First I'm hearing of KTIM.
I am not too sure what the station might sound like. I looked at their application where they acquired the construction permit. The wording is the typical template used. It seems the FCC likes what they and many others say almost word for word. Looking at what was said and what a station was on the air are many times strikingly different. One station might be a Christian station,the next a freeform station and the next one a classic hits music intensive station run by computer from a closet. All claimed to be this big local content station but the 'filler' between the local content was not the right stage to encourage local input. A deciding factor is usually if there is a fulltime person or two to get it rolling, if they understand sales and small market radio.
I have, unfortunately, seen the same language used for many stations that never 'got there' because there was no plan to reach those goals. Some are mistaken that because you choose this path they simply come out of the woodwork and flock to your station. That is not the case. You have to work it and you have to have the staff to make it happen as well. The website, however looks like KTIM has some real radio people involved and suggests they understand the situation.
I noted the sale price and the payment arrangement ($2,000 down; 10 payments of $500 a month per year until the $18,800+ price is paid off at no interest). They still must construct. That they didn't pay the whole price up front seems to tell me they might not have the cash to build and pay the note on hand. They might simply be padding things for construction overage costs that always occur. Nothing ever seems to go 'textbook' in constructing a station. If they are not 'cash rich', they might try to hobble anything they can get to 'work' until they can afford better, a really tough way to go because first impressions never go away (the bully in high school is still a bully in your mind decades later).
La Grange will be a tough market to crack. The existing stations have decades of relationships with clients and listeners. You have to start strong and wait out the results from doing right by the listeners and the business community. Promises and claims have to be met in glaringly obvious fashion. Those results from listeners and the business community generally make a turtle look like a NASCAR racer. With that said, the area has grown. The population is no longer all 'old school' but now a mix with 'new school', meaning folks who have moved to the area over the years because they liked the place. 'New School' folks will be the bread and butter for the station initially.
In the meantime, I sure wish them the best and look forward to hearing a new signal in the area. Obviously all the above is mere speculation and may have nothing whatsoever to do with the reality of KTIM. That's my disclaimer and I'm sticking with it.
