Big Yawn

FedMed, owner of WOWO and a handful of other stations in town is notorious for tinkering with their stations and for over-promising and under-delivering. While FedMed can write a press release that even Barry LaBov, master showman, motivational speaker and mediocre golfer, would applaud, when it comes time for FedMed to deliver, the results are usually so-so.

With WOWO purchasing a low-power FM channel on 107.5 in November, the empty suits in the double-wide out on Maples Road will now be able to confuse and confound FM listeners who've been accustomed to hearing the Mighty 1190 on the 92.3 channel. The issues are two-fold. First, listener habits are usually slow to change. For many the switch will be a surprise and listeners will find themselves having to tune back over to the AM 1190 frequency and it's poor night time signal when they can no longer hear used car salesman Charley Butcher, the Komets or those weekend financial planner dudes on 92.3. Further, because the 107.5 channel is only a fraction of the power of the 92.3 channel (as determined and set by the FCC rules and regulations) many listeners in the outlying counties may not enjoy the crisp, clean and refreshing listening experience they once received on the 92.3 spot. 

Now, whats to become of the 92.3 channel once the move is "complete"? That's open to conjecture. An influential Northeast US media writer has noted that the 92.3 signal again sports the original WFWI call letters, changed last month. FedMed also has nailed down a couple of internet URLs, webpage names, and Twitter account names, a practice designed to confuse the competition. The Maven is pretty sure FedMed doesn't really know at this point but many signs point to some sort of Classic Hits/Rock format. 

 It's been general knowledge the 107.5 spot was being eyed by a couple of other Fort Wayne radio companies, and FedMed didn't want to be left out of the fracas, pulling some strings and backroom maneuvering to nail down the channel. The quick and efficient way the Adams Radio group has used two of these peanut-powered FM signals (96.9 and 103.3) to place "flanking" formats on the air with little trouble and little cost shows the value of these tiny spots on the dial. This tactic is designed to siphon off listeners and advertising dollars from competitors already established stations/formats. The more, the merrier. 

The Maven's advertising agency friend portrays the changes as "same sh*t, different day." Same Rush Limbaugh, same Pat Miller, same confused news department. 

If FedMed is stuck on ideas for 92.3, the Maven hear's that this format is available, real cheap.