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1480 & 850 Shutting Down

Discussion pertaining to Grand Rapids, Kalamazoo, Muskegon, Battle Creek, Big Rapids, and Michiana
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Radio Chili
Posts: 57
Joined: Sat Apr 23, 2005 11:28 am
Location: Way down in the sunny South.

Re: 1480 & 850 Shutting Down

Unread post by Radio Chili »

A job well done, Bob!

And you closed 'er down with flair. Kudos.

See you in the Spring.
Steve Dirksen
Posts: 19
Joined: Thu Jan 01, 2009 5:40 pm

Re: 1480 & 850 Shutting Down

Unread post by Steve Dirksen »

Well Bob, it's been fun to be a part of your magnificent career. But don't call it quits just yet...
Robert "Bob" Sirott is 72,(born August 9, 1949). He is the morning host at WGN-AM in Chicago. He is also a former television news anchor, most recently working in that role at Chicago's WFLD.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Sirot ... 0Sirott%20(born,that%20role%20at%20Chicago's%20WFLD.
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Ben Zonia
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Re: 1480 & 850 Shutting Down

Unread post by Ben Zonia »

Steve Dirksen wrote: Mon Jan 10, 2022 8:55 am Well Bob, it's been fun to be a part of your magnificent career. But don't call it quits just yet...
Robert "Bob" Sirott is 72,(born August 9, 1949). He is the morning host at WGN-AM in Chicago. He is also a former television news anchor, most recently working in that role at Chicago's WFLD.


https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Sirot ... 0Sirott%20(born,that%20role%20at%20Chicago's%20WFLD.
Dick Biondi is 89. John Landecker is 74.
"I had a job for a while as an announcer at WWV but I finally quit, because I couldn't stand the hours."

-Author Unknown
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Musicrewired
Posts: 256
Joined: Sat Mar 31, 2012 6:04 pm
Location: Right here on the screen

Re: 1480 & 850 Shutting Down

Unread post by Musicrewired »

Thanks for clarifying how the scenario went down. I had suspected that the value of the land being sold was the only real consideration, and the virtue of the public aspect of the station was also the fault of the "not-in-the-broadcasting-business-so-not-too-concerned-about-whether-the-listeners-liked-the-station-or-in-serving-a-market".

That would be why a lame explanation by the station even mentioned competitors playing similar music. If you don't care about your station any longer, you don't believe in it enough to say that your station is better than anyone else in the format. Non-radio ownership (investment groups as opposed to broadcasting companies) only really cares about profits, and public radio is beholden to the university and all financial considerations it has.

Nonetheless, RealOldies existed and we enjoyed it, realizing how rare a station it was. Here's a toast to you and your co-workers who knew what really should have happened, but did great work in spite of those who cared about other objectives. Those in radio know having a chance to say farewell doesn't always happen.

And still, no media outlet around GR ever mentioned RealOldies 1480's demise.
Last edited by Musicrewired on Tue Jan 11, 2022 7:50 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Musicrewired
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Re: 1480 & 850 Shutting Down

Unread post by Musicrewired »

Thanks. I'm still sore about the school tossing away the stations, but that disappointment isn't much different than any time I saw management or ownership take a good thing and ruin it by basing decisions on economics or personal bias rather than what the listener might really want.

One wonders how an institution of higher learning decides what level of highbrow they feel is deserving of their broadcast efforts, and who should be served by the "common" radio stations.
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STARKY
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Joined: Sat Apr 21, 2012 9:09 am

Re: 1480 & 850 Shutting Down

Unread post by STARKY »

Hi everybody.......good ol' wkbz am 850
I was there around 1972 for a few years before going back to wmus.
I did the morning show. 1972 was like going back in time. wkbz was a well run radio station.
playing nat king cole, Frank sinatra, tony bennett........i had very good numbers. lots of tiger games.....paul harvery.
IM SO TANKFUL TO BE A PART OF THE ERA. I believe it signed on in 1948.

THANKS...JIM COX
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STARKY
Posts: 9
Joined: Sat Apr 21, 2012 9:09 am

Re: 1480 & 850 Shutting Down

Unread post by STARKY »

Hi everybody.......good ol' wkbz am 850
I was there around 1972 for a few years before going back to wmus.
I did the morning show. 1972 was like going back in time. wkbz was a well run radio station.
playing nat king cole, Frank sinatra, tony bennett........i had very good numbers. lots of tiger games.....paul harvery.
IM SO TANKFUL TO BE A PART OF THE ERA. I believe it signed on in 1948.
sdaddy
Posts: 31
Joined: Wed Jan 15, 2020 1:35 pm

Re: 1480 & 850 Shutting Down

Unread post by sdaddy »

An iconic station.

Living in Roosevelt Park, WKBZ was my must listen to station in the 70's and '80s.

Mohawks Hockey on WKBZ ! I miss the days.
paul8539
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Joined: Fri Dec 10, 2004 5:20 pm

Re: 1480 & 850 Shutting Down

Unread post by paul8539 »

WHICH 1480 is shutting down? Owosso?
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dwp49423
Posts: 108
Joined: Tue Dec 07, 2004 10:46 pm
Location: West Michigan

Re: 1480 & 850 Shutting Down

Unread post by dwp49423 »

paul8539 wrote: Sun Feb 20, 2022 2:23 am WHICH 1480 is shutting down? Owosso?
WGVU (1480 Grand Rapids) and WGVS (850 Muskegon) both ceased operations on January 7.
---
"Cheap Cheap Cheap" it is live or is it Gannett?
ftballfan
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Re: 1480 & 850 Shutting Down

Unread post by ftballfan »

Owosso is on 1080. The other 1480 in Michigan is in Salem Township/Ypsilanti
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Ben Zonia
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Re: 1480 & 850 Shutting Down

Unread post by Ben Zonia »

ftballfan wrote: Tue Feb 22, 2022 7:11 pm Owosso is on 1080. The other 1480 in Michigan is in Salem Township/Ypsilanti
And don't forget WIOS 1480 Tawas City-East Tawas.
"I had a job for a while as an announcer at WWV but I finally quit, because I couldn't stand the hours."

-Author Unknown
edj
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Joined: Sun Feb 13, 2022 8:54 pm

Re: 1480 & 850 Shutting Down

Unread post by edj »

I tried contacting the school into buying 1480 alone but couldn’t get an answer. I don’t think selling was even an option.
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