WSTV

[chrish]

I'm surprised there has been no mention here, anymore details on another sad AM shutdown WSTV on the air since 1940

 

[gabigley1]

Not necessary a permanent shutdown of 1340 AM WSTV.
WSTV filed this with the FCC last week:

Exhibits Exhibit 1
Description: WSTV JUSTIFICATION FOR SILENT AUTHORITY

WSTV HAS LOST ITS TRANSMITTER SITE. UNTIL THE LAND DISPUTE OF THE SITE IS RESOVED, WSTV WILL REMAIN OFF THE AIR. LICENSEE REQUESTS THE MAXIMUM AMOUNT OF TIME FOR SILENT AUTHORITY.

 

[FreddyE1977]

According to the local paper across the river in Weirton:

Keymarket acquired the station in 2000. The transmitter sits on a 14 acre lot south of Steubenville.
Jefferson County tax officials say Keymarket paid the property tax on that site only once in 11 years.
So it went up for Sheriffs Sale. A woman bought the lot for $2000 with the intention of building a new
home on it.

She claims she has offered to sell them a one acre parcel under the tower for the going market rate,
or to lease it to them. They counteroffered $1300 for the entire 14 acres, which would leave her $700
in the hole. She declined that offer.

So they have sued her. Right now it is in Federal District Court in Cincinnati as a Civil Rights case
(Keymarket is, for the record, minority owned it seems). Keymarket lost two rounds in state court
and the Ohio Supreme Court refused to take their case. (on what basis they are suing I have no idea).

 

[gabigley1]

Here is that article from the Weirtondaily paper:

http://weirtondailytimes.com/page/c...Radio-station-ownership-in-legal-dispute.html

Radio station ownership in legal dispute
December 10, 2011
By DAVE GOSSETT , For The Weirton Daily Times
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STEUBENVILLE -

Terry Keller never planned to own a radio station antennae.

And she never thought she would be involved in a long-running legal dispute with Key Market of Ohio, the corporation that owns WSTV-AM radio.

But Keller remains the owner of a 13.37-acre lot south of the city corporation limits where the local radio antennae is located.

And the radio station that has broadcast from downtown Steubenville since 1940 has been off the air since Sunday.

 

[XtraXtra]

According to the local paper across the river in Weirton:

Keymarket acquired the station in 2000. The transmitter sits on a 14 acre lot south of Steubenville.
Jefferson County tax officials say Keymarket paid the property tax on that site only once in 11 years.
So it went up for Sheriffs Sale. A woman bought the lot for $2000 with the intention of building a new
home on it.

She claims she has offered to sell them a one acre parcel under the tower for the going market rate,
or to lease it to them. They counteroffered $1300 for the entire 14 acres, which would leave her $700
in the hole. She declined that offer.

So they have sued her. Right now it is in Federal District Court in Cincinnati as a Civil Rights case
(Keymarket is, for the record, minority owned it seems). Keymarket lost two rounds in state court
and the Ohio Supreme Court refused to take their case. (on what basis they are suing I have no idea).

They've probably spent more on attorney fees than if they just paid her asking price.

 

[nmoore6676]

Seems like another example of the lack of common sense which pervades our society today. On one hand we have somebody who purchased a property and paid one tax bill then none since. Wouldn't a normal person think that it was a little strange that they got no further bills and then have made an inquiry at the assessor's office?

On the other hand it is hard to hide a radio station, particularly one that has been in the community for 70 years and likely in one location, offices and studio, for the last several. So a letter or phone call, even an in person visit might have resolved the problem before going this far.

Another point who buys a property, even a foreclosure, without knowing what is on it?

But the local legal beagles are having a billing field day so maybe that is the real explanation.

 

[w9wi]

I guess my question would be, why are they suing the woman who bought the property? If they didn't get adequate notice of foreclosure, isn't that the government's fault?

(I'm guessing the idea is to tie up the property in court -- so she can't get a loan to build on it -- but still has to pay the taxes -- and hope she eventually decides she'd be ahead to let them have it for the $1,300)

Who would think you could buy a property with a radio station on it for $2,000? I'm betting she had a pretty good idea of what the property was, but had convinced herself the tower was on the other side of the property line.

We had a similar case (though involving a residential property, not a business) here in the Nashville area this fall -- where someone lost their property because they didn't notice they didn't get their tax bill. I don't understand how that happens either, but this case is not unique.

 

[FreddyE1977]

I can't get over the fact that they are suing her in Federal court and charging her with a
Civil Rights violation. It's basically calling her a racist for being unwilling to give her land away
for free.

 

[nmoore6676]

I guess my question would be, why are they suing the woman who bought the property? If they didn't get adequate notice of foreclosure, isn't that the government's fault?

(I'm guessing the idea is to tie up the property in court -- so she can't get a loan to build on it -- but still has to pay the taxes -- and hope she eventually decides she'd be ahead to let them have it for the $1,300)

Who would think you could buy a property with a radio station on it for $2,000? I'm betting she had a pretty good idea of what the property was, but had convinced herself the tower was on the other side of the property line.

We had a similar case (though involving a residential property, not a business) here in the Nashville area this fall -- where someone lost their property because they didn't notice they didn't get their tax bill. I don't understand how that happens either, but this case is not unique.

I am guessing that they are suing the lady for two reasons. The first of course being that she is the owner of the property. But if as mentioned just above they are suing her for "civil Rights" violations that seems a stretch.

The second reason for suing the owner being that suing the government is difficult, they must give you permission after you have exhausted their normal complaint procedures. But in this case despite the common sense lapses there are no grounds for a suit as they did nothing wrong in that they followed established procedures regarding delinquent taxes. They are not obligated to chase you down but in this case if it were myself I would have probably called the station office and asked them if they knew that their transmitter site was about to be foreclosed for delinquent taxes. A local radio station is considered a community resource and as such is entitled to a more personalized treatment and in most cases would have been given that courtesy.

If the broadcaster expects to get the entire property for $1,300 that seems a really unreasonable stance but she wants to sell them only an acre that seems a bit off too. Would the radials for a station on 1340KHZ fit on an acre? My minds eye sees a bit larger parcel but not 14 acres certainly.

Maybe the lawsuit is just a tactic to force negotiations for a reasonable offer to sell an adequately sized piece of land. But I suspect that the suit will be tossed nevertheless as there are no grounds as to a rights violation that I can see.

 

[gabigley1]

Found a couple more things on this:

The rest is here:

http://weirtondailytimes.com/page/content.detail/id/574952/WSTV-will-be-missed.html

To the editor:

The loss of WSTV radio to the folks in Steubenville and the surrounding area is a loss of a friend of more than 70 years of news, sports, music and talk.

Doug Applegate

Spring Hill, Fla.

(Editor's note: Applegate, a former resident of Steubenville, is a former member of the U.S. House of Representatives.)

The rest is here:

http://weirtondailytimes.com/page/c.../Memories-of-the-community-radio-station.html

Memories of the community radio station
December 10, 2011
By DAVE GOSSETT , For The Weirton Daily Times
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STEUBENVILLE -

Tom Abernethy's first thought was something was wrong with his radio.

The creator and host of the WSTV-AM's "Phone Party" always tuned into the station where he worked for 40 years every morning, but he wasn't hearing the signal when he turned on his radio Monday morning.

The local radio station management has declined to comment on why the station has ceased broadcasting and referred all inquiries to the corporate offices in Pittsburgh.

Several messages left on the chief executive officer's voicemail were not returned.

"I received a phone call from a friend who told me the station had gone dark and was off the air. It was hard to believe. It was like losing a friend," said the man once called the Morning Mayor of Steubenville and the Voice of the Valley.

Abernethy still has that smooth baritone voice heard on the air every morning from 1959 to 1999.

 

[chrish]

There is something very wierd about the whole mess, this gets stranger by the minute, people running Keymarket need their head examined

 

[chrish]

sorry... should have been weird

 

[programmingrus]

You can kiss WSTV goodbuy...No thanks to the So called Broadcaster KeyMarket..In December 2012 Keymarket decided to turn in all their licenses for their Am Radio Stations leaving WCVI (original call} Connelsville Pa. 1340 AM, WESA AM 940 {Original call} Charleroi Pa,Brownsvilles WASP on 1130 gone. Another station in Oil City on 1340 gone. And WSTV 1340 In Steubensville Ohio All Gone.. Keymarket appears to demonstrate the fact they don't care that they are supposed to operate in the public interest, convience and necessity. Maybe its time to shut them down for non compliance.

 

[nmoore6676]

You can kiss WSTV goodbuy...No thanks to the So called Broadcaster KeyMarket..In December 2012 Keymarket decided to turn in all their licenses for their Am Radio Stations leaving WCVI (original call} Connelsville Pa. 1340 AM, WESA AM 940 {Original call} Charleroi Pa,Brownsvilles WASP on 1130 gone. Another station in Oil City on 1340 gone. And WSTV 1340 In Steubensville Ohio All Gone.. Keymarket appears to demonstrate the fact they don't care that they are supposed to operate in the public interest, convience and necessity. Maybe its time to shut them down for non compliance.

Perhaps they have just accepted that small market commercial AMs are a dying breed. I wouldn't be a bit surprised to see some of the big guys like Clear Channel or Cumulus shutting down a few. But what I don't understand is why no one doesn't advocate for the so called community broadcasters who are cluttering up the FM band to be given first dibs on abandoned AM channels or even licensed as low power (250 watts) on some graveyard channels. 250 Watts on AM is more bang for your buck than 25 or 30 watts on FM.

 

[PHIL Z]

I don't Understand why a Station like WDIG, WOMP or Another Daytime Station in the Area With Flea NightTime Power Not Move to 1340 [1 kw Fulltime ND?]

 

[w9wi]

I might suggest Keymarket has done us a *favor* by shutting down non-viable AM signals, rather than trying to keep them afloat with substandard programming or by selling them to someone outside the industry with more $$ than sense who'll try to keep them afloat with substandard programming.

Face it, the AM band is BADLY overcrowded. IMHO, just about anything that results in fewer AM stations is a good thing for the survivors.

I really doubt a 250-watt AM facility is really more bang-for-the-buck than a 25-watt FM, once you factor in the cost of building & maintaining the necessary antenna and ground systems. For a low-power FM, you can pretty much toss an antenna up on a rooftop & run a cable down to the transmitter & you're in business. For AM, you need to put up a tower & bury a set of ground radials & figure out a way to keep junkies from stealing them...

Without a proper antenna system, not only does the 250-watt AM not cover like it should -- but it causes more interference than it should. The industry as a whole would be better off giving the community group the FM.

_________________________________________________

PHIL Z:

It's very possible one of these other stations *will* file to move to 1340. However, that would be a "major change" which can only be filed during a "filing window". It will be some time (possibly years...) before another filing window is opened. That, and the nighttime interference levels on 1340 are so high that 35 watts on 950 might actually cover *better*.

 

[nmoore6676]

I might suggest Keymarket has done us a *favor* by shutting down non-viable AM signals, rather than trying to keep them afloat with substandard programming or by selling them to someone outside the industry with more $$ than sense who'll try to keep them afloat with substandard programming.

Face it, the AM band is BADLY overcrowded. IMHO, just about anything that results in fewer AM stations is a good thing for the survivors.

I really doubt a 250-watt AM facility is really more bang-for-the-buck than a 25-watt FM, once you factor in the cost of building & maintaining the necessary antenna and ground systems. For a low-power FM, you can pretty much toss an antenna up on a rooftop & run a cable down to the transmitter & you're in business. For AM, you need to put up a tower & bury a set of ground radials & figure out a way to keep junkies from stealing them...

Without a proper antenna system, not only does the 250-watt AM not cover like it should -- but it causes more interference than it should. The industry as a whole would be better off giving the community group the FM.

_________________________________________________

What you say about the cost is true but if you could acquire and existing facility, which doesn't apply to WSTV because they lost the lease on the land upon which the tower was located. But many existing AMs own the land so if a community broadcaster could get it then it can work. Also there are other solutions such as sharing and existing tower through diplexing or a wire on the side of an FM or TV tower.

As for cluttering in many areas the FM band is beginning to be clogged and sounds like a class C AM channel at night. Then there is the FM translator matter. If say for instance an existing low power AM station or daytime only could get a LPFM license which would cover the majority of area for their existing AM facility could get the FM with the provision that they keep the tower and let a local community operator take over the AM side. The FM could of course be on their tower.

Not a solution for all occasions but worthy of consideration. Another thing that would or could help would be letting "community" broadcasters sell commercials rather than the thinly disguised advertising of their business supporters. Same thing for PBS and NPR for that matter.

 

[Goldilocks94941]

Should a non-commercial broadcaster ever be allowed to sell outright "commercials," with calls to action to "hurry on down and SAVE!!," the pressure will be to provide programming to attract advertisers and make them happy. Instead of offering a program schedule to attract an audience, or, at times, to serve a specialized audience taste, regardless of advertiser interest. What in the olden days we called "public service." You can argue how well a particular program does that, but that 's where they start from. Not an attempt to "sell' commercials.

Even tho' many public radio stations do have financial concerns, most of them don't decide on programming to attract advertisers, or allow content to be dictated by a big moneyed concern. Foundations might underwrite "medical news" coverage or provide support funding to help pay for third world news stories or the like, but they do tend to stay out of specific editorial content. If they have any credibility, they do. I don't think you can say that about most advertisers, unless perhaps it's a agency buy stictly for numbers. Which is not what you tend to get in these small towns and little markets. Results will vary for religious non-comms.

You might hear a couple of ten or 15-second underwriting spots back to back on a non-comm radio station, but you won't hear any calls to action, price information, or advertiser slogans and jingles with over-excited announcers. Not if the broadcaster is compliant with FCC rules. Both the style and substance of underwriting spots are different from commercials. The mission of non-commercial radio is different from commercial radio, and I think it needs to stay that way.