Tour one of the last independently-owned radio stations in US
Вставка
- Опубліковано 2 сер 2024
- Michael Zwerling is one of a dying breed: independent owner of a radio station in the United States. He owns 10, 000 watt KSCO, AM 1080 in Santa Cruz, California, and here he gives me a tour of the station and its transmission equipment. Lots of fun to see inside a radio station and learn why its towers are located over water.
I would LOVE to sit down with this gentleman and talk a few days about radio broadcasting. Excellent
Mark W. Mullins me too!
@@filminginportland1654 He's a very nice guy. Ask him if you're around.
I listen to KSCO via the internet every night. Even though I live half way across the country, It's my favorite radio station.
Every time the station owner starts making an interesting point, the interviewer cuts him off and asks another question. Maddening.
Sad that radio has gone the way it has. We can thank the FCC for deregulating radio and allowing the stations to be owned by only a few companies. Glad this station is locally owned!!
Bradley Smith same in Canada. Radio is a wasteland, all stations sound the same. Really too bad!
In Canada we have a few community stations. In Metro Cape Breton (Canada) the full service station is the community station. The commercial stations are a jukebox. No personality. @@Okanagan48
@@maryrafuse2297 Community radio has to be so careful, and keep the donors happy. NO donors, no stations. Of course that includes all the volunteers.
The FCC NEVER regulated programming or format. They regulate the exact same things today as they always have: PEP, frequency allocation, call signs and obscenity.
Thank the Telecommunications Act of 1996, from the GOP congress signed into law by Bill Clinton.
Private, interesting radio is a lost art. Big media has ruined radio and the FCC has destroyed low power private broadcasting. So sad.
you probably dont care but if you guys are stoned like me during the covid times then you can stream pretty much all the new series on instaflixxer. Have been binge watching with my brother these days :)
@Rowen Asher definitely, have been using InstaFlixxer for since december myself :D
WLUV AM 1620 still independent one owner since 60's WLUV loves Park, IL. Joe Salvie owner he's 95 yrs old still runs the station with a part time guy
I think WCCI is an independent station 100.3 FM Savanna Illinois.
Here in North Carolina, we are thankful enough to have a good amount of locally owned stations. I don't know about the talk ones because I don't keep up with talk radio, but we have a guy in Newton whom I know personally that owns 3 stations...WXRC 95.7 the Ride (broad classic rock, much better than the classic rockers owned by iFart or Cumuless), as well as two oldies outlets, WAIZ 630 and WNNC 1230, and WNNC actually broadcasts in AM stereo! (not at the moment, because he is trying to get his C-QUAM stereo exciter going again) We also have WLWL in Rockingham (beach music and oldies, another AM stereo station), WIXE 1190 in Monroe (mostley country, and sadly is not in AM stereo anymore), WZKY (AM stereo oldies, pretty good even though it's automated), and in the eastern part of the state there's a network of broad classic hits and oldies stations...WLSG in Wilmington and WSME in Jacksonville. We even have two broadcasting companies, Capital Broadcasting and Curtis Media, that own a few stations throughout the state. Even though their stations are not independent (owned by the companies here), since the companies run on a smaller basis they sound a bit better than typical large corporate stations -- or at least I guess that's why they do. We have a group of folks that run classic hits/oldies stations in Concord and Salisbury, but in my opinion they're no good. They cary the exact same programing, which is sorta redundant since Concord and Salisbury are not too far from each other, and the Concord stations have absolutely terrible sound quality! We also have a religious organisation running an LPFM at 101.5, but they seem to have a tough time with it -- no audio on the right channel and half of the time they broadcast dead air. But all of the other stations I mentioned are good! I know there are some more independently owned ones I haven't covered. Oh, anyone ever listened to WLNG in Sag Harbor, NY? If not, LISTEN!!!
The bomb shelter studio used to house KLRS (Colors) back in the late 80's! I spent many hours there!
Been by there several times and about to again tomorrow. It will be fun knowing now a little more about KSCO.
I'll list his record library onto computer & take info off index cards. . . .I do this in my studio for last 20 years. . .and still haven't completed it! Sort of like painting the San Francisco bridge. . .never ending. . .
Being a broadcast engineer I have worked on a lot of stations like that they are more than most think but are slowing dwindling away.
WHVW in Hyde Park, NY is independent and also locally owned.
WIRY AM 1340 in Plattsburgh NY is still independent. If fact it recently was sold from the long time owner to 4 other local folks.
For sale
The key here is embracing your audience.
Nice to see that he has not been assimilated by the corporate borg collective YET
Hope that station is still thriving. At present time I think a few more independent stations are starting to pop up around the US. AM radio is still relevant as anybody can tune in from a car or portable radio, no worries about data plan usage, coverage and dead batteries from streaming.
Josh Bommer data caps are becoming a huge issue, and is very good for radio. Even cable ISPs with tons of bandwidth are capping now. So atrociously gross!!
KSCO is indeed still on the air, I listen in upstate NY via internet streaming. I don't know if he still owns it, but I too hope so. I'm thinking if he is alive and healthy, he is active. A character like him will work as long as he can. One if my mentors was one of this type, owning and operating over a dozen lptv stations. Roll up your sleeves and do it type of owner.
While the station is still on the air, it is far from thriving. According to an article in Good Times Santa Cruz, KSCO is losing about $40 K each month. At this point it appears the only thing keeping the station on the air is income from the owner's multi level marketing business of selling supplements and other natural products through KSCO's web site; along with income from syndication of the "Dead Doctors Don't Lie" program produced at KSCO. Even the multi level marketing and syndication income doesn't appear to be enough to keep the station going, as the owner has recently started soliciting donations from listeners on air. At $40 K per month in the red, it's going to take a miracle to keep KSCO from having to sell out to a major broadcasting conglomerate.
@@frg9600 I hope he finds a miracle. People like him should.
Thank you, Michael, for a very informative video of your radio station. My retirement dream job would be to have my very own commercial radio station, which would be supported by advertising, from local businesses. Just moved from the San Francisco bay area to Northern Kentucky. Is there any way I could find out if such a thing exists. Thanks again!
This guy is a true owner ….Broadcast radio has become a corporate letdown over time and it’s a shame corporations that own lots are horrible there is a station in nyc that just took a downturn and it’s horrible that these dj’s had to apologize for the format change fm radio was created for music not talk ….am is for this talk format …I give this guy credit for owning his own station
presently I see you alive and thriving....And I would like to do a blessing of my own at your sanctuary. I find lots of interesting people talking with the homeless. I don't call because I don't know you well enough to call but I believe and support you and your radio program with all my heart..and am proud to say it any time and anywhere in fact I would shout out loud I SUPPORT KSCO, AM1080 IN SANTA CRUZ CALIFORNIA AND SEND LOTS OF MONEY and I think mz is a cutie in that hat and hair day.
Hey, My friend Shelli met you on a tour guide with fiance and If I remember right her son Marcel did something as a class project with your station and she understands why I find Rush Limbaugh endearing. And she loves and knows IAM a bright and shiny star. David
A correction...the transcription platters actually are 16 rpm, and play from the inside out. Who knows what is on those platters...
This guy was ahead of his time back 11 years ago. If you listen to him, he sounds a bit like Geoff Sterling who owned CHOZ-FM & CJON-TV. Both show that independent spirit that is so lacking in the broadcast industry nowadays.
Thank you so much for the; "Little Tour." Interviewer is minimizing the interviewees importance, by referring to the event as a "Little Tour," at the very end. What an A*&#E
I would love to visit there.
Local Public Radio is another place that independent programming finds a home. Long live WKDW, North Port, Florida.
Good for Mike....I sure hope Neilsen Audio is being fair to him (radio ratings services)!
Are you kidding me? Before Nielsen bought out Arbitron, you could actually purchase the book if you had any ratings at all and you could take it to the bank with promotions and direct sales to advertising clients and make your investment back, because in most cases the Arbitron book could be purchased by a fairly successful radio station for 1500 to $2,000. Now that Nielsen took over, they won't even talk to you short of 20 to $40,000, which unless you are iHeart or somebody like that, you can forget it. Of course in the Arbitron days if you showed up in the book and bought it, it was a guarantee that you would continue to show up in the book, if you know what I mean, but it still made good business sense. Those days are over! - Bill, 52 years in the biz as an RF and Antenna Engineer and multiple station owner.
Never, EVER drink with an old AM radio Disc Jockey - you'll quickly regret it.
About 3/4 of the way through the first beer they start finding their old "Golden Voice of (insert city/county or corner of state/etc)" and fire up the old on-air persona shtick.
After three or four more beers, they almost hurt themselves bending their necks to get their chins almost touching their chest in order to get the deepest, most resonate voice they can muster.
After that, it is a litany of impersonations of old radio ads, from newer Ralph Williams car sales and Earl Schibes Auto Painting ("Any Car! Any Color, $99 !!!) routines, to the Ipana and Pepsodent Toothpaste songs, Byrlcreem, and dozens of others. (oh, and Edward R. Murrow, Walter Cronkite and Wolfman Jack, too)
When they finally get to the "THIS WEEKEND ONLY!!! Monster Monster MONSTER TRUCKS AT THE AUDITORIUM!!!" ads, only then can you be sure that they will soon pass out and finally shut up.
Old AM radio guys are fun to talk to, but never EVER drink with one.
Someone ought to get Dave Andrews and crew to get a U Tube video produced about WIRY, 1340 AM . Pretty unique operation right here in “The -burg!!
i found this to be very interesting, you are very likable. not the least bit scary. i love lp records love to watch them move and spin... kinda crazy had a record player before I moved from GJ CO. sold LP.s Reader Digest I believe. bought them at garage sale. Then bought the record player after to play them. by the way your hair looks great there... And I'd like the key to your bomb shelter I lost my key of David... The Present as best i recollect.
why didn't you go through the actual 2 stations' control rooms to have a look ?
You got best bomb basement in town, but no key. X)
Like a ⛽ be free, but slown take all your money's.
1litres gas cost some 1.8e / ~8$ per gallon at Finland. Does this AM has live still?
Mi respeto y admiración para este radiodifusor. Es una inspiración para nosotros. Dios lo bendiga
I recently read that the FCC is finding the crap out of the station for not turning down their nighttime power, and this guy is pretty much going to shut down the station will be forced to sell it to pay the fines. I just find it funny this video came up on my newsfeed.
Makes me think of WJOB in Hammond Indiana (covers large part of south Chicago area) and WLTH Gary. Both are nearly or entirely locally programmed although a lot of WJOB's programming is paid.
WJOB is relying a lot on streaming over Facebook. They still have a bunch of videos on UA-cam but stopped adding new content 2 years ago. Idk why since YT is a superior interface on the listener end.
I think it's a mistake to think you're going to shift entirely to streaming because you're at the mercy of these platforms. We need independent radio that can't be subjected tobeither the censorship, other control, or technical failings of huge digital platforms.
The interviewer interrupts him repeatedly. The interviewer comes across like a know it all, and also infers that he knows all the answers, by interrupting; ("Yep") the interviewee, which can be annoying to both the interviewee and the audience. Also, the interviewer's mic his much hotter (louder) than the interviewee's mic.
Radio has mostly gone the corporate route in the UK also...sadly.
I find you intriguing and I wish I could hear you ksco AND komy clearly in San Jose.Other stations over voice you. Even in Santa Cruz at nite KLOVE comes through loud and clear I figure that must be provdence saving me from hearing too much riff/raff or hurtful words when I am sleepy....snore
ancientgoddess1 you can live stream them online, which is what I do when I'm working out of the area... these guys are great.
AWWWWWSOME... de Maryland.
Sad radio has changed so much. All the big guys have garbled up so many stations. I started out in engineering and now both stations are gone today due to big corporate takeovers. And now jobless. You would think engineering jobs be more secure. But big cuts have changed the business
I'm an archivist, digitalize them, it's history.
I go by the name "The Dr. of Oldies" I have been on the radio and love this old stuff. I obtained a third class operators license. It's not that I want a job. I just like the format you have.
Affiliate with ABC radio news or CBS radio news
The camera work is abysmal.
All that bullshit and didn't see one current studio wtf
Hi good afternoon kp group fm 24 /7 ceiling cagh to we'll nine months of USA UK icon sound f
Qanon radio all day er day
Don't be taken in by his "good guy" image. In actuality, he is ultra-conservative and caters to the Right Wing and the station spews hate from its control rooms. He fired 3 DJ's for being "too liberal". Indie radio is great and needs your support -- with the exception of this guy, so don't spread the hate, but share the love.