Off-Target: Mile High Sports Radio Misses June 29th Re-launch

On a day, June 29th, loyal listeners of Mile High Sports Radio were to end their lent without their beloved live and local sports talk shows that began on May 21st, but their wait only continues.  A day that was supposed to be an early fireworks preamble for the 4th of July has turned into a rainy, windy day where the show is delayed further.  Like the inevitable Troy Tulowitzki mid-summer injury, it appears Mile High Sports Radio absence is still indefinite and will require some more time.


I understand, a station has to go through all the necessary paperwork through the Federal Communication Commission (FCC) to make a change.  However, this is the 3rd station for Mile High Sports Radio in less than two years, so they have the experience to know these things take time and should have given themselves a bigger window or clearer paperwork processing to get things done.  Keep in mind June 1st was the initial re-launch date but that got missed and so today's June 29th was targeted to allow a day far enough out to get all their ducks in a row, but obviously some are off course.


I am sure it's like comparing apples to orangs for some, but I will use a personal situation that has some similarities.  My work will most likely change locations within the next few months, but we are already implementing a plan of action and started discussion on how we will get everything set up, get paperwork taken care of and do everything we need over the course of a weekend and an extra day or two.  The impact to clients would be no more than a day or two, but the goal is to have everything set up over the weekend so we can be back to work at a new location Monday after being done at the old location on Friday.  I am sure there will be snags, but if I told any of our client base that we would be off-line for over 40 days and they wouldn't get what they paid for or expected, they would find a new business to work with. 


I appreciate the direct conversations I have had on this matter with many at Mile High Sports.  I am sure the station president and his staff are pretty frustrated and the on-air talent is chewing at the bit to get their shows back on-air, but the complete silence both literally and figuratively is maddening for the loyal listeners and sponsors.  I have pound my fist on the table repeatedly to at least have an update via their website or social media repeatedly.  The only thing that has come about since May 21st is the Listen Now sign changing to 1340AM Under Construction from the old MHSR Under Construction on the website and a picture of the re-modeled studio.  Here is a message that would suffice with a date stamp on it, each time:


June 29th: Our target date for the re-launch of Mile High Sports Radio was today.  Unfortunately, there are still things we are working on both on our end and beyond our control that does now allow us to begin our new programming until those items are taken care of.


We appreciate the continued patience of all our loyal listeners and sponsors.  We will keep you up to date with what is going on and provide as much information as we can.  We look forward to our re-launch and you being a part of it.  We have some exciting things coming to our listeners that have stuck with us through this all, so stay tuned.


Simple, clean and gives some information without damning them to the mighty voices from behind the curtain (aka the FCC).  Of course, I have never worked with the FCC and am sure a group that fines people for saying some of the dumbest things and makes them so vague that call-in/humorous terrestrial radio like 105.9 FM Alice and others probably have multiple complaints due to these FCC violations.  But I digress, this is about the delay of Mile High Sports Radio.  Right now, we are in a wait and see mode. 


I can tell you these things:

• MHSR will operate under 1340AM and are working on acquiring the rights to broadcast on FM, with a target roughly a month or so after AM goes live
• MHSR will have some line-up shake-ups
• AM signals strength decrease at night, read up on it but it's due to interference issues with other signals, so we may not see a show past 8 p.m. on Mile High Sports Radio (at least until they get back on-air)
• They are chomping at the bit to get on-air and you can sense their frustration from top to bottom
• Listeners are frustrated as well but most likely will be giving Mile High Sports another chance
• They will be on-air before Broncos training camp kicks off since it would be considered a sin if they weren't on to cover the one team Denver cares most about

Let's hope the delay for MHSR leads to a re-launch that is truly worth the wait and this dud becomes a firework show that pops and brings long-time listeners and sponsors back and brings some new guys on board with them.