NorthEast Radio Watch 8/13: Entercom Enters Boston

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

*There's been a lot of speculation over the last few months about the
fate of American Radio Systems' Boston stations -- even an article in
another radio column just a few weeks ago that authoritatively claimed
Jacor would be the next owner of WRKO, WEEI, WAAF, WEGQ, and WWTM.

As of this afternoon, the rumors are over.  David Field's Entercom is
paying $65 million to buy the stations from CBS, which was required to
sell the stations as part of the antitrust settlement of its purchase
of ARS.  CBS also gets two Entercom stations in Tampa, WYUU (92.5
Safety Harbor FL) and WLLD (98.7 Holmes Beach FL).

Although it's based in Philadelphia, Entercom's first entry into the
Northeast radio market came just last year with its purchase of the
former Heritage Media group in Rochester.  The Boston (and Worcester)
stations are the company's first entries in New England.  

What happens now?  Let's put NERW in analysis mode here and take a
look at Entercom's new prizes:

WRKO (680) tops the list in both ratings and prestige.  With nearly
two decades under its belt as a talker (after those 14 glorious years
as a top-40 rocker), the 50 kilowatt giant remains a solid ratings
performer, despite some recent turbulence in morning drive.
Entercom's background is more on the FM side than AM, but recent
acquisitions of AM giants like Seattle's KIRO and Kansas City's KMBZ
and KCMO suggest that the company is getting more comfortable on the
other side of the dial.  With solid performers like Dr. Laura, Rush
Limbaugh, and locally, Howie Carr in the afternoons, changes at WRKO
seem unlikely.

WEEI (850) and mostly-simulcast WWTM (1440 Worcester) have carved out
a solid niche in the sports arena, fending off competition from the
now-defunct sports weekend at WBZ (1030), as well as the
mostly-syndicated fare on WNRB (1510).  Along with WAAF, they'll give
Entercom a solid footing among younger male listeners.  On the other
side of the equation, neither of WEEI's major sports franchises (the
Red Sox and Celtics) has been performing well of late, and despite
WEEI's 1994 move from 590 to the former WHDH at 850, it's still
saddled with a directional signal that misses many western suburbs at
night.  WWTM helps by day, but is no more effective at reaching
Framingham or Natick after dark.  Entercom's only other sports outlet
is KFXX in Portland, Oregon.

On the FM side, Entercom gets two rimshotters.  The better of the two
signals, at least in greater Boston, is WEGQ (93.7 Lawrence).  The
erstwhile WCGY moved its transmitter to Middleton a few years back,
improving reception around Boston, but it's still hampered by
second-adjacent stations in Taunton and Providence to the south.  As
for format, classic rock is one thing Entercom knows how to handle.
Will the company's solid grasp of the format help the "Eagle"
differentiate itself from CBS' WZLX (100.7)?  It had better, if only
to pull WEGQ out of the 17th place spot where it landed in the Spring
book...

Last on the list, but perhaps the most interesting, is WAAF (107.3
Worcester).  For years, WAAF has tried to pretend it's actually
located 40 miles east, even though its signal within the city of
Boston can most kindly be described as "variable."  But with the help
of plenty of advertising dollars, along with publicity that can't be
bought (like last spring's "Mayor Menino is Dead" April Fools stunt),
WAAF continues to do fairly well in the ratings.  What's more, its
active rock format is Entercom's specialty.  So what happens next?
Well, another Entercom specialty is frequency and call shifts.  This
is the company that traded KCMO's 810 dial spot for WHB's 710 in
Kansas City, flip-flopped its sports (KFXX) and nostalgia (KKSN)
outlets in Portland, and moved the legendary WBBF calls from AM to FM
in Rochester.  Could WAAF finally become a legitimate Boston signal on
93.7, with Eagle getting regional reach on 107.3 (a signal which
regularly draws ratings as far away as Springfield)?  Wouldn't
surprise us.

One more note before we move on to the rest of the week's news:
Besides keeping hot AC WBMX (98.5), CBS is hanging on to one other ARS
station.  WNFT (1150) was not included in the Entercom sale, which
leads NERW to wonder what CBS has in mind with this often-ignored
station that's currently pulling R&B oldies off the satellite.  Could
WBZ finally get the overflow outlet that it's wanted for years?  With
the Justice Department satisfied, could 1150 now be flipped to sports?
And what of CBS's stated committment to find minority buyers?  Is
WNFT's current format a clue?  We don't know...but we'll keep you
posted.

*We'll start the rest of this week's news in NEW YORK with the sale of
Albany's second public TV outlet.  Sinclair has agreed to pay $23
million for WMHQ (Channel 45), with the station returning to
commercial operation once the sale closes (it began its life in the
80s as commercial independent WUSV before being sold to WMHT), either
as a UPN or WB affiliate.  Sinclair gets an upstate New York sweep
with this one -- they now own or are purchasing WUTV (Fox) in Buffalo,
WUHF (Fox) in Rochester, WSYT (Fox, with an LMA on UPN affiliate WNYS)
in Syracuse, as well as a large radio group in Buffalo.  There were
some interesting noises in the trades this week about Sinclair being
interested in buying radio stations from noncommercial operators as
well -- with Sinclair honchos quoted as saying that at least one
public broadcaster upstate is losing money on its commercial-licensed
AM.  NERW knows of only two public-radio AMs upstate -- and Buffalo's
WNED (970) seems to fit the bill better than Rochester's WXXI (1370).
This could get interesting...

Speaking of unfounded rumors, a followup to last month's observation
that a Jacor press release listed Rochester's WVOR (100.5) as "WHMX":
We thought Jacor wouldn't tamper with heritage calls, but then we
noted that KLYF (100.3) in Des Moines, which became "Mix" the same
week WVOR did, is taking the KMXD calls that were last seen in the
market on the 106.3 in Ankeny that's now KYSY, "Sunny 106."  (Hey,
don't we have one of *those* in Rochester, too?)

A NERW reader passing through the Binghamton market last weekend noted
modern rocker WEBO (1330 Owego) off the air.  If the "Web" is truly
gone, we're gonna miss this unusual AM radio outpost of a
traditionally FM-only format.

Moving further downstate on Route 17 (soon to be I-86), we'll make a
turnoff to I-84 for a rare mention of the Port Jervis stations, WDLC
(1490) and WTSX (96.7), which are being LMA'd by Nassau Broadcasting,
the group owner that's been buying everything in sight in New Jersey
and adjacent parts of New York and Pennsylvania.  Nassau picks up an
option to buy the stations from the Port Jervis Broadcasting Company.

Kingston's WBPM (94.3) has reportedly moved from CHR to adult
standards.  "B94" was notable, at least the last time NERW heard it,
for running music with virtually no interruptions of any sort.

Newburgh's WGNY still wants to move off 1220 again.  You'll recall
that WGNY moved from daytime-only status on 1220 to full-time on 1200
in the late 1980s under special temporary authority, only to be forced
back to 1220 when the STA expired last year.  In the meantime, WGNY
had applied for expanded-band operation at 1620, and despite having
its request for a waiver denied and a subsequent petition for
reconsideration thrown out, the station is back at it with an
application for review of the decision.  

In TV news, the big headline concerns non-compete agreements.  Albany
health reporter Sue Nigra got hers thrown out by a local judge, who
ruled that after WTEN allowed her contract to expire in June, the
station could not enforce a one-year non-compete to keep her from
moving to WRGB (Channel 6).  Across the state line, acting
Massachusetts governor Paul Cellucci has signed a bill sponsored by
AFTRA that outlaws non-compete clauses.

*The week's other big stories in MASSACHUSETTS are also TV-related,
including one of the most heated media stories of the year.  The
Boston Globe gave columnist Mike Barnicle a two-month unpaid
suspension for allegedly cribbing some jokes from George Carlin,
claiming he hadn't read Carlin's book.  The Globe tried to fire
Barnicle after seeing a tape of an appearance on WCVB (Channel 5)'s
"Chronicle" in which the columnist recommended that same book.  But
Barnicle staged a media circus outside his Lincoln home, telling any
outlet that cared to visit that he had no intention of resigning --
and after a long, loud weekend of internal and external debate, the
Globe relented.  Part of the deal requires Barnicle to give up at
least some of his outside work, which includes commentary for
"Chronicle," MSNBC, and the News Hour on PBS. 

Meantime at Boston's NBC affiliate, WHDH-TV (Channel 7), the anchor
desk did some serious spinning this week, with husband-and-wife anchor
team John Marler and Cathy Marshall out the door at the end of their
contracts.  In to replace Marler on the 5, 6, and 11 PM newscasts is
veteran Boston anchor Randy Price, whose WBZ-TV (Channel 4) career
ended after a second drunk-driving incident a few years back.  It's
been quite a comeback for Price, who also makes no bones about being
gay (which, NERW believes, would make him the first openly gay evening
anchor in a top-ten TV market).  As for the news philosophy WHDH owner
Sunbeam espoused back when it bought the station -- you remember, the
one that said anchor longevity and familiarity with the market really
didn't matter?  Well, in a Boston Herald interview, Price noted that
the WHDH newsroom isn't just "open-minded," it's also young, and it
needs a "graybeard" like himself to balance the news newcomers who, so
help us, "don't necessarily know where Worcester is."  

Well, we know where Worcester is, and we know who's the latest victim
of the Capstar cuts at WTAG (580).  Upton Bell's talk show there was
cancelled at the beginning of August, following by several months the
firings of much of the station's news staff.  NERW supposes this is a
good thing for Capstar shareholders, but we'd be surprised to find
many folks in Worcester who agree.

And as long as we're in Central Massachusetts, we'll note that
Marlborough's WHSH (Channel 66) has been granted a DTV CP on channel
23.  Also in Marlborough, WSRO (1470) is now running Doug Stephan's
"Good Day USA" in morning drive, with former station manager Dave
O'Gara doing local news inserts.

One belated Boston note: Congratulations to WXRV (92.5 Haverhill) for
the release of their "Live from the River Music Hall, Vol. I" CD.  The
"Music Hall" where performers like Ani DiFranco and Barenaked Ladies
played for the River's audience was the original performance studio
for WHAV (1490) -- and we can't imagine a better use for it!

And up the North Shore, WNSH (1570 Beverly) remains silent, while
owner Keating Willcox awaits a new (custom-built) Nautel transmitter
from Canada to replace the one that was fried by a lightning bolt.

*In CONNECTICUT, we note with sadness the passing of Vincent
DeLaurentis Sr., who founded WNHC-TV (Channel 6) in New Haven back in
1948, the predecessor of today's WTNH (Channel 8).  DeLaurentis later
went on to establish WDEE in Hamden, the ancestor of today's WQUN
(1220).  He was 83.

W11BJ in Hartford is still showing only color bars, the same exciting
program that's kept us glued to new W47BM here in Rochester.

Monroe's WMNR (88.1) is fighting a proposed Norwalk translator of KAWZ
Twin Falls, Idaho.  The KAWZ folks want to put their LPFM, I mean,
translator on 88.5.

And a correction: Mike Juliano is the new station manager at WPLR
(99.1 New Haven).

*Just in at press time from RHODE ISLAND is word that Keating Willcox
is adding WOON (1240 Woonsocket) to his station lineup.  WOON joins
WNSH Beverly, WPEP (1570 Taunton), and WMVU (900 Nashua).  More on
this one next week.

*In VERMONT, Steve Silverberg is adding to his New England
broadcasting empire by buying WWSR (1420) and WLFE (102.3) in
St. Albans for $500,000.  The seller is Roland Devost's New England
Broadcasting. 

W69DG in Burlington has applied to move to Claremont, New Hampshire,
with transmitter on Mount Ascutney.

*In NEW HAMPSHIRE, the Capstar doors keep swinging at WGIR-FM (101.1
Manchester) and WHEB (100.3 Portsmouth), and the latest to exit
through them is PD Glenn Stewart.  

Nashua's WSMN (1590) has a website at http://www.wsmn.com -- but don't
go looking for actual content there just yet.

And we understand Clark Smidt's WNNH (99.1 Henniker) is advertising
for salespeople, who would also sell under a consulting deal for WHOB
(106.3 Nashua).

*One MAINE note: The Islesboro CP on 105.5 has calls now, WAYD(FM).  

*Ratings: We wrap up the Spring 12+ Arbitrons with some of the smaller
markets, and let's start off in the Pine Tree state.  Bangor's WQCB
remains the country giant, dropping a bit but remaining on top,
followed by CHR WBZN, surging rocker WKIT, and (much to our surprise)
a three-way tie among nostalgia AM WABI, hot AC WKSQ, and talk WVOM.
In Augusta, country also leads the pack with WEBB/WTVL, followed by
CHR combo WMME/WEZW and oldies combo WABK/WIGY.  Rock is on top in
Portland, with WBLM remaining in first place, but country WPOR AM-FM
is gaining in second.  CHR WJBQ had a strong book, while the biggest
drop was posted by modern-rock WCYY/WCYI.  And in Lewiston/Auburn,
WBLM is also number one, followed by country WTHT and standards WLAM
AM/FM.  Dropping sharply was AC WMWX.

Over to Vermont, where country continues to top the Burlington book.
But while WOKO was a solid first-place, second place was claimed for
the first time by classic rock WCPV, thanks in large part to the
"Champ"'s acquisition of the "Corm and the Coach" morning show from
rock rival WIZN.  Despite adding Howard Stern in mornings, WIZN's
ratings plummeted.  

And among New York's smaller markets, we see some big changes this
time out.  Country WFRG still leads the Utica market, with WLZW, WOUR,
WIBX, and WKLL trailing -- but in Binghamton it's a big comedown for
the usual number-one country station, WHWK.  "The Hawk" lost more than
a third of its 12+ audience, allowing hot AC WMRV to pull ahead into
first place.  And while new country competitor WBBI debuted in tenth
place to account for some of the lost WHWK listenership, the rest
seems to have spread out along the dial, with rock WAAL and AC WMXW
also gaining.

Then there's Elmira-Corning, which probably shouldn't be a single
market -- and here's why: half the "market," Hornell and Bath in
western Steuben county, gets no signal at all from the other half,
Corning in eastern Steuben and Elmira in Chemung County.  And that
means that a shift in the way diaries are distributed in Steuben
county can really change the numbers.  At least, that's the best
explanation we can come up with for the sudden massive increase in
ratings for country WCKR in Hornell, which shot up from nowhere to
more than quintuple its 12+ ratings and land in second place, right
behind perennial market leader, CHR WNKI Corning.  Also showing big
gains was Bath's WVIN, while Elmira-Corning signals like CHR WLVY,
country WPGI, AC WENY-FM, and oldies WGMM all dropped.  We'd be most
interested in hearing from folks in that market about whether our
guesses are correct on this one.

*And we'll close this issue with a few web notes: The WRKO history
site that Shel Swartz works so hard to maintain has settled in at its
new address, http://big68.org.  Stop by and listen to some of the many
great airchecks archived there.  And better yet, there's a happy
ending to the story of John Kodis' Radio/TV Station Locator Page.
It's now in beta mode at the Elliott Broadcast Services site,
http://www.radiostation.com, where it joins Elliott's own search
engine for exploring the FCC database.  Another new tool for
manipulating the FCC data should be available in web form too, thanks
to Bob Carpenter down in the Washington, DC area.  We'll let you know
as soon as we find out!

*That's it for this week; see you again next Thursday!

- -=Scott Fybush - NorthEast Radio Watch - (c) 1998=-

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