[BC] The end of small town radio

[Scott Bailey]

Harold,
      Both Gallatin Tennessee stations do that here, but since we are 
so close to Nashville, radio has changed. People are on the move! 
Gotta to rush to this meeting, that meeting, I worried about my job 
security, etc. Those are the type remarks coming from the public 
here, and that is because we are close to a metropolitan city.

     Nobody here is "snubbed nosed" it's just the fact that it's not 
like it was 30 to 40 years ago and I've tried to get that through 
everyone's head. Seems like here in our town, the only time they care 
about "Real Local Radio" is when we have a disaster, like the tornado 
that hit Gallatin in 2008.

    After the tornado fanfair demand of AM localism was gone (and it 
didn't last but 2 to 3 days at the most), they were back listening to 
the Nashville FM's and TV. In reality, the Nashville FM's and the TV 
stations have the resources to do a better job of our town's localism 
than we "Suburban, Small Town Stations" do. Over 70% of Gallatin 
residence work in Nashville/Davidson County. They move out here to 
get away from the Urban Life and Crime.

   Heck, even the internet sites get the info faster than we do! For 
example, school closings. Kids get it from the internet that school 
is canceled faster from their iphone than listening to an AM station, 
and most of them don't know AM exists. Times have just changed and 
"suburban small town stations" can not afford the staff that the TV 
and Corporate FM's of the Metro City can.

   Both stations get their share of an audience of High School 
Football when in season, due to we are the only stations that broadcast it.

--
Scott Bailey
WMRO Radio, Gallatin, TN

  WNEG under the original ownership, Roy and Evelyn Gaines was a real part of
 > their community. No need to change that.
  He would go the schools and do a live remote covering nothing much more than
 > what was for lunch, or what was on their minds.
  His TV was the same way. Each of their people were tightly connected to that
 > small community. The fact that LeTernough was
 > a major force there, he covered what they did as well.
  That station was unique in every respect, but exactly what a "local"
 > broadcaster should be doing.
  When I did a little TV consulting for him, I and my wife were made to feel a
 > part of the "family', down to ham and eggs
 > for breakfast from MS. Evelyn.
 >   They knew the "secret".
 >            Harold