WCRN apparently ups power, really changes format

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

Driving home from work this evening, I was listening to a repeat of Barry
Armstrong's morning show on WBNW 1120. (Couldn't tell whether WBNW was
running day power and pattern as it so often does at night.) As you may
know, Armstrong syndicates a lot of WBNW's programming to other stations.
His own 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM show (I think it's called Money Matters) is on
an eight-station network (WBNW, 930 and 1540 in NH--that is, WGI<whatever>,
WESX, WJDA, WCRN, WADK, and WPLM (AM)). Armstrong was talking about how WCRN
now has a new format and new higher power. (He did not say 50 kW, which
probably means that WCRN is operating at some higher daytime power than the
former 7 kW but not yet at 50 kW.) I haven't checked out the new daytime
signal because it was after dark when I was driving home and the sun won't
rise for another 7-1/2 hours. But I did check out the new format. It sounds
just like Legends 1540 on WPTR, but WCRN is using some other name for it
which I didn't catch (little bit of phasing at the wrong time). Obviously,
WCRN breaks that format at least from 9:00 AM to 11:00 AM for Armstrong's
show, or Armstrong wouldn't have mentioned WCRN.

A couple months back, Bob Bittner asked on LTAR if anyone could name a
station that had dropped a Christian format in favor of a secular format.
WCRN hadn't yet done it at the time but it certainly isn't unique in having
done so. WPTR did it, and closer to home, so did both WNRB and WMKI. And
whomever Bob had on as a guest that Sunday pointed out that Bob himself had
switched WJIB from Gospel to secular music. Had Bob already forgotten, or
was he playing a game with the audience? Bob's not talking.

Anyhow, it's hard to believe that Carter can be making as much money running
what seems to be commercial-free nostalgia on WCRN as he was when he ran
brokered religion. But then, people made the same comment when the Crawford
stations, including WPTR, KLZ, and KAAM, made a similar switch. If what it
takes to keep the NOS format on the air are blind faith, a religious
commitment, and hard-drive automation, all I can say is Amen, bother!