WKSN 1340 brings oldies back to Jamestown, NY.
Erie-Meadville: News from radio-locator.com regarding the Jamestown, NY / Warren, Pa. market. Media One station WKSN 1340 has brought back it's previous "Kissin' Oldies" format, which was dropped for news talk not too long ago. I found the flip to news talk weird because the station was actually in direct competition with sister station WJTN 1240. I thought that sports would have been a smarter format move at the time. Some talk programs that aired on WKSN have moved to WJTN after "The Hall Closet" host Ray Hall was fired from the station. A move which occured after he read a sexual harassment document on air with some indecent language George Carlin would been very proud of. WKSN has picked up Scott Shannon's "True Oldies Channel" network. It will be interesting to see how well the station fares against the 50,000 FM oldies powerhouse "92 Gold" WRRN 92.3 from across the border in Warren, Pa.Readers’ Forum
The recent move by WKSN 1340 in Jamestown was a wise decision. I think it will be borne out when the next ratings book comes out. The same old, same old partisan talk shows have become stale and predictable. Even their most loyal listeners are getting tired. You can just about predict word for word what Limbaugh, Beck, Hannity, Schults, Savage and the plethora of obnoxious talking heads are going to say. Many in the radio business have said that talk shows saved AM. That’s probably true but I think they’re on their way out. Everything cycles and talk shows are not immune. After the fall election, look for a sharp decline in their popularity. Listeners are backing off talk shows because they’re tired of getting stressed out over things they have no control over. The oldies format provides a pleasant escape and diversion by an exercise in futility.
Gabriel Feher - July 21, 2008 at 8:05 pm
Having worked at WKSN from 1979 to early 1981, one weakness they’ve always had is signal. But, the older demo in Jamestown has always identified WKSN as Kissin’.
John Gallagher (URL) - July 23, 2008 at 07:50 am