WJIB is a rare bird--I think Bittner may be the sole employee and he runs music he likes which he thinks other people will like, too, along with those "brokered time" shows, but no real ads. Once I literally heard him say on the air, "Cut up your
credit cards. Most of the companies are evil." I'm not
kidding...this on a station which as far as the FCC is concerned is of the "Commercial" variety.
a reply Bob Bittner sent to a radio board (at the start
he talks about the poss. some people brought up of
him renting out cell phone antenna space on his tower):
Hello Folks: I'll leave a more detailed response when I return from WJTO in Maine where I am now. But quickly, I don't want any cell-phone stuff on the tower. The self-supported tower was not designed for such, and while cell-phone stuff looks tiny, it is all quite heavy. Also cell-hone companies have offered me a measly $1700.00 a month for such. On another question..... about salespeople... in my 16 years I've owned 740, not once has a person come to me wanting to sell! (to be a DJ, yes, many times.... sell..no).
Another poster was correct in saying that the smaller stations get lots of inquiries from get-rich-quick schemers and snake-oil/miracle cure outfits, but not much from real local businesses....especially if the aim of the station is for age 50+ people. And yet on another comment, I would not take donations 'over the phone' because credit cards would have to be used. I will not contribute to the biggest evil entities seen in America in the past 15 years....finance companies. - By the way, the amount that BMI wants is much larger than what the Herald article stated. It's really about $1927.00 monthly, not $1600.00.
Another blow to WJIB in this same month was that Radio France Int'l notified WJIB that it was ending its contract for the two hours every weekday morning. While they stated that "WJIB has been a good partner, we are having a global financial cutback." - WJIB is now music 24 hours a day Mon thru Sat; and also most of Sunday.
5,000 listeners? Don't think so... more like 18 times that much weekly.
More details later!
BB