNG (94.9fm, Mount Carmel, Illinois). This also completes the $22,800 sale of WVMC from Randy Bell's Southern Wabash Communications' to Withers.

The University of Southern Indiana's AAA/WSWI (820am, Evansville) will soon be heard on an HD channel of the Evansville Vanderburgh School's WPSR (90.7fm, Evansville). WSWI will be on 90.7 HD-2. This partnership will enhance WSWI's audio quality, and increase the reach of WSWI's signal, which at present is only heard throughout the day.

Staying within the noncommercial realm, Southwest Indiana Public Broadcasting WNIN-FM (88.3fm, Evansville) and WNIN (Channel 9, Evansville) held their annual WNIN Gala, with NPR newscast Lakshmi Singh as featured speaker.

Where Are They Now (Part 1)? Former WSTO night guy "Nate" (Nathan Halegua) exited Hartford, Connecticut and WKSS (where he was "Skillet") and is now handling afternoons at WXXL in Orlando, Florida, as "Brody."

Where Are They Now (Part 2)? Former WDKS PD Keith Curry (Keith Edwards) is now APD under Alex Tear at WMIB in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.

Job Opportunities

Lake City Radio (WRSW) is looking for their next afternoon drive and APD. Send your resume and demo to GM Clint Marsh at cmarsh at lakecityradio dot com.

Are you sick of the big city rat race? It's time to get back into small market radio and remember why we all got into this career in the first place. Artistic Media Partners, Inc. seeks a hands-on small market manager with a track record of success, to run heritage stations in a stable radio market. Applicants must have an understanding of Hiring, Sales, Programming, Promotions, and successful General Management experience in small market radio. Applications may send qualified resumes to arthur at artisticradio dot com. Artistic Media Partners, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Artistic Media Partners' Classic Rock station WZOW in South Bend is looking for a Sales Manager. Applicants should have a successful history of managing local and national radio sales, hiring, training, executing promotional plans and working with programmers. Qualified candidates should send a cover letter and resume to Arthur at artisticradio dot com with the e-mail subject line "Management Position." Artistic Media Partners, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Radio Spotlight

This week, we sit down with Jim Roberts.
Name: Jim Roberts
Job Title(s): Director of Programming
Station(s): WNSN, WSBT-AM, WHFB-FM, WHFB-AM, WZOC, WXXB, WKHY, WKOA, WASK, WASK-AM
Market(s): South Bend and Lafayette, IN
Owner: Schurz Communications

Who were your early DJ or radio station influences? (Perhaps what lead you to "catch the radio bug."?)

I grew up in Chicago, so it was the usual guys from that market. Larry Lujak, Steve & Gary, Jeff Davis, Brant Miller. Also Savage & Steve, they were morning guys at "The Fox" in Detroit circa 1988.

If you had such a thing as a "typical day," please tell us about yours?

While the tasks each day are different, my typical day is spent trying to help our staff and our stations be better today than we were the day before.

What do you enjoy most about your job?

Working with other people and helping them get better at what they're passionate about.

What has been your biggest career accomplishment?

Being part of a team that has maintained the ratings on WNSN. We've been #1 in demo for 18 of the last 20 ratings books.

What makes your market unique?

Equity. There are 3 big commercial radio clusters in South Bend and the balance between the groups is amazing, each are very equally matched...it's been a really interested battle.

What's the best advice you'd give to those wanting to get into radio?

Ask questions. Find out as much as you can about every aspect of this business from programming, to engineering, promotions, sales, traffic, etc. You'd be amazed at how willing people are to tell you all about what it is they do every day at the station.

What's the most important issue in radio today?

Lack of confidence. In the midst of massive change, radio can still make an amazing connection with listeners and deliver great results to local direct clients.

What's your favorite out-of-market radio station, and why?

I don't know if it's my favorite radio station right now, but it's interesting to watch the changes taking place at WGN in Chicago. That station is going through a huge change and I can't wait to see what it will look like on the other end.

Where do you see the radio industry five years from now?

I have no idea, let me know if you ever find out.

What book have you read that has taught you the most about the radio business?

QBQ! by John Miller. It's not specific to radio, but it gives a great perspective on how to approach your career.

That's all for this issue. Thank you for your continued support.

=============== Indiana RadioWatch ===============

(c) 2010, Blaine E. Thompson

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