A vacation day...

You've probably come here looking for information...or maybe you're a "regular' now.  Either way, we're glad you're reading.  Statistics show this blog is being read by our listeners, and I'm grateful.  As far as commenting or "responding", however...It's  been made known to me that some people can't respond to these blogs because of corporate blocking of g-mail accounts at work. That seems very odd, considering I know of people working in U.S. Government offices that allow personal G-mails on their government machines.  In any case, we'd love to have your comments, but you're going to have to do it on your own time and PC. The Corporate world abhors independent thought and independent growth or prosperity, so...please....find a PC or tablet not owned by your corporate monster, and make the effort to chime in.

Today, Friday the 15th, the morning team has the day off.  Phil was sent on another long weekend to a kind of boot camp, where hopefully he'll learn more about what is acceptable to the FCC.  Bill has begun his busiest season of the year, and Leftlane, well.....he's just Leftlane. So, with the co-hosts all busy, I decided we all would have the day off today. After all, if the Government can move holidays and CREATE holidays just to give time off, so can I.  

Thus, today, a Friday, no "show" with the usual gang. Yes, we'll be back next week...same time, same station, but today, you've got "Otto" to brig you music, news, sports, and information. Just without the puns, bad jokes, and listener calls.  

Hope you'll stay tuned to enjoy WION today, and don't forget, we're now on your PC, Tablet, and smartphones, too...so take us with you all weekend long.

See you Monday on the Coffeecrew show!

-Carlyle

"Weird Wednesday"....

And, it was! (weird, that is.)
NOT because Penny co-hosted. NOT because of a near-record amount of callers. I think it's just midwinter for all of us.

Thanks for all the calls this morning, no answer on the "Wake Up Call"...which is posted on our forum at www.i1430.com.  We'll continue with the question NEXT Wednesday. However, on the Thursday show, tomorrow, we'll give away (2) "Pub" memberships at satelliteguys.us, my favorite non-auction site on the web.  I don't include auction sites in favorites. They're nearly a breed of their own, under "necessary evils" in today's society when you want to buy anything that is not new on the shelf.  But, I digress......

Pub memberships are explained on the WION forum, and you'll want to tune-in to win!  I'm pleased with the growth of our listenership, and our own forum.  I would, however like to ask a favor....

If you're listening, no matter where, it's more fun to know you are! Why not use the forum's "temperature in your backyard" to report to us each morning?  You can do that from your home, work, or even school/class! We'd love to mention you on the air!  Just a little fun that involves YOU more in our program.

"Word" for Friday is that Phil has the day off. We're hoping to have Bill Lynch and our buddy "Leftlane" co-hosting, and we'll have an interesting Friday Flash Poll, inspired by a thread on the satguys site.  It's one of my favorite questions to use at gatherings as a conversation starter, and can, at times be very revealing!  Curious?  Tune in on Friday!

PLEASE, PLEASE don't forget to support the Friends of Bertha Brock Park with their fundraiser banquet event this Saturday!  Get tickets from Mike Kennedy at the Ionia office of Greenstone Farm Credit, or from Vicki at PromoPrint & Stitches-2 in the Armory Block, Ionia.

Oh, and...don't forget...because of tomorrow being Valentine's Day (yawn.).....92-7 nite is TONITE at the Lamplight Grill, Wednesday, February 13th.  Hope to see you there!

Enjoy your day...see you back on the radio Thursday morning!

Monday, Monday.....

No, I'm not going to sing.  Just had to "reach" for a blog title for today.

On our Monday show we gave away (2) tickets to this weekend's "Friends of Bertha Brock Park" fund-raising (fun-raising) banquet. It's THIS Saturday at the former K of C Hall in Ionia, (Steele St. Hall).  If you don't win our remaining pair, you can get tickets at:  PromoPrint & Stitches store in the Armory block, Ionia, at Greenstone Farm Credit Services on M-66 (top of Meijer Hill) and..at the park office by calling Loren Gage ahead of time, and he'll set a time to meet you at the park office!  This event raises money and volunteers to help with park projects and a limited (County) Park budget.

We also made a winner of our friend Michael Carigon of Saranac, he's now a "Pub" member at Satelliteguys.US.  Check out that site!  They're the folks who volunteered to host our new WION forum, and it's the nicest, most polite people you'll EVER meet on the web!  Plus, when you need help with your Big Screen TV, Satellite of any brand, Home entertainment, or other phone, gadget, or electronic needs, chances are SOMEONE at the forum is ready to help!  Join our forum!  It's free, and gets you (standard) membership on the parent site!  Click on the "forum" button at www.i1430.com.

We'll be giving away tickets to the Buckroo Ball in Ionia on Wednesday's wake up call, along with the Burger of the Week from the Lamplight, and a Pizza from Northside Party Store & Deli. Listen Wednesday for that fun.

In the meantime, it's hovering near freezing. Roads and intersections are slick. If you head out..be careful!

See WHERE WION is being enjoyed on the web, by clicking the "listener map" link on our FAQ page at www.i1430.com today. You'll be amazed at how many places are interested in OUR hometown.

See you Tuesdy on the air!

-Carlyle

Weekend check-in....

It's the weekend.  Once again, West Central Michigan has escaped a very bad bout of winter. What we got last Thursday night to Friday wouldn't even be classified a "storm" in my younger years!  Nowadays, we live in a "CYA" world, where if the National Weather service doesn't advise you it's going to snow, you'd sue someone when it does and you slip while driving or walking.  Well, anyway...a good looking weekend here.

Couple of things to catch you up-on:

Monday we return to giving away 1-year "pub" memberships to the site, "Satelliteguys.US" on the morning show. They're hosting our WION forum, and we hope you'll join us!  It's free to be  member, free to register, and once you're registered, you can win a pub membership on the air, or you may choose to buy one!  I've been a member for quite a few years now, and the membership has helped me with satellite service and info, cable TV and home theatre info, and much more. A good bunch of members, always polite, and always welcoming new members.  Your registration at our forum gets you a standard site membership there automatically. In any case, more winning coming Monday.

The question was raised by one person, "Why would little WION want to stream their station?"  I was amazed by this. First of all, it allows you, our loyal listeners to take US anywhere. Secondly, it puts Ionia on the map, and I can guarantee you that no local business, person, or entity is doing more of that than we are!  So, we've started a Google map of listeners logged on our streams. We don't know who listens, just the general location of where their internet service provider makes the connection to us.  Check out the google map of WION streaming listeners here, or on our "FAQ" page  under, "who is listening to WION?"  You may be amazed!  And, the places logged are listening long-term! (more than a few hours at a time.) Obviously our format has a wide-reaching appeal. We've always thought so, and now we have proof!

We'll be adding to the map, and a few places were left off, as they didn't have a town, just a country. Those included: Colombia and Brazil.

See you Monday on the morning show for more giveaways, conversation, and fun. We'll register more people for our $200 internet radio by Logitech, too.  Please JOIN our forum at www.i1430.com by clicking the forum button and registering. We look forward to you posting thoughts, ideas, comments, and more.  And, its yet another way for you to be part of WION, "America's Biggest Little Radio Station!"

Hoping for a "Normal" Friday...

...but, we'll see. Weather is (as usual) now less of a storm than when the weather service tells us "the sky is falling" which they seem to do on a semi-regular basis.  I hope we have our usual Friday gang here, of Phil and maybe Bill.  We're also hoping to hear from Vicki Kennedy and talk about the upcoming "Friends of Bertha Brock Park" fundraiser evening.

On my list for Friday's weekly news that drove me nuts.....

1) Getting tired of National news interviewing and presenting either the incredibly obvious or overly stupid.

Example 1: Public Official saying, (with regard to the current snowstorm out East) "Use Carmen Sense" with regard to how folks should act during weather emergencies.

Example 2: The youngster (who, by nature can't be held responsible for not speaking like an adult...but....the news shouldn't necessarily USE this as an actuality)...."I don't wanna die....and stuff...."  referencing  earthquake drills in schools.  Why not interview the teachers or administration?  It's cute to put the kid on the air, but it doesn't serve to lend credibility to the story or the network.

Then, there was the issue of whether or not employees should get overtime when they need to answer or monitor "work" cellphones when home and not on the clock.  What happened to a reasonably balanced "give and take" with employees and employers?  I guess I've always been blessed with GREAT employers (with the exception of one in the 1980's that was in rent-to-own and had the word "American" in their name...who fired me by fax)...and a healthy "give & take" meant a good working relationship.  Why are these "issues" being treated like news?

I guess I just expect more (credibility, common sense, not CARMEN sense) from both the public and the larger news media. That must be why I'm also continually let down.  Not really "down" but....at least disappointed.  

Well, this was just a spur of the moment posting, gotta run. I've got to plan for our not-so-huge snowstorm, cuz, like, "I don't wanna die & stuff..." and....it'll take extra time to get to the Lamplight for our 92-7, especially if know Carmen sense.

See you Friday......oh, and the webcam WILL be on, too.

-Carlyle

Catching up!

Since our debut of internet streaming of our AM stereo signal, WION's been a very "hopping" place (if you will.) We've found listeners in Ireland, New York City, and many other places! And, it's kept us VERY busy monitoring usage and quality of the streams.

If you hadn't heard, the station is giving away a logitech internet radio at Ionia Expo on March 9th. You can register online (once per day per family) and when we call for registrations, too. Plus....we'll register people at Expo as well. The drawing is in the 2PM hour at expo this year from Ionia High school.  Please enter!  Complete rules are on our site and on the air.

We've so enjoyed bringing our streaming to the world!  It's also fun for us to log WHERE people are listening!  Now, before you think "Big Brother" is tracking you, we don't know anything more than your state and closest ISP town, and a cryptic IP address. Sometimes we've wondered what makes our streaming popular and "wanted" in faraway places. Is it the local flavor that's lost in some other cities by big city radio companies? Is it the feature programs unique to us?  Is it the fact that we're pushing an actual on-air AM STEREO signal to you?  We don't know, but we're honored with each person who logs-on and listens!  Many folks are listening all day! Look at the places people are listening to your hometown radio station!  

We hope you're enjoying our new streaming service, and that you'll share it with family and friends who may be alumni of our area, those who are in warmer climates for the winter, and friends far away. It's always nice to have a "piece of home" as one of our listeners put it.


And..there's much more to come...."stay tuned" to WION....
now dubbed, "America's biggest little radio station!"

THANK YOU..for an incredible 60th.....

The morning show on WION celebrated 60 years of our "name" (call letters) this morning.  It's impossible for me to sum it all up here, and I'll miss someone. But, I'll do my best.

The round table began with Bill Lynch, Phil Cloud, and my buddy "Leftlane" at 6AM.  Through the morning, we heard from past voices of the station, Janet Kennedy who, years ago won a contest in which the prize was a dance and date with a WION personality!  We enjoyed her call, Margo from Central Michigan Printers, and...Mayor Dan Balice who joined us on the phone as well.

Our Chamber's ambassadors did a ribbon cutting for us, celebrating our 60th and....the launch of internet streaming!  We received congratulations from many folks via e-mail, and...if you haven't heard yet, our new forum is LIVE and waiting for your ideas, comments, thoughts, and fun...click on the "forum" link......to join in the fun!

Satelliteguys.us has been a good friend to WION for quite a few years now, and it's one of my favorite sites. I hang out there quite a bit, and we're honored to be the first local radio station brought to this platform. Please join, and....check out "satelliteguys.us." The forum is for YOU, our listeners, whether across town or across the world!  The site is SO much more than just satellite TV talk.  If you have a phone, internet TV box, cable, home entertainment system, ANYTHING....you'll want to join!  Sooner or later, you'll find someone who can help you with your setup!  They're truly a community  and there's nothing like it on the web!

We've posted the 60 year dedication and intro to streaming that I did this morning in the "special audio" link on our site's main page, please play and enjoy.  Part of what was said came directly from the sign-on speech, read on this day in 1953.  We'll be posting pictures soon in the photo gallery, and I'll try to update this blog over the weekend.

We're proud of our station, hope that our work honors its founders, and..thanks to EVERYONE who was part of our 60th celebration. My deepest of thanks to Scott and Penny Beeman, for countless hours of support, and Scott's great talents in engineering WION and helping our AM stereo come to life for streaming, along with all the times he's fixed or improved our sound with his talents!  The stream you're enjoying is AM STEREO...and....the BEST in the nation!

In a nut-shell, I can honestly say, in all the years I've been in radio, and...in all sized stations for which I've worked, I've never seen or worked-with a better group of people. My team at WION is the BEST, and I thank them all.

"Stay Tuned" and...let us know WHERE you're tuned in by checking in on the new forum!  We're hoping to keep a map of our distant listeners, and soon we'll have a contest for our online friends at satellite guys, too!


Until more time to write comes my way....

Deepest thanks to our community and friends!