Out With the Old Radio Station WKLA, In With the New

[XLFD]

WKLA to Officially Move to Thompsonville, WLDN to Officially Move to Ludington

Back in August, Synergy Broadcasting, operators of numerous radio stations in the area, declared in a filing with the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) the intention to move the WKLA-FM franchise from Ludington to Thompsonville, a small community marginally bigger than Custer, situated in the hinterlands between Manistee and Traverse City. 

To take up the vacuum created by moving the area's oldest radio station 70 miles north-northeast, they also declared WLDN, the news talk radio station recently set-up by Synergy officially operating out of Pentwater, would officially move to Ludington.  Here was that filing.

In May 2012, Synergy purchased the franchises of WKLA-AM and FM, along with WKZC-FM and WMLQ-FM (Coast FM). Synergy also operated WWKR-FM (K-Rock) and WLDN-FM, which was a start-up franchise at that point.  WKLA-FM was started in the early 1970s and is the area’s oldest FM radio station.

Synergy owner, Todd Mohr, said at the time that WKLA was technically not going to move, but that this would be a 'technical facility realignment', a switcheroo effectively keeping one Synergy station in the Ludington area.

“WKLA isn’t actually being moved, it will simply be moved to a different frequency on the dial,” Mohr said. “This is part of a technical facility realignment and will not occur for a year or two. WKLA will remain right here in Ludington, reported the Mason County Press. 

Well, the moves have recently been officially recognized by the FCC on December 12, and although WKLA-FM will still have their brick and mortar business behind our Ludington's McDonald's at the Synergy headquarters, they will broadcast out of a tower in Buckley, Michigan, even farther north than Thompsonville, as seen in this FCC document recently updated (and misnamed as Buckeye, Michigan).  Administratively, they may have not moved but their tower sure has, as has their listening area. 

WLDN, on that very same day, officially got licensed in Ludington, moving from Pentwater (WLDN stats).  This is more appropriate, since their tower is at the corner of Inman and Bradshaw Roads in Pere Marquette Township, and a logical move since their call letters now match the City they are in. 

WMOM, now becomes the oldest FM station in the Ludington area, the only one independent of the Synergy Group, and whose offices are located in the city limits, but ironically have their tower in the Pentwater area, inside Mason County.

How do you feel about the loss of WKLA-FM to our area, and do you think WLDN-FM is a good replacement for it?

[XLFD]

The archetype of "60 Minutes", Mike Wallace, is an icon for O'Reilly (as seen in this 2004 column by him and the video below), and Bill holds his own on investigating things that other shows don't.  The two shows actually look a lot alike nowadays, but the programming is more left-oriented on 60 Minutes.

 

[Willy]

Even 60 minutes has been neutered. Not a peep out of them on any of Obama's and the Democrat's sabotaging of the Government. Whatever the liberals touch it turns to sh_t, from the Congress to the Presidency to 60 minutes.

[XLFD]

Definitely.  "60 Minutes" is a far cry from what it once was, I believe, but I have only tuned in once since the Wallace era, and might have caught a bad night.

[XLFD]

"Buccal cavity", very good s. todd-- that is reminiscent of the obscure vocabulary word that O'Reilly ends his show with.  O' Reilly probably does rub everyone the wrong way at times (no pun intended for the phone sex woman reference), but this probably reflects his absorption into his own persona of the three people he mentions above:  Wallace, Howard Cosell, and Tom Snyder.  Three characters that can grate on your nerves from their unapologetic forthrightness, cockiness, and humor respectively, but hold your attention.   

The allegations against O'Reilly were tainted by the extortive nature of the woman who brought them forth.  O'Reilly may have had some peccadillos, but she filed her complaint after she tried to engage in extortion, from my understanding of what happened.  He may be guilty of some inappropriate talk outside of a work environment, but I can't get too amped up when Bill Clinton allegedly did a lot worse and weren't slammed by the same critics who go after O'Reilly.

[Willy]

I think what Eye is saying that nothing is free because businesses who advertise on radio, tv or in the newspaper add the expense of that advertising onto the price of the products or services they provide so the customer ends up paying for it. In my opinion there is going to be a backlash to all of this paying directly for the cable and radio because there is a growing movement especially for tv of people dropping cable due to it's ever increasing cost. I dropped cable. I figured why pay to have programming delivered by cable only to have to sit and watch advertising? It's like double dipping into the consumers pockets. I remember when I was a kid and people would say that someday there will be only pay tv. We're getting close to that.

[XLFD]

Smart advertising lowers prices.  Advertising notably makes it more expensive for making/marketing the product, but the increased sales may overwhelm that expense, and the added competition created makes manufacturers accept less profit per widget. 

In “The Effects of Advertising on the Price of Eyeglasses” by Lee Benham, the following result was noted:

Lee investigated the question of whether advertising increased or decreased prices in the eyeglasses market. In the 1960’s, approximately 75% of states restricted advertising for eyeglasses and advertising was permitted in the remaining 25%. Great control and experimental markets.

Lee’s results are interesting. He found that in states with "no advertising" restrictions, the average price was $33.04…remember this was 1963. In states that allowed advertising, the average price was $26.34. Wow…eyeglasses were 20% cheaper in states that allowed advertising.

Competition works wonders.

[Willy]

Good point X

[AQUAMAN]

EyE, I never said the entire format of radio and tv is free for everyone. Of course the advertisers make it possible for the "public at large" to listen and watch without any strings attached. I studied quite well and comprehended all this decades ago at CMU. Instead of digressing into the oblivion on such mundane matters, you might want to turn your attentions back to your own forum's failures. I remember a time when you constantly mocked and attacked the entire Torch membership. You stomped your little feet, and said you would start your own forum. And you did. It was a boring and dismal failure. Instead of talking about issues, you belittled and falsely attacked others, which is exactly what small minds do, as Eleanor Roosevelt pointed out so long ago. It is only by the grace of the creator of the Torch, and God's, that you were allowed back into the membership here after being banned earlier. DID you comprehend that?

[XLFD]

Wow, Aquaman, you've put the Creator of the Torch in the same company as the Creator of the Universe.  My ego, unchecked, has just flown through the roof.  My first omnipotent act will be to grant both you and EyE the power to understand each other's posts as they were intended, LOL.

[AQUAMAN]

Where's the WKLA talk gone? EyE, you have repeatedly shown and posted on non-subject issues that always return to attacks and mischief of a loathsome nature. I'm sorry you flunked out or got kicked out of so many higher institutions of learning, that's not my style. Many here have degrees, some even masters and  phd's. Perhaps this is why you post in haste, and that makes for so much waste around the Torch. I never intended my creator statement to be any relation of God to XLFD, this just goes to show how shallow you think things out. Now pull your pants up, take your meds., and dream about success, cause that's as close as you're ever going to get to it! Maybe your bro or sis can give you a hand up with a job? So you can feel useful and get some self-esteem in your little life?

[AQUAMAN]

Thanks s.todd, I stand corrected. That show was Ludington Speaks, I remembered that a few hours later after posting. Thanks for staying on the subject line matter, as some tend to use every thread as their bully pulpit, instead of trying to exchange useful info. and learn.