Re: The Future of WBCN-- Talk????

[Mike Thomas <nostatic@earthlink.net>]

I visited the site Donna gave the link to and it seems to be a Howard Stern fan
site.  I have a hard time believing that this will happen, at least here in
Boston.  WBCN is one of the most profitable stations in the entire Infinity
chain.  I seriously doubt Uncle Mel is ready to mess with one of his biggest
cash cows.  So far, this format has rolled out on stations with perennial
ratings problems like WKRK-Detroit and soon, it seems WNEW-FM.  I can see WBCN
picking up a few shows off the bird, but I just can't see it going 24/7.
Besides, they would have to do something with Nik Carter--from what I
understand he has a long term contract with the station, and he has the highest
rated show there outside of Howard.  He would have to be in the mix somehow.
And what about the Patriot games?  WBCN is still under obligation to air those.

As far as trying to strong-arm stations into carrying an "Extreme Radio" format
or risk losing their Stern affiliation--can we say "Antitrust Violation?"
Unless there is some language in the various station contracts that allow for
this,  I think any attempt to do this may have some serious repercussions for
Infinity/CBS.  Also, I saw on All Access that WFNX is filing a lawsuit against
Infinity, charging that they yanked the Loveline program from FNX in favor of
BCN, thus breaking the contract Infinity had with FNX.  We'll have to see where
this one goes.

Mike Thomas
WXLO & Mediabase 24/7





Donna Halper wrote:

> Umm, anybody heard more about this?
>
> "The next station, after New York, that will probably be switched to the
>
> 24-hour "Extreme Radio" format CBS/Infinity is launching, will be Boston's
>
> WBCN-FM (another CBS/Infinity station). WBCN already has Stern and just
>
> started running "Loveline". Just before Labor Day--just as college students
>
> (who make up a large part of Boston's population between September and May)
>
> are returning to the city from summer break--WBCN will drop it's 31-year
>
> rock format for Extreme Radio."
>
> Read the rest at   <http://www.koam.lanminds.net/wnew.html>

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