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The Blarney Stone Broadcasting Legacy

Covers all of Northern Lower Michigan (from Ludington to Tawas northward), as well as the Straits Area and Soo Region.
Deleted User 12047

The Blarney Stone Broadcasting Legacy

Post by Deleted User 12047 » Tue Nov 12, 2019 6:17 pm

Talk about a group aptly named -

Sept 2016 - "Blarney Stone intends to simulcast WQON on WKLT. The sales also include WFCX and WFDX, which are currently called the Fox FM. Coyne says the plan is to rename that service "the Trail," and play a mix of pop, classic rock and country music. " https://www.interlochenpublicradio.org/ ... io-network

Oct 2018 - "The addition of Henderson’s stations replaces the proposed deal that Blarney Stone had in 2016 attempting to purchase six stations from Northern Broadcast. That deal never closed." https://michmab.com/blarney-stone-enter ... -stations/

Aug 2019 - "We are all incredibly excited that we can help get Finster back into the studio to entertain on a 100kw signal covering a large geographic region in Northern Michigan and on-line at 1019wldr.com. This reinforces our longstanding commitment to bring the very best talent available to our ever-expanding market." https://www.michmab.com/blarney-stone-a ... g-on-wldr/

One month later - http://online.co.grand-traverse.mi.us/i ... 0000217695

6 days ago - "The new format will assume the programming and staff that had been on 101.9 WLDR Traverse City until mid-October. That station, one of four that had been operated by Blarney Stone Broadcasting via LMA from Roy Henderson’s N Content Marketing, is currently off-the-air after Henderson sued Blarney Stone." https://radioinsight.com/headlines/1815 ... -collapse/

What's next?



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Re: The Blarney Stone Broadcasting Legacy

Post by TC Talks » Tue Nov 12, 2019 9:45 pm

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Re: The Blarney Stone Broadcasting Legacy

Post by Deleted User 12047 » Wed Nov 13, 2019 5:44 am

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Re: The Blarney Stone Broadcasting Legacy

Post by kager » Wed Nov 13, 2019 7:42 am

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"The problem with communication is the illusion that it has occurred."

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Re: The Blarney Stone Broadcasting Legacy

Post by Benzoid » Fri Nov 15, 2019 9:30 pm

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-Benzoid

BigFreq
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Re: The Blarney Stone Broadcasting Legacy

Post by BigFreq » Sat Nov 16, 2019 6:32 am

Bravo! All are proper representations of the current state of BSB. Putting a format on the air and admitting it's work in progress in your imagery is never a good idea. Rather than rush to get a new format on the air without proper imagery and audio quality, they really should have stunted. A few days of 24/7 sound effects of jackhammers and construction equipment is better than what's been on the air for the past week. Of course, jackhammers will likely still be better than the end product. So, along with the dumpster fire... will come the dumpster rates; over-promised/under-delivered campaigns and promotions; and a genuine lack of programming to put another "iPod" format over the air. At least if this LMA goes upside down (as the two priors) there aren't likely any more signals for rent, as the bridges to those signals have been torched.



Deleted User 4520

Re: The Blarney Stone Broadcasting Legacy

Post by Deleted User 4520 » Sat Nov 16, 2019 8:17 am

Since Y100 was replaced, I would like to have seen a format like Duke FM takes its place rather than having obscure rock format. I hope someday a classic country format comes to town.



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Re: The Blarney Stone Broadcasting Legacy

Post by audiophile » Sat Nov 16, 2019 9:47 am

TC Talks wrote:
Tue Nov 12, 2019 9:45 pm
Image
Image

They may need this also...

Right on, Right on, Right on!


Ask not what your country can do FOR you; ask what they are about to do TO YOU!!

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Re: The Blarney Stone Broadcasting Legacy

Post by ADD in TC » Sat Nov 16, 2019 11:44 am

BigFreq wrote:
Sat Nov 16, 2019 6:32 am
Putting a format on the air and admitting it's work in progress in your imagery is never a good idea. Rather than rush to get a new format on the air without proper imagery and audio quality, they really should have stunted. A few days of 24/7 sound effects of jackhammers and construction equipment is better than what's been on the air for the past week.
Assuming 106.3 is going for the middle aged female demographic,why not play Christmas music until all things are worked out?



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Re: The Blarney Stone Broadcasting Legacy

Post by BigFreq » Sat Nov 16, 2019 4:28 pm

ADD in TC wrote:
Sat Nov 16, 2019 11:44 am
Assuming 106.3 is going for the middle aged female demographic,why not play Christmas music until all things are worked out?
[/quote]

That would have made far too much sense, wouldn't it? However, I'd wager good money that Blarney Stone could screw up a female-focused Christmas format station if given the chance! The temptation to insert Weird Al along with Bob Rivers Twisted Christmas would be too great. :P



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Re: The Blarney Stone Broadcasting Legacy

Post by ftballfan » Sat Nov 16, 2019 7:18 pm

BigFreq wrote:
Sat Nov 16, 2019 4:28 pm
ADD in TC wrote:
Sat Nov 16, 2019 11:44 am

Assuming 106.3 is going for the middle aged female demographic,why not play Christmas music until all things are worked out?
That would have made far too much sense, wouldn't it? However, I'd wager good money that Blarney Stone could screw up a female-focused Christmas format station if given the chance! The temptation to insert Weird Al along with Bob Rivers Twisted Christmas would be too great. :P
If 106.3/94.5 would have gone Christmas, would 96.3 (WLXT) have flipped to all-Christmas by now?



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Re: The Blarney Stone Broadcasting Legacy

Post by MWmetalhead » Sat Nov 16, 2019 8:23 pm

Using flea-powered 106.3 as an at-work type station is amusing to me for a plethora of reasons.

Why waste time trying to tune in flimsy signaled 106.3 in the TC area when both 94.3 & 104.5 come in crystal clear (and likely have much cleaner processing to boot)?

At the tip o' the mitt, Lite 96.3 will wipe the floor clean with 94.5, a frequency that has changed format so many times in the past 15 years that one needs a spreadsheet to keep track. Ever since The Zone was dumped from 94.5, that frequency has been a revolving door of formats.

Speaking of stations on 106.3, when did 106.3 Mac-FM go in a yacht rock direction? The station is positioning itself as "soft & relaxing." Wow, sure sounds a lot like the old Easy 106.3. They still have Bob & Tom in the morning, correct? Good lord - Bob & Tom paired up with Soft Classic Hits. What a terrible combination. :barf What type of psychopath puts Bob & Tom on a station positioning itself as "soft & relaxing" ?!?!



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Re: The Blarney Stone Broadcasting Legacy

Post by BigFreq » Sun Nov 17, 2019 6:13 am

MWmetalhead wrote:
Sat Nov 16, 2019 8:23 pm


Speaking of stations on 106.3, when did 106.3 Mac-FM go in a yacht rock direction? The station is positioning itself as "soft & relaxing." Wow, sure sounds a lot like the old Easy 106.3. They still have Bob & Tom in the morning, correct? Good lord - Bob & Tom paired up with Soft Classic Hits. What a terrible combination. :barf What type of psychopath puts Bob & Tom on a station positioning itself as "soft & relaxing" ?!?!
Apparently one afraid of giving up the rights to them in the market; figuring any number of stations would scoop them up to improve their morning shows. I wonder if Black Diamond considered, even for a split second, moving B&T over to The Bear when they made the change with Omelette? I imagine they figure with a local personality in Smitty, they can compete better for dollars by manipulating programming in the AM with client interviews, etc... and, the fact the rest of the station is tracked from outside TC, it give ones local talent on the station to hit the bars and events. Another thing is The Bear is used to protect Rock 105, which has become a cash cow for the cluster, since KLT has been asleep at the wheel and lost their grip as "The Rock Station".



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Re: The Blarney Stone Broadcasting Legacy

Post by MWmetalhead » Sun Nov 17, 2019 6:57 am

Apparently one afraid of giving up the rights to them in the market; figuring any number of stations would scoop them up to improve their morning shows.
I strongly doubt that is the reason. Through the years, the show has been landing on increasingly marginal signals. More likely, the station is forced to continue to run the show due to contractual obligations.
I wonder if Black Diamond considered, even for a split second, moving B&T over to The Bear when they made the change with Omelette?


Bob & Tom would assuredly be on The Bear right now if the show were (still) a strong ratings & revenue performer. Remember, The Bear in its original 98.1 & 105.1 configuration carried Bob & Tom for many years.

The vast majority of Bob & Tom show affiliates are Classic Rock stations.
Another thing is The Bear is used to protect Rock 105, which has become a cash cow for the cluster, since KLT has been asleep at the wheel and lost their grip as "The Rock Station".
Are the commercials found on Rock 105's online stream identical to what goes out over the air? If so, I am not hearing what I'd describe as a large client list. The roster of advertisers seems limited. That's not to suggest the folks who do advertise are unhappy with the results. Among other things, the big auto dealerships in the region don't seem to purchase any time on Rock 105.

I disagree that KLT has been asleep at the wheel. Ratings wise, they are still one of the more important stations in the market, and I suspect they probably outbill WGFM/WGFE by at least a couple hundred thousand dollars annually.



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Re: The Blarney Stone Broadcasting Legacy

Post by BigFreq » Sun Nov 17, 2019 9:20 am

MWmetalhead wrote:
Sun Nov 17, 2019 6:57 am


I disagree that KLT has been asleep at the wheel. Ratings wise, they are still one of the more important stations in the market, and I suspect they probably outbill WGFM/WGFE by at least a couple hundred thousand dollars annually.
I'd likely wager that Rock 105 is currently outbilling KLT by the same margin you suggest, due to the limited number of national/regional dollars coming into the market. I suspect it's probably only behind TCM-FM, KHQ-FM and WMKC-FM (which, as I understand it, has long been a quiet cash cow, due to its strength to the north), then KLT. You've got to remember, there's been a sizable shift in the rock market, in favor of Rock 105 over KLT. Blarney Stone did the station no favors during the LMA, and I suspect the current management team is simply holding the fort until multiple deals are in place and the stations are finally sold. It, by no means, means KLT station isn't performing; but it's revenue is likely less than what it should be given it's heritage status in the market. It will be interesting to see what the landscape looks like in a few months, once Northern finally has suitors to allow them to exit the market.



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