Is EMF becoming "too big" for their own good ?

[WPHA]

The morning shows for both Air1 and KLove come out of Indy now. The current satellite system EMF is using (Wegner iPump's) allow local audio store so they can store legal IDs and underwriting/concert spots locally for the Full Power FMs and air those during the hourly local avail.

You sound like you know quite a bit about EMF's delivery system.

About 20 work out of Indy and growing.

I've befriended a few of their employees, including an Engineer or two. This system they're using is actually quite impressive for what it can do. Still... it cannot replace a TRULY LOCAL staff. People who live in the area, shop there, eat there, worship there... nothing automated from across the continent can replace having "Boots on the ground" in a local area.

The thing that truly disturbs me, are the reports of some local Christian radio station owners being "bullied" and "harassed" by people purporting to be employees of K-Love and/or AIR1. All of the folks with whom I have communicated at this company have been excellent and caring Christians. Somewhere within the organization, there are some "POISON PEOPLE" who are giving it a bad name! Those people should be found-out, and disciplined!

 

[borderblaster]

I know a lot of K-Love fans, many of whom travel frequently for work, and they LIKE the idea that they can hear the exact same station with the exact same on-air people coast to coast. These listeners aren't dissapointed that there isn't a different K-Love staff elsewhere in the country.

 

[xmusicmatt]

I know a lot of K-Love fans, many of whom travel frequently for work, and they LIKE the idea that they can hear the exact same station with the exact same on-air people coast to coast. These listeners aren't dissapointed that there isn't a different K-Love staff elsewhere in the country.

Considering how popular things like pandora, ipods, satellite radio are... People don't care where the music comes from as long as its something they like.

 

[JH_Radio]

Why have studio's in all those places if most is via the network feed anyway?
Is it in case something happens locally such as bad weather, etc? What are the studio's used for?
Why does the WXRA Leagle ID come out of only the left channel? Its been that way for years now.

 

[WPHA]

Why have studio's in all those places if most is via the network feed anyway?
Is it in case something happens locally such as bad weather, etc? What are the studio's used for?
Why does the WXRA Leagle ID come out of only the left channel? Its been that way for years now.

Because someone needs to TELL THEM! Chances are, their engineer is contracted locally, and he isn't listening that closely. Even if there are local staff for promotional activities, they may not be noticing it, either. K-Love DOES have a form on their WEBsite, where listeners can report errors. I've reported SID errors that I heard on their NYC signal. In some cases, they were corrected within the hour, and at the longest, within the day.

There is no doubt that there are MANY caring, sincere, and real CHRISTIAN people working for the organization! My concern is specifically about that handful of "rogues" who are going about TARNISHING the reputation of the WHOLE MINISTRY by their actions. THOSE people need to be disciplined, plain and simple.

 

[xmusicmatt]

Why have studio's in all those places if most is via the network feed anyway?
Is it in case something happens locally such as bad weather, etc? What are the studio's used for?
Why does the WXRA Leagle ID come out of only the left channel? Its been that way for years now.

Sounds like an issue with the device that inserts the legal over the network ID... drop them a line. I am sure they will get their contract engineer for that area working on it/looking into it. They do have monitoring equipment in place at their sites however it's quite possible that something like a left channel drop out on a once an hour 10 or so second ID hasn't been caught. (and most listeners don't pay attention to such things so no one has reported it)

 

[borderblaster]

For the most part EMF does not have studios at their local locations. They usually get main studio waivers.

 

[PTBoardOp94]

WKLU, K-Love Indianapolis just had the most successful ratings period in that station's history. 5.5 share in 6+. It looks like they picked up a big chunk of the All-Christmas audience that AC WYXB gave up in January.

 

[stewie]

Why have studio's in all those places if most is via the network feed anyway?
Is it in case something happens locally such as bad weather, etc? What are the studio's used for?
Why does the WXRA Leagle ID come out of only the left channel? Its been that way for years now.

EMF is required to have a studio in every timezone for "local" content and news. Studio wavier or not, I believe it's an FCC requirement.

As for the Indy site, it's a disaster recovery site. Since the morning show time slot is east coast based, it makes sense for the talent o be located in the east coast. Imagining waking up at 1:30-2 AM in CA to start your morning show at 3 AM. That's no life.

 

[stewie]

Why have studio's in all those places if most is via the network feed anyway?
Is it in case something happens locally such as bad weather, etc? What are the studio's used for?
Why does the WXRA Leagle ID come out of only the left channel? Its been that way for years now.

They don't have an engineer living it that area.

I will pass the information along to the engineer that services that market, thank you.

 

[xmusicmatt]

EMF is required to have a studio in every timezone for "local" content and news. Studio wavier or not, I believe it's an FCC requirement.

As for the Indy site, it's a disaster recovery site. Since the morning show time slot is east coast based, it makes sense for the talent o be located in the east coast. Imagining waking up at 1:30-2 AM in CA to start your morning show at 3 AM. That's no life.

Stewie is correct! Indy serves as back up -- We all know the ground of Cali is not the most stable ... If a major natural event happened there Air1/KLove could run programming from Indy and the network stay up... That was one of the perks to them purchasing the Indy station a few years back.. they got fairly modern studio site as part of the purchase.

Morning shows from East coast also is a big perk... It was very difficult on their talent to have to be up at 1am to do a 3am morning show! Rough on the families involved -- EMF felt that it was best for their morning teams to be in the East to help with this.. allows them to put on the best possible morning show.

Also it allows for talent to be out in the communities on the east easier.. With all staff located previously on the west coast... The costs to have talent hang out at festivals, concerts, events on the east was a factor.. now with Indy located talent KLove/Air1 can be out in communities a lot easier.

 

[stewie]

EMF is required to have a studio in every timezone for "local" content and news. Studio wavier or not, I believe it's an FCC requirement.

As for the Indy site, it's a disaster recovery site. Since the morning show time slot is east coast based, it makes sense for the talent o be located in the east coast. Imagining waking up at 1:30-2 AM in CA to start your morning show at 3 AM. That's no life.

Stewie is correct! Indy serves as back up -- We all know the ground of Cali is not the most stable ... If a major natural event happened there Air1/KLove could run programming from Indy and the network stay up... That was one of the perks to them purchasing the Indy station a few years back.. they got fairly modern studio site as part of the purchase.

Morning shows from East coast also is a big perk... It was very difficult on their talent to have to be up at 1am to do a 3am morning show! Rough on the families involved -- EMF felt that it was best for their morning teams to be in the East to help with this.. allows them to put on the best possible morning show.

Also it allows for talent to be out in the communities on the east easier.. With all staff located previously on the west coast... The costs to have talent hang out at festivals, concerts, events on the east was a factor.. now with Indy located talent KLove/Air1 can be out in communities a lot easier.

You're spot on. It's proximity to Nashville and the bible belt helps A LOT when getting artists to "stop by". That and the "central" location geographically.

On a side note, I expect we'll see an office and/or studio pop up in NYC sooner than later.

 

[WPHA]

Seeing as NY is the single, largest radio market IN THE WORLD, I would have, seriously, expected them to have had a local studio in the area even before WKLV signed-on, but they didn't. I would hope that they would, soon! Making the station LOCAL (at least during AM Drive) would be a BIG PLUS for this area!

Now... IF ONLY they'd be less repetitive with their MUSIC!

 

[stewie]

Seeing as NY is the single, largest radio market IN THE WORLD, I would have, seriously, expected them to have had a local studio in the area even before WKLV signed-on, but they didn't. I would hope that they would, soon! Making the station LOCAL (at least during AM Drive) would be a BIG PLUS for this area!

Now... IF ONLY they'd be less repetitive with their MUSIC!

Repetitive? I don't know what you mean?

Repetitive? I don't know what you mean?

Repetitive? I don't know what you mean?

 

[stewie]

Seeing as NY is the single, largest radio market IN THE WORLD, I would have, seriously, expected them to have had a local studio in the area even before WKLV signed-on, but they didn't. I would hope that they would, soon! Making the station LOCAL (at least during AM Drive) would be a BIG PLUS for this area!

Now... IF ONLY they'd be less repetitive with their MUSIC!

Doing a "local" morning drive in NYC would be huge. EMF has experimented with this before in a smaller market. The proof of concept went OK but was more costly than anticipated. However, we're talking about NYC so you're correct, a local presence of some type is needed.

 

[xmusicmatt]

Doing a "local" morning drive in NYC would be huge. EMF has experimented with this before in a smaller market. The proof of concept went OK but was more costly than anticipated. However, we're talking about NYC so you're correct, a local presence of some type is needed.

EMF has actually tried local on a few stations in the past that they have acquired and lack of $$$ support always pushed them towards the polished satellite formats of either Air1 or KLove.

Local in NYC would be good for morning drive at least. Just look at the PPMs since KLove 96.7 signed on.. Star 99.1 with it's rim shot signal is still holding its own compared to KLove. Star is very local and very involved in the community.

 

[joshzz]

Star does too good as a local broadcaster for K-Love to have impact in NY. Should mention that few can compete with Star's Cincy station.

 

[stewie]

Star does too good as a local broadcaster for K-Love to have impact in NY. Should mention that few can compete with Star's Cincy station.

Not being familiar with Star it's hard for me to have an opinion however it doesn't appear Star covers the region very well. WKLV is only a class A but the 50 dBu contour does a much better job covering NYC than Star. If what you're saying is correct, coverage shouldn't matter.

While ratings are nice, K-LOVE believes strongly in their vision. They too are "a stong broadcaster" with a lot of resources.

At the end of the day, Star and K-LOVE can (and will) coexist bringing New Yorkers closer to Him.