Re: [IRCA] FCC may help remove electrical noise

[Patrick Martin <mwdxer@xxxxxxxxx>]

Being 64 now, I guess I am old fashioned. I have never been a person who
takes change easily. I loved radio when I worked in it. I never made a
lot of money, but I was into it for the enjoyment. I figured I was doing
something to help people. Either announcing on the air of a bake sale or
the lost dog, taking requests, or covering that boring city council
meeting that no one cared about, but we were still seaving our
community.  Radio was "people" . People doing things for other people.
Being in a town like Astoria or Dallas OR, or any small town, you knew
the advertisers, the listeners, and so on. All three AMers in Clatsop
Country has three owners. They all had their style. KSWB Seaside, had
their studios on the highway, with the nice sign out front where you
could stop off, have a cup of coffee and visit with Ken, or BG, or Bob.
They had their outer office, station meetings, parties, and so on. The
station had real D.J.s, the guy down the street. You knew him, their
kids, as your kids went to school with their kids. The station was Top
40 Rock. Now KSWB is in a hole in the wall upstairs on Broadway. Out of
site, a couple DJs. Sure the owner is still local, but he has had a time
keeping the station on the air now with a jillion other competing radio
stations. The format is Oldies now. Not the same as when real radio was
here, but at least they are local and do their own format.  Astoria
where I worked, both AMs are co owned, where KVAS had a separate owner
and was live a lot of the time. They did run some automation, but again,
a small station downtown where a person could come in a see the DJ,
shoot the breeze, have a cup of coffee. KVAS was C&W, which they still
are, but all satellite now. Over across town was KAST, another small pop
music  station, had a separate local owner like KVAS. Today, KAST is
satellite talk.  I knew all of the owners. Sure they competed for the ad
money, but that was radio to me. KAST was always the number one station.
They were the oldest going back to 1925. They were the EAS station They
had a generator, if the power was off. A few years ago, they moved their
studios to Warrenton. Now if the Warrenton power is off, they are off
too. They are not the emergency station any longer. They lost that to a
local listener supported FM. It is sad what has happened to so much of
the industry. Also gone are the days when that local high school kid
could find a part time job at the local station. That rarely happens any
longer. They don't have the staff any longer. 
  Sure, there are still a few of the old fashioned stations around. In
DXing I catch one once in a while that really sounds local. They are
really a part of the community. My old boss Chuck Farmer woul be rolling
over in his grave if he knew what has happened to the industry. 
But things change. Like it or not, we are stuck with the statis quo.
What happens down the road, is anyones guess. But radio that many or us
grew up with and worked in is becoming a thing of the past.
   On a DXing point, gone are the large staffs with a fulltime CE, so
getting a QSL out of many stations is hard to do. Locally, all 3 AM
stations in Clatsop County were good verifiers. KSWB had a letter, KVAS,
the same and early on KAST had a QSL card, and later a letter. Today, it
is near to impossible to get a QSL out of KSWB. I had to go there and
have them sign a ppc for a Finnish DXer sometime back. KAST/KVAS co
owned only answers via e mail. But I will say, when we have had
conventions here, all three stations have been very nice and we have had
tours. I do appreciate that. It helps to know the people too. I don't
blame the people in radio. They are trying to make a living just like
the rest of us. However, I do blame the FCC for allowing so many
stations on the air, that they all have a tough time making ends meet.
There are just too many stations for the ad money. But I am glad I
worked and DXed in the better days in broadcasting. I smile looking
through the wonderful QSL memories. 

73,

Patrick    

Patrick Martin
Seaside OR
KGED QSL Manager


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