Re: WMEX-WITS (Red Sox)

[KEVIN VAHEY <kvahey@dnsmain.vw.org>]

> A. Joseph Ross is right about WMEX's format changing before the call letters
>  were switched to WITS. The format was changed from top-40 to a blend of
>  MOR with a 4-7 P.M. talk show in March of 1975. Initially, some of the
>  top-40 announcers stayed at WMEX. WMEX officials soon found that the
>  sports talk show was more popular than the music, so a year later, in
>  1976, WMEX changed formats again, this time to the all-talk format they
>  would have for the next six or so years. The call letters were changed
>  to WITS in early 1978. "WITS" means "We're Information, Talk, and Sports".

   The sports show was first hosted by Steve Fredricks who had just
returned from Philadelphia after being let go by WEEI. Alan Dairy was
brought in to do mid days when they switched to MOR....as they decided
that WHDH could be had. 

> 
> Incidentally, WMEX grabbed the Red Sox rights in the late summer of 1975,
>  and the way the contract that expired at the end of the 1975 season with
>  WHDH went, the WHDH/Sox contract ended at the conclusion of the 1975
>  REGULAR-SEASON. Thus, Ned Martin and Jim Woods' broadcasts of the 1975
>  playoff series against Oakland and World Series against Cincinatti aired
>  on WMEX.
> 
   That was indeed strange. WHDH used to have an engineer (AL Walker) who
was in charge of the remotes home and away. He always prided himself on
the fact that HDH never missed a pitch due to a line failure. WMEX in
their very first game (Game 1 vs Oakland) lost a good part of the third
inning.

> Until WITS got 50,000 watts night power in late 1981, WMEX/WITS had to
>  simulcast Red Sox night games on one (or more) area FM stations to be

  The first FM partner that they used in 1976 was WWEL (107.9) and this
arrangement continued until the station became KISS 108. Then WITS made a
deal with WPLM which would come back to haunt WITS a few years later.

  Jack Craig's major problem was he could not get a good clear signal from
WITS at home (Dedham) and he complained about it weekly.

  At the end WITS owed the Red Sox a great deal of money both for rights
fees and being a tenant at Fenway Park. WITS was finally evicted from 70
Brookline Ave, and the studios were taken over by NESN. 

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End of boston-radio-interest-digest V1 #113
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