A drop in ad sales has forced WLDS to make programming changes starting April first.
This is no April Fools joke. Management has had to lay off or cut back very good people. To Michael, Harold, David, and John, Thank you. This is NOT based on your work performance.
Starting Wednesday, April 1st, the number of newscasts on WLDS will be dropped from six to 3. Gone are the 6:30, and 9 AM news, and the 4:30 news. We will be a one man news operation.
Newscasts at 7:30, and 8:06 will continue. The change involves the 8:06 news, which will now include obituraries.
We have also dropped the Daily Dollar program, partially because of the length of the news, but more so because of a lack of land lines.
The youth sports digest will run between 12:45 and 1 PM over the noon farm show. That hour will remain the same. The Crowe’s nest will run one a week in the morning.
Mornings with Seth and Gary will continue, and the noon farm show between 11:30 and 1 with Gary Ballard and Roger Ward will stay. The 4 PM hour will be Sports IQ.
The changes on FM will include automation until 11:30 in the morning, when Kate takes over. You will hear her again at 4 PM.
There will be no news on WEAI on Saturday and Sunday. The Sportsblock will remain the same through the end of April with the hour news lead in continuing. That, too, will change once May arrives.
The next change coming is the loss of CBS Radio news. The network will stop offering the news, features and weekend programs May 22nd. We are looking for a replacement.
WLDS.com will continue to provide news, information and obits throughout the week.
These changes are hard, but are designed to keep us local and relevant.
For those who don’t like the changes, we urge you to tell retailers in the area. The number of local businesses willing to advertise to support the local product has dropped considerably over the past five years.
For the advertisers who have been loyal to our brand, THANK YOU. We hope and pray your support will continue.
Any questions about these changes should be directed to WLDS WEAI amangement.