Re: Fwd: Re: WBOQ (FM) Sold (All in the Family)

[Aaron Read <aread@speakeasy.net>]

At 05:25 PM 3/11/2003 -0500, Laurence Glavin wrote:
> >DATE: Tue, 11 Mar 2003 08:35:33
> >From: "Sid Schweiger" <sid@wrko.com>
> >To: <lawyer@attorneyross.com>, boston-radio->interest@bostonradio.org
>
>
> >With WRBB also on 104.9, it ain't gonna happen.
>
>
>How's this for a scenario:  when WGBH moves to the Cedar
>St., Needham stick and doesn't need 96.3 any more, WRBB
>changes to that frequency opening up WBOQ to a non-DA, and
>maybe a little more power (the class 'A's no longer
>restricted to 6KW@328').
>
>Laurence Glavin

Besides needing a 3rd-adjacent protection waiver not likely to be granted 
by either the FCC nor WTKK...WGBH has no plans to give up the translator 
(this from a knowledgeable source on the inside).   First because they know 
full well that while Needham will give them a better downtown Boston 
signal...it still won't be a GOOD downtown Boston signal.   You don't go to 
Needham to get downtown, you go on the Pru to get downtown.   Stations go 
to Needham to get wider area coverage over all of eastern Mass.

Even if they did sell it, it'd most likely be bought by WBUR  - who has 
lamented for years about a weak downtown signal.  WBUR could offer far more 
to WGBH (either in cash or other means) than WRBB ever could.

As to why the waiver wouldn't be granted...the translator originally went 
online in 1991 IIRC, before the era of massive consolidation and before 
decisions where always made solely at the corporate level.  Since WRBB is 
slightly higher power than W242AA, there's no reason why WTKK should allow 
it, and at least a small reason why NOT to.   Plus the FCC is not allowing 
ANYTHING in the way of major changes to Class D stations until everything 
with LPFM is sorted out.  Minor changes are, of course, allowed...but not 
major.


Personally, I've been meaning for some time to try a late-night experiment 
and have WRBB (104.9) and WBRS (100.1) switch frequencies for an hour or 
two and see what happens.   Probably not much...WBRS is actually only a 
half-mile or so further from WBOQ than WRBB is...and WRBB would still have 
to deal with a powerful 3rd adjacent right on the Pru (although then it'd 
only be one 3rd adjacent so close...since WKLB is in Lowell).    WBRS would 
get a lot of their western coverage back after losing it to co-channel WWFX 
(Worcester) but would lose any Boston-proper coverage they enjoy now.

FWIW, technically WBRS is operating without a license...well, their last 
license renewal request in 1997 was "deferred".  Nobody knows exactly why 
it was deferred or what will happen, although I've been told it was because 
of LPFM...I suspect it's more likely due to their modification of license 
in 1995 - I think the modification was either what allowed them to go to 25 
watts TPO/ERP or perhaps they changed to a four-bay antenna, or perhaps the 
wave-spacing was changed.  I don't know for sure...I'm just guessing based 
off the Application info I've pulled from the FCC's FM Query.   Does anyone 
(Scott?) know the full story?


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Aaron "Bishop" Read             aread@speakeasy.net
FriedBagels Consulting          AOL-IM: readaaron
http://www.friedbagels.com      Boston, MA