Re: WVBF

[Dan Strassberg <dan.strassberg@worldnet.att.net>]

At 02:46 PM 4/29/97 +0000, you wrote:
>
>By the way, is Fairbanks still planning to sell WKOX to CBS??
>
CBS' interest in WKOX was supposedly contingent on WKOX receiving a CP for
50 kW full-time. The FCC dismissed the application for 50 kW in January.
WKOX petitioned for reconsideration in February and has amended its petition
twice since then. The FCC's AM database Web site shows no sign of any new
developments.

Fairbanks' original mistake was applying for dual-site operation using the
WNTN site in Newton by day. WKOX wanted to operate ND from this site
because, from Newton they could have put around 15 mV/m on the Boston
waterfront vs about 6 mv/m operating directionally from Framingham. There
would have been clear overlap with WGNY in Newburg NY, however. By the time
WKOX amended its application to specify the daytime facilities it should
have requested in the first place (50 kW DA-2 from the existing Framingham
site), I think the FCC had become biased against the application. I don't
know all of the facts, but if the FCC had not become biased on the matter,
it's not clear to me why they would have dismissed the amended application.

Before Scott Fybush left WBZ, he reported that CBS had turned cool toward
buying WKOX. At one point, CBS reportedly planned an all-sports format to
compete with WEEI. That seems like an awfully dumb move. What makes a sports
station pay in this market as well as others is Don Imus. Supposedly, Imus'
contract has several more years to run on 'EEI. So if Karmazin had bought
KOX, he would have been left sitting for several years on an unprofitable
property. (Though I guess he could move stern from BCN or simulcast Stern on
BCN and KOX.) Moreover, although a 50 kW WKOX operating from Framingham
would put a decent signal into Boston, it's not clear how well it would
cover the market. At night, the really gross interference on 1200 might make
the station difficult to listen to in many parts of Boston proper. On the
north and south shores, I think the signal would be quite uncompetitive.

Barring some startling new development (always possible), I think WKOX is
likely to remain a leased-ethnic signal for the foreseeable future. They had
been carrying TalkAmerica in AM drive. Monday, they switched to Spanish.

We also need to find out whether Alexander Langer, whose two stations
transmit from the WKOX site, will succeed in getting approval from the town
of Sudbury to move WJLT to the former Unisys property on Route 117. Langer
is proposing to run WJLT with 40 kW-D DA-D from that site. If WJLT moves,
WRPT is likely to follow--especially if WKOX is finally granted 50 kw.
Although WJLT could continue to use WKOX's Framingham site with the shorter
towers that WKOX has proposed for its 50 kW operation, WRPT would require a
waiver of the FCC's antenna-efficiency requirements because a 195-ft tower
is too short for 650 kHz.

When WKOX proposed moving to the Sudbury site itself, the Sudbury selectmen
or zoning board turned them down. Since WKOX wanted to build three
unilluminated towers and Langer is proposing two, somewhat taller,
illuminated ones, I would not think that the folks in Sudbury would like
Langer's proposed TX any better than they liked Fairbanks' (which is to say,
not at all). Also, it's not clear that the FCC will approve Langer's
application for WJLT, even if he can obtain the use of the Sudbury site. CBS
does not want a powerful station 30 kHz from WBZ and on the same channel as
KYW, and I have to believe that CBS has some clout with the FCC.

If WKOX gets its increase and Langer's plans for Sudbury don't materialize,
he can try again to move in with WBPS (an idea that WBPS already rejected
once). And if that fails, he might make a last-ditch attempt to share WSRO's
site in Marlboro. The WSRO site might work for WJLT, but would not work for
WRPT because the towers are even shorter than WKOX's proposed towers. On the
other hand, if WKOX drops its plans for a power increase, WJLT and WRPT can
just keep doing what they're doing now.

- -------------------------------
Dan Strassberg (Note: Address is CASE SENSITIVE!)
ALL _LOWER_ CASE!!!--> dan.strassberg@worldnet.att.net
(617) 558-4205; Fax (617) 928-4205

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