NorthEast Radio Watch 8/20: Non-Compete - The Battle Continues

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

*Not so fast, Paul!  That's the message MASSACHUSETTS lawmakers are
sending to acting Governor Paul Cellucci a week after he signed a bill
outlawing non-compete contracts in the Bay State.  The New England
Broadcasters Association is one of several groups vowing to fight the
bill's constitutionality.  NERW will keep you posted as this battle
works its way through the court.

WCAT (700 Orange) and WCAT-FM (99.9 Athol) are being sold.  Jean and
Richard Partridge's P&S Broadcasting (yep, the folks responsible for
the unfortunate "WPNS" call letters on the AM a decade ago!) are
selling to Jeffrey Shapiro, who pays $850,000 to add WCAT to his
tri-state broadcast group.  

The Mike Barnicle controversy reached fever pitch at the Boston Globe,
with the veteran columnist resigning Wednesday amidst allegations that
he made up characters who appeared in a 1995 column.  Barnicle keeps
his job at WCVB (Channel 5).

We enjoyed watching C-SPAN's rebroadcasts Tuesday of the Howie Carr
show from WRKO and the David Brudnoy show from WBZ.  In fact, we
enjoyed the Brudnoy show so much, we called in to talk with the Boston
Herald's publisher about the paper's redesign, which debuts next
Monday.

Carr, meantime, is embroiled in a nasty shouting match with Don Imus.
It started when Carr began poking fun at Imus' age, and escalated when
Imus accused Carr's wife, Kathy, of having an affair with boxer
Riddick Bowe.  Now Kathy Carr has hired publicity-shy lawyer Alan
Dershowitz to file a libel suit...

WBPS (890 Dedham) has been transferred from TSG Associates II to
Z-Spanish Media.  Could a format change be next?

If the Boston Celtics ever start playing this fall, their games will
be seen on WABU (Channel 68), moving from last season's broadcasts on
WSBK (Channel 38).  

"Olives' Table" is off the air.  WBZ (1030) has replaced the food show
with more David Brudnoy, returning Bruds' show to the full 7-midnight
slot on Fridays.