Alpha Media Kills Radio Stations KWIX and KRES

A post card from the Sixties of the KWIX Building

Yesterday residents of Randolph County, Missouri heard news that the entire programming staff of local radio stations KWIX and KRES in Moberly were terminated without notice (and apparently through a conference call at that). While both radio stations will remain on the air, there will no longer be any local news, weather, and sports coverage. Instead, there will be syndicated content. To make matters worse, apparently all other stations in Missouri owned by Alpha Media will suffer the same fate.

To say Randolph Countians are upset would be an understatement. Social media has been filled with posts from Randolph Countians expressing their disappointment, grief, and even outrage at Alpha Media's actions. Many are emailing Alpha Media CEO Bob Proffitt and calling Alpha Media to express their anger.  And, speaking as a native Randolph Countian myself, I can fully understand why. KWIX and KRES have long been a part of people's lives here. KWIX first went on the air as KNCM on June 17 1950. It was in 1964 that KNCM was reassigned the call letters KWIX, the station's founder Jerrell Shepherd feeling that KNCM was too hard to say. It was on November 22 1966 that AM radio station KWIX was joined on the air by its sister station, the FM station KRES. 

In the 72 years that KWIX has been on the air and the 58 years that KRES has been on the air, the two radio stations became very much a part of Randolph Countians' lives. For many the radio stations were their primary source for local news. KWIX had a half-hour newscast, aired more than once a day, in which they covered everything from local events to accidents to deaths. I remember my father would come in from the fields just so he could listen to the KWIX noon news. The two stations were well-known for their weather coverage, and many tuned into the stations in times of severe weather, preferring them to the television stations in the Columbia/Jefferson City market. They were also well known for their sports coverage and would air the local schools' games live. Every Friday night during football season, they had a post-game show called Endzone. What is more, KWIX and KRES were not simply important to Randolph County. People as far away as Hannibal and Quincy listened to the stations.

Beyond news, weather, and sports, KWIX aired other sorts of programming as well. When I was growing up, they played traditional pop by day. At night they had the Big Beat show, during which they played rock music and R&B. Of an evening they had a Big Band show. KWIX also had a program called Party Line, during which people could ask questions and have them answered, and a program Trading Post, during which people could call in with goods or services they had for sale KWIX would eventually shift towards a talk radio format, but their local programming remained. KWIX and KRES were very prominent in the community, supporting many local organizations and events.

Given how intertwined KWIX and KRES were with people's lives and how much Randolph County depended upon them, taking away local programming from both stations is then very nearly catastrophic for the area. Many have lost their primary source for news, weather, and sports. What is more many are worried about the economic repercussions this could have for the immediate area. It is then very understandable why the entire county seems to be upset.

As it is, I think Alpha Media may have made a grave mistake in firing the programming staff of KWIX and KRES and doing away with local programming on the two stations. The local programming was the primary reason most people listened to the two stations. Take that away and it is very likely both stations will lose the vast majority of their listeners. Furthermore, radio depends upon advertising. Without local programming, many local advertisers may well stop advertising on the stations. Indeed, I already know of one major local advertiser who has said that effective immediately, he will no longer advertise on KWIX and KRES. Now I don't think this will mean Alpha Media will lose so much money they will have to close both stations, but I do think they will lose money nonetheless. Quite simply, any money they sought to save by removing local programming will be dwarfed by the loss of advertising dollars.

Despite the fact that the community is outraged, despite the fact that local advertisers will probably stop advertising on KWIX and KRES, I doubt Alpha Media will reverse their decision. Corporations can be stubborn and often act in ways that are very much against their best interests. Regardless, it is a sad day for Randolph County. Many have lost their primary source of local news, sports, and weather, and the area has lost a large part of its history.