WWOD..Once A Powerhouse, Now Just A Memory

Several years ago, Radio World published a story concerning the demise of WWOD-AM 1390,
located in Lynchburg, VA. WWOD was a Top 40 pop music station that switched to country in the early 1970s.

By the 80s it was on life-support, with transitions to satellite-fed programming.

In any case, WWOD was once a real station with listeners, live DJs, etc..and a gigantic building
designed to house the AM, an FM, and a TV station. The TV station never materialized.

Radio history buffs will like the photos and stories on THIS SITE

Update on a Few Things..

I figured I'd just do a little catching up today..

First, I'm pleased to report that Marianne is progressing along very well. She has been able
to return to work almost full time. She is walking better and with less pain, although she still has therapy sessions several times a week. What a trooper!

She caught a cold at one of the therapy sessions and brought it home. So today, I'm coughing ans sneezing and have a temp of 100..sigh..

I DID finally locate copper ground wire, and ordered a roll this past Thursday. Never thought it would take a nationwide search to find 100 feet of ground wire..but, it did. Thank goodness I
finally found a company that sells it!!

Other than the ground wire installation and mounting the transmitter, Musicbox 1610 is ready
to go on the air. The studios are wired, the studio/transmitter cables have been run, and are wired in on the studio end. Once the ground wire arrives it shouldn't take long at all.

My quest for copywriting gigs continues. The field is way more competitive than I ever dreamed. But it led me to take a freelance/independent contractor-type gig as a marketing rep for a national company. I'm not sure how much I can say here. It's not quite what I was looking for..but it is related to direct-response and looks to pay very well per response. So I've decided to do this, continue the EasyLife Marketing direct mail thing that I began last fall..and continue actively looking for catalog copywriting jobs.

Is Copper Ground Wire This Scarce?

I have tried..unsuccessfully..for the better part of the last two weeks trying to purchase ONE spool (100 feet long) of #12 AWG copper ground wire.

Does no one wish to sell it?

I've emailed two companies that have it listed on their website..no response. Home Depot and Lowe's..don't carry it..has to be special-order.

I've GOT to ground the Rangemaster/transmitter site. With Tallahassee's notorious thunderstorms, there's no way you could survive without the ground. Plus, it's necessary for the signal.

If anyone reading this sees any #12 copper ground wire for sale, please email me and let me know where I can get it..

My email is alanmccal@hotmail.com..if you can help me out, I'm ready to get this Musicbox show on the road. This is the only hold-up.

Website Samples, Take Two...

Okay, I did it.

The writing samples have now been successfully published on the website.

I may make mistakes, but I try NOT to make the same on twice.

This time, I put the restaurant letter up in shorter bites - actually building a sales letter
on the website over a four-day stretch.

Now there's the restaurant letter; a real estate generator e-mail; a sample press release;
a catalog block; and I may add in a few more catalog block items, but the website is
available to potential clients now.

Happy to say that I'm at the point of actively seeking copywriting clients at this point. I
am confident that I can write. I keep writing things now for practice..while actively looking for
more work with better pay.

I will say that I'm on the verge of a long-term project that will probably become an on-going "anchor" gig type of thing, and I'm excited about that.

Pro-Results-Advertising is the name to remember..be sure to check out some of the recent updates!

Speaking of Musicbox 1610...

The transmitter has arrived!!

I've already begun running the cable that will connect the studio to the transmitter..ordered the remaining parts needed for construction..and am now waiting for the ground wire to arrive
to begin the outdoor installation, which I believe can be done in one day.

More programming arrived this past Friday..I spent some of the weekend getting it entered into the station's playlist system, ZaraRadio, located on a computer in Studio A. The production studio is also wired into the main one, and the Sunday contemporary Christian show will be programmed live from Studio B.

I've put a portion of the playlist titles on the Musicbox website..but keep in mind, this is only a small sample. It's a big playlist that will grow by 30-40 titles a week until everything is actually loaded. Then, some songs will rotate in and out so as to not "burn out" too quickly.

I'm expecting to launch Musicbox 1610 sometime before the end of August with no fanfare.
I'll announce it later after the bugs have all been worked out.

You can check out info on the station HERE

Writing Samples...

I spent almost all day Sunday (August 5) putting samples up on the Pro Results website. I
have also been giving the site an overhaul basically, with what I think will be a more professional look when it is completed.

I decided to make a page called "Samples and Clients" so that there would be at least a few samples of my work available immediately..not too many samples, just one of each of: long
form sales letter, catalog block, press release, etc.

Well...

The samples are up there, except for the long form sales letter. I spent several hours working on it, and finally decided I needed a break and got up to get a snack. I came back, typed out the remainder of the sales letter, checked for errors, went to upload it, and...

ERROR..Your session has timed out.

AAAAKKKK!!!

Four hours of work..gone. Wiped out. Zilch left.

Well, I was so tired of typing it by then I went and worked on Musicbox 1610 for a while.

So, if you notice "Watch this space for sample long form sales letter" on the 'Samples and Clients' page, now you know why the long form sales letter isn't there yet.

Check out the site HERE

I'll try again when I have another four hours free to re-enter it!