Re: NorthEast Radio Watch 11/5: Big Bird Gets to Live

["David W. Harris" <dwh@totalnetnh.net>]

>From NERW 11/5/99:

> MPBN says it needed the money to convert its statewide
> transmitter network to digital -- or else face the prospect of going
> off the air in a few years.  Whether or not you believe MPBN's scare
> tactics...
>
MPBN!  How those letters bring a smile to my lips! You mean MPBC, of
course.  As a name in broadcasting, MPBN is deader than Knight or
Westinghouse.  It was way back in 1992 that Maine Public Broadcasting
Network and Colby-Bates-Bowdoin Educational Telecasting Corporation
pooled resources to become the Maine Public Broadcasting Corporation.
At that time what had been known as MPBN Radio became Maine Public Radio
while MPBN Television and WCBB became Maine Public Television (now
called Maine PBS).

"This is MPBN Radio."  "Coming up on MPBN Radio..."  "Programming on
MPBN Radio is made possible by..."  Although we no longer hear of MPBN
Radio, one of my acquaintances still refers to MPR as "Amphibian
Radio."  Think of the possibilities..."Whether you're on the land or in
the water, Amphibian Radio goes where you go.  Coming up...another great
one from Clarence 'Frogman' Henry and news at the top of the hour from
Kermit.  Right now...a classic from Burl Ives: Froggy Went A-Courtin'."