Northern New York radio observations

["Gavin B. Burt" <prospect@email.msn.com>]

My family and I were in Malone, N.Y. this weekend and I wanted to give
fellow radio folks a little report on the radio stations of that area.  To
start off, Malone radio was all in all depressing, with WICY (AM 1490,
Oldies) and WVNV (96.5 FM, Country) both satellite all weekend long.  There
was no one at the stations (which are co-owned) when I stopped by on
Saturday and Sunday.

Another downer was also co-owned WYUL, 94.7 FM, which is licensed to nearby
Chateaugay, N.Y.  WYUL has its tower on Lyon Mountain (about twenty miles
south of Chateaugay), and is currently simulcasting the satellite CHR sounds
of WYSX, 98.7 FM, from Ogdensburg, N.Y.  Many may remember WYUL as stunting
on and off for a year or so (maybe longer), and even saying they would go
oldies, before they began simulcasting WYSX in September of this year.

I should also add that there is little doubt in my mind that WYUL and WYSX
are entirely aimed at Canada.  They claim to have sales offices in
Brockville and Cornwall, Ontario, and give weather reports entirely in
centigrade.  Further more, they gave the "Thanksgiving weather forecast" on
Columbus Day weekend (obviously it wasn't Thanksgiving in America), and
their legal I.D. is said so quickly and at a softer tone, I could barely
catch it.

Well, on to a more positive listen in the area.  CKON (97.3 FM, Diversified)
is the St. Regis Indian Reservation station, and is apparently licensed to
Akwesasne, Ontario (although that is listed in the Broadcasting and Cable
Yearbook, but not on any online search databases, and not in my M Street
Radio Directory).  Well, no matter where they're from, they were live all
the time I heard them.  They were also on in more than one restaurant near
Malone, and their bumper stickers could be found throughout the Saint
Lawrence Valley.  They gave a mix of country and oldies (and I think they
run other formats), and were a delight to listen to.  I can almost say that
they were the best listen of all the stations that were coming in there.
Funny the best radio has to come from a sovereign state, and not from the
U.S. or Canada.

While I won't go into great detail about this, I found many Montreal,
Ottawa, and Cornwall stations coming in around Malone.  I did enjoy the
sounds of Oldies CKGM from Montreal (at 990), and that seemed to be about it
from Canada for me (I apologize if that sounds too narrow and boring).

Ok, before I wrap this tedious report up, I wanted to say that I ran one 90
minute aircheck of CKON during their Country gold show on Sunday morning.
If anyone is interested, send me an e-mail.  Until my next report, stay
tuned!

Gavin Burt
Albany, New York

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