Re: Langer Sells WSRO

["Sean Smyth" <ssmyth@suscom.net>]

Sven writes:
> On Thu, 31 Oct 2002, Laurence Glavin wrote:
> > WARE-like waste of $$$$$$$ for someone.
>
> Not necessarily.  Remember that Multicultural specializes in leased-access
> format stations.  With few exceptions, most of the Multicultural
> properties don't have paid airstaffs. So that's a big savings right there.

A couple problems with this.

1. Even if the WSRO CP does go through, how good of a signal will they
really have? There are sure to be some interference issues at some level
with 1510, especially since the COL (Watertown) would be *very* close to the
Zone's transmitter site. I would imagine there could be some bad
interference issues, especially in the Waverly area. (Of course I am not an
engineer and I am sure Dan will correct me if I am wrong).

2. Ethnic lease-time already has decent-signaled outlets on 740 (part-time),
950 (part-time), 1200, 1330, 1550 and 1600. (I am pulling 1360 out of the
mix here due to the impending sale and its current //WUMB-FM) This is not
counting the two Mega stations right in the city (plus their 'translators'
in Lowell and Lawrence) nor 1410 in Brockton or the miniscule amount of
leased ethnic programming some other stations (such as WJDA) run -- nor the
programming airing on some of the community/college stations. How much of a
market can their be for leased ethnic programming? Yes, I understand there's
many ethnic groups in Boston, but some of them are already receiving a fair
amount of hours programmed on stations such as WMBR and WMFO. With all the
above-mentioned AM stations, excluding the Mega properties, you have 900 to
1000 hours of leased ethnic programming available each week on Boston-area
radio stations (a guess). At some point, the market has to reach a
saturation level.

We have seen ethnic leased-time stations come and go in the market. Of
course, WRCA and WLYN and WUNR have been at the game for years and years and
years now, but some other minor bit players have come and gone (1510, 1060,
etc.). Someone is eventually gonna get the short shift and not be able to
cut it as brokered ethnic.