Down East Radio Notes

[Rod O'Connor]

While down in the Eastport, Campobello area earlier this week, had a
chance to check out a few of the border area raeio stations.

WCRQ 102.9 was recently bought out by WQDY, and although their format
remains contemporary hits, they have change to a new slogan/moniker
"Border 102.9" from their old "Today's best music CRQ". They are also
IDing at the top of the hour as "WCRQ-FM Dennysville, Calais, Saint
Stephen". Very few ads, a few voice-tracked liners and promos. Hopefully
WQDY will pump some life into them.

Co-owned WQDY 92.7 remains "Classic hits 92.7 nd 95.3." They are now
relayed   24-hours on WALZ 95.3 Machias. There is no longer a separate
morning local broadcast from the WALZ Marshfield (Machias) studio. And,
as was noted in NERW a few months back their AM-1230 is off the air. 

CHTD "The Tide" 98.1 Saint Stephen NB is now IDing itself as "The Tide
98.1 Saint Stephen, Calais"  Although I am not a real country music fan,
I actually enjoyed the station as they are live and feature local news
and play a good mix of US and Canadian artists..They even come in quite
well here on Mount Desert Island, especially considering their rather
short (300-foot) FM Tower just across the river from Calais.

Didn't hear a peep out of WSHD 91.7 from Shead High School in Eastport,
and this was during the afternoon and after school hours. But then, the
station has maintained a very sporadic schedule. and is off the air far
more than on air.

And still no sign of WPMO 93.7 Millbridge. No new towers looming up
along the shores of Pleasant Bay where the FCC database shows their
proposed transmitter site. I'm not holding my breath on this one.

Rod O'Connor
Southwest Harbor, Maine