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
When we're not bringing you Jim and Justin or Edwards' Archives, or our Noon Newsblock, or "Totally 80's Flashback" or...Turntable Trainwrecks, or Popeye John's Monday Night Classic Rock"....or Barry Scott's Lost 45's....we're still working hard to bring you a great station with music and information EVERY hour!
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