WMEX to end all-local talk

["Dan Strassberg" <Dan.Strassberg@worldnet.att.net>]

What had been a unique experiment in the year 2000--a talk station that was
100% locally programmed (except for one hour on Saturdays)--is succumbing to
the satellite-syndication trend. WMEX 1060 will be getting some of its
weekday programming off the bird. Beginning Monday 8/28, the 40-kW daytimer
is revamping its daily and weekend lineups to make room for psychologist Dr
Joy Browne from the WOR network in New York. Browne, who began her radio
career in Boston close to 30 years ago on the _old_ "new WMEX" 1510 has been
heard recently on Lowell's WCAP. No word on whether WCAP will continue to
carry Browne's program; the 1060 signal is quite good in Lowell during the
hours the program will air--M-F noon to 2:00 PM.

To make room for Browne, Marjorie Clapprood moves one hour earlier; her show
will air from 9:00 AM to noon, and Gene Burns moves to one hour later (2:00
to 5:00 PM). Upton Bell's program loses an hour; it will air from 5:00 PM to
7:00 PM (in September anyhow; come October 1, the station drops power so low
at Philadelphia sunset--15 minutes after Framingham sunset in most
months--that the station is lucky to cover the bowling alley next door to
its Mt Wayte Ave TX and the Framingham Municipal Incinerator across the
street). What will become of Bell's program in November, December, and
January, when Philadelphia sunset falls at or before 5:00 PM, is unclear. A
months or so ago, WMEX owner Alex Langer spoke on the air of WMEX staying on
at night after the first of the year, but so far, if the station has filed
any application to remain on the air beyond its current extended daytime
hours, which end two hours after Framingham sunset, I've seen no notice of
it in the daily FCC actions.

Also affected by the move is Frankie Boyer's Health and Fitness hour which
had aired from 9:00 to 10:00 AM M-F. The program is moving to weekends; it
is supposed to move to Saturdays and Sundays from noon to 2:00 PM. At least
one time-brokered program in WMEX's weekend lineup is not renewing. The
Collectibles Show with Gary Sohmers, which had been heard on Sundays from
10:00 AM to noon will end on 8/27 (apparently because WMEX raised its
rates). One program, Living Longer and Better, now rechristened the Boomer
Show, will be adding time. The program, which had aired on Saturdays from
noon to 2:00 PM will now be heard for two hours on both Saturdays and
Sundays, but I have not been able to learn the time. Other weekend shows
will apparently change days and/or times.

Stay tuned for further details.

--

Dan Strassberg, dan.strassberg@worldnet.att.net
Phone: 1-617-558-4205, eFax: 1-707-215-6367