WLIS / WMRD (Was Re: Adult Standards)

[mwaters@wesleyan.edu (Martin J. Waters)]

>Keith Barry wrote:
>  Also in the New London area, there are two stations simulcasting each
>other - WLIS and WMRD, I think. These stations have great local programming!
>I rolled tape all the way through Connecticut!

        WLIS, 1420, Old Saybrook, about 15 miles west of New London, and
WMRD, 1150, Middletown. WLIS covers the coast OK at least that far in the
daytime (5 kW) but goes bad at night (500 w). Most of the programming comes
out of the WLIS studios. I think they may break the simulcast for a few
really local weekend shows and that some parts of the simulcast may come
from WMRD. But WMRD is a former daytimer with 40 or 60 w night. So WLIS is
the lead station. You're right -- nearly all local, with local news.
Norwich Navigators AA baseball.
        One result of the simulcast is the strange phenomenon that WMRD
duplicates some sports play by play, such as UConn, that is run on WTIC
(AM), even though WMRD's coverage area is entirely within WTIC's primary
signal and market area. WMRD puts a good daytime signal over downtown
Hartford, in fact. Middletown (population about 40,000) is only 15 miles
south of downtown Hartford. And, lately I've heard CBS programs, suggesting
WLIS (about 40 miles south of Hartford) now is a CBS station. WTIC is CBS,
although it seldom runs the hourly news. If I were WTIC (AM), I'd be
"talking" to whoever controls the UConn sports broadcasts and to CBS about
this problem with WMRD.

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