WHAI Sold

[Steve Sawyer <k1frc@yahoo.com>]

As a long time, part time on air guy at WHAI, let me add these
thoughts.  I've known that Ann wanted to sell the station for a long
time.  She finally got the semi automation system, Music Scheduler or
something like that, on line about 2 weeks ago.  Quite frankly, I'm
suprised at the news the station sold.  She told us all back last July
that she had changed her mind on selling and had planned to expand the
station.

WHAI has been the consistent market leader.  This news is particularly
sad, primarilly because I believe it marks the end of an era.  While
some of you may think that totally live local radio is "quaint", I
believe this type of radio is needed, and for numerous reasons.  Not the
least of which is the training ground provided by a station willing to
train would be announcers how to actually present themselves on air....
to "learn by doing", so to speak, and not just push buttons on a
keyboard. (argue this all you want, but this is one of the reasons that
many dj's, even in major market stations, sound like a bunch of
teenagers).  This type of radio is also very beneficial to their city of
license.  I know WHAI provides much more in the way of public service
programming to its COL (Greenfield) than the other stations in the
market...(WRSI, WGAM), and I would climb out on a limb and say that if
some large corporation like clear channel or someone else owned them
this would be a satellite sports talk or a 24 hour cooking station or
something nobody wanted to hear, or worse yet, there'd be a satellite
delivered ac format on fm and talkamerica on am, and the station would
just die.  (perhaps that's what will inevitably happen now).  What a
pity that would be.  Being a realist, I'd say that the current staff
would do well to find themselves other jobs.  I don't believe for a
minute that the new owners will keep the station intact.  There's way
too much "clutter" and companies now seem to just look at the bottom
line.

Folks, I feel a bit sad, I made friends over there, and found a station
which allowed and encouraged a bit of creative freedom, had many major
market format elements yet retained it's local appeal.  I really do hope
the new owners will see fit to continue this however I think many
changes have already started.  Everyone take care, its been a while
since I wrote to the group.  I'm not in the group anymore, Yahoo mail
would overload with the number of messages!  If anyone would like to
respond to me, please send email to k1frc@yahoo.com.  Thanks and
everyone have a nice holiday season!

Steve Sawyer