Posted on 02/14/2011 11:56:25 PM PST by raccoonradio
Memphis owner George Flinn and talker Mark Skoda are collaborating on a Tea Party-friendly “Point", with the effect of banishing the adult alternative "Pig" format from the local airwaves, both AM (WMPS at 1210) and the simulcast on Flinn-owned low power TV WPGF-LP channel 6, at 87.7 FM. Skoda says he’s inspired by the growth of the Tea Party, and he will manage the new format through MPS Broadcasting.
The schedule starts with Dirk Van’s “First Light”, the Nashville-based Steve Gill (regionally syndicated), Salem's Mike Gallagher, Matthew Hill (talkshow host and state legislator), “News and Views” with Dr. Larry Bates and Chuck Bates, Westwood One's Doug Urbanski, Mark Skoda, Westwood's Dennis Miller, TRN's Rusty Humphries and (late nights) Westwood's Jim Bohannon. The Point website is here. They're talking about the new addition to the Memphis talk radio scene on the Board at Radio-Info.com
http://www.memphisdailynews.com/editorial/Article.aspx?id=56293
>>Conservative Radio Launches in Memphis
By Sarah Baker
Two years before the next national election and with fervor for conservative activism, Memphis-based MPS Broadcasting Monday announced the launch of WMPS “The Point” simulcast on 87.7 FM and 1210 AM.
The Point – the first conservative talk radio show in the Memphis market – will have 15 hours of live radio each weekday in addition to a weekend lineup with live programming.
The station will begin live programming Feb. 21 at 4 a.m. with a news show “First Light.”
“The talk listener is sophisticated and intelligent and I wanted to program great radio seven days a week,” said Mark Skoda, president of MPS Broadcasting.
“We’re going to present content that’s not just what I call ‘Beck-Limbaugh-Hannity,’ but people will actually be able to call and talk to the hosts and get their viewpoints heard, and at the same time, really bring some very thoughtful talk to Memphis.”
Skoda grew up in Cleveland, spent 11 years overseas and has lived in Memphis for about 12 years.
Skoda became interested in radio in the beginning of the tea party movement and decided to launch his first talk show locally.
“By bringing and leveraging my technology skills, my international – I speak German, I speak Japanese – understanding those markets in a different way, recognizing the need to promote the international view of American exceptionalism, which sometimes is not done in this government today, I think it’s a lot of fun and to do it here in Memphis is pretty cool,” he said.
Skoda teamed with George Flinn, president of Flinn Broadcasting, which offered Skoda the opportunity to expand his own program while also creating a unique conservative talk radio station.
“Mark’s passion and commitment inspired me to work with him to provide the platform for his vision,” Flinn said in a statement. “I believe he has created a unique offering of content while also expanding his own on-air commentary.”
Nationally syndicated hosts like Dennis Miller and Doug Urbanski are scheduled to air throughout the week.
In addition, WMPS will offer regional platforms for activists like Rusty Humphreys from Atlanta, Matthew Hill of Chattanooga and Steve Gill of Nashville, who was in the White House for the George H.W. Bush and Bill Clinton administrations and has overseen assignments in Iraq and Afghanistan.
“Steve Gill is an activist in the patriot movement, particularly in the tea party in Nashville, has good insights and instincts about grassroots movements,” Skoda said.
Skoda said that his hope is that WMPS will bring a broader listening audience to politics by appealing to a younger demographic.
“The reach of the combined FM and AM stations will be unprecedented and we look forward to collaborating with MPS Broadcasting to provide compelling radio for listeners in the tri-state area,” Gill said.
“And of course we look forward to broadcasting on location here in Memphis from time to time and to meet those listeners.”
Skoda said he intentionally chose to announce the launch on Valentine’s Day because he is, “falling in love with talk radio all over again.
In addition, he talked about the two years unitl the presidential election to get his message across before heading into the next cycle.
MPS Broadcasting will also program content for local television channel 6, which is broadcast via analog signal. It is expected as content is developed, the station will be moved to local cable for a broader viewing audience.
Skoda also announced that the “Mark Skoda Show” will be simulcast on WMPS TV 6 where he has also launched “Fire From The Heartland with Mark Skoda.” Additional content will be developed for the TV station in the coming weeks.
The WMPS “The Point” lineup and program schedule as well as a listen live link can be found at http://www.wmpsthepoint.com.
*possible ping of interest*
Signal range—daytime:
http://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/pat?call=WMPS&service=AM&status=L&hours=D
(see radio-locator.com for night signal coverage etc)
I have visited Memphis twice—in ‘05 and then again, briefly, in ‘09 as part of a trip to the Mississippi Delta (blues
country). For awhile they had progressive talk on AM 680
(now sports)—crap. I’m sure they had some of the more
famous conservative talkers on various stations, too...
I guess WREC 600 has Rush, Beck, Hannity etc.
KWAM 990 has Ingraham, Ramsey, etc.
Of course WHBQ 560 (now sports) was where Dewey Phillips
launched Elvis...
Wikipedia:
>>WHBQ was once owned by RKO General. Its legend was made by Dewey Phillips, a disc jockey (DJ) who played rhythm and blues music on his night-time show, Red, Hot and Blue. In 1954, Phillips played a recording of “That’s Alright Mama” by a young truck driver by the name of Elvis Presley, marking the first time an Elvis recording was played on air.
Sounds good....But will they “netcast” as well?
I’ve gotten the emails, don’t get to listen to the radio much any more. Health issues have kept me on the run going to PT and the doctor.
BTW how do you flunk Physical Therapy? I did after just 2 weeks. Pinched nerve in neck and arm are no better.
banishing the adult alternative “Pig” format
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
What is the “Pig” format? It is similar to KPIG out of California?
I was at the presser. He also mentioned that Project Appleseed will be offering shooting clinics at the National Tea Party Convention in April in Memphis.
Does this mean that callers will actually be able to use the “Birth Certificate” word without getting hung up on by the call screener? Really?
I think so. In 09 they may have been on WIVG 96.1 Tunica MS. I remember stopping at a tourist info booth there—was on my way south to Clarksdale—and was picking up Americana—
outlaw country, blues, etc...they called themselves the Pig.
I have heard tapes of KPIG in past from a “tape trader”in Calif.—maybe similar
current format http://radiopig.com/87oink7/
Note they broadcast on analog ch 6’s audio freq., 87.7 MHz
although the list of artists on that site sounds a lot more mainstream than what I heard in 09—REM, Counting Crows,
Clapton, D Matthews—but also BB King, A. Kraus
Later in my trip I went to King’s museum in Indianola where he grew up. BB = “Beale st Blues Boy”...
I’ve never had to go to PT, but it’s probably not for sissies. :-P Have you ever considered acupuncture ?
No PT is not for sissies, it is painful.
About the only thing I haven’t tried. We are not sure if I tore a muscle, or it is just the pinched nerve in my neck affecting the arm. OR the fibromyalgia. As the PT therapist said I have a lot of muscle issues going on and finding which one is doing what is not easy.
Arm and hands going numb is not pleasant.
At least he didn’t waste my RATIONED Medicare visits on useless sessions. See the doc on Wed. I suspect an MRI is next on the agenda.
When you work on the neck the lower back then starts screaming. I’m tired of living on pain meds they leave you tired and mind fogged.
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