1 of 1- RadioActive
- Moderator
Offline 
Silent Buffalo Area AM Station Coming Back As Oldies Outlet
Just a month after WSPQ in Springville N.Y. signed off for good, it's coming back. The station has been bought by a Florida owner, who plans to offer Scott Shannon's True Oldies format. It's not clear yet exactly when the new "13Q" will debut, but it's also looking to secure an FM repeater at 100.7.
That, of course, is where CHIN-FM currently sits and the AM never came in here all that well, so it looks like the only place we'll be able to hear it in Toronto is online.
WSPQ Returns
- RadioActive
- Moderator
Offline
Re: Silent Buffalo Area AM Station Coming Back As Oldies Outlet
Just saw this from a post dated Feb. 24th on the new owner's Facebook Page. Interesting to see what they were considering:
Branding and radio station names are important now. And we do admit that heritage call letters like WSPQ are still important as well.
We know we'll get a lot of responses to this, and we welcome them.
We're tossing around names and branding with other radio veterans like us. We've come up with the following ideas.
AM 1330 WSPQ (simple heritage)
Classic 13Q (upbeat and fun presentation, either oldies or country)
1330 The Blizzard (The Blizzard of Oldies, and the Beatles and Before)
Presentations are ready for all of the above!
Personally, I think they made the right decision. Considering their terrible winters, I'm not sure Buffalo would welcome a station called "The Blizzard!" Also fun to note that they may have also been tinkering with a country format.
- •
Thread Starter- Dale Patterson
- Member
Offline
Re: Silent Buffalo Area AM Station Coming Back As Oldies Outlet
"Life without echo is really no life at all." - Dan Ingram
- RadioActive
- Moderator
Offline
Re: Silent Buffalo Area AM Station Coming Back As Oldies Outlet
Strangely enough, there was another "single letter" Top 40 station in Pittsburgh that has odd parallels to the soon-to-be-reborn 13Q.
KQV was known as "14K," was home to such soon-to-be-famous jocks as "Jeff Christie" (now known as Rush Limbaugh) and also signed off the air (after 99 years!) on January 1st. It, too, has been purchased and is being brought back to life by a new owner.
Legendary AM Station Going Dark After Almost 100 Years
- •
Thread Starter- darcyh
- Member
Offline
Re: Silent Buffalo Area AM Station Coming Back As Oldies Outlet
It's refreshing that someone still sees value and opportunities in AM radio.
This will never happen; but it's nice to imagine if the Canadian content regulations were eliminated what new formats may be viable on Canadian AM slots. How about smooth jazz? Classic country? etc.
Good luck and success to the new owners.
- Don
- Unregistered
Re: Silent Buffalo Area AM Station Coming Back As Oldies Outlet
I don't think elimination of Cancon would bring those formats to the Canadian AM dial.
- RadioActive
- Moderator
Offline
Re: Silent Buffalo Area AM Station Coming Back As Oldies Outlet
According to the station's Facebook page, WSPQ will be back on the air sometime this month. "We're waiting for one piece of equipment, and then we'll return to the air," they write. Although they don't say just what that piece of equipment might be.
The new owners are trying to ensure it won't be just another run-of-the-mill-same-300-songs oldies outlet. "There will be “thousands” of different songs including one-hit wonders and “obscure forgotten” songs," they promise in a newspaper story on the return.
They're also lining up talent. Scott Shannon will be syndicated on the station. As will an old familiar voice in Buffalo, who was there in WGR's glory days.
- •
Thread Starter- WJPYFM
- Member
Offline
Re: Silent Buffalo Area AM Station Coming Back As Oldies Outlet
Not looking good, new owner reports issue at transmitter site. A translator at 100.7 was also in the works but the whole thing is in jeopardy due to cost of bringing the AM back to life.
- Kilgore
- Member
Offline
Re: Silent Buffalo Area AM Station Coming Back As Oldies Outlet
As an aside, what is your definition of "Oldies Outlet"? If you hope to hear 50s and early 60s tunes these days, you might as well go into your basement & bring up a box of 45s. And even when the odd 1950s tune is heard on radio, it is more likely to be "Puppy Love" and "Theme from a Summer Place" than rock and/or roll
- RadioActive
- Moderator
Offline
Re: Silent Buffalo Area AM Station Coming Back As Oldies Outlet
WJPYFM wrote:
Not looking good, new owner reports issue at transmitter site. A translator at 100.7 was also in the works but the whole thing is in jeopardy due to cost of bringing the AM back to life.
My understanding is that first there may have been a flood and then there was a break-in, leaving them way behind schedule. They've posted two pics of the damage done when someone illegally entered their TX site. 
- •
Thread Starter- Kilgore
- Member
Offline
Re: Silent Buffalo Area AM Station Coming Back As Oldies Outlet
Recalls that great scene in American Graffiti in which Terry ("Toad") tried to make a purchase at the liquor store and his excuse "I lost my I.D. . . . uh . . . in a flood" didn't fly