VillageRadio.Net in Hilton will mark its first anniversary later this summer and owner/general manager Rick “RJ” Jordan says the station is providing Hilton residents with music, hometown sports and information that they won’t get anywhere else.
“So far, our sports programming has garnered the most listening,” he says. Village Radio covered full seasons of Cadet Football and Boys’ Basketball as well as Lady Cadet hoopsters during their post season bid. Selected Hilton hockey games and girls’ lacrosse games were also broadcasted as well as sectional baseball.
Additionally, the station airs daily “Village Scoreboard” sports reports during the school year. “While the live games have an audience, the recorded podcasts of the games embedded on our website have received hundreds more listens after their initial airings,” Jordan explains.
He says there is an increase in listening to the Sunday church service broadcasts. The station carries worship from Hilton Baptist Church at 10 a.m. every Sunday and LifeQuest Community Church at 11 a.m. “I believe we are definitely filling a need for local, community oriented programming,” he says.
“VillageRadio.Net also delivers a hearty dose of community information every hour, and Hilton residents hear plenty of familiar voices on the station including local teachers, coaches, Hilton Central School District Superintendent Casey Kosiorek, and Hilton/Parma Recreation Director Tom Venniro,” Jordan adds.
The station has had a presence broadcasting live from local events, such as the Hilton Apple Fest, the Hilton Tree Lighting Ceremony and the Fire and Ice Basketball Tournament.
“We’ve received a very warm reception at local events,” Jordan says. “People are still finding us, so for every person we encounter who says they really enjoy listening to the station, there are others who say they weren’t yet aware that the station existed. Ironically for a local station, lots of our listening happens out of state, as former residents stream the station regularly to hear our Cadet sports broadcasts.”
The station plans to broadcast live from upcoming events like the Battle On the Blacktop 3-On-3 Tournament, as well as Barks & Brews and the End of Summer Party at the Parma Town Park.
Coming this fall, Hilton Varsity Basketball Coach Troy Prince will join Mike Heise in the broadcast booth for Cadet Football broadcasts, Jordan says, and listeners will be able to catch the pair on the weekly “Coach’s Corner” show airing prior to Friday night basketball games.
Music is also part of the programming mix. VillageRadio.Net features “Hilton’s Greatest Hits” focusing on 80’s and 90’s favorites.
“We receive some truly enthusiastic compliments about our upbeat music mix,” Jordan notes, “but as of now, the majority of our listening still occurs during our Hilton High School sports coverage. We’re striving to grow listening occasions during the workday and weekends, when our programming is music and community info intensive. No other station in the area programs a generation X-centric classic hits format like ours, nor do they devote as much airtime to covering community news and events. We hope those benefits will enable us to become the favorite radio station among more and more area residents in the future.”
To listen, click the listen live button at VillageRadio.Net, or click the Mobile APP banner on the homepage, and download the free APP to your smartphone or tablet.
