NorthEast Radio Watch 7/31: NBC Buys Ch. 30 Back

[fybush@world.std.com (Scott D Fybush)]

*NBC will soon be reunited with one of its oldest owned-and-operated
TV stations.  Paramount agreed today to trade WVIT (Channel 30)
New Britain-Hartford to NBC in exchange for WLWC (Channel 28) New
Bedford-Providence and WWHO (Channel 53) Chillicothe-Columbus OH,
which are owned by Fant Broadcasting and LMA'd to NBC.  

The deal would bring channel 30 back into the NBC family after nearly
four decades.  NBC bought what was then WKNB-TV (along with WKNB 1410
AM) back in 1956, as part of a project to develop UHF
owned-and-operated stations by the major networks (NBC also owned a
station in Buffalo, while CBS owned UHFs in Hartford and Milwaukee).
The TV calls were changed to WNBC-TV, and then to WHNB-TV in 1959 when
NBC sold the station to Transcontinental Properties.  In 1978, WHNB-TV
was sold to Viacom (now Paramount), becoming WVIT.

NBC and Paramount would both need waivers to make this swap work,
since WVIT's signal overlaps with NBC O&Os WNBC-TV (Channel 4) in New
York and WJAR (Channel 10) Providence, while the WLWC signal overlaps
with Paramount's WSBK (Channel 38).  

If the deal is consummated, WLWC and WWHO would switch affiliations
from The WB to UPN.

No word on what would become of WVIT's LMA with WTXX (Channel 20)
Waterbury, the UPN affiliate that's currently running a WVIT-produced
newscast at 10pm nightly.

Meantime down in New Haven, WBNE (Channel 59) has picked up broadcast
rights to "Star Trek: The Next Generation" and the original Trek for
fall.  WBNE will also run a Friday night sports show produced by LMA
partner WTNH (Channel 8).  The show will start at 11:30, and its first
five minutes will be simulcast on WTNH.

*In RHODE ISLAND, there's been a change to the low-power AM lineup in
Westerly.  The folks at "WCTD" called us this week to let us know that
they're now running on two frequencies.  The 1620 signal, a licensed
TIS with the WPKM270 calls, is being run by the Washington County
Chamber of Commerce, a group formed for the purpose of operating the
TIS (known on air as "WCTD.")  Meantime, they're also running a
100-milliwatt transmitter on 1670 kHz with the heritage "WICE" calls,
as a commercial operation.  And their answering machine message seems
to indicate that they're also the folks behind Rhode Island Public
Radio and the new 88.1 CP in Westerly.  More on this one next week...

*An ownership change on the way in MASSACHUSETTS: Curt Gowdy is
preparing to bow out of Bay State broadcasting after nearly 35 years
of ownership (and years of on-air work before that).  Gowdy has
reportedly reached a deal to sell WCCM (800) in Lawrence to
Costa-Eagle Broadcasting, the partnership that owns WNNW (1110)
Salem NH and operates WHAV (1490) Haverhill.  Costa-Eagle may switch
WNNW's Spanish-language format to the WCCM signal, which covers the
Hispanic market in Lawrence much better, while moving WCCM's
English-language talk to the less-potent 1110 operation.  Auto dealer
Charles Daher is reportedly upset with Gowdy; he says he was close to
signing a purchase agreement for WCCM when Costa-Eagle stepped in with
a higher offer.

Gowdy bought WCCM and then-WGHJ (93.7) back in 1963.  The FM was later
WCCM-FM and WCGY; Gowdy sold it to American Radio Systems several
years ago.  Long retired and living in Wyoming, Gowdy still owns several
stations in the Laramie area.  

American Radio Systems is getting ready to make some changes to
one of its recent Boston-area acquisitions.  ARS has filed to change
the power, height, and transmitter location of its WAAF (107.3) 
Worcester-Boston.  Also in the FCC pipeline this week is an
application from WFHN (107.1) Fairhaven-New Bedford to change *its*
tower location, height, power, and directional pattern.  And we'll be
surprised if those aren't followed by an application to alter the
facilities of ARS' WERZ (107.1) Exeter NH.  We haven't seen all the
technical details yet (the FCC's not very fast about making them
available on-line these days), but we'd expect WAAF to move closer to
Boston (perhaps to the WUNI-TV site on Stiles Hill in Boylston or the
WHSH-TV site in Hudson), while WERZ and WFHN are moved further out
from the Hub.  NERW research director Garrett Wollman has been poring
over the maps, and says that if WAAF moves to Hudson, WERZ could move
to the WSRI (96.7) site in Rochester NH and maintain the same spacing
to WAAF it enjoys today.

In other Bay State broadcasting news, Salem has filed to sell WPZE
(1260) Boston to Hibernia Broadcasting, the operating name for Mike
Craven and Jim Thompson's new partnership.  Craven and Thompson were
the heads of Liberty Broadcasting, which sold its entire group of
stations (in markets that included Hartford and Albany) to SFX
Broadcasting not too long ago.  Still no word on programming plans for
1260.  Natick's WJLT (1060) has hired Philip Austin from WEZE (590);
he'll be doing afternoon drive on "J-Light."  (WJLT also says it's
planning to have its 40-kW construction permit on the air later this
year.)  

More radio people on the move: Longtime "David Brudnoy Show" producer
Kevin Myron is leaving WBZ (1030) at the end of next week.  Myron will
join the PR department at Northeastern University; no replacement has
been named yet.  

The Lowell Folk Festival drew the usual radio crowds last weekend,
with one big change.  For the first time, Lowell talker WCAP (980)
was broadcasting live from the festival all weekend, a distinct
improvement from past Festival weekends when the satellite talk owned
the 980 airwaves.  WLLH (1400) did live Festival coverage only on
Saturday this year, cutting back from its past full-weekend coverage
(no simulcast on WADN Concord this year, either).  UMass Lowell's WJUL
(91.5) carried much of the Festival live, as it always does.  And WGBH
(89.7) was live Saturday afternoon for Dick Pleasants' folk show.

Boston Magazine deigned to notice radio in this year's "Best of
Boston" issue, naming WBZ's Carl Stevens the best radio reporter in
town, and "Car Talk" the best radio talk show in town (even if it is a
national show these days).

Ratings news: Worcester's Spring book found WSRS (96.1) still on top
of the 12+ crowd, trailed by WAAF (107.3) and WXLO (104.5).  WAAF
owned the teen audience, dominating the 12-24 and 18-34 audiences,
while WXLO was a strong #1 with the all-important 25-54 demo.
News-talk WTAG led the AMs, trailed distantly by Boston's WBZ,
Southbridge's WESO, Worcester's WORC, WWTM, and WNEB.

Fox's Boston TV station is following the lead of its sister station in
Philadelphia and dropping on-air mentions of its channel number.  WTXF
(Channel 29) in Philly has been calling itself "Fox Philadelphia" for
several years, and now WFXT (Channel 25) has switched from "Fox 25" to
"Fox Boston," reflecting the myriad of different cable channels on
which it's found, as well as the upcoming digital TV era when channel
numbers will become a thing of the past.

And our condolences to the family and colleagues of Kirby Perkins, the
veteran WCVB (Channel 5) political reporter who passed away last
Thursday night after suffering a massive heart attack earlier in the
week.  Perkins was one of the best reporters on Boston TV, and his
presence will be sorely missed.

*A format change in New Hampshire: WOXF (96.5) Bedford-Manchester shed
its year-old classic rock format Tuesday afternoon, changing from "the
Fox" to oldies "Cool 96.5."  WOXF was recently LMA'd by Saga
Broadcasting, which appears to be targeting competing oldies station
WNNH (99.1 Henniker) with the move.  PD Keith Murray is out of a job;
airstaff Dorien Jaye (mornings) and Peggy James stay with the station
for now.

*In VERMONT news, the "Friends of WHAZ" who bought W259AB (99.7)
Marlboro VT have been identified...and to nobody's surprise, the group
is another front for Brian Dodge.  The only partner listed for the
"Friends of WHAZ Limited Partnership" is a Patricia Leland, but the
address listed is a LOVE Radio post office box in Brattleboro -- and
the phone number is none other than Etta Dodge's home phone in
Brattleboro!  Tomorrow's the day the WHAZ feed is supposed to
disappear from W259AB and the other Dodge translators; we'll see what
really happens.

Newspeople needed: It seems the talent vacuum is hitting Northern New
England newsrooms hard this summer; we've heard that WTSL in Lebanon
NH and WDEV in Waterbury VT are also looking for newspeople and not
having much luck.

Burlington's new WFFF-TV (Channel 44) is due to debut tomorrow; NERW
remains interested in hearing from anyone who's able to tape the
start-up for us.

And in Rupert, WMNV (104.1) is off the air for now, but will return
shortly as the newest relay of WHAZ (1330) Troy NY.  WMNV had
rebroadcast the religious programming of WGLY (103.3) Waterbury. 

*Television viewers in MAINE are mourning the loss of one of
Portland's best-loved reporters.  Bob Elliott of WMTW-TV (Channel 8)
died on Monday after suffering a heart attack while riding his bicycle
near Cape Elizabeth.  Elliott's career began in Cambridge, where he
worked as a reporter for WCAS (740) from 1973-75.  He spent three
years as a sports producer for WCVB-TV, then joined NBC News as a
Latin American correspondent.  In the late 80s, Elliott came back home
to Maine, joining WCSH-TV (Channel 6) as a feature reporter.  His
"Bob's Basement" segments were seen on WCSH until last fall, when he
quit the station after a newspaper photo showed him drinking behind
the governor on election night.  (Elliott said he was off-duty at the
time the photo was taken).  Since December, Elliott had been working
at WMTW, where his segments were heavily promoted.  Elliott was 47
years old.

Bruce Elving's "FMedia!" reports the new WYAR (88.3) Yarmouth will 
program big-band music; it's apparently a Bob Bittner-style one-person
operation.  

Up in Bangor, we'll know in a few weeks whether WWMJ (95.7 Ellsworth)
will get to dress the city's famous Paul Bunyan statue in a "Welcome
to Bangor, Mr. Imus!" T-shirt.  The station hoped to dress up the
statue to promote Imus' October visit to Bangor; instead, it's
provoked noisy controversy and a bit of national publicity -- which
may be exactly the point.  (By the way, Syracuse NY's WHEN is not the
only upstate station carrying the I-man; he's heard on WENE (1430
Endicott) in the Binghamton market as well).

*Which brings us to NEW YORK, where WYUL (94.7 Chateaugay) has turned
on its permanent oldies format, ending several months of stunting.  To
the west, Rochester's AM 990 reappeared last Friday morning as
religious WDCZ, a straight simulcast of WDCZ-FM (102.7 Webster).  Just
outside Rochester, WYSL has made the long-awaited move from 1030 to
1040.  Last Saturday morning was WYSL's first day on its new
frequency, and for a few days the Avon talk-radio station was running
500 watts ND instead of its new 2500 directional watts.  It's still
running daytime-only as the 500 watt night signal is being perfected.

Owego's WENE (1330) and WGRG (101.7) are being sold.  Michael
McKilligan is selling the stations to Ron Kyle.  The two stations
simulcast an adult-contemporary format.

Upstate radio listeners will soon lose their most powerful Canadian
radio signal.  The CRTC yesterday granted the CBC permission to move
Toronto's CBL from 740 to 99.1 FM, a move the CBC has been wanting to
make for years.  The CBC claimed it needed to make the move to
eliminate interference problems in downtown Toronto and to reach
listeners who have abandoned the AM band.  Two CRTC commissioners
dissented from the decision, favoring others among the many applicants
for the last open FM channel in Toronto.

When the CBC leaves the 740 spot, it will get several other
transmitters to cover southern Ontario, including an 89.1 signal in
Paris/Kitchener, a higher-power transmitter for CBCO (105.9) Orillia,
and a Niagara Peninsula transmitter at Crystal Beach (although not on
the 100.3 frequency the CBC requested, to avoid interference with CKRZ
Ohsweken on the same channel).  And for those of us who enjoy the
CBC's signal stateside, we'll be without a clear signal at
all...anyone up for a petition drive?  

There's no word yet on what will happen with the 740 clear channel
when CBL vacates it.  It's a pretty safe bet that Canada won't allow
it to sit vacant forever, though; no 50 kilowatt WJIB seems to be in
the future.  Also unmentioned in the CRTC's release is the future of
the CBC's French-language AM outlet in Toronto, 50 kW CJBC (860).  It
had been rumored to merge with the French stereo service on CJBC-FM
(90.3) and vanish from AM as well.

One more Canadian note: CHCD (106.7) is now on the air in Simcoe,
replacing CHNR (1600).  Look for the 1600 signal to disappear within a
few months.

*And so we close out another week of NERW...see you next Thursday!

- -=Scott Fybush - NorthEast Radio Watch=-

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