How does WNST stay in business?

[kaneforgov]

With the overall difficulty in the radio industry of an independent station generating enough ad revenue to be profitable I can’t figure out how WNST stays on the air. I realize they are a local-low budget operation but it’s hard to believe they don’t continually bleed money. Does Nestor Apiricio have investors behind him that don’t require him to show profits or does he have a trust fund that he is draining?

I would have expected WNST to go before 1370 WVIE. I can’t see how the station makes money and they do not appear to have an avid fan base.

Looking for an informed answer, if anyone really knows.

[Ravens2006]

I don't know the real inner workings. My belief (which may be wrong) is that WNST requires their hosts to do more of their own marketing / advertiser generation that your typical "larger" station. He stated that as part of the reason for the split with Haynie, so I'm guessing that they save money on sales / marketing staff by having hosts do some form of double-duty... selling their own commercials. Maybe more than a 105.7 would?

Given that they often seem to give local, mostly unproven (or at least unknown) talent a chance to earn its way on to their airwaves, I'm just going to guess they pay more "entry level" salaries that some of their competition does. Nestor's also been very big in promoting the internet and social networking angle of his business, with a website that is DRIPPING with advertisers, chock full of audio clips, blogs, etc. I know he's currently pushing the virtues of "Groupon" type offers, which if their following the typical model, brings in money directly to THEM every time somebody buys one. They seem to be heavily focused on generating web traffic in one form or another, and profiting off it. It must be working to some degree.

[Han Solo]

I thought Brian Billick owned half of the station with Nestor.

[johnpolitics]

Nestor will always be the best player at Triple A. lawrence Oliver's backup who never is seen.

[kaneforgov]

commercials

Like I said, I was looking for informed answers.

[The Eternal White Belt]

Perhaps they stay in business by cramming as many ads as possible onto their horribly designed web site?

http://wnst.net/wordpress/

Radio (in general) is a dying media format. They pay their employees peanuts. I don't know how any of them stay in business.

[Ravens2006]

Yeah, I don't quite see how anybody looks at the website and says "Wow, this is a really impressive site!" I've said it before, I'll always respect what Nestor has done to get the station started and keep it running over the years, but I'm less and less pulled in by it all by the month.

A "Featured Blog" shouldn't routinely go without update for 3 to 6 months at a time, as Brian Billick's front page entry often does. Nestor's entries are more and more often related to the business of the station, and an attempt to sell something, which is fine... only I could care less about it 99% of the time (and HIS current entry is 20 days old).

The saturation of ads combined with the occasional bush league content issue (stale / ancient blog entries on the front page) just gives it the feel of a spam site to me. The audio vault is the only thing I bother with anymore, as they keep a collection of interviews at hand that is second to none for this market. He's obviously generating the web traffic that he needs to keep the money coming in (I suppose), but less and less of it comes from me. If not for Thyrl's work these days, I might not be listening at all. But I'm not one of Nestor's new target audience... the "I live my life looking at my cell phone and eagerly awaiting the next text message" crowd.

[bensmotorcyclehelmet]

WNST is still in business? I didn't know that.
Good for them.

[Meh]

Perhaps they stay in business by cramming as many ads as possible onto their horribly designed web site?

http://wnst.net/wordpress/

Radio (in general) is a dying media format. They pay their employees peanuts. I don't know how any of them stay in business.

Okay, I clicked the link. Once the page loaded I had trouble finding the actual content through all the advertisements. I counted 20 ads on the page.

20!

My heads hurts now.

[terpspe]

all those logins drive him money, credit to Nestor for retaining sponsors. He follows a simple profit model, spend less then you make...is his quality good...nope; but he charges the right price to get advertisers and thus makes money himself.

ironically, he has more training as a journalist then many of the "reporters" on radio out there now, but now with teams producing their own content it will be hard to keep up

[redd05]

He must be a damn good saleman. I own a small business and wouldn't pay to advertise on that website. Years ago I considered advertising on WNST radio but wouldn't do it now. With todays' technology and social media one can do alot of their own marketing from their laptop, cellphone, notebook, etc.

God bless him. He's surviving amongst the giants. And I know it's not easy.

[ziptop]

How can you sell ads to be on a station that very few people listen to?

[RavensDomination]

Brian Billick also "bought into" the station. I am guessing though for a person of his wealth it was more like a donation. That probably helped keep them afloat, for now.

[Brainy Brian Billick]

Brian Billick also "bought into" the station. I am guessing though for a person of his wealth it was more like a donation. That probably helped keep them afloat, for now.

Being as I have the tremendous earning potential that befits a Superbowl Winning former NFL head coach, I find that "investing" in a perennial money losing business (such as, say a small local radio station) comes in awfully handy at tax time.

[Theoted]

Brian, this is good financial advice. You should be on Saturday mornings on 1057TheFan. The Money Guys, For Those Seeking Guidance!

[HandsWarmer]

Being as I have the tremendous earning potential that befits a Superbowl Winning former NFL head coach, I find that "investing" in a perennial money losing business (such as, say a small local radio station) comes in awfully handy at tax time.

I find your reasoning "prudent" as the original though "outphysicaled" the thought to immediately run away. Glad you could saty "true to the process" and find "solace" in that you were "empirocally" building a "brand".

In the end, "it is what it is".

[Myrula]

wnst in Towson, MD is a private company categorized under Radio Stations and Broadcasting Companies. Our records show it was established in 2003 and incorporated in Maryland. Current estimates show this company has an annual revenue of $2.5 to 5 million and employs a staff of approximately 10 to 19.