WNHT's fatal error

[Kevin Vahey <webway@channel1.com>]

When Channel 21 first came on the air, they should have been able to win
the war with WNDS and WGOT and given WMUR a battle. Had they stayed as an
independent they may still be on the air today, instead of being nothing
more than a translator for WABU.

Certainly the idea of becoming a CBS affilate looked promising but with
local cable companies from Nashua north unwilling to delete Channel 7,
plus giving 21 an oldball number on the cable box, they were facing heavy
odds.

But what doomed them was when they made the switch, they lost the audince
base they had built as an independent, since the viewers they did have,
were not interested in network programming.

As far as local news was concerned, 21 was simply a few years too late.
WMUR started to treat news seriously in 1984, when they became a major
player in the NH Primary and new ownership bought the ENG equipment needed
to compete with Boston.

The way Flatley shutdown 21 with no notice was horrific, but it was a
classic case of a successful person in other fields coming into
broadcasting, and not have a clue.

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End of boston-radio-interest-digest V2 #14
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