Manchester Monarchs Hockey Moves To WGAM, UNH Sports To WGIR

[Sean Smyth]

Mark Watson <markwats@comcast.net> wrote:
>   According to an article in the New Hampshire Union Leader, the
> Manchester 
> Monarchs AHL hockey team's radio broadcasts will be moving from WGIR
> (who 
> aired the games the past 7 seasons) to WGHM (900 Nashua) which
> simulcasts on 
> WGAM (1250 Manchester). The Union Leader article says that 1250's
> calls are 
> WKBR, which they haven't been for a while, and has 900 as WGAM, they
> are now 
> WGHM. Also interesting to note that when there are conflicts with Red
> Sox or 
> Patriots games, Monarchs hockey will be bumped to sister station
> WSMN, which 
> doesn't get too far at night (when a fair amount of the games air)
> from it's 
> temporary TX site diplexing off the WGHM tower in downtown Nashua.
> 
>   The article also mentions that University of NH football, mens's
> hockey, 
> plus selected women's hockey, men's and women's basketball games will
> air on 
> WGIR starting this Fall. The article doesn't mention it but I believe
> WFEA 
> was the Manchester UNH sports affiliate the past few years. The
> article also 
> mentions that the UNH sports flagship station continues to be WTSN,
> which 
> covers Dover, Rochester & Plymouth. (I think they meant Portsmouth).
> 
> Link to the article:
> 
>
http://www.unionleader.com/article.aspx?headline=Changes+in+air+for+Monarchs%2c+UNH&articleId=252b41f4-45a3-44e2-8a8c-073a55c01104

This gives WGAM/WGHM more legitimacy in the market, with a in-state pro
franchise on board. With local programming from 3 to 7 p.m., the
Monarchs will have a strong lead-in. When I've listened to The Home
Team, I haven't heard much in the way of Monarchs talk, so I'm sure the
Monarchs will enjoy the increased coverage. 

The problem for the Monarchs is that the AHL playoffs run from April
until deep in June, longer than the NHL playoffs. Potentially, there
are two months where the Sox will knock the Monarchs off the air.
Seeing as 1590 has issues with getting to the southern end of Nashua at
night, there's no way it'll find its way to Manchester. Maybe a
1590/WFEA simulcast for those games would work? 

The other winner in this is UNH. They had no radio coverage in Nashua.
The WGIR network will fill in gaps in southern New Hampshire. 

To answer Steve's question: Dick Osborne was arrested last year, and he
was charged with responding to a Craigslist posting and seeking sex. He
worked out a plea deal in October, but he lost his jobs at UNH and NHTI
as a result.