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artmorris
Administrator
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Posted: Wed Feb 21st, 2007 11:05 am |
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A lot of people are emailing and calling me to report (off the record) that David Shepherd has sold his stations to:
Dean Goodman, formerly PAX-TV exec, and big shot at the NAB.
Mr. Goodman seems to be in the mood to start up a chain of radio stations. Good for him! He must have deep pockets, because I keep hearing figures around 30-million for the Shepherd group.
I worked in the Shepherd organization for two years back in the 80's up at KAAN in Bethany. So, I speak with some understanding of the "Shepherd philosophy".
Here are my questions: (1) Has anybody checked the old man's grave to see if he's turned over? And, more seriously (2) will ANYBODY be able to maintain the discipline necessary to keep the cash flowing at those stations? Mr. Goodman will want to put his own stamp on the properties, which will CHANGE the dynamic. He can't help it. The stations WILL change.
A lot of small markets owners have looked in awe at the Shepherd organization for decades because of the extraordinary grosses that the stations generate. But, not everyone has bought into the philosophy. Stan Grieve was the former owner of KLIK in Jefferson City. He purchased KLIK from Jerrel Shepherd back in the 60s, when KLIK was failing. Grieve built KJFF-FM (now KTXY), and the stations became huge money-makers. Stan used to say "The Shepherd philosophy only works where there's no competition. He could never compete in an Arbitron rated market. No one would listen."
Stan's words are, in my humble opinion, quite true. Case in point, KURM in the Rogers, Arkansas market. "The Colonel", Kermit Wommack runs a Shepherd clone down there. Makes a bundle in billing, but never shows in the book. His FM has a .6, and his AM (the moneymaker) doesn't show at all. But, he doesn't care. They keep selling anything that moves.
What will the new owners of the Shepherd group do? I'm sure they'll say they want to keep it the same, keep that billing flowing. But, Mr. Goodman will want the company to bear his name, and that most certainly, will change the dynamic.
Art
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XGM
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Posted: Wed Feb 21st, 2007 12:44 pm |
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| One of the strangest radio remotes I ever heard was on the Moberly station several years ago. They were doing a remote from the Fayette, MO High School...of a fire drill of all things. "there goes the bell...they're coming out is single file...the record is 4 minutes... can they do it in 3 1/2 minutes...first this word from Joe Blows Insurance agency....yada..yada, yada... Could not believe I was hearing such a boring inane thing of the radio. But you know the Shep philosiphy...if you can sell it do it... who cares about the listeners.
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Jamie Turner
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Posted: Wed Feb 21st, 2007 11:10 pm |
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You laugh, I have actually done some of those remotes. Ugh. We have to start somewhere. My favorite moment was board-oping a cattle auction with "play-by-play" by Warren Mcdonald. On-air, Warren warm and friendly, announcing the final bidding price. Off the air in cue, "like I give a flying %#&@. (&^&*^^)*" It was that moment that I realized that Warren had been a marine. 
The Shepherd Group was my first paying gig and I wouldn't be where I am today had it not been for Mike Edwards, John Fowler, or Warren McDonald. While I don't agree with their programming philosophies (do you ever agree with your stations philosophies?), I appreciate the fact that the group still gave newcomers a chance. Kids fresh out of Broadcast Center, MSU, Mizzou, even High School an opportunity to start. Especially in the age of automation.
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XGM
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Posted: Thu Feb 22nd, 2007 01:32 pm |
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I agree Jerrell and now David have given hundreds of people their first jobs in Radio. Jerrell was nationally known for his ability to make big bucks in a small market. He spoke at lots of state meetings telling how he did it. I knew him well and always enjoyed visiting with him at the MBA, NBA and RAB conventions. I would only say, that if he had been in a rated market he could not have had that success...it is extremely important to focus first on...THE LISTENER, without them you have nothing. If you ever take your eye off their needs you will loose in a highly compeditive market. Warren McDonald, of course worked for me in Springfield before he went to Lebanon, etc. and yes...he WAS an ex-Marine!
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Jamie Turner
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Posted: Thu Feb 22nd, 2007 05:25 pm |
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| Believe me when I tell you it was a lot of fun to compete with the Shepherd Group. Not only in programming, but in the production room.
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FMAMGM
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Posted: Thu Feb 22nd, 2007 07:28 pm |
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What, if anything, does anyone know about what Dean Goodman's company or how it plans to perform? Does he have "radio people" controlling things in management?
Where is his company based....can he show-us his company will last more than two years?
Questions...always questions!
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artmorris
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Posted: Fri Feb 23rd, 2007 01:55 pm |
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Looking at FCC filings, it appears Mr. Goodman is already in the process of purchasing several stations in Iowa. (Fairfield and Grinnell for example).
Other than his service at NAB, and his stint at PAX, I haven't been to glean much information about Mr. Goodman's background. Obviously, he believes that there's a future in small market radio.
Of course, that's been a soapbox of mine for years. I think there's a great deal of action in small market, but it's different than anything larger. You have to have a taste for what small stations in rural areas are all about. Owners who's entire history has been in metros don't understand it. For that matter, most programmers from metros don't understand it either.
My two cents.
Art
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Jamie Turner
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Posted: Tue Feb 27th, 2007 05:47 pm |
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From R&R:
MISSOURI
KAAN-AM & KAAN-FM/Bethany, KMRN-AM & KKWK-FM/Cameron, KREI-AM & KTJJ-FM/Farmington and KJFF-AM/Festus (St. Louis) and KBNN-AM & KJEL-FM/Lebanon, KIRK-FM/Macon, KWIX-AM & KRES-FM/Moberly, KJPW-AM, KOZQ-AM, KJPW-FM & KFBD-FM/Waynesville.
PRICE: $30.6 million
TERMS: Terms Unavailable
BUYER: Dean Radio.TV Company, headed by President/CEO Dean Goodman. Phone: 561-832-7972. It owns six other stations. This represents its entry into this market.
SELLER: Shepherd Group, headed by President/Treasurer David Shepherd. Phone: 660-263-5800
FREQUENCY: 870 kHz; 95.5 MHz; 1360 kHz; 100.1 MHz; 800 kHz; 98.5 MHz; 1400 kHz; 750 kHz; 103.7 MHz; 99.9 MHz; 1230 kHz; 104.7 MHz; 1390 kHz; 1270 kHz; 102.3 MHz; 97.9 MHz
POWER: 930 watts; 50kw at 354 feet; 500 watts day/25 watts night; 50kw at 492 feet; 1kw day/150 watts night; 100kw at 1,040 feet; 1kw day/night; 5kw; 100kw at 984 feet; 13kw at 463 feet; 490 watts day/1kw night; 100kw at 1,020 feet; 5kw; 500 watts; 3kw at 492 feet; 10kw at 515 feet
FORMAT: Country; Country; Business News/Talk; AC; News/Talk; Country; News/Talk; Talk; Country; Easy/Adult CHR; News/Talk; Country; Talk; Sports; AC; Classic Rock
BROKER: Larry Patrick of Patrick Communications
COMMENT: The Shepherd Group's 16 stations in Missouri, 8 AM and 8 FM, to Dean Radio.TV Co. for $30.6 million.
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JR
Member
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Posted: Tue Feb 27th, 2007 06:04 pm |
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| Man, they have little stations all over the place. I cant see the new owners changing much.
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rjmac
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Posted: Wed Feb 28th, 2007 01:03 am |
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| Word from the outside is they'll try and move the big FM's toward St. Joe, Springfield, Columbia and St. Louis. They'll have to be programmed better than what the Shepherds have done to make a dent in those markets, but the signals will get them there. Not much you can do with the AM's. The fact that Shepherd got $30m for 16 stations, versus the $43m Zimmer got for 17 stations two years ago, most of which have nowhere near the coverage some of the Shepherd FM's have [Lebanon, Farmington and Moberly have monster signals] says a lot about where rural radio is headed in the future. Last edited on Wed Feb 28th, 2007 01:08 am by rjmac
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JR
Member
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Posted: Wed Feb 28th, 2007 04:17 pm |
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| Will there need to be a move on frequencies to get these stations to the bigger marketts? I know some are on the fringe and will not impact at all.
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Buddy Dornster
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Posted: Wed Feb 28th, 2007 08:30 pm |
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Lebanon has a permit for a 2,000 foot stick at the current Eldridge tower site. THAT will be a signal with which to contend. Actually larger than KTXR's, which is 5th in the nation for coverage area.
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FMAMGM
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Posted: Thu Mar 1st, 2007 09:38 pm |
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rjmac wrote:
Word from the outside is they'll try and move the big FM's toward St. Joe, Springfield, Columbia and St. Louis. They'll have to be programmed better than what the Shepherds have done to make a dent in those markets, but the signals will get them there. Not much you can do with the AM's. The fact that Shepherd got $30m for 16 stations, versus the $43m Zimmer got for 17 stations two years ago, most of which have nowhere near the coverage some of the Shepherd FM's have [Lebanon, Farmington and Moberly have monster signals] says a lot about where rural radio is headed in the future.
Okay - so which ones do you (readers in general) see Goodman moving to the larger markets and/or populace? Is there evidence that a move-in would serve any better purpose to either the public or the owner (and the bottom line)?????
I reposted the following as a reference for anyone who wants to respond.
Jamie Turner wrote:
From R&R:
MISSOURI
KAAN-AM & KAAN-FM/Bethany, KMRN-AM & KKWK-FM/Cameron, KREI-AM & KTJJ-FM/Farmington and KJFF-AM/Festus (St. Louis) and KBNN-AM & KJEL-FM/Lebanon, KIRK-FM/Macon, KWIX-AM & KRES-FM/Moberly, KJPW-AM, KOZQ-AM, KJPW-FM & KFBD-FM/Waynesville.
PRICE: $30.6 million
TERMS: Terms Unavailable
BUYER: Dean Radio.TV Company, headed by President/CEO Dean Goodman. Phone: 561-832-7972. It owns six other stations. This represents its entry into this market.
SELLER: Shepherd Group, headed by President/Treasurer David Shepherd. Phone: 660-263-5800
FREQUENCY: 870 kHz; 95.5 MHz; 1360 kHz; 100.1 MHz; 800 kHz; 98.5 MHz; 1400 kHz; 750 kHz; 103.7 MHz; 99.9 MHz; 1230 kHz; 104.7 MHz; 1390 kHz; 1270 kHz; 102.3 MHz; 97.9 MHz
POWER: 930 watts; 50kw at 354 feet; 500 watts day/25 watts night; 50kw at 492 feet; 1kw day/150 watts night; 100kw at 1,040 feet; 1kw day/night; 5kw; 100kw at 984 feet; 13kw at 463 feet; 490 watts day/1kw night; 100kw at 1,020 feet; 5kw; 500 watts; 3kw at 492 feet; 10kw at 515 feet
FORMAT: Country; Country; Business News/Talk; AC; News/Talk; Country; News/Talk; Talk; Country; Easy/Adult CHR; News/Talk; Country; Talk; Sports; AC; Classic Rock
BROKER: Larry Patrick of Patrick Communications
COMMENT: The Shepherd Group's 16 stations in Missouri, 8 AM and 8 FM, to Dean Radio.TV Co. for $30.6 million.
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artmorris
Administrator
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Posted: Fri Mar 2nd, 2007 02:16 pm |
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This is such a complicated issue.
I think moving the FM's into the nearby metropolitan areas is a bad idea, unless your purpose is just to pump up the valuation of the property. If that's the idea, well, yes that'll do it. But, if it's just more move-ins, good luck.
Frankly, what I'd like to see is the following:
Take the basic Shepherd philosophy, very much oriented toward the wide, regional area, and jazz it up. Add some big imaging and first class production, but make it sound very LIVE. (One thing I'll say for Shepherd is that they actually still have a staff of on-air people). For lack of a better description, take the Shepherd stations, and overlay the old Great Empire concepts. They could still sell advertising the way they do now. Very much oriented toward local area sales, local area events, local area news. But, just jazz it up, so it's not quite as bland as the current sound.
I'd love to present this idea to somebody at the new GoodRadio company, but I'm sure they have their own thoughts about what they want. In fact, I'm sure they'll probably hired some overpaid, big city consultant who's going to give them a 'cookie cutter' recommendation.
Boy, would I love to take on this development. Anybody else see what I see here?
Art
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moradio
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Posted: Wed Mar 28th, 2007 01:18 pm |
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I have heard that KTJJ could have moved into St. Louis years ago, but Jerrel Shepherd was billing better than some of the mid level FMs in St. L targeting Farmington. 98.5 already throws a city grade signal over about 1/3 of the market, and I have been able to pick up a listenable, albeit slightly scratchy signal well into Lincoln County.
Don't know what they are billing these days, but it sounds like they are trying harder to get listeners to the station from the St.L Country powerhouses of WIL & KSD, as well as competition from all the Docket 80-90 and other later small stations that have popped up all over KTJJ's listening area. A move into St. Louis might make a lot more sense than it did 20 years ago, but at best, the station would probably be a C2 licensed to some city in Jefferson County; providing poor coverage of northern and western burbs. 98.5 is third adjacent to KYKY on 98.1, and KFUO-FM on 99.1, so they can't get too close to town.
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