WJIB 740 in trouble?

[Eli Polonsky]

> > From: Rick <rickajho@rcn.com>
> To: boston-radio-interest@rolinin.bostonradio.org
> Date: Wed, 04 Apr 2007 11:39:17 -0400
> Subject: WJIB 740 in trouble?
> 
> I flipped on WJIB 740 yesterday and the owner - Bob Vintner
> - has something to say.

WJIB is owned by Bob Bittner, not Vintner.

> He is saying that if people want the station to keep playing
> it's existing format he needs to raise $87,000.00 in donations
> by some date in June to cover the new royalty structure fees
> for the next year. If that amount is not raised by June the
> station will change to a talk radio format and any donations
> made will be returned.

This has been being discussed on an on-line discussion board
in which Bittner himself participates. He says that, so far,
he's been getting a good response, and it looks like there's
a chance that the needed amount may be raised.

> AFAIK he only has one period of leased air time for a foreign
> language broadcast and that can't be enough revenue to cover
> costs, even before the new royalty fees go into effect.

The daily foreign language show, which was the weekday morning
news magazine show from Radio France International, is gone due
to budgetary cuts at RFI. As for leased time, WJIB is now down
to only some Sunday morning religious/gospel programming. The
withdrawal of RFI along with the increased music royalty fees
are the main factors which caused Bob's current problems.

EP