The heart of the company is “the friendly pioneer,” Waterbury’s WDEV-AM, founded by Ken’s father, Lloyd Squier, in 1931. In recent years, the group has grown to a total of four transmitters plus four lower-powered “translators” that boost a station’s signal in weak spots.
The company operates two streams of programming: WDEV-AM and FM broadcast local news, talk, sports, music and weather; and “The One” is a music station that plays hit songs from the 60s, 70s and 80s. (The music stations were devoted to classical music until Vermont Public Radio built out a statewide classical network.)
In an age of mega-corporate broadcasters and national syndication, WDEV is a throwback, still producing the bulk of its programming on-site with a strong focus on serving its community. Squier says he’s looking for a buyer that shares his values and commitment.
“We’re hoping to find a Vermonter or some Vermonters who are interested and dedicated to local programming,” he said. “We’re unique and special. We don’t want someone to take it over and do just another music format.”
With typical bone-dry humor, he immediately asked me if I was interested in buying.
“How big a check would I have to write?” I replied.
“None of your business,” he shot back, perfectly deadpan.
The Squier family has run its stations with an eye on community service — and the other eye on the bottom line.
“They need to be profitable, no question,” he said. “But we’ve operated since 1931 in the interest of the public good and necessity, and it’s carried us along.”
WDEV’s programming features a local morning show cohosted by Jon Noyes and Eric Michaels; two long-form local newscasts every weekday; the daily public affairs program “Open Mike,” hosted by Mike Smith; “The Getaway,” an afternoon music show hosted by Arty LaVigne that often spotlights Vermont talent; and live broadcasts of Boston Red Sox baseball.
If WDEV is sold, it would also mark the end of an illustrious broadcasting career for Ken Squier, who first took to his father’s airwaves at the age of 12. He still anchors a sports broadcast every weekday, plus the legendary Saturday morning staple “Music to Go to the Dump By.” Squier is also a member of the NASCAR Hall of Fame for his years of work as an auto racing announcer for CBS and TBS.
Squier emphasized that no deal is in the works, and his goal is to find the right buyer instead of making a quick sale for maximum return.
Still, even if he does find a like-minded soul to carry on WDEV’s tradition, it’ll be a sad day in Vermont broadcasting when the station is no longer operated by a Squier.
Got something to say?
Send a letter to the editor and we'll publish your feedback in print!
I have been listening to WDEV since I entered Norwich University in 1965 (OK, you do the math). There is nothing like it in Vermont, and I doubt there is much like it in the nation. Today’s broadcasting is largely plain vanilla, unidimensional, algorithm-shaped crap, sliced and diced to deliver “ideal” cohorts for buying things few people really need. It’s too bad that WDEV could not be designated a historic landmark and saved from the wreaking ball of corporate greed! What would Rusty Parker think?
“Squier says he’s looking for a buyer that shares his values and commitment.”
Well, good luck with that.
Hopefully a wealthy conservative will purchase it. Maybe a group of conservative will.
WDEV is a treasure! We have been blessed to have such incredible ownership and community commitment. High hopes that Ken Squier will find someone to carry on his family’s legacy.
Maybe iHeartMedia will be interested. Or Cumulus. That’d be great.
We’ve just seen WCAX sold from family ownership to an out of state media company. Now it seems likely WDEV will go the same way.
The concentration of media away from local ownership to large national corporations may be necessary economically in the current environment, but it is bad for Vermont.
I worked with “the Noyes boys” back in the 70’s in Barre. Jon was only 16 at the time, but he was born with broadcasting blood. WDEV was the powerhouse back then. Best of luck to Ken and I pray for a buyer that knows how to do local radio (it’s a dying art).
(That was sarcasm I was using on yesterday’s post RE: iHeartMedia, for anyone who didn’t get it …)
People still listen to AM/FM radio ? LOL
Typically when listening to radio you turn the dial when the commercials come on….Not on WDEV. Their awesome interview style commercials are fantastic……I leave them on and listen to them… Its an art form..This station is the way radio ought to be. Hope it will continue