News these days is important, in the
proper doses.
WION
Radio has always had a news source on the air. We began with the
Michigan Radio Network and CBS. M.R.N. went away, and we picked up
what we have now, the Michigan News Network. On the “larger side”
of news, we started with CBS. They were owned by a large
corporation, and THEY “lost us” during a corporate buyout and
physical move from one end of the country to the other, and suddenly
we were no longer an affiliate.....but wait, there's more.
When
CBS went away, we picked up Fox Radio News. They were new at the
time, their delivery, timing, and content fit us very well....but,
when renewal of the contract came up, being an unrated “small”
market, they went from bartering the service in exchange for airing
their commercials to over $300 a month! That would be WION paying
nearly 4 thousand dollars a year for bringing you news, while still
carrying THEIR commercials. Nope. No way. I know when I'm being
taken to the cleaners.
So, we moved to CNN audio news for
radio. OK. Despite whether they lean one way or another, and I
don't care in the least WHICH side of the aisle you walk, they
covered the major national and international stories. (And, our
country was not at war with itself as much then, either)...but, in
time...CNN decided to discontinue THEIR audio feed.
At
that time, CBS had been handed to yet ANOTHER distributor and parent
company. We re-signed with them, and it went well until about the
time of Covid. While Michigan was being slapped by our Governor, CBS
sent many of it's people home, their individual recording quality
went downhill. Timing went south to where we were airing newscasts
ending on words that were NOT the end of the sentence or the point.
Commercials were being cut off, and individuals' reports had no
consistent quality. As owner, I called this to the attention of CBS,
and told them we were DONE with them, having signed with our current
news provider, Townhall. Townhall is a spin off from the
non-commercial Christian network called “SRN” (Salem Radio
Network) that you may hear mentioned now and then. For the most
part, they do a good job with the occasional “reminder” from this
affiliate that an issue has arisen. It seems we're one of the few
affiliates with ears listening to our own station, as we're often
told nobody else has “noticed” the issue....usually one of tone
quality via bandwidth or some other technical problem.
News
came today of the CBS (radio) network ending their service in May to
radio stations all across our country. This pretty much leaves only
Townhall and ABC. ABC doesn't want small markets like ours, we
asked. Thus, as you can see, we're very fortunate to have signed
with Townhall when we did.
WION believes that keeping up to
date with National and International news is part of what I was
taught to be “Full Service Broadcasting.” Like them or not,
they, like the other networks we've carried keep people up to date
who otherwise cannot use the internet, their phones, or TV when
working, driving, or being otherwise engaged. RADIO affords ears the
luxury of keeping up with news and keeping people company where other
services still cannot.
Even though we have not had CBS in a
very long time, I'm saddened to hear the news of CBS radio going away
in May. It would have been nice to see them celebrate 100 years “on
the radio” but that won't be happening. The Townhall report on it
said it was part of cost-cutting by the bean counters at CBS. Bean
counters. They seldom understand the needs of listeners to radio,
customers to a store, or those who need some kind of service in their
lives. I'd put money on the fact that CBS (radio) affiliates
probably lost quite a few stations with the retirement and death of
Charles Osgood, too...much like ABC did when Paul Harvey got his
“promotion” to heaven.
If my assumption is true, then
the conclusion I draw is this: It takes more than reading stories
to listeners to keep their ears tuned-in. It takes TRUST in names
that stay a long time with a network. It takes PROPER NEWS WRITING
at all levels, from reporter to anchor, and good delivery....ALL OF
WHICH is hard to find these days. I think it was the “big names”
that kept affiliates wanting to be with the two respective networks I
just mentioned. Then, when you throw in less-than-desirable delivery
quality, you turn people off to your (news) product.
When I
began my career at (then AM 930) WBCK in the 1980's we had NBC for a
network, and HUMANS timed when the news started (and hypothetically
ended) on the local affiliate. We TIMED our programming including
music to meet the top of each hour so we could sound professional.
Nowadays, even with digital-atomic timing, sometimes things don't run
as well. NBC went away many years ago from radio speakers, but they
were one of the “biggies” back then and well respected.
The
more we lose competition, the less drive there is for maintaining
quality for the purpose of being better THAN
those with whom you compete. Radio has been dealing with this for
years and years now, and the result is there are not many “WION”
style locally-owned radio stations left in this country because of
it. We HAVE to compete at a level at least as well as the big city
stations perform, in fact we have to do it BETTER.
CBS
quitting radio. Cumulus Radio, the second largest radio company
which owns many of the “biggies” in Lansing and Grand Rapids
filed Bankruptcy for the SECOND time last week, basically putting the
screws to stockholders and creditors. Well, WE as small market
stations don't do that. We have to use REAL money, not stocks to pay
our bills, employees, licensing, and music industry. Can you
imagine what it's like to play ball in the big leagues with the
budget of a farm club? It's not easy. Hasn't been for now
twenty-one-plus years...but we continue!
One less network
available on your radio dials and devices! One less voice nationally
for what's happening in our country. Many affiliates left with few
options or none. WION is fortunate to have Townhall, and we'll
continue to bring you National and International news around the
clock. Just enough that you're informed and not “over news'd.”
We also will continue with the Michigan News network as long as
possible, though it's ownership is a direct opposite in views to the
ownership of WION. Again, Michigan has few or no options for radio
networks.
People have given in to believing everything they
see or read on the web. In the age of this “A-I World” we highly
recommend you don't do that, and at least get SOME news from
established networks, preferably RADIO networks. With (independent)
radio like WION, at least the ownership and management decides on a
local level what is carried....it's not decided eight states away in
a big office building, and it's not “ratings driven” like big
city radio is, either. WION is independently owned, operated, and
locally programmed. The ONLY thing we get from network is news, and
Michigan sports.
We like it that way. We'll continue it.
Mourning, however the loss of a heritage network on stations
nationwide, come May of this year.
-carlyle
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