NorthEast Radio Watch 10/9: Clear Channel Gets Jacor

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

*After months of rumors about a sale to CBS or Chancellor, Jacor was
finally sold this week -- to Clear Channel.

The $4.4 billion dollar deal creates a broadcast giant with more than
450 radio stations around the country, plus television, billboards,
and international operations.  But for listeners and viewers in the
NERW region, it's likely to have little effect.  

Neither group has been a major player in most of NERW-land; Jacor's
only outlets in the area are its Rochester-area radio stations
(news-talk WHAM 1180, talk-sports WHTK 1280, modern rock WNVE 95.1
S. Bristol/W238AB Rochester, hot AC WVOR 100.5, soft rock WISY 102.3
Canandaigua/WYSY 106.7 Irondequoit, and dance-CHR WMAX-FM 107.3
Honeoye Falls), while Clear Channel has TV in Albany (Fox WXXA 23) and
radio in Springfield (news-talk WHYN 560, AC WHYN-FM 93.1, and
newly-acquired talker WNNZ 640), New Haven (news-talk WELI 960,
standards WAVZ 1300, and CHR WKCI 101.3 Hamden), and Providence (oldies WWBB
101.5 and classic rock WWRX 103.7 Westerly).

Clear Channel says Jacor will continue to operate as a separate
company under Randy Michaels, so little change is expected at the
Rochester stations.

*On with the rest of this week's news, beginning in MASSACHUSETTS,
where one of the legends of Boston talk radio is going off the air.
Jerry Williams helped create the genre in the sixties and seventies,
rode it to unprecedented success at WRKO (680) in the eighties, and
ended up relegated to weekend duty in the last few years.  Entercom's
takeover of WRKO doesn't come with Jerry -- his contract is with prior
owner ARS and didn't get transferred with the station.  Entercom's now
trying to find a way to get Williams back for a farewell show; it's
likely he'll find another permanent home at a different station
sometime soon.

Another WRKO talker is faring much better under the new ownership;
Entercom will soon syndicate afternoon guy Howie Carr to its Seattle
FM talker, KIRO-FM (100.7), in addition to his current New England
network of stations.

New calls weren't enough for Webster's 98.9.  The former WXXW, now
WORC-FM, wants to change city of license to Spencer.  With a new
transmitter site near route 49 northwest of Charlton, WORC-FM would
put a much more potent signal into Worcester if it gets the go-ahead
from the FCC.

Hmmm...we wonder whether WBZ had a hand in the interference-reduction
agreement that finds WBNN (1030) leaving the air in Union City,
Indiana and surrendering its license and calls?  WBNN was a 330-watt
daytimer, and somewhere around here we have a tape of them signing off
and WBZ booming in, as heard in Fort Wayne a few years back.

Out west, Glenn Stewart is the new PD of WAQY (102.1 Springfield/1600
East Longmeadow), moving there on Monday from his 9-year gig at
WHEB-FM (100.3 Portsmouth NH).  And we hear $1.2 million was the sale
price for Clear Channel's takeover of WNNZ (640 Westfield).

On the TV dial, another top staffer at WHDH (Channel 7) is jumping
ship.  Managing editor Gerry Wardwell is headed for WCVB (Channel 5)
as executive producer of the noon and early-evening shows, just two
weeks after WCVB EP John Davidow went over to WBZ (Channel 4) to
become assistant news director.

*Don Imus was in MAINE this morning, doing his Friday show in Bangor
with the help of affiliate WWMJ (95.7 Ellsworth).  His New England
trip started Thursday with a Burlington visit for WXPS (96.7
Vergennes).

One call change to report in the Pine Tree State, as WAVX (106.9
Thomaston) joins the W-Bach family and becomes WBQX, matching sisters
WBQQ (99.3 Kennebunk) and WBQW (106.3 Scarborough).

Congratulations to Randi Kershbaum, midday host at WMGX (93.1
Portland), on her new twins!  She's off the air for two months, and
then she'll do the show from home until the new year.

*Two NEW HAMPSHIRE stations have new calls this week.  930 in
Rochester and 1540 in Exeter have been simulcasting WGIR (610
Manchester) for a few weeks anyway, and now the former WZNN and WMYF
have the new calls WGIN and WGIP, respectively, to match.