KWDZ (Temporarily) Back On

[David]

KWDZ (910 AM) is back on the air with instrumental medleys that sound an awful lot like the "Stars On . . ." medleys that were so popular in the 1980's. The only thing I've heard so far other than the music is a male voice with the legal ID in between each segment, so it's likely this is just a temporary broadcast to keep the license active. I'm not seeing anything on the FCC site to indicate that the station has been sold, and the extension of silent authority expires August 17th. Perhaps it's appropriate that one of the instrumental tunes broadcast on KWDZ earlier this afternoon was The Impossible Dream, because it sounds like Radio Disney still hasn't been able to unload this turkey.

[CAwasinNJ]

KWDZ is going to get a lot of company on the auction block soon. Disney is selling all of the RD stations except for KDIS Pasadena/LA.

I'll be interested to see the justification for a renewal of the silent STA. We know the wording has changed over the last two. It might give us some insight about whether the station is any closer to being sold.

[David]

Well, one thing is certain: Radio Disney won't be getting anywhere close to the $3.7 million they paid for KWDZ in 2003. Looking at it from a 2014 perspective, it's hard to fathom any AM station (except for the "big dogs" like KSL-AM) selling for that price, especially since KOGN sold for a paltry $25K just last year. Moreover, if the RD stations are being auctioned off, it's highly unlikely that any of them will bring top dollar.

By the way, fans of the show tunes program that used to air on 106.5 FM might want to give KWDZ a listen before the station goes silent again (or is sold):  the station is now airing a lot of show tunes along with the instrumental medleys.

[kenglish]

Just listening casually, I've heard three different renditions of "Hello,Dolly", since this morning.

[David]

Aug 16, 2014 14:15:47 GMT -6 kenglish said:

Just listening casually, I've heard three different renditions of "Hello,Dolly", since this morning.

And sometime before noon today, I heard the Chicken Fat song (a/k/a "The Youth Fitness Song") by Robert Preston, which I probably haven't heard since I was in elementary school 40 years ago! That was a real blast from the past. KWDZ is playing some really odd stuff, much like KNFL did a few years ago before the station officially signed on the air.

[CAwasinNJ]

There was a "Hello Dolly" on a little while ago, and I think it was Pearl Bailey singing. They're also mixing in TV themes. From the sound contours it sounds like it might be from Television's Greatest Hits. (That album has a distinctive coloring, but it's hard to tell on AM.) I'd like a station like this to stay around but I know it won't. The signal is just on long enough to convince the FCC that it's broadcasting to the public and then it will go silent and request an extension.

Anyone have any idea who handles engineering for 910?

[CAwasinNJ]

It occurred to me tonight that with all the showtunes 910 has been running they haven't run the most appropriate one. "Brigadoon"

[kenglish]

Aug 16, 2014 18:52:10 GMT -6 CAwasinNJ said:

................
Anyone have any idea who handles engineering for 910?

I think it's still Barry McLellan, from Clear Channel.

[CAwasinNJ]

Logical, given that they used to own it years back.

Thanks Ken.

[amanuensis]

Is KWDZ off again already? This morning driving to work, the transmitter was on but not broadcasting anything the two or three times I checked.

[CAwasinNJ]

It appears to be completely off the air now. The only surprising thing about that is that it took this long to take it back silent.

Still no sign of an application to extend the silent STA.

[David]

The transmitter is still on (as evidenced by the S meter on my communications receiver), but it's "broadcasting" nothing but dead air. The carrier is still there but there's no audio, which probably means that the automation took a dump and no one's noticed but us radio nuts. I wonder if having the transmitter turned on with no audio qualifies as broadcasting under the FCC rules?

[amanuensis]

It was broadcasting showtunes and big band again yesterday afternoon as I drove home from work.  

[CAwasinNJ]

Definitely back on now. I'm left wondering why. It costs money to run the transmitter.


Now for a bit of pure speculation. In order to go silent again, Disney will have to justify why. In the last two applications they said that they were close to selling the station. Obviously that hasn't happened yet. Maybe there is no one they're currently in negotiations with and they fear that this will cause the FCC to reject the silent application. That would be a problem. Thoughts?

[David]

Aug 24, 2014 0:58:44 GMT -6 CAwasinNJ said:

Definitely back on now. I'm left wondering why. It costs money to run the transmitter.


Now for a bit of pure speculation. In order to go silent again, Disney will have to justify why. In the last two applications they said that they were close to selling the station. Obviously that hasn't happened yet. Maybe there is no one they're currently in negotiations with and they fear that this will cause the FCC to reject the silent application. That would be a problem. Thoughts?

According to what I've read on line, Disney is looking for a buyer to purchase 23 of the 24 Radio Disney stations, so maybe they are just keeping KWDZ on the air until they can find a buyer for the lot? I believe that's what the receiver for KOGN, KNFL, and Morgan Skinner's other stations did until a buyer was found, or in the case of KNFL surrender the license. I don't have a through understanding of the FCC rules, but it would seem to me that if Disney does find a buyer for the lot of stations in the near future, it would be the responsibility of the new owner(s) to handle all the necessary FCC paperwork.