Re: NERW 3/24: WFAU Loses A Tower, WFNX Gains A State, NERW VisitsCalifornia...

[Sptseditor@aol.com]

In a message dated 3/25/00 9:04:04 PM Eastern Standard Time, 
RockTheGlobe@aol.com writes:

<< The one upside to this is that anyone in the Providence and eastern 
 Connecticut areas who listens strictly to alternative will finally have 
 something to listen to on Sundays, at least after FNX's jazz show ends at 
 2PM... >>

What does WBRU program on Sundays?

<< My question is not about what the BCN people think about this, my question 
is 
what the BRU people think about this.  BRU and FNX have virtually identical 
playlists, the same "we're the cutting edge alternative station" mentality, 
and both have been around for a long long time. >>

I thought of WBCN off the top of my head but you are indeed right about WBRU. 
However, it's not owned by a commercial company. (Isn't it owned by a 
non-profit which in some way is related to Brown?) I don't think WBRU will 
simply flip formats if 103.7 beats them in a book or two. And I would think 
that the Providence advertisers would be loyal to WBRU to some degree. (The 
programming of each station is equal, and sometimes I think WBRU's college 
jocks are more professional-sounding than the rather goofy-sounding folks at 
'FNX.

Still, I think Providence is too large of a market to have a station being 
piped in from 60 miles up the road with little local input. When the 
Providence station has a signal that covers nearly twice as much ground as 
the primary, I don't think it should be relegated to repeater status. 
(Although I am sure Mindich, who has the Providence Phoenix, will be a little 
more careful to make WRX more than a repeater.)

-Sean