MPBN to close transmitters

[Dan.Strassberg]

Isn't there a commercial FM in Calais--the remains of the now
long-dark WQDY (AM)? What broadcast services, if any (audio or TV),
are designed to serve neighboring St Stephen NB? One would think that
any signals that were designed to reach St Stephen would also reach
Calais. I'm not saying commercial broadcasts can replace NPR or PBS; I
am just trying to find out whether the citizens of Calais and environs
(on the US side of the border) will be completely bereft of
terrestrial broadcast services. Also, aren't there about as many
Fracophones as Anglophones in Calais, so wouldn' there be a need for
broadcast services there in both English and French?

-----
Dan Strassberg (dan.strassberg@att.net)
eFax 1-707-215-6367

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Scott Fybush" <scott@fybush.com>
To: "B-R-I" <boston-radio-interest@bostonradio.org>
Sent: Thursday, December 18, 2008 3:06 PM
Subject: MPBN to close transmitters


> The Bangor Daily News is reporting that MPBN is in a serious funding
> crunch, and will be pulling the plug on WMED-DT 13 in Calais and two
> MPBN Radio transmitters, WMED 89.7 Calais and WMEF 106.5 Fort Kent,
> in January, in an effort to keep as much of its funding as possible
> going towards local news and programming...
>
> http://www.bangordailynews.com/detail/95479.html#comments
>
> Most of the Fort Kent transmitter's coverage overlaps with WMEM
> 106.1 Presque Isle, and the remainder is over largely unpopulated
> (or French Canadian) areas - but Calais and southwestern New
> Brunswick will completely lose public radio if this goes down, since
> the area is out of range from the other MPBN transmitters.
>
> s
>