November 25, 2015 at 3:27 p.m.
A vision for radio
Internet station keeps its focus on Fort Recovery
A vision for radio
FORT RECOVERY — Cramped in a storefront every Wednesday in downtown Fort Recovery, “Bubba and Fee” sit around a table with a group of friends.
There are four computer screens, four spider microphones and a plethora of headsets.
On most nights, coaches and players pack themselves like sardines in the roughly 10-foot by 10-foot space. Other nights, local media members stop by. Regardless of who is there, the script is the same.
They talk. They laugh. They have fun. But they also know when to get serious.
Bob “Bubba” Staugler and Harold “Fee” Fiely host their weekly radio show, “Sports Talk with Bubba and Fee” on Fort Recovery Radio.
But it’s more than just sports. No topic is off limits.
The Cleveland Browns. The pope. Ohio State University. The Cincinnati Reds. Cancer.
All fair game.
What brings them together, though, is the village in which they live.
Most importantly, they gather for the school from which they call themselves proud alums, Fort Recovery High School.
“We’ve been getting huge amounts of support from listeners and businesses in town,” said Neal Spencer, a 1967 FRHS graduate and the station’s owner. “They want to be, especially with the sports and special programs, they want to be part of that because they know people are talking about it.”
The station, which is broadcast from next door to Thienman’s Sports Bar and Grill on Wayne Street, was brainstormed more than 20 years ago.
On the air
Spencer doesn’t exactly remember whom it was, or even what sport the athlete played, but an FRHS graduate was speaking to him while home from college. Spencer was told it was difficult to keep up to date with what was happening with Fort Recovery athletics after graduation.
“There has to be a way,” Spencer thought.
Two years ago, Spencer finally got the ball rolling. His cousin was the general manager of a number of radio stations in Miami, and the two of them discussed what it would take to start one.
Their initial idea was low-power FM, but Spencer didn’t have the finances.
“It’s much less money than a real radio station, but it is still a $100,000 project and I can’t do that,” he said, adding that he could have attempted to get donations from corporations within the village but didn’t think they’d be likely to donate thousands of dollars to someone with limited experience in radio.
Eventually, Spencer and his cousin settled on Internet radio, which was a much more financially feasible option.
Fort Recovery’s football team made its playoff debut Nov. 8, 2014. Spencer was hopeful to be up and running in time to broadcast Tribe history.
“We knew it was coming, so we thought we were going to be on air in time and we just barely made it,” he said. Fort Recovery Radio launched at 7 p.m. Nov. 7, 2014. “Twenty four hours almost to the second.”
Sports talk
The station’s flagship and most popular program, “Sports Talk with Bubba and Fee” hits the Internet airwaves at 8 p.m. on Wednesdays.
“When Neal approached me about doing the ‘Bubba and Fee’ show, I talked to (Fiely) and said that it would be fun,” said Staugler, a 1983 FRHS graduate and former golf coach. “I had no clue what to expect, how many people would listen or if anybody would even listen.”
The people listened all right. And they continue to listen, even calling in much like they would to a normal talk show.
“As it went on it got more and more listeners with more people talking about it,” Staugler said.
It’s almost as if the village is returning back to the heyday of radio when families would crowd around the receiver to listen to the news.
This fall, FRHS football coach Brent Niekamp has been a regular guest on the show. Players have also arrived in groups to talk about the success the team is having — the Tribe beat Minster 33-21 on Friday to reach the state semifinal. In the spring, the Indians’ baseball team had players make regular appearances to discuss their run, also to the state final four.
Staugler and Fiely even had Hal McCoy, a former Cincinnati Reds beat writer for the Dayton Daily News, on the show. McCoy, who was inducted into the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association’s Hall of Fame, was in Fort Recovery during the summer promoting his biography.
There isn’t much in the way for a programming schedule for “Sports Talk.” Staugler speaks with Fiely a number of hours before the broadcast to brainstorm thoughts for that night’s show. Staugler also texts his brothers to solicit ideas.
“We’ve been doing it for a year,” Staugler said. “It’s pretty neat.”
Other programming
In addition to “Sports Talk,” Fort Recovery Radio broadcasts all varsity games live.
However, it’s become more than just sports.
“All I really wanted to do was play music and broadcast sports,” Spencer said. “After I got thinking, I thought while we’re doing that, if somewhere along the line there was something coming up … I thought we probably ought to do that.”
FR Radio then grew into more of a community-wide radio station. Neal broadcasts pre-recorded public service announcements — whether presale ticket info, upcoming events or notes from Mercer County Sheriff Jeff Grey — and airs commercials from local businesses.
“It turned into that, which to me, the more content the better,” Spencer said.
When it’s not broadcasting live sports or “Sports Talk,” FR Radio plays music throughout the rest of the day.
“I call it office friendly, business friendly,” Spencer said. “You can play it in your office without offending anybody … it is not going to be distracting if you play it at your computer.”
Roughly every 20 minutes is a series of advertisements from Fort Recovery companies. Some businesses stream the radio throughout the day, and Spencer didn’t want to have an advertisement for a potential competitor in another town.
“You will only hear Fort Recovery commercials,” Spencer said, adding that getting advertisements was difficult at first. “People didn’t understand the value of it.”
The crew
As is the case with most TV and radio stations, the on-air personalities get most of the credit.
While Staugler and Fiely are the primary voices behind Fort Recovery Radio, Chuck Rohrer is just as important.
“Everybody knows that this is nothing without Chuck,” Spencer said. “Chuck is the brains. He can do anything.”
Rohrer, a 2012 FRHS graduate, is the station’s engineer, but he wears many other hats. Often, more than one at a time.
He runs the website. He uploads the studio shows and broadcasts to the archives. He handles all the in-studio programming, and has helped record some of the intros and lead-ins to the broadcasts.
Spencer said he never thought Rohrer would be as involved as he is.
“I thought he might just come in, offer a little advice, show me a couple things and he’d be gone,” Spencer said. “He came in, helped with setting up and he hasn’t let go since.”
Other on-air personalities include the play-by-play and color commentators for the football games, FRHS principal Jeff Hobbs and girls golf coach Joe Bruns.
“They make a great combination,” Spencer said. “I’ve had so many people that have made such great comments about what a great team they are.”
Dave Kaup and Staugler broadcast baseball games. Bill Staugler has an “Insight” show on Wednesdays before “Sports Talk.”
“They are all really good and love promoting Fort Recovery, Fort Recovery High School and the kids,” he said. “It is really all about the kids.”
‘We are F-R’
Working with Fort Recovery Radio was an easy decision for Rohrer.
“I love helping out the community,” he said. “A lot of people know I help a lot with the Fort Recovery school district. I’m all over the place. I just enjoy helping out.”
Spencer’s goal was to get as many people from the high school involved as he can. That’s why Bob Staugler, Fiely, Hobbs, Bruns and a host of other current and former athletes and students are on the FR Radio airwaves.
“(Hobbs) is so positive about every kid that touches that field or that floor,” Spencer said. “He does everything he can to promote the kids and promote the school.
“He is such a positive person and that is really good.”
Bob Staugler is entering his 31st season as scorekeeper for the FRHS boys basketball team. Fiely is also the voice of the Indians at home basketball games and is an assistant coach for the baseball team.
It’s only fitting that the two of them also give back to the community through the radio station.
“The greatest thing about (the station), me and Fee talk about it, is we are blessed with great kids,” he said. “This is what it is all about, the kids.
“Neal had a vision, and by gosh, it’s working.”
••••••••••
Fort Recovery Radio is available online at http://www.fortrecoveryradio.com or by downloading the app in iTunes or Google Play.
There are four computer screens, four spider microphones and a plethora of headsets.
On most nights, coaches and players pack themselves like sardines in the roughly 10-foot by 10-foot space. Other nights, local media members stop by. Regardless of who is there, the script is the same.
They talk. They laugh. They have fun. But they also know when to get serious.
Bob “Bubba” Staugler and Harold “Fee” Fiely host their weekly radio show, “Sports Talk with Bubba and Fee” on Fort Recovery Radio.
But it’s more than just sports. No topic is off limits.
The Cleveland Browns. The pope. Ohio State University. The Cincinnati Reds. Cancer.
All fair game.
What brings them together, though, is the village in which they live.
Most importantly, they gather for the school from which they call themselves proud alums, Fort Recovery High School.
“We’ve been getting huge amounts of support from listeners and businesses in town,” said Neal Spencer, a 1967 FRHS graduate and the station’s owner. “They want to be, especially with the sports and special programs, they want to be part of that because they know people are talking about it.”
The station, which is broadcast from next door to Thienman’s Sports Bar and Grill on Wayne Street, was brainstormed more than 20 years ago.
On the air
Spencer doesn’t exactly remember whom it was, or even what sport the athlete played, but an FRHS graduate was speaking to him while home from college. Spencer was told it was difficult to keep up to date with what was happening with Fort Recovery athletics after graduation.
“There has to be a way,” Spencer thought.
Two years ago, Spencer finally got the ball rolling. His cousin was the general manager of a number of radio stations in Miami, and the two of them discussed what it would take to start one.
Their initial idea was low-power FM, but Spencer didn’t have the finances.
“It’s much less money than a real radio station, but it is still a $100,000 project and I can’t do that,” he said, adding that he could have attempted to get donations from corporations within the village but didn’t think they’d be likely to donate thousands of dollars to someone with limited experience in radio.
Eventually, Spencer and his cousin settled on Internet radio, which was a much more financially feasible option.
Fort Recovery’s football team made its playoff debut Nov. 8, 2014. Spencer was hopeful to be up and running in time to broadcast Tribe history.
“We knew it was coming, so we thought we were going to be on air in time and we just barely made it,” he said. Fort Recovery Radio launched at 7 p.m. Nov. 7, 2014. “Twenty four hours almost to the second.”
Sports talk
The station’s flagship and most popular program, “Sports Talk with Bubba and Fee” hits the Internet airwaves at 8 p.m. on Wednesdays.
“When Neal approached me about doing the ‘Bubba and Fee’ show, I talked to (Fiely) and said that it would be fun,” said Staugler, a 1983 FRHS graduate and former golf coach. “I had no clue what to expect, how many people would listen or if anybody would even listen.”
The people listened all right. And they continue to listen, even calling in much like they would to a normal talk show.
“As it went on it got more and more listeners with more people talking about it,” Staugler said.
It’s almost as if the village is returning back to the heyday of radio when families would crowd around the receiver to listen to the news.
This fall, FRHS football coach Brent Niekamp has been a regular guest on the show. Players have also arrived in groups to talk about the success the team is having — the Tribe beat Minster 33-21 on Friday to reach the state semifinal. In the spring, the Indians’ baseball team had players make regular appearances to discuss their run, also to the state final four.
Staugler and Fiely even had Hal McCoy, a former Cincinnati Reds beat writer for the Dayton Daily News, on the show. McCoy, who was inducted into the National Sportscasters and Sportswriters Association’s Hall of Fame, was in Fort Recovery during the summer promoting his biography.
There isn’t much in the way for a programming schedule for “Sports Talk.” Staugler speaks with Fiely a number of hours before the broadcast to brainstorm thoughts for that night’s show. Staugler also texts his brothers to solicit ideas.
“We’ve been doing it for a year,” Staugler said. “It’s pretty neat.”
Other programming
In addition to “Sports Talk,” Fort Recovery Radio broadcasts all varsity games live.
However, it’s become more than just sports.
“All I really wanted to do was play music and broadcast sports,” Spencer said. “After I got thinking, I thought while we’re doing that, if somewhere along the line there was something coming up … I thought we probably ought to do that.”
FR Radio then grew into more of a community-wide radio station. Neal broadcasts pre-recorded public service announcements — whether presale ticket info, upcoming events or notes from Mercer County Sheriff Jeff Grey — and airs commercials from local businesses.
“It turned into that, which to me, the more content the better,” Spencer said.
When it’s not broadcasting live sports or “Sports Talk,” FR Radio plays music throughout the rest of the day.
“I call it office friendly, business friendly,” Spencer said. “You can play it in your office without offending anybody … it is not going to be distracting if you play it at your computer.”
Roughly every 20 minutes is a series of advertisements from Fort Recovery companies. Some businesses stream the radio throughout the day, and Spencer didn’t want to have an advertisement for a potential competitor in another town.
“You will only hear Fort Recovery commercials,” Spencer said, adding that getting advertisements was difficult at first. “People didn’t understand the value of it.”
The crew
As is the case with most TV and radio stations, the on-air personalities get most of the credit.
While Staugler and Fiely are the primary voices behind Fort Recovery Radio, Chuck Rohrer is just as important.
“Everybody knows that this is nothing without Chuck,” Spencer said. “Chuck is the brains. He can do anything.”
Rohrer, a 2012 FRHS graduate, is the station’s engineer, but he wears many other hats. Often, more than one at a time.
He runs the website. He uploads the studio shows and broadcasts to the archives. He handles all the in-studio programming, and has helped record some of the intros and lead-ins to the broadcasts.
Spencer said he never thought Rohrer would be as involved as he is.
“I thought he might just come in, offer a little advice, show me a couple things and he’d be gone,” Spencer said. “He came in, helped with setting up and he hasn’t let go since.”
Other on-air personalities include the play-by-play and color commentators for the football games, FRHS principal Jeff Hobbs and girls golf coach Joe Bruns.
“They make a great combination,” Spencer said. “I’ve had so many people that have made such great comments about what a great team they are.”
Dave Kaup and Staugler broadcast baseball games. Bill Staugler has an “Insight” show on Wednesdays before “Sports Talk.”
“They are all really good and love promoting Fort Recovery, Fort Recovery High School and the kids,” he said. “It is really all about the kids.”
‘We are F-R’
Working with Fort Recovery Radio was an easy decision for Rohrer.
“I love helping out the community,” he said. “A lot of people know I help a lot with the Fort Recovery school district. I’m all over the place. I just enjoy helping out.”
Spencer’s goal was to get as many people from the high school involved as he can. That’s why Bob Staugler, Fiely, Hobbs, Bruns and a host of other current and former athletes and students are on the FR Radio airwaves.
“(Hobbs) is so positive about every kid that touches that field or that floor,” Spencer said. “He does everything he can to promote the kids and promote the school.
“He is such a positive person and that is really good.”
Bob Staugler is entering his 31st season as scorekeeper for the FRHS boys basketball team. Fiely is also the voice of the Indians at home basketball games and is an assistant coach for the baseball team.
It’s only fitting that the two of them also give back to the community through the radio station.
“The greatest thing about (the station), me and Fee talk about it, is we are blessed with great kids,” he said. “This is what it is all about, the kids.
“Neal had a vision, and by gosh, it’s working.”
••••••••••
Fort Recovery Radio is available online at http://www.fortrecoveryradio.com or by downloading the app in iTunes or Google Play.
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