Re: WHOB Nashua, NH

["Shel Swartz" <shel@lotsofun.com>]

It may be because of the Spring Arbitron book.  Particularly as a station
enters a rating period, that station must figure out how to maximize
listeners' retention of its name and dial position.  One consideration is
whether another station in that market has (in this case) a frequency of
xxx.3, or has a "B" in it.

If one station is known as "B"-something, then a listener could say
"B"-something, and Arbitron might count it as WHOB.  But if two stations'
calls have a B in it, forget it.  The station's prime consideration is
likely that if a listener doesn't know the calls, he or she might at least
know the call letters.

Arbitron also considers a station's slogan as valid as well.  So if a
listener didn't know, say the calls of a station, but remembered it
identified itself as "The News Station", then that vote, as it were, would
be attributed to the station with matching call letters.

Anyway, that's just my take on it.  In WHOB's case, it was probably a
last-minute decision on entering the Book, because it seems logical that if
a station spent so long as "B106.3", it should hold onto that identifier
during the book, at the very least.

On the other hand, a format change could be pending...or rather not.  I once
worked at a station which billed itself as "97-point-nine, WRMF".  Without a
format change at all, it changed to "97-Nine/WRMF".  Maybe the PD wanted his
station to appear to be more slick.  I never asked Russ Morley this (the
station's then-PD), and I wish I had.

Shel Swartz

WRKO/The Big 68 Remembered!
508 Glenwood Drive
W. Palm Beach FL 33415-2866
http://www.lotsofun.com/
Phone (561) 686-2133


- -----Original Message-----
From: coachkd@worldnet.att.net <coachkd@worldnet.att.net>
To: boston-radio-interest@bostonradio.org
<boston-radio-interest@bostonradio.org>
Date: Monday, April 06, 1998 7:37 PM
Subject: WHOB Nashua, NH


>Does anyone know why WHOB is no longer calling themselves B-106.3?
>
>The jocks are saying "106.3 WHOB" every time they crack the mic.
>
>Is a new owner/format coming?
>
>
>
>Derek Weston
>Hudson, NH

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