So, here I happen to be...sitting at the Tillamook County Fair, when I happen upon the latest edition of the Headlight-Herald. In it is a letter to the editor of how Coast 105 (Owned by Alexandra Communications, and on the bird from 9AM to 6AM) was refused from having a booth at the Tillamook County Fair and how this person thinks that it's wrong since they are loyal listeners to the station. At the fair, I see KXL and KTIL/KMHD having booths.

So the question comes to you:

If a station which is on the bird for 21 hours of it's day, has only one live broadcaster in the morning before the Fair even opens it's gates, and has no real airstaff to actually, y'know, broadcast live from the Fair, should they still get a pass to broadcast from the Fair?

The

Hmmm tough one. The home team should always make an appearance at local events. That being said, they also need to have an interactive booth. If it's just a kid sitting at a table under a banner signing up people to win some station prize then why bother. The fair is a "SEE TOUCH LEARN INTERACT" event. If the station is willing to do that, then by all means...

And that's the whole thing. I do not believe that Alexandra Communications would be able to make it an interactive thing, because of the lack of talent.

kinda like Radio Disney at events anywhere outside of Anaheim?

As an aside, Portland's Radio Disney is listed as a sponsor of some children's events at the upcoming Lane County Fair, way outside of 1640's coverage area.

Cheese Cheese Ice cream. Cheese Cheese Ice cream. Cheese Cheese Ice cream. Cheese Cheese Ice cream.

The Fair charges for those booths, right? It's turning away revenue? Or is there some sort of barter deal with local radio?
Bird or no bird, the Fair is losing publicity as 105 will certainly producer fewer mentions if it's not part of the action.
Bad idea, Fair.
(Tillamook Extra Sharp goes for about $8.50/lb in the Alexandria VA Whole Foods. Care package needed soon -- but no wires attached to the cheese, pleeeze!)

The local station is the local station, regardless of their programming decisions. I say give em' a booth!

Chances are, that the space at the fair does not go unused...

yes to the loss of promotional ops for the Fair, but my bet is they won't see a loss in attendance.

The case of the station needing the Fair more than the fair needing the station. Western Washington fair got that way. too big for their britches and tended to snub the local stations and give them lousy locations in favor of the bigger stations that were event sponsors....

It's all just BIDNESS!!!!!

(can't get Till Cheese here... the Amish local stuff goes for 2.49lb on sale up to 3.99 reg price

I will not get into a pissing for distance contest with anyone on-line! With that being said here's the deal... Coast 105/Kix 96 was granted a booth at the fair. However we were not allowed to broadcast from that booth as the fair manager told us that KTIL was the only "Local Station" allowed to broadcast from the fair. In fact we were told that if we even tried to broadcast live from the fairgrounds we would be physicaly removed from the fair grounds..

Nice bunch eh?

Tommy Boye

Tommy, youse got skrew'd. and glad you took the time to share the details! Pointless to be there with those restrictions. kinda wonder what the fair officials were thinking. no skin off their butts if you broadcast live, and if they made exclusive arraigements with KTIL, then they blew it. No station should have that much influence to be able to carry that off.

hope you didn't think I was pizzin' but have recently run into several similar situations, and my decription of a bored kid handing out entry blanks with little more station presence than a banner, a table and the station coming through a small speaker is completely accurate. If the station was limited to that, then why bother. If that was all they were willing to put forth, then again, why bother. Limited effort means limited return.

Personally, not only would I broadcast live, and not that call in twice an hour marti crap I would have some audience participation both live on site and call in. Plus there should be a sales rep making the rounds to local exhibitors keeping the name out for ad opps. The foot traffic is worth the effort unless they put you out in the back 40.

I remember one year with KENU at the Puyallup fair, we were way out back next to the dog show arena. totally invisible and anyone who accidentally found us was lost! Most of the people came by for directions to other parts of the fair! We could have played a version of where in the world is Carmen K-E-N-U for a prize and probably not given it away! King County fair was only slightly better. In your instanceThe way I see it both the station and the Fair came out on the short end.

I would imagine that, if there is indeed an exclusive contract between the Tillamook County Fair and KTIL, it's because KTIL/KMBD has been a supporter of the fair for many years and the fair board is rewarding them for their loyalty. Coast 105 simply needs to go out and give the fair board a reason to let them broadcast live from the fair.

Let us just say that county fairs, aside from generally being good things, can be some of the most politically rotten organizations one will ever encounter.

will there be free cheese?