We are so excited about an announcement that the owner of Regional Broadcasting Services, the parent company of WVRM in Upper Montclair New Jersey made last Thursday night prior to the weekly broadcast of The "APPLAUSE" Show.  We want to share that announcement with you.

As you know, in January of 2002, The "APPLAUSE" Show moved from a public broadcasting station in western NJ to WVRM Radio.

The owner of Regional Broadcasting Services is a fan of barbershop harmony and a cappella music.  He offered The "APPLAUSE" Show a 4 1/2 hour slot making the show the longest single slot of radio dedicated to barbershop and a cappella music.  He also said that after the show was on for a while, he would evaluate our audience and perhaps give us the opportunity to change the format of the radio station to 24 hours a day, 7 days a week and 365 days a year Barbershop Harmony and A Cappella Music.

  George Louvis, the CEO of Regional Broadcasting announced to us that he was ready to make that change for a trial period.  We are providing Mr. Louvis with the music of 60 artists from the barbershop harmony and contemporary acappella communities from which he will create a prerecorded rotating playlist which will be broadcast all day, EVERY DAY for all but the contracted times of other shows already on Village Radio (these amount to approximately 8 hours of broadcast time).  This programming change will take place as soon as the playlist is assembled.

WHAT DOES THIS MEAN FOR YOU?

1. You will be able to access a 24-hour-a-day (with minor exceptions) to hear your favorite barbershop and acappella artists.

2.  We will now be able to build other "APPLAUSE" type shows in any part of the world.  If your chapter or group wants to do a weekly "Live" radio show of your own, we will be able to "switch" from the studios of WVRM to anywhere in the world that has the appropriate equipment (we will provide those specifications)  Imagine:  "Live" from (wherever)... the (name your show) Show featuring barbershop and/or acappella music.

3.  We will be in a position to "Simulcast" any event with proper equipment in place... i.e.. The Buckeye Open, or the Harmony Sweepstakes, or (you name the event). 

Now, what is necessary to develop this fully.  Well, first and foremost is the support of the barbershop and a cappella communities.  We need to show Mr. Louvis that our organizations and our members will financially support this format change.  We will be asking you, individually, your chapters, groups, and the major harmony organizations to make financial contributions to Regional Broadcasting to fund the broadcast of 24/7 Barbershop and a cappella.

We will be offering advertising opportunities for companies that market to the a cappella communities, including chapters and quartets and groups that have CD's to sell, or shows to promote, or events to promote. 

Together, you, our listeners, and the APPLAUSE Team can make this the most exciting opportunity for all concerned...a truly "Win-Win" situation.

Stay Tuned for more on this throughout the next month.  If you have not contributed to the show, see the link at the bottom of this page and find out how you can support the show.