Re: Duplication rules

["A. Joseph Ross" <lawyer@world.std.com>]

Joseph Gallant wrote:
 
> I believe AM/FM combos where the AM was a daytimer were completly
> exempt from the rules (i.e. the old WLKW-FM in Providence could also
> be simulcast on AM for the full time the AM was on, even though
> Providence had a population of over 100,000, because the AM was a
> daytimer).

That would explain WXHR, I suppose. 
 
> Because it's city of license was Brookline--which had a population of
> 45,000 then, maybe 52,000 now--WBOS-FM and the then WBOS-AM were
> exempt. The AM drifted into ethnic programming as WUNR a couple of
> years later, but not because of the simulcast rules. Instead, WBOS
> didn't see much of a future on AM for beautiful-music, but thought
> the format had a great future on FM (stereo sound, wider frequency-
> response, etc.) and thus, kept BM on the FM and turned the AM into
> an ethnic format (It should be noted that for part of the 1960's,
> most of WBOS-AM's Sunday programming consisted of various ethnic
> shows that weren't simulcast on the FM--the FM had the WBOS "Music
> Theatre" easy-listening format).

Actually, WBOS was doing ethnic programming on AM much sooner than that. 
Even in the late 50s, they did a lot of ethnic programming, especially on
Sunday, but on other days, too.  "Music Theater" started on weekday
afternoons for a few hours and expanded from there.  The plan from the
start was that the FM would do Music Theater exclusively, while the AM
would break away for a few hours on weekdays and all day on Sunday for
ethnic programming, and that's what happened.

When WBOS-FM came on the air, Music Theater ran from 6 AM to 7 PM (I think)
on AM, then resumed after 10 PM.  The FM continued with Music Theater from
7 to 10 PM, while the AM did ethnic programming.

There were a number of efforts at separate FM programming on combo
stations, even before the FCC required it.  WBZ-FM had separate programs
from the late 50s at least.  WCOP-FM had separate classical music programs
for about a year and a half from late 1960 through mid 1962. WBOS separate
programs I've already talked about.  WKOX-FM started separate programming
from about 4:30 PM until sign off, and at first didn't even simulcast the
AM (They were just off the air during the day.).  When they began
simulcasting, during the summer, they still started at 4:30 PM, while the
AM continued separately until sign off.  WHAV-FM in Haverhill was
completely separate programming, with a beautiful music format, from about
1959 or so, except for some late night programming on weekdays and some
Sunday programming.  And WXHR was originally operated as a separate FM
station, even though it was co-owned with WTAO 740.  Then, when they went
to a simulcast, around 1965 or so, it was the AM that took over the FM
classical programming and call letters.

And then there was WUPY/WUPI, which we discussed here a few weeks ago.
 
> The rules were abolished in 1985, again allowing unlimited simulcasts.
> I believe only one large-market exception was ever made: WQXR-AM(now,
> for the moment, WQEW)/FM New York.

I have a book on the history of WQXR, which says that the exception for
WQXR originated with a Washington, D.C. classical station.  Apparently some
powerful Congressman was upset at the loss of his favorite classical
programming on AM.  At the time, the New York Times found separate
programming not viable and had the stations on the market.  When the
Washington, D.C. station got its exception, the Times took the stations off
the market and applied for the same exception, which they got.
- -- 
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 A. Joseph Ross, J.D.                                     617.367.0468
 15 Court Square                                  lawyer@world.std.com
 Boston, MA 02108-2503                   http://world.std.com/~lawyer/
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