From lglavin@mail.com Sun Oct 1 13:05:26 2006 From: lglavin@mail.com (Laurence Glavin) Date: Sun, 01 Oct 2006 12:05:26 -0500 Subject: Indecipherable Football Game On WBOQ Message-ID: <20061001170526.1553C1F50B1@ws1-2.us4.outblaze.com> >----- Original Message ----- >From: SteveOrdinetz >To: boston-radio-interest@rolinin.BostonRadio.org >Subject: Re: Indecipherable Football Game On WBOQ >Date: Sat, 30 Sep 2006 16:33:36 >I once worked at a station where the PBP guy (in this case it was >high school basketball) was deaf as a stump & cranked the output of >the mixer at the gym to the max so he could hear himself. Of >course, he was also overdriving the Marti or phone hybrid by doing >so. Maybe that's what was happening here. I thought I posted it early enough for others to catch and analyze. I'll be away next weekend or I'd definitely check to see if this was a one-time incident or is a problem with WBOQ's remote gear. -- ___________________________________________________ Play 100s of games for FREE! http://games.mail.com From lglavin@mail.com Sun Oct 1 13:09:42 2006 From: lglavin@mail.com (Laurence Glavin) Date: Sun, 01 Oct 2006 12:09:42 -0500 Subject: Donna Was On WBZ Last night Message-ID: <20061001170942.9F2971F50B1@ws1-2.us4.outblaze.com> Donna Halper was the guest on Jordan Rich's midnight-to-5:00-am WBZ show last night (or this morning to be technical). Her favorite phrase? "Don't get me started..." In other words she's such a font of information that she had to restrain herself for expatiating at length on a number of subjects within a one-hour appearance with commercials. True to WBZ's rep, calls came from distant outposts like Middleton, OH, Detroit, and an Oz-like domain known as Methuen, MA. -- ___________________________________________________ Play 100s of games for FREE! http://games.mail.com From dan.strassberg@att.net Sun Oct 1 13:25:52 2006 From: dan.strassberg@att.net (Dan Strassberg) Date: Sun, 1 Oct 2006 13:25:52 -0400 Subject: Donna Was On WBZ Last night References: <20061001170942.9F2971F50B1@ws1-2.us4.outblaze.com> Message-ID: <001101c6e57e$a93683c0$19eefea9@dstrassberg> Gee, Donna usually notifies the group in advance of her on-air appearances on major outlets. Did I miss her message to the list? -- Dan Strassberg, dan.strassberg@att.net eFax 707-215-6367 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Laurence Glavin" To: Sent: Sunday, October 01, 2006 1:09 PM Subject: Donna Was On WBZ Last night > Donna Halper was the guest on Jordan Rich's midnight-to-5:00-am WBZ show last night > (or this morning to be technical). Her favorite phrase? "Don't get me started..." > In other words she's such a font of information that she had to restrain herself > for expatiating at length on a number of subjects within a one-hour appearance > with commercials. True to WBZ's rep, calls came from distant outposts like > Middleton, OH, Detroit, and an Oz-like domain known as Methuen, MA. > > -- > ___________________________________________________ > Play 100s of games for FREE! http://games.mail.com > > From dlh@donnahalper.com Sun Oct 1 13:31:24 2006 From: dlh@donnahalper.com (Donna Halper) Date: Sun, 01 Oct 2006 13:31:24 -0400 Subject: Donna Was On WBZ Last night In-Reply-To: <20061001170942.9F2971F50B1@ws1-2.us4.outblaze.com> References: <20061001170942.9F2971F50B1@ws1-2.us4.outblaze.com> Message-ID: <7.0.1.0.2.20061001132953.041e2fe0@donnahalper.com> At 01:09 PM 10/1/2006, Laurence Glavin wrote: >Donna Halper was the guest on Jordan Rich's midnight-to-5:00-am WBZ >show last night >(or this morning to be technical). Her favorite phrase? "Don't get >me started..." I just hope I made some sense-- I have had a nasty case of bronchitis, and was concerned that my voice wouldn't hold out... But it was fun to talk a little radio history. I would have told everyone on the list except that just seems so egocentric and self-promoting... didn't want to seem like a jerk (any more so than usual!!!). From dlh@donnahalper.com Sun Oct 1 13:35:33 2006 From: dlh@donnahalper.com (Donna Halper) Date: Sun, 01 Oct 2006 13:35:33 -0400 Subject: Donna Was On WBZ Last night Message-ID: <7.0.1.0.2.20061001133352.041ee9c8@donnahalper.com> And yes, I know I've mentioned other appearances I was making, but there is a part B to this one: up until the last minute, I didn't know if I would have enough voice to go on the air-- I was supposed to be on with another guest from the symposium we are doing next Saturday in Marshfield, and he had to cancel due to being ill. There is a nasty case of something going around, and it took a lot of cough syrup and assorted cough drops for me to get through the show. I do hope I didn't sound horrible... From paulcurrier@adelphia.net Sun Oct 1 13:47:53 2006 From: paulcurrier@adelphia.net (Paul B. Currier) Date: Sun, 1 Oct 2006 13:47:53 -0400 Subject: Donna Was On WBZ Last night References: <20061001170942.9F2971F50B1@ws1-2.us4.outblaze.com> Message-ID: <001e01c6e581$b8c332e0$a7483518@DG07P241> Yes she was and a pleasure to hear. Wish I'd known ahead of time - missed the first half-hour or so. Donna - would you give us a heads up if you're going to be on? Thanks, Paul Sandwich ----- Original Message ----- From: "Laurence Glavin" To: Sent: Sunday, October 01, 2006 1:09 PM Subject: Donna Was On WBZ Last night > Donna Halper was the guest on Jordan Rich's midnight-to-5:00-am WBZ show last night > (or this morning to be technical). Her favorite phrase? "Don't get me started..." > In other words she's such a font of information that she had to restrain herself > for expatiating at length on a number of subjects within a one-hour appearance > with commercials. True to WBZ's rep, calls came from distant outposts like > Middleton, OH, Detroit, and an Oz-like domain known as Methuen, MA. > > -- > ___________________________________________________ > Play 100s of games for FREE! http://games.mail.com > > > From raccoonradio@gmail.com Sun Oct 1 13:54:39 2006 From: raccoonradio@gmail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Sun, 1 Oct 2006 13:54:39 -0400 Subject: Donna Was On WBZ Last night In-Reply-To: <001e01c6e581$b8c332e0$a7483518@DG07P241> References: <20061001170942.9F2971F50B1@ws1-2.us4.outblaze.com> <001e01c6e581$b8c332e0$a7483518@DG07P241> Message-ID: <1fbbbced0610011054n78232ad5ned832ceacfb57213@mail.gmail.com> I wish I knew she was on; would have tuned in. Maybe Jordan podcasts some guests? A couple weeks back my friend Frank Ochieng was on (and I temporarily have a podcast of it up at moviefrank.com). Also I tuned in Friday night to hear wordsmith Richard Lederer ("a demon is a ghoul's best friend") and his puns. I had called in when my friend Frank was on and talked about TV related stuff, like how Haverhill is the real Riverdale of Archie Comics (that Filmation-produced Archies show), etc, From rogerkola@aol.com Sun Oct 1 16:30:25 2006 From: rogerkola@aol.com (Roger Kolakowski) Date: Sun, 1 Oct 2006 16:30:25 -0400 Subject: Indecipherable Football Game On WBOQ References: <20061001170526.1553C1F50B1@ws1-2.us4.outblaze.com> Message-ID: <001201c6e598$6e9228e0$0200a8c0@Tanguray> I listened in with my PCR-1000 which includes a rudimentary "scope" but by half-time they were acknowledging the problem and doing something different for the second half. The second half they had no crowd noise, no wind noise, and none of the flip quips a broadcast team develops while standing in a cold booth at a high school game. It almost sounded like it was being viewed on camera and the action was being described. I would like to see more "color" and player knowledge in the broadcasts, but it's understandable that the Red Sox have used up the opportunities to fine tune the football broadcasts. Roger WA1KAT ----- Original Message ----- From: "Laurence Glavin" To: "SteveOrdinetz" ; Sent: Sunday, October 01, 2006 1:05 PM Subject: Re: Indecipherable Football Game On WBOQ > >----- Original Message ----- > >From: SteveOrdinetz > >To: boston-radio-interest@rolinin.BostonRadio.org > >Subject: Re: Indecipherable Football Game On WBOQ > >Date: Sat, 30 Sep 2006 16:33:36 > > >I once worked at a station where the PBP guy (in this case it was > >high school basketball) was deaf as a stump & cranked the output of > >the mixer at the gym to the max so he could hear himself. Of > >course, he was also overdriving the Marti or phone hybrid by doing > >so. Maybe that's what was happening here. > > I thought I posted it early enough for others to catch and analyze. > I'll be away next weekend or I'd definitely check to see if this > was a one-time incident or is a problem with WBOQ's remote gear. > > -- > ___________________________________________________ > Play 100s of games for FREE! http://games.mail.com > > > From markwats@comcast.net Sun Oct 1 17:20:52 2006 From: markwats@comcast.net (Mark Watson) Date: Sun, 1 Oct 2006 17:20:52 -0400 Subject: Changes Coming At WEIM? Message-ID: <01cf01c6e59f$7a62e4a0$1a87e847@Mark> This past Friday (9/29) longtime WEIM (1280 Fitchburg) morning host Ray C. hosted his final morning show. Scott Fybush had reported in one of his recent NERW' that he would be moving to nights, which it appears will take place tomorrow (Monday 10/2), his new hours will be 6 to 8 PM Monday-Friday, along with a Sunday morning show from 9 to 11 AM. I don't know if Ray C's show in it's new time slot will be all music or the mix of talk and music that has been a mainstay of his long run in AM drive. I went to check out WEIM's website to see if there was any more info as to who will be taking over the morning slot and found that they have a new url (www.am1280theblend.com) which is just showing a page touting the arrival of "AM 1280 The Blend" on 10/2/06 with a countdown clock showing the hours and minutes left till the launch at 6AM Monday. Seems that owner William Macek has big changes in store? Mark Watson From dan.strassberg@att.net Sun Oct 1 20:36:07 2006 From: dan.strassberg@att.net (Dan Strassberg) Date: Sun, 1 Oct 2006 20:36:07 -0400 Subject: Changes Coming At WEIM? References: <01cf01c6e59f$7a62e4a0$1a87e847@Mark> Message-ID: <002301c6e5ba$d8dd5720$19eefea9@dstrassberg> Supposedly, he acquired additional land adjacent to the existing transmitter site with the objective of applying for a power increase, which might be technically feasible with a more complex DA built on the new land. With more power, WEIM might be able to serve northwestern parts of the Boston market during the daytime. The question is whether such an attempt would enable the station to derive any revenue from the Boston market. I think it would take some very unusual circumstances for that to happen--programming in demand in Boston that no station closer to the City was willing to carry. -- Dan Strassberg, dan.strassberg@att.net eFax 707-215-6367 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Mark Watson" To: "Boston Radio" Sent: Sunday, October 01, 2006 5:20 PM Subject: Changes Coming At WEIM? > This past Friday (9/29) longtime WEIM (1280 Fitchburg) morning host Ray C. > hosted his final morning show. Scott Fybush had reported in one of his > recent NERW' that he would be moving to nights, which it appears will take > place tomorrow (Monday 10/2), his new hours will be 6 to 8 PM Monday-Friday, > along with a Sunday morning show from 9 to 11 AM. I don't know if Ray C's > show in it's new time slot will be all music or the mix of talk and music > that has been a mainstay of his long run in AM drive. > > I went to check out WEIM's website to see if there was any more info as > to who will be taking over the morning slot and found that they have a new > url (www.am1280theblend.com) which is just showing a page touting the > arrival of "AM 1280 The Blend" on 10/2/06 with a countdown clock showing the > hours and minutes left till the launch at 6AM Monday. > > Seems that owner William Macek has big changes in store? > > Mark Watson > > From n1qgs@yahoo.com Mon Oct 2 09:29:34 2006 From: n1qgs@yahoo.com (John Bolduc) Date: Mon, 2 Oct 2006 06:29:34 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Donna Was On WBZ Sunday morning In-Reply-To: <7.0.1.0.2.20061001132953.041e2fe0@donnahalper.com> Message-ID: <20061002132934.30619.qmail@web30710.mail.mud.yahoo.com> I was able to catch the show as I worked a very unusual double shift on Saturday at Hewlett-Packard getting out at midnight! I could not get enough. It all made sense to me and it did not sound like self promotion. It sounded like someone with a passion for what they do. Most entertaining! Thanks Donna. John B Derry NH PS After the first couple of minutes, the voice was fine! From nostaticatall@charter.net Mon Oct 2 15:36:15 2006 From: nostaticatall@charter.net (David Tomm) Date: Mon, 2 Oct 2006 15:36:15 -0400 Subject: Changes Coming At WEIM? In-Reply-To: <01cf01c6e59f$7a62e4a0$1a87e847@Mark> References: <01cf01c6e59f$7a62e4a0$1a87e847@Mark> Message-ID: As it turns out, the changes aren't that extensive, except for the lame moniker. The new morning show, hosted by Ben Parker, appears to be more news & information based, as opposed the the full service approach Ray C took. They still run Jim Bohannon and Howie, Ray C now does 6-8pm and it's automated Hot AC the rest of the time. Is there a negative reaction to the WEIM calls in the area that they had to bury them within this "1280 The Blend" moniker? They are also using the "hits and information" slogan, which seems like an anachronism--promoting music on AM. Especially when there is a 50,000 watt FM blowtorch in their backyard (WXLO/Fitchburg) playing the same music. Heck, if this is their cornerstone slogan, why didn't they just leave Ray C in mornings? This makes no sense. Macek may be setting up this station to be a full blown news talker once the new morning show gets established. All he'd have to do is fill the automated music hours with birdfed talk down the line. Dave Tomm "Mike Thomas" On Oct 1, 2006, at 5:20 PM, Mark Watson wrote: > This past Friday (9/29) longtime WEIM (1280 Fitchburg) morning host > Ray C. hosted his final morning show. Scott Fybush had reported in one > of his recent NERW' that he would be moving to nights, which it > appears will take place tomorrow (Monday 10/2), his new hours will be > 6 to 8 PM Monday-Friday, along with a Sunday morning show from 9 to 11 > AM. I don't know if Ray C's show in it's new time slot will be all > music or the mix of talk and music that has been a mainstay of his > long run in AM drive. > > I went to check out WEIM's website to see if there was any more info > as to who will be taking over the morning slot and found that they > have a new url (www.am1280theblend.com) which is just showing a page > touting the arrival of "AM 1280 The Blend" on 10/2/06 with a countdown > clock showing the hours and minutes left till the launch at 6AM > Monday. > > Seems that owner William Macek has big changes in store? > > Mark Watson From me@billoneill.us Mon Oct 2 16:27:39 2006 From: me@billoneill.us (Bill O'Neill) Date: Mon, 02 Oct 2006 16:27:39 -0400 Subject: Changes Coming At WEIM? In-Reply-To: References: <01cf01c6e59f$7a62e4a0$1a87e847@Mark> Message-ID: <4521763B.70804@billoneill.us> David Tomm wrote: > As it turns out, the changes aren't that extensive, except for the > lame moniker. Really? How's that for a shocker. Same shirt, different detergent. Bill O'Neill From joe@attorneyross.com Tue Oct 3 01:03:27 2006 From: joe@attorneyross.com (A. Joseph Ross) Date: Tue, 03 Oct 2006 01:03:27 -0400 Subject: And from Cape Cod..... In-Reply-To: <451AA392.7060802@friedbagels.com> Message-ID: <4521B6DF.21544.C56F9B@localhost> On 27 Sep 2006 at 12:15, Aaron Read wrote: > I wasn't listening that evening, but I find it hard to believe that > WBUR wasn't carrying election results. Their 1240AM signal from West > Yarmouth covers most of the Cape & Islands pretty well. I spent several hours at Deb Goldberg's election night party, but both before and after, I was listening to WBUR. They definitely were carrying the election results and doing a good job of it, too. -- A. Joseph Ross, J.D. 617.367.0468 15 Court Square, Suite 210 Fax 617.742.7581 Boston, MA 02108-2503 http://www.attorneyross.com From paulcurrier@adelphia.net Tue Oct 3 08:35:22 2006 From: paulcurrier@adelphia.net (Paul B. Currier) Date: Tue, 3 Oct 2006 08:35:22 -0400 Subject: And from Cape Cod..... References: <4521B6DF.21544.C56F9B@localhost> Message-ID: <000801c6e6e8$64b3e470$a7483518@DG07P241> Interesting, thanks. How much time was dedicated solely to our local C&I elections? ----- Original Message ----- From: "A. Joseph Ross" To: ; ; "Aaron Read" Sent: Tuesday, October 03, 2006 1:03 AM Subject: Re: And from Cape Cod..... > On 27 Sep 2006 at 12:15, Aaron Read wrote: > > > I wasn't listening that evening, but I find it hard to believe that > > WBUR wasn't carrying election results. Their 1240AM signal from West > > Yarmouth covers most of the Cape & Islands pretty well. > > I spent several hours at Deb Goldberg's election night party, but > both before and after, I was listening to WBUR. They definitely were > carrying the election results and doing a good job of it, too. > > -- > A. Joseph Ross, J.D. 617.367.0468 > 15 Court Square, Suite 210 Fax 617.742.7581 > Boston, MA 02108-2503 http://www.attorneyross.com > > > From Donald_Astelle@yahoo.com Tue Oct 3 13:27:24 2006 From: Donald_Astelle@yahoo.com (Don A.) Date: Tue, 3 Oct 2006 13:27:24 -0400 Subject: And from Cape Cod..... References: <4521B6DF.21544.C56F9B@localhost> <000801c6e6e8$64b3e470$a7483518@DG07P241> Message-ID: <033401c6e711$9f3d68e0$767ffea9@hsd1.ma.comcast.net> > > I spent several hours at Deb Goldberg's election night party, but > > both before and after, I was listening to WBUR. They definitely were > > carrying the election results and doing a good job of it, too. I think we are coming up against the idea that many people (not me!) don't think of WBUR as a 'real' radio station. Some people (even talkradio and news junkies) would never think to go to WBUR. From lglavin@mail.com Tue Oct 3 14:08:43 2006 From: lglavin@mail.com (Laurence Glavin) Date: Tue, 03 Oct 2006 13:08:43 -0500 Subject: Changes Coming At WEIM? Message-ID: <20061003180843.B913D16427A@ws1-4.us4.outblaze.com> >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Bill O'Neill" >To: "David Tomm" >Subject: Re: Changes Coming At WEIM? >Date: Mon, 02 Oct 2006 16:27:39 -0400 David Tomm wrote: > As it turns out, the changes aren't that extensive, except for > the lame moniker. >Really? How's that for a shocker. Same shirt, different detergent. >Bill O'Neill I would have expected that comment from Dave Faneuf. -- ___________________________________________________ Play 100s of games for FREE! http://games.mail.com From readaaron@friedbagels.com Tue Oct 3 12:46:41 2006 From: readaaron@friedbagels.com (Aaron Read) Date: Tue, 03 Oct 2006 12:46:41 -0400 Subject: And from Cape Cod..... In-Reply-To: <000801c6e6e8$64b3e470$a7483518@DG07P241> References: <4521B6DF.21544.C56F9B@localhost> <000801c6e6e8$64b3e470$a7483518@DG07P241> Message-ID: <452293F1.5090101@friedbagels.com> I'm willing to stand corrected, but after reading that article I think I see the point: the Cape is feeling stiffed because THEIR elections didn't get more extensive coverage than any other local elections in the state. I don't begrudge them that, actually. The Cape has lots of local radio outlets, including their own local NPR affiliate(s) in WCAI/NAN/ZAI. It's a reasonable assumption that a local station would do more local election coverage, and I'm a little surprised WCAI (apparently) didn't. Did anyone catch WMVY that night? They're obviously not a news station, nor are they really a Cape station (signal's not big enough) but they are pretty good at being a "local" station. I wouldn't have been surprised if they did some special coverage of Cape elections. WBUR-AM, of course, wouldn't have devoted any more time to Cape elections than it would for any other local election since it's a one-for-one repeater for WBUR-FM in Boston; they're going to cover everything *outside of Boston* pretty much equally. That is to say, not as thoroughly as they're going to cover Boston elections. Although I wouldn't be surprised if their coverage was still at least at the "not bad" to "pretty decent" level for Cape (and elsewhere) elections. They certainly were in full election coverage mode that night. -- -------------------------- Aaron Read readaaron@friedbagels.com www.friedbagels.com Boston, MA 02246 Paul B. Currier wrote: > Interesting, thanks. How much time was dedicated solely to our local C&I > elections? > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "A. Joseph Ross" > To: ; ; > "Aaron Read" > Sent: Tuesday, October 03, 2006 1:03 AM > Subject: Re: And from Cape Cod..... > > >> On 27 Sep 2006 at 12:15, Aaron Read wrote: >> >>> I wasn't listening that evening, but I find it hard to believe that >>> WBUR wasn't carrying election results. Their 1240AM signal from West >>> Yarmouth covers most of the Cape & Islands pretty well. >> I spent several hours at Deb Goldberg's election night party, but >> both before and after, I was listening to WBUR. They definitely were >> carrying the election results and doing a good job of it, too. >> >> -- >> A. Joseph Ross, J.D. 617.367.0468 >> 15 Court Square, Suite 210 Fax 617.742.7581 >> Boston, MA 02108-2503 http://www.attorneyross.com >> >> >> > > > > From dan.strassberg@att.net Tue Oct 3 15:06:54 2006 From: dan.strassberg@att.net (Dan Strassberg) Date: Tue, 3 Oct 2006 15:06:54 -0400 Subject: And from Cape Cod..... References: <4521B6DF.21544.C56F9B@localhost><000801c6e6e8$64b3e470$a7483518@DG07P241> <033401c6e711$9f3d68e0$767ffea9@hsd1.ma.comcast.net> Message-ID: <001301c6e71f$1d820320$19eefea9@dstrassberg> >From what I hear of the ratings, although "some" people may not think of WBUR as "real," the number of such people must be minuscule. As I understand it, WBUR, though a news/talk as opposed to an all news station (as is WBZ during the day), is neck and neck with WBZ in listenership--at least in the dayparts when both stations broadcast news. That may be less true when WBUR is broadcasting BBC news than when WBUR broadcasts Morning Edition or all Things Considered with local cut-ins. Also, when WBUR sells underwriting credits, the fact that its listeners are willing to pay to have the station on the air must be a powerful tool when the advertiser must decide how to allocate its budget between commercial and public stations. -- Dan Strassberg, dan.strassberg@att.net eFax 707-215-6367 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Don A." To: "Paul B. Currier" ; "A. Joseph Ross" ; ; "Aaron Read" Sent: Tuesday, October 03, 2006 1:27 PM Subject: Re: And from Cape Cod..... > > > > I spent several hours at Deb Goldberg's election night party, but > > > both before and after, I was listening to WBUR. They definitely were > > > carrying the election results and doing a good job of it, too. > > I think we are coming up against the idea that many people (not me!) don't > think of WBUR as a 'real' radio station. > > Some people (even talkradio and news junkies) would never think to go to > WBUR. > > From Donald_Astelle@yahoo.com Tue Oct 3 15:08:15 2006 From: Donald_Astelle@yahoo.com (Don A.) Date: Tue, 3 Oct 2006 15:08:15 -0400 Subject: local races... References: <4521B6DF.21544.C56F9B@localhost><000801c6e6e8$64b3e470$a7483518@DG07P241> <452293F1.5090101@friedbagels.com> Message-ID: <2c01c01c6e71f$49df2100$767ffea9@hsd1.ma.comcast.net> I don't know if any radio or TV outlet did a good job of covering the suburban races.... I was watching a local race on Boston.com and went to bed thinking I knew the winner. What a surprise to find out the next afternoon when the local paper came out that the assumptions were wrong. From dan.strassberg@att.net Tue Oct 3 16:32:08 2006 From: dan.strassberg@att.net (Dan Strassberg) Date: Tue, 3 Oct 2006 16:32:08 -0400 Subject: And from Cape Cod..... References: <4521B6DF.21544.C56F9B@localhost><000801c6e6e8$64b3e470$a7483518@DG07P241> <033401c6e711$9f3d68e0$767ffea9@hsd1.ma.comcast.net> <001301c6e71f$1d820320$19eefea9@dstrassberg> <010b01c6e728$619460e0$6401a8c0@pastor2> Message-ID: <001901c6e72b$03f47440$19eefea9@dstrassberg> It probably had something to do with the fact that the station was very poorly financed and had colossal operating costs. Mariner Communications, the Cincinnati-based owner that applied for and at least started to build the very expensive Waltham facility went belly up (I think before the Waltham plant was completed) and the high rent on the Waltham land has made it pretty much impossible for any owner to show positive cash flow since the Waltham move. The short version of the story of why the station has to be at the Waltham site is that there was no other site from which it could cover Boston at night and not cause objectionable interference to some other station or stations. That story has been rehashed here many, many times. If you are interested, you can probably find more than a dozen threads in the archives. I believe that before the station went dark (IIRC, the calls were WITS at the time, but I could be wrong), one of the air personalities, Dana Hersey, was considering buying it out of bankruptcy. He may personally have had the dough, but he (wisely) was going to do it with other people's money. The way I heard the story, he ran out of other people. -- Dan Strassberg, dan.strassberg@att.net eFax 707-215-6367 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Doug Drown" To: "Dan Strassberg" ; "Don A." ; "Paul B. Currier" ; "A. Joseph Ross" ; ; "Aaron Read" Sent: Tuesday, October 03, 2006 4:13 PM Subject: Re: And from Cape Cod..... > We don't get WBUR up here in Maine, of course (except perhaps through the > Web --- I haven't checked). > But the discussion about competition between news/talk stations raises a > question I thought about the other day: Why was WITS (the late '70s > reincarnation of WMEX as a news/talk outlet) a failure? This was at a time > when such formats, offered 24/7, were something of an innovation. > > -Doug > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Dan Strassberg" > To: "Don A." ; "Paul B. Currier" > ; "A. Joseph Ross" ; > ; "Aaron Read" > > Sent: Tuesday, October 03, 2006 3:06 PM > Subject: Re: And from Cape Cod..... > > > > >From what I hear of the ratings, although "some" people may not think of > > WBUR as "real," the number of such people must be minuscule. As I > understand > > it, WBUR, though a news/talk as opposed to an all news station (as is WBZ > > during the day), is neck and neck with WBZ in listenership--at least in > the > > dayparts when both stations broadcast news. That may be less true when > WBUR > > is broadcasting BBC news than when WBUR broadcasts Morning Edition or all > > Things Considered with local cut-ins. Also, when WBUR sells underwriting > > credits, the fact that its listeners are willing to pay to have the > station > > on the air must be a powerful tool when the advertiser must decide how to > > allocate its budget between commercial and public stations. > > > > -- > > Dan Strassberg, dan.strassberg@att.net > > eFax 707-215-6367 > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Don A." > > To: "Paul B. Currier" ; "A. Joseph Ross" > > ; ; "Aaron > > Read" > > Sent: Tuesday, October 03, 2006 1:27 PM > > Subject: Re: And from Cape Cod..... > > > > > > > > > > > > I spent several hours at Deb Goldberg's election night party, but > > > > > both before and after, I was listening to WBUR. They definitely > were > > > > > carrying the election results and doing a good job of it, too. > > > > > > I think we are coming up against the idea that many people (not me!) > don't > > > think of WBUR as a 'real' radio station. > > > > > > Some people (even talkradio and news junkies) would never think to go to > > > WBUR. > > > > > > > > > > > > > From revdoug1@verizon.net Tue Oct 3 16:13:07 2006 From: revdoug1@verizon.net (Doug Drown) Date: Tue, 03 Oct 2006 16:13:07 -0400 Subject: And from Cape Cod..... References: <4521B6DF.21544.C56F9B@localhost><000801c6e6e8$64b3e470$a7483518@DG07P241> <033401c6e711$9f3d68e0$767ffea9@hsd1.ma.comcast.net> <001301c6e71f$1d820320$19eefea9@dstrassberg> Message-ID: <010b01c6e728$619460e0$6401a8c0@pastor2> We don't get WBUR up here in Maine, of course (except perhaps through the Web --- I haven't checked). But the discussion about competition between news/talk stations raises a question I thought about the other day: Why was WITS (the late '70s reincarnation of WMEX as a news/talk outlet) a failure? This was at a time when such formats, offered 24/7, were something of an innovation. -Doug ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dan Strassberg" To: "Don A." ; "Paul B. Currier" ; "A. Joseph Ross" ; ; "Aaron Read" Sent: Tuesday, October 03, 2006 3:06 PM Subject: Re: And from Cape Cod..... > >From what I hear of the ratings, although "some" people may not think of > WBUR as "real," the number of such people must be minuscule. As I understand > it, WBUR, though a news/talk as opposed to an all news station (as is WBZ > during the day), is neck and neck with WBZ in listenership--at least in the > dayparts when both stations broadcast news. That may be less true when WBUR > is broadcasting BBC news than when WBUR broadcasts Morning Edition or all > Things Considered with local cut-ins. Also, when WBUR sells underwriting > credits, the fact that its listeners are willing to pay to have the station > on the air must be a powerful tool when the advertiser must decide how to > allocate its budget between commercial and public stations. > > -- > Dan Strassberg, dan.strassberg@att.net > eFax 707-215-6367 > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Don A." > To: "Paul B. Currier" ; "A. Joseph Ross" > ; ; "Aaron > Read" > Sent: Tuesday, October 03, 2006 1:27 PM > Subject: Re: And from Cape Cod..... > > > > > > > > I spent several hours at Deb Goldberg's election night party, but > > > > both before and after, I was listening to WBUR. They definitely were > > > > carrying the election results and doing a good job of it, too. > > > > I think we are coming up against the idea that many people (not me!) don't > > think of WBUR as a 'real' radio station. > > > > Some people (even talkradio and news junkies) would never think to go to > > WBUR. > > > > > > > From paulcurrier@adelphia.net Tue Oct 3 17:23:54 2006 From: paulcurrier@adelphia.net (Paul B. Currier) Date: Tue, 3 Oct 2006 17:23:54 -0400 Subject: And from Cape Cod..... References: <4521B6DF.21544.C56F9B@localhost> <000801c6e6e8$64b3e470$a7483518@DG07P241> <452293F1.5090101@friedbagels.com> Message-ID: <001701c6e732$3a8bcf60$a7483518@DG07P241> Not at all - the point of the article is that none of OUR LOCAL stations provided ANY election evening coverage; they continued broadcasting their usual monotonous evening feeds from far, far away. WMVY is an honest station with actual DJ's in the studio after 5pm. They come in loud and clear here in Sandwich and elsewhere. They also cover the South Coast and more with a relay in Newport. Paul ----- Original Message ----- From: "Aaron Read" To: "Paul B. Currier" Cc: "A. Joseph Ross" ; Sent: Tuesday, October 03, 2006 12:46 PM Subject: Re: And from Cape Cod..... > I'm willing to stand corrected, but after reading that article I think I > see the point: the Cape is feeling stiffed because THEIR elections > didn't get more extensive coverage than any other local elections in the > state. > > I don't begrudge them that, actually. The Cape has lots of local radio > outlets, including their own local NPR affiliate(s) in WCAI/NAN/ZAI. > It's a reasonable assumption that a local station would do more local > election coverage, and I'm a little surprised WCAI (apparently) didn't. > > Did anyone catch WMVY that night? They're obviously not a news station, > nor are they really a Cape station (signal's not big enough) but they > are pretty good at being a "local" station. I wouldn't have been > surprised if they did some special coverage of Cape elections. > > WBUR-AM, of course, wouldn't have devoted any more time to Cape > elections than it would for any other local election since it's a > one-for-one repeater for WBUR-FM in Boston; they're going to cover > everything *outside of Boston* pretty much equally. That is to say, not > as thoroughly as they're going to cover Boston elections. > > Although I wouldn't be surprised if their coverage was still at least at > the "not bad" to "pretty decent" level for Cape (and elsewhere) > elections. They certainly were in full election coverage mode that night. > > > -- > > -------------------------- > Aaron Read > readaaron@friedbagels.com > www.friedbagels.com > Boston, MA 02246 > > > Paul B. Currier wrote: > > Interesting, thanks. How much time was dedicated solely to our local C&I > > elections? > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "A. Joseph Ross" > > To: ; ; > > "Aaron Read" > > Sent: Tuesday, October 03, 2006 1:03 AM > > Subject: Re: And from Cape Cod..... > > > > > >> On 27 Sep 2006 at 12:15, Aaron Read wrote: > >> > >>> I wasn't listening that evening, but I find it hard to believe that > >>> WBUR wasn't carrying election results. Their 1240AM signal from West > >>> Yarmouth covers most of the Cape & Islands pretty well. > >> I spent several hours at Deb Goldberg's election night party, but > >> both before and after, I was listening to WBUR. They definitely were > >> carrying the election results and doing a good job of it, too. > >> > >> -- > >> A. Joseph Ross, J.D. 617.367.0468 > >> 15 Court Square, Suite 210 Fax 617.742.7581 > >> Boston, MA 02108-2503 http://www.attorneyross.com > >> > >> > >> > > > > > > > > > > From revdoug1@verizon.net Tue Oct 3 17:28:53 2006 From: revdoug1@verizon.net (Doug Drown) Date: Tue, 03 Oct 2006 17:28:53 -0400 Subject: And from Cape Cod..... References: <4521B6DF.21544.C56F9B@localhost><000801c6e6e8$64b3e470$a7483518@DG07P241> <033401c6e711$9f3d68e0$767ffea9@hsd1.ma.comcast.net> <001301c6e71f$1d820320$19eefea9@dstrassberg> <010b01c6e728$619460e0$6401a8c0@pastor2> <001901c6e72b$03f47440$19eefea9@dstrassberg> Message-ID: <011401c6e732$ede7cb90$6401a8c0@pastor2> Didn't Mariner own WLW at one time? -Doug ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dan Strassberg" To: "Doug Drown" ; "Don A." ; "Paul B. Currier" ; "A. Joseph Ross" ; ; "Aaron Read" Sent: Tuesday, October 03, 2006 4:32 PM Subject: Re: And from Cape Cod..... > It probably had something to do with the fact that the station was very > poorly financed and had colossal operating costs. Mariner Communications, > the Cincinnati-based owner that applied for and at least started to build > the very expensive Waltham facility went belly up (I think before the > Waltham plant was completed) and the high rent on the Waltham land has made > it pretty much impossible for any owner to show positive cash flow since the > Waltham move. > > The short version of the story of why the station has to be at the Waltham > site is that there was no other site from which it could cover Boston at > night and not cause objectionable interference to some other station or > stations. That story has been rehashed here many, many times. If you are > interested, you can probably find more than a dozen threads in the archives. > > I believe that before the station went dark (IIRC, the calls were WITS at > the time, but I could be wrong), one of the air personalities, Dana Hersey, > was considering buying it out of bankruptcy. He may personally have had the > dough, but he (wisely) was going to do it with other people's money. The way > I heard the story, he ran out of other people. > > -- > Dan Strassberg, dan.strassberg@att.net > eFax 707-215-6367 > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Doug Drown" > To: "Dan Strassberg" ; "Don A." > ; "Paul B. Currier" ; > "A. Joseph Ross" ; > ; "Aaron Read" > > Sent: Tuesday, October 03, 2006 4:13 PM > Subject: Re: And from Cape Cod..... > > > > We don't get WBUR up here in Maine, of course (except perhaps through the > > Web --- I haven't checked). > > But the discussion about competition between news/talk stations raises a > > question I thought about the other day: Why was WITS (the late '70s > > reincarnation of WMEX as a news/talk outlet) a failure? This was at a > time > > when such formats, offered 24/7, were something of an innovation. > > > > -Doug > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Dan Strassberg" > > To: "Don A." ; "Paul B. Currier" > > ; "A. Joseph Ross" ; > > ; "Aaron Read" > > > > Sent: Tuesday, October 03, 2006 3:06 PM > > Subject: Re: And from Cape Cod..... > > > > > > > >From what I hear of the ratings, although "some" people may not think > of > > > WBUR as "real," the number of such people must be minuscule. As I > > understand > > > it, WBUR, though a news/talk as opposed to an all news station (as is > WBZ > > > during the day), is neck and neck with WBZ in listenership--at least in > > the > > > dayparts when both stations broadcast news. That may be less true when > > WBUR > > > is broadcasting BBC news than when WBUR broadcasts Morning Edition or > all > > > Things Considered with local cut-ins. Also, when WBUR sells underwriting > > > credits, the fact that its listeners are willing to pay to have the > > station > > > on the air must be a powerful tool when the advertiser must decide how > to > > > allocate its budget between commercial and public stations. > > > > > > -- > > > Dan Strassberg, dan.strassberg@att.net > > > eFax 707-215-6367 > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > > From: "Don A." > > > To: "Paul B. Currier" ; "A. Joseph Ross" > > > ; ; "Aaron > > > Read" > > > Sent: Tuesday, October 03, 2006 1:27 PM > > > Subject: Re: And from Cape Cod..... > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > I spent several hours at Deb Goldberg's election night party, but > > > > > > both before and after, I was listening to WBUR. They definitely > > were > > > > > > carrying the election results and doing a good job of it, too. > > > > > > > > I think we are coming up against the idea that many people (not me!) > > don't > > > > think of WBUR as a 'real' radio station. > > > > > > > > Some people (even talkradio and news junkies) would never think to go > to > > > > WBUR. > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > From dan.strassberg@att.net Tue Oct 3 18:34:07 2006 From: dan.strassberg@att.net (Dan Strassberg) Date: Tue, 3 Oct 2006 18:34:07 -0400 Subject: And from Cape Cod..... References: <4521B6DF.21544.C56F9B@localhost><000801c6e6e8$64b3e470$a7483518@DG07P241><033401c6e711$9f3d68e0$767ffea9@hsd1.ma.comcast.net><001301c6e71f$1d820320$19eefea9@dstrassberg><010b01c6e728$619460e0$6401a8c0@pastor2><001901c6e72b$03f47440$19eefea9@dstrassberg> <011401c6e732$ede7cb90$6401a8c0@pastor2> Message-ID: <002d01c6e73c$10ef2580$19eefea9@dstrassberg> AFAIK, yes. -- Dan Strassberg, dan.strassberg@att.net eFax 707-215-6367 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Doug Drown" To: "Dan Strassberg" ; "Don A." ; "Paul B. Currier" ; "A. Joseph Ross" ; ; "Aaron Read" Sent: Tuesday, October 03, 2006 5:28 PM Subject: Re: And from Cape Cod..... > Didn't Mariner own WLW at one time? > > -Doug > From joe@attorneyross.com Wed Oct 4 01:06:17 2006 From: joe@attorneyross.com (A. Joseph Ross) Date: Wed, 04 Oct 2006 01:06:17 -0400 Subject: And from Cape Cod..... In-Reply-To: <000801c6e6e8$64b3e470$a7483518@DG07P241> Message-ID: <45230909.17443.5CE8F5@localhost> On 3 Oct 2006 at 8:35, Paul B. Currier wrote: > Interesting, thanks. How much time was dedicated solely to our local > C&I elections? When I was listening, it seemed to be mostly the state races. -- A. Joseph Ross, J.D. 617.367.0468 15 Court Square, Suite 210 Fax 617.742.7581 Boston, MA 02108-2503 http://www.attorneyross.com From joe@attorneyross.com Wed Oct 4 01:06:17 2006 From: joe@attorneyross.com (A. Joseph Ross) Date: Wed, 04 Oct 2006 01:06:17 -0400 Subject: And from Cape Cod..... In-Reply-To: <010b01c6e728$619460e0$6401a8c0@pastor2> Message-ID: <45230909.27938.5CEB7C@localhost> On 3 Oct 2006 at 16:13, Doug Drown wrote: > We don't get WBUR up here in Maine, of course (except perhaps through > the Web --- I haven't checked). But the discussion about competition > between news/talk stations raises a question I thought about the other > day: Why was WITS (the late '70s reincarnation of WMEX as a news/talk > outlet) a failure? This was at a time when such formats, offered > 24/7, were something of an innovation. I seem to remember reading something about the station having contracted to carry Red Sox games, and part of the contract required them to have their studios in a location near Fenway Park, all at some expense, and then the Red Sox switched to another station. As I recall, it was about the same time that the Red Sox TV coverage moved to channel 38. My father, who was a big sports fan, was quite pissed at the change because in Bedford, where my parents lived, neither channel 38 nor WITS came in very well. My father's comment was that he didn't understand what a big league team was doing on minor league stations. -- A. Joseph Ross, J.D. 617.367.0468 15 Court Square, Suite 210 Fax 617.742.7581 Boston, MA 02108-2503 http://www.attorneyross.com From joe@attorneyross.com Wed Oct 4 01:06:17 2006 From: joe@attorneyross.com (A. Joseph Ross) Date: Wed, 04 Oct 2006 01:06:17 -0400 Subject: local races... In-Reply-To: <2c01c01c6e71f$49df2100$767ffea9@hsd1.ma.comcast.net> Message-ID: <45230909.26716.5CEAD9@localhost> On 3 Oct 2006 at 15:08, Don A. wrote: > I don't know if any radio or TV outlet did a good job of covering the > suburban races.... > > I was watching a local race on Boston.com and went to bed thinking I > knew the winner. > > What a surprise to find out the next afternoon when the local paper > came out that the assumptions were wrong. Once upon a time, our local Cablevision channel in Brookline used to carry Town election results and even have remote cameras at the election night parties of the winning and losing candidates for Selectman. That seems to have stopped since Comcast took over. -- A. Joseph Ross, J.D. 617.367.0468 15 Court Square, Suite 210 Fax 617.742.7581 Boston, MA 02108-2503 http://www.attorneyross.com From raccoonradio@gmail.com Wed Oct 4 04:04:18 2006 From: raccoonradio@gmail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Wed, 4 Oct 2006 04:04:18 -0400 Subject: Media Blitz: Trupiano knew season would be his last Message-ID: <1fbbbced0610040104y68815a18kc7abe2e963e0c078@mail.gmail.com> http://www.bostonsportsmedia.com/blitz/ "According to the source, a person very familiar with the inner workings of the WEEI/Red Sox/Trupiano soap opera, the Red Sox informed Trupiano at the start of the season that this, the final year of his contract, would be his last with the team." From sid@wrko.com Wed Oct 4 07:39:58 2006 From: sid@wrko.com (Sid Schweiger) Date: Wed, 04 Oct 2006 05:39:58 -0600 Subject: WITS/Red Sox (was: And from Cape Cod.....) Message-ID: >>I seem to remember reading something about the station having contracted to carry Red Sox games, and part of the contract required them to have their studios in a location near Fenway Park, all at some expense, and then the Red Sox switched to another station.<< There was another clause in the Red Sox contract with WITS, giving the station a clearly defined amount of time to improve their signal. I believe this is when the transmitter site was moved from Quincy to its present location. Problem is, it didn't improve the signal to the Sox management's satisfaction, so they moved to another station when the contract was up. Sid Schweiger IT Manager, Entercom Boston LLC WAAF - WEEI AM/FM - WKAF - WMKK - WRKO - WVEI AM/FM 20 Guest St / 3d Floor Boston MA 02135-2040 Phone: 617-779-5369 Fax: 617-779-5379 E-Mail: sid@wrko.com From abruzzese@biochem.bumc.bu.edu Wed Oct 4 10:13:48 2006 From: abruzzese@biochem.bumc.bu.edu (Tony Abruzzese) Date: Wed, 04 Oct 2006 10:13:48 -0400 Subject: local races... In-Reply-To: <45230909.26716.5CEAD9@localhost> References: <45230909.26716.5CEAD9@localhost> Message-ID: <4523C19C.6020206@biochem.bumc.bu.edu> On 10/4/06 1:06 AM, A. Joseph Ross wrote: > Once upon a time, our local Cablevision channel in Brookline used to > carry Town election results and even have remote cameras at the > election night parties of the winning and losing candidates for > Selectman. That seems to have stopped since Comcast took over. > > Do you know the state of community access services in Brookline? There could have been a change in the franchise agreement since Brookline has multiple cable providers, Comcast and RCN with regard to who is responsible for providing services formerly required through exclusivity clauses in the franchise agreement. Is the programming (or access channel) shared with other Metro Boston communities? Another issue is staffing the remote broadcasts. I know that in our town, Billerica, BATV programming is produced and staffed by volunteers while the facility is maintained by Comcast as part of the franchise agreement. If you cannot get volunteers to staff the remotes, or produce programming in general, then local programming will suffer. -- Tony Abruzzese BUSM Dept of Biochemistry From dan.strassberg@att.net Wed Oct 4 11:26:59 2006 From: dan.strassberg@att.net (Dan Strassberg) Date: Wed, 4 Oct 2006 11:26:59 -0400 Subject: WITS/Red Sox (was: And from Cape Cod.....) References: Message-ID: <000701c6e7c9$8d4e4ec0$19eefea9@dstrassberg> The story I heard is that a top Sox exec lived in Westwood and the night signal there didn't please him. According to V-Soft, WWZN's night signal in the 02090 ZIP code is 4.2 mV/m, which sounds high to me. I had thought that 1510 was inaudible there at night for anyone other than DXers. However, I suppose that between WTWP and WWKB (literally), a 4.2 mV/m signal could be essentially unlistenable. The strongest AM signal in Westwood is WEEI (170 mV/m at night; that's 10 times WBZ's signal and 40 times 1510's). WAMG does very well there too; 45 mV/m days/21 mV/m nights. (WAMG's NIF--nighttime interference-free--value is 12.5 mV/m, so a substantial part, and maybe all of Westwood gets an NIF signal from 890). WRKO's numbers are 12 days/13 nights. Back in 1981, the contribution of first adjacents was not included in the NIF-coverage calculation, so back then, 1510's night signal, which doesn't get a lot of co-channel interference, might have looked a lot better on paper in Westwood than it sounded. -- Dan Strassberg, dan.strassberg@att.net eFax 707-215-6367 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sid Schweiger" To: Sent: Wednesday, October 04, 2006 7:39 AM Subject: Re: WITS/Red Sox (was: And from Cape Cod.....) > >>I seem to remember reading something about the station having > contracted to carry Red Sox games, and part of the contract required > them to have their studios in a location near Fenway Park, all at > some expense, and then the Red Sox switched to another station.<< > > There was another clause in the Red Sox contract with WITS, giving the station a clearly defined amount of time to improve their signal. I believe this is when the transmitter site was moved from Quincy to its present location. Problem is, it didn't improve the signal to the Sox management's satisfaction, so they moved to another station when the contract was up. > > > > Sid Schweiger > IT Manager, Entercom Boston LLC > WAAF - WEEI AM/FM - WKAF - WMKK - WRKO - WVEI AM/FM > 20 Guest St / 3d Floor > Boston MA 02135-2040 > Phone: 617-779-5369 > Fax: 617-779-5379 > E-Mail: sid@wrko.com > > From readaaron@friedbagels.com Tue Oct 3 15:30:12 2006 From: readaaron@friedbagels.com (Aaron Read) Date: Tue, 03 Oct 2006 15:30:12 -0400 Subject: And from Cape Cod..... In-Reply-To: <001301c6e71f$1d820320$19eefea9@dstrassberg> References: <4521B6DF.21544.C56F9B@localhost><000801c6e6e8$64b3e470$a7483518@DG07P241> <033401c6e711$9f3d68e0$767ffea9@hsd1.ma.comcast.net> <001301c6e71f$1d820320$19eefea9@dstrassberg> Message-ID: <4522BA44.9010508@friedbagels.com> Dan, based on the ratings (25-54) I've seen, you're absolutely right that LISTENERS consider WBUR to be a "real" station. But from what I've heard talking to the corporate underwriting folks there, and at several other pubradio outlets, there are lots of advertisers that're still unconvinced. And, of course, it's really all about the advertisers; despite what WBUR says during their fundraisers...in terms of actual dollars they make lots more money off corporate underwriting than they do off of listener donations. The reason fundraising overall adds up to nearly 50% is from the hordes of "challenge grants" that WBUR has been very successful at lining up in recent years. Anyways, the content restrictions are the real problem; many people who seek advertising are doing it specifically because they want to announce some sort of price information, or because of a sale...two things you can't say on non-commercial licensees. Other advertisers don't like the idea of not being able to say whatever they want (the "it's *MY* time because *I* paid for it" syndrome). That said, it's worth noting that WBUR has had a banner year in underwriting during FY2005-06 (their fiscal year ends ~06/30) and I'm told they're way ahead of sales quota already for the coming FY, too. People are indeed getting the message! - Aaron Dan Strassberg wrote: >>From what I hear of the ratings, although "some" people may not think of > WBUR as "real," the number of such people must be minuscule. As I understand > it, WBUR, though a news/talk as opposed to an all news station (as is WBZ > during the day), is neck and neck with WBZ in listenership--at least in the > dayparts when both stations broadcast news. That may be less true when WBUR > is broadcasting BBC news than when WBUR broadcasts Morning Edition or all > Things Considered with local cut-ins. Also, when WBUR sells underwriting > credits, the fact that its listeners are willing to pay to have the station > on the air must be a powerful tool when the advertiser must decide how to > allocate its budget between commercial and public stations. > > -- > Dan Strassberg, dan.strassberg@att.net > eFax 707-215-6367 > From sean.smyth@yahoo.com Tue Oct 3 17:12:43 2006 From: sean.smyth@yahoo.com (Sean Smyth) Date: Tue, 3 Oct 2006 14:12:43 -0700 (PDT) Subject: And from Cape Cod..... In-Reply-To: <001901c6e72b$03f47440$19eefea9@dstrassberg> Message-ID: <20061003211243.2311.qmail@web58305.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Dan Strassberg wrote: > I believe that before the station went dark (IIRC, the calls were > WITS at > the time, but I could be wrong), one of the air personalities, Dana > Hersey, > was considering buying it out of bankruptcy. He may personally have > had the > dough, but he (wisely) was going to do it with other people's money. > The way > I heard the story, he ran out of other people. You're more likely referring to the mid-'80s, at which time the station was WMRE and playing (I believe) standards. IIRC, Hersey's motivation to buy the station was partly out of self-interest -- he was the morning drive DJ. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com From dan.strassberg@att.net Wed Oct 4 14:03:20 2006 From: dan.strassberg@att.net (Dan Strassberg) Date: Wed, 4 Oct 2006 14:03:20 -0400 Subject: And from Cape Cod..... References: <20061003211243.2311.qmail@web58305.mail.re3.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <002301c6e7df$67785360$19eefea9@dstrassberg> The calls may have been WMRE, but the "standards" (a simply abysmal selection of music from that era, but few cuts that were even decent) were LONG gone by the time the station went dark. If the WMRE incarnation of 1510 had anything that could be described as a heyday, it was several years earlier when both Norm Natian and Bill Marlowe were doing music shows. Unhapplily, they were handicapped by being forced by the GM to use that horrendous music library. The era was OK; the music was not! Later on, right before the station went dark, Hersey co-hosted AM drive with Hilary Stevens. It was a talk--or maybe news/talk--format by then. I don't recall who else was doing programs, but I don't think there was any music. It was (I think) November 1986 when the station went dark and late August of 1987 when it returned to the air. I'd be quite surprised if Hersey's interest in buying the station had much, if anything, to do with ensuring his salary. I think he is independently wealthy and he regarded the station as a potentially interesting business venture with a possibility of making a decent profit. But when he and the other potential investors looked into the real costs of buying and running the station, their interest quickly cooled. -- Dan Strassberg, dan.strassberg@att.net eFax 707-215-6367 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sean Smyth" To: "Dan Strassberg" ; Sent: Tuesday, October 03, 2006 5:12 PM Subject: Re: And from Cape Cod..... > Dan Strassberg wrote: > > I believe that before the station went dark (IIRC, the calls were > > WITS at > > the time, but I could be wrong), one of the air personalities, Dana > > Hersey, > > was considering buying it out of bankruptcy. He may personally have > > had the > > dough, but he (wisely) was going to do it with other people's money. > > The way > > I heard the story, he ran out of other people. > > You're more likely referring to the mid-'80s, at which time the station > was WMRE and playing (I believe) standards. IIRC, Hersey's motivation > to buy the station was partly out of self-interest -- he was the > morning drive DJ. > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around > http://mail.yahoo.com From lglavin@mail.com Wed Oct 4 16:41:47 2006 From: lglavin@mail.com (Laurence Glavin) Date: Wed, 04 Oct 2006 15:41:47 -0500 Subject: Clea Simon's Web Site Message-ID: <20061004204149.79A6D1158CC@ws1-7.us4.outblaze.com> I suppose I should have considered the possibility before, but it has just come to my attention that the Boston Globe's radio "correspondent" Clea Simon has a web site. Most of it is given over to cats (the species, not W.'s favorite musical) but the bio section mentions her radio coverage. The URL is (as you'd expect): http://www.cleasimon.com -- ___________________________________________________ Play 100s of games for FREE! http://games.mail.com From joe@attorneyross.com Wed Oct 4 23:06:47 2006 From: joe@attorneyross.com (A. Joseph Ross) Date: Wed, 04 Oct 2006 23:06:47 -0400 Subject: local races... In-Reply-To: <4523C19C.6020206@biochem.bumc.bu.edu> References: <45230909.26716.5CEAD9@localhost> Message-ID: <45243E87.30165.2E7090@localhost> On 4 Oct 2006 at 10:13, Tony Abruzzese wrote: > Do you know the state of community access services in Brookline? There > could have been a change in the franchise agreement since Brookline > has multiple cable providers, Comcast and RCN with regard to who is > responsible for providing services formerly required through > exclusivity clauses in the franchise agreement. Is the programming (or > access channel) shared with other Metro Boston communities? I don't know what happened, but the election coverage used to be on Cablevision's own local channel, not the local access channel. I'm not sure, but I think this continued under AT&T ownership. For several years I was the one who got the vote counts in my precinct and called them in. -- A. Joseph Ross, J.D. 617.367.0468 15 Court Square, Suite 210 Fax 617.742.7581 Boston, MA 02108-2503 http://www.attorneyross.com From joe@attorneyross.com Wed Oct 4 23:06:47 2006 From: joe@attorneyross.com (A. Joseph Ross) Date: Wed, 04 Oct 2006 23:06:47 -0400 Subject: And from Cape Cod..... In-Reply-To: <002301c6e7df$67785360$19eefea9@dstrassberg> Message-ID: <45243E87.23054.2E7018@localhost> On 4 Oct 2006 at 14:03, Dan Strassberg wrote: > The calls may have been WMRE, but the "standards" (a simply abysmal > selection of music from that era, but few cuts that were even decent) > were LONG gone by the time the station went dark. I don't know, but I used to listen and I rather liked the music selection at the time. -- A. Joseph Ross, J.D. 617.367.0468 15 Court Square, Suite 210 Fax 617.742.7581 Boston, MA 02108-2503 http://www.attorneyross.com From markwa1ion@aol.com Thu Oct 5 13:20:35 2006 From: markwa1ion@aol.com (markwa1ion@aol.com) Date: Thu, 05 Oct 2006 13:20:35 -0400 Subject: WITS/Red Sox In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <8C8B6B9B4382982-F00-1AAF@FWM-D34.sysops.aol.com> When I lived in Arlington (Menotomy Rocks Park area) and listened to Arnie Ginsberg on old WMEX-1510 back in the early to mid '60s, I was listening to a WMEX signal that was approximately equal to that of then WEZE-1260 (now WMKI). WMEX was 5 kW from the old West Squantum St. / North Quincy transmitting site about a mile from the 1260 site that is still in use with all the same parameters as 40+ years ago. V-Soft says WMKI-1260 runs 5.55 mV/m into Arlington (zip 02474). I point this out because my recollection is that, especially during talk on WMEX, "scuffing" or slop from WKBW-1520 Buffalo was often evident on winter nights. Indeed if I was listening to Joey Reynolds on "KB", it was taking less grief from WMEX than the other way round. Now I'm living in the Pinehurst section (01866) of Billerica and the present day 50 kW Waltham WWZN-1510 signal is rated as 4.97 mV/m: not too different from what I must have had from WMEX/Quincy in Arlington circa 1965. And when now-WWKB-1520 had an oldies format about a year or two back, WWZN took about the same amount of slopping that it did as WMEX when I listened during jr. high / high school years. Most of the time listening is OK, but fussy listeners would tune somewhere else. The point of all of this is that 5 mV/m is not an adequate signal for comfortable listening by the general public when the first adjacents are within 500 miles and running 50 kW into patterns sending maximum juice this way. If WTWP-1500, WWZN-1510 (and let's throw WLAC in too), and WWKB-1520 all ran IBOC a.k.a. HD at night, what a pig-pen that would be ! Mark Connelly - Billerica, MA << Subject: Re: WITS/Red Sox (was: And from Cape Cod.....) The story I heard is that a top Sox exec lived in Westwood and the night signal there didn't please him. According to V-Soft, WWZN's night signal in the 02090 ZIP code is 4.2 mV/m, which sounds high to me. I had thought that 1510 was inaudible there at night for anyone other than DXers. However, I suppose that between WTWP and WWKB (literally), a 4.2 mV/m signal could be essentially unlistenable. The strongest AM signal in Westwood is WEEI (170 mV/m at night; that's 10 times WBZ's signal and 40 times 1510's). WAMG does very well there too; 45 mV/m days/21 mV/m nights. (WAMG's NIF--nighttime interference-free--value is 12.5 mV/m, so a substantial part, and maybe all of Westwood gets an NIF signal from 890). WRKO's numbers are 12 days/13 nights. Back in 1981, the contribution of first adjacents was not included in the NIF-coverage calculation, so back then, 1510's night signal, which doesn't get a lot of co-channel interference, might have looked a lot better on paper in Westwood than it sounded. -- Dan Strassberg, dan.strassberg@att.net eFax 707-215-6367 >> ________________________________________________________________________ Check out the new AOL. Most comprehensive set of free safety and security tools, free access to millions of high-quality videos from across the web, free AOL Mail and more. From dan.strassberg@att.net Thu Oct 5 15:45:50 2006 From: dan.strassberg@att.net (Dan Strassberg) Date: Thu, 5 Oct 2006 15:45:50 -0400 Subject: WITS/Red Sox References: <8C8B6B9B4382982-F00-1AAF@FWM-D34.sysops.aol.com> Message-ID: <002401c6e8b6$e065d5e0$19eefea9@dstrassberg> Well. When 1510 operated from Squantum, it was DA-1. So the inverse-distance field to the north at 1 km was probably greater than WMKI's field by day because WMKI is ND days, but maybe a bit less than WMKI's field to the north at night. The 1260 night pattern (three towers), while producing a relatively broad main lobe, produces a somewhat narrower lobe than did the old 1510 two-tower DA-1 pattern (a modified cardioid with a fairly substantial minor lobe to the south). Assuming equal antenna efficiencies (probable), the pattern differences suggest a lower maximum for 1510 than for 1260. Add to that the greater attenuation vs distance at 1510 compared with 1260 (1510 is an ~20% higher frequency), and WMEX might easily have put a signal 30% less than WMKI's into Arlington Heights. For your comparison, though, you should use 02476, not 02474. From my understanding of the location of your boyhood home, it is now in 02476, which is on the south side of the bikeway (the old Boston and Albany RR right-of-way, north of Mass Ave). 02474 is north of the bikeway. The population centroid of 02474 is probably a mile north of the centroid of 02476. My first home in Boston (June '56) was the MIT Graduate House (now Ashdown House) at 300 Memorial Drive, Cambridge (corner of Mass Ave). On my Zenith AM/FM table radio, a great set--eight tubes, IIRC--there were many nights when WKBW and WTOP made WMEX unlistenable (except to a DXer) on that radio. I'm sure that the signal at that QTH was substantially greater than 5 mV/m. However, I think you would have had to proceed down Mass Ave across Harvard Bridge, through Back Bay, and well into the South End, before the signal cleaned up enough to make for reliably good listening at night. In those days, NIF calculations included only co-channel signals. For 1510 in the northeast, that method of calculation was ludicrously inaccurate. Historically, the situation with Boston vs Nashville on 1510 had only one or two counterparts in the entire US--the Class A station protects a Class B because the station of lower class (Boston) predates the Class A (Nashville). (Another example: KIRO protects KSPN; that MIGHT be the only other historical example.) Because of that protection, WMEX had, on paper, a very low NIF--perhaps 2.5 mV/m or something close--probably lower than WHDH's, which was likely in the 3s. Today's recalculated number, which accounts for first-adjacent skywave, must be quite high. I could believe north of 15 mV/m. -- Dan Strassberg, dan.strassberg@att.net eFax 707-215-6367 ----- Original Message ----- From: To: Sent: Thursday, October 05, 2006 1:20 PM Subject: Re: WITS/Red Sox > When I lived in Arlington (Menotomy Rocks Park area) and listened to > Arnie Ginsberg on old WMEX-1510 back in the early to mid '60s, I was > listening to a WMEX signal that was approximately equal to that of then > WEZE-1260 (now WMKI). > > WMEX was 5 kW from the old West Squantum St. / North Quincy > transmitting site about a mile from the 1260 site that is still in use > with all the same parameters as 40+ years ago. > > V-Soft says WMKI-1260 runs 5.55 mV/m into Arlington (zip 02474). I > point this out because my recollection is that, especially during talk > on WMEX, "scuffing" or slop from WKBW-1520 Buffalo was often evident on > winter nights. Indeed if I was listening to Joey Reynolds on "KB", it > was taking less grief from WMEX than the other way round. > > Now I'm living in the Pinehurst section (01866) of Billerica and the > present day 50 kW Waltham WWZN-1510 signal is rated as 4.97 mV/m: not > too different from what I must have had from WMEX/Quincy in Arlington > circa 1965. And when now-WWKB-1520 had an oldies format about a year > or two back, WWZN took about the same amount of slopping that it did as > WMEX when I listened during jr. high / high school years. Most of the > time listening is OK, but fussy listeners would tune somewhere else. > > The point of all of this is that 5 mV/m is not an adequate signal for > comfortable listening by the general public when the first adjacents > are within 500 miles and running 50 kW into patterns sending maximum > juice this way. > > If WTWP-1500, WWZN-1510 (and let's throw WLAC in too), and WWKB-1520 > all ran IBOC a.k.a. HD at night, what a pig-pen that would be ! > > Mark Connelly - Billerica, MA > > << > Subject: Re: WITS/Red Sox (was: And from Cape Cod.....) > > The story I heard is that a top Sox exec lived in Westwood and the night > signal there didn't please him. According to V-Soft, WWZN's night > signal in > the 02090 ZIP code is 4.2 mV/m, which sounds high to me. I had thought > that > 1510 was inaudible there at night for anyone other than DXers. However, > I > suppose that between WTWP and WWKB (literally), a 4.2 mV/m signal could > be > essentially unlistenable. The strongest AM signal in Westwood is WEEI > (170 > mV/m at night; that's 10 times WBZ's signal and 40 times 1510's). WAMG > does > very well there too; 45 mV/m days/21 mV/m nights. (WAMG's NIF--nighttime > interference-free--value is 12.5 mV/m, so a substantial part, and maybe > all > of Westwood gets an NIF signal from 890). WRKO's numbers are 12 days/13 > nights. Back in 1981, the contribution of first adjacents was not > included > in the NIF-coverage calculation, so back then, 1510's night signal, > which > doesn't get a lot of co-channel interference, might have looked a lot > better > on paper in Westwood than it sounded. > > -- > Dan Strassberg, dan.strassberg@att.net > eFax 707-215-6367 > >> > ________________________________________________________________________ > Check out the new AOL. Most comprehensive set of free safety and > security tools, free access to millions of high-quality videos from > across the web, free AOL Mail and more. > From wollman@csail.mit.edu Thu Oct 5 17:59:40 2006 From: wollman@csail.mit.edu (Garrett Wollman) Date: Thu, 5 Oct 2006 17:59:40 -0400 Subject: WITS/Red Sox Message-ID: <17701.32844.324913.19868@khavrinen.csail.mit.edu> J T Anderton (Clear Channel's allocations specialist) reports in private mail that WMEX's NIF under the old calculation -- which considered only the signal from co-channel stations -- was 1.8 mV/m in the 1950s. The addition of stations in New Jersey and Connecticut (the latter now deleted) brought it up to 2.42. With the new calculation, the adjacent-channel interference is such that WLAC falls below the threshold and is excluded from the calculation. WWZN's NIF by the current method is 7.4 mV/m according to J T. -GAWollman From peterh5322@rattlebrain.com Thu Oct 5 19:19:28 2006 From: peterh5322@rattlebrain.com (PeterH5322) Date: Thu, 5 Oct 2006 16:19:28 -0700 Subject: WITS/Red Sox Message-ID: <200610052319.k95NJSJO098524@mail.cruzio.com> >Historically, the situation with Boston vs Nashville on 1510 had only one or >two counterparts in the entire US--the Class A station protects a Class B >because the station of lower class (Boston) predates the Class A >(Nashville). (Another example: KIRO protects KSPN; that MIGHT be the only >other historical example.) 710 (ex-KMPC) and 1510 (ex-WMEX) are the only domestic examples of a Class B (then, a Class II-B) receiving night protection from a Class A. 1060, 1140 and 1520 are examples where a Class A implicitly provides day protection to a Class B, by reason of its DA-1 operation, but other than the 1060 (Phila)/1050 (NYC) case, I do not believe this protection was by design. If KYW wasn't DA-1, then 1050 in NYC wouldn't be possible; and if 1050 wasn't DA-1, then 1060 wouldn't be possible. By NARBA, the two 48-state Class II-Bs on the then new Mexican Class I-A clears 1050 and 1220 HAD to operate 50 kW DA-1, not DA-N or DA-2. (ND operation for proof purposes was allowed, at 5 kW, at least for the 1220 case) I suppose now the point is moot as NARBA has been scuttled in favor of Rio. Imagine the ratcheting issues that 1050 and 1220 would have to deal with, should they desire to operate with a different day pattern. From dan.strassberg@att.net Fri Oct 6 09:05:03 2006 From: dan.strassberg@att.net (Dan Strassberg) Date: Fri, 6 Oct 2006 09:05:03 -0400 Subject: WITS/Red Sox References: <17701.32844.324913.19868@khavrinen.csail.mit.edu> Message-ID: <001501c6e948$0ede3ac0$19eefea9@dstrassberg> I am surprised that WWZN's NIF is that low! And if CJRS were still on the air (and assuming that, when it was, it ran within its licensed paramters), it would be a significant contributor to the CO-channel component of WWZN's NIF (much greater than WNLC at night--WMEX et al's main problem with WNLC occurred in the daytime). Since CJRS (like nearly all dark Canadian AMs) remains notified to the US, its contribution (or its contribution assuming it ran within its licensed parameters) must remain in WWZN's NIF calculation. It would be interesting to know whether JT ran the calculation with or without CJRS. Anyhow, if 7.4 mV/m is the operative number for WWZN, the outlook for WKOX doesn't appear especially bright. According to JT, WKOX's NIF is 13.5. The combination of a less efficient antenna system than 1510 and a significantly higher NIF really reinforces the idea that WKOX's 50 kW signal will be no great shakes (especially at night). Of course, WKOX's frequency is 20% lower and SawMill Brook Parkway is probably superior to Waverley Oaks Rd in terms of soil conductivity. And one can argue that WKOX's patterns are more favorable than WWZN's. But whereas there are some who are in love with the SawMill Brook Parkway site, based on my lousy reception of WUNR all of these years, I can't understand why. -- Dan Strassberg, dan.strassberg@att.net eFax 707-215-6367 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Garrett Wollman" To: Sent: Thursday, October 05, 2006 5:59 PM Subject: Re: WITS/Red Sox > J T Anderton (Clear Channel's allocations specialist) reports in > private mail that WMEX's NIF under the old calculation -- which > considered only the signal from co-channel stations -- was 1.8 mV/m in > the 1950s. The addition of stations in New Jersey and Connecticut > (the latter now deleted) brought it up to 2.42. With the new > calculation, the adjacent-channel interference is such that WLAC falls > below the threshold and is excluded from the calculation. WWZN's NIF > by the current method is 7.4 mV/m according to J T. > > -GAWollman > From lglavin@mail.com Fri Oct 6 14:14:45 2006 From: lglavin@mail.com (Laurence Glavin) Date: Fri, 06 Oct 2006 13:14:45 -0500 Subject: WITS/Red Sox Message-ID: <20061006181449.E32421BF281@ws1-1.us4.outblaze.com> >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Dan Strassberg" >To: "Garrett Wollman" , bri@bostonradio.org >Subject: Re: WITS/Red Sox >Date: Fri, 6 Oct 2006 09:05:03 -0400 >Of course, WKOX's frequency is 20% lower >and SawMill Brook Parkway is probably superior to Waverley Oaks Rd in terms >of soil conductivity. And one can argue that WKOX's patterns are more >favorable than WWZN's. But whereas there are some who are in love with the >SawMill Brook Parkway site, based on my lousy reception of WUNR all of these >years, I can't understand why. At this very minute I'm in the Pittsfield Public Liberry after traversing the state listening to Stephanie Miller nearly all the way. A short distance after Worcester, I flipped from AM 1200 which was just starting to fade, to AM 1600 near Springfield. It came in very clearly with seemingly no interference from WUNR (or WWRL for that matter.) This was close to mid-day. I know that when I've gone the other was in the daytime, WPNI-AM 1430 tranmitting from my favorite Massachusetts place name Belchertown can be heard under WXKS-AM. -- ___________________________________________________ Play 100s of games for FREE! http://games.mail.com From dan.strassberg@att.net Fri Oct 6 14:49:15 2006 From: dan.strassberg@att.net (Dan Strassberg) Date: Fri, 6 Oct 2006 14:49:15 -0400 Subject: WITS/Red Sox References: <20061006181449.E32421BF281@ws1-1.us4.outblaze.com> Message-ID: <006d01c6e978$26b3c220$19eefea9@dstrassberg> WKOX's power increase will kill the signal to the west to enable an increase in the signal strength in Boston and its close-in suburbs. First, the transmitter moves eight or so miles eastward. Second, to the west, the daytime inverse-distance field at 1 km will decrease from a whopping 1368 mV/m--almost the theoretical maximum, thanks to the very tall top-loaded towers, to ~747 mV/m--the equivalent of an ~70% reduction in power! The reduction in the daytime inverse-distance field to the west will result from the station's being directional to the east as well as from the reduced efficiency of the shorter towers. Third, my suspicion is that the present Mt Wayte Ave location has superior soil conductivity to the new Sawmill Brook Parkway location. Also, if you compare WKOX's 50 kW day pattern RMS field with the station's current nondirectional daytime RMS field, you discover that the five-fold power increase (from 10 kW to 50 kW) becomes, in effect, slightly less than a three-fold increase because of the less efficient antenna system. Moreover, on a pure area-covered basis, if everything else is equal (which, of course, it never is) a nondirectional station will ALWAYS cover more area than ANY directional station with the same location, power, frequency, and antenna efficiency. This assumes that in the area covered, the ground is not infinitely conductive. However, even salt water, the best conductor of medium-wave signals found in nature, is not infinitely conductive. In any event, if you find WKOX's current signal listenable for only a short distance past Worcester (I find it pretty good all the way to the Connecticut border on I-84), the new, "stronger" signal will become unsatisfactory to you near the west side of Framingham. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Laurence Glavin" To: "Dan Strassberg" ; "Garrett Wollman" ; Sent: Friday, October 06, 2006 2:14 PM Subject: Re: WITS/Red Sox >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Dan Strassberg" >To: "Garrett Wollman" , bri@bostonradio.org >Subject: Re: WITS/Red Sox >Date: Fri, 6 Oct 2006 09:05:03 -0400 >Of course, WKOX's frequency is 20% lower >and SawMill Brook Parkway is probably superior to Waverley Oaks Rd in terms >of soil conductivity. And one can argue that WKOX's patterns are more >favorable than WWZN's. But whereas there are some who are in love with the >SawMill Brook Parkway site, based on my lousy reception of WUNR all of these >years, I can't understand why. At this very minute I'm in the Pittsfield Public Liberry after traversing the state listening to Stephanie Miller nearly all the way. A short distance after Worcester, I flipped from AM 1200 which was just starting to fade, to AM 1600 near Springfield. It came in very clearly with seemingly no interference from WUNR (or WWRL for that matter.) This was close to mid-day. I know that when I've gone the other was in the daytime, WPNI-AM 1430 tranmitting from my favorite Massachusetts place name Belchertown can be heard under WXKS-AM. -- ___________________________________________________ Play 100s of games for FREE! http://games.mail.com From Joe@attorneyross.com Fri Oct 6 16:40:01 2006 From: Joe@attorneyross.com (A. Joseph Ross) Date: Fri, 06 Oct 2006 16:40:01 -0400 Subject: WBZ bad journalism Message-ID: <452686E1.16831.6D4445@localhost> On my car radio today I heard a report on WBZ about Deval Patrick apologizing for his response to some charge or other by Kerry Healy. Trouble is, it didn't say what the charge was, how Patrick responded, or anything the least bit substantive. This is incompetent journalism in the extreme. I eventually found the full story in today's Boston Globe. -- A. Joseph Ross, J.D. 617.367.0468 15 Court Square, Suite 210 Fax: 617.742.7581 Boston, MA 02108-2503 http://www.attorneyross.com From lglavin@mail.com Sat Oct 7 12:15:07 2006 From: lglavin@mail.com (Laurence Glavin) Date: Sat, 07 Oct 2006 11:15:07 -0500 Subject: WITS/Red Sox Message-ID: <20061007161507.9CA151BF287@ws1-1.us4.outblaze.com> >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Dan Strassberg" >To: "Laurence Glavin" , "Garrett Wollman" , bri@bostonradio.org >Subject: Re: WITS/Red Sox >Date: Fri, 6 Oct 2006 14:49:15 -0400 In any event, if you find WKOX's current signal listenable for >only a short distance past Worcester (I find it pretty good all the way to >the Connecticut border on I-84), the new, "stronger" signal will become >unsatisfactory to you near the west side of Framingham. In this particulat case, I wasn't doing any radio-geekery, that is trying to hold a station to see how far it would go; I was actively listening to Stephanie Miller and wanted to continue to do so. I knew AM 1600 in suburban Springfield was carrying it and when I flipped to 1600 I expected a battle between it and WUNR, but was surprised to get the station I wanted quite clearly. In the past I never had any reason to sample AM 1600 out of Longmeadow, so I had no idea what I'd find. It does indicate that even during the day, WUNR's signal WNW is no great shakes, which backs up your previous assertion that the Samill Brook location isn't exceptional, even though those towers APPEAR efficient for a 1600 khz operation. -- ___________________________________________________ Play 100s of games for FREE! http://games.mail.com From lglavin@mail.com Sat Oct 7 12:19:16 2006 From: lglavin@mail.com (Laurence Glavin) Date: Sat, 07 Oct 2006 11:19:16 -0500 Subject: A Separate WWZN Observation Message-ID: <20061007161916.95F371BF287@ws1-1.us4.outblaze.com> All of the comments about the WITS/WSSH-AM/WWZN coverage problems have dealt with the trouble it has being heard especially at night in Greater Boston. I haven't checked any DX websites lately, but some time ago I did so and noted that listeners in Europe commonly report picking up WWZN. I wonder if any sales reps for the station ever show these to potential advertisers to give the impression that AM 1510 has a blockbuster signal! -- ___________________________________________________ Play 100s of games for FREE! http://games.mail.com From dan.strassberg@att.net Sat Oct 7 17:26:15 2006 From: dan.strassberg@att.net (Dan Strassberg) Date: Sat, 7 Oct 2006 17:26:15 -0400 Subject: WITS/Red Sox References: <20061007161507.9CA151BF287@ws1-1.us4.outblaze.com> Message-ID: <001a01c6ea57$5a395940$19eefea9@dstrassberg> WUNR uses the same two-tower directional pattern day and night. The towers are spaced 105 degrees apart along an axis at 70 degrees. As you observed, the towers are quite tall--greater than half wave--205 degrees to be precise. Consequently, the efficiency shown in CDBS is quite high--410 mV/m/kW @ 1 km, although it has been speculated that maybe the ground system, which is almost 60 years old if it has never been replaced, is in serious disrepair. A deteriorated ground system could explain an efficiency significantly lower than the value shown in CDBS. The pattern is a modified cardioid with radiation minima 31 or 32 degrees off axis at 219 degrees to protect WWRL and at 282 degrees to protect E Longmeadow. (A true cardioid consists of towers exactly 90 degrees apart and has only one radiation minimum, along the axis of the array.) WKOX, which, at night, currently also uses a two-tower array to produce a modified cardioid pattern, has even taller towers. (They are top-loaded to an electrical length of 214 degrees.) These produce even higher efficiency--426 mV/m @ 1 km using a power of 1 kW. The axis of WKOX's array is 35 degrees; in other words, WKOX's current pattern is rotated counterclockwise from WUNR's pattern by 35 degrees. I believe that WKOX was built that way because, when the move to 1200 was granted, secondary stations on what had been Class IA channels were restricted to 1 kW at night. The 35-degree orientation allowed a 1 kW signal to cover Marlborough pretty well at night. Had WKOX been allowed higher night power when it first moved to 1200, the orientation of its towers would probably have been more clockwise because the azimuth of WOAI is 33 degrees clockwise with respect to the azimuth of WKOX's towers. (And then later on when WBIX moved in with WKOX, it would not have needed to use lower power during critical hours.) When it looked as if Newton would never approve tower construction at 750 Sawmill Brook Parkway, I urged that WKOX move there anyhow and use WUNR's two existing towers to operate DA-2. It turns out that the existing WUNR towers have, within inches, the same physical spacing as the WKOX towers (105 degrees at 1600 is 78.75 degrees at 1200). Running 50 kW-D from the existing WUNR towers should have presented no problem for WKOX. The night power would have had to be much lower than 50 kW, however. Because the WUNR towers' more clockwise orientation would have reduced radiation to the northwest, it might have been possible for WKOX to run 5 kW at night and still adequately protect CFGO--I'm not sure. But even with 5 kW from a site within the City of Newton, it did not appear that WKOX could deliver an NIF signal to the requisite 80% of the CoL's population. Hence, the FCC would have had to grant a waiver. At 1200, WUNR's existing towers are 153.75 degrees high. The resulting efficiency would have been about 7.5% higher than what WKOX will achieve from its new 195' towers--the equivalent of more than 15% higher power--not a huge difference, but not trivial either. Since there will be five towers at the site (of which WKOX will use only three), and two of the three stations that share the site are on frequencies lower than 1600, the area covered by the new ground system will be greater than that covered by the existing WUNR ground system. Part of the reason that WKOX is projecting an efficiency as high as 339 mV/m/kW @ 1 km, is that the ground system of the two towers that WKOX will not use is still considered to be part of WKOX's ground system. If WKOX were going to use the existing WUNR towers, a larger than normal ground system could also have been employed, somewhat improving on the antenna efficiency that would have been achieved from the 153.75-degree towers. -- Dan Strassberg, dan.strassberg@att.net eFax 707-215-6367 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Laurence Glavin" To: "Dan Strassberg" ; "Garrett Wollman" ; Sent: Saturday, October 07, 2006 12:15 PM Subject: Re: WITS/Red Sox >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Dan Strassberg" >To: "Laurence Glavin" , "Garrett Wollman" , bri@bostonradio.org >Subject: Re: WITS/Red Sox >Date: Fri, 6 Oct 2006 14:49:15 -0400 In any event, if you find WKOX's current signal listenable for >only a short distance past Worcester (I find it pretty good all the way to >the Connecticut border on I-84), the new, "stronger" signal will become >unsatisfactory to you near the west side of Framingham. In this particulat case, I wasn't doing any radio-geekery, that is trying to hold a station to see how far it would go; I was actively listening to Stephanie Miller and wanted to continue to do so. I knew AM 1600 in suburban Springfield was carrying it and when I flipped to 1600 I expected a battle between it and WUNR, but was surprised to get the station I wanted quite clearly. In the past I never had any reason to sample AM 1600 out of Longmeadow, so I had no idea what I'd find. It does indicate that even during the day, WUNR's signal WNW is no great shakes, which backs up your previous assertion that the Samill Brook location isn't exceptional, even though those towers APPEAR efficient for a 1600 khz operation. -- ___________________________________________________ Play 100s of games for FREE! http://games.mail.com From revdoug1@verizon.net Sat Oct 7 19:08:50 2006 From: revdoug1@verizon.net (Doug Drown) Date: Sat, 07 Oct 2006 19:08:50 -0400 Subject: WITS/Red Sox References: <20061007161507.9CA151BF287@ws1-1.us4.outblaze.com> <001a01c6ea57$5a395940$19eefea9@dstrassberg> Message-ID: <004501c6ea65$8daa42e0$6401a8c0@pastor2> <> Question from a broadcasting non-professsional (I've done a lot of broadcasting but have little understanding of radio engineering other than running a board): I've read a lot of posts like this in this forum, and would like to know if any of you could recommend any good textbooks that would explain, in comparatively simple terms, the sort of thing you're talking about here. I find it fascinating, but I don't know what all the terms mean, and aside from knowing (for example) what kHz, kW, and "null" refer to, the technical lingo is almost entirely lost on me. Any suggestions? -Doug ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dan Strassberg" To: "Laurence Glavin" ; "Garrett Wollman" ; Sent: Saturday, October 07, 2006 5:26 PM Subject: Re: WITS/Red Sox > WUNR uses the same two-tower directional pattern day and night. The towers > are spaced 105 degrees apart along an axis at 70 degrees. As you observed, > the towers are quite tall--greater than half wave--205 degrees to be > precise. Consequently, the efficiency shown in CDBS is quite high--410 > mV/m/kW @ 1 km, although it has been speculated that maybe the ground > system, which is almost 60 years old if it has never been replaced, is in > serious disrepair. A deteriorated ground system could explain an efficiency > significantly lower than the value shown in CDBS. The pattern is a modified > cardioid with radiation minima 31 or 32 degrees off axis at 219 degrees to > protect WWRL and at 282 degrees to protect E Longmeadow. (A true cardioid > consists of towers exactly 90 degrees apart and has only one radiation > minimum, along the axis of the array.) > > WKOX, which, at night, currently also uses a two-tower array to produce a > modified cardioid pattern, has even taller towers. (They are top-loaded to > an electrical length of 214 degrees.) These produce even higher > efficiency--426 mV/m @ 1 km using a power of 1 kW. The axis of WKOX's array > is 35 degrees; in other words, WKOX's current pattern is rotated > counterclockwise from WUNR's pattern by 35 degrees. I believe that WKOX was > built that way because, when the move to 1200 was granted, secondary > stations on what had been Class IA channels were restricted to 1 kW at > night. The 35-degree orientation allowed a 1 kW signal to cover Marlborough > pretty well at night. Had WKOX been allowed higher night power when it first > moved to 1200, the orientation of its towers would probably have been more > clockwise because the azimuth of WOAI is 33 degrees clockwise with respect > to the azimuth of WKOX's towers. (And then later on when WBIX moved in with > WKOX, it would not have needed to use lower power during critical hours.) > > When it looked as if Newton would never approve tower construction at 750 > Sawmill Brook Parkway, I urged that WKOX move there anyhow and use WUNR's > two existing towers to operate DA-2. It turns out that the existing WUNR > towers have, within inches, the same physical spacing as the WKOX towers > (105 degrees at 1600 is 78.75 degrees at 1200). Running 50 kW-D from the > existing WUNR towers should have presented no problem for WKOX. The night > power would have had to be much lower than 50 kW, however. Because the WUNR > towers' more clockwise orientation would have reduced radiation to the > northwest, it might have been possible for WKOX to run 5 kW at night and > still adequately protect CFGO--I'm not sure. But even with 5 kW from a site > within the City of Newton, it did not appear that WKOX could deliver an NIF > signal to the requisite 80% of the CoL's population. Hence, the FCC would > have had to grant a waiver. > > At 1200, WUNR's existing towers are 153.75 degrees high. The resulting > efficiency would have been about 7.5% higher than what WKOX will achieve > from its new 195' towers--the equivalent of more than 15% higher power--not > a huge difference, but not trivial either. Since there will be five towers > at the site (of which WKOX will use only three), and two of the three > stations that share the site are on frequencies lower than 1600, the area > covered by the new ground system will be greater than that covered by the > existing WUNR ground system. Part of the reason that WKOX is projecting an > efficiency as high as 339 mV/m/kW @ 1 km, is that the ground system of the > two towers that WKOX will not use is still considered to be part of WKOX's > ground system. If WKOX were going to use the existing WUNR towers, a larger > than normal ground system could also have been employed, somewhat improving > on the antenna efficiency that would have been achieved from the > 153.75-degree towers. > > -- > Dan Strassberg, dan.strassberg@att.net > eFax 707-215-6367 > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Laurence Glavin" > To: "Dan Strassberg" ; "Garrett Wollman" > ; > Sent: Saturday, October 07, 2006 12:15 PM > Subject: Re: WITS/Red Sox > > > >----- Original Message ----- > >From: "Dan Strassberg" > >To: "Laurence Glavin" , "Garrett Wollman" , bri@bostonradio.org > >Subject: Re: WITS/Red Sox > >Date: Fri, 6 Oct 2006 14:49:15 -0400 In any event, if you find WKOX's > current signal listenable for > >only a short distance past Worcester (I find it pretty good all the way to > >the Connecticut border on I-84), the new, "stronger" signal will become > >unsatisfactory to you near the west side of Framingham. > > > In this particulat case, I wasn't doing any radio-geekery, that is trying to > hold a station to see how far it would go; I was actively listening to > Stephanie Miller and wanted to continue to do so. I knew AM 1600 in > suburban Springfield was carrying it and when I flipped to 1600 I > expected a battle between it and WUNR, but was surprised to get the > station I wanted quite clearly. In the past I never had any reason to > sample AM 1600 out of Longmeadow, so I had no idea what I'd find. > It does indicate that even during the day, WUNR's signal WNW is no great > shakes, > which backs up your previous assertion that the Samill Brook location > isn't exceptional, even though those towers APPEAR efficient for a > 1600 khz operation. > > -- > ___________________________________________________ > Play 100s of games for FREE! http://games.mail.com > > > > > > > From rogerkola@aol.com Sat Oct 7 22:59:10 2006 From: rogerkola@aol.com (Roger Kolakowski) Date: Sat, 7 Oct 2006 22:59:10 -0400 Subject: WITS/Red Sox References: <20061007161507.9CA151BF287@ws1-1.us4.outblaze.com><001a01c6ea57$5a395940$19eefea9@dstrassberg> <004501c6ea65$8daa42e0$6401a8c0@pastor2> Message-ID: <000c01c6ea85$baaeb6c0$0200a8c0@Tanguray> Doug... You could start at the link below and then do some "electronic dictionary" searches on Google, or just enter "definition" and the term in Google...There really aren't a whole lot of different terms that aren't related, and after you recognize a few the others will make sense... http://www.interfacebus.com/Antenna_Terms_A.html AN UP TO DATE COPY OF "THE RADIO ENGINEER'S HANDBOOK" wouldn't hurt, but unless you really want to delve into the engineering aspect's of radio, you should be able to understand 99% of the posts without getting too deep. The one thing that still gets me is when FCC defines antenna height in degrees...now I know what it is but I don't know why...feet could be converted to wavelength for the operating frequency...Oh well... If you are interested in the technical end just to obtain understanding, consider a Ham Radio license...then you could talk about this stuff all day... Enjoy! Roger WA1KAT ----- Original Message ----- From: "Doug Drown" To: "Dan Strassberg" ; "Laurence Glavin" ; "Garrett Wollman" ; Sent: Saturday, October 07, 2006 7:08 PM Subject: Re: WITS/Red Sox > < modified cardioid pattern, has even taller towers. (They are top-loaded to > an electrical length of 214 degrees.) These produce even higher > efficiency--426 mV/m @ 1 km using a power of 1 kW.>> > > Question from a broadcasting non-professsional (I've done a lot of > broadcasting but have little understanding of radio engineering other than > running a board): I've read a lot of posts like this in this forum, and > would like to know if any of you could recommend any good textbooks that > would explain, in comparatively simple terms, the sort of thing you're > talking about here. I find it fascinating, but I don't know what all the > terms mean, and aside from knowing (for example) what kHz, kW, and "null" > refer to, the technical lingo is almost entirely lost on me. Any > suggestions? > > -Doug > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Dan Strassberg" > To: "Laurence Glavin" ; "Garrett Wollman" > ; > Sent: Saturday, October 07, 2006 5:26 PM > Subject: Re: WITS/Red Sox > > > > WUNR uses the same two-tower directional pattern day and night. The towers > > are spaced 105 degrees apart along an axis at 70 degrees. As you observed, > > the towers are quite tall--greater than half wave--205 degrees to be > > precise. Consequently, the efficiency shown in CDBS is quite high--410 > > mV/m/kW @ 1 km, although it has been speculated that maybe the ground > > system, which is almost 60 years old if it has never been replaced, is in > > serious disrepair. A deteriorated ground system could explain an > efficiency > > significantly lower than the value shown in CDBS. The pattern is a > modified > > cardioid with radiation minima 31 or 32 degrees off axis at 219 degrees to > > protect WWRL and at 282 degrees to protect E Longmeadow. (A true cardioid > > consists of towers exactly 90 degrees apart and has only one radiation > > minimum, along the axis of the array.) > > > > WKOX, which, at night, currently also uses a two-tower array to produce a > > modified cardioid pattern, has even taller towers. (They are top-loaded to > > an electrical length of 214 degrees.) These produce even higher > > efficiency--426 mV/m @ 1 km using a power of 1 kW. The axis of WKOX's > array > > is 35 degrees; in other words, WKOX's current pattern is rotated > > counterclockwise from WUNR's pattern by 35 degrees. I believe that WKOX > was > > built that way because, when the move to 1200 was granted, secondary > > stations on what had been Class IA channels were restricted to 1 kW at > > night. The 35-degree orientation allowed a 1 kW signal to cover > Marlborough > > pretty well at night. Had WKOX been allowed higher night power when it > first > > moved to 1200, the orientation of its towers would probably have been more > > clockwise because the azimuth of WOAI is 33 degrees clockwise with respect > > to the azimuth of WKOX's towers. (And then later on when WBIX moved in > with > > WKOX, it would not have needed to use lower power during critical hours.) > > > > When it looked as if Newton would never approve tower construction at 750 > > Sawmill Brook Parkway, I urged that WKOX move there anyhow and use WUNR's > > two existing towers to operate DA-2. It turns out that the existing WUNR > > towers have, within inches, the same physical spacing as the WKOX towers > > (105 degrees at 1600 is 78.75 degrees at 1200). Running 50 kW-D from the > > existing WUNR towers should have presented no problem for WKOX. The night > > power would have had to be much lower than 50 kW, however. Because the > WUNR > > towers' more clockwise orientation would have reduced radiation to the > > northwest, it might have been possible for WKOX to run 5 kW at night and > > still adequately protect CFGO--I'm not sure. But even with 5 kW from a > site > > within the City of Newton, it did not appear that WKOX could deliver an > NIF > > signal to the requisite 80% of the CoL's population. Hence, the FCC would > > have had to grant a waiver. > > > > At 1200, WUNR's existing towers are 153.75 degrees high. The resulting > > efficiency would have been about 7.5% higher than what WKOX will achieve > > from its new 195' towers--the equivalent of more than 15% higher > power--not > > a huge difference, but not trivial either. Since there will be five towers > > at the site (of which WKOX will use only three), and two of the three > > stations that share the site are on frequencies lower than 1600, the area > > covered by the new ground system will be greater than that covered by the > > existing WUNR ground system. Part of the reason that WKOX is projecting an > > efficiency as high as 339 mV/m/kW @ 1 km, is that the ground system of the > > two towers that WKOX will not use is still considered to be part of WKOX's > > ground system. If WKOX were going to use the existing WUNR towers, a > larger > > than normal ground system could also have been employed, somewhat > improving > > on the antenna efficiency that would have been achieved from the > > 153.75-degree towers. > > > > -- > > Dan Strassberg, dan.strassberg@att.net > > eFax 707-215-6367 > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Laurence Glavin" > > To: "Dan Strassberg" ; "Garrett Wollman" > > ; > > Sent: Saturday, October 07, 2006 12:15 PM > > Subject: Re: WITS/Red Sox > > > > > > >----- Original Message ----- > > >From: "Dan Strassberg" > > >To: "Laurence Glavin" , "Garrett Wollman" , bri@bostonradio.org > > >Subject: Re: WITS/Red Sox > > >Date: Fri, 6 Oct 2006 14:49:15 -0400 In any event, if you find WKOX's > > current signal listenable for > > >only a short distance past Worcester (I find it pretty good all the way > to > > >the Connecticut border on I-84), the new, "stronger" signal will become > > >unsatisfactory to you near the west side of Framingham. > > > > > > In this particulat case, I wasn't doing any radio-geekery, that is trying > to > > hold a station to see how far it would go; I was actively listening to > > Stephanie Miller and wanted to continue to do so. I knew AM 1600 in > > suburban Springfield was carrying it and when I flipped to 1600 I > > expected a battle between it and WUNR, but was surprised to get the > > station I wanted quite clearly. In the past I never had any reason to > > sample AM 1600 out of Longmeadow, so I had no idea what I'd find. > > It does indicate that even during the day, WUNR's signal WNW is no great > > shakes, > > which backs up your previous assertion that the Samill Brook location > > isn't exceptional, even though those towers APPEAR efficient for a > > 1600 khz operation. > > > > -- > > ___________________________________________________ > > Play 100s of games for FREE! http://games.mail.com > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > From dan.strassberg@att.net Sat Oct 7 23:29:45 2006 From: dan.strassberg@att.net (Dan Strassberg) Date: Sat, 7 Oct 2006 23:29:45 -0400 Subject: WITS/Red Sox References: <20061007161507.9CA151BF287@ws1-1.us4.outblaze.com> <001a01c6ea57$5a395940$19eefea9@dstrassberg> <004501c6ea65$8daa42e0$6401a8c0@pastor2> Message-ID: <000b01c6ea8a$0dc15bc0$19eefea9@dstrassberg> Since I can't think of a good tutorial, I'll do my best to give you a 5-cent tour of the most important terms. I'm embarassed to say that I don't know what the C in CDBS stands for. I'm quite sure that Scott Fybush knows. Garrett probably knows too. The DBS part stands for database system. The most obvious guess for the C is computer, but I believe that would be wrong. Another term that may have mystified you is azimuth, which is not really a radio term at all; it's a term from map-making and cartography. Any good dictionary should contain a definition. mV/m stands for millivolts/meter, the unit of measurement of electric-field intensity, which is electrical-engineer speak for signal strength. mV/m/kW @ 1 km = mV/m per kilowatt at 1 kilometer, the standardized unit of efficiency of medium-wave radiators (AM transmitting antennas). It normalizes the signal to an antenna-input power of 1 kW by dividing the actual signal strength by the square root of the antenna-input power in kilowatts. For example to get WUNR's pattern RMS you would multiply 410 mV/m/kW @ 1 km by the square root of 5 (2.23) because WUNR uses an antenna-input power of 5 kW. RMS is root-mean-square, a mathematical term meaning the square root of the sum of the squares. In obtaining a pattern for an AM station, the quantities that are squared and summed are the 72 inverse-distance field-strength values at 5-degree intervals around the compass. After you calculate the sum of these squares, you divide by 72 (to obtain the average of the summed squares) and then take the square root of the average value. A non-directional station has a circular pattern (plotted on polar-coordinate graph paper) So you can (in theory, at least) measure the signal strength along any radial and obtain the pattern RMS. Of course, the real world is more complicated. Variations in the soil conductivity will result in different values along different radials. "But wait," you say, these are inverse-distance fields. Aren't they supposed to be independent of soil conductivity?" Yes, but in practice the measured values can't be; so you have to correct for soil conductivity by measuring the signal strength along each radial at many points and using a graphical procedure to match the attenuation vs distance curve to the curve for a particular soil conductivity. Directional stations' patterns have inverse-distance signal strength that varies widely along different radials. A good local example is WBIX whose night-pattern values range from around 2 mV/m @ 1 km west-southwest of the transmitter site to about 1500 mV/m @ 1 km east of the transmitter. NIF stands for nighttime interference-free, the FCC's (rather conservative) estimate of the signal-strength contour within which an AM station has a more-or-less interference-free signal at night. The RSS (root sum square) of the interfering 10% skywave signals of the co-channel and first-adjacent-channel stations enter into the NIF calculation. RSS is calulated in a manner similar to RMS except that you don't divide the sum of the squares by the number of quantities that you squared. 10%-skywave refers to the signal-strength value that a skywave signal equals or exceeds 10% of the time. If you get the sense that skywave signal strengths are unpredictable, except on a statistical basis, you are correct. The concept of xx% skywave is a way of quantifying values that vary in a more-or-less random manner. You may see the terms 50%-exclusion NIF and 25%-exclusion NIF (although I did not use those terms in my most recent posting). The 50%-exclusion NIF excludes interfering signals that are less than or equial to 50% of the largest one. The more conservative (and hence usually slightly higher) 25% exclusion NIF excludes signals that are less than or equal to 25% of the largest one. The rationale for the exclusion is that when you square a value that is 50% of the largest number in a group or series of numbers, the square is only 25% of the largest square. When you square a value that is 25% of the largest number in a group or series, the square is only 6.25% of the largest square. I hope that gets you started. Typical electrical engineering curricula prepare EEs to understand these concepts, but even the best Master's program in EE doesn't cover the specifics of this arcane subject area. The practitioners, most of whom are EEs, have had to pick up the details on their own. Scott has them down and I believe he majored in History and Journalism at Brandeis, so you don't HAVE to be an EE--but it certainly helps. -- Dan Strassberg, dan.strassberg@att.net eFax 707-215-6367 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Doug Drown" To: "Dan Strassberg" ; "Laurence Glavin" ; "Garrett Wollman" ; Sent: Saturday, October 07, 2006 7:08 PM Subject: Re: WITS/Red Sox > < modified cardioid pattern, has even taller towers. (They are top-loaded to > an electrical length of 214 degrees.) These produce even higher > efficiency--426 mV/m @ 1 km using a power of 1 kW.>> > > Question from a broadcasting non-professsional (I've done a lot of > broadcasting but have little understanding of radio engineering other than > running a board): I've read a lot of posts like this in this forum, and > would like to know if any of you could recommend any good textbooks that > would explain, in comparatively simple terms, the sort of thing you're > talking about here. I find it fascinating, but I don't know what all the > terms mean, and aside from knowing (for example) what kHz, kW, and "null" > refer to, the technical lingo is almost entirely lost on me. Any > suggestions? > > -Doug > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Dan Strassberg" > To: "Laurence Glavin" ; "Garrett Wollman" > ; > Sent: Saturday, October 07, 2006 5:26 PM > Subject: Re: WITS/Red Sox > > > > WUNR uses the same two-tower directional pattern day and night. The towers > > are spaced 105 degrees apart along an axis at 70 degrees. As you observed, > > the towers are quite tall--greater than half wave--205 degrees to be > > precise. Consequently, the efficiency shown in CDBS is quite high--410 > > mV/m/kW @ 1 km, although it has been speculated that maybe the ground > > system, which is almost 60 years old if it has never been replaced, is in > > serious disrepair. A deteriorated ground system could explain an > efficiency > > significantly lower than the value shown in CDBS. The pattern is a > modified > > cardioid with radiation minima 31 or 32 degrees off axis at 219 degrees to > > protect WWRL and at 282 degrees to protect E Longmeadow. (A true cardioid > > consists of towers exactly 90 degrees apart and has only one radiation > > minimum, along the axis of the array.) > > > > WKOX, which, at night, currently also uses a two-tower array to produce a > > modified cardioid pattern, has even taller towers. (They are top-loaded to > > an electrical length of 214 degrees.) These produce even higher > > efficiency--426 mV/m @ 1 km using a power of 1 kW. The axis of WKOX's > array > > is 35 degrees; in other words, WKOX's current pattern is rotated > > counterclockwise from WUNR's pattern by 35 degrees. I believe that WKOX > was > > built that way because, when the move to 1200 was granted, secondary > > stations on what had been Class IA channels were restricted to 1 kW at > > night. The 35-degree orientation allowed a 1 kW signal to cover > Marlborough > > pretty well at night. Had WKOX been allowed higher night power when it > first > > moved to 1200, the orientation of its towers would probably have been more > > clockwise because the azimuth of WOAI is 33 degrees clockwise with respect > > to the azimuth of WKOX's towers. (And then later on when WBIX moved in > with > > WKOX, it would not have needed to use lower power during critical hours.) > > > > When it looked as if Newton would never approve tower construction at 750 > > Sawmill Brook Parkway, I urged that WKOX move there anyhow and use WUNR's > > two existing towers to operate DA-2. It turns out that the existing WUNR > > towers have, within inches, the same physical spacing as the WKOX towers > > (105 degrees at 1600 is 78.75 degrees at 1200). Running 50 kW-D from the > > existing WUNR towers should have presented no problem for WKOX. The night > > power would have had to be much lower than 50 kW, however. Because the > WUNR > > towers' more clockwise orientation would have reduced radiation to the > > northwest, it might have been possible for WKOX to run 5 kW at night and > > still adequately protect CFGO--I'm not sure. But even with 5 kW from a > site > > within the City of Newton, it did not appear that WKOX could deliver an > NIF > > signal to the requisite 80% of the CoL's population. Hence, the FCC would > > have had to grant a waiver. > > > > At 1200, WUNR's existing towers are 153.75 degrees high. The resulting > > efficiency would have been about 7.5% higher than what WKOX will achieve > > from its new 195' towers--the equivalent of more than 15% higher > power--not > > a huge difference, but not trivial either. Since there will be five towers > > at the site (of which WKOX will use only three), and two of the three > > stations that share the site are on frequencies lower than 1600, the area > > covered by the new ground system will be greater than that covered by the > > existing WUNR ground system. Part of the reason that WKOX is projecting an > > efficiency as high as 339 mV/m/kW @ 1 km, is that the ground system of the > > two towers that WKOX will not use is still considered to be part of WKOX's > > ground system. If WKOX were going to use the existing WUNR towers, a > larger > > than normal ground system could also have been employed, somewhat > improving > > on the antenna efficiency that would have been achieved from the > > 153.75-degree towers. > > > > -- > > Dan Strassberg, dan.strassberg@att.net > > eFax 707-215-6367 > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Laurence Glavin" > > To: "Dan Strassberg" ; "Garrett Wollman" > > ; > > Sent: Saturday, October 07, 2006 12:15 PM > > Subject: Re: WITS/Red Sox > > > > > > >----- Original Message ----- > > >From: "Dan Strassberg" > > >To: "Laurence Glavin" , "Garrett Wollman" , bri@bostonradio.org > > >Subject: Re: WITS/Red Sox > > >Date: Fri, 6 Oct 2006 14:49:15 -0400 In any event, if you find WKOX's > > current signal listenable for > > >only a short distance past Worcester (I find it pretty good all the way > to > > >the Connecticut border on I-84), the new, "stronger" signal will become > > >unsatisfactory to you near the west side of Framingham. > > > > > > In this particulat case, I wasn't doing any radio-geekery, that is trying > to > > hold a station to see how far it would go; I was actively listening to > > Stephanie Miller and wanted to continue to do so. I knew AM 1600 in > > suburban Springfield was carrying it and when I flipped to 1600 I > > expected a battle between it and WUNR, but was surprised to get the > > station I wanted quite clearly. In the past I never had any reason to > > sample AM 1600 out of Longmeadow, so I had no idea what I'd find. > > It does indicate that even during the day, WUNR's signal WNW is no great > > shakes, > > which backs up your previous assertion that the Samill Brook location > > isn't exceptional, even though those towers APPEAR efficient for a > > 1600 khz operation. > > > > -- > > ___________________________________________________ > > Play 100s of games for FREE! http://games.mail.com > > > > > > > > > > > > > > > From sid@wrko.com Sun Oct 8 05:25:03 2006 From: sid@wrko.com (Sid Schweiger) Date: Sun, 08 Oct 2006 03:25:03 -0600 Subject: WITS/Red Sox Message-ID: >>I'm embarassed to say that I don't know what the C in CDBS stands for. I'm quite sure that Scott Fybush knows. Garrett probably knows too. The DBS part stands for database system. The most obvious guess for the C is computer, but I believe that would be wrong.<< AFAIK it stands for "consolidated." Sid Schweiger IT Manager, Entercom Boston LLC WAAF - WEEI AM/FM - WKAF - WMKK - WRKO - WVEI AM/FM 20 Guest St / 3d Floor Boston MA 02135-2040 Phone: 617-779-5369 Fax: 617-779-5379 E-Mail: sid@wrko.com From joe@attorneyross.com Mon Oct 9 23:33:59 2006 From: joe@attorneyross.com (A. Joseph Ross) Date: Mon, 09 Oct 2006 23:33:59 -0400 Subject: Another delay story? Message-ID: <452ADC67.31076.5006F0A@localhost> I've been using a small TV in my study, getting the Channel 7 news off the air, but I left the TV on in another room, tuned to Channel 7 on cable. And I discovered that Comcast has a delay of about 7 seconds from the off-air signal. I understand stations having a delay for live programming, in order to protect themselves against Janet Jackson's breast, but why does Comcast have a delay from air signals? -- A. Joseph Ross, J.D. 617.367.0468 15 Court Square, Suite 210 Fax 617.742.7581 Boston, MA 02108-2503 http://www.attorneyross.com From radiojunkie3@yahoo.com Tue Oct 10 07:14:57 2006 From: radiojunkie3@yahoo.com (Peter Q. George) Date: Tue, 10 Oct 2006 04:14:57 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Another delay story? In-Reply-To: <452ADC67.31076.5006F0A@localhost> Message-ID: <20061010111457.10624.qmail@web50811.mail.yahoo.com> More than likely, Comcast is receiving the HD signal of WHDH now (and all of Boston's TV stations). If you're using a (hybrid) digital box, tack on a few more seconds of delay as well. I've noticed the delay factor between the over-the-air signal of Boston's TV stations and what Comcast provides, myself. "Progress"... takes time, literally. According to "reliable sources", Comcast will eventually shutdown the analog tier within the next few years, requiring everyone to use the digital box. The "cable ready" TV will be (in essence) useless, without a box. --- "A. Joseph Ross" wrote: > I've been using a small TV in my study, getting the > Channel 7 news > off the air, but I left the TV on in another room, > tuned to Channel 7 > on cable. And I discovered that Comcast has a delay > of about 7 > seconds from the off-air signal. I understand > stations having a > delay for live programming, in order to protect > themselves against > Janet Jackson's breast, but why does Comcast have a > delay from air > signals? > > -- > A. Joseph Ross, J.D. > 617.367.0468 > 15 Court Square, Suite 210 Fax > 617.742.7581 > Boston, MA 02108-2503 > http://www.attorneyross.com > > > Peter Q. George (K1XRB) Whitman, Massachusetts "Scanning the bands since 1967" radiojunkie1@yahoo.com radiojunkie3@yahoo.com *********************************************************** __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com From francini@mac.com Tue Oct 10 10:11:06 2006 From: francini@mac.com (John Francini) Date: Tue, 10 Oct 2006 10:11:06 -0400 Subject: Another delay story? In-Reply-To: <20061010111457.10624.qmail@web50811.mail.yahoo.com> References: <20061010111457.10624.qmail@web50811.mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <2E87DE37-FDCE-4BCA-BA5A-E11E4A83FA90@mac.com> Unless it's a cable-ready TV with an HD (digital) tuner, and a CableCard(tm) slot. j On 10 Oct 2006, at 7:14, Peter Q. George wrote: > More than likely, Comcast is receiving the HD signal > of WHDH now (and all of Boston's TV stations). If > you're using a (hybrid) digital box, tack on a few > more seconds of delay as well. I've noticed the delay > factor between the over-the-air signal of Boston's TV > stations and what Comcast provides, myself. > > "Progress"... takes time, literally. > > According to "reliable sources", Comcast will > eventually shutdown the analog tier within the next > few years, requiring everyone to use the digital box. > The "cable ready" TV will be (in essence) useless, > without a box. > > --- "A. Joseph Ross" wrote: > >> I've been using a small TV in my study, getting the >> Channel 7 news >> off the air, but I left the TV on in another room, >> tuned to Channel 7 >> on cable. And I discovered that Comcast has a delay >> of about 7 >> seconds from the off-air signal. I understand >> stations having a >> delay for live programming, in order to protect >> themselves against >> Janet Jackson's breast, but why does Comcast have a >> delay from air >> signals? >> >> -- >> A. Joseph Ross, J.D. >> 617.367.0468 >> 15 Court Square, Suite 210 Fax >> 617.742.7581 >> Boston, MA 02108-2503 >> http://www.attorneyross.com >> >> >> > > > Peter Q. George (K1XRB) > Whitman, Massachusetts > "Scanning the bands since 1967" > radiojunkie1@yahoo.com > radiojunkie3@yahoo.com > *********************************************************** > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around > http://mail.yahoo.com From scott@fybush.com Tue Oct 10 10:21:14 2006 From: scott@fybush.com (Scott Fybush) Date: Tue, 10 Oct 2006 10:21:14 -0400 Subject: Another delay story? In-Reply-To: <20061010111457.10624.qmail@web50811.mail.yahoo.com> References: <20061010111457.10624.qmail@web50811.mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <452BAC5A.9040307@fybush.com> Peter Q. George wrote: > More than likely, Comcast is receiving the HD signal > of WHDH now (and all of Boston's TV stations). If > you're using a (hybrid) digital box, tack on a few > more seconds of delay as well. I've noticed the delay > factor between the over-the-air signal of Boston's TV > stations and what Comcast provides, myself. It's actually even more complicated than that. My Time Warner system here in Rochester is doing the same thing Comcast is doing in Boston, and I'm delighted about it. The issue is "ingress" - that nasty problem wherein the over-the-air analog signal on channel 2, 4, 5 or 7 will be strong enough within a TV set to interfere with the cable signal on the same channel. Because the cable signal is delayed slightly against the OTA signal (purely by virtue of all the cable it's traveling through to get to you), you end up with a big ugly bar across the picture. Those of us who live near TV transmitters (I'm 4300 feet from our TV site in Rochester) know this problem all too well. I know that at least some of the Comcast systems very close to the Boston TV stations - Needham, Newton, etc. - "remap" the local channels, putting 4 on 23, 5 on 24, etc. That wastes channel capacity, though, since all you can then use 4, 5 and 7 for are "low-value" signals like community bulletin boards and such. (I believe WYDN 48 is on cable channel 5 in Newton, where it's literally unwatchable.) So what Comcast is doing is taking the standard-definition signals from WBZ, WCVB, and WHDH and retransmitting them over its compressed digital cable system. The upside - and it's a huge upside - is clean signals with no ingress problems. The downside is that there's inevitable delay involved at several stages of the process. The feeds from the stations to the Comcast headend are probably coming over digital fiber, and the compression and uncompression involved in that transmission adds at least a bit of delay. And then the compression involved in creating the digital cable signal creates most of that 7-second delay that Joe noted. (For what it's worth, the delay on the Time Warner system here is somewhat smaller, in the 2-second range.) Delays like this have nothing to do with Janet Jackson - they're just part of the technology that allows cable to deliver 300 channels of video, all kinds of on-demand stuff, plus internet and phone service all over the same pipeline. Peter is quite correct that ALL analog cable service will vanish at some point in the future, though probably well after the 2009 deadline for analog OTA service to go away. (Peter is also quite correct, by the way, that some cable systems now take in a DTV signal even to feed their analog subscribers. This is more common in places like the Berkshires, where the systems still depend on receiving their semi-distant signals over the air rather than via direct feeds from the stations. A good example is the legacy carriage of Springfield's WWLP 22 in the Great Barrington area. The arrival of new co-channel DTV signals on 22 has made analog reception of WWLP iffy in the Berkshires, so the systems there now receive WWLP-DT 11 instead. Some stations are even providing a standard-definition, 4:3 program stream over one of their DTV subchannels specifically to feed cable systems, so there's no worry about the cable systems screwing up the downconversion from 16:9 HD material to feed viewers still watching analog cable.) s From wollman@csail.mit.edu Tue Oct 10 11:36:20 2006 From: wollman@csail.mit.edu (Garrett Wollman) Date: Tue, 10 Oct 2006 11:36:20 -0400 Subject: WITS/Red Sox In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <17707.48628.225761.389065@khavrinen.csail.mit.edu> < said: >> [Dan Strassberg:] >> I'm embarassed to say that I don't know what the C in CDBS stands >> for. I'm quite sure that Scott Fybush knows. Garrett probably >> knows too. The DBS part stands for database system. The most >> obvious guess for the C is computer, but I believe that would be >> wrong. > AFAIK it stands for "consolidated." That's correct. The FCC staff used to have several distinct databases (running on various DEC DBMS products under VMS): one for technical data, one for call signs, one for ownership, and so on. The purpose of CDBS was to convert these obsolete database systems into a modern relational DBMS, and then to "normalize" the form of the data so that every station, every application, every party, etc., had exactly one unique database key, and each bit of information regarding a subject was stored in exactly one place. -GAWollman From m1bz@hotmail.com Tue Oct 10 08:12:54 2006 From: m1bz@hotmail.com (Michael E) Date: Tue, 10 Oct 2006 08:12:54 -0400 Subject: Another delay story? In-Reply-To: <452ADC67.31076.5006F0A@localhost> Message-ID: Comcast might be the only local cable system doing this. Friend of mine in Falmouth one night was telling me what Letterman was going to say a few seconds before he said it, suggesting that Adelphia Cable does not have a similar delay. >From: "A. Joseph Ross" >To: Boston-radio-interest@bostonradio.org >Subject: Another delay story? >Date: Mon, 09 Oct 2006 23:33:59 -0400 > >I've been using a small TV in my study, getting the Channel 7 news >off the air, but I left the TV on in another room, tuned to Channel 7 >on cable. And I discovered that Comcast has a delay of about 7 >seconds from the off-air signal. I understand stations having a >delay for live programming, in order to protect themselves against >Janet Jackson's breast, but why does Comcast have a delay from air >signals? > >-- >A. Joseph Ross, J.D. 617.367.0468 > 15 Court Square, Suite 210 Fax 617.742.7581 >Boston, MA 02108-2503 http://www.attorneyross.com > > From john@minutemancomm.com Tue Oct 10 12:27:44 2006 From: john@minutemancomm.com (John Mullaney) Date: Tue, 10 Oct 2006 12:27:44 -0400 Subject: Another delay story? In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <000901c6ec89$0552b960$6400a8c0@johnster1> As Comcast keeps adding more HDTV channels to their system (And they have more than any other cable system) they have to keep squeezing the bandwidth of the other channels or start dropping them. They have dropped a few but they have also increased the digital compression of the regular digital channels. The newer digital boxes can handle it pretty well but I notice the older ones have more trouble with it. This increased digital compression adds more delay. This really isn't their fault and it's a shame that when the current HDTV standards where being developed that CableTV was pretty much shut out the process. But it's going to get worse as more goes HD. -----Original Message----- From: boston-radio-interest-bounces@rolinin.BostonRadio.org [mailto:boston-radio-interest-bounces@rolinin.BostonRadio.org] On Behalf Of Michael E Sent: Tuesday, October 10, 2006 8:13 AM To: joe@attorneyross.com; Boston-radio-interest@bostonradio.org Subject: RE: Another delay story? Comcast might be the only local cable system doing this. Friend of mine in Falmouth one night was telling me what Letterman was going to say a few seconds before he said it, suggesting that Adelphia Cable does not have a similar delay. >From: "A. Joseph Ross" >To: Boston-radio-interest@bostonradio.org >Subject: Another delay story? >Date: Mon, 09 Oct 2006 23:33:59 -0400 > >I've been using a small TV in my study, getting the Channel 7 news off >the air, but I left the TV on in another room, tuned to Channel 7 on >cable. And I discovered that Comcast has a delay of about 7 seconds >from the off-air signal. I understand stations having a delay for live >programming, in order to protect themselves against Janet Jackson's >breast, but why does Comcast have a delay from air signals? > >-- >A. Joseph Ross, J.D. 617.367.0468 > 15 Court Square, Suite 210 Fax 617.742.7581 >Boston, MA 02108-2503 http://www.attorneyross.com > > From readaaron@friedbagels.com Tue Oct 10 11:30:24 2006 From: readaaron@friedbagels.com (Aaron Read) Date: Tue, 10 Oct 2006 11:30:24 -0400 Subject: Another delay story? Message-ID: <452BBC90.6060201@friedbagels.com> It's even worse than that, Scott!! In my apartment, we have two TV's...one in the home office, one in the living room. Both are on Comcast. The living room is their newer digital DVR (Digital Video Recorder...aka TiVo) cable box, the home office is the regular digital non-DVR cable box. Both boxes are "getting" the same channel plan: Digital Plus Silver. Yet the non-DVR box in the home office consistently is delayed about two seconds more than the DVR box is. I was doing work around the house this weekend and listening to Comedy Central and I could hear the start of the joke in the office, walk around to the living room, and hear the rest...without missing any actual words of the joke. I've also noticed that NESN delays the Red Sox TV signal by several seconds more than WEEI delays their Sox radio signal. And WEEI *is* on a delay of sorts...at the very least they've got a delay in whatever they're using to get the signal from the ballpark back to the studios. ISDN, I'd imagine (at least for the road games) which has about a 0.25 to 0.5 second delay. Oddly enough, I don't remember noticing any significant difference in delay between WEEI 850AM and WBOQ 104.9FM. Or WEEI 103.7FM for that matter (I could just barely pick them up cleanly at my house on Corey Hill in Brookline). More obnoxiously, WBCN delays their FM coverage of the Patriots by several seconds MORE than whoever's got the TV coverage. I like it better the other way...I can listen to the radio, and when I hear a commotion I hustle to the TV so I can see it. :-) -- -------------------------- Aaron Read readaaron@friedbagels.com www.friedbagels.com Boston, MA 02246 Fried Bagels - Broadcast Radio & Web Engineering & Operations Consultant From kenwvt@gmail.com Tue Oct 10 11:12:10 2006 From: kenwvt@gmail.com (Ken VanTassell) Date: Tue, 10 Oct 2006 11:12:10 -0400 Subject: Another delay story? In-Reply-To: <20061010111457.10624.qmail@web50811.mail.yahoo.com> References: <452ADC67.31076.5006F0A@localhost> <20061010111457.10624.qmail@web50811.mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <647737520610100812l64107ad6q7167d559d3b28f78@mail.gmail.com> The analog shutoff date is Feb. 17, 2009 after which your OTA analog set will get nothing but static. I understand however that Comcast will continue with a small analog tier beyond that date to ease the transition, it will give them a leg up on the sat tv providers. -Ken On 10/10/06, Peter Q. George wrote: > More than likely, Comcast is receiving the HD signal > of WHDH now (and all of Boston's TV stations). If > you're using a (hybrid) digital box, tack on a few > more seconds of delay as well. I've noticed the delay > factor between the over-the-air signal of Boston's TV > stations and what Comcast provides, myself. > > "Progress"... takes time, literally. > > According to "reliable sources", Comcast will > eventually shutdown the analog tier within the next > few years, requiring everyone to use the digital box. > The "cable ready" TV will be (in essence) useless, > without a box. > > --- "A. Joseph Ross" wrote: > > > I've been using a small TV in my study, getting the > > Channel 7 news > > off the air, but I left the TV on in another room, > > tuned to Channel 7 > > on cable. And I discovered that Comcast has a delay > > of about 7 > > seconds from the off-air signal. I understand > > stations having a > > delay for live programming, in order to protect > > themselves against > > Janet Jackson's breast, but why does Comcast have a > > delay from air > > signals? > > > > -- > > A. Joseph Ross, J.D. > > 617.367.0468 > > 15 Court Square, Suite 210 Fax > > 617.742.7581 > > Boston, MA 02108-2503 > > http://www.attorneyross.com > > > > > > > > > Peter Q. George (K1XRB) > Whitman, Massachusetts > "Scanning the bands since 1967" > radiojunkie1@yahoo.com > radiojunkie3@yahoo.com > *********************************************************** > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around > http://mail.yahoo.com > From stephanie@gordsven.com Tue Oct 10 13:30:49 2006 From: stephanie@gordsven.com (Stephanie Weil) Date: Tue, 10 Oct 2006 13:30:49 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Another delay story? In-Reply-To: <000901c6ec89$0552b960$6400a8c0@johnster1> References: <000901c6ec89$0552b960$6400a8c0@johnster1> Message-ID: <51767.12.37.144.130.1160501449.squirrel@mail.gordsven.com> On Tue, October 10, 2006 12:27, John Mullaney wrote: > As Comcast keeps adding more HDTV channels to their system (And they have > more than any other cable system) they have to keep squeezing the > bandwidth I have digital cable at home. The picture quality is NASTY. All pixillated. Some services more than others, but you can definitely notice it. Of course the sports services get the best bandwith I think. I'm surprised people aren't raising cain over this. What with all this "digital crystal clear pictures" and what not. -- Stephanie Weil New York City, NY, USA From paul@derrynh.net Tue Oct 10 13:31:32 2006 From: paul@derrynh.net (Paul Hopfgarten) Date: Tue, 10 Oct 2006 13:31:32 -0400 Subject: Another delay story? In-Reply-To: <647737520610100812l64107ad6q7167d559d3b28f78@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <00ba01c6ec91$edb1bfa0$0302a8c0@YOURF7ED5FB036> Isn't there a USA "percentage penetration of DTV" requirement, which if not met, keeps the analogs on the air longer? Paul H Derry NH -----Original Message----- From: boston-radio-interest-bounces@rolinin.BostonRadio.org [mailto:boston-radio-interest-bounces@rolinin.BostonRadio.org] On Behalf Of Ken VanTassell Sent: Tuesday, October 10, 2006 11:12 AM To: boston-radio-interest@bostonradio.org Subject: Re: Another delay story? The analog shutoff date is Feb. 17, 2009 after which your OTA analog set will get nothing but static. I understand however that Comcast will continue with a small analog tier beyond that date to ease the transition, it will give them a leg up on the sat tv providers. -Ken On 10/10/06, Peter Q. George wrote: > More than likely, Comcast is receiving the HD signal > of WHDH now (and all of Boston's TV stations). If > you're using a (hybrid) digital box, tack on a few > more seconds of delay as well. I've noticed the delay > factor between the over-the-air signal of Boston's TV > stations and what Comcast provides, myself. > > "Progress"... takes time, literally. > > According to "reliable sources", Comcast will > eventually shutdown the analog tier within the next > few years, requiring everyone to use the digital box. > The "cable ready" TV will be (in essence) useless, > without a box. > > --- "A. Joseph Ross" wrote: > > > I've been using a small TV in my study, getting the > > Channel 7 news > > off the air, but I left the TV on in another room, > > tuned to Channel 7 > > on cable. And I discovered that Comcast has a delay > > of about 7 > > seconds from the off-air signal. I understand > > stations having a > > delay for live programming, in order to protect > > themselves against > > Janet Jackson's breast, but why does Comcast have a > > delay from air > > signals? > > > > -- > > A. Joseph Ross, J.D. > > 617.367.0468 > > 15 Court Square, Suite 210 Fax > > 617.742.7581 > > Boston, MA 02108-2503 > > http://www.attorneyross.com > > > > > > > > > Peter Q. George (K1XRB) > Whitman, Massachusetts > "Scanning the bands since 1967" > radiojunkie1@yahoo.com > radiojunkie3@yahoo.com > *********************************************************** > > __________________________________________________ > Do You Yahoo!? > Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around > http://mail.yahoo.com > From wollman@csail.mit.edu Tue Oct 10 14:40:57 2006 From: wollman@csail.mit.edu (Garrett Wollman) Date: Tue, 10 Oct 2006 14:40:57 -0400 Subject: Another delay story? In-Reply-To: <51767.12.37.144.130.1160501449.squirrel@mail.gordsven.com> References: <000901c6ec89$0552b960$6400a8c0@johnster1> <51767.12.37.144.130.1160501449.squirrel@mail.gordsven.com> Message-ID: <17707.59705.64270.544592@khavrinen.csail.mit.edu> < said: > I'm surprised people aren't raising cain over this. What with all this > "digital crystal clear pictures" and what not. The cablecos know very well how bad a picture the subs will tolerate. There's no money in providing any better quality than that, unless it would be cheaper. (Some cablecos will remodulate broadcast DTV signals into 256QAM without recompressing them, just because it's cheaper.) I expect carriage contracts for digital services include a clause about acceptable quality and/or bandwidth. If you're not particularly sensitive to MPEG artifacts, you'll probably take the absence of visible luma noise as "higher quality". -GAWollman From brian_vita@cssinc.com Tue Oct 10 14:45:59 2006 From: brian_vita@cssinc.com (Brian Vita) Date: Tue, 10 Oct 2006 14:45:59 -0400 Subject: Another delay story? In-Reply-To: <51767.12.37.144.130.1160501449.squirrel@mail.gordsven.com> Message-ID: <004801c6ec9c$548e19d0$6800a8c0@Andrastea> Could this be an artifact of a crappy signal at your end? I have digital cable and the picture quality is fine. I would suppose if you were at the far end of the wire with lots of noise and packet loss, you'd get the pixilation that you describe. Have you ever had the cable company check signal strength? ------------------------------------ Cinema Service & Supply, Inc. Brian Vita President brian_vita@cssinc.com 77 Walnut St - Ste 4 Peabody, MA 01960-5691 tel: 978-538-7575 fax: 978-538-7550 AIM: btvita ------------------------------------ > > I have digital cable at home. The picture quality is NASTY. All > pixillated. Some services more than others, but you can > definitely notice > it. Of course the sports services get the best bandwith I think. > > I'm surprised people aren't raising cain over this. What > with all this > "digital crystal clear pictures" and what not. > > -- > Stephanie Weil > New York City, NY, USA > -- No virus found in this outgoing message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.408 / Virus Database: 268.13.1/470 - Release Date: 10/10/2006 From francini@mac.com Tue Oct 10 15:35:35 2006 From: francini@mac.com (John Francini) Date: Tue, 10 Oct 2006 15:35:35 -0400 Subject: Another delay story? In-Reply-To: <51767.12.37.144.130.1160501449.squirrel@mail.gordsven.com> References: <000901c6ec89$0552b960$6400a8c0@johnster1> <51767.12.37.144.130.1160501449.squirrel@mail.gordsven.com> Message-ID: <41F01B99-2FFB-4345-BD54-1701A09C1C3C@mac.com> I just got a big screen HDTV a few weeks ago. The pixelation I see seems to depend on the channel source, even with sporting events. NESN's coverage of Red Sox games, for example, leaves much to be desired in the pixelation department. I haven't yet caught any of their Bruins coverage to see how that looks. Since there's lots more fast motion in hockey, I'd hope they'd use more bandwidth. ESPN, on the other hand, seems to have a beautiful picture, at least on most of their HD stuff. And they really turn up the quality for Monday Night Football. I had heard somewhere that many of the digital channels are squeezed into a mere fraction of the on-the-wire bandwidth used by the analog signals. If this is the case, shouldn't the eventual demise of the analog tier be a good thing, as the cable co could then use more bandwidth to provide better pictures? Of course, if Verizon ever gets their FIOS act together in Nashua they'll be able to deliver far more channels, with a far higher bitrate, than could possibly be done with copper. (And yes, I know that the "cable system" is actually fiber on the pole, and the only part that's electronic these days is the feed from the pole to my home, but that sounds like the Weakest Link? in the whole system...) John On 10 Oct 2006, at 13:30, Stephanie Weil wrote: > > On Tue, October 10, 2006 12:27, John Mullaney wrote: >> As Comcast keeps adding more HDTV channels to their system (And >> they have >> more than any other cable system) they have to keep squeezing the >> bandwidth > > > I have digital cable at home. The picture quality is NASTY. All > pixillated. Some services more than others, but you can definitely > notice > it. Of course the sports services get the best bandwith I think. > > I'm surprised people aren't raising cain over this. What with all > this > "digital crystal clear pictures" and what not. > > -- > Stephanie Weil > New York City, NY, USA > From lglavin@mail.com Tue Oct 10 17:12:12 2006 From: lglavin@mail.com (Laurence Glavin) Date: Tue, 10 Oct 2006 16:12:12 -0500 Subject: What Happened To WKZE-AM? Message-ID: <20061010211213.7D9E71CE304@ws1-6.us4.outblaze.com> On past trips to western Massachusetts, upstate NY and NW CT, I've noticed that the town of Sharon, CT had an AM outlet operating at 1020 khz. I've only rarely tuned it in directly, I mainly observed that it caused splatter on WBZ's signal during the day. My travels this past weekend took me to the northwestern corner of CT (a state marked by innumerable lawn signs reading "Vote for JOE"). I passed s sign reading something like "11 miles to Sharon"... I didn't enter Sharon, but I flipped to 1020 and much to my surprise found SILENCE! WINS-AM 101 and WBZ-AM 1030 wre variously receivable, but not WKZE-AM. The FCC website lists it as a currently licensed station; was it taking the holiday off? The last time I remember that happening was when Simon Geller operated WVCA-FM. -- ___________________________________________________ Play 100s of games for FREE! http://games.mail.com From wollman@csail.mit.edu Tue Oct 10 17:38:46 2006 From: wollman@csail.mit.edu (Garrett Wollman) Date: Tue, 10 Oct 2006 17:38:46 -0400 Subject: Another delay story? In-Reply-To: <41F01B99-2FFB-4345-BD54-1701A09C1C3C@mac.com> References: <000901c6ec89$0552b960$6400a8c0@johnster1> <51767.12.37.144.130.1160501449.squirrel@mail.gordsven.com> <41F01B99-2FFB-4345-BD54-1701A09C1C3C@mac.com> Message-ID: <17708.4838.305313.810518@khavrinen.csail.mit.edu> < said: > I had heard somewhere that many of the digital channels are squeezed > into a mere fraction of the on-the-wire bandwidth used by the analog > signals. That's sort-of true. An television "channel", whether analogue or digital, uses 6 MHz of bandwidth in the western hemisphere. The rate of digital data (also called "bandwidth") that it's possible to achieve varies depending on the modulation used. The 8VSB system used for broadcast digital TV can do about 19 Mbit/s, or twice the data rate of a DVD. The ATSC standard includes a cable-only 16VSB modulation, although this is rarely if ever used in real cable systems; as the numbers suggest it can carry about twice the data rate of 8VSB. (It does this at the cost of less immunity to noise.) Instead of VSB, cable TV systems typically use 64QAM or 256QAM, which can support a comparable or greater data rate. However, few if any individual services actually use the full bandwidth of the channel. There's a lot of redundancy in video: one frame usually looks very much like its predecessor, so if you can arrange to send only the parts that change, rather than 30 entire frames per second, you can get away with a much lower data rate. All digital TV systems (including DVD) currently in use make use of the video encoding defined in the MPEG standard. However, the standard only specifies how the bits in the data stream are to be interpreted; how the video is actually encoded is left up to the encoder. This means that there is a lot of room for differences in quality between encoders, and even between different configurations of the same encoder. For example, here are some of the trade-offs: - Constant or variable bit-rate: An encoder may be configured to generate video at a constant bit rate, which makes system design and planning simpler -- all of the data rates can be determined in advance and the appropriate amount of bandwidth allocated to serve all of them. (I believe the networks encode their HD programming in CBR.) In VBR systems, the user sets a target data rate, but the actual output of the encoder is allowed to vary by some amount depending on the difficulty of compression, and during fast motion may greatly exceed the target rate. (Cable and satellite systems generally use VBR, for reasons I'll get to in a moment.) In either case, if the source material requires a higher data rate than what is actually available, some data will get dropped, leading to the "blocky" appearance of heavily-artifacted MPEG video.[1] - Real-time versus near-real-time versus off-line: There are opportunities to compress video that are only available when using a high-end compression system which can look at a large amount of the source material at once, so a pre-recorded source like a film is nearly always going to have better video quality than a live event for the same bandwidth. Real-time encoders tend to be poor compressors; if a delay of a few seconds is allowed, it's possible to do much better. This is also why HD Radio requires such a long delay. - Multiplexing: When using VBR encoders exclusively, as on the typical cable system, there is the additional complication of assigning services to physical channels. With CBR, you can simply add up the target bit rates until you reach one channel's worth. With VBR, there is the extra complication of not knowing the rate at which the encoder will actually output ahead of time. So operators will typically identify specific channels which require high data rates -- sports and movie channels -- and make sure not to multiplex them on the same channel, so that it's unlikely for more than one service on the channel to need all that capacity at the same time. > If this is the case, shouldn't the eventual demise of the > analog tier be a good thing, as the cable co could then use more > bandwidth to provide better pictures? Assuming they use it for that purpose rather than offering more channels of endlessly repeated tripe.... -GAWollman [1] There are two main ways to reduce the size of an MPEG video stream. One way is to reduce the temporal resolution, by dropping some blocks of motion data (each one containing, IIRC, a 16x16 rectangle of image data). The other way is to reduce the spatial resolution, either by not encoding some information -- often done as a matter of course with chrominance, since the human eye is less sensitive to variations in color than in luminance -- or by increasing the lossiness of the image compression. MPEG "I frames", like JPEG still images, are compressed using a technique baused on the Discrete Cosine Transform, and like JPEG offer a trade-off between spatial resolution and compression ratio. The spatial resolution generally cannot be changed in real time, so when a stream exceeds its allowed data rate, the only solution is to drop blocks. From paulcurrier@adelphia.net Tue Oct 10 17:44:38 2006 From: paulcurrier@adelphia.net (Paul B. Currier) Date: Tue, 10 Oct 2006 17:44:38 -0400 Subject: Jazz Oasis no more... Message-ID: <17708.5190.341401.595148@khavrinen.csail.mit.edu> Venturing onto the mainland this morning, I looked forward to listening the Jazz Oasis on WERS. It is no more - how did I miss this one? I seem to have less and less use for pre-select station buttons.....Is the goal of Emerson now to teach students format & playlist? So many years of listening to the students learn tor ropes of real broadcasting and play and espouse their fantastic knowledge of jazz are no more. All other good stuff is gone also.......all the creative shows seem to have been put in a blender then homogeninzed. Paul Sandwich Their website: WERS - Music For The Independent Mind WERS' daytime format features a blend of folk, rock, jazz, world, blues, soul, electronic and reggae. From sid@wrko.com Tue Oct 10 18:00:38 2006 From: sid@wrko.com (Sid Schweiger) Date: Tue, 10 Oct 2006 16:00:38 -0600 Subject: Jazz Oasis no more... Message-ID: >>Is the goal of Emerson now to teach students format & playlist? So many years of listening to the students learn tor ropes of real broadcasting and play and espouse their fantastic knowledge of jazz are no more.<< I know some on this list won't like it, but teaching students format and playlist IS teaching them "the ropes of real broadcasting." Whether we like it or not, that's reality. Former students who enter the broadcasting business are not in a position to change things, and by the time they gain experience and move into management positions, they realize that broadcasting is a business, and therefore must air what sells. Not saying I agree with it, but again, that's the reality. Sid Schweiger IT Manager, Entercom Boston LLC WAAF - WEEI AM/FM - WKAF - WMKK - WRKO - WVEI AM/FM 20 Guest St / 3d Floor Boston MA 02135-2040 Phone: 617-779-5369 Fax: 617-779-5379 E-Mail: sid@wrko.com From paulranderson@charter.net Tue Oct 10 21:59:24 2006 From: paulranderson@charter.net (Paul Anderson) Date: Tue, 10 Oct 2006 21:59:24 -0400 Subject: Another delay story? In-Reply-To: <452BAC5A.9040307@fybush.com> References: <20061010111457.10624.qmail@web50811.mail.yahoo.com> <452BAC5A.9040307@fybush.com> Message-ID: <1D6DBB62-CD90-4187-91DB-1285161ED4C6@charter.net> On Oct 10, 2006, at 10:21 AM, Scott Fybush wrote: > (I believe WYDN 48 is on cable channel 5 in Newton, where it's > literally unwatchable.) That has nothing to do with it being put on channel 5. ;-) Paul From paulcurrier@adelphia.net Wed Oct 11 08:54:46 2006 From: paulcurrier@adelphia.net (Paul B. Currier) Date: Wed, 11 Oct 2006 08:54:46 -0400 Subject: Jazz Oasis no more... References: Message-ID: <000b01c6ed34$6dd0ca80$a7483518@DG07P241> Agreed, but the college, PBS, and community stations have been our presence of radio as it should be. Paul ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sid Schweiger" To: Sent: Tuesday, October 10, 2006 6:00 PM Subject: Re: Jazz Oasis no more... > >>Is the goal of Emerson now to teach students > format & playlist? So many years of listening to the students learn > tor > ropes of real broadcasting and play and espouse their fantastic > knowledge of > jazz are no more.<< > > I know some on this list won't like it, but teaching students format > and playlist IS teaching them "the ropes of real broadcasting." Whether > we like it or not, that's reality. Former students who enter the > broadcasting business are not in a position to change things, and by the > time they gain experience and move into management positions, they > realize that broadcasting is a business, and therefore must air what > sells. Not saying I agree with it, but again, that's the reality. > > > > Sid Schweiger > IT Manager, Entercom Boston LLC > WAAF - WEEI AM/FM - WKAF - WMKK - WRKO - WVEI AM/FM > 20 Guest St / 3d Floor > Boston MA 02135-2040 > Phone: 617-779-5369 > Fax: 617-779-5379 > E-Mail: sid@wrko.com > From markwa1ion@aol.com Wed Oct 11 10:34:16 2006 From: markwa1ion@aol.com (markwa1ion@aol.com) Date: Wed, 11 Oct 2006 10:34:16 -0400 Subject: WITS/Red Sox Message-ID: <8C8BB5976B24C1D-FD8-449@FWM-M35.sysops.aol.com> I appreciate Dan's well-thought-out comments. Arlington is interesting because of the way two major hills (Turkey Hill and Belmont Hill a.k.a Wellington Hill) act to divide the town. In the Arlington Heights shopping district (corner Park Ave. and Mass. Ave.) - which isn't high at all - signals from the south are reduced considerably by Belmont Hill - the peak of which is on the Arlington side of Route 2 at the Park Circle water tank. This especially weakens Newton and Waltham area stations on the upper half of the dial, e.g. 1330, 1510, 1550, 1600. Also Turkey Hill blocks the route going a bit east of north, but there are no local stations in that direction: Lawrence on 800 would be the closest thing on that radial. The station that really cooks in "the heights" is WRKO-680 which is closer to there than to other parts of town. It travels down Lowell St. by the reservoir from the northwest over relatively low land "left of" (westerly of) Turkey Hill (and the minor "Gilboa Hill") blockage. Arlington Center - Mass. Ave. at Pleasant St. - a mile or two to the east has less hill blockage and probably better soil conductivity, being fairly close to the Mystic River and Alewife Brook. Most local stations are better there, especially those from Newton and Waltham that have a less-obstructed low-land ride along Route 60 at the bottom of the east flank of Belmont Hill. Providence stations are also better in "the center" as compared to "the heights" (meaning the two shopping districts of Mass. Ave., neither of which is high). Where I lived was halfway up the east side of Belmont Hill between the Pleasant St. and Park Ave. exits and something like 500 ft. north of the Route 2 centerline (Belmont-Arlington border). This favored signals to the northeast, east, and southeast. Stations to the west were at somewhat of a disadvantage. The position looking eastward (and downward) towards Spy Pond, Fresh Pond, and the Alewife/Mystic valleys no doubt helped me to hear many AM broadcast band stations from Europe and Africa, especially once I got my hands on a Collins R-390A receiver a few years before 1974 when my parents sold the house and I had to move out. Going back to the interference discussion: Implicit in all the careful analyses of how different stations' NIF contours are affected by other stations is the assumption that other stations, if not the sole source of interference to a given broiadcaster, are the principal thing to worry about. Real-life listening tells anyone of even modest intelligence that things such as power lines, appliances, lighting, and computers take a far greater toll on station listenability. Worrying about what KOA Denver (850) could do to WEEI Boston seems like a total joke compared to what the average overhead powerline could do in the mobile environment or the typical layout of digital gadgets could do in a home or office setting. Add to that the effects of attenuation in the cement-and-steel-frame buildings many of us occupy a good portion of the day and it wouldn't matter a hill of beans if KOA deliberately ran full beef into a tight pattern aimed right at Boston. The incremental added disablement of WEEI's signal would be insignificant compared to the effects of the aforementioned non-broadcast signal degraders. Mark Connelly, WA1ION - Billerica, MA << Well. When 1510 operated from Squantum, it was DA-1. So the inverse-distance field to the north at 1 km was probably greater than WMKI's field by day because WMKI is ND days, but maybe a bit less than WMKI's field to the north at night. The 1260 night pattern (three towers), while producing a relatively broad main lobe, produces a somewhat narrower lobe than did the old 1510 two-tower DA-1 pattern (a modified cardioid with a fairly substantial minor lobe to the south). Assuming equal antenna efficiencies (probable), the pattern differences suggest a lower maximum for 1510 than for 1260. Add to that the greater attenuation vs distance at 1510 compared with 1260 (1510 is an ~20% higher frequency), and WMEX might easily have put a signal 30% less than WMKI's into Arlington Heights. For your comparison, though, you should use 02476, not 02474. From my understanding of the location of your boyhood home, it is now in 02476, which is on the south side of the bikeway (the old Boston and Albany RR right-of-way, north of Mass Ave). 02474 is north of the bikeway. The population centroid of 02474 is probably a mile north of the centroid of 02476. My first home in Boston (June '56) was the MIT Graduate House (now Ashdown House) at 300 Memorial Drive, Cambridge (corner of Mass Ave). On my Zenith AM/FM table radio, a great set--eight tubes, IIRC--there were many nights when WKBW and WTOP made WMEX unlistenable (except to a DXer) on that radio. I'm sure that the signal at that QTH was substantially greater than 5 mV/m. However, I think you would have had to proceed down Mass Ave across Harvard Bridge, through Back Bay, and well into the South End, before the signal cleaned up enough to make for reliably good listening at night. In those days, NIF calculations included only co-channel signals. For 1510 in the northeast, that method of calculation was ludicrously inaccurate. Historically, the situation with Boston vs Nashville on 1510 had only one or two counterparts in the entire US--the Class A station protects a Class B because the station of lower class (Boston) predates the Class A (Nashville). (Another example: KIRO protects KSPN; that MIGHT be the only other historical example.) Because of that protection, WMEX had, on paper, a very low NIF--perhaps 2.5 mV/m or something close--probably lower than WHDH's, which was likely in the 3s. Today's recalculated number, which accounts for first-adjacent skywave, must be quite high. I could believe north of 15 mV/m. -- Dan Strassberg, dan.strassberg@att.net eFax 707-215-6367 >> ________________________________________________________________________ Check out the new AOL. Most comprehensive set of free safety and security tools, free access to millions of high-quality videos from across the web, free AOL Mail and more. From hmglaz@worldnet.att.net Thu Oct 12 01:44:47 2006 From: hmglaz@worldnet.att.net (Howard Glazer) Date: Thu, 12 Oct 2006 01:44:47 -0400 Subject: Jazz Oasis no more... References: Message-ID: <001701c6edc1$87843f60$ab884c0c@oemcomputer> ----- Original Message ----- From: Sid Schweiger To: Sent: Tuesday, October 10, 2006 6:00 PM Subject: Re: Jazz Oasis no more... > >>Is the goal of Emerson now to teach students > format & playlist? So many years of listening to the students learn > tor > ropes of real broadcasting and play and espouse their fantastic > knowledge of > jazz are no more.<< > > I know some on this list won't like it, but teaching students format > and playlist IS teaching them "the ropes of real broadcasting." Whether > we like it or not, that's reality. Former students who enter the > broadcasting business are not in a position to change things, and by the > time they gain experience and move into management positions, they > realize that broadcasting is a business, and therefore must air what > sells. Not saying I agree with it, but again, that's the reality. > > > When I was attending Syracuse University in the '70s -- newspaper major, not radio -- there were two radio outlets on campus for broadcast majors to learn the ropes: WAER (88.3) was the typical free-form college FM -- jocks working one or two shifts a months, playing their favorite records, with rambling, self-conscious chatter between five- or six-song sets. The only real professionalism on the station came on the SU football and basketball broadcasts, on which worked many a future major market sportscaster. I don't think many of the student DJs achieved similar prominence. WJPZ (1200) was the 100-milliwatt AM, a high-energy Top 40 with a sound greatly influenced by WCFL Chicago, which 'JPZ's program director -- who lived on my dorm floor -- used to listen to for hours each night, taking notes on rotation, segues, delivery, you name it. The result, most of the time, was a really tight, commercial-sounding station, and several of the students who jocked and polished their on-air presence there went on to good careers, in CHR and other formats. (The guy who drove the PD crazy, a seven-foot radio geek named Phil who insisted on calling himself "The world's tallest disc jockey" at every opportunity despite the PD's distaste for the catchprase, and found numerous ways to break format, abandoned DJing for the technical side and went on to become a station engineer in San Diego.) Since students in Emerson's broadcasting program have radio careers in mind, I agree with you that a station with a professional, well-formatted approach on campus is a necessity. However, if Emerson can't put another station on the air to allow the musical specialists and off-the-wall personalities to do "college radio," could it perhaps set aside the weekends and/or late nights for that purpose? Howard From joe@attorneyross.com Thu Oct 12 00:23:45 2006 From: joe@attorneyross.com (A. Joseph Ross) Date: Thu, 12 Oct 2006 00:23:45 -0400 Subject: Another delay story? In-Reply-To: <51767.12.37.144.130.1160501449.squirrel@mail.gordsven.com> References: <000901c6ec89$0552b960$6400a8c0@johnster1> Message-ID: <452D8B11.15672.82EFC9@localhost> On 10 Oct 2006 at 13:30, Stephanie Weil wrote: > I have digital cable at home. The picture quality is NASTY. All > pixillated. Some services more than others, but you can definitely > notice it. Of course the sports services get the best bandwith I > think. > > I'm surprised people aren't raising cain over this. What with all > this "digital crystal clear pictures" and what not. I don't know, but I got changed over from an analog to a digital box a few weeks ago, and I do see a great improvement in my picture quality, and I don't see the pixilated pictures you are talking about. So why aren't YOU complaining and insisting on a better picture? Or are you? -- A. Joseph Ross, J.D. 617.367.0468 15 Court Square, Suite 210 Fax 617.742.7581 Boston, MA 02108-2503 http://www.attorneyross.com From kenwvt@gmail.com Wed Oct 11 13:57:17 2006 From: kenwvt@gmail.com (Ken VanTassell) Date: Wed, 11 Oct 2006 13:57:17 -0400 Subject: HD Radio Boston Area Message-ID: <647737520610111057k6ff04e19s73add3d212a41de4@mail.gmail.com> Hi, I just put an HD Radio in my car (JVC HDR-1) since my old radio died.The Radio was only $200 which seemed reasonable. I live in Chelmsford, MA which is only about 30 miles out of Boston and the HD signals on FM are somewhat spotty. I understand that the HD signals come out of a seperate diplexed transmitter and are somewhat weaker, but is this (lack) of range normal ? The problem isn't too bad on the HD1 channel where it falls back to analog without interruption, but on HD2 you hear nothing but silence when it cuts out, which is frequently ! Thanks, Ken From lglavin@mail.com Thu Oct 12 14:07:33 2006 From: lglavin@mail.com (Laurence Glavin) Date: Thu, 12 Oct 2006 13:07:33 -0500 Subject: WKZE-AM Mystery Solved (Maybe) Message-ID: <20061012180737.DEE3D1158CC@ws1-7.us4.outblaze.com> On a weekend trip to western Mass, upstate NY and part of CT, I noticed that WKZE-AM 1020 COL Sharon, CT was missing. I also posted this observation at the Albany market board of radio-info.com and a reader mentioned that WKZE-AM's on-air appearances are indeed sporadic. One interesting fact: it's listed as the Air America Radio affiliate for Poughkeepsie, NY. I believe the tower is just over the CT/NY state line in the town of North East, NY, but even at full power, I imagine the signal would be weak in Poughkeepsie. According to the radio-info.com replier, WKZE AM&FM were sold some time ago, and WKZE-AM has not been all that assiduous about follwing FCC rules! -- ___________________________________________________ Play 100s of games for FREE! http://games.mail.com From lglavin@mail.com Thu Oct 12 14:35:18 2006 From: lglavin@mail.com (Laurence Glavin) Date: Thu, 12 Oct 2006 13:35:18 -0500 Subject: Paul Sullivan Hospitalized Again Message-ID: <20061012183520.0C8581F50B1@ws1-2.us4.outblaze.com> According to the Boston Herald, WBZ-AM talk show host Paul Sullivan has been hospitalized as a result of a brain tumor. Surgery is expected to take place Friday; this is his third hospitalization since being diagnosed with melanoma in 2004. The URL assiciated with the story didn't work with Google, but for the time being you may be able to read it at bostonherald.com, click on 'News and Opinion' and scroll down to the story. -- ___________________________________________________ Play 100s of games for FREE! http://games.mail.com From dan.strassberg@att.net Thu Oct 12 15:12:36 2006 From: dan.strassberg@att.net (Dan Strassberg) Date: Thu, 12 Oct 2006 15:12:36 -0400 Subject: WKZE-AM Mystery Solved (Maybe) References: <20061012180737.DEE3D1158CC@ws1-7.us4.outblaze.com> Message-ID: <002d01c6ee32$6843ff20$19eefea9@dstrassberg> The Air America affiliate in "Cleveland" is licensed to Akron. I think the current station, on 1350, puts a usable signal into Cleveland, even at night. However before AAR picked up the 1350 station, the affiliate was a station with lower power somewhere in the 1500s, but also licensed to Akron (or maybe to Canton, which is a good deal further from Cleveland than Akron is). Anyhow, the idea that that station serves Cleveland is about as far-fetched as WGAW being the Boston affiliate for some syndicated program. (Somebody uncovered that one a year or two ago and it created quite a stir at Radio-Info.com.) So it would not surprise me to see AAR calling a station in Sharon CT that is hardly ever on the air the Poughkeepsie AAR affiliate. The situation would not be unique. BTW, the former AAR "Cleveland" affiliate was purchased by an evangelical Christian group and flipped to religion. AAR was really lucky to be able to sign up the 1350 station, which can be received in Cleveland on many radios (as opposed to being audible only on communications receivers that are almost exclusively the property of DXers). I don't know how much of a problem the Akron 1350 has with 1330 in the Cleveland suburb of Willoughby, however. -- Dan Strassberg, dan.strassberg@att.net eFax 707-215-6367 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Laurence Glavin" To: Sent: Thursday, October 12, 2006 2:07 PM Subject: WKZE-AM Mystery Solved (Maybe) > On a weekend trip to western Mass, upstate NY and part of CT, I noticed > that WKZE-AM 1020 COL Sharon, CT was missing. I also posted this > observation at the Albany market board of radio-info.com > and a reader mentioned that WKZE-AM's on-air appearances are indeed > sporadic. One interesting fact: it's listed as the Air America Radio > affiliate for Poughkeepsie, NY. I believe the tower is just over the CT/NY > state line in the town of North East, NY, but even at full power, I imagine > the signal would be weak in Poughkeepsie. According to the radio-info.com > replier, WKZE AM&FM were sold some time ago, and WKZE-AM has not been > all that assiduous about follwing FCC rules! > > -- > ___________________________________________________ > Play 100s of games for FREE! http://games.mail.com > > From dan.strassberg@att.net Thu Oct 12 15:24:56 2006 From: dan.strassberg@att.net (Dan Strassberg) Date: Thu, 12 Oct 2006 15:24:56 -0400 Subject: HD Radio Boston Area References: <647737520610111057k6ff04e19s73add3d212a41de4@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <004001c6ee34$1d8c93a0$19eefea9@dstrassberg> There have been MANY comments on Barry Mishkind's Broadcast Engineering list about the unstisfactory performance (particularly, poor sensitivity) of virtually all of the HD Radio receivers. Your observation about the effect of fades on the HD-2 channels is particularly pertinent. I think you have discovered the achilles heel of the subsidiary HD channels. What it means is that that the subsidiary service hasn't a prayer. Couldn't happen to a nicer bunch of folks than iBiquity ;>) Can you force the radio into analog mode and lock it into that mode? If so, I guess $200 for a decent car radio is an OK price--particularly if it included installation. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Ken VanTassell" To: Sent: Wednesday, October 11, 2006 1:57 PM Subject: HD Radio Boston Area > Hi, > > I just put an HD Radio in my car (JVC HDR-1) since my old radio > died.The Radio was only $200 which seemed reasonable. I live in > Chelmsford, MA which is only about 30 miles out of Boston and the HD > signals on FM are somewhat spotty. I understand that the HD signals > come out of a seperate diplexed transmitter and are somewhat weaker, > but is this (lack) of range normal ? The problem isn't too bad on the > HD1 channel where it falls back to analog without interruption, but on > HD2 you hear nothing but silence when it cuts out, which is frequently > ! > > Thanks, > > Ken From stephanie@gordsven.com Thu Oct 12 17:06:12 2006 From: stephanie@gordsven.com (Stephanie Weil) Date: Thu, 12 Oct 2006 17:06:12 -0400 (EDT) Subject: HD Radio Boston Area In-Reply-To: <004001c6ee34$1d8c93a0$19eefea9@dstrassberg> References: <647737520610111057k6ff04e19s73add3d212a41de4@mail.gmail.com> <004001c6ee34$1d8c93a0$19eefea9@dstrassberg> Message-ID: <42959.12.37.144.130.1160687172.squirrel@mail.gordsven.com> On Thu, October 12, 2006 15:24, Dan Strassberg wrote: ) Can you force the radio into analog mode > and lock it into that mode? If so, I guess $200 for a decent car radio is > an > OK price--particularly if it included installation. Or you can always go back to the seller, demand your money back and get a normal analog radio for a half -- if not a third -- of the price. -- Stephanie Weil New York City, NY, USA From kenwvt@gmail.com Thu Oct 12 17:36:37 2006 From: kenwvt@gmail.com (Ken VanTassell) Date: Thu, 12 Oct 2006 17:36:37 -0400 Subject: HD Radio Boston Area In-Reply-To: <42959.12.37.144.130.1160687172.squirrel@mail.gordsven.com> References: <647737520610111057k6ff04e19s73add3d212a41de4@mail.gmail.com> <004001c6ee34$1d8c93a0$19eefea9@dstrassberg> <42959.12.37.144.130.1160687172.squirrel@mail.gordsven.com> Message-ID: <647737520610121436j31594865u1af5514ec35af7a9@mail.gmail.com> Don't get me wrong, I am happy with my purchase. The HD1 channels sound great and switch to analog without any distraction. My question was more of a technical nature as to why the HD portion is so much weaker than the analog. A 30 mile radius seems a bit skimpy. When I'm in a good signal area it is nice to have the additional commercial free (for now) HD2 channels as well. This new radio also plays mp3/wma discs has a direct cable connection for my mp3 player etc so I am pleased with it. -Ken On 10/12/06, Stephanie Weil wrote: > > > > On Thu, October 12, 2006 15:24, Dan Strassberg wrote: > ) Can you force the radio into analog mode > > and lock it into that mode? If so, I guess $200 for a decent car radio is > > an > > OK price--particularly if it included installation. > > Or you can always go back to the seller, demand your money back and get a > normal analog radio for a half -- if not a third -- of the price. > > -- > Stephanie Weil > New York City, NY, USA > From raccoonradio@gmail.com Fri Oct 13 12:27:56 2006 From: raccoonradio@gmail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Fri, 13 Oct 2006 12:27:56 -0400 Subject: Air America $20 million in debt Message-ID: <1fbbbced0610130927w7cad5291q613bb5ca176933ab@mail.gmail.com> The network declared Ch. 11 bankruptcy today (ability to stay on air while they reorganize and pay off debt). The Smoking Gun has details; they owe $20 million (assets of $4 million) including almost $10 million to Rob Glaser of Real Networks and $360,000 to Al Franken. http://www.thesmokinggun.com/archive/1013062airamerica1.html From readaaron@friedbagels.com Fri Oct 13 13:26:41 2006 From: readaaron@friedbagels.com (Aaron Read) Date: Fri, 13 Oct 2006 13:26:41 -0400 Subject: HD Radio Boston Area Message-ID: <452FCC51.705@friedbagels.com> Ken, the tongue-in-cheek reason is that radio stations have been lying to you for over 50 years. :-) By which I mean that the "problem" with IBOC (the actual generic term for this kind of digital radio..."HD Radio" is a brand name) is that it only reaches as far as the FM station's protected contour. In most cases, this is MUCH smaller than many people are used to because an analog signal is usually listenable well beyond the protected contour...in some cases 50 to 200% as far away. The tradeoff here is that digital maintains the same quality of service (QoS) right up until the point where the digital signal hits the cutoff threshold. So in an area where an analog signal might have only 75% of good "audio quality/fidelity", and a car radio might be blending to mono or suffering from multipath...the digital signal will sound exactly as good as it would standing next to the transmitter. No fades, no static, no clicks or pops, etc. The problem, of course, is that many stations are "losing" a severe number of their fringe listeners. Listeners the FCC has told them for years that they cannot count on but the stations did anyway. It's a paradigm shift in the concept of "listening to radio" and it will not be an easy transition for stations or listeners. Now, that all said, Chelmsford is certainly within the protected contour of several IBOC-equipped stations you're probably trying to listen to (like the biggies on the Pru, for example). So why are you having trouble getting a clean HD signal? First, the quality of the receivers has been spotty at best. Too much focus on just getting the damn things out to market because they've been delayed so much...not enough focus on making sure they can actually get an AM or FM signal! I've got a long rant on this issue that I'll dispense with for now...but I'd like to hope that this particular aspect will dramatically improve as more IBOC radios hit the market this year and next. Second, given that this is a VERY new technology when you're talking about the actual hardware installed at various sites...there are a host of stations that have their IBOC installations "wrong". I emphasize the quotes there because no one's entirely sure how to do it "right" quite yet. For all the testing and engineering, you never really quite know how a system is going to behave until you get it out in the field. There are a host of stories I've heard of entirely unheard-of problems suddenly popping up once an IBOC system was added. Or sometimes systems (often antennas) that had minor problems; problems not big enough to affect the analog-only system but when you toss in IBOC things start to go wrong. It's not anyone's fault. Again: IT'S NOT ANYONE'S FAULT. Lots of this stuff is all but impossible (or fiscally not feasible) to anticipate before you actually go out and do it. But the world (and many tower sites) are awash in wireless communications systems these days and they all interact with each other in strange and wondrous ways. A great example is the Pru - try listening to each Pru station's IBOC signal and you'll notice that not all them "come in" as good. Which shouldn't be the case...they all use the same damn antenna! So why's that difference there? Who knows?!? Could be atmospherics. Could be a flaw in the master antenna. Could be some form of intermod. Could be problems with the combiner. Or the individual transmitters. Or the encoders. Tracking down problems like this is often maddening and usually time-consuming. Never forget that while the digital signal is far more "robust" than the analog...it's still 100 times (-20dB) weaker than the analog. Interference and interactions the 22000 watts ERP would laugh at could severely affect a 220 watt ERP digital signal. Especially at a distance of 30 miles! All that said, I would anticipate that as time goes on you will see IBOC reception improving as systems are tweaked and better radios hit the market. It is unfortunate that so many sub-standard radios are on the market right now since (by and large) only us radio geeks are buying them. We're the ones our non-radio-geek friends are asking whether or not THEY should be buying into the HD Radio concept and the honest answer (too often) is "not yet". Or worse, "don't bother/forget about it". This bodes ill, to put it mildly, for a concept that can ultimately bring a lot of benefit to radio as time goes on. -- -------------------------- Aaron Read readaaron@friedbagels.com www.friedbagels.com Boston, MA 02246 Fried Bagels - Broadcast Radio & Web Engineering & Operations Consultant From wollman@csail.mit.edu Fri Oct 13 14:13:31 2006 From: wollman@csail.mit.edu (Garrett Wollman) Date: Fri, 13 Oct 2006 14:13:31 -0400 Subject: HD Radio Boston Area In-Reply-To: <452FCC51.705@friedbagels.com> References: <452FCC51.705@friedbagels.com> Message-ID: <17711.55115.759472.651933@khavrinen.csail.mit.edu> < said: > A great example is the Pru - try listening to each Pru station's IBOC > signal and you'll notice that not all them "come in" as good. Which > shouldn't be the case...they all use the same damn antenna! Not unless something drastic has changed recently. The lower master belongs to Greater Media, and only their stations use it (all except Magic for analog, and all four for digital). Kiss and the two CBS stations are on the upper master, and I don't know how they're handling IBOC on those signals. (According to our tour guide from that visit, which I believe was two and a half years ago now so this may be out-of-date, Magic's IBOC doesn't use the upper master because Greater didn't want to have to negotiate with the other two operators. Since they own the lower master, they could put Magic's IBOC on from there without the consent of CBS and CCU.) -GAWollman From wollman@csail.mit.edu Fri Oct 13 14:18:21 2006 From: wollman@csail.mit.edu (Garrett Wollman) Date: Fri, 13 Oct 2006 14:18:21 -0400 Subject: HD Radio Boston Area In-Reply-To: <452FCC51.705@friedbagels.com> References: <452FCC51.705@friedbagels.com> Message-ID: <17711.55405.962694.7187@khavrinen.csail.mit.edu> < said: > Interference and interactions the 22000 watts ERP would laugh at could > severely affect a 220 watt ERP digital signal. Especially at a distance > of 30 miles! How much processing gain does the OFDM provide in hybrid mode? A quick giggle search doesn't reveal any convincing evidence. (The top result is a 1995 IEEE paper which says 8 dB, but the system has changed so much since then that I wouldn't consider it reliable.) -GAWollman From dlh@donnahalper.com Fri Oct 13 14:23:49 2006 From: dlh@donnahalper.com (Donna Halper) Date: Fri, 13 Oct 2006 14:23:49 -0400 Subject: Air America $20 million in debt In-Reply-To: <1fbbbced0610130927w7cad5291q613bb5ca176933ab@mail.gmail.co m> References: <1fbbbced0610130927w7cad5291q613bb5ca176933ab@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <7.0.1.0.2.20061013141337.042e9600@donnahalper.com> At 12:27 PM 10/13/2006, Bob Nelson wrote: >The network declared Ch. 11 bankruptcy today (ability to stay on air >while they reorganize and pay off debt). The Smoking Gun has details; >they owe $20 million (assets of $4 million) >including almost $10 million to Rob Glaser of Real Networks and $360,000 to >Al Franken. My well-informed sources (people inside Air America Radio) say that a large chunk of the money Al is owed is money HE lent Air America during some times of financial crisis, just to keep it on the air. And one other well-informed source who is with a competitor tells me Al is quietly shopping his show around to see if he can place it elsewhere, in the event AAR doesn't get back on firm financial ground. There was a myth from Bill O'Lie-ly that Al was being paid 500,000 a year or something-- I've seen some of the financials, and no he wasn't paid anything close to that. Like him or not, Al really believes in progressive radio, and while AAR has been run by some pretty inept people (including the dishonest original founder, Evan Cohen, who incidentally was a long-time Republican and supporter of Bush the Daddy... I only mention that because some of those who are gloating on the right are ignoring that a rightie is one of those who started this entire set of problems, which AAR then compounded with some incredibly bad management decisions.) Interestingly, if it's "liberal talk" that is a failure, why are the Ed Schultz Show and the Stephanie Miller Show, both syndicated by the Jones Radio Network, either breaking even (Stephanie) or making a profit (Ed)... AAR's problems are more complicated than "oh progressive talk can't work." We've discussed this before, and I don't wanna beat a dead horese, so I'll just remind everyone from the right that it took Limbaugh SEVEN YEARS to become a successful talker, and sponsors were hesitant about being on his show then, just like many are hesitant to start off with progressive talk now. But when talk shows are interesting and are on stations where you can actually hear their signal, and when there is a promotion budget to support some outside events to bring in new cume, there are a number of markets where progressive hosts are getting very good numbers. The format is just 2 years old-- let's not write it off because AAR has never figured out how to run their business cost-effectively... From john@minutemancomm.com Fri Oct 13 14:26:25 2006 From: john@minutemancomm.com (John Mullaney) Date: Fri, 13 Oct 2006 14:26:25 -0400 Subject: HD Radio Boston Area In-Reply-To: <452FCC51.705@friedbagels.com> Message-ID: <001501c6eef5$1cab62b0$6400a8c0@johnster1> -----Original Message----- From: boston-radio-interest-bounces@rolinin.BostonRadio.org [mailto:boston-radio-interest-bounces@rolinin.BostonRadio.org] On Behalf Of Aaron Read Sent: Friday, October 13, 2006 1:27 PM To: boston-radio-interest@bostonradio.org; kenwvt@gmail.com Subject: re: HD Radio Boston Area A great example is the Pru - try listening to each Pru station's IBOC signal and you'll notice that not all them "come in" as good. Which shouldn't be the case...they all use the same damn antenna! So why's that difference there? Actually they are not all on the same antenna. WBCN, WZLX, and Kiss108 are all using separate single bay antennas. These antennas are on the corner tower and have been in place as back up antennas since the original master went up. WMJX I don't believe is using their single bay for HD but I think along with the other Greater Media PRU stations is using the second Master antenna mounted below the original. This would be WMJX, WBOS, WROR and WTKK. From struff@struff.com Fri Oct 13 14:48:32 2006 From: struff@struff.com (struff) Date: Fri, 13 Oct 2006 14:48:32 -0400 Subject: HD Radio Boston Area In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <20061013184724.M47183@struff.com> You can get rid of that and get a radio with XM. :) From kenwvt@gmail.com Fri Oct 13 15:28:46 2006 From: kenwvt@gmail.com (Ken VanTassell) Date: Fri, 13 Oct 2006 15:28:46 -0400 Subject: HD Radio Boston Area In-Reply-To: <001501c6eef5$1cab62b0$6400a8c0@johnster1> References: <452FCC51.705@friedbagels.com> <001501c6eef5$1cab62b0$6400a8c0@johnster1> Message-ID: <647737520610131228m47351545j584956bb9c0283b0@mail.gmail.com> Thanks for all the info guys, I love the radio geek speak. It's been a long time since I worked in the radio business but still love to hang on the fringes. The HD radio that I bought was the cheapest one around, all the others were "add-on" boxes with serious price tags. I understand what I was getting into, I am enjoying it none the less. -Ken From readaaron@friedbagels.com Fri Oct 13 16:20:15 2006 From: readaaron@friedbagels.com (Aaron Read) Date: Fri, 13 Oct 2006 16:20:15 -0400 Subject: HD Radio Boston Area In-Reply-To: <001501c6eef5$1cab62b0$6400a8c0@johnster1> References: <001501c6eef5$1cab62b0$6400a8c0@johnster1> Message-ID: <452FF4FF.1040409@friedbagels.com> John Mullaney wrote: > -----Original Message----- > A great example is the Pru - try listening to each Pru station's IBOC signal > and you'll notice that not all them "come in" as good. Which shouldn't be > the case...they all use the same damn antenna! So why's that difference > there? > > > Actually they are not all on the same antenna. WBCN, WZLX, and Kiss108 are > all using separate single bay antennas. These antennas are on the corner > tower and have been in place as back up antennas since the original master > went up. WMJX I don't believe is using their single bay for HD but I think > along with the other Greater Media PRU stations is using the second Master > antenna mounted below the original. This would be WMJX, WBOS, WROR and WTKK. > Yeesh. I should've known you nitpickers would come out of the woodwork! :-) Yes, yes, yes, I know not EVERY station on the Pru shares the same antenna. I meant you should try listening to the stations that ARE on the same master antenna (yes, GM's WMJX, WROR, WBOS and WTKK's IBOC signals are all combined and then injected into GM's analog master antenna - see here: http://www.rwonline.com/reference-room/iboc/07_rw_hd_boston_2.shtml Especially out on the fringes, you'll notice that some come in better than others. Well, admittedly the last time I heard this effect was nearly a year ago, it's likely they've tweaked it since then and maybe the difference isn't so pronounced. I don't have a car so I don't have an IBOC car radio. I've been pushing Zipcar to install 'em, though. :-) Anyways, as I just mentioned to Garrett, the presence of adjacent channel interference can make a substantial difference in IBOC reception since it's "all or nothing" digital. See this article, for example: http://www.rwonline.com/reference-room/iboc/2006.07.05-04_rw_hd_receiver.shtml So that certainly could account for the variations in reception of similar signals from the same location. WXRV could, for example, affect WBOS's signal when you're up in the Haverhill/Andover area. But that wouldn't affect WTKK's signal (just as an example). -- -------------------------- Aaron Read readaaron@friedbagels.com www.friedbagels.com Boston, MA 02246 Fried Bagels - Broadcast Radio & Web Engineering & Operations Consultant From readaaron@friedbagels.com Fri Oct 13 15:58:55 2006 From: readaaron@friedbagels.com (Aaron Read) Date: Fri, 13 Oct 2006 15:58:55 -0400 Subject: HD Radio Boston Area In-Reply-To: <17711.55405.962694.7187@khavrinen.csail.mit.edu> References: <452FCC51.705@friedbagels.com> <17711.55405.962694.7187@khavrinen.csail.mit.edu> Message-ID: <452FEFFF.6000203@friedbagels.com> Garrett Wollman wrote: > < said: > >> Interference and interactions the 22000 watts ERP would laugh at could >> severely affect a 220 watt ERP digital signal. Especially at a distance >> of 30 miles! > > How much processing gain does the OFDM provide in hybrid mode? A > quick giggle search doesn't reveal any convincing evidence. (The top > result is a 1995 IEEE paper which says 8 dB, but the system has > changed so much since then that I wouldn't consider it reliable.) > > -GAWollman Hmmm...I'm not sure either. Although my Googling I did find this article, which is relevant to the discussion: http://www.rwonline.com/reference-room/iboc/2006.07.05-04_rw_hd_receiver.shtml -- -------------------------- Aaron Read readaaron@friedbagels.com www.friedbagels.com Boston, MA 02246 Fried Bagels - Broadcast Radio & Web Engineering & Operations Consultant From lglavin@mail.com Fri Oct 13 17:02:04 2006 From: lglavin@mail.com (Laurence Glavin) Date: Fri, 13 Oct 2006 16:02:04 -0500 Subject: WCEC-AM 1110 Stunting? Message-ID: <20061013210206.EF4B01BF281@ws1-1.us4.outblaze.com> Is there a limit to the number of Spanish-language radio stations even Greater Lawrence can support? A short time ago, WCEC-AM 1110 COL Salem, NH, which usually programs news-oriented programs in Spanish (often before legal sign-on for a strict daytimer) was instead playing English-language pop and hip-hop-style recordings with English-language announcers. Is it a stunt before a format switch or did they take the wrong feed from the satellite? -- ___________________________________________________ Play 100s of games for FREE! http://games.mail.com From hmadjid@gmail.com Fri Oct 13 16:07:40 2006 From: hmadjid@gmail.com (Hakim Madjid) Date: Fri, 13 Oct 2006 16:07:40 -0400 Subject: HD Radio Boston Area Message-ID: Dan Strassberg wrote: >What it means is that that the subsidiary service hasn't a prayer. Couldn't happen to a nicer >bunch of folks than iBiquity ;>) Can you force the radio into analog mode >and lock it into that mode? If so, I guess $200 for a decent car radio is an >OK price--particularly if it included installation. As I have been saying for a number of years I just don't think HD radio will succeed. There's almost zero interest from the general public. Is it true that iBiquity is charging a royalty of $40 per receiver? If so that figure should be more like 40 **cents** :-) -- 73 DE Hakim (N1ZFF) From wollman@csail.mit.edu Fri Oct 13 19:55:49 2006 From: wollman@csail.mit.edu (Garrett Wollman) Date: Fri, 13 Oct 2006 19:55:49 -0400 Subject: HD Radio Boston Area In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <17712.10117.811130.554234@khavrinen.csail.mit.edu> < said: > Is it true that iBiquity is charging a royalty of $40 per receiver? If > so that figure should be more like 40 **cents** :-) I don't know what the actual figure is, but I would point out that there are a lot of fingers in the pie. As I understand it, iBiquity is acting as agent to collect royalties for literally dozens of other IP holders who have patents on various parts of the system. (I'd like to know how much Fraunhofer gets for the AAC decoder, for example.) -GAWollman From raccoonradio@gmail.com Fri Oct 13 21:29:12 2006 From: raccoonradio@gmail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Fri, 13 Oct 2006 21:29:12 -0400 Subject: Air America $20 million in debt In-Reply-To: <7.0.1.0.2.20061013141337.042e9600@donnahalper.com> References: <1fbbbced0610130927w7cad5291q613bb5ca176933ab@mail.gmail.com> <7.0.1.0.2.20061013141337.042e9600@donnahalper.com> Message-ID: <1fbbbced0610131829u6da2b91bsf85e7747eec588f8@mail.gmail.com> On 10/13/06, Donna Halper wrote: > My well-informed sources (people inside Air America Radio) say that a > large chunk of the money Al is owed is money HE lent Air America > during some times of financial crisis, just to keep it on the > air. Thought he was supposed to be paid $2 million a year or so...Wasn't there some big announcement he had renewed his contract and was getting big bucks? Hopefully he got most of his salary and the $360,000 owed is, like you say, repayment of a loan. Some liberal talk --the ones you mention--is working or at least breaking even. If the problem is that the big conglomerates are putting it on weaker stations, then let's see them try it on the big ones...though I tend to believe they (companies) don't want to take that chance. AAR seemed to have the attitude of "let's hire a comedian" so maybe they can get Robin Williams (new movie about a comedian running for President) to do a show next :) And liberal talk isn't necessarily a new thing: Jesse Jackson, Jim Hightower, Mario Cuomo, Alan Colmes, Marge Clapprood, Mike Webb, and many others come to mind. May have made more sense to try and develop shows that could be syndicated to the stations we now consider conservative talk...if they have a talented host and feel there's an audience out there, they can try to get these shows on a WRKO or a WTKK. And some feel that while conservative talk appeals to the right, middle, and even left (people tuning in to get their blood pressure up), liberal talk may have appealed just to the left (and the FAR left at that--the ones on some liberal messageboards that have called Franken too conservative!) and maybe part of the middle, but conservatives were too busy listening to Rush, or were turned off by the likes of Franken. From donald_astelle@yahoo.com Fri Oct 13 21:13:09 2006 From: donald_astelle@yahoo.com (Donald A.) Date: Fri, 13 Oct 2006 18:13:09 -0700 (PDT) Subject: Air America $20 million in debt In-Reply-To: <7.0.1.0.2.20061013141337.042e9600@donnahalper.com> Message-ID: <20061014011309.95782.qmail@web55312.mail.re4.yahoo.com> Sound like you are talking about the "home team" with some obvious passion. You obviously have a dog in the fight.... ;-) Don --- Donna Halper wrote: > At 12:27 PM 10/13/2006, Bob Nelson wrote: > > My well-informed sources (people inside Air America > Radio) say that a > large chunk of the money Al is owed is money HE lent > Air America > during some times of financial crisis, just to keep > it on the > air. And one other well-informed source who is with > a competitor > tells me Al is quietly shopping his show around to > see if he can > place it elsewhere, in the event AAR doesn't get > back on firm > financial ground. There was a myth from Bill > O'Lie-ly that Al was > being paid 500,000 a year or something-- I've seen > some of the > financials, and no he wasn't paid anything close to > that. Like him > or not, Al really believes in progressive radio, and > while AAR has > been run by some pretty inept people (including the > dishonest > original founder, Evan Cohen, who incidentally was a > long-time > Republican and supporter of Bush the Daddy... I only > mention that > because some of those who are gloating on the right > are ignoring that > a rightie is one of those who started this entire > set of problems, > which AAR then compounded with some incredibly bad > management decisions.) > > Interestingly, if it's "liberal talk" that is a > failure, why are the > Ed Schultz Show and the Stephanie Miller Show, both > syndicated by the > Jones Radio Network, either breaking even > (Stephanie) or making a > profit (Ed)... AAR's problems are more complicated > than "oh > progressive talk can't work." We've discussed this > before, and I > don't wanna beat a dead horese, so I'll just remind > everyone from the > right that it took Limbaugh SEVEN YEARS to become a > successful > talker, and sponsors were hesitant about being on > his show then, just > like many are hesitant to start off with progressive > talk now. But > when talk shows are interesting and are on stations > where you can > actually hear their signal, and when there is a > promotion budget to > support some outside events to bring in new cume, > there are a number > of markets where progressive hosts are getting very > good > numbers. The format is just 2 years old-- let's not > write it off > because AAR has never figured out how to run their > business cost-effectively... > > __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com From sid@wrko.com Fri Oct 13 21:49:17 2006 From: sid@wrko.com (Sid Schweiger) Date: Fri, 13 Oct 2006 19:49:17 -0600 Subject: HD Radio Boston Area Message-ID: >>Is it true that iBiquity is charging a royalty of $40 per receiver? If so that figure should be more like 40 **cents** :-)<< There is nothing on the web to indicate that the $40 per radio fee is for real, but it was posted on another remailer system by someone who is in a position to know. For comparison sake, it was also noted that the royalty collected by GE for FM stereo decoders was ten cents per receiver (even though the present FM stereo standard is an amalgam of the GE and Zenith systems), and 25 cents per receiver for AM stereo decoders collected by Motorola. Sid Schweiger IT Manager, Entercom Boston LLC WAAF - WEEI AM/FM - WKAF - WMKK - WRKO - WVEI AM/FM 20 Guest St / 3d Floor Boston MA 02135-2040 Phone: 617-779-5369 Fax: 617-779-5379 E-Mail: sid@wrko.com From dslrpierce@peoplepc.com Sat Oct 14 11:10:31 2006 From: dslrpierce@peoplepc.com (dslrpierce@peoplepc.com) Date: Sat, 14 Oct 2006 11:10:31 -0400 Subject: Air America $20 million in debt References: <1fbbbced0610130927w7cad5291q613bb5ca176933ab@mail.gmail.com> <7.0.1.0.2.20061013141337.042e9600@donnahalper.com> Message-ID: <002a01c6efa2$e5749100$5e86e904@your6jnhhu0520> The first job of a radio talk show host is to entertain. The second job is to entertain. The third job is to entertain. Therefore, the first job of the people who are putting a talk radio network together is to HIRE ENTERTAINING PEOPLE. Ed Schulz is a case in point. He is entertaining to listen to, therefore, he gathers an audience, therefore, his show makes money. Ted O'Brien was entertaining when paired with Janet Jeghelian, as a solo act, not so much. The list goes on. As Donna has said, Air America made numerous poor business decisions, but the first, in my estimation, was hiring a set of hosts primarily for their Progressive credentials, rather than their ability to put on an entertaining talk radio show. This is a mistake, of course, that happens all across the business. Witness the large number of stations and networks that have hired people who are celebrities in other fields who turn out to be complete busts on the air. I still believe there is nothing intrinsically wrong with hiring people from a left-of-center viewpoint to host radio talk shows, even on stations dominated by right-of -center hosts. They must be entertaining people who engage their audience so that they can either build a large enough following of like-minded folks to make the show profitable, or, even better, they can build an audience of people across the ideological spectrum who tune in to be entertained, even when the host's views drive them crazy. Dan Pierce ----- Original Message ----- From: "Donna Halper" To: "Bob Nelson" ; "RadioEqualizer@aol.com" ; Sent: Friday, October 13, 2006 2:23 PM Subject: Re: Air America $20 million in debt > At 12:27 PM 10/13/2006, Bob Nelson wrote: >>The network declared Ch. 11 bankruptcy today (ability to stay on air >>while they reorganize and pay off debt). The Smoking Gun has details; >>they owe $20 million (assets of $4 million) >>including almost $10 million to Rob Glaser of Real Networks and $360,000 >>to >>Al Franken. > > My well-informed sources (people inside Air America Radio) say that a > large chunk of the money Al is owed is money HE lent Air America during > some times of financial crisis, just to keep it on the air. And one other > well-informed source who is with a competitor tells me Al is quietly > shopping his show around to see if he can place it elsewhere, in the event > AAR doesn't get back on firm financial ground. There was a myth from Bill > O'Lie-ly that Al was being paid 500,000 a year or something-- I've seen > some of the financials, and no he wasn't paid anything close to that. > Like him or not, Al really believes in progressive radio, and while AAR > has been run by some pretty inept people (including the dishonest original > founder, Evan Cohen, who incidentally was a long-time Republican and > supporter of Bush the Daddy... I only mention that because some of those > who are gloating on the right are ignoring that a rightie is one of those > who started this entire set of problems, which AAR then compounded with > some incredibly bad management decisions.) > > Interestingly, if it's "liberal talk" that is a failure, why are the Ed > Schultz Show and the Stephanie Miller Show, both syndicated by the Jones > Radio Network, either breaking even (Stephanie) or making a profit (Ed)... > AAR's problems are more complicated than "oh progressive talk can't work." > We've discussed this before, and I don't wanna beat a dead horese, so I'll > just remind everyone from the right that it took Limbaugh SEVEN YEARS to > become a successful talker, and sponsors were hesitant about being on his > show then, just like many are hesitant to start off with progressive talk > now. But when talk shows are interesting and are on stations where you > can actually hear their signal, and when there is a promotion budget to > support some outside events to bring in new cume, there are a number of > markets where progressive hosts are getting very good numbers. The format > is just 2 years old-- let's not write it off because AAR has never figured > out how to run their business cost-effectively... > From revdoug1@verizon.net Sat Oct 14 11:34:31 2006 From: revdoug1@verizon.net (Doug Drown) Date: Sat, 14 Oct 2006 11:34:31 -0400 Subject: Air America $20 million in debt References: <1fbbbced0610130927w7cad5291q613bb5ca176933ab@mail.gmail.com> <7.0.1.0.2.20061013141337.042e9600@donnahalper.com> <002a01c6efa2$e5749100$5e86e904@your6jnhhu0520> Message-ID: <01fd01c6efa6$3f1d1d00$6401a8c0@pastor2> <> I couldn't agree more. I've heard Ed Schulz only once, on WWKB in Buffalo back in the spring. Interesting show, thought-provoking, very engaging. I feel the same way about Howie Carr, and am a fairly regular listener to Howie's show even though as a political moderate I disagree with many of his views. Some of what he says raises my hackles, but he seldom fails to be entertaining. What's more, there is no one --- regardless of his conservativism --- who links New Englanders to Boston better than Howie. In a very real sense, he's the mouthpiece of the city. -Doug ----- Original Message ----- From: To: "Bob Nelson" ; "RadioEqualizer@aol.com" ; ; "Donna Halper" Sent: Saturday, October 14, 2006 11:10 AM Subject: Re: Air America $20 million in debt > The first job of a radio talk show host is to entertain. The second job is > to entertain. The third job is to entertain. Therefore, the first job of > the people who are putting a talk radio network together is to HIRE > ENTERTAINING PEOPLE. Ed Schulz is a case in point. He is entertaining to > listen to, therefore, he gathers an audience, therefore, his show makes > money. Ted O'Brien was entertaining when paired with Janet Jeghelian, as a > solo act, not so much. The list goes on. As Donna has said, Air America > made numerous poor business decisions, but the first, in my estimation, was > hiring a set of hosts primarily for their Progressive credentials, rather > than their ability to put on an entertaining talk radio show. This is a > mistake, of course, that happens all across the business. Witness the large > number of stations and networks that have hired people who are celebrities > in other fields who turn out to be complete busts on the air. > > I still believe there is nothing intrinsically wrong with hiring people from > a left-of-center viewpoint to host radio talk shows, even on stations > dominated by right-of -center hosts. They must be entertaining people who > engage their audience so that they can either build a large enough following > of like-minded folks to make the show profitable, or, even better, they can > build an audience of people across the ideological spectrum who tune in to > be entertained, even when the host's views drive them crazy. > > Dan Pierce > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Donna Halper" > To: "Bob Nelson" ; "RadioEqualizer@aol.com" > ; > Sent: Friday, October 13, 2006 2:23 PM > Subject: Re: Air America $20 million in debt > > > > At 12:27 PM 10/13/2006, Bob Nelson wrote: > >>The network declared Ch. 11 bankruptcy today (ability to stay on air > >>while they reorganize and pay off debt). The Smoking Gun has details; > >>they owe $20 million (assets of $4 million) > >>including almost $10 million to Rob Glaser of Real Networks and $360,000 > >>to > >>Al Franken. > > > > My well-informed sources (people inside Air America Radio) say that a > > large chunk of the money Al is owed is money HE lent Air America during > > some times of financial crisis, just to keep it on the air. And one other > > well-informed source who is with a competitor tells me Al is quietly > > shopping his show around to see if he can place it elsewhere, in the event > > AAR doesn't get back on firm financial ground. There was a myth from Bill > > O'Lie-ly that Al was being paid 500,000 a year or something-- I've seen > > some of the financials, and no he wasn't paid anything close to that. > > Like him or not, Al really believes in progressive radio, and while AAR > > has been run by some pretty inept people (including the dishonest original > > founder, Evan Cohen, who incidentally was a long-time Republican and > > supporter of Bush the Daddy... I only mention that because some of those > > who are gloating on the right are ignoring that a rightie is one of those > > who started this entire set of problems, which AAR then compounded with > > some incredibly bad management decisions.) > > > > Interestingly, if it's "liberal talk" that is a failure, why are the Ed > > Schultz Show and the Stephanie Miller Show, both syndicated by the Jones > > Radio Network, either breaking even (Stephanie) or making a profit (Ed)... > > AAR's problems are more complicated than "oh progressive talk can't work." > > We've discussed this before, and I don't wanna beat a dead horese, so I'll > > just remind everyone from the right that it took Limbaugh SEVEN YEARS to > > become a successful talker, and sponsors were hesitant about being on his > > show then, just like many are hesitant to start off with progressive talk > > now. But when talk shows are interesting and are on stations where you > > can actually hear their signal, and when there is a promotion budget to > > support some outside events to bring in new cume, there are a number of > > markets where progressive hosts are getting very good numbers. The format > > is just 2 years old-- let's not write it off because AAR has never figured > > out how to run their business cost-effectively... > > > > From dlh@donnahalper.com Sat Oct 14 13:29:20 2006 From: dlh@donnahalper.com (Donna Halper) Date: Sat, 14 Oct 2006 13:29:20 -0400 Subject: Air America $20 million in debt In-Reply-To: <002a01c6efa2$e5749100$5e86e904@your6jnhhu0520> References: <1fbbbced0610130927w7cad5291q613bb5ca176933ab@mail.gmail.com> <7.0.1.0.2.20061013141337.042e9600@donnahalper.com> <002a01c6efa2$e5749100$5e86e904@your6jnhhu0520> Message-ID: <7.0.1.0.2.20061014132147.03db6178@donnahalper.com> At 11:10 AM 10/14/2006, Dan P. wrote: >The first job of a radio talk show host is to entertain. The second >job is to entertain. The third job is to entertain. Therefore, the >first job of the people who are putting a talk radio network >together is to HIRE ENTERTAINING PEOPLE. Ed Schulz is a case in >point. He is entertaining to listen to, therefore, he gathers an >audience, therefore, his show makes money. Ted O'Brien was >entertaining when paired with Janet Jeghelian, as a solo act, not so >much. The list goes on. As Donna has said, Air America made >numerous poor business decisions, but the first, in my estimation, >was hiring a set of hosts primarily for their Progressive >credentials, rather than their ability to put on an entertaining >talk radio show. Oh Dan, you have said it even better than I did, and I commend you. This ain't about ideology. It's about entertainment. I know Al Franken. He and I are not close pals, but I do know the guy. He is passionate about politics-- that's not an act. He cares deeply about America. That too is for real. And he disagrees with the Bush Administration on many issues. That's his right as a human being and as an American. BUT none of that makes his show interesting, even though he has some outstanding guests. Many times, networks make the mistake of choosing somebody famous and figuring their fame will make them sound good on radio-- Jerry Springer is a case in point. Clear Channel thought Jerry's fame as a crazed talk show host would translate to numbers doing a political talk show. Alas, those who wanted to hear Jerry on the radio wanted to hear about men who are saving up for a sex change or women who secretly love sheep or whatever else is on Jerry's TV show. They don't wanna hear his political views. I can think of a number of TV talk shows that came and went because the "famous" host turned out to be dull and incapable of keeping the audience's interest. But this all speaks to a bigger issue, one I have howled about for years. Whether you are a rightie, a leftie or a moderate, we all agree there are only a handful of REALLY ENTERTAINING talk hosts. If they died tomorrow, who would fill their shoes? Since consolidation, with voice tracking and syndication an easier and cheaper option, many smaller stations, where such talent used to be developed, no longer train the next generation of hosts. As a result, people are put on the air before they are ready, and boy it sounds awful. From lglavin@mail.com Sat Oct 14 13:51:10 2006 From: lglavin@mail.com (Laurence Glavin) Date: Sat, 14 Oct 2006 12:51:10 -0500 Subject: WCEC-AM 1110 Stunting? Message-ID: <20061014175110.2DDEE164278@ws1-4.us4.outblaze.com> >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Laurence Glavin" >To: boston-radio-interest@rolinin.bostonradio.org >Subject: WCEC-AM 1110 Stunting? >Date: Fri, 13 Oct 2006 16:02:04 -0500 I got a message offline from someone whose name I don't recall seeing on the B.R.I.G. to the effect that WCEC doesn't take CNN Radio in Spanish anymore, and may have been filling time with, um, "music" until sign-off. I know I can hear Spanish-language news before October sunrise on 1110, although I haven't monitored when they go on-the-air exactly. Through a couple of managements, AM 1110 in Salem,NH has tended to sign on early until sometime in December, then they continue to follow the rules until EDST. Don't know why. -- ___________________________________________________ Play 100s of games for FREE! http://games.mail.com From lglavin@mail.com Sat Oct 14 14:03:59 2006 From: lglavin@mail.com (Laurence Glavin) Date: Sat, 14 Oct 2006 13:03:59 -0500 Subject: OK I Know What's The Frequency...Now What's The Station? Message-ID: <20061014180359.8B269164278@ws1-4.us4.outblaze.com> On a few occasions, Scott Fybush would post an item about mistakes occurring in the Boston Globe's sports pages, primarily the call-letters, frequencies or call-letters AND frequencies of stations carrying PBP sports that were erroneous. I was glancing at that area of the Globe today (Saturday) and noticed that the paper is avoiding the risk by publishing only the FREQUENCIES of such stations. So MLB playoffs are listed as being on TV channel 25 and on radio at 890 (what, no 1400?). Of course this gets confusing because some college game is listed as being on 95.9 FM; is that Marshfield or Pittsfield? You may say, it must be Marshfield because the Globe is a BOSTON paper, but for a Dartmouth College game they list 1340 as the frequency, and that's in Hanover, NH. This gets even odder when you check out the carrier of an American Hockey League game between Worcester and Portland...the frequency is 1440, and BOTH cities have outlets that transmit on 1440. -- ___________________________________________________ Play 100s of games for FREE! http://games.mail.com From dan.strassberg@att.net Sat Oct 14 16:56:20 2006 From: dan.strassberg@att.net (Dan Strassberg) Date: Sat, 14 Oct 2006 16:56:20 -0400 Subject: Air America $20 million in debt References: <1fbbbced0610130927w7cad5291q613bb5ca176933ab@mail.gmail.com><7.0.1.0.2.20061013141337.042e9600@donnahalper.com> <002a01c6efa2$e5749100$5e86e904@your6jnhhu0520> Message-ID: <002901c6efd4$51d72fc0$19eefea9@dstrassberg> Absolutely, a radio talk host has to be entertaining. No argument there. But for a talk show that is centered on current events and that carries a heavy dose of politics, ENTERTAINING IS NOT SUFFICIENT!!! The host must be WAY more knowledgable about the subject matter than the average listener. I also think being passionate about his/her viewpoints adds to the entertainment value IF the passion is not carried to extremes. Randi Rhodes absolutely carries the passion to unreasonable extremes. Rachel Maddow, on the other hand, though just as passionate, does not go overboard. On paper, Franken is a great host. He is knowledgeable and passionate. But, alas, despite his background as standup comic and a writer and performer for TV's Saturday Night Live, he just doesn't have the chops for radio. An interesting question is whether Marc Maron, former co-host of AAR's now departed Morning Sedition does or does not have those chops. He is a standup comic, but unlike Franken, his on-air persona and performance were quite polished. And he and the other comics he brought in to do bits on the show obviously labored mightily on the on-air product. When the bits were "on" (maybe 1/3 of the time), they could be absolutely riotous. When they were not on, they really laid an egg. But to me, Maron's biggest flaw was that, without co-host Mark Riley, no standup comic, but a radio guy through-and-through with a strong knowledge of current events, Maron was simply not knowledgeable enough. Riley was able to step in and straighten Maron out when he started to get in over his head, but it was quite obvious what was going on--and I think it left a bad impression with a lot of listeners. It did with me, anyhow. Maybe the point is that it's a lot harder to be a liberal talk-show host than to be a rightie talk-show host. By and large, when rightie hosts make absurd statements on the air--which is the case with probably 80% of what rightie hosts, as a group, have to say, nobody challenges them. On the other hand, even when they are completely accurate, liberal hosts get challenged immediately and get cut to shreds by rightie listeners unless they defend themselves vigorously. This puts the rightie vigilante listeners in control of the liberal shows' on-air product. The result is Randi Rhodes-style shouting matches, which are tolerable for maybe 90 seconds in each 24-hour period. Schultz seems to largely avoid that sort of controversy by being a middle-of-the-roader--not a liberal. Though pro-union, he is actually quite conservtive on many liberal hot-button issues, such as gun control (he's against it). He also opposes reproductive choice--a subject he mostly avoids because his views antagonize his listener base. -- Dan Strassberg, dan.strassberg@att.net eFax 707-215-6367 ----- Original Message ----- From: To: "Bob Nelson" ; "RadioEqualizer@aol.com" ; ; "Donna Halper" Sent: Saturday, October 14, 2006 11:10 AM Subject: Re: Air America $20 million in debt > The first job of a radio talk show host is to entertain. The second job is > to entertain. The third job is to entertain. Therefore, the first job of > the people who are putting a talk radio network together is to HIRE > ENTERTAINING PEOPLE. Ed Schulz is a case in point. He is entertaining to > listen to, therefore, he gathers an audience, therefore, his show makes > money. Ted O'Brien was entertaining when paired with Janet Jeghelian, as a > solo act, not so much. The list goes on. As Donna has said, Air America > made numerous poor business decisions, but the first, in my estimation, was > hiring a set of hosts primarily for their Progressive credentials, rather > than their ability to put on an entertaining talk radio show. This is a > mistake, of course, that happens all across the business. Witness the large > number of stations and networks that have hired people who are celebrities > in other fields who turn out to be complete busts on the air. > > I still believe there is nothing intrinsically wrong with hiring people from > a left-of-center viewpoint to host radio talk shows, even on stations > dominated by right-of -center hosts. They must be entertaining people who > engage their audience so that they can either build a large enough following > of like-minded folks to make the show profitable, or, even better, they can > build an audience of people across the ideological spectrum who tune in to > be entertained, even when the host's views drive them crazy. > > Dan Pierce > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Donna Halper" > To: "Bob Nelson" ; "RadioEqualizer@aol.com" > ; > Sent: Friday, October 13, 2006 2:23 PM > Subject: Re: Air America $20 million in debt > > > > At 12:27 PM 10/13/2006, Bob Nelson wrote: > >>The network declared Ch. 11 bankruptcy today (ability to stay on air > >>while they reorganize and pay off debt). The Smoking Gun has details; > >>they owe $20 million (assets of $4 million) > >>including almost $10 million to Rob Glaser of Real Networks and $360,000 > >>to > >>Al Franken. > > > > My well-informed sources (people inside Air America Radio) say that a > > large chunk of the money Al is owed is money HE lent Air America during > > some times of financial crisis, just to keep it on the air. And one other > > well-informed source who is with a competitor tells me Al is quietly > > shopping his show around to see if he can place it elsewhere, in the event > > AAR doesn't get back on firm financial ground. There was a myth from Bill > > O'Lie-ly that Al was being paid 500,000 a year or something-- I've seen > > some of the financials, and no he wasn't paid anything close to that. > > Like him or not, Al really believes in progressive radio, and while AAR > > has been run by some pretty inept people (including the dishonest original > > founder, Evan Cohen, who incidentally was a long-time Republican and > > supporter of Bush the Daddy... I only mention that because some of those > > who are gloating on the right are ignoring that a rightie is one of those > > who started this entire set of problems, which AAR then compounded with > > some incredibly bad management decisions.) > > > > Interestingly, if it's "liberal talk" that is a failure, why are the Ed > > Schultz Show and the Stephanie Miller Show, both syndicated by the Jones > > Radio Network, either breaking even (Stephanie) or making a profit (Ed)... > > AAR's problems are more complicated than "oh progressive talk can't work." > > We've discussed this before, and I don't wanna beat a dead horese, so I'll > > just remind everyone from the right that it took Limbaugh SEVEN YEARS to > > become a successful talker, and sponsors were hesitant about being on his > > show then, just like many are hesitant to start off with progressive talk > > now. But when talk shows are interesting and are on stations where you > > can actually hear their signal, and when there is a promotion budget to > > support some outside events to bring in new cume, there are a number of > > markets where progressive hosts are getting very good numbers. The format > > is just 2 years old-- let's not write it off because AAR has never figured > > out how to run their business cost-effectively... > > > From billings@suscom-maine.net Sat Oct 14 17:57:59 2006 From: billings@suscom-maine.net (Daniel Billings) Date: Sat, 14 Oct 2006 17:57:59 -0400 Subject: Air America $20 million in debt In-Reply-To: <7.0.1.0.2.20061014132147.03db6178@donnahalper.com> Message-ID: <000001c6efdb$d2fa1980$3c9e05cf@yourm3vezyx8af> Air America has several problems. First, is trying to sell a network instead of individual shows. Rush made it big, as have other conservative hosts, but they all made it as individual shows. They were not sold as a network. Second, though I think a liberal host can work, I think selling a whole station as a liberal station is much tougher. Most of the stations that carry conservative hosts do not sell the station as a conservative station. For example, even though WGAN has Rush, Howie, and O'Reilly, they have a liberal co-host of the local morning show and carry non-political shows on the weekend. In this way, the station as a whole does not turn off non-conservatives at all times. -- Dan Billings, Bowdoinham, Maine From rogerkola@aol.com Sat Oct 14 21:22:30 2006 From: rogerkola@aol.com (Roger Kolakowski) Date: Sat, 14 Oct 2006 21:22:30 -0400 Subject: In my mailbox tonight...a "NEW" Boston Station Message-ID: <001501c6eff8$627e2580$0200a8c0@Tanguray> FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 10/14/2006 9:15 PM RE:Pastor Bruce H. Wall, 617- Senior Pastor, Global Ministries Christian Church Host, Let's Talk" Radio Show, WJDA 1300 AM, Boston, MA Host, The Families First Show, WRCA 1330 AM, Boston, MA Host, The Families First, WDJZ 1539 AM Radio, Bridgeport, CT. Host, BNN Cable TV Channel 23 PASTOR WALL, LOCAL PASTOR, TO WORK WITH OTTO MILLER TO PURCHASE A THIRD CHRISTIAN RADIO STATION IN THE BOSTON/NEW ENGLAND MARKET Boston, MA (CFENS) Pastor Bruce Wall, Senior Pastor of the Global Ministries Christian Church and radio talk shows host of "Let's Talk" on WJDA 1300 AM Radio in Boston, will work with Otto Miller,to bring a Christian radio station to Boston for urban pastors. Mr. Miller also has purchased two stations in Dallas TX and two stations in Boston, MA. Pastor Wall stated, "I am reaching more people through the radio than I ever could from the pulpit of my church or on the streets of Boston." Seven other pastors will leave the station that they are on and move with Pastor Wall to this new station to be located in Boston. From revdoug1@verizon.net Sat Oct 14 22:00:48 2006 From: revdoug1@verizon.net (Doug Drown) Date: Sat, 14 Oct 2006 22:00:48 -0400 Subject: In my mailbox tonight...a "NEW" Boston Station References: <001501c6eff8$627e2580$0200a8c0@Tanguray> Message-ID: <024801c6effd$bc822d10$6401a8c0@pastor2> Interesting news. Bruce Wall is highly respected in Christian circles. I certainly wish him well, as one interested in radio and as a fellow-pastor. I wonder whether he and Mr. Miller are planning to establish something on a new frequency (most probably between 1620 and 1700 kHz?) or whether they're looking to purchase an already-existing station. -Doug ----- Original Message ----- From: "Roger Kolakowski" To: Sent: Saturday, October 14, 2006 9:22 PM Subject: In my mailbox tonight...a "NEW" Boston Station > FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE > 10/14/2006 9:15 PM > > RE:Pastor Bruce H. Wall, 617- > Senior Pastor, Global Ministries Christian Church > Host, Let's Talk" Radio Show, WJDA 1300 AM, Boston, MA > Host, The Families First Show, WRCA 1330 AM, Boston, MA > Host, The Families First, WDJZ 1539 AM Radio, Bridgeport, CT. > Host, BNN Cable TV Channel 23 > > PASTOR WALL, LOCAL PASTOR, TO WORK WITH OTTO MILLER TO PURCHASE A THIRD > CHRISTIAN RADIO STATION IN THE BOSTON/NEW ENGLAND MARKET > Boston, MA (CFENS) Pastor Bruce Wall, Senior Pastor of the Global > Ministries Christian Church and radio talk shows host of "Let's Talk" on > WJDA 1300 AM Radio in Boston, will work with Otto Miller,to bring a > Christian radio station to Boston for urban pastors. Mr. Miller also has > purchased two stations in Dallas TX and two stations in Boston, MA. > > Pastor Wall stated, "I am reaching more people through the radio than I ever > could from the pulpit of my church or on the streets of Boston." > > Seven other pastors will leave the station that they are on and move with > Pastor Wall to this new station to be located in Boston. > > From rogerkola@aol.com Sat Oct 14 22:12:37 2006 From: rogerkola@aol.com (Roger Kolakowski) Date: Sat, 14 Oct 2006 22:12:37 -0400 Subject: In my mailbox tonight...a "NEW" Boston Station References: <001501c6eff8$627e2580$0200a8c0@Tanguray> <024801c6effd$bc822d10$6401a8c0@pastor2> Message-ID: <001b01c6efff$62deb7e0$0200a8c0@Tanguray> Of course I will treat that as a rhetorical question for the board...I personally don't have a clue and am only the "delivery boy." Roger WA1KAT ----- Original Message ----- From: "Doug Drown" To: "Roger Kolakowski" ; Sent: Saturday, October 14, 2006 10:00 PM Subject: Re: In my mailbox tonight...a "NEW" Boston Station > Interesting news. Bruce Wall is highly respected in Christian circles. I > certainly wish him well, as one interested in radio and as a fellow-pastor. > I wonder whether he and Mr. Miller are planning to establish something on a > new frequency (most probably between 1620 and 1700 kHz?) or whether they're > looking to purchase an already-existing station. > -Doug > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Roger Kolakowski" > To: > Sent: Saturday, October 14, 2006 9:22 PM > Subject: In my mailbox tonight...a "NEW" Boston Station > > > > FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE > > 10/14/2006 9:15 PM > > > > RE:Pastor Bruce H. Wall, 617- > > Senior Pastor, Global Ministries Christian Church > > Host, Let's Talk" Radio Show, WJDA 1300 AM, Boston, MA > > Host, The Families First Show, WRCA 1330 AM, Boston, MA > > Host, The Families First, WDJZ 1539 AM Radio, Bridgeport, CT. > > Host, BNN Cable TV Channel 23 > > > > PASTOR WALL, LOCAL PASTOR, TO WORK WITH OTTO MILLER TO PURCHASE A THIRD > > CHRISTIAN RADIO STATION IN THE BOSTON/NEW ENGLAND MARKET > > Boston, MA (CFENS) Pastor Bruce Wall, Senior Pastor of the Global > > Ministries Christian Church and radio talk shows host of "Let's Talk" on > > WJDA 1300 AM Radio in Boston, will work with Otto Miller,to bring a > > Christian radio station to Boston for urban pastors. Mr. Miller also has > > purchased two stations in Dallas TX and two stations in Boston, MA. > > > > Pastor Wall stated, "I am reaching more people through the radio than I > ever > > could from the pulpit of my church or on the streets of Boston." > > > > Seven other pastors will leave the station that they are on and move with > > Pastor Wall to this new station to be located in Boston. > > > > > > From stephanie@gordsven.com Sat Oct 14 22:11:08 2006 From: stephanie@gordsven.com (Stephanie Weil) Date: Sat, 14 Oct 2006 22:11:08 -0400 (EDT) Subject: In my mailbox tonight...a "NEW" Boston Station In-Reply-To: <024801c6effd$bc822d10$6401a8c0@pastor2> References: <001501c6eff8$627e2580$0200a8c0@Tanguray> <024801c6effd$bc822d10$6401a8c0@pastor2> Message-ID: <1202.66.65.49.10.1160878268.squirrel@gordsven.com> > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Roger Kolakowski" >> Host, The Families First, WDJZ 1539 AM Radio, Bridgeport, CT. I wonder if he meant WDJZ 1530 AM Radio? -- Stephanie Weil New York City, NY, USA From raccoonradio@gmail.com Sat Oct 14 23:29:17 2006 From: raccoonradio@gmail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Sat, 14 Oct 2006 23:29:17 -0400 Subject: In my mailbox tonight...a "NEW" Boston Station In-Reply-To: <1202.66.65.49.10.1160878268.squirrel@gordsven.com> References: <001501c6eff8$627e2580$0200a8c0@Tanguray> <024801c6effd$bc822d10$6401a8c0@pastor2> <1202.66.65.49.10.1160878268.squirrel@gordsven.com> Message-ID: <1fbbbced0610142029l575aa1ebn9e99bb2f0ee97f38@mail.gmail.com> >>to bring a Christian radio station to Boston for urban pastors. WILD 1090 (rumored to be for sale, if it isn't already)...? maybe... From raccoonradio@gmail.com Sat Oct 14 23:31:00 2006 From: raccoonradio@gmail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Sat, 14 Oct 2006 23:31:00 -0400 Subject: Air America $20 million in debt In-Reply-To: <000001c6efdb$d2fa1980$3c9e05cf@yourm3vezyx8af> References: <7.0.1.0.2.20061014132147.03db6178@donnahalper.com> <000001c6efdb$d2fa1980$3c9e05cf@yourm3vezyx8af> Message-ID: <1fbbbced0610142031r5dab579eh48d85bcede9f882c@mail.gmail.com> A locally based weekday show ("all politics is local") would help... From raccoonradio@gmail.com Sat Oct 14 23:33:48 2006 From: raccoonradio@gmail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Sat, 14 Oct 2006 23:33:48 -0400 Subject: OK I Know What's The Frequency...Now What's The Station? In-Reply-To: <1fbbbced0610142033x21ad9477n252ef2d78b755aee@mail.gmail.com> References: <20061014180359.8B269164278@ws1-4.us4.outblaze.com> <1fbbbced0610142033x21ad9477n252ef2d78b755aee@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <1fbbbced0610142033h7366e3c8n88054e4bd7d4adba@mail.gmail.com> On 10/14/06, Laurence Glavin wrote: noticed that the paper is avoiding the risk by publishing > only the FREQUENCIES of such stations. Yes--they mention 890 for the MLB playoffs, for example (though when I'm working nights at the post office I'm lucky to pick up a station from NY or Hartford instead...) And one listing said "870" which I assume is from Portland..But yes, no calls are given.... for a Dartmouth College game they list > 1340 as the frequency, and that's in Hanover, NH. This gets even odder > when you check out the carrier of an American Hockey League game True! From nostaticatall@charter.net Sun Oct 15 02:08:10 2006 From: nostaticatall@charter.net (David Tomm) Date: Sun, 15 Oct 2006 02:08:10 -0400 Subject: Air America $20 million in debt In-Reply-To: <1fbbbced0610142031r5dab579eh48d85bcede9f882c@mail.gmail.com> References: <7.0.1.0.2.20061014132147.03db6178@donnahalper.com> <000001c6efdb$d2fa1980$3c9e05cf@yourm3vezyx8af> <1fbbbced0610142031r5dab579eh48d85bcede9f882c@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <8e5616ce21e63f9bcaa3b351440d4872@charter.net> My guess is that Clear Channel may just do that once the signal upgrade to 1200 is complete. With the limited range of the current signals and the fact that a live & local drivetime show would be severely hampered during the winter months (early mornings and late afternoons buried in noise,) switching on the new 50K stick may also be a good time to launch a local morning show. The fact that they continue to show up in the ratings at all with an all satellite lineup, spotty reception in most of the market and virtually no promotion shows that with a better signal, a local presence and and some marketing, the station could hold it's own. It will never truly compete with WTKK & WRKO, which have far superior signals, but as a niche format on an secondary AM signal CC could make some money with it. Let's see what happens once they turn the juice on in Newton. --Dave Tomm "Mike Thomas" On Oct 14, 2006, at 11:31 PM, Bob Nelson wrote: > A locally based weekday show ("all politics is local") would help... > From markwats@comcast.net Sun Oct 15 19:46:20 2006 From: markwats@comcast.net (Mark Watson) Date: Sun, 15 Oct 2006 19:46:20 -0400 Subject: Paul Sullivan Hospitalized Again References: <20061012183520.0C8581F50B1@ws1-2.us4.outblaze.com> Message-ID: <006201c6f0b4$1e230970$1a87e847@Mark> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Laurence Glavin" To: Sent: Thursday, October 12, 2006 2:35 PM Subject: Paul Sullivan Hospitalized Again Laurence Glavin wrote: > According to the Boston Herald, WBZ-AM talk show host Paul Sullivan has > been > hospitalized as a result of a brain tumor. Surgery is expected to take > place > Friday; this is his third hospitalization since being diagnosed with > melanoma > in 2004. The Lowell Sun reports that Paul Sullivan's surgery was successful and he is in good condition and he should be released from the hospital within a few days, and after a couple of weeks of recuperation at home, barring any complications, he expects to be back on WBZ in time for election night coverage on Nov.8th. Mark Watson From joe@attorneyross.com Sun Oct 15 23:08:27 2006 From: joe@attorneyross.com (A. Joseph Ross) Date: Sun, 15 Oct 2006 23:08:27 -0400 Subject: OK I Know What's The Frequency...Now What's The Station? In-Reply-To: <20061014180359.8B269164278@ws1-4.us4.outblaze.com> Message-ID: <4532BF6B.30797.3BB4C6@localhost> On 14 Oct 2006 at 13:03, Laurence Glavin wrote: > Of course this gets confusing because some college game is listed > as being on 95.9 FM; is that Marshfield or Pittsfield? WATD in Marshfield regularly carries UMass-Amherst games, if that helps. -- A. Joseph Ross, J.D. 617.367.0468 15 Court Square, Suite 210 Fax 617.742.7581 Boston, MA 02108-2503 http://www.attorneyross.com From dslrpierce@peoplepc.com Mon Oct 16 10:26:46 2006 From: dslrpierce@peoplepc.com (dslrpierce@peoplepc.com) Date: Mon, 16 Oct 2006 10:26:46 -0400 Subject: Air America $20 million in debt References: <1fbbbced0610130927w7cad5291q613bb5ca176933ab@mail.gmail.com> <7.0.1.0.2.20061013141337.042e9600@donnahalper.com> <002a01c6efa2$e5749100$5e86e904@your6jnhhu0520> <7.0.1.0.2.20061014132147.03db6178@donnahalper.com> Message-ID: <006601c6f12f$1dc0a840$87a1e904@your6jnhhu0520> As a small market program director for ten years, I saw first hand how our already limited budgets were cut even further when we were assimilated by large corporations. This made it even more difficult to hire local, weekend talk talent (or even news talent, for that matter). The same is true with music format stations. Where is the farm team? We have been eating our seed corn for almost twenty years now. As we have seen, relying on talent from outside the business is problematic, at best. Unfortunately, with my understanding of the economics of the business of small market radio, I am not optimistic that this trend will turn around anytime soon. Dan Pierce ----- Original Message ----- From: "Donna Halper" To: ; "Bob Nelson" ; "RadioEqualizer@aol.com" ; Sent: Saturday, October 14, 2006 1:29 PM Subject: Re: Air America $20 million in debt > At 11:10 AM 10/14/2006, Dan P. wrote: >>The first job of a radio talk show host is to entertain. The second job >>is to entertain. The third job is to entertain. Therefore, the first job >>of the people who are putting a talk radio network together is to HIRE >>ENTERTAINING PEOPLE. Ed Schulz is a case in point. He is entertaining to >>listen to, therefore, he gathers an audience, therefore, his show makes >>money. Ted O'Brien was entertaining when paired with Janet Jeghelian, as >>a solo act, not so much. The list goes on. As Donna has said, Air >>America made numerous poor business decisions, but the first, in my >>estimation, was hiring a set of hosts primarily for their Progressive >>credentials, rather than their ability to put on an entertaining talk >>radio show. > > Oh Dan, you have said it even better than I did, and I commend you. This > ain't about ideology. It's about entertainment. I know Al Franken. He > and I are not close pals, but I do know the guy. He is passionate about > politics-- that's not an act. He cares deeply about America. That too is > for real. And he disagrees with the Bush Administration on many issues. > That's his right as a human being and as an American. BUT none of that > makes his show interesting, even though he has some outstanding guests. > Many times, networks make the mistake of choosing somebody famous and > figuring their fame will make them sound good on radio-- Jerry Springer is > a case in point. Clear Channel thought Jerry's fame as a crazed talk show > host would translate to numbers doing a political talk show. Alas, those > who wanted to hear Jerry on the radio wanted to hear about men who are > saving up for a sex change or women who secretly love sheep or whatever > else is on Jerry's TV show. They don't wanna hear his political views. I > can think of a number of TV talk shows that came and went because the > "famous" host turned out to be dull and incapable of keeping the > audience's interest. > > But this all speaks to a bigger issue, one I have howled about for years. > Whether you are a rightie, a leftie or a moderate, we all agree there are > only a handful of REALLY ENTERTAINING talk hosts. If they died tomorrow, > who would fill their shoes? Since consolidation, with voice tracking and > syndication an easier and cheaper option, many smaller stations, where > such talent used to be developed, no longer train the next generation of > hosts. As a result, people are put on the air before they are ready, and > boy it sounds awful. > > From me@billoneill.us Mon Oct 16 10:53:38 2006 From: me@billoneill.us (Bill O'Neill) Date: Mon, 16 Oct 2006 10:53:38 -0400 Subject: Air America $20 million in debt In-Reply-To: <006601c6f12f$1dc0a840$87a1e904@your6jnhhu0520> References: <1fbbbced0610130927w7cad5291q613bb5ca176933ab@mail.gmail.com> <7.0.1.0.2.20061013141337.042e9600@donnahalper.com> <002a01c6efa2$e5749100$5e86e904@your6jnhhu0520> <7.0.1.0.2.20061014132147.03db6178@donnahalper.com> <006601c6f12f$1dc0a840$87a1e904@your6jnhhu0520> Message-ID: <45339CF2.5090008@billoneill.us> dslrpierce@peoplepc.com wrote: > Where is the farm team? We have been eating our seed corn for almost > twenty years now. As we have seen, relying on talent from outside the > business is problematic, at best. Great post. I suspect the "anyone can do it" mind-set, although flawed, took hold. And purely driven by economics. Most local (even some major market) talkers are hourly, no bennies, but, bless 'em all, hooked on the radio thing such that even a no-money deal would work for some. And, well, you get what you pay for. Bill O'Neill From raccoonradio@gmail.com Mon Oct 16 12:07:34 2006 From: raccoonradio@gmail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Mon, 16 Oct 2006 12:07:34 -0400 Subject: Fybush: GM flip in Phil. area to smooth jazz; 'KLB move Message-ID: <1fbbbced0610160907n1c2b7e8bke6cb287cd34887d8@mail.gmail.com> Fybush reports that smooth jazz returns to Philly --thanks to the deal that will land WKLB on 102.5 probably next month. As you'll recall, Greater Media bought WCRB 102.5 from Charles River Broadcasting and intends to put "Don't rock the jukebox, I wanna hear George Jones/'Cause my heart ain't ready for the Rolling Stones" on that freq...GM, forced to sell 99.5 due to ownership cap, made deal with Nassau in a station swap: Nassau picking up 99.5 (classicial under WCRB intellectual property) here, and GM gaining a station in NJ (Philly market) That GM operation, WTHK 97.5, will flip from rock to smooth jazz on NOV 15 http://www.fybush.com So...does that mean Nov 15 will be the date when country moves to 102.5? From me@billoneill.us Mon Oct 16 13:04:38 2006 From: me@billoneill.us (Bill O'Neill) Date: Mon, 16 Oct 2006 13:04:38 -0400 Subject: Open Sores Message-ID: <4533BBA6.2080405@billoneill.us> Today's Lowell Sun www.lowellsun.com is reporting that "Radio personality" Christopher Lydon's $12,500 monthly contract for his four (4) one hour shows per week, Open Source, which is produced entirely at WGBH, is being dropped by UMass Lowell at the end of the year. The SUN story notes that the $150,000 per year that Bay State taxpayers sent to Lydon did not include payroll and state benefits provided to four of his staff including his producer, Mary McGrath. Although the Lydon hour aired daily on WUML (91.5 Lowell) it originated and was distributed via WGBH radio in Boston to around 30 other stations. Throughout the contract, Lydon had no involvement with WUML at UMass Lowell. File under: Nice work if you can get it. Bill O'Neill From nostaticatall@charter.net Mon Oct 16 13:05:12 2006 From: nostaticatall@charter.net (David Tomm) Date: Mon, 16 Oct 2006 13:05:12 -0400 Subject: Fybush: GM flip in Phil. area to smooth jazz; 'KLB move In-Reply-To: <1fbbbced0610160907n1c2b7e8bke6cb287cd34887d8@mail.gmail.com> References: <1fbbbced0610160907n1c2b7e8bke6cb287cd34887d8@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <5b4a1467645384a9f2c90e1ad06190a8@charter.net> I would think it hinges on when GM officially takes over WCRB. Has that happened yet? IIRC, GM has already closed on WTHK--they control that frequency already. They're just choosing to make the format switch on that date. Until GM finally closes on 102.5, nothing is changing. I'm sure their deal with Nassau will go into effect once that happens. Dave Tomm "Mike Thomas" On Oct 16, 2006, at 12:07 PM, Bob Nelson wrote: > Fybush reports that smooth jazz returns to Philly --thanks to the deal > that will land WKLB on 102.5 probably next month. As you'll recall, > Greater Media bought WCRB 102.5 from Charles River Broadcasting and > intends to put "Don't rock the jukebox, I wanna hear George > Jones/'Cause my heart ain't ready for the Rolling Stones" on that > freq...GM, forced to sell 99.5 due to ownership cap, made deal with > Nassau in a station swap: Nassau picking up 99.5 (classicial under > WCRB intellectual property) here, and GM gaining a station in NJ > (Philly market) > > That GM operation, WTHK 97.5, will flip from rock to smooth jazz on > NOV 15 > > http://www.fybush.com > > So...does that mean Nov 15 will be the date when country moves to > 102.5? > From Donald_Astelle@yahoo.com Mon Oct 16 13:49:57 2006 From: Donald_Astelle@yahoo.com (Don A.) Date: Mon, 16 Oct 2006 13:49:57 -0400 Subject: Open Sores References: <4533BBA6.2080405@billoneill.us> Message-ID: <021401c6f14c$cca65860$767ffea9@hsd1.ma.comcast.net> > Throughout the contract, Lydon had no involvement with WUML at UMass > Lowell. File under: Nice work if you can get it. Wasn't he supposed to start teaching a acourse there? Wasn't UML supposed to start a new "communications" department/school? Don... From me@billoneill.us Mon Oct 16 14:39:57 2006 From: me@billoneill.us (Bill O'Neill) Date: Mon, 16 Oct 2006 14:39:57 -0400 Subject: Open Sores In-Reply-To: <021401c6f14c$cca65860$767ffea9@hsd1.ma.comcast.net> References: <4533BBA6.2080405@billoneill.us> <021401c6f14c$cca65860$767ffea9@hsd1.ma.comcast.net> Message-ID: <4533D1FD.3080004@billoneill.us> Don A. wrote: > Wasn't he supposed to start teaching a acourse there? > > Wasn't UML supposed to start a new "communications" department/school? > That was the line. The other line that is being pushed by state senator Pangiotakos (D-Lowell) is the national "branding" that the Lydon show was giving, believe it or not, Lowell. Bill O'Neill From markwats@comcast.net Mon Oct 16 16:14:26 2006 From: markwats@comcast.net (Mark Watson) Date: Mon, 16 Oct 2006 16:14:26 -0400 Subject: Open Sores References: <4533BBA6.2080405@billoneill.us> <021401c6f14c$cca65860$767ffea9@hsd1.ma.comcast.net> Message-ID: <002a01c6f15f$ae48edc0$1a87e847@Mark> Don A. wrote: > Wasn't he supposed to start teaching a course there? > > Wasn't UML supposed to start a new "communications" department/school? According to the article in today's Lowell Sun, as part of the deal Lydon was supposed to head up a new communications department and U Mass Lowell was to build Lydon a studio for him to broadcast his show. The show is currently produced at WGBH in Boston. The article also says that Lydon was informed that his U Mass Lowell contract will not be renewed when it expires in December in order to give him ample time to find other sponsors. Here is a link to the Lowell Sun article regarding the end of the Chris Lydon/UML deal: http://www.lowellsun.com/front/ci_4500620 Mark Watson From joe@attorneyross.com Mon Oct 16 23:32:17 2006 From: joe@attorneyross.com (A. Joseph Ross) Date: Mon, 16 Oct 2006 23:32:17 -0400 Subject: Fybush: GM flip in Phil. area to smooth jazz; 'KLB move In-Reply-To: <5b4a1467645384a9f2c90e1ad06190a8@charter.net> References: <1fbbbced0610160907n1c2b7e8bke6cb287cd34887d8@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <45341681.18186.56833F@localhost> On 16 Oct 2006 at 13:05, David Tomm wrote: > I would think it hinges on when GM officially takes over WCRB. Has > that happened yet? IIRC, GM has already closed on WTHK--they control > that frequency already. They're just choosing to make the format > switch on that date. Until GM finally closes on 102.5, nothing is > changing. I'm sure their deal with Nassau will go into effect once > that happens. Given the trouble that I often have getting a good signal on 102.5 in my office in Government Center, I'm eagerly looking forward to the change. I've already ascertained that 99.5 comes in quite well. -- A. Joseph Ross, J.D. 617.367.0468 15 Court Square, Suite 210 Fax 617.742.7581 Boston, MA 02108-2503 http://www.attorneyross.com From lglavin@mail.com Tue Oct 17 19:18:06 2006 From: lglavin@mail.com (Laurence Glavin) Date: Tue, 17 Oct 2006 18:18:06 -0500 Subject: Fybush: GM flip in Phil. area to smooth jazz; 'KLB move Message-ID: <20061017231807.665E81024D@ws1-3.us4.outblaze.com> >----- Original Message ----- >From: "A. Joseph Ross" >To: "Bob Nelson" , "David Tomm" >Subject: Re: Fybush: GM flip in Phil. area to smooth jazz; 'KLB move >Date: Mon, 16 Oct 2006 23:32:17 -0400 >Given the trouble that I often have getting a good signal on 102.5 in >my office in Government Center, I'm eagerly looking forward to the >change. I've already ascertained that 99.5 comes in quite well. >A. Joseph Ross, J.D. 617.367.0468 >15 Court Square, Suite 210 Fax 617.742.7581 >Boston, MA 02108-2503 http://www.attorneyross.com Of course right now WKLB-FM 99.5 is very L-O-U-D and therefore doesn't need much signal-to-noise headroom. Even if WCRB under Nassau ownership continues to be as dreadful as under Charles River Breeding Laboratories, um I mean Broadcasting (I always get them confused), it will still program much "quieter" fare, and if you find yourself inclined to turn-it-up, you may get noise you didn't observe previously. -- ___________________________________________________ Play 100s of games for FREE! http://games.mail.com From raccoonradio@gmail.com Thu Oct 19 16:19:49 2006 From: raccoonradio@gmail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2006 16:19:49 -0400 Subject: Globe: WNSH running women's network In-Reply-To: <1fbbbced0610191305i28c5e1f4ke3a1829c4d230b99@mail.gmail.com> References: <1fbbbced0610191305i28c5e1f4ke3a1829c4d230b99@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <1fbbbced0610191319r64a8b443r418804616968106f@mail.gmail.com> On 10/19/06, Bob Nelson wrote: > (Jack White? did Keating Willcox sell?) Maybe Keating still owns them and White may be station manager--an older page at the WNSH site said White was station mgr. Globe referred to him as "owner" though. According to the WNSH site, "Radio For Women by Women" has Radio Ritas at 6 am, Laura Ingraham (actually from Talk Radio Network) 9-noon as before, Rolanda Watts (used to do a TV talk show) at noon, "Women Aloud" at 3 pm, then Michael Reagan and Jerry Doyle/Talk Radio network shows air after 6 pm. http://www.wnsh.com From raccoonradio@gmail.com Thu Oct 19 16:05:42 2006 From: raccoonradio@gmail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2006 16:05:42 -0400 Subject: Globe: WNSH running women's network Message-ID: <1fbbbced0610191305i28c5e1f4ke3a1829c4d230b99@mail.gmail.com> http://www.boston.com/ae/tv/articles/2006/10/19/greenstone_aims_to_give_women_different_voices/ Clea Simon writes that GreenStone Media (Gloria Steinem, Jane Fonda, etc.) began offering programming (a female-based talk network) last month and can be heard on WNSH in Beverly. (Auntie Donna is quoted) It says WNSH "had formerly carried other syndicated talk, such as the conservative shows that the station now broadcasts at night. But owner Jack White is happy with the GreenStone shows." (Jack White? did Keating Willcox sell?) From attychase@comcast.net Thu Oct 19 20:17:59 2006 From: attychase@comcast.net (Robert S Chase) Date: Thu, 19 Oct 2006 20:17:59 -0400 Subject: liberal talk Message-ID: <000c01c6f3dd$33c8afb0$6400a8c0@HomeOffice> So what station analogous to WBZ should I be listening to if I want a liberal point of view? Bob Chase From marklaurence@mac.com Fri Oct 20 00:22:31 2006 From: marklaurence@mac.com (Mark Laurence) Date: Fri, 20 Oct 2006 00:22:31 -0400 Subject: Local HD Message-ID: <0A2F0332-5113-43A3-A08F-0A270C8F1E30@mac.com> Channel 5 is advertising that Chronicle will soon be going all HD. WNBC, channel 4 in New York, started broadcasting local news in HD about a month ago. I wonder which Boston station will be the first to broadcast local news in HD? From scott@fybush.com Fri Oct 20 00:43:43 2006 From: scott@fybush.com (Scott Fybush) Date: Fri, 20 Oct 2006 00:43:43 -0400 Subject: Local HD In-Reply-To: <0A2F0332-5113-43A3-A08F-0A270C8F1E30@mac.com> References: <0A2F0332-5113-43A3-A08F-0A270C8F1E30@mac.com> Message-ID: <453853FF.7040708@fybush.com> Mark Laurence wrote: > Channel 5 is advertising that Chronicle will soon be going all HD. > WNBC, channel 4 in New York, started broadcasting local news in HD about > a month ago. I wonder which Boston station will be the first to > broadcast local news in HD? My money's strongly on WCVB. I don't believe any CBS O&Os have made the switch to HD local news yet, and Ed Ansin's spending heavily on buying WLVI, so I suspect he won't be ponying up for HD gear at WHDH right away. Fox does HD at one O&O - WJW in Cleveland - but isn't rushing to convert its larger stations yet. I wouldn't be in the slightest bit surprised to see at least one station in a smaller New England market make the leap before any Boston stations do. Fewer cameras to replace, fewer ENG and satellite trucks and receive sites to upgrade, no helicopters to upgrade. It's no coincidence that the first stations to do HD local news have been in smaller markets - WRAL in Raleigh, KARE in the Twin Cities, etc. (In fact, given that Gannett, which owns KARE, has been in the forefront of local HD news, WCSH could easily beat the Boston stations to HD. The need to upgrade WLBZ as well - and to transport HD between Bangor and Portland - might slow that down a bit.) s From raccoonradio@gmail.com Fri Oct 20 03:28:03 2006 From: raccoonradio@gmail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Fri, 20 Oct 2006 03:28:03 -0400 Subject: liberal talk In-Reply-To: <000c01c6f3dd$33c8afb0$6400a8c0@HomeOffice> References: <000c01c6f3dd$33c8afb0$6400a8c0@HomeOffice> Message-ID: <1fbbbced0610200028kd97e37cv545ac7506205f1b4@mail.gmail.com> Depending on exactly where you are on the political spectrum (progressive? liberal?), you might check out WKOX 1200 and WXKS 1430, or maybe a station like WBUR (some will disagree that NPR leans left, but it probably doesn't lean right). And on WBZ itself, hosts like Paul Sullivan and Steve Leveille sound a bit more centrist than those on WRKO and WTKK. Speaking of which, you might enjoy Mike Barnicle and Eagan and Braude on WTKK... From raccoonradio@gmail.com Fri Oct 20 03:30:23 2006 From: raccoonradio@gmail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Fri, 20 Oct 2006 03:30:23 -0400 Subject: WVEI-FM debut Oct 26? Message-ID: <1fbbbced0610200030v7b06cf97j4dd25e2498436e9e@mail.gmail.com> Thought I heard a promo on WEEI tonight saying their Springfield-area sister station, WVEI-FM (105.5?) will debut on Oct. 26. Nothing else yet to confirm it. From abruzzese@biochem.bumc.bu.edu Fri Oct 20 09:44:52 2006 From: abruzzese@biochem.bumc.bu.edu (Tony Abruzzese) Date: Fri, 20 Oct 2006 09:44:52 -0400 Subject: WVEI-FM debut Oct 26? In-Reply-To: <1fbbbced0610200030v7b06cf97j4dd25e2498436e9e@mail.gmail.com> References: <1fbbbced0610200030v7b06cf97j4dd25e2498436e9e@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <4538D2D4.9090802@biochem.bumc.bu.edu> On 10/20/06 3:30 AM, Bob Nelson wrote: > Thought I heard a promo on WEEI tonight saying their Springfield-area > sister > station, WVEI-FM (105.5?) will debut on Oct. 26. Nothing else yet to > confirm it. > > I heard the same promo on my way home last night on the Planet Mikey show. -- Tony Abruzzese BUSM Dept of Biochemistry From raccoonradio@gmail.com Fri Oct 20 11:53:18 2006 From: raccoonradio@gmail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Fri, 20 Oct 2006 11:53:18 -0400 Subject: WVEI-FM debut Oct 26? In-Reply-To: <4538D2D4.9090802@biochem.bumc.bu.edu> References: <1fbbbced0610200030v7b06cf97j4dd25e2498436e9e@mail.gmail.com> <4538D2D4.9090802@biochem.bumc.bu.edu> Message-ID: <1fbbbced0610200853g1115faewda1d3417fa5d0886@mail.gmail.com> On 10/20/06, Tony Abruzzese wrote: > I heard the same promo on my way home last night on the Planet Mikey show. Yes I think that's when I heard it--the Cards-Mets game had just ended so I went to WEEI and heard the last couple minutes of Planey Mikey and the promo was either just before or just after the Fox Sports update at top of the hour. A newspaper article awhile back said WEEI may try to syndicate itself in NH and ME, too. Currently radio-locator.com doesn't have a station page for WVEI-FM up so I can't refer to it to see how far their signal is to get out... From stephanie@gordsven.com Fri Oct 20 13:33:56 2006 From: stephanie@gordsven.com (Stephanie Weil) Date: Fri, 20 Oct 2006 13:33:56 -0400 (EDT) Subject: WVEI-FM debut Oct 26? In-Reply-To: <1fbbbced0610200853g1115faewda1d3417fa5d0886@mail.gmail.com> References: <1fbbbced0610200030v7b06cf97j4dd25e2498436e9e@mail.gmail.com> <4538D2D4.9090802@biochem.bumc.bu.edu> <1fbbbced0610200853g1115faewda1d3417fa5d0886@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <29686.12.37.144.130.1161365636.squirrel@mail.gordsven.com> On Fri, October 20, 2006 11:53, Bob Nelson wrote: > Currently radio-locator.com doesn't have a station page for WVEI-FM up > so I can't refer to it to see how far their signal is to get out... So is this 105.5 FM a new-from-the-ground-up transmitter? Or what's the current programming/call sign? -- Stephanie Weil New York City, NY, USA From paul@derrynh.net Fri Oct 20 13:40:52 2006 From: paul@derrynh.net (Paul Hopfgarten) Date: Fri, 20 Oct 2006 13:40:52 -0400 Subject: WVEI-FM debut Oct 26? In-Reply-To: <29686.12.37.144.130.1161365636.squirrel@mail.gordsven.com> Message-ID: <002a01c6f46e$e3d5b010$0302a8c0@YOURF7ED5FB036> Was WBEC-FM Pittsfield at one time... -Paul Hopfgarten Derry NH -----Original Message----- From: boston-radio-interest-bounces@rolinin.BostonRadio.org [mailto:boston-radio-interest-bounces@rolinin.BostonRadio.org] On Behalf Of Stephanie Weil Sent: Friday, October 20, 2006 1:34 PM To: Bob Nelson Cc: boston-radio-interest@rolinin.bostonradio.org Subject: Re: WVEI-FM debut Oct 26? On Fri, October 20, 2006 11:53, Bob Nelson wrote: > Currently radio-locator.com doesn't have a station page for WVEI-FM up > so I can't refer to it to see how far their signal is to get out... So is this 105.5 FM a new-from-the-ground-up transmitter? Or what's the current programming/call sign? -- Stephanie Weil New York City, NY, USA From raccoonradio@gmail.com Fri Oct 20 15:08:25 2006 From: raccoonradio@gmail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Fri, 20 Oct 2006 15:08:25 -0400 Subject: Herald: weekly female-oriented show on WBIX Message-ID: <1fbbbced0610201208t122a8d71m9811c4e50e699a32@mail.gmail.com> Add this to the file of female-oriented radio talk shows...and it's local... Herald article says there's a female-oriented talk show once a week (Sun. afternoons) on WBIX 1060, "Boomer Broads with Attitude". Co-host is Janet Prensky formerly of WEEI. http://news.bostonherald.com/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=163130 From nostaticatall@charter.net Fri Oct 20 19:13:23 2006 From: nostaticatall@charter.net (David Tomm) Date: Fri, 20 Oct 2006 19:13:23 -0400 Subject: WVEI-FM debut Oct 26? In-Reply-To: <002a01c6f46e$e3d5b010$0302a8c0@YOURF7ED5FB036> References: <002a01c6f46e$e3d5b010$0302a8c0@YOURF7ED5FB036> Message-ID: The COL is Easthampton and IIRC, the stick is on Mount Tom with most of the other major Springfield FM's. Since it's a move-in signal from the Pittsfield/Great Barrington area, I would suspect much of 105.5's signal will be directional primarily north and west of Springfield itself. It should put a serviceable signal into the city, but not as strongly as the other local FM's. I can't see 105.5 traveling very far east either.... Dave Tomm "Mike Thomas" On Oct 20, 2006, at 1:40 PM, Paul Hopfgarten wrote: > Was WBEC-FM Pittsfield at one time... > > -Paul Hopfgarten > Derry NH > > -----Original Message----- > From: boston-radio-interest-bounces@rolinin.BostonRadio.org > [mailto:boston-radio-interest-bounces@rolinin.BostonRadio.org] On > Behalf Of > Stephanie Weil > Sent: Friday, October 20, 2006 1:34 PM > To: Bob Nelson > Cc: boston-radio-interest@rolinin.bostonradio.org > Subject: Re: WVEI-FM debut Oct 26? > > > On Fri, October 20, 2006 11:53, Bob Nelson wrote: > >> Currently radio-locator.com doesn't have a station page for WVEI-FM up >> so I can't refer to it to see how far their signal is to get out... > > So is this 105.5 FM a new-from-the-ground-up transmitter? Or what's > the > current programming/call sign? > > -- > Stephanie Weil > New York City, NY, USA > From pete@partnercomm.com Fri Oct 20 20:45:02 2006 From: pete@partnercomm.com (Peter Murray) Date: Fri, 20 Oct 2006 20:45:02 -0400 (EDT) Subject: WVEI-FM debut Oct 26? In-Reply-To: Message-ID: No need to guess at the pattern or power, it's in the FCC's CDBS. The FM Query from the Audio Division site provides more visual detail, though: http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?list=0&facid=11295 The new facility is operating with a 2-bay Shively 6810, with 706W ERP from 280m HAAT (12m above ground level). That height and power combo is not too far off from a typical full-facility class A FM station. It has a great deal more height than WLZX-FM, but proportionally less power (and slightly directional pattern). The polar plot will show the detail of that signal pattern, which has a null to the ESE (to protect second-adjacent WNEK). -Peter -- Peter Murray (N3IXY) Oak Hill, VA On Fri, 20 Oct 2006, David Tomm wrote: > The COL is Easthampton and IIRC, the stick is on Mount Tom with most of > the other major Springfield FM's. Since it's a move-in signal from the > Pittsfield/Great Barrington area, I would suspect much of 105.5's > signal will be directional primarily north and west of Springfield > itself. It should put a serviceable signal into the city, but not as > strongly as the other local FM's. I can't see 105.5 traveling very far > east either.... > > Dave Tomm > "Mike Thomas" From jjlehmann@comcast.net Fri Oct 20 20:53:09 2006 From: jjlehmann@comcast.net (Jeff Lehmann) Date: Fri, 20 Oct 2006 20:53:09 -0400 Subject: WVEI-FM debut Oct 26? In-Reply-To: AAAAANAIlGo8EmdDjxy6C1pkI1hE/SUA Message-ID: <004401c6f4ab$473309f0$0201a8c0@DHPP0DB1> They may also be protecting 105.5 WQGN in Groton, CT. I'm not sure if they'd have to protect WNEK, since it's a class D. I'm sure someone on here knows for sure. Jeff Lehmann Hanson, MA > -----Original Message----- > From: boston-radio-interest-bounces@rolinin.BostonRadio.org > [mailto:boston-radio-interest-bounces@rolinin.BostonRadio.org] On Behalf > Of Peter Murray > Sent: Friday, October 20, 2006 8:45 PM > To: David Tomm > Cc: boston-radio-interest@rolinin.bostonradio.org > Subject: Re: WVEI-FM debut Oct 26? > > No need to guess at the pattern or power, it's in the FCC's CDBS. The FM > Query from the Audio Division site provides more visual detail, though: > > http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?list=0&facid=11295 > > The new facility is operating with a 2-bay Shively 6810, with 706W ERP > from 280m HAAT (12m above ground level). That height and power combo is > not too far off from a typical full-facility class A FM station. It has a > great deal more height than WLZX-FM, but proportionally less power (and > slightly directional pattern). The polar plot will show the detail of that > signal pattern, which has a null to the ESE (to protect second-adjacent > WNEK). > > -Peter > > -- > Peter Murray (N3IXY) > Oak Hill, VA > > > On Fri, 20 Oct 2006, David Tomm wrote: > > > The COL is Easthampton and IIRC, the stick is on Mount Tom with most of > > the other major Springfield FM's. Since it's a move-in signal from the > > Pittsfield/Great Barrington area, I would suspect much of 105.5's > > signal will be directional primarily north and west of Springfield > > itself. It should put a serviceable signal into the city, but not as > > strongly as the other local FM's. I can't see 105.5 traveling very far > > east either.... > > > > Dave Tomm > > "Mike Thomas" From rgallison@yahoo.com Sat Oct 21 18:35:06 2006 From: rgallison@yahoo.com (Richard Gallison) Date: Sat, 21 Oct 2006 15:35:06 -0700 (PDT) Subject: WEZQ 92.9 satellite issues? Message-ID: <20061021223506.33655.qmail@web50611.mail.yahoo.com> Im listening to WEZQ 92.9 Bangor for the past 30 minutes and there are 2 signals on the frequency. One is WEZQ and the other is Q95 which Im sure is WFBQ 94.7 from Indianapolis. I heard a commercial with an area code for a plumbimg business. Im quite sure WEZQ is satellite programming. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com From rgallison@yahoo.com Sat Oct 21 18:50:56 2006 From: rgallison@yahoo.com (Richard Gallison) Date: Sat, 21 Oct 2006 15:50:56 -0700 (PDT) Subject: WEZQ satellite issues Message-ID: <20061021225056.12768.qmail@web50605.mail.yahoo.com> Whatever the problem was, they resolved it. I checked the WFBQ website and the "recent songs" list jives with what I heard. Kind of interesting way to hear a station from Indiana. It lasted the 20 minutes I listened to the station. __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Tired of spam? Yahoo! Mail has the best spam protection around http://mail.yahoo.com From nostaticatall@charter.net Sun Oct 22 01:27:36 2006 From: nostaticatall@charter.net (David Tomm) Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2006 01:27:36 -0400 Subject: WEZQ satellite issues In-Reply-To: <20061021225056.12768.qmail@web50605.mail.yahoo.com> References: <20061021225056.12768.qmail@web50605.mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <1a6ae8c3335e792940958631970bac01@charter.net> WFBQ happens to be the flagship station of the nationally syndicated Bob & Tom morning show. That show's satellite channel may run WFBQ audio when the program is not feeding to affiliates. It's possible that WEZQ accidently dialed up the wrong channel while trying to access a different syndicated show and somehow it got out over the air. Just a hypothesis. It used to be that there was all sorts of stuff being sent down the satellite channels when regular programming was not being fed. I worked at a station once that aired ABC news at the top of each hour. We had a switcher box in the studio and we could change channels to access other ABC programming. I tripped across a channel that fed WPLJ/New York audio. This was right after Scott Shannon took over the station's programming in the early 90's. I used to tape the feed in the production room (when the news wasn't airing on my station!) and listened to the tapes on my way home from my airshift. Classic stuff! --Dave Tomm "Mike Thomas" On Oct 21, 2006, at 6:50 PM, Richard Gallison wrote: > Whatever the problem was, they resolved it. I checked > the WFBQ website and the "recent songs" list jives > with what I heard. Kind of interesting way to hear a > station from Indiana. It lasted the 20 minutes I > listened to the station. From radiotest@cox.net Sun Oct 22 03:53:17 2006 From: radiotest@cox.net (Dale H. Cook) Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2006 03:53:17 -0400 Subject: WEZQ satellite issues In-Reply-To: <1a6ae8c3335e792940958631970bac01@charter.net> References: <20061021225056.12768.qmail@web50605.mail.yahoo.com> <1a6ae8c3335e792940958631970bac01@charter.net> Message-ID: <7.0.1.0.2.20061022034748.035c5af8@cox.net> At 01:27 AM 10/22/2006, David Tomm wrote: >WFBQ happens to be the flagship station of the nationally syndicated >Bob & Tom morning show. That show's satellite channel may run WFBQ >audio when the program is not feeding to affiliates. It does. Outside of promos and refeeds it is a 24/7 full WFBQ program bus feed mix-minus the liners that Bob and Tom use when going into local breaks. Dale H. Cook, Chief Engineer, Centennial Broadcasting, Roanoke/Lynchburg, VA - WZZI / WZZU / WLNI / WLEQ http://members.cox.net/dalehcook/starcity.shtml From kc1ih@mac.com Sun Oct 22 19:41:01 2006 From: kc1ih@mac.com (Larry Weil) Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2006 18:41:01 -0500 Subject: Chicago Question Message-ID: <200610222341.k9MNf4Hc010866@mac.com> I'm currently in the Chicago area, and have a question about an antenna site near here. Surely someone knows? There is a four tower array at the corner of McCormick and Howard, near the Chicago/Skokie/Evanston border. Does anyone know what station this is? Larry Weil Temporarily in Lake Wobegone , IL Wobegone is a state of mind! From scott@fybush.com Sun Oct 22 19:49:24 2006 From: scott@fybush.com (Scott Fybush) Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2006 19:49:24 -0400 Subject: Chicago Question In-Reply-To: <200610222341.k9MNf4Hc010866@mac.com> References: <200610222341.k9MNf4Hc010866@mac.com> Message-ID: <453C0384.7010106@fybush.com> Larry Weil wrote: > I'm currently in the Chicago area, and have a question about an antenna > site near here. Surely someone knows? > > There is a four tower array at the corner of McCormick and Howard, near > the Chicago/Skokie/Evanston border. Does anyone know what station this is? > > Larry Weil > Temporarily in Lake Wobegone , IL > Wobegone is a state of mind! > WONX 1590 Evanston - but not for long. They've bought out several other high-dial AMs around Chicago and have applied to change COL to Carol Stream, at much higher power. s From me@billoneill.us Sun Oct 22 20:25:19 2006 From: me@billoneill.us (Bill O'Neill) Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2006 20:25:19 -0400 Subject: Chicago Question In-Reply-To: <453C0384.7010106@fybush.com> References: <200610222341.k9MNf4Hc010866@mac.com> <453C0384.7010106@fybush.com> Message-ID: <453C0BEF.801@billoneill.us> Larry rocks n' deals..... > Larry Weil wrote: >> I'm currently in the Chicago area, and have a question about an >> antenna site near here. Surely someone knows? >> ...and Scott sends it over the cheap seats! > > WONX 1590 Evanston - but not for long. They've bought out several > other high-dial AMs around Chicago and have applied to change COL to > Carol Stream, at much higher power. > > s > From kc1ih@mac.com Sun Oct 22 21:18:00 2006 From: kc1ih@mac.com (Larry Weil) Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2006 20:18:00 -0500 Subject: Chicago Question In-Reply-To: <453C0BEF.801@billoneill.us> References: <200610222341.k9MNf4Hc010866@mac.com> <453C0384.7010106@fybush.com> <453C0BEF.801@billoneill.us> Message-ID: <200610230118.k9N1I0A4007782@mac.com> At 07:25 PM 10/22/2006, Bill O'Neill wrote: >Larry rocks n' deals..... >>Larry Weil wrote: >>>I'm currently in the Chicago area, and have a question about an >>>antenna site near here. Surely someone knows? >...and Scott sends it over the cheap seats! >> >>WONX 1590 Evanston - but not for long. They've bought out several >>other high-dial AMs around Chicago and have applied to change COL >>to Carol Stream, at much higher power. And my sister and brother-in-law are amazed that I was able to get the question answered in eight minutes, and on a Boston-based group none the less. Now, to further challenge the vast knowledge of the collective group, does anyone know if they intend to stay with a Spanish format after they move to their new COL? Larry Weil Temporarily in Lake Wobegone , IL Wobegone is a state of mind! From greg@gregsvoice.com Sun Oct 22 13:43:36 2006 From: greg@gregsvoice.com (Greg Littlefield) Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2006 13:43:36 -0400 Subject: WEZQ Satellite Issues In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <453BADC8.5070808@gregsvoice.com> That must have been interesting to hear. I'm not sure why WEZQ would be running the WFBQ feed on purpose because Bob & Tom are on the Clear Channel classic rocker here in Bangor and WEZQ is a Cumulus station (that runs Bob & Cheri in the mornings). So, Dave's hypothesis of a wrong channel getting dialed up would seem the most likely. Greg >> WFBQ happens to be the flagship station of the nationally syndicated >> Bob & Tom morning show. That show's satellite channel may run WFBQ >> audio when the program is not feeding to affiliates. > > It does. Outside of promos and refeeds it is a 24/7 full WFBQ program > bus feed mix-minus the liners that Bob and Tom use when going into > local breaks. > > Dale H. Cook, Chief Engineer, Centennial Broadcasting, > Roanoke/Lynchburg, VA - WZZI / WZZU / WLNI / WLEQ > http://members.cox.net/dalehcook/starcity.shtml > From scott@fybush.com Sun Oct 22 23:31:24 2006 From: scott@fybush.com (Scott Fybush) Date: Sun, 22 Oct 2006 23:31:24 -0400 Subject: Chicago Question In-Reply-To: <200610230118.k9N1I0A4007782@mac.com> References: <200610222341.k9MNf4Hc010866@mac.com> <453C0384.7010106@fybush.com> <453C0BEF.801@billoneill.us> <200610230118.k9N1I0A4007782@mac.com> Message-ID: <453C378C.1060103@fybush.com> Larry Weil wrote: > At 07:25 PM 10/22/2006, Bill O'Neill wrote: >> Larry rocks n' deals..... >>> Larry Weil wrote: >>>> I'm currently in the Chicago area, and have a question about an >>>> antenna site near here. Surely someone knows? >> ...and Scott sends it over the cheap seats! >>> >>> WONX 1590 Evanston - but not for long. They've bought out several >>> other high-dial AMs around Chicago and have applied to change COL to >>> Carol Stream, at much higher power. > > And my sister and brother-in-law are amazed that I was able to get the > question answered in eight minutes, and on a Boston-based group none the > less. > > Now, to further challenge the vast knowledge of the collective group, > does anyone know if they intend to stay with a Spanish format after they > move to their new COL? I doubt THEY know yet - since the longtime owner of WONX, Frank Kovas, died last year, I suspect the family will get the station moved and then put it up for sale. s From raccoonradio@gmail.com Thu Oct 26 12:23:56 2006 From: raccoonradio@gmail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Thu, 26 Oct 2006 12:23:56 -0400 Subject: WVEI-FM launch today at 2 pm Message-ID: <1fbbbced0610260923u60b8b50ap53ab3a32cad2537d@mail.gmail.com> WVEI-FM 105.5 in Easthampton, simulcasting WEEI, will debut today at 2 pm. I understand they're reading some Dr. Seuss books on air (Ted Geisel's home town) as a stunt to the official launch. They will simulcast WEEI plus pick up Red Sox and Celtics games from WRKO (some Red Sox games will be on WEEI though). B.C. basketball, too. The WEEI website says that "Springfield joins the family today at 2 pm." So it looks like WHYN loses the Sox after all...a few weeks back Howie Carr got a caller from Western Mass. who complained about the Sox games pre-empting his show on WHYN. "Well, you won't have that problem next year," Howie replied. From raccoonradio@gmail.com Thu Oct 26 12:37:04 2006 From: raccoonradio@gmail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Thu, 26 Oct 2006 12:37:04 -0400 Subject: WVEI-FM launch today at 2 pm In-Reply-To: <1fbbbced0610260923u60b8b50ap53ab3a32cad2537d@mail.gmail.com> References: <1fbbbced0610260923u60b8b50ap53ab3a32cad2537d@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <1fbbbced0610260937s78b9b3eemafc4e736582ae518@mail.gmail.com> By the way the site of Westfield's WNNZ 640 (sports talk) says they run Fox Sports. If WVEI-FM is simulcasting WEEI, does that mean Fox Sports Radio moves there too or will 105.5 have to run ESPN or Sporting News? http://wveifm.com/ "This site is under construction and coming soon" Springfield Republican article: http://www.masslive.com/search/index.ssf?/base/sports-0/1161850560281790.xml?sjsp (That article says WEEI is the Sox flagship but it's really 'RKO... It also says during the 8 or 9 times when Sox and Celts have a conflict, WVEI-FM will run Sox and they'll try to find a place to put Celts game on. It confirms that WHYN is out as a Sox affiliate though Northampton's WHMP 1600 is trying to stay on...) From n1qgs@yahoo.com Fri Oct 27 16:52:33 2006 From: n1qgs@yahoo.com (John Bolduc) Date: Fri, 27 Oct 2006 13:52:33 -0700 (PDT) Subject: 99.9 Spanish Preacher back in Lawrence after about a 6 year absence ?? In-Reply-To: <1fbbbced0610260937s78b9b3eemafc4e736582ae518@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <20061027205233.62425.qmail@web30708.mail.mud.yahoo.com> I've been in Salem NH several times this past week as each time as I get towards the center of town, I'm picking up something on 99.9 in Spanish. It gets stroger towards the Mass border. It sounds like the same preaching that was on the 100 watter on 99.9 out of Lawrence many years ago. At that time, around 1999-2001, that station got a fair amount of discussion on this list. I wonder if anyone has resurrected that transmitter and is running afoul of the law again?? John B Derry NH From n1qgs@yahoo.com Fri Oct 27 16:59:27 2006 From: n1qgs@yahoo.com (John Bolduc) Date: Fri, 27 Oct 2006 13:59:27 -0700 (PDT) Subject: WVEI-FM launch today at 2 pm In-Reply-To: <1fbbbced0610260937s78b9b3eemafc4e736582ae518@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <20061027205927.62928.qmail@web30707.mail.mud.yahoo.com> > By the way the site of Westfield's WNNZ 640 (sports talk) says they > run Fox Sports. If WVEI-FM is simulcasting WEEI, does that mean Fox > Sports Radio moves there too or will 105.5 have to run ESPN or > Sporting News? Fox Sports runs on both WGIR 610am and WKBR 1250am in Manchester NH on the weekend. John B Derry From jjlehmann@comcast.net Fri Oct 27 17:01:07 2006 From: jjlehmann@comcast.net (Jeff Lehmann) Date: Fri, 27 Oct 2006 17:01:07 -0400 Subject: 99.9 Spanish Preacher back in Lawrence after about a 6 year absence ?? In-Reply-To: <20061027205233.62425.qmail@web30708.mail.mud.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <00d401c6fa0b$0625c280$0201a8c0@DHPP0DB1> I was up in Lawrence several weeks ago, and found this station. The house it's on is halfway up a hill, overlooking the city. The programming seemed to be Spanish religious the day I was up there. All of the ones myself and a couple friends have confirmed locations of are on this map: http://local.live.com/?v=2&cid=96D532551CECE67F!101 At least 2 I know have moved from the locations I found them at originally. Jeff Lehmann Hanson, MA > -----Original Message----- > From: boston-radio-interest-bounces@rolinin.BostonRadio.org > [mailto:boston-radio-interest-bounces@rolinin.BostonRadio.org] On Behalf > Of John Bolduc > Sent: Friday, October 27, 2006 4:53 PM > To: boston-radio-interest@rolinin.bostonradio.org > Subject: 99.9 Spanish Preacher back in Lawrence after about a 6 year > absence ?? > > I've been in Salem NH several times this past week as each time as I get > towards the center of town, I'm picking up something on 99.9 in Spanish. > It gets stroger towards the Mass border. > > It sounds like the same preaching that was on the 100 watter on 99.9 out > of Lawrence many years ago. At that time, around 1999-2001, that station > got a fair amount of discussion on this list. > > I wonder if anyone has resurrected that transmitter and is running afoul > of the law again?? > > John B > Derry NH From stephanie@gordsven.com Fri Oct 27 17:04:59 2006 From: stephanie@gordsven.com (Stephanie Weil) Date: Fri, 27 Oct 2006 17:04:59 -0400 (EDT) Subject: 99.9 Spanish Preacher back in Lawrence after about a 6 year absence ?? In-Reply-To: <00d401c6fa0b$0625c280$0201a8c0@DHPP0DB1> References: <20061027205233.62425.qmail@web30708.mail.mud.yahoo.com> <00d401c6fa0b$0625c280$0201a8c0@DHPP0DB1> Message-ID: <41466.12.37.144.130.1161983099.squirrel@mail.gordsven.com> On Fri, October 27, 2006 17:01, Jeff Lehmann wrote: > I was up in Lawrence several weeks ago, and found this station. The house > it's on is halfway up a hill, overlooking the city. Hahaha...talk about your pirate radio cliche - broadcasting from the hills on the outskirts of town. :) Did you get a view of the antenna? How did you manage to track the signal down to its source, just curious - direction finder? -- Stephanie Weil New York City, NY, USA From jjlehmann@comcast.net Fri Oct 27 17:10:08 2006 From: jjlehmann@comcast.net (Jeff Lehmann) Date: Fri, 27 Oct 2006 17:10:08 -0400 Subject: 99.9 Spanish Preacher back in Lawrence after about a 6 year absence ?? In-Reply-To: <41466.12.37.144.130.1161983099.squirrel@mail.gordsven.com> Message-ID: <00d501c6fa0c$4a9491c0$0201a8c0@DHPP0DB1> I just use a couple radios that have signal meters. The best one is my handheld ham radio (Kenwood TH-F6A). That has great expanded receive capabilities, and once can hear the station without the antenna on, all I have to do is look around at rooftops. Most antennas are very obvious now that I know what I'm looking for. The station in Lawrence is using 2 stacked folded dipoles strapped to a chimney. Jeff Lehmann Hanson, MA > -----Original Message----- > From: Stephanie Weil [mailto:stephanie@gordsven.com] > Sent: Friday, October 27, 2006 5:05 PM > To: Jeff Lehmann > Cc: 'John Bolduc'; boston-radio-interest@rolinin.bostonradio.org > Subject: RE: 99.9 Spanish Preacher back in Lawrence after about a 6 year > absence ?? > > > On Fri, October 27, 2006 17:01, Jeff Lehmann wrote: > > I was up in Lawrence several weeks ago, and found this station. The > house > > it's on is halfway up a hill, overlooking the city. > > Hahaha...talk about your pirate radio cliche - broadcasting from the hills > on the outskirts of town. :) > > Did you get a view of the antenna? How did you manage to track the signal > down to its source, just curious - direction finder? > > > -- > Stephanie Weil > New York City, NY, USA From me@billoneill.us Fri Oct 27 17:09:42 2006 From: me@billoneill.us (Bill O'Neill) Date: Fri, 27 Oct 2006 17:09:42 -0400 Subject: 99.9 Spanish Preacher back in Lawrence after about a 6 year absence ?? In-Reply-To: <20061027205233.62425.qmail@web30708.mail.mud.yahoo.com> References: <20061027205233.62425.qmail@web30708.mail.mud.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <45427596.3070605@billoneill.us> Pirate preacher, eh? Define irony? Bill O'Neill John Bolduc wrote: > It sounds like the same preaching that was on the 100 watter on 99.9 out > of Lawrence many years ago. From lglavin@mail.com Fri Oct 27 18:00:34 2006 From: lglavin@mail.com (Laurence Glavin) Date: Fri, 27 Oct 2006 17:00:34 -0500 Subject: 99.9 Spanish Preacher back in Lawrence after about a 6 year absence ?? Message-ID: <20061027220034.D4B041024D@ws1-3.us4.outblaze.com> <----- Original Message ----- >From: "Jeff Lehmann" >To: "'John Bolduc'" , boston-radio-interest@rolinin.bostonradio.org >Subject: RE: 99.9 Spanish Preacher back in Lawrence after about a 6 year absence ?? >Date: Fri, 27 Oct 2006 17:01:07 -0400 I was up in Lawrence several weeks ago, and found this station. The house it's on is halfway up a hill, overlooking the city. The programming seemed to be Spanish religious the day I was up there. I have picked it up...barely...on my car radio, but it's afflicted with IBOC hash from WKLB 99.5. I can't get any signal at all at home. -- Search for products and services at: http://search.mail.com From markwats@comcast.net Sat Oct 28 09:50:27 2006 From: markwats@comcast.net (Mark Watson) Date: Sat, 28 Oct 2006 09:50:27 -0400 Subject: Retired WHDH/WCVB Reporter Roger Goodrich Has Passed Message-ID: <001f01c6fa98$07565830$74f88018@Mark> Roger Goodrich, who worked as a general assignment reporter on both incarnations of Boston's Channel 5 (WHDH/WCVB) from 1963 to 1984, passed away on Oct. 4th at the age of 89. The obit just appeared in the Boston Globe this week, here's a link to the obit: http://www.boston.com/news/globe/obituaries/articles/2006/10/26/roger_b_goodrich_at_89_was_a_versatile_old_school_reporter_for_wcvb_tv/ His passing was mentioned at the Media Gang Fall luncheon a couple of weekends ago, but no one had any obit info at the time. Mark Watson From dlh@donnahalper.com Sat Oct 28 22:24:22 2006 From: dlh@donnahalper.com (Donna Halper) Date: Sat, 28 Oct 2006 22:24:22 -0400 Subject: Red Auerbach, RIP Message-ID: <7.0.1.0.2.20061028222051.03d8f0d8@donnahalper.com> I grew up as a Celtics fan, back when Tommy Heinsohn, "Jungle Jim" Loscutoff, and Bob Cousy were active players, and Johnny Most did the play by play. The team practiced at the Hecht House in Dorchester, where I was allegedly attending Sunday School, and I would sneak out of class to watch the Celtics. And I recall watching Red, with his ever-present cigar, coaching practices as intensely as if they were real games. To him, every game was a real game. Red Auerbach has passed away at the age of 89. From scott@fybush.com Sun Oct 29 16:15:43 2006 From: scott@fybush.com (Scott Fybush) Date: Sun, 29 Oct 2006 16:15:43 -0500 Subject: Norm Nathan, 1926-1996 Message-ID: <454519FF.9060207@fybush.com> In the midst of compiling this week's NERW, I note that today is the 10th anniversary of Norm's death. It's hard for me to believe it's been that long - and to realize how much he's still missed by all of us who knew him, worked with him and loved him. There's not much more to say than what I wrote in NERW in the wake of Norm's death a decade ago: http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-961031.html The only thing I'd add in 2006 is that I'm proud of my alma mater for keeping Norm's old timeslot live, local and in the same light spirit with which Norm conducted his show. I know he'd be proud of what Steve Leveille and Jordan Rich are doing all night long on 1030. s From hykker@grolen.com Sun Oct 29 17:27:42 2006 From: hykker@grolen.com (SteveOrdinetz) Date: Sun, 29 Oct 2006 17:27:42 -0500 Subject: Norm Nathan, 1926-1996 In-Reply-To: <454519FF.9060207@fybush.com> References: <454519FF.9060207@fybush.com> Message-ID: <7.0.1.0.0.20061029172623.01957218@grolen.com> At 04:15 PM 10/29/2006, Scott Fybush wrote: >The only thing I'd add in 2006 is that I'm proud of my alma mater >for keeping Norm's old timeslot live, local and in the same light >spirit with which Norm conducted his show. I know he'd be proud of >what Steve Leveille and Jordan Rich are doing all night long on 1030. I didn't realize Norm worked at WBZ...I always associate him with overnights on the old WHDH. From radiojunkie3@yahoo.com Mon Oct 30 07:00:12 2006 From: radiojunkie3@yahoo.com (Peter Q. George) Date: Mon, 30 Oct 2006 04:00:12 -0800 (PST) Subject: Norm Nathan, 1926-1996 In-Reply-To: <7.0.1.0.0.20061029172623.01957218@grolen.com> Message-ID: <20061030120012.46800.qmail@web50812.mail.yahoo.com> Oh, yes.... Norm did "the rounds" in Boston radio. In addition to his days at the old WHDH (AM 850/FM 94.5), Norm also worked at WCVB-TV, WBMS/WHEE (now WILD), All News WEEI (590), WRKO (and there might a few more here) and finally at WBZ. It was truly an honor to meet Norm while doing a taping of WJIB's "Let's Talk About Radio" (with our fellow radio enthusiasts Scott Fybush, Bob Bittner and crew) . He was very friendly, down-to-earth and truly a gentleman in EVERY sense of the word. They definitely don't make many of them like that, anymore... (sigh). --- SteveOrdinetz wrote: > At 04:15 PM 10/29/2006, Scott Fybush wrote: > >The only thing I'd add in 2006 is that I'm proud of > my alma mater > >for keeping Norm's old timeslot live, local and in > the same light > >spirit with which Norm conducted his show. I know > he'd be proud of > >what Steve Leveille and Jordan Rich are doing all > night long on 1030. > > > I didn't realize Norm worked at WBZ...I always > associate him with > overnights on the old WHDH. > > Peter Q. George (K1XRB) Whitman, Massachusetts "Scanning the bands since 1967" radiojunkie1@yahoo.com radiojunkie3@yahoo.com *********************************************************** ____________________________________________________________________________________ Cheap Talk? Check out Yahoo! Messenger's low PC-to-Phone call rates (http://voice.yahoo.com) From dan.strassberg@att.net Mon Oct 30 07:56:02 2006 From: dan.strassberg@att.net (Dan Strassberg) Date: Mon, 30 Oct 2006 07:56:02 -0500 Subject: Norm Nathan, 1926-1996 References: <20061030120012.46800.qmail@web50812.mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <001801c6fc22$c6c7ac60$19eefea9@dstrassberg> Norm was on WMEX before I got to Boston (1956) and on the station again sometime in the 80s when it had a nostalgia format and the calls were (I believe) WMRE. Bill Marlowe did a show at the station concurrently with Norm. On the air on WBZ, Norm would often tell stories about his days as a young announcer at the original WMEX--though, of course, he didn't mention the calls. Norm may also have worked briefly at WESX, although I have no proof of that. If he did so, it was probably either before WMEX or between WMEX and WHDH. I would think that research could locate the year in which Norm first appeared on WHDH (Donna?). I don't think he started there doing Sounds in the Night, although I think that he was either doing the show in June 1956 when I arrived in Boston or started it very shortly afterward. Having come to Boston from New York's Capital District, I was intrigued by the fact that, in the overnights (and I think this was true even in the early days of Norm's tenure on Sounds in the Night), WHDH used the same jingle package that WTRY used in the same time period--although the vocals were customized to the different stations. (IIRC, one jingle began with "In the dark of night/when the stars are bright/and the old dog howls at the moon...") I had a friend who worked at a recording studio in the basement of the Brill Building in Times Sq (the Brill Building was considered the center of Tin Pan Alley) and, while visiting the studio, I had heard vocals being recorded for packages from what probably was the same producer. I didn't hear the WHDH or WTRY packages being recorded, but I did hear Ginny Gibson and a vocal group record a package for WMPS Memphis. Later the same instrumental tracks (which had already been recorded prior to the session at which I was present) but with different vocals appeared on co-owned (Plough) WCOP. I am a little skeptical about the year of Norm's birth (1926) mentioned in Scott's posting. I think Norm was in his mid-seventies at the time of his death in 1996. That would mean he was born around 1921. (Donna? again...) -- Dan Strassberg, dan.strassberg@att.net eFax 707-215-6367 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Peter Q. George" To: "SteveOrdinetz" ; Sent: Monday, October 30, 2006 7:00 AM Subject: Re: Norm Nathan, 1926-1996 > Oh, yes.... Norm did "the rounds" in Boston radio. In > addition to his days at the old WHDH (AM 850/FM 94.5), > Norm also worked at WCVB-TV, WBMS/WHEE (now WILD), All > News WEEI (590), WRKO (and there might a few more > here) and finally at WBZ. It was truly an honor to > meet Norm while doing a taping of WJIB's "Let's Talk > About Radio" (with our fellow radio enthusiasts Scott > Fybush, Bob Bittner and crew) . He was very friendly, > down-to-earth and truly a gentleman in EVERY sense of > the word. They definitely don't make many of them > like that, anymore... (sigh). > > > --- SteveOrdinetz wrote: > > > At 04:15 PM 10/29/2006, Scott Fybush wrote: > > >The only thing I'd add in 2006 is that I'm proud of > > my alma mater > > >for keeping Norm's old timeslot live, local and in > > the same light > > >spirit with which Norm conducted his show. I know > > he'd be proud of > > >what Steve Leveille and Jordan Rich are doing all > > night long on 1030. > > > > > > I didn't realize Norm worked at WBZ...I always > > associate him with > > overnights on the old WHDH. > > > > > > > Peter Q. George (K1XRB) > Whitman, Massachusetts > "Scanning the bands since 1967" > radiojunkie1@yahoo.com > radiojunkie3@yahoo.com > *********************************************************** > > > > ____________________________________________________________________________ ________ > Cheap Talk? Check out Yahoo! Messenger's low PC-to-Phone call rates > (http://voice.yahoo.com) > From scott@fybush.com Mon Oct 30 10:47:21 2006 From: scott@fybush.com (Scott Fybush) Date: Mon, 30 Oct 2006 10:47:21 -0500 Subject: Norm Nathan, 1926-1996 In-Reply-To: <001801c6fc22$c6c7ac60$19eefea9@dstrassberg> References: <20061030120012.46800.qmail@web50812.mail.yahoo.com> <001801c6fc22$c6c7ac60$19eefea9@dstrassberg> Message-ID: <45461E89.4060104@fybush.com> > I am a little skeptical about the year of Norm's birth (1926) mentioned in > Scott's posting. I think Norm was in his mid-seventies at the time of his > death in 1996. That would mean he was born around 1921. (Donna? again...) Here's what I wrote in NERW when Norm died (http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-961031.html): "He started in radio back in 1944, fresh out of Chelsea High School." That would be consistent, I think, with the 1926 birth, and I'm pretty sure Norm had just turned 70 not long before he died. Far too young, in any event... s From me@billoneill.us Mon Oct 30 10:47:09 2006 From: me@billoneill.us (Bill O'Neill) Date: Mon, 30 Oct 2006 10:47:09 -0500 Subject: Norm Nathan, 1926-1996 In-Reply-To: <001801c6fc22$c6c7ac60$19eefea9@dstrassberg> References: <20061030120012.46800.qmail@web50812.mail.yahoo.com> <001801c6fc22$c6c7ac60$19eefea9@dstrassberg> Message-ID: <45461E7D.5080502@billoneill.us> Dan Strassberg wrote: > I think Norm was in his mid-seventies at the time of his > death in 1996... "Hello, old sport" was among many genuinely expressed messages from Norm Nathan. There's no doubt that Norm influenced my approach as a talker, having grown up listening to him. Norm was not home-spun for the sake of it, and was clearly a master at addressing one listener at a time. Norm Nathan's wit was as sharp and quick as was his cadence conversational and unhurried. Bill O'Neill From dlh@donnahalper.com Mon Oct 30 13:13:35 2006 From: dlh@donnahalper.com (Donna Halper) Date: Mon, 30 Oct 2006 13:13:35 -0500 Subject: Norm Nathan, 1926-1996 In-Reply-To: <45461E89.4060104@fybush.com> References: <20061030120012.46800.qmail@web50812.mail.yahoo.com> <001801c6fc22$c6c7ac60$19eefea9@dstrassberg> <45461E89.4060104@fybush.com> Message-ID: <7.0.1.0.2.20061030131232.03c7d4d0@donnahalper.com> At 10:47 AM 10/30/2006, Scott Fybush wrote: >>I am a little skeptical about the year of Norm's birth (1926) mentioned in >>Scott's posting. I think Norm was in his mid-seventies at the time of his >>death in 1996. That would mean he was born around 1921. (Donna? again...) The Massachusetts Death Index gives his date of birth as 20 December 1925. That is also the date used for the Social Security Death Index. From scott@fybush.com Mon Oct 30 14:00:40 2006 From: scott@fybush.com (Scott Fybush) Date: Mon, 30 Oct 2006 14:00:40 -0500 Subject: Norm Nathan, 1926-1996 In-Reply-To: <7.0.1.0.2.20061030131232.03c7d4d0@donnahalper.com> References: <20061030120012.46800.qmail@web50812.mail.yahoo.com> <001801c6fc22$c6c7ac60$19eefea9@dstrassberg> <45461E89.4060104@fybush.com> <7.0.1.0.2.20061030131232.03c7d4d0@donnahalper.com> Message-ID: <45464BD8.3010303@fybush.com> Donna Halper wrote: > At 10:47 AM 10/30/2006, Scott Fybush wrote: >>> I am a little skeptical about the year of Norm's birth (1926) >>> mentioned in >>> Scott's posting. I think Norm was in his mid-seventies at the time of >>> his >>> death in 1996. That would mean he was born around 1921. (Donna? >>> again...) > > The Massachusetts Death Index gives his date of birth as 20 December > 1925. That is also the date used for the Social Security Death Index. > And once more, we all bow towards Quincy and hail Auntie Donna's bottomless store of knowledge! :-) s From dan.strassberg@att.net Mon Oct 30 14:29:55 2006 From: dan.strassberg@att.net (Dan Strassberg) Date: Mon, 30 Oct 2006 14:29:55 -0500 Subject: Norm Nathan, 1926-1996 References: <20061030120012.46800.qmail@web50812.mail.yahoo.com> <001801c6fc22$c6c7ac60$19eefea9@dstrassberg> <45461E89.4060104@fybush.com> <7.0.1.0.2.20061030131232.03c7d4d0@donnahalper.com> <45464BD8.3010303@fybush.com> Message-ID: <001c01c6fc59$cc6fb680$19eefea9@dstrassberg> And I guess I should have known better than to question Scott. Norm was a little less than two months shy of 71 when he died. No way to stretch that into mid-seventies. Norm was predeceased by several years by his wife, Norma, the Boston Herald columnist. Anyone know how their two daughters (Sarah and Sonya, I think) are doing and what they are doing? I believe one is a journalist--but I don't know which one, nor do I know which young woman is the older or any of that stuff. Now here's a great Boston Radio-by-marriage trivia question: Anyone remember Norma Nathan's alma mater? Norm mentioned it often enough on the air. I only THINK I know--and I'm not sure. Was it Smith College in Mass, William Smith College in Geneva NY, or someplace else? -- Dan Strassberg, dan.strassberg@att.net eFax 707-215-6367 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Scott Fybush" To: "Donna Halper" Cc: "Dan Strassberg" ; "Peter Q. George" ; "Boston Radio Interest" Sent: Monday, October 30, 2006 2:00 PM Subject: Re: Norm Nathan, 1926-1996 > Donna Halper wrote: > > At 10:47 AM 10/30/2006, Scott Fybush wrote: > >>> I am a little skeptical about the year of Norm's birth (1926) > >>> mentioned in > >>> Scott's posting. I think Norm was in his mid-seventies at the time of > >>> his > >>> death in 1996. That would mean he was born around 1921. (Donna? > >>> again...) > > > > The Massachusetts Death Index gives his date of birth as 20 December > > 1925. That is also the date used for the Social Security Death Index. > > > > And once more, we all bow towards Quincy and hail Auntie Donna's > bottomless store of knowledge! :-) > > s From m1bz@hotmail.com Mon Oct 30 09:03:47 2006 From: m1bz@hotmail.com (Michael E) Date: Mon, 30 Oct 2006 09:03:47 -0500 Subject: Norm Nathan, 1926-1996 In-Reply-To: <20061030120012.46800.qmail@web50812.mail.yahoo.com> Message-ID: Norm Nathan was a blast to work with. I was running the board overnights at 'BZ in the early 90's. Working with Norm was just plain fun. Calling phone booths around the planet, hoping someone would pick up, playing the Dumb Birthday Game with his producer Tony, Jack Harte on traffic, and the "orchesta." it was easy to forget you were working in the middle of the night. Radio with Norm was just plain fun. Norm's passing hit many of us like a ton of bricks. The man with the body of well-tempered steel, he was too young! He was just a kid, for cryin' out loud! It's great to see (and hear) how Jordan Rich has taken Norm's weekend overnight show and kept the spirit of entertaining overnight radio alive and thriving. - Michael Epstein >From: "Peter Q. George" >To: SteveOrdinetz , >boston-radio-interest@rolinin.BostonRadio.org >Subject: Re: Norm Nathan, 1926-1996 >Date: Mon, 30 Oct 2006 04:00:12 -0800 (PST) > >Oh, yes.... Norm did "the rounds" in Boston radio. In >addition to his days at the old WHDH (AM 850/FM 94.5), >Norm also worked at WCVB-TV, WBMS/WHEE (now WILD), All >News WEEI (590), WRKO (and there might a few more >here) and finally at WBZ. It was truly an honor to >meet Norm while doing a taping of WJIB's "Let's Talk >About Radio" (with our fellow radio enthusiasts Scott >Fybush, Bob Bittner and crew) . He was very friendly, >down-to-earth and truly a gentleman in EVERY sense of >the word. They definitely don't make many of them >like that, anymore... (sigh). > > >--- SteveOrdinetz wrote: > > > At 04:15 PM 10/29/2006, Scott Fybush wrote: > > >The only thing I'd add in 2006 is that I'm proud of > > my alma mater > > >for keeping Norm's old timeslot live, local and in > > the same light > > >spirit with which Norm conducted his show. I know > > he'd be proud of > > >what Steve Leveille and Jordan Rich are doing all > > night long on 1030. > > > > > > I didn't realize Norm worked at WBZ...I always > > associate him with > > overnights on the old WHDH. > > > > > > >Peter Q. George (K1XRB) >Whitman, Massachusetts > "Scanning the bands since 1967" >radiojunkie1@yahoo.com >radiojunkie3@yahoo.com >*********************************************************** > > > >____________________________________________________________________________________ >Cheap Talk? Check out Yahoo! Messenger's low PC-to-Phone call rates >(http://voice.yahoo.com) > _________________________________________________________________ Stay in touch with old friends and meet new ones with Windows Live Spaces http://clk.atdmt.com/MSN/go/msnnkwsp0070000001msn/direct/01/?href=http://spaces.live.com/spacesapi.aspx?wx_action=create&wx_url=/friends.aspx&mkt=en-us From songbook2@comcast.net Mon Oct 30 16:36:56 2006 From: songbook2@comcast.net (Russ Butler) Date: Mon, 30 Oct 2006 13:36:56 -0800 Subject: Norm Nathan Message-ID: <45467078.5050809@comcast.net> Thanks, all, for mentioning the great Norm Nathan again. I'm wondering if there have been more audio tapes (CD's?) released by Norm's daughters or estate of his onair work? There was the retrospective tape after his death which I have, a compilation of airchecks from various stations, but I understood that there are many more hours available to be released. I think that there was even a web site or a web address to inquire (does anyone have that address?) I have a 60-minute tape that I recorded off-air of Norm's WBZ late-night conversation with a "20 Questions" quiz originator that he occasionally used with callers. I'd like to trade that tape for something else by Norm Nathan. Please contact me off-list: songbook2@comcast.net Thanks for the reply. =Russ Butler From dlh@donnahalper.com Mon Oct 30 21:49:55 2006 From: dlh@donnahalper.com (Donna Halper) Date: Mon, 30 Oct 2006 21:49:55 -0500 Subject: Norm Nathan, 1926-1996 In-Reply-To: <45464BD8.3010303@fybush.com> References: <20061030120012.46800.qmail@web50812.mail.yahoo.com> <001801c6fc22$c6c7ac60$19eefea9@dstrassberg> <45461E89.4060104@fybush.com> <7.0.1.0.2.20061030131232.03c7d4d0@donnahalper.com> <45464BD8.3010303@fybush.com> Message-ID: <7.0.1.0.2.20061030214632.03e03c38@donnahalper.com> >Scott wrote-- >And once more, we all bow towards Quincy and hail Auntie Donna's >bottomless store of knowledge! Thanks; all bows are accepted. But better you should send me money-- then I could afford to buy a radio station! 8-) Meanwhile, my well informed source inside CCU also says there are currently no plans to spin off 1430, but we all know how quickly things can change-- "no current plans" could mean today it's not on the agenda but tomorrow, who knows? Anyway, keeping 1200 seems to be the major focus for CCU at this point, as I suspected. From paulcurrier@adelphia.net Tue Oct 31 07:39:49 2006 From: paulcurrier@adelphia.net (Paul B. Currier) Date: Tue, 31 Oct 2006 07:39:49 -0500 Subject: Norm Nathan, 1926-1996 References: Message-ID: <001701c6fce9$a7ad9bb0$a7483518@DG07P241> "...and the crooked, boyish grin...." Paul Sandwich ----- Original Message ----- From: "Michael E" To: ; ; Sent: Monday, October 30, 2006 9:03 AM Subject: Re: Norm Nathan, 1926-1996 > Norm Nathan was a blast to work with. I was running the board overnights > at 'BZ in the early 90's. Working with Norm was just plain fun. Calling > phone booths around the planet, hoping someone would pick up, playing the > Dumb Birthday Game with his producer Tony, Jack Harte on traffic, and the > "orchesta." it was easy to forget you were working in the middle of the > night. Radio with Norm was just plain fun. > Norm's passing hit many of us like a ton of bricks. The man with the body > of well-tempered steel, he was too young! He was just a kid, for cryin' out > loud! > It's great to see (and hear) how Jordan Rich has taken Norm's weekend > overnight show and kept the spirit of entertaining overnight radio alive and > thriving. > > - Michael Epstein > > > >From: "Peter Q. George" > >To: SteveOrdinetz , > >boston-radio-interest@rolinin.BostonRadio.org > >Subject: Re: Norm Nathan, 1926-1996 > >Date: Mon, 30 Oct 2006 04:00:12 -0800 (PST) > > > >Oh, yes.... Norm did "the rounds" in Boston radio. In > >addition to his days at the old WHDH (AM 850/FM 94.5), > >Norm also worked at WCVB-TV, WBMS/WHEE (now WILD), All > >News WEEI (590), WRKO (and there might a few more > >here) and finally at WBZ. It was truly an honor to > >meet Norm while doing a taping of WJIB's "Let's Talk > >About Radio" (with our fellow radio enthusiasts Scott > >Fybush, Bob Bittner and crew) . He was very friendly, > >down-to-earth and truly a gentleman in EVERY sense of > >the word. They definitely don't make many of them > >like that, anymore... (sigh). > > > > > >--- SteveOrdinetz wrote: > > > > > At 04:15 PM 10/29/2006, Scott Fybush wrote: > > > >The only thing I'd add in 2006 is that I'm proud of > > > my alma mater > > > >for keeping Norm's old timeslot live, local and in > > > the same light > > > >spirit with which Norm conducted his show. I know > > > he'd be proud of > > > >what Steve Leveille and Jordan Rich are doing all > > > night long on 1030. > > > > > > > > > I didn't realize Norm worked at WBZ...I always > > > associate him with > > > overnights on the old WHDH. > > > > > > > > > > > >Peter Q. George (K1XRB) > >Whitman, Massachusetts > > "Scanning the bands since 1967" > >radiojunkie1@yahoo.com > >radiojunkie3@yahoo.com > >*********************************************************** > > > > > > > >___________________________________________________________________________ _________ > >Cheap Talk? Check out Yahoo! Messenger's low PC-to-Phone call rates > >(http://voice.yahoo.com) > > > > _________________________________________________________________ > Stay in touch with old friends and meet new ones with Windows Live Spaces > http://clk.atdmt.com/MSN/go/msnnkwsp0070000001msn/direct/01/?href=http://spa ces.live.com/spacesapi.aspx?wx_action=create&wx_url=/friends.aspx&mkt=en-us > >