[BC] The end of small town radio

[Scott Bailey]

Tom,
    One thing I do agree with you on is visibility. That is 
important. I do advertise in the local paper, have banners up at 
community events, and I have even looked into a billboard here in town.

    At the community events, they have asked us not to blast the 
station's music out due to they have live entertainment going on. 
When I was on the Chamber of Commerce board a few years ago, we 
broadcasted the live entertainment.

    At the local "mom & pop" restaurants here, I have a ad that runs 
every 20 minutes in 4 restaurants here in town on a big flat screen 
with other local businesses.

    I don't have a license to operate a marti, but back when we did 
broadcast the entertainment from the 4th of July celebrations, we 
used the other station's remote equipment (WHIN) to broadcast the 
event. I MC'ed the event on stage. We have done alot in the past that 
has gotten us out there.

    We don't do the County Fair in August due to WHIN has been doing 
it since 1948. They give us a plug or two on the air at the fair. My 
cousin, Jack Williams is the owner of WHIN, and we work together. 
Jack has been in radio longer than me and we work well together. The 
two station are separately owned, but... We are family!

    Events that WHIN doesn't cover, WMRO covers. We are in the 
Christmas Parade. We have a auto dealership lend us a car, and we 
take those big "throw away" banners you can buy with your logo and we 
put them on both sides of the car, with the car radio blasting our 
station and throwing out candy to the kids.

    It is unusual that competitors work together in the same little 
town, but we do and it works! There are things we do outside the four 
walls of my building that we don't get money for. You guys are just 
not here to see it.

--
Scott Bailey
WMRO Radio, Gallatin, TN

-------------- Original message ----------------------
From: Tom Spencer <Radiofreetom at gmail.com>
 >
 > Of course, doing remotes RIGHT costs a bit more that just banging out
 > some copy on the word processor and babbling it into a mike.....
 >
 > The station has to look at it as much as SELF-ADVERTISING as much (or
 > more) than the CLIENT'S advertising.
 >