TODAY IS - WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2008


Welcome to the 2008-09 Niceville and Okaloosa County Sports Seasons
(8/16/08)

As the kids and coaches of our local high school programs have this week begun their preparations for the season ahead, so too have we at 'The New Fish Radio'.
And, as our local teams will begin their seasons with respective new looks and changes, so too will we at 'The New Fish Radio'.
 
Some call it rebuilding...In our case, we have been pressed into reconstructing.
Circumstances beyond our control over the summer months have dictated change in our business methodology - and before we begin our new seasons, explanation is in order.

Having  graduated from a successful and exhilarating first full season of producing and providing an unprecedented number of Niceville Eagles sports broadcasts on local radio and the Internet(over 150 total games, shows and events in 10 months) for our local communty and our friends, families and neighbors around the nation and the world, we took a break in June to recharge.
Little did we know at the time that break would eventually spell significant change in our business operation - change we did not anticipate.

Due to a series of unanticipated and unwelcome circumstances and situations - all beyond our control - that occurred in the months of June, July and August involving business and technical issues and programming decisions made and implemented by the ownership of WFSH (our now-former flagship radio station) including the station's unexpected and unwelcome format change and severing of its local broadcast affiliation agreement with the ESPN Network, numerous contractual issues involving what was our lease agreement were addressed. 

We did all we could, but due to the dramatic changes in the radio station's format - which went against our business plan - and what were ultimately irreconcilable differences, 'The New Fish Radio' and WFSH severed all ties and business relations, resulting in our being left without a local radio station on which to broadcast our games, shows and events for the 2008-09 seasons.

In leasing WFSH it was always my intention to rightfully return 'the Fish' to its Niceville roots - the station's home for the vast majority of its nearly 50 years of existence - and build a station operation that would make the community proud, with programming designed to present both local sports and community events and quality national sports news and sports talk on its air (ESPN Radio was the network in place at the time of what was our agreement). Thus, this sad turn of events is as heartbreaking for us as the breaches of our contract were shocking; lending a sadness that has been similarly expressed in numerous E-mails and telephone calls from many of you in the community over that which had been built over the course of the last school year - and gave joy to so many - had been disrupted for no apparent good reason.

So, the result of this unwelcome change, 'The New Fish Radio'  launches our second year of operation of broadcasting our local sports seasons with change that will affect us all - but, only in the manner of what will be the delivery of our broadcasts, until we can find another base of operation for the radio component of our business.
 
We will counter the loss of local radio with growth in our second season in the form of improved, expanded and more reliable Internet technology, which this year includes easily accessible and downloadable, morning-after archives of each of our game and show broadcasts, as well as an exciting new 'Pay-per-Listen' option. We do apologize that we will begin our new season of broadcasts this week without local radio, but we move forward with pride. Every local broadcast will continue to be available for free via streaming here at this site and, should you decide to avail yourself of 'Pay-per-Listen' for the minimal per-game charge via telephone (click on Listen link for information), please know that a portion of those proceeds, as well as a percentage of our gross advertising proceeds, will be presented to the Niceville High School athletic department as a donation from 'The New Fish Radio' at the end of the football season, as last year.    

As for the possibility that we will broadcast our local games on another local radio station, our options are limited. A number of other stations have been approached and we have offered to purchase their air time, but at this time, no deal has been made. We will continue our pursuit and hope to be able to offer local radio for our local community sometime in the near future.

The good news is that we have negotiated the return of ESPN Radio Network programming and expect to once again offer the best in national sports news and talk programs - including the popular Mike and Mike in the Morning Show - to our local area in the Fall. Unfortunately, as this local station is licensed as a daytime-only broadcast operation we cannot legally serve our own broadcast needs to air night time game broadcasts on the station.

 As for the quality of our local broadcasts this year, I once again promise and pledge my best efforts, and will again provide both the commitment and energy you came to expect last year.

So, although our 2008-09 season may be described as the aforementioned reconstruction, it is nonetheless our intention to be bigger and better than ever!
Our expanded programming should prove it to one and all, with additions to our '08-'09 broadcast lineup scheduled to include junior varsity and freshman football and middle school football - as well as increased regular and post-season coverage of volleyball, girls and boys basketball, baseball and softball AND bonus Okaloosa 'Game of the Week' coverage featuring our other area high schools battling in head-to-head competition in a variety of sports, and all accessible and available to hear, right here online and via telephone on Pay-per-Listen!

With your continued support - and your support of those businesses that support us, to make what we do possible for all of you to hear - we will be better than ever and continue to grow! 
So, please bear with us, stick with us, and - most important - continue to listen to us, right here...

Thank you for being here, for us...and for each and everyone associated with our local athletic teams and programs.

We are your NEW 'New Fish Radio'.

Arty Goodman
Director of Broadcast Operations

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Are YOU Ready For Some Eagles Football?

COUNTDOWN TO THE KICKOFF CLASSIC
Niceville Eagles at Fort Walton Beach Vikings
Friday August 29 - 6:30pm (Broadcast Time)

9 Days