Access Atlanta > Entertainment > Radio Talk > Archives > 2006 > October > 12 > Entry
10/13: Should WREK go commercial?
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Creative Loafing here wrote a story about WREK-FM, the Georgia Tech radio station, possibly going commercial to raise funds and accommodate more sports programming. I’m not sure if this is even feasible though a handful of college-run radio stations are commercial. (I had a cousin who DJed on a commercial college station at Cornell.).
Comments
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By GPB
October 13, 2006 9:14 AM | Link to this
Doesn’t there have to be an open frequency on the right side of the FM dial in order for this to happen? Given that the spectrum is pretty much full here in Metro Atlanta, this idea doesn’t sound realistic unless Georgia Tech is ready really open up the wallet to purchase an existing FM station and “move” WREK there. They can’t possibly make enough on sports programming to make that economically practical.
By MJ
October 13, 2006 9:48 AM | Link to this
If I’m not mistaken, isn’t WRAS a commercial station? And it’s on the left end of the dial, previously referred to as “the Bible band” (but that is an outdated term of course).
By Zachary
October 13, 2006 10:45 AM | Link to this
MJ — There are no commercials on WRAS.
By bobbyb.
October 13, 2006 10:50 AM | Link to this
MJ, I work over at WRAS, and we are actually a non-comercial station as well. And i would have to imagine that a move like that would cost a lot of cash and alot of legal redtape.
By wallace
October 13, 2006 11:28 AM | Link to this
A better question might be should WGST go Commercial?
By DJ
October 13, 2006 11:33 AM | Link to this
They would have to obtain a new broadcase with the FCC, find a new frequency (AM or FM) and totally revamp their programming. The music WREK plays is not commercially sound (this is a compliment to their current programming) and GA Tech Sports programming won’t bring in enough revenue to keep the station afloat.
There may be some kind of legal wranglings to sort out over their broadcast facilities on campus if commercial as well.
Sounds to me like a poorly thought out scheme by a) their sports dept, b) financially afluent GA Tech alum with no idea how radio works or c) a combination of the two who want to conduct a coup.
While I don’t expect this to happen, it really is a recipe for disaster the way this is described on this blog.
By The Insultant
October 13, 2006 12:53 PM | Link to this
Unless the FCC regs have been changed recently - any station below 92 on the FM band must be licensed non-commercial. Non-comms may operate on commercial frequencies but not vice versa.
By Rodney Ho
October 13, 2006 1:31 PM | Link to this
The Insultant is right. No way this plan can fly on the current frequency.
By mo
October 13, 2006 2:16 PM | Link to this
WREK? So there’s a radio station named WREK?
By Zachary
October 13, 2006 2:50 PM | Link to this
mo —
yes.
By RedSeapedastrian
October 13, 2006 2:59 PM | Link to this
this is totally irrelavent to the subject at hand but I thought it needed attention brought to it. Has anyone noticed that Jimmy Baron now has Steve Barnes as one of his top friends on his myspace page? WTF? Since Barnes isn’t suing him anymore are they all buddy buddy now. Did they run into each other at the unemployment office? Also Southside Toolbag has JB as one of his “top friends” on myspace, anything going on with that Rodney?
By bud
October 13, 2006 4:06 PM | Link to this
This would totally suck…what a waste of audio bandwidth to put sports on the radio…it’s all about the visual anymore…if you want to enjoy a football or basketball or hockey game, you simply must SEE what is happening. Baseball on the radio has a venerable history, but this is not a big draw for people born after 1970. There are some really cool shows on WREK…log into www.wrek.org and see for yourself…you can download shows played previously in the week…the Friday Night Fish Fry and Soul Kitchen are great! WREK has a way better mix than Album 88 as well.