Re: WKNE/ WKVT Sold to Saga?

["brian anastasi" <bananastasi@rcn.com>]

"Adam Rivers" <patriotsrule417@yahoo.com>
wrote on Wednesday, February 20, 2002 9:28 AM

> Let's hope Sega doesn't screw either of the stations
> up.  (WKNE/WKVT)

When Saga bought WHMP-AM in Northampton, the former WHAI-AM in Greenfield,
and the former WAQY-AM in Springfield/East Longmeadow, they set up a
"Pioneer Valley Network."  In a way this works and in a way this doesn't.
The way it works is that it unites the whole Valley on regional issues,
which is especially useful for political issues (such as the current
proposals to pay for the Big Dig, which involves the Mass Pike out here).
The way it doesn't work is that the Pioneer Valley has all three types of
population bases:  the dense city population of Springfield, the suburban
feel of Northampton/Amherst, and the still (in many ways) ultra rural
Greenfield and surrounding Franklin County.  These three areas couldn't be
more different, and each have their own unique issues, and "uniting" them is
strange at best.  Let's hope that Saga doesn't try extending this "Pioneer
Valley Network" to the WKVT-AM and WKNE-AM.

Brian Anastasi