Re: WWZN adds programming

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

Steve Ordinetz writes:
> I often wondered that with WBZ.  I can't imagine much of David
> Brudnoy's audience (who gets pre-empted most) sticking around for a
> Bruins game.  Doesn't WPLM get into Boston pretty well?  I know they
> had a fairly good signal here in southern N.H. until WNNH came on.

Of course, Campbell Sports doesn't hold Bruins rights anymore (and WPLM is
not on their network). When I lived in South Boston, I found the WPLM signal
to be somewhat unstable, as were many signals of stations not beamed from
the Pru (WCRB was a perfect example). I remember trying to listen to a Sox
game on 99.1 once and found myself barely able to haul in the signal.

As far as WBZ, the whole Bruins deal is part of Infinity's attempt to corner
the Boston sports market (and horde sports rights in general). A guesstimate
would be that they own rights (or, in the case of the Rangers and Knicks,
provide the time for MSG Radio to lease out) to 80 to 100 top-level pro
franchises. I would imagine that hockey probably appeals to an older demo
(well, at least a demo more similar to WBZ's core audience than the Patriots
were). I am sure WBZ is also attractive to the Bruins thanks to the signal
that's "CRANKING 50,000 WATTS OF POWER".