NorthEast Radio Watch 8/28: Moncton Radio Explodes

[Scott D Fybush <fybush@world.std.com>]

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--------------------------NorthEast Radio Watch--------------------------
                             August 28, 2000

IN THIS ISSUE:

*CANADA: CRTC Authorizes Five New FMs in Moncton
*CONNECTICUT: The Big D Turns 4-0
*MASSACHUSETTS: Schedule Changes at WMEX

-----------------------------by Scott Fybush-----------------------------
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*Keeping track of Canadian radio stations used to be easy -- no more
than a dozen stations in even the largest market, with format and call
changes taking place at the rate of perhaps one or two per market per
year.

The past week in NEW BRUNSWICK seems to throw the old order
completely out the window, with no fewer than six new stations and an
AM-to-FM move being authorized by the CRTC.  

Here's how it plays out: In Moncton, both existing commercial
broadcasters are getting new frequencies.  Maritime Broadcasting
System, owner of country CKCW (1220) and oldies CFQM (103.9), gets to
move CKCW to FM with 19kw on 94.5.  Atlantic Stereo, owner of rock
CJMO (103.1), gets to add a new station on 96.9 with 100kw, also
approved with a country format (though the CRTC notes that one of the
two is likely to change away from country before both stations take
the air).  NERW notes here that CKCW's move to FM restores the country
format to the band where it was found before last year's format swap
took 1220 to country and 103.9 to oldies.  [We're also wondering what
will become of CJCW, the 590 kHz outlet in Sussex that relayed CKCW's
programming to the areas west of Moncton in the 1220 null...]

But wait; there's still more new radio coming to Moncton!  On 99.9,
Denis Losier was granted a license for a 9500 watt French-language
commercial outlet, the first in Moncton since the 1985 demise of CHLR
(1380).  Losier will operate the station in conjunction with CKCW and
CFQM, with Maritime Broadcasting owning 49% and using its studios on
St. George Boulevard for the new 99.9.

Want religion?  You'll have that, too, when two low-power Moncton
stations sign on.  At 100.9, James Houssen was granted a 50 watt
station, while the International Harvesters for Christ Evangelical
Association (why do we have this image of ministers on big farm
tractors?) was granted 50 watts on 105.9.

Over in Saint John, New Brunswick Broadcasting will soon have a second
station to help its CHSJ (94.1) compete against Maritime's
three-station group.  The CRTC granted 97.3 with 55 kw for a new AC
station.  An hour away in St. Stephen, just across the water from
Calais, Maine, New Brunswick Broadcasting gets another new station: 40
kilowatts on 98.1, with a mix of AC and country.  

When all the dust settles, New Brunswick will be left with just four
commercial AM stations: CJVA 810 Caraquet, CKNB 950 Campbellton, and
CKBC 1360 Bathurst in the northern part of the province, and CFBC 930
in Saint John.  (CJCW might be a fifth, if it doesn't go away when
CKCW moves to FM.)  We wonder if the CBC will now feel pressure to
move Moncton's CBA (1070) to FM, now that it stands alone as the last
AM in town.  (If so, the 90.7B frequency remains open for it...)

And this we know: Once all this new radio is on the air, we'll be
headed back up to the Maritimes for a listen...

*Elsewhere in CANADA, Cooperative Radio Ville-Marie Outaouais applies
for an 800 watt station on 97.9 in Hull, Quebec, to relay the French
religion of its CIRA (91.3 Montreal) to the National Capital Region.
Meanwhile in Toronto, CJEZ (97.3) adds the US-based Delilah show at
night, joining Montreal's CFQR (92.5) on the network.

*Congratulations to CONNECTICUT's WDRC-FM (102.9 Hartford), which just
marked its fortieth anniversary with a reunion of "Big D" staffers.
Our ears in the Nutmeg State tell us the "Big D" nickname is slowly
going away, supplanted by "Oldies 103 DRC-FM."

Our best wishes go out to Tracy Austin, PD of WKSS (95.7 Hartford), as
she undergoes a double hip replacement.  MD Mike McGowan handles
acting PD duties during the month or so she's away from the station.

The New England Patriots are changing stations in two Connecticut
markets, moving from Hartford's WZMX (93.7) to WTIC (1080) and from
Groton's WSUB (980) to WAXK (102.3 Stonington).  We're told the Pats
will go back to WZMX for the games that conflict with the Red Sox.

Marc "Sparky" Bramhall checked in to report the death of Ralph Kanna
August 19 at age 90.  Kanna worked at the old WONS (now WPOP 1410),
then served as the founding PD at WKNB-TV (Channel 30), today's
WVIT-TV.  He later taught at St. Joseph's College and the University
of Hartford.

The side effects of the AMFM/Clear Channel deal are finally being felt
for real in southern Connecticut, as Cox closes on its big trade with
Clear Channel.  Put WNLK/WSTC, WEFX, WKHL, WPLR, and the LMA of
WYBC-FM in the Cox column, while Clear Channel walks away with Los
Angeles' KFI/KOST in trade (giving up stations in Florida and Atlanta
to Cox as well...what, you think the only I-A clear channel in the #2
market comes cheap?)

*We hear RHODE ISLAND's northernmost AM, WICE (550 Pawtucket), has
parted ways with morning talker Mike Butts.

*Some changes in the talk lineups in MASSACHUSETTS, as WMEX (1060
Natick) moves Marjorie Clapprood back to 9-noon (displacing Frankie
Boyer to weekends), officially acknowledges that Jerry Williams
doesn't work there anymore, and puts Dr. Joy Browne's syndicated show
in the noon-2 PM slot, followed by Gene Burns 2-5 and Upton Bell 5-7.

Meanwhile over at WTKK (96.9 Boston), "Rona at Night" and the David
Gold show are replaced in late nights by Lionel and "RonAndFez.Com."

Up in Lowell, WCAP (980) is fighting a $1,500 fine from OSHA.  The
Lowell Sun reports the station was cited for blocked emergency exits
and the use of flexible electrical wiring in spaces under floors and
behind walls where more permanent wiring is supposed to go.  WCAP
owner Maurice Cohen tells the paper the OSHA investigation was spurred
by a disgruntled ex-employee, to which NERW can only say, "Wasn't this
one!"  (Anyway, we never had any trouble finding the way to the
emergency exit -- it was just out back behind the 1936-vintage
refrigerator and the transcription lathe!)

There's a new PD at Worcester's WXLO (104.5 Fitchburg), as Chase
Murphy comes up from Charleston's WSSX to take the chair.  Back to
morning drive at the station is Frank Foley, who just left a month or
so ago.

Could it include a World Series?  Too soon to tell, but WEEI (850
Boston) has signed up to continue as flagship of the Red Sox network
through the 2005 season.  

*We hear from NEW HAMPSHIRE that Trey McKain has been promoted to
assistant PD at WBHG (101.5 Meredith).

*Cumulus is flipping things around in Central MAINE, or so the folks
at All Access report this week.  WCME (96.7 Boothbay Harbor) and WCTB
(93.5 Fairfield) are dropping their country simulcast for sports as
"The Score," which leads us to wonder:  is this what Cumulus meant
when it said it would find a new FM simulcast for its WSKW (1160
Skowhegan)?  More to the point, since Cumulus still hasn't closed on
the deal transferring WSKW's former simulcast, WHQO (107.9 Skowhegan),
to Maine Public Broadcasting, what the heck is on 107.9 now?  (Come to
think of it, it's been too long since we've heard from our readers up
in the Augusta area...hit those dials, folks!)

*More Clear Channel/AMFM spinoff deals are closing in NEW YORK, as
Regent officially adds a stack of Albany licenses to its portfolio.
Joining the company are WTMM (1300 Rensselaer), WGNA (1460/107.7
Albany), WABT (104.5 Mechanicville), WQBK (103.9 Rensselaer), and WQBJ
(103.5 Cobleskill).  Regent also gets some Michigan spin-offs, in
exchange for its clusters in Ohio and California.  Now come the
format changes...

Clear Channel also announced (but has not closed on) one more spin
from the Hudson Valley cluster it's assembling.  WBPM (94.3 Kingston)
won't enter the Clear Channel family from Roberts Radio; instead,
it'll go to Concord Media with the other stations Clear Channel had to
spin in Hudson and Catskill.  $4.6 million is the price we're
hearing...

One more bit of Clear Channel/Albany news: The new calls on 102.3
Ballston Spa, lately WXCR, are WKKF.  Hey, it sounds vaguely like
"Kiss," doesn't it?

Downstate, we hear the "WHPW" being heard on 1690 around Staten Island
is a part-15 compliant operation running from four very low-power
transmitters along the island's shores.  WHPW will soon start running
EWTN Catholic programming during the week, with community programs on
the weekends.

In Syracuse, we hear WNSS (1260) has finally rebuilt the two towers in
its four-tower array that went down in that Labor Day 1998 storm.
Guess we need to head east soon...