From rogerkirk@ttlc.net Tue Sep 1 02:01:52 2009 From: rogerkirk@ttlc.net (Roger Kirk) Date: Tue, 01 Sep 2009 02:01:52 -0400 Subject: WEEI vs 98.5 - Triumph Of Form Over Content? Message-ID: <4A9CB8D0.9060500@ttlc.net> This evening, on my way home from work (~10:20) I tuned in 98.5 and WEEI to compare & contrast. 98.5's DA was discussing the Topic Du Jour i.e.Teddy Bruschi's retirement with callers. The Sox had the night off, so WEEI's host was engaged in animated conversation with a caller comparing the breast size of Serena Williams to other Tennis Players. From madprof@ix.netcom.com Wed Sep 2 00:23:37 2009 From: madprof@ix.netcom.com (Robert F. Sutherland) Date: Wed, 2 Sep 2009 00:23:37 -0400 Subject: LA Wildfire - Mt Wilson Message-ID: <380-2200993242337734@ix.netcom.com> yes, its not our area, but .... significant to any broadcast people. huge wildefire that atarted Aug 29, apparently near Glendale CA, and is now threatening TV sites on Mt Wildson. Scary, thinking the possible station transmitter loses, (do they have backup sites off Mt Wilson?) and the many people (much evacuation) who might loose their homes. I'm receiving news from Broadcast tech Email group. Many of you are probably members, too God, Powers of the Universe, & whatever you believe in, help the stations and people. Bob From nostaticatall@charter.net Wed Sep 2 00:57:31 2009 From: nostaticatall@charter.net (Dave Tomm) Date: Wed, 2 Sep 2009 00:57:31 -0400 Subject: LA Wildfire - Mt Wilson In-Reply-To: <380-2200993242337734@ix.netcom.com> References: <380-2200993242337734@ix.netcom.com> Message-ID: <89207A32-5FF2-4CA7-8C47-A4DBD7FBB7C3@charter.net> CBS/LA has already shifted a couple of their FM's to their backup transmitters off Mt. Wilson. Other radio stations have contingency plans to do so if the fire takes out the towers. The big news and information stations in LA are on AM, and those signals are not on Mt. Wilson. For the affected FM's, online streams would continue without interruption. While most of the TV stations could lose their OTA signals, they'll still will be on cable and satellite systems, so most viewers could still watch. While the damage would be devastating, and it would take a long time to rebuild, most people could still access LA broadcast outlets. It just wouldn't be OTA. FM DXers would have a field day out there with so many local signals knocked out... -Dave Tomm On Sep 2, 2009, at 12:23 AM, Robert F. Sutherland wrote: > yes, its not our area, but .... significant to any broadcast people. > > huge wildefire that atarted Aug 29, apparently near Glendale CA, > and is now threatening TV sites on Mt Wildson. > Scary, thinking the possible station transmitter loses, > (do they have backup sites off Mt Wilson?) > and the many people (much evacuation) who > might loose their homes. > > I'm receiving news from Broadcast tech Email group. > Many of you are probably members, too > > God, Powers of the Universe, & whatever you believe in, > help the stations and people. > > Bob > > > From dan.strassberg@att.net Wed Sep 2 08:37:24 2009 From: dan.strassberg@att.net (Dan.Strassberg) Date: Wed, 2 Sep 2009 08:37:24 -0400 Subject: WLBZ Bangor finally going back to VHF References: Message-ID: <139C79C6AE7A46438F5C8748E3268CA5@SatU205S5044> >From everything I've heard, WLBZ will be very sorry that they moved back to VHF (ESPECIALLY to Channel 2) and, like Channel 7 here, they will soon be petititioning the FCC to expedite a return to their temporary UHF assignment. As the punch line to the old story goes (and no, I can't remember the story well enough to tell it; I merely remember the punch line), "Some guys just never get the message." ----- Dan Strassberg (dan.strassberg@att.net) eFax 1-707-215-6367 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bob DeMattia" To: "BostonRadio Mailing List" Sent: Saturday, August 29, 2009 11:29 PM Subject: WLBZ Bangor finally going back to VHF >I just saw a story on WLBZ's sister station on WCSH announcing their >moveto > post-transition channel 2. Yes, they as of right now they are still > on > their > transitional channel 25. > > http://www.wlbz2.com/life/programming/dtv/story.aspx?storyid=108571&catid=220 > > > -Bob From ewerme@comcast.net Wed Sep 2 20:12:03 2009 From: ewerme@comcast.net (Ric Werme) Date: Wed, 2 Sep 2009 20:12:03 -0400 (EDT) Subject: LA Wildfire - Mt Wilson Message-ID: <20090903001203.F1EFC61636@c-24-128-108-153.hsd1.nh.comcast.net> > yes, its not our area, but .... significant to any broadcast people. > huge wildfire that atarted Aug 29, apparently near Glendale CA, > and is now threatening TV sites on Mt Wildson. > Scary, thinking the possible station transmitter losses, The transmitters are likely more replacable than the many telescopes on Mt Wilson. A backfire likely took out the web cam's network comm line, the last photo is still up at http://www.astro.ucla.edu/~obs/towercam.htm and shows the radio and TV towers amongst the smoke. A running commentary of events there yesterday is at (relocated) http://www.chara.gsu.edu/CHARA/fire.php . The importance of the observatory and its facilities as a "base" of operations likely benefits protecting the transmitters. >From that site on Tuesday, 7:21 pm PDT: Chief Powers expressed his absolute confidence that they will save the Observatory. He said that while it may have appeared over the last day or so that the Observatory was being neglected, that they never lost sight of the importance of Mount Wilson's preservation and it is now their highest priority. He flew up to the mountain yesterday, was delighted with what he found and knew they could achieve success here. There are now 150 fire fighters on Mount Wilson. Perversely, there's a solar observatory that is one of several that tracks sunspots, and we were on the verge of the first spotless month since 1913 (or 2008, depending on who counts) and breaking the 52 day spotless streak (depending on that 2008 month). Even more perversely, a pair of sunspecks showed up on Aug 31 (US time) and Sep 1 (european time)! From necrat.alternate@gmail.com Thu Sep 3 18:34:07 2009 From: necrat.alternate@gmail.com (Mike Fitzpatrick) Date: Thu, 3 Sep 2009 18:34:07 -0400 Subject: Fairhaven's WFHN "Fun107" Morning Co-host passes away. Message-ID: <89672f960909031534h49bf0c51p128fa523c77e7f62@mail.gmail.com> >From Seacoastonline.com "Sharon Fogaren, the co-host of the "J.R. and Sharon" morning radio show on FUN 107, has died following complications from a heart attack suffered two weeks ago." The rest of the article can be seen here. http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090903/NEWS/909039998/-1/NEWSMAP She was just 44 years old. All the normal shows on WFHN were pre-empted today so that the staff could mourn the loss. --Mike From n1wbd@peoplepc.com Thu Sep 3 19:55:02 2009 From: n1wbd@peoplepc.com (Bob Hale) Date: Thu, 3 Sep 2009 19:55:02 -0400 Subject: Has anyone heard this rumor???... Message-ID: Heard a rumor from the grapevine today that WNNE ch 31 was going to switchover from simulcasting WPTZ ch 5 to simulcasting WMUR ch 9. I know this is only a rumor but has anyone else heard this? It would give coverage of channel 9 to most all areas of the state especially those that don't have cable available to them. Sullivan and Grafton County I think would benefit the most since alot of the towns don't have cable. Bob From kc1ih@mac.com Thu Sep 3 20:05:35 2009 From: kc1ih@mac.com (Larry Weil) Date: Thu, 03 Sep 2009 20:05:35 -0400 Subject: Has anyone heard this rumor???... In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <003801ca2cf3$6da25270$c7151bac@whdh.com> > -----Original Message----- > From: boston-radio-interest-bounces@tsornin.BostonRadio.org > [mailto:boston-radio-interest-bounces@tsornin.BostonRadio.org] > On Behalf Of Bob Hale > Sent: Thursday, September 03, 2009 7:55 PM > To: Boston Radio TV list > Subject: Has anyone heard this rumor???... > > Heard a rumor from the grapevine today that WNNE ch 31 was going to > switchover from simulcasting WPTZ ch 5 to simulcasting WMUR > ch 9. I know > this is only a rumor but has anyone else heard this? > If they did that would WMUR need to start covering news from Vermont? Larry Weil Lake Wobegone, NH From paulranderson@charter.net Thu Sep 3 20:50:45 2009 From: paulranderson@charter.net (Paul Anderson) Date: Thu, 3 Sep 2009 20:50:45 -0400 Subject: Has anyone heard this rumor???... In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <8E8D5700-DAEB-43C7-937B-7004AF6F263C@charter.net> On Sep 3, 2009, at 7:55 PM, Bob Hale wrote: > Heard a rumor from the grapevine today that WNNE ch 31 was going to > switchover from simulcasting WPTZ ch 5 to simulcasting WMUR ch 9. I > know this is only a rumor but has anyone else heard this? > > It would give coverage of channel 9 to most all areas of the state > especially those that don't have cable available to them. Sullivan > and Grafton County I think would benefit the most since alot of the > towns don't have cable. If the coverage of ABC and NBC affiliates are taken into account, wouldn't a lot of people lose their NBC affiliate? There seems to be a lot of overlap between the coverage areas of WMUR and WNNE, so many people would lose NBC and get two ABC stations. A better idea might be to have WNNE keep NBC but use WMUR's news instead of WPTZ's. Does the WNNE audience identify more with Vermont or New Hampshire? I suspect their audience is split and I can't imagine their viewers in central Vermont are going to care about a car accident in Portsmouth NH. Paul From kc1ih@mac.com Thu Sep 3 21:01:51 2009 From: kc1ih@mac.com (Larry Weil) Date: Thu, 03 Sep 2009 21:01:51 -0400 Subject: Has anyone heard this rumor???... In-Reply-To: <8E8D5700-DAEB-43C7-937B-7004AF6F263C@charter.net> References: <8E8D5700-DAEB-43C7-937B-7004AF6F263C@charter.net> Message-ID: <003c01ca2cfb$4a18e780$c7151bac@whdh.com> Or how about put WMUR on WNNE-HD2? Larry Weil Lake Wobegone, NH > -----Original Message----- > From: boston-radio-interest-bounces@tsornin.BostonRadio.org > [mailto:boston-radio-interest-bounces@tsornin.BostonRadio.org] > On Behalf Of Paul Anderson > Sent: Thursday, September 03, 2009 8:51 PM > To: Boston Radio TV list > Subject: Re: Has anyone heard this rumor???... > > On Sep 3, 2009, at 7:55 PM, Bob Hale wrote: > > > Heard a rumor from the grapevine today that WNNE ch 31 was > going to > > switchover from simulcasting WPTZ ch 5 to simulcasting WMUR > ch 9. I > > know this is only a rumor but has anyone else heard this? > > > > It would give coverage of channel 9 to most all areas of the state > > especially those that don't have cable available to them. Sullivan > > and Grafton County I think would benefit the most since > alot of the > > towns don't have cable. > > If the coverage of ABC and NBC affiliates are taken into account, > wouldn't a lot of people lose their NBC affiliate? There > seems to be > a lot of overlap between the coverage areas of WMUR and WNNE, > so many > people would lose NBC and get two ABC stations. > > A better idea might be to have WNNE keep NBC but use WMUR's news > instead of WPTZ's. > > Does the WNNE audience identify more with Vermont or New > Hampshire? I > suspect their audience is split and I can't imagine their viewers in > central Vermont are going to care about a car accident in > Portsmouth NH. > > Paul > From kvahey@comcast.net Thu Sep 3 20:26:06 2009 From: kvahey@comcast.net (Kevin Vahey) Date: Thu, 3 Sep 2009 19:26:06 -0500 Subject: Has anyone heard this rumor???... In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <4fc429770909031726p6e29d269g6f7432925a30775c@mail.gmail.com> Move would make sense as 31 is on cable in places like Rutland that couldn't care less about NYS news I am actually surprised it has taken Hearst this long to figure this out. From n1wbd@peoplepc.com Thu Sep 3 21:59:01 2009 From: n1wbd@peoplepc.com (Bob Hale) Date: Thu, 3 Sep 2009 21:59:01 -0400 Subject: Has anyone heard this rumor???... References: <003801ca2cf3$6da25270$c7151bac@whdh.com> Message-ID: <6156035B3F564FFF9D2AD27240F377A4@bobdbll7jyc68f> I believe as I recall ch 31 viewership is mainly NH judging by the coverage pattern. Give those folks a choice on the main HD channel simulcast WMUR on 31.1 and also WPTZ on 31.2 the main benefit for doing it that would be that Dish Network subs would then be able to get WMUR in the Burlington DMA for our benefit. Because of some court ruling Dish Network cannot carry WMUR where Directv can in the Burlington DMA. So everyone wins if WMUR does indeed simulcast on WNNE on 31.1 Bob N1WBD Grafton NH ----- Original Message ----- From: "Larry Weil" To: "'Boston Radio TV list'" Sent: Thursday, September 03, 2009 8:05 PM Subject: RE: Has anyone heard this rumor???... >> Subject: Has anyone heard this rumor???... >> >> Heard a rumor from the grapevine today that WNNE ch 31 was going to >> switchover from simulcasting WPTZ ch 5 to simulcasting WMUR >> ch 9. I know >> this is only a rumor but has anyone else heard this? >> > > If they did that would WMUR need to start covering news from Vermont? > > Larry Weil > Lake Wobegone, NH > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 8.5.409 / Virus Database: 270.13.76/2342 - Release Date: 09/02/09 18:03:00 From wollman@bimajority.org Thu Sep 3 22:17:48 2009 From: wollman@bimajority.org (Garrett Wollman) Date: Thu, 3 Sep 2009 22:17:48 -0400 Subject: Has anyone heard this rumor???... In-Reply-To: <4fc429770909031726p6e29d269g6f7432925a30775c@mail.gmail.com> References: <4fc429770909031726p6e29d269g6f7432925a30775c@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <19104.30924.837992.94689@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> < said: > Move would make sense as 31 is on cable in places like Rutland that > couldn't care less about NYS news What? You think people in Rutland care more about what happens an hour away (more likely two if they ran the Manchester news) in New Hampshire than about what happens thirty minutes in New York at the west end of the only expressway in the county? If that were the case, why would Comcast-Rutland carry WRGB and WTEN? For what it's worth, Comcast in WRJ allegedly carries WBZ, WCVB, and WHDH in addition to WCAX, WVNY, and WNNE. (Zap2it identifies it as the "Lebanon" system, so presumably the headend is across the river and, since all of New Hampshire is in the Boston market for must-carry, they get the Boston signals in addition to the locals.) Do they really need a third ABC affiliate? (Do they really even need a second?) -GAWollman From bob@demattia.net Wed Sep 2 17:10:23 2009 From: bob@demattia.net (Bob DeMattia) Date: Wed, 2 Sep 2009 17:10:23 -0400 Subject: WLBZ Bangor finally going back to VHF In-Reply-To: <139C79C6AE7A46438F5C8748E3268CA5@SatU205S5044> References: <139C79C6AE7A46438F5C8748E3268CA5@SatU205S5044> Message-ID: 'LBZ is certainly having problems with its UHF signal penetrating the hills and mountains of central Maine.I can imagine 9 & 11 had similar problems with the UHF frequencies. Of course both of them had to go back to VHF because they were above 52. Has anyone heard how these stations are working out? Or for that matter, WMTW on channel 8? -Bob From ljs0610@comcast.net Thu Sep 3 19:17:12 2009 From: ljs0610@comcast.net (ljs0610@comcast.net) Date: Thu, 3 Sep 2009 23:17:12 +0000 (UTC) Subject: WEEI vs 98.5 - Triumph Of Form Over Content? In-Reply-To: <4A9CB8D0.9060500@ttlc.net> Message-ID: <2065591979.2115591252019832645.JavaMail.root@sz0146a.westchester.pa.mail.comcast.net> And that would be the talentless Mike Adams; why EEI hired such a tired retread for it's night slot is beyond comprehension. One of his recent topics was "How old were you when you lost your virginity"? He seems to fancy himself witty and cutting edge when in fact he comes across as an unpopular frat boy desperate for attention. And let us not forget how he "got the job" in the first place. The lamest of lame radio bits: locking himself in the studio until Jason Wolfe (who will now have to prove his mettle as a programmer now that real competition is in town) until he was awarded the job. Adams is a turnoff not only on EEI but NESN as well. He and his very unfunny contributions will hopefully wear thin sometime soon. As for me and my sportsminded friends, the new alternative for local sports has quickly become the sports station of choice. No more having to endure Smerlas, DeOssie, Shepard and Meterparel (I have friends who are BC grads. They refuse to contribute to the school until Meterparel is removed as the BC football play-by-play announcer). Honestly, the only terrestrial stations I continue to listen to are the local sports stations. And thankfully I can refer in the plural. EEI's habit of mailing it in and no longer filling the sports need actual drove us to Mad Dog radio on XM. Not so local, but not annoying, self-indulgent (Smerlas only really wants to plug his steak house or ask why he's not on more often....DUH!) The SportHub not only presented an escape, but once sampled, proved to be superior. Dennis and Callahan consider themselves pundits which is astonishing. Who cares about their opinions on politics or "water cooler topics" (laughable). Toucher and Rich are not much better so XM it is in the morning. Can always tune back for actual sports interviews. Dale and Holley too often digress from sports or are boring (I actually prefer the combination of Tom Caron and Michael Holley...that worked very well when Arnold was on vacation) and Arnold's pomposity it often just too much to stomach. So Tanguay and Zolak, it is. Tanguay is a good reporter and Zolak has gotten considerably better as he learns the radio ropes. And that brings us to afternoon drive and the Big Show. Once entertaining, and still sometimes so, it has become tired, predictable and way too self indulgent. The same tired callers, some who so represent the lowest common denominator (Jim the Wrestling Goon, etc.) and who are allowed significant air time to, well, just fill air time. Bringing no entertainment value and actually providing a very real reason to tune away. The whiner line is still sometimes funny, but I find that I no longer tune back when something really interesting is being talked about on SportsHub at that time. Which is happening more and more frequently. And credit to SH for not trying to copy the whiner line (or anything on EEI for that matter) but find something interesting that works opposite it. And they are on the right track. Felger may be an acquired taste but for a guy who was a print journalist he has learned the necessary radio elements very well. Kind of a natural. All of the shows on SH are crisp with great forward motion. I am actually grateful the the first choice for afternoon drive with Felger (Lou Merloni) decided to say with EEI. Good choice for him and allows him to stay with the Baseball Show, which is where he belongs. Masserotti is a great choice for SH afternoon drive and pairs very well with Felger. He has sources and inside information, and I find that I am thoroughly entertained while being informed and not feeling as though I'm losing IQ points. Back to nights: I will be thankful for DA every day; he is the anti Mike Adams. Now I can listen to sports in the evening, especially when none of the sports teams are playing. Since Adams assumed the position at EEI, we just would not listen to sports at night. Period, end of story. Not easy for DA to go up against Red Sox baseball, but perhaps the Red Sox will find a new home on a station that doesn't sound like it's off the air half the time (up here in the Merrimack Valley when EEI cannot often be heard at all). Until then, DA does a good job of soliciting calls and staying on top of his game. And SH has the Pats and Bruins. Think the sports teams in town are just a bit overjoyed that they now have more than one real choice to broadcast their games? Other ways in which the SportsHub proved superior? The day Tedy Bruschi retired, both stations carried the press conference. Yes, EEI got Bruschi, but didn't ask the right questions so basically Bruschi reiterated what he had already communicated in the press conference. In a stroke of brilliance, SH got Drew Bledsoe to ruminate on his years with Bruschi. Immediately intriguing, as we hadn't heard from Bledsoe in some time and everything he said was new because NO ONE in town had talked to him in ages. Fascinating radio. As for interviews? Felger and Masserotti interviewed Gabe Kappler the other day. EEI has interviewed him before and been just silly, talking about things like his buff body and the like. F and M asked him questions about club house chemistry, how is it defined, how does it manifest itself...stuff folks have been talking about lately. Even better, they then pursued the compare/contrast Joe Maddon, Terry Francona managerial styles since Kappler played for both. The interview was interesting, revealing, and yes entertaining. Because you really can accomplish all 3. But that will never happen on a station that insists of having the likes of Fred Smerlas as a co-host or Mike Adams as a host. SportsHub really presents a superior product without cowtowing to the prior sports station royalty. And it is obvious that EEI is looking over its shoulder. How else to explain the ridiculous promo about EEI doesn't play jingles (probably unable to finance their production) as jingles are lame. Why call attention to the other guys? And oh, by the way EEI, one of the first differences we noticed was that very item, and we all agreed we really liked the SportsHub jingle. The competition between the two will be as interesting a radio story as we've seen in Boston for a while. From kvahey@comcast.net Thu Sep 3 22:54:11 2009 From: kvahey@comcast.net (Kevin Vahey) Date: Thu, 3 Sep 2009 21:54:11 -0500 Subject: Has anyone heard this rumor???... In-Reply-To: <19104.30924.837992.94689@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> References: <4fc429770909031726p6e29d269g6f7432925a30775c@mail.gmail.com> <19104.30924.837992.94689@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> Message-ID: <4fc429770909031954n730f29e6y3cff6f5b9ca62853@mail.gmail.com> I wonder if Hearst has given serious thought to switching WPTZ to ABC to get in line with the rest of the cluster. The Burlington-Platsburg stations seem to be being held hostage by Videotron-Quebec again as a friend who lives in Greenfield Park, Quebec tells me some nights NBC comes from Plattsburgh in HD and other nights Boston. He says the Boston signal is better and this is also happening with CBS and ABC. He is a sportswriter with the Gazette and he noticed this on Sunday Night Football last week and also he watched local Boston coverage of Kennedy. FOX he says is coming from WUTV in Buffalo lately instead of Burlington. When he called Videotron they told him they take the best signal available. From nostaticatall@charter.net Fri Sep 4 01:48:40 2009 From: nostaticatall@charter.net (Dave Tomm) Date: Fri, 4 Sep 2009 01:48:40 -0400 Subject: WEEI vs 98.5 - Triumph Of Form Over Content? In-Reply-To: <2065591979.2115591252019832645.JavaMail.root@sz0146a.westchester.pa.mail.comcast.net> References: <2065591979.2115591252019832645.JavaMail.root@sz0146a.westchester.pa.mail.comcast.net> Message-ID: <119F304F-559E-4B2C-9381-32AF650D595A@charter.net> I snipped the rest of your commentary for brevity's sake, but I wanted to throw in my two cents.... So far the Sports Hub has had a successful sign-on. The production is far superior to WEEI, and obviously so is the reception and sound quality. They're going right into the Pats & Bruins seasons, so they'll be sampled a bunch this fall. They're doing what they need to be right now, sticking strictly to sports outside of T&R. They're attracting disillusioned WEEI listeners like yourself, and it will help them build a solid core listening base. They're doing all the right things right now. I'd like to see them a little more promotionally active, but otherwise the format flip has gone well. BTW, the Sport Hub has taken digs at WEEI too, like being able to be heard under bridges. You complain about all the non-sports talk on WEEI. However, just about every successful sports station around the country has some non- sports topics on from time to time. WFAN does it. So does WIP/ Philly. Even ESPN Radio isn't all box scores and trade talk 24/7. 98.5 has to be hardcore sports right now to build up "cred" in the market. However, eventually they'll have to weave in other topics as well. WEEI has gone way the other way though. The whole station is a series of inside jokes and personal agendas. The presentation is predictable and stale. It's the same aging personalities with the same opinions and jokes day after day. They got fat and lazy, and now they're scrambling to get back on track. Their ratings have taken a dive the last couple of books, and that's before the Sports Hub signed on. The problem is, they sound old. Considering their hosts are primarily in their 50's and have been on the air there since the very beginning, it's no wonder. The Sports Hub sounds younger, the pace is faster, and they stay on topic. My guess is the younger sports radio listener will gravitate there, instead of the AM "graveyard" of WEEI. Don't count WEEI out though. Heritage goes a long way in this market, and they will have a loyal core of listeners who will stay with them no matter how successful 98.5 gets. But, there has been a seismic shift in the landscape. I see this playing out similarly to the WRKO/ WTKK battle. 680 has the higher ratings, but they're mostly 55+. 96.9 has higher 25-54 numbers, and they bill better (and now that the Sox are off 680, 96.9 should bill a lot better than WRKO.) I predict the same type of thing happening with WEEI and WBZ-FM. Still, that will eventually take a major chunk out of WEEI's revenues. They need to change things and hope to just minimize the damage. You knew they were worried when they shortened up the stopsets and put all the Sox games back on 850. If they resort to blowing up WAAF or WMKK to put WEEI on FM, you'll know they're in panic mode. -Dave Tomm On Sep 3, 2009, at 7:17 PM, ljs0610@comcast.net wrote: > SportsHub really presents a superior product without cowtowing to > the prior sports station royalty. And it is obvious that EEI is > looking over its shoulder. How else to explain the ridiculous promo > about EEI doesn't play jingles (probably unable to finance their > production) as jingles are lame. Why call attention to the other > guys? And oh, by the way EEI, one of the first differences we > noticed was that very item, and we all agreed we really liked the > SportsHub jingle. The competition between the two will be as > interesting a radio story as we've seen in Boston for a while. From raccoonradio@mail.com Fri Sep 4 02:19:48 2009 From: raccoonradio@mail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Fri, 4 Sep 2009 01:19:48 -0500 Subject: WBCN: Your Home for Conservative Talk... Message-ID: <20090904061948.5254C83985@ws1-2a.us4.outblaze.com> First the news broke via a leaked webpage; now it's confirmed by http://www.radio-info.com that CBS's WBCN 1660 Charlotte NC is switching to conservative talk (currently it's sports). They plan to take on WBT by putting on the likes of Sean Hannity, Glenn Beck, and Jason Lewis. As we know, when CBS did their switcheroo last month, it was said they moved the legendary WBCN calls to the AM in Charlotte so nobody else would grab them. Now they at a station whose political philosophy will be pretty much opposed to what Charles Laquidara espouses... Yes, it will be odd to hear (if you're down there or hear it online): Coming up next: Sean Hannity...on WBCN! :) From sonnydaye1@gmail.com Fri Sep 4 10:26:09 2009 From: sonnydaye1@gmail.com (Sonny Daye) Date: Fri, 4 Sep 2009 10:26:09 -0400 Subject: "Must carry" rules Message-ID: In a posting, Garrett happened to mention that: <<<>> I'm wondering that if that is accurate, how would that apply to a situation where Time-Warner has taken Channel 4/Boston OFF of their line-up in some NH towns (Freedom for one) (allegedly for a money dispute), and are now blocking out duplicate programming from Channel 7/Boston (NBC) because of a complaint from Channel 6/Portland which is a "must-carry" for Time-Warner. I suspect the fact that Time-Warner is "based" in Portland (as far this area is concerned) is a factor in this issue. If as Garrett says, "all of New Hampshire is in the Boston market for must-carry", shouldn't any cable system operating in any town in NH be required to carry ALL of the Boston stations, even IF the company's "office" is located in Portland? Exactly how does the "must carry" rules work, and what are the "technicalities" involved in this issue? Garrett's Posting: For what it's worth, Comcast in WRJ allegedly carries WBZ, WCVB, and WHDH in addition to WCAX, WVNY, and WNNE. (Zap2it identifies it as the "Lebanon" system, so presumably the headend is across the river and, since all of New Hampshire is in the Boston market for must-carry, they get the Boston signals in addition to the locals.) Do they really need a third ABC affiliate? (Do they really even need a second?) -GAWollman From nhradio@earthlink.net Fri Sep 4 12:27:59 2009 From: nhradio@earthlink.net (Steve Thompson) Date: Fri, 4 Sep 2009 12:27:59 -0400 Subject: "Must carry" rules In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <7BB414C0170F4B8790C3C385A7291F6B@D7LLJX11> Hi all, Based on what I have seen and know in New Hampshire Carroll and Coos County are in the Portland Maine market. Also Grafton County (Western New Hampshire) including Littleton and I think Lebanon is in the Burlington VT TV market. The counties south of that are all in the Boston (Manchester) market. I know that Here Dish network won't let me get Channel 9 so I only get the Portland Affiliates. DirecTV does allow people statewide to get Channel 9 (wmur) but their licensing is slightly different according to Dish network. No Time Warner on my road so that's not an option for me, so I can't speak directly to what the carry in the area. Steve Thompson (Ossipee, NH) -----Original Message----- From: boston-radio-interest-bounces@tsornin.BostonRadio.org [mailto:boston-radio-interest-bounces@tsornin.BostonRadio.org] On Behalf Of Sonny Daye Sent: Friday, September 04, 2009 10:26 AM To: boston-radio-interest@lists.BostonRadio.org Subject: "Must carry" rules In a posting, Garrett happened to mention that: <<<>> I'm wondering that if that is accurate, how would that apply to a situation where Time-Warner has taken Channel 4/Boston OFF of their line-up in some NH towns (Freedom for one) (allegedly for a money dispute), and are now blocking out duplicate programming from Channel 7/Boston (NBC) because of a complaint from Channel 6/Portland which is a "must-carry" for Time-Warner. I suspect the fact that Time-Warner is "based" in Portland (as far this area is concerned) is a factor in this issue. If as Garrett says, "all of New Hampshire is in the Boston market for must-carry", shouldn't any cable system operating in any town in NH be required to carry ALL of the Boston stations, even IF the company's "office" is located in Portland? Exactly how does the "must carry" rules work, and what are the "technicalities" involved in this issue? Garrett's Posting: For what it's worth, Comcast in WRJ allegedly carries WBZ, WCVB, and WHDH in addition to WCAX, WVNY, and WNNE. (Zap2it identifies it as the "Lebanon" system, so presumably the headend is across the river and, since all of New Hampshire is in the Boston market for must-carry, they get the Boston signals in addition to the locals.) Do they really need a third ABC affiliate? (Do they really even need a second?) -GAWollman From wollman@bimajority.org Fri Sep 4 16:24:22 2009 From: wollman@bimajority.org (Garrett Wollman) Date: Fri, 4 Sep 2009 16:24:22 -0400 Subject: Washington AM towers toppled by alleged ecoterrorists Message-ID: <19105.30582.107880.405725@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> Some of you may have been following the unnecessarily-long-delayed upgrade of KRKO in Everett, Washington. This morning, two of the station's towers were knocked down, allegedly by the ecoterrorist group "Earth Liberation Front". See the AP story at among other places. -GAWollman From sid@wrko.com Fri Sep 4 21:18:31 2009 From: sid@wrko.com (Sid Schweiger) Date: Fri, 4 Sep 2009 19:18:31 -0600 Subject: Washington AM towers toppled by alleged ecoterrorists In-Reply-To: <19105.30582.107880.405725@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> References: <19105.30582.107880.405725@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> Message-ID: <0D5E60C875634E4AA1031FC691BCCC55059136A8@ENTCORMB2.etmcorad.com> "Some of you may have been following the unnecessarily-long-delayed upgrade of KRKO in Everett, Washington. This morning, two of the station's towers were knocked down, allegedly by the ecoterrorist group "Earth Liberation Front"." They have now taken credit for it: http://www.elfpressoffice.org/release090409.html Sid Schweiger IT Manager, Entercom New England 20 Guest St / 3d Floor Brighton MA 02135-2040 From markwats@comcast.net Sat Sep 5 11:27:11 2009 From: markwats@comcast.net (Mark Watson) Date: Sat, 5 Sep 2009 11:27:11 -0400 Subject: Bob Gamere To Plead Guilty In Child Porn Case Message-ID: <521034C34F43453EBC979EF7EC4AFE3D@Mark> Former Boston TV sportscaster Bob Gamere will reportedly plead guilty to child porn charges. A change of plea hearing is scheduled for Tuesday, one day before Gamere was to stand trial, according to an AP article on the Boston Herald website: http://www.bostonherald.com/news/regional/view.bg?articleid=1195565&srvc=rss Mark Watson From tlmedia@triad.rr.com Sat Sep 5 12:26:51 2009 From: tlmedia@triad.rr.com (Ted Larsen) Date: Sat, 5 Sep 2009 12:26:51 -0400 Subject: Where Is Jack Pluntze? Message-ID: <7E854640E7804494903F67ABB5D36FA1@teddesktop> Anyone here know? He was news director of 'BZ radio in the '70's and seems to have vanished. He was a great guy and a pleasure to work for. If you Google him, all you will find a few snippets of his days at WNEW. When he left, he said he was moving to LA and work as a recruiter for oil execs. to work in the Middle East. I get email from current 'BZ staffers asking if I know. Little known fact: Jack wrote scripts for "Bonanza" as a hobby. "I love those residual checks," he'd say. The mystery continues. Thanks, Ted From dlh@donnahalper.com Sat Sep 5 23:51:43 2009 From: dlh@donnahalper.com (Donna Halper) Date: Sat, 05 Sep 2009 23:51:43 -0400 Subject: Where Is Jack Pluntze? In-Reply-To: <7E854640E7804494903F67ABB5D36FA1@teddesktop> References: <7E854640E7804494903F67ABB5D36FA1@teddesktop> Message-ID: <20090906035145.270571E214B@relay9.relay.iad.mlsrvr.com> At 12:26 PM 9/5/2009, Ted Larsen wrote: >Anyone here know? He was news director of 'BZ radio in the '70's and >seems to have vanished. > >He was a great guy and a pleasure to work for. If you Google him, >all you will find a few snippets of his days at WNEW. I checked on Ancestry.com and only found Los Angeles phone numbers for him, and only up through 1997. Then, (assuming it's the same Jack Pluntze), he is in Seattle, up through 2002. I can't find anything after that. From revdoug1@myfairpoint.net Mon Sep 7 14:18:28 2009 From: revdoug1@myfairpoint.net (Doug Drown) Date: Mon, 7 Sep 2009 14:18:28 -0400 Subject: Call letters question Message-ID: A "just curious" question, offered by way of example: Stations WQQQ and WQQQ-TV are co-owned. The owners decide to sell off the radio station, which subsequently surrenders its "historic" calls. Some time later, the station is sold again, and the new owners want the WQQQ call letters back. Can it apply for them, if the owners of the television station give permission? -Doug From dan.strassberg@att.net Mon Sep 7 14:34:34 2009 From: dan.strassberg@att.net (Dan.Strassberg) Date: Mon, 7 Sep 2009 14:34:34 -0400 Subject: New SS format at WXKS (AM) 1430 Message-ID: I just posted this on the Boston board at radio-info.com Rumba seems to be surviving at Clear Channel's WKOX (AM) 1200, but formerly // WXKS (AM) 1430 appears to have undergone a format flip. Not a language change--as far as I can tell, everything is still en Espanol. Of course, I neither understand spoken Spanish, nor read Spanish, and I certainly don't speak it, so I'd advise anyone interested enough to listen and draw their own conclusions. It sounds to me as if the name of the new format is either Musica Mia or just Mia. And it sounds a lot mellower than the uptempo Rumba on 1200. Remember when Hispanic broadcaster Mega Communications owned both 890 and 1150 five or more years ago? I guess 1200's Rumba is kind of analogous to 1150's La Mega, whereas 1430's Mia is sort of like 890's Romantica. I don't believe that Rumba is satellite delivered, although I don't know that for sure. I have no idea whether Mia comes down from the bird or not. If somebody knows or can figure it out by listening, I'd sure appreciate being clued in. I gather that 1430 is aiming for a more female and slightly older audience than the more up-tempo 1200. Are both aiming for Carribean Hispanics? Mexicans? South Americans? Somebody must be able to figure it out. Or maybe somebody who is reading this actually knows. And is Mia produced by CCU or is it brokered time like so much of the Spanish programming on other Boston AMs? My understanding is that Rumba is NOT brokered. ----- Dan Strassberg (dan.strassberg@att.net) eFax 1-707-215-6367 From dan.strassberg@att.net Mon Sep 7 15:29:54 2009 From: dan.strassberg@att.net (Dan.Strassberg) Date: Mon, 7 Sep 2009 15:29:54 -0400 Subject: Call letters question References: Message-ID: Yes. When WQQQ (AM) surrenders its call sign, WQQQ (TV) becomes the historic user of the WQQQ calls. If the historic user of WQQQ (the TV station in this case) gives its permission, the former WQQQ (AM) can again be WQQQ (AM). I think there are actually some examples of exactly this case, but we'll have to wait for Scott or Garrett to, umm, spell them out. As you can imagine, there aren't many examples, though. Not too many TV stations are really excited about having their calls on an unrelated radio station. ----- Dan Strassberg (dan.strassberg@att.net) eFax 1-707-215-6367 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Doug Drown" To: "Boston Radio Message Board" Sent: Monday, September 07, 2009 2:18 PM Subject: Call letters question A "just curious" question, offered by way of example: Stations WQQQ and WQQQ-TV are co-owned. The owners decide to sell off the radio station, which subsequently surrenders its "historic" calls. Some time later, the station is sold again, and the new owners want the WQQQ call letters back. Can it apply for them, if the owners of the television station give permission? -Doug From jscavo@maine.rr.com Fri Sep 4 12:56:31 2009 From: jscavo@maine.rr.com (John) Date: Fri, 4 Sep 2009 12:56:31 -0400 Subject: "Must carry" rules In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <55F90B11FD2C4AA68151A7389B1EE95A@vpr1> Here in Southern Maine, Time-Warner pulled WBZ-TV also, which was a move that is not appreciated. SS -----Original Message----- From: Sonny Daye [mailto:sonnydaye1@gmail.com] Sent: Friday, September 04, 2009 10:26 AM To: boston-radio-interest@lists.BostonRadio.org Subject: "Must carry" rules In a posting, Garrett happened to mention that: <<<>> I'm wondering that if that is accurate, how would that apply to a situation where Time-Warner has taken Channel 4/Boston OFF of their line-up in some NH towns (Freedom for one) (allegedly for a money dispute), and are now blocking out duplicate programming from Channel 7/Boston (NBC) because of a complaint from Channel 6/Portland which is a "must-carry" for Time-Warner. I suspect the fact that Time-Warner is "based" in Portland (as far this area is concerned) is a factor in this issue. If as Garrett says, "all of New Hampshire is in the Boston market for must-carry", shouldn't any cable system operating in any town in NH be required to carry ALL of the Boston stations, even IF the company's "office" is located in Portland? Exactly how does the "must carry" rules work, and what are the "technicalities" involved in this issue? Garrett's Posting: For what it's worth, Comcast in WRJ allegedly carries WBZ, WCVB, and WHDH in addition to WCAX, WVNY, and WNNE. (Zap2it identifies it as the "Lebanon" system, so presumably the headend is across the river and, since all of New Hampshire is in the Boston market for must-carry, they get the Boston signals in addition to the locals.) Do they really need a third ABC affiliate? (Do they really even need a second?) -GAWollman From bob.bosra@demattia.net Fri Sep 4 14:01:21 2009 From: bob.bosra@demattia.net (Bob DeMattia) Date: Fri, 4 Sep 2009 14:01:21 -0400 Subject: "Must carry" rules In-Reply-To: <7BB414C0170F4B8790C3C385A7291F6B@D7LLJX11> References: <7BB414C0170F4B8790C3C385A7291F6B@D7LLJX11> Message-ID: In the Metrocast/Lakes Region NH cable system (Belknap County), we get allof the Boston stations, the Portland NBC/CBS/ABC (no PBS, FOX or others), and WMUR/WENH. And responding to an earlier comment, I've never found a need for three ABC affiliates. However, my wife thinks two are nice for when channel 5 interrupts programming to tell her about a fire in East Bridgewater - then she switches over to channel 9 so she can still watch "The View". Down south, I've never understood why Charter/Worcester carries WJAR out of Providence. They don't carry any other Providence stations. Bob From lglavin@mail.com Fri Sep 4 16:09:07 2009 From: lglavin@mail.com (Laurence Glavin) Date: Fri, 4 Sep 2009 15:09:07 -0500 Subject: No Brother Stair On WWZN-AM Friday Morning Message-ID: <20090904200907.4D3471158CC@ws1-7.us4.outblaze.com> I don't know if the cause was a satellite glitch, or if Brother Stair no longer has the money to buy time on WWZN-AM 1510, but Thursday night/Friday morning (09/04) WWZN was running Sporting News Radio instead of the, um, "good reverend". If the Overcomer goes away, what will WWZN run during the overnights? If WBZ-FM finds out AM 1510 is duplicating its programming, I think they might take exception to such a deal! -- An Excellent Credit Score is 750 See Yours in Just 2 Easy Steps! From mariogonz@aol.com Mon Sep 7 14:43:08 2009 From: mariogonz@aol.com (Mario Gonzalez Jr.) Date: Mon, 7 Sep 2009 14:43:08 -0400 Subject: New SS format at WXKS (AM) 1430 In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: It's called Mia. It is much more mellower than Rumba. They are referring to Clear Channel's site, Iheartradio.com, but i'm not sure it's a simucast of the Mia feed on iheartradio.com. Mario Sent from a mobile device On Sep 7, 2009, at 2:34 PM, "Dan.Strassberg" wrote: > I just posted this on the Boston board at radio-info.com > > Rumba seems to be surviving at Clear Channel's WKOX (AM) 1200, but > formerly // WXKS (AM) 1430 appears to have undergone a format flip. > Not a language change--as far as I can tell, everything is still en > Espanol. Of course, I neither understand spoken Spanish, nor read > Spanish, and I certainly don't speak it, so I'd advise anyone > interested enough to listen and draw their own conclusions. It sounds > to me as if the name of the new format is either Musica Mia or just > Mia. And it sounds a lot mellower than the uptempo Rumba on 1200. > Remember when Hispanic broadcaster Mega Communications owned both 890 > and 1150 five or more years ago? I guess 1200's Rumba is kind of > analogous to 1150's La Mega, whereas 1430's Mia is sort of like 890's > Romantica. > > I don't believe that Rumba is satellite delivered, although I don't > know that for sure. I have no idea whether Mia comes down from the > bird or not. If somebody knows or can figure it out by listening, I'd > sure appreciate being clued in. I gather that 1430 is aiming for a > more female and slightly older audience than the more up-tempo 1200. > Are both aiming for Carribean Hispanics? Mexicans? South Americans? > Somebody must be able to figure it out. Or maybe somebody who is > reading this actually knows. And is Mia produced by CCU or is it > brokered time like so much of the Spanish programming on other Boston > AMs? My understanding is that Rumba is NOT brokered. > > ----- > Dan Strassberg (dan.strassberg@att.net) > eFax 1-707-215-6367 > From mariogonz@aol.com Mon Sep 7 14:45:09 2009 From: mariogonz@aol.com (Mario Gonzalez Jr.) Date: Mon, 7 Sep 2009 14:45:09 -0400 Subject: New SS format at WXKS (AM) 1430 In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Mia means mine in Spanish. Mario Sent from a mobile device On Sep 7, 2009, at 2:34 PM, "Dan.Strassberg" wrote: > I just posted this on the Boston board at radio-info.com > > Rumba seems to be surviving at Clear Channel's WKOX (AM) 1200, but > formerly // WXKS (AM) 1430 appears to have undergone a format flip. > Not a language change--as far as I can tell, everything is still en > Espanol. Of course, I neither understand spoken Spanish, nor read > Spanish, and I certainly don't speak it, so I'd advise anyone > interested enough to listen and draw their own conclusions. It sounds > to me as if the name of the new format is either Musica Mia or just > Mia. And it sounds a lot mellower than the uptempo Rumba on 1200. > Remember when Hispanic broadcaster Mega Communications owned both 890 > and 1150 five or more years ago? I guess 1200's Rumba is kind of > analogous to 1150's La Mega, whereas 1430's Mia is sort of like 890's > Romantica. > > I don't believe that Rumba is satellite delivered, although I don't > know that for sure. I have no idea whether Mia comes down from the > bird or not. If somebody knows or can figure it out by listening, I'd > sure appreciate being clued in. I gather that 1430 is aiming for a > more female and slightly older audience than the more up-tempo 1200. > Are both aiming for Carribean Hispanics? Mexicans? South Americans? > Somebody must be able to figure it out. Or maybe somebody who is > reading this actually knows. And is Mia produced by CCU or is it > brokered time like so much of the Spanish programming on other Boston > AMs? My understanding is that Rumba is NOT brokered. > > ----- > Dan Strassberg (dan.strassberg@att.net) > eFax 1-707-215-6367 > From wollman@bimajority.org Mon Sep 7 16:33:48 2009 From: wollman@bimajority.org (Garrett Wollman) Date: Mon, 7 Sep 2009 16:33:48 -0400 Subject: New SS format at WXKS (AM) 1430 In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <19109.28204.163954.563644@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> < said: > I don't believe that Rumba is satellite delivered, although I don't > know that for sure. Rumba is, or at least was, local -- when Scott and I got a tour of the 1200/1430/107.9 studios, before they moved out of 99 Revere Beach Parkway, we met the guy who tracks it. Presumably the playlist is done by whoever does Spanish-language formats for Clear Channel corporate, since I don't think they had a local programming staff other than the one guy we met (and maybe one other personality?). Not brokered, either; I think they have a couple of salespeople selling the time. -GAWollman From nostaticatall@charter.net Mon Sep 7 19:40:04 2009 From: nostaticatall@charter.net (Dave Tomm) Date: Mon, 7 Sep 2009 19:40:04 -0400 Subject: New SS format at WXKS (AM) 1430 In-Reply-To: <19109.28204.163954.563644@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> References: <19109.28204.163954.563644@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> Message-ID: More than likely both stations are running Clear Channel's Premium Choice programming. The company has several Rhumbas and Mia's around the country, and most likely each format has it's own set of jocks and music which is fed to local stations. It's not satellite driven. It's all pre-recorded and delivered to the stations' hard drive. The jock talk is all generic; it will not mention the frequency, but all the imaging does. Kiss 108 runs the mainstream CHR version of this from 10pm to 6am most nights. Some stations using this programming may have one or two local dayparts, but it can be run 24/7. WSNE/ Providence airs the Hot AC Premium Choice programming around the clock, outside of the Matty in the Morning simulcast. This is probably what's happening with Rhumba (Tropical) and Mia (Spanish AC.) -Dave Tomm On Sep 7, 2009, at 4:33 PM, Garrett Wollman wrote: > < > said: > >> I don't believe that Rumba is satellite delivered, although I don't >> know that for sure. > > Rumba is, or at least was, local -- when Scott and I got a tour of the > 1200/1430/107.9 studios, before they moved out of 99 Revere Beach > Parkway, we met the guy who tracks it. Presumably the playlist is > done by whoever does Spanish-language formats for Clear Channel > corporate, since I don't think they had a local programming staff > other than the one guy we met (and maybe one other personality?). Not > brokered, either; I think they have a couple of salespeople selling > the time. > > -GAWollman From dan.strassberg@att.net Tue Sep 8 08:24:19 2009 From: dan.strassberg@att.net (Dan.Strassberg) Date: Tue, 8 Sep 2009 08:24:19 -0400 Subject: How does CCU's system of distributing music on hard drives work? Message-ID: Ever since I read the posting about CCU stations receiving music updates on external hard drives, I've been wondering about the details. As someone says every few seconds these days, "the devil is in the details," and the details of this system as I imagine it seem way too complicated for most radio stations to implement successfully. Which means that I haven't figured out the system correctly, I guess. I gather that periodically (every few days? every week? every two weeks? every month?) some central facility (San Antonio?) sends updated external HDDs to each station that runs one of these formats. I presume that the shipments are made by FedEx or UPS because the USPS is not sufficiently reliable, but I could be wrong. Am I? Do the recipient stations immediately back up the added material from the newly received external drive onto a local drive? Or do they substitute the newly received drive for the drive they had been using? Either way, when is it appropriate to cut over to the drive that contains the newly received material? During a news break? During a long stop set? If the various music tracks on the local HDD are combined with VTed liners and spots to form complete programs, how does the VTed material reach the station? I gather that satellite links are not used in this system. Are land lines used? Private Web feeds, maybe? I can imagine that if the audio bandwith on the VTed portions was not as good as the audio quality on the HDD material, there could be no noticeable consequences and that maybe not even one listener in 10,000 might notice. But what happens if an HDD shipment to one or more stations is delayed? If the person doing the VTing (especially if the VTed material goes to multiple stations) doesn't realize that s/he is announcing a new music track that has not yet reached all of the stations, there would appear to be a problem. And if Web streams are adequate for delivering the VTed material, would they not also be adequate for delivering the music--even if the audio quality was not quite equal to what you can achieve on a HDD--especially if the encoding on the HDD uses lossless compression or no compression. ----- Dan Strassberg (dan.strassberg@att.net) eFax 1-707-215-6367 From rickkelly@gmail.com Tue Sep 8 12:28:52 2009 From: rickkelly@gmail.com (Rick Kelly) Date: Tue, 8 Sep 2009 12:28:52 -0400 Subject: How does CCU's system of distributing music on hard drives work? In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <521b7fd10909080928k28f98008q58c30544a850e260@mail.gmail.com> On Tue, Sep 8, 2009 at 8:24 AM, Dan.Strassberg wrote: > Ever since I read the posting about CCU stations receiving music > updates on external hard drives, I've been wondering about the > details. As someone says every few seconds these days, "the devil is > in the details," and the details of this system as I imagine it seem > way too complicated for most radio stations to implement successfully. I'd guess (and believe me, it's only a guess) that such information as updates is done over FTP. Not sure in the case of how an entire format change would be handled, however. I'm sure one of us knows! Rick Kelly www.northeastairchecks.com From kvahey@comcast.net Tue Sep 8 14:20:29 2009 From: kvahey@comcast.net (Kevin Vahey) Date: Tue, 8 Sep 2009 13:20:29 -0500 Subject: Bob Gamere to the Big House Message-ID: <4fc429770909081120v27a3abd7ge891630ee726367c@mail.gmail.com> Truly a sad end to one of the most troubled persons to ever work on Boston airwaves http://www.boston.com/news/local/breaking_news/2009/09/former_sportsca.html From wollman@bimajority.org Tue Sep 8 16:02:27 2009 From: wollman@bimajority.org (Garrett Wollman) Date: Tue, 8 Sep 2009 16:02:27 -0400 Subject: How does CCU's system of distributing music on hard drives work? In-Reply-To: <521b7fd10909080928k28f98008q58c30544a850e260@mail.gmail.com> References: <521b7fd10909080928k28f98008q58c30544a850e260@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <19110.47187.802565.715362@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> < said: > I'd guess (and believe me, it's only a guess) that such information as > updates is done over FTP. Not sure in the case of how an entire > format change would be handled, however. I'm sure one of us knows! For a format change, big groups will often ship an entire new audio server and RAID array, preconfigured for the new format. Sometimes corporate will send their own installers, too, so the local staff doesn't know which station is being flipped until the day of the switch. -GAWollman From scott@fybush.com Tue Sep 8 17:27:54 2009 From: scott@fybush.com (Scott Fybush) Date: Tue, 08 Sep 2009 17:27:54 -0400 Subject: How does CCU's system of distributing music on hard drives work? In-Reply-To: <19110.47187.802565.715362@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> References: <521b7fd10909080928k28f98008q58c30544a850e260@mail.gmail.com> <19110.47187.802565.715362@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> Message-ID: <4AA6CC5A.8080503@fybush.com> Garrett Wollman wrote: > < said: > >> I'd guess (and believe me, it's only a guess) that such information as >> updates is done over FTP. Not sure in the case of how an entire >> format change would be handled, however. I'm sure one of us knows! > > For a format change, big groups will often ship an entire new audio > server and RAID array, preconfigured for the new format. Sometimes > corporate will send their own installers, too, so the local staff > doesn't know which station is being flipped until the day of the > switch. This is true for format changes - but it doesn't really answer Dan's original question about how this whole thing works. When speaking of "music on hard drive" in the context of CC's Premium Choice and similar remote automation systems, the "hard drive" generally stays local, within the station's own automation system. (That would be Prophet NexGen for CC-owned stations, of course.) As Rick correctly guesses, the various elements that make up the format are simply moved onto that local hard drive via FTP. In the case of the music or the liners, they might be loaded onto the local hard drive days or even weeks before they're needed; the voicetracks from the remote DJs might be FTP'ed to the local drives hours or even minutes before they're aired. What happens after that is really not all that different from a station running a satellite-delivered music format...it's just that the elements that would be coming off the satellite (the music and DJ voicetracks) are instead being played out from the local hard drive where they've been loaded. CC is not the only company doing this - Dial Global recently took over the former Waitt Radio Network, which supplies "local" voicetracks to stations from jocks located at its headquarters, which I think are still in Omaha. You could have one jock sitting there doing tracks for a half-dozen or more markets at once. It can sound *very* plausibly local and timely when done right. s From kvahey@comcast.net Tue Sep 8 19:03:26 2009 From: kvahey@comcast.net (Kevin Vahey) Date: Tue, 8 Sep 2009 18:03:26 -0500 Subject: more low power stations coming? Message-ID: <4fc429770909081603n7a255e9aj5039451435e78b0b@mail.gmail.com> http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/08/us/08radio.html It seems Congress may pass a bill allowing more low power stations. Be curious to see how this plays out. In a semi-related matter I am curious why the extended AM band neverreally got a foothold in New England.For example couldn't Entercom solve their MetroWest hole by say moving WVEI to somewhere between 1610 and 1700? Since the bulk of AM listeners are in cars tuning the station would not be a problem. From mariogonz@aol.com Mon Sep 7 20:13:36 2009 From: mariogonz@aol.com (Mario Gonzalez Jr.) Date: Mon, 07 Sep 2009 20:13:36 -0400 Subject: New SS format at WXKS (AM) 1430 In-Reply-To: References: <19109.28204.163954.563644@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> Message-ID: <4AA5A1B0.50806@aol.com> In the AM drive, the DJ on Rumba 1200 is John Musa, but he is also the DJ on Ruumba 1480 in Philadelphia. He is doing different voice overs on each station and he DOES mention Boston and Philadelpia on each of the stations. The stations play the same type of music, but they are not playing the same songs at the same time. I don't know if he is also on the AM drive of the other Rumba stations. Mario On 9/7/2009 7:40 PM, Dave Tomm wrote: > More than likely both stations are running Clear Channel's Premium > Choice programming. The company has several Rhumbas and Mia's around > the country, and most likely each format has it's own set of jocks and > music which is fed to local stations. It's not satellite driven. > It's all pre-recorded and delivered to the stations' hard drive. The > jock talk is all generic; it will not mention the frequency, but all > the imaging does. Kiss 108 runs the mainstream CHR version of this > from 10pm to 6am most nights. Some stations using this programming > may have one or two local dayparts, but it can be run 24/7. > WSNE/Providence airs the Hot AC Premium Choice programming around the > clock, outside of the Matty in the Morning simulcast. This is > probably what's happening with Rhumba (Tropical) and Mia (Spanish AC.) > > -Dave Tomm > > > On Sep 7, 2009, at 4:33 PM, Garrett Wollman wrote: > >> <> said: >> >>> I don't believe that Rumba is satellite delivered, although I don't >>> know that for sure. >> >> Rumba is, or at least was, local -- when Scott and I got a tour of the >> 1200/1430/107.9 studios, before they moved out of 99 Revere Beach >> Parkway, we met the guy who tracks it. Presumably the playlist is >> done by whoever does Spanish-language formats for Clear Channel >> corporate, since I don't think they had a local programming staff >> other than the one guy we met (and maybe one other personality?). Not >> brokered, either; I think they have a couple of salespeople selling >> the time. >> >> -GAWollman > From lglavin@mail.com Tue Sep 8 14:20:19 2009 From: lglavin@mail.com (Laurence Glavin) Date: Tue, 8 Sep 2009 13:20:19 -0500 Subject: No Brother Stair On WWZN-AM Friday Morning Message-ID: <20090908182019.1036ABE407E@ws1-9.us4.outblaze.com> >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Laurence Glavin" >To: boston-radio-interest@lists.BostonRadio.org >Subject: No Brother Stair On WWZN-AM Friday Morning >Date: Fri, 4 Sep 2009 15:09:07 -0500 >I don't know if the cause was a satellite glitch, or if Brother >Stair no longer >has the money to buy time on WWZN-AM 1510, but Thursday >night/Friday morning (09/04) >WWZN was running Sporting News Radio instead of the, um, "good >reverend". If the >Overcomer goes away, what will WWZN run during the overnights? If >WBZ-FM finds out >AM 1510 is duplicating its programming, I think they might take >exception to such >a deal! Since this posting, Sporting News Radio has appeared at midnight on Tuesday, September 8th...in between, as far as I can tell, Brother Stair Has been on. Occasionally, SNR programming has been broadcast when WWZN should have been running Stephanie Miller, Ed Schultz or Thom HartmannThom Hartmann. Evidently, when WWZN fails to make connection to the scheduled satellite-delievered program, the station reverts to sports talk untill the regularly-scheduled show can be restored. -- An Excellent Credit Score is 750 See Yours in Just 2 Easy Steps! -- An Excellent Credit Score is 750 See Yours in Just 2 Easy Steps! From lglavin@mail.com Tue Sep 8 14:24:57 2009 From: lglavin@mail.com (Laurence Glavin) Date: Tue, 8 Sep 2009 13:24:57 -0500 Subject: New SS format at WXKS (AM) 1430 Message-ID: <20090908182457.850ABBE407F@ws1-9.us4.outblaze.com> >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Garrett Wollman" >To: "Dan.Strassberg" >Cc: boston-radio-interest@rolinin.bostonradio.org >Subject: New SS format at WXKS (AM) 1430 >Date: Mon, 7 Sep 2009 16:33:48 -0400 < said: > I don't believe that Rumba is satellite delivered, although I don't > know that for sure. >Rumba is, or at least was, local -- when Scott and I got a tour of the >1200/1430/107.9 studios, before they moved out of 99 Revere Beach >Parkway, we met the guy who tracks it. What the Clear channel properties are no longer at 99 Revere Beach Pahkway? When did this happen? -- An Excellent Credit Score is 750 See Yours in Just 2 Easy Steps! From wollman@bimajority.org Tue Sep 8 20:35:18 2009 From: wollman@bimajority.org (Garrett Wollman) Date: Tue, 8 Sep 2009 20:35:18 -0400 Subject: more low power stations coming? In-Reply-To: <4fc429770909081603n7a255e9aj5039451435e78b0b@mail.gmail.com> References: <4fc429770909081603n7a255e9aj5039451435e78b0b@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <19110.63558.732918.763106@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> < said: > In a semi-related matter I am curious why the extended AM band > neverreally got a foothold in New England. Because the one New England station (the 930 in Rochester, N.H.) that received an x-band allotment wasn't interested in building it out. The FCC has yet to open a window for new x-band AMs, and may never do so. -GAWollman From kvahey@comcast.net Tue Sep 8 13:01:25 2009 From: kvahey@comcast.net (Kevin Vahey) Date: Tue, 8 Sep 2009 12:01:25 -0500 Subject: more low power stations coming? Message-ID: <4fc429770909081001h4ff62b03i46d1545ca9a50612@mail.gmail.com> http://www.nytimes.com/2009/09/08/us/08radio.html It seems Congress may pass a bill allowing more low power stations. Be curious to see how this plays out. In a semi-related matter I am curious why the extended AM band never really got a foothold in New England. For example couldn't Entercom solve their MetroWest hole by say moving WVEI to somewhere between 1610 and 1700? Since the bulk of AM listeners are in cars tuning the station would not be a problem. From raccoonradio@mail.com Wed Sep 9 03:41:14 2009 From: raccoonradio@mail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Wed, 9 Sep 2009 02:41:14 -0500 Subject: New SS format at WXKS (AM) 1430 Message-ID: <20090909074114.2DF5CCD80FB@ws1-4a.us4.outblaze.com> Earlier this year (or was it at THIS time last yr?) a friend came in from Ohio and I drove him around a bit. He wanted to go to Kiss and get bumper stickers, etc. and we wound up going to "Cabot Rd." (IIRC), on the north side of the parkway, to their new home. >>What the Clear channel properties are no longer at 99 Revere Beach Pahkway? When did this happen? Oops: I did a websearch for "Kiss 108 moves" and found the following. Looks like it happened 2 yrs ago http://mysite.verizon.net/vzeubxw9/bostonradiowatch222/id24.html >>"Kiss 108 which has been trying to add on more space over the years finally opted to move and join its Top 40 sibling Jamn 94.5FM at 10 Cabot Road" From brian_vita@cssinc.com Wed Sep 9 08:01:42 2009 From: brian_vita@cssinc.com (Brian Vita) Date: Wed, 9 Sep 2009 08:01:42 -0400 Subject: How does CCU's system of distributing music on hard drives work? In-Reply-To: <19110.47187.802565.715362@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> References: <521b7fd10909080928k28f98008q58c30544a850e260@mail.gmail.com> <19110.47187.802565.715362@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> Message-ID: <003901ca3145$4c71c7b0$e5555710$@com> > < > said: > > > I'd guess (and believe me, it's only a guess) that such information > as > > updates is done over FTP. Not sure in the case of how an entire > > format change would be handled, however. I'm sure one of us knows! > > For a format change, big groups will often ship an entire new audio > server and RAID array, preconfigured for the new format. Sometimes > corporate will send their own installers, too, so the local staff > doesn't know which station is being flipped until the day of the > switch. > [Brian Vita] I had heard that all music and production element transfers were handled seamlessly in the background via FTP and can be done almost invisibly without the knowledge of the local staff. I had also heard that all of the music elements are done this way so that a copy of any song has EXACTLY the same timing in any market to allow them to do their (in)famous "call when you hear this song" local/national contests in sync with multiple markets. This, of course, begs the question as to how they are circumventing the RIAA/DMCA. A single copy of a CD goes to CC corporate, gets ripped and a zillion copies are uploaded to all of their "in-format" stations. Sounds like piracy to me. C'mon. Let' the RIAA go after them! Brian From raccoonradio@mail.com Wed Sep 9 10:08:49 2009 From: raccoonradio@mail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Wed, 9 Sep 2009 09:08:49 -0500 Subject: WTKK enters second decade as a talker Message-ID: <20090909140849.6F727CD80FB@ws1-4a.us4.outblaze.com> http://www.bostonradiowatch.com WTKK celebrates its 10th anniversary as a talk station. In started in Sept. of 1999, and had been WSJZ smooth jazz. The WSJZ calls still existed for a short time after the format shift I think for a time they shifted to Imus in the morning followed by smooth jazz the rest of the day but finally the day came when their local talk began at 10 am, I believe, with Stacy Taylor. Somewhere I have the first couple minutes of Taylor's first show, where he tells listeners he knows some of them will be disappointed with the format switch and he suggests they come down to the station and hold protest signs "and make sure you have the call letters or frequency, that's very important" (to get them publicity on TV and in papers, I guess.) He also mentions that "Jay" (Severin) would be on later. (Jay used to do 10 pm-mid on WRKO a while before, then left.) It was Imus, then Stacy Taylor till 2, and Severin 2-6. Ratings-wise they haven't been all that hot lately. In the past Severin had won his time slot. They did try to land Howie Carr and I wonder how that would have gone. Fybush mentions the flip http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-990910.html (Stacy Taylor was indeed a temp, and Mike Barnicle came in...) The following week, acc. to Fybush, Barnicle was on for one two hour shift on Thursdays; someone named Margery Eagan (yup!) came in to do the post-Imus slot, and after the Herald's Track gals at 6 pm for an hour it was back to smooth jazz(!) I do remember Severin in those early days asking his listeners to become regular ones, "or else we may wind up going back to Kenny G" From nostaticatall@charter.net Wed Sep 9 13:03:04 2009 From: nostaticatall@charter.net (Dave Tomm) Date: Wed, 9 Sep 2009 13:03:04 -0400 Subject: How does CCU's system of distributing music on hard drives work? In-Reply-To: <003901ca3145$4c71c7b0$e5555710$@com> References: <521b7fd10909080928k28f98008q58c30544a850e260@mail.gmail.com> <19110.47187.802565.715362@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> <003901ca3145$4c71c7b0$e5555710$@com> Message-ID: As far as the RIAA goes, I'm sure CC has a blanket deal with them that covers music, number of stations, size of markets etc. Also, there's really no national contesting anymore. The budgets don't allow for it. With younger skewing stations, a lot of contesting is text or web based, so it doesn't even hit the air. Facebook is becoming quite popular for station promotion/contesting. The way I understand it, each CC station has it's own Prophet automation system, which is loaded with music, localized jingles and sweepers, and of course spots. The music logs come down from corporate, as well as new songs. Imaging is updated locally (although it could come from a remote source elsewhere). Some stations just run the national stuff in fringe hours, and the remainder of their music is programmed locally. Obviously, if there was a format change, everything could be accessed from corporate if need be. Even though the logs are the same, some stations may run 10-12 units of spots in an hour while some may only do two to three. There are drop songs at the end of each hour so a station can get back on track at the top of the following hour. Voicetracking also comes in via FTP. Many stations have their tracks come in mere minutes before they are run. Ryan Seacrest has a producer that cuts up bits/interviews he does as they happen while he's on the air at KIIS/LA in the morning, then they are sent down right away to national affiliates to air on his syndicated midday show. Even syndicated weekly shows like AT40 work this way. As opposed to recording all of it it on Monday and sending CD's out to affiliates, updates and content can be tweaked throughout the week right up to airtime if desired. Major market stations like Kiss 108 still employ voicetrackers to do custom tracks just for them. Kiss weekender Joey Brooks is based out of WIOQ/Philly, but custom tracks for Kiss, WHTZ/NY, and WIHT/DC among others. He also generic tracks for Premium Choice. -Dave Tomm On Sep 9, 2009, at 8:01 AM, Brian Vita wrote: > > I had heard that all music and production element transfers were > handled > seamlessly in the background via FTP and can be done almost invisibly > without the knowledge of the local staff. I had also heard that all > of the > music elements are done this way so that a copy of any song has > EXACTLY the > same timing in any market to allow them to do their (in)famous "call > when > you hear this song" local/national contests in sync with multiple > markets. > > This, of course, begs the question as to how they are circumventing > the > RIAA/DMCA. A single copy of a CD goes to CC corporate, gets ripped > and a > zillion copies are uploaded to all of their "in-format" stations. > Sounds > like piracy to me. C'mon. Let' the RIAA go after them! > > Brian > From m_carney@yahoo.com Thu Sep 10 09:10:00 2009 From: m_carney@yahoo.com (Maureen Carney) Date: Thu, 10 Sep 2009 06:10:00 -0700 (PDT) Subject: WNAC 64.2 Message-ID: <169174.95112.qm@web53301.mail.re2.yahoo.com> WNAC (Fox Providence) is running a digital substation on 64.2. The guide on my box lists the channel as "My RI TV" and their website is showing it to be Eyewitness News Pinpoint Weather, even though they're only showing color bars right now. Perhaps they'll use this to show alternative MLB or NFL games - one can only hope! From raccoonradio@mail.com Thu Sep 10 10:21:09 2009 From: raccoonradio@mail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Thu, 10 Sep 2009 09:21:09 -0500 Subject: Champlain Valley "album" station WCLX ceases Message-ID: <20090910142109.30A52CD80FB@ws1-4a.us4.outblaze.com> WCLX 102.9 "The Album Station" in Westport NY apparently has gone off air for good; the following site says that an announcement was made at 7:30 yesterday that they were ceasing terrestrial broadcasting (maybe continuing on the Net) http://www.musicheads.us/#/comments/4530089496 One comment said: "Listening on line just ain't the same. And not something you can do in the car." The station had aired progressive rock/album cuts, blues, etc. No idea why they've gone off (financial?) From elipolo@earthlink.net Thu Sep 10 14:38:53 2009 From: elipolo@earthlink.net (Eli Polonsky) Date: Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:38:53 -0400 (GMT-04:00) Subject: Champlain Valley "album" station WCLX ceases Message-ID: <20179773.1252607933545.JavaMail.root@mswamui-bichon.atl.sa.earthlink.net> There is now a statement from owner Dennis Jackson on the "comments" page. http://www.musicheads.us/#/comments/4530089496 He states that "too many advertisers have not been paying their bills", and he had been paying the station's expenses mostly from his own pocket recently. The station had been running at a loss which he could no longer afford to fund. I know that the station was run on a shoestring by a husband and wife team out of their house. When one of them wasn't hosting live, it was automated. I don't know whether there was even an additional sales person. A few years ago, their old website had a job posting looking for one, but it's gone. They may not have had the budget to pay for one any more. I don't know whether a listener-supported model like WJIB could work in a smaller, more rural market like Burlington, VT without the big-city economy and denser population of greater Boston surrounding it. It's a bummer to see yet another of the last holdouts of progressive musical programming leave the airwaves. EP > WCLX 102.9 "The Album Station" in Westport NY apparently > has gone off air for good; the following site says that an > announcement was made at 7:30 yesterday that they were > ceasing terrestrial broadcasting (maybe continuing on the Net) > > http://www.musicheads.us/#/comments/4530089496 > > One comment said: "Listening on line just ain't the same. > And not something you can do in the car." > > The station had aired progressive rock/album cuts, blues, etc. > No idea why they've gone off (financial?) From Jibguy@aol.com Thu Sep 10 14:43:10 2009 From: Jibguy@aol.com (Jibguy@aol.com) Date: Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:43:10 EDT Subject: Champlain Valley "album" station WCLX ceases Message-ID: In a message dated 9/10/2009 1:39:53 PM Eastern Standard Time, elipolo@earthlink.net writes: I don't know whether a listener-supported model like WJIB could work in a smaller, more rural market like Burlington, VT without the big-city economy and denser population of greater Boston surrounding it. ------------------------------- Listener support also works well at WJTO in Bath, Maine, which covers only about 1/9th the population that WJIB covers. In fact, a higher percentage of listeners contribute to WJTO than to WJIB! ---BB From raccoonradio@gmail.com Thu Sep 10 14:52:04 2009 From: raccoonradio@gmail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Thu, 10 Sep 2009 14:52:04 -0400 Subject: Champlain Valley "album" station WCLX ceases In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <1fbbbced0909101152v1562d390uddb3947db339d6bc@mail.gmail.com> Is this the same guy who owned the 106.5, WMEX-FM for a time, licensed to Farmington NH? Dennis Jackson--name does ring a bell... I know there's an LPFM, WMUD-LP (89.3) in that area which I believe is licensed to Moriah, NY. I wonder if there were enough money, etc. for WMUD to try and get that station (would Jackson sell?) Interesting format. "Farm Fresh" WMUD http://www.wmud.org/ From elipolo@earthlink.net Thu Sep 10 15:44:20 2009 From: elipolo@earthlink.net (Eli Polonsky) Date: Thu, 10 Sep 2009 15:44:20 -0400 (EDT) Subject: Champlain Valley "album" station WCLX ceases Message-ID: <2225594.1252611860065.JavaMail.root@mswamui-bichon.atl.sa.earthlink.net> >From: Bob Nelson >Sent: Sep 10, 2009 2:52 PM >To: Jibguy@aol.com >Cc: elipolo@earthlink.net, boston-radio-interest@rolinin.bostonradio.org >Subject: Re: Champlain Valley "album" station WCLX ceases > >Is this the same guy who owned the 106.5, WMEX-FM for a time, >licensed to Farmington NH? Dennis Jackson--name does ring a bell... Yes, that's him, he also owns other stations in CT and upstate NY. >I know there's an LPFM, WMUD-LP (89.3) in that area which I >believe is licensed to Moriah, NY. I wonder if there were enough >money, etc. for WMUD to try and get that station (would Jackson >sell?) Interesting format. "Farm Fresh" WMUD > >http://www.wmud.org I didn't know about WMUD, looks cool! But, it looks like a very modest home-grown operation. Don't know if they would have the funds to purchase and/or operate a full-power station, but if I were them, I'd investigate whether something could be worked out! EP From raccoonradio@mail.com Fri Sep 11 15:27:43 2009 From: raccoonradio@mail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Fri, 11 Sep 2009 14:27:43 -0500 Subject: 890 WAMG (ESPN) to launch new format Monday Message-ID: <20090911192743.5672C83BE2@ws1-1a.us4.outblaze.com> No idea what that new format will be but http://www.bostonradiowatch.com is quoting sources as saying that ESPN 890 will have a new format on Monday--the day, by co-incidence, that the new "ESPN Boston" site is to launch. (So, on what station will ESPN Boston air?) http://bostonradiowatch.blogspot.com/2009/09/wamg-to-end-all-sports-format-after.html http://www.bostonsportsmedia.com/2009/09/farewell-890-espn From raccoonradio@mail.com Fri Sep 11 15:43:33 2009 From: raccoonradio@mail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Fri, 11 Sep 2009 14:43:33 -0500 Subject: 890 WAMG (ESPN) to launch new format Monday Message-ID: <20090911194333.ADDC5CD80FB@ws1-4a.us4.outblaze.com> bostonradio's http://www.twitter.com feed mentions the number of listeners for WEEI, WBZ-FM, and WAMG (BIG difference in the last one); it's said "goodbye shows" are airing today, and that WAMG's GM confirms the format switch/ loss of ESPN affiliation. No idea where it's going--and the new http://www.espnboston.com site is due to launch that same day, Monday (possible the site will be live with content but just no Boston affiliate, yet?) From nostaticatall@charter.net Fri Sep 11 15:53:13 2009 From: nostaticatall@charter.net (Dave Tomm) Date: Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:53:13 -0400 Subject: 890 WAMG (ESPN) to launch new format Monday In-Reply-To: <20090911192743.5672C83BE2@ws1-1a.us4.outblaze.com> References: <20090911192743.5672C83BE2@ws1-1a.us4.outblaze.com> Message-ID: <71BECA1C-4592-4424-8D29-8C7ECC055B6A@charter.net> The logical guess would be 1260, but Disney is just as committed to the Radio Disney format as they are to ESPN Radio. I haven't tuned into WMKI since my son aged out of it, but they used to have quite a few local sponsors, including Jordan's Furniture. They also were promotionally active. They shared a station vehicle with the RD station in Providence, and I would see it throughout Metrowest. Radio Disney does have a 24/7 channel on both Sirius and XM, so it's possible they'll sacrifice 1260 for ESPN, figuring most mom's cruising around in their late model minivans probably have satellite radios in their dashboards. The big move ESPN should make? Get into an agreement with Nassau and put it on 99.5. Nassau could use the cash infusion right now, and if they won't sell the signal outright, they would probably welcome a brokerage agreement. That would really be the only move that makes ESPN radio somewhat relevant in the market. But it's also possible that the radio end is not as important to ESPN, and 1260, while almost as limited as 890, would suit their gameplan for the website. -Dave Tomm On Sep 11, 2009, at 3:27 PM, Bob Nelson wrote: > No idea what that new format will be but http://www.bostonradiowatch.com > is quoting sources as saying that ESPN 890 will have a > new format on Monday--the day, by co-incidence, that the new "ESPN > Boston" site is to launch. (So, on what station will > ESPN Boston air?) > > http://bostonradiowatch.blogspot.com/2009/09/wamg-to-end-all-sports-format-after.html > > http://www.bostonsportsmedia.com/2009/09/farewell-890-espn > > From raccoonradio@mail.com Fri Sep 11 16:01:46 2009 From: raccoonradio@mail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:01:46 -0500 Subject: 890 WAMG (ESPN) to launch new format Monday Message-ID: <20090911200146.F406583BE3@ws1-1a.us4.outblaze.com> I don't know if they'd land on 1260 either but in terms of play by play, in New York, at least, some sports have wound up on WQEW 1560 (baseball playoffs, for example, when WEPN 1050 had something else...) Wonder if that would happen with 1260: some sports play by play winding up there, at least. What you said about Radio Disney does make sense. But if they did make 1260 ESPN the Providence station would, at least by day, cover some of the area. Classical fans would have their jaws drop to the floor if they tuned in one day to 99.5 and hear Colin Cowherd talking NFL instead of Debussy! From donald_astelle@yahoo.com Fri Sep 11 16:02:56 2009 From: donald_astelle@yahoo.com (Don A) Date: Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:02:56 -0400 Subject: 890 WAMG (ESPN) to launch new format Monday References: <20090911192743.5672C83BE2@ws1-1a.us4.outblaze.com> <71BECA1C-4592-4424-8D29-8C7ECC055B6A@charter.net> Message-ID: <98B366E04B1B44929E13B932B71529A8@MainXPPro> > The big move ESPN should make? Get into an agreement with Nassau and > put it on 99.5. That sounds like a great deal for ESPN and Nassau...but not for the listeners..... :-( Classical music goes away so we can have THREE sports stations? Ick! From dan.strassberg@att.net Fri Sep 11 16:17:23 2009 From: dan.strassberg@att.net (Dan.Strassberg) Date: Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:17:23 -0400 Subject: 890 WAMG (ESPN) to launch new format Monday References: <20090911192743.5672C83BE2@ws1-1a.us4.outblaze.com> <71BECA1C-4592-4424-8D29-8C7ECC055B6A@charter.net> Message-ID: <89D0ADA7456746189DD5B89A80525BAE@SatU205S5044> Please explain why 1260 would be a better facility for any programming in this market other than an urban format. That signal would do well with a solid-gold soul format--unless the listeners to such a format are now just too old. The signal is really poor everywhere except for Dorchester, Mattapan, Milton, Quincy and maybe a few places on the North Shore where the siganl arrives via salt water all the way. In those areas, the signal is actually excellent. As for 890, my best guess is ESPN Deportes. MetroWest doesn't have just Portuguese speakers; there are still plenty of Hispanics there. And of course, 890 and 1400 have been joined at the hip for a decade now. One of 1400's transmitters is right in downtown Lawrence where Hspanics substantially outnumber Anglophones. Remember, when you talk about 890 and 1260 swapping formats, you are talking about a swap between stations that are not co-owned. Disney owns 1260; Waller Sutton owns 890, I believe. And of course, who is to say that these format flips are going to make any sense at all? ----- Dan Strassberg (dan.strassberg@att.net) eFax 1-707-215-6367 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dave Tomm" To: "Bob Nelson" Cc: "BostonRadio Mailing List" Sent: Friday, September 11, 2009 3:53 PM Subject: Re: 890 WAMG (ESPN) to launch new format Monday > The logical guess would be 1260, but Disney is just as committed to > the Radio Disney format as they are to ESPN Radio. But it's also > possible that the radio end is not as important to ESPN, and 1260, > while almost as limited as 890, would suit their gameplan for the > website. > > -Dave Tomm > From jjlehmann@comcast.net Fri Sep 11 16:18:45 2009 From: jjlehmann@comcast.net (Jeff Lehmann) Date: Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:18:45 -0400 Subject: 890 WAMG (ESPN) to launch new format Monday In-Reply-To: <71BECA1C-4592-4424-8D29-8C7ECC055B6A@charter.net> References: <20090911192743.5672C83BE2@ws1-1a.us4.outblaze.com> <71BECA1C-4592-4424-8D29-8C7ECC055B6A@charter.net> Message-ID: <001c01ca331d$107c7320$31755960$@net> > The logical guess would be 1260, but Disney is just as committed to > the Radio Disney format as they are to ESPN Radio. I haven't tuned > into WMKI since my son aged out of it, but they used to have quite a > few local sponsors, including Jordan's Furniture. They also were > promotionally active. They shared a station vehicle with the RD > station in Providence, and I would see it throughout Metrowest. Radio > Disney does have a 24/7 channel on both Sirius and XM, so it's > possible they'll sacrifice 1260 for ESPN, figuring most mom's cruising > around in their late model minivans probably have satellite radios in > their dashboards. In my opinion, they're certainly not gaining anything if they went to 1260, except maybe right in Boston. I think in most of the market, 1260 is worse than 890, especially at night. Maybe ESPN just realizes that they can't compete with WEEI and The Sports Hub, and they're giving up. If that's the case, maybe WEEI would pick up ESPN again overnights, since I believe they still have a live show after 1 AM, where Fox does not. Someone pointed out that the ESPNChicago.com website is not completely dependent on 1000 WMVP, that's just a small portion of the site. Jeff Lehmann Hanson, MA From raccoonradio@mail.com Fri Sep 11 16:19:39 2009 From: raccoonradio@mail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:19:39 -0500 Subject: 890 WAMG (ESPN) to launch new format Monday Message-ID: <20090911201939.715C183985@ws1-2a.us4.outblaze.com> Not sure but that quote made me laugh :) >>Hasn't Nassau lost control of 99.5 to a consortium of lenders including Goldman Sachs ("no Sachs before a fight" Leslie Nielsen in "Police Squad") and an entity called 'RTV Ventures'? http://www.boston.com/ae/tv/articles/2005/11/03/wcrb_sale_would_have_a_classical_twist/ (A 2005 article--that 99 year guarantee of a classical format for WCRB isn't so iron clad) >>In other words, adherence to the format was a wish, not a binding command. That wish, says Marshall, is being honored by the requirement that any future buyer establish a classical HD channel. But as has also been said, why put a mostly syndie sports format on such a good signal ("waste" it?) WBZ-FM at least has mostly local sports talk plus Pats and Bruins. What kind of ratings would "ESPN 99.5", if it were to start, get? Especially since WEEI and Sports Hub would already get most of the ratings pie. From kvahey@comcast.net Fri Sep 11 17:27:14 2009 From: kvahey@comcast.net (Kevin Vahey) Date: Fri, 11 Sep 2009 16:27:14 -0500 Subject: 890 WAMG (ESPN) to launch new format Monday In-Reply-To: <20090911194333.ADDC5CD80FB@ws1-4a.us4.outblaze.com> References: <20090911194333.ADDC5CD80FB@ws1-4a.us4.outblaze.com> Message-ID: <4fc429770909111427p3d78b9f0i4b101051dd9fad4f@mail.gmail.com> If it wasn't for Howie Carr I would be inclined to think it just might be WRKO Still strange things are happening at 20 Guest the past month where EEI and RKO have swapped studios much to the delight of Howie, the sudden swith of baseball back to 850 etc. ESPN doesn't really have a strong afternoon drive program so affilates can have a local show in big markets but they do want to clear Mike and Mike and sporting events weekends and at night. Maybe they can live with Howie. Howie to WAAF? Hey we talking Entercom here. Rush? Many options for CC I still would not bet against 590 either. But there is no way ESPN would be speeding up the website launch unless something major was happening on radio and WAMG losing ESPN certainly indicates that is the case. From m_carney@yahoo.com Fri Sep 11 18:54:40 2009 From: m_carney@yahoo.com (Maureen Carney) Date: Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:54:40 -0700 (PDT) Subject: 890 WAMG (ESPN) to launch new format Monday In-Reply-To: <4fc429770909111427p3d78b9f0i4b101051dd9fad4f@mail.gmail.com> References: <20090911194333.ADDC5CD80FB@ws1-4a.us4.outblaze.com> <4fc429770909111427p3d78b9f0i4b101051dd9fad4f@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <755210.34202.qm@web53305.mail.re2.yahoo.com> As Howie himself would say "Entercom happens!" Anything is possible. From necrat.alternate@gmail.com Fri Sep 11 18:07:52 2009 From: necrat.alternate@gmail.com (Mike Fitzpatrick) Date: Fri, 11 Sep 2009 18:07:52 -0400 Subject: 890 WAMG (ESPN) to launch new format Monday In-Reply-To: <20090911192743.5672C83BE2@ws1-1a.us4.outblaze.com> References: <20090911192743.5672C83BE2@ws1-1a.us4.outblaze.com> Message-ID: <000701ca332c$4ec01830$ec404890$@alternate@gmail.com> What about other signals in the market? Not knowing the coverage areas, ownerships, etc. etc, so if I am way off please be gentle! But I am thinking like 1150? (or the other station diplexed into the 1150 array, 1470 I believe?) 1510? 1570? 1330? 1120? Those come to mind off the top of my head... What is 1060 doing these days? Just some ideas to throw out... I'm sure someone who knows the market better than I do can answer... --Mike ---------------- Mike Fitzpatrick WPRI/WNAC -TV Providence, RI. -----Original Message----- From: boston-radio-interest-bounces@tsornin.BostonRadio.org [mailto:boston-radio-interest-bounces@tsornin.BostonRadio.org] On Behalf Of Bob Nelson Sent: Friday, September 11, 2009 15:28 To: BostonRadio Mailing List Subject: 890 WAMG (ESPN) to launch new format Monday No idea what that new format will be but http://www.bostonradiowatch.com is quoting sources as saying that ESPN 890 will have a new format on Monday--the day, by co-incidence, that the new "ESPN Boston" site is to launch. (So, on what station will ESPN Boston air?) http://bostonradiowatch.blogspot.com/2009/09/wamg-to-end-all-sports-format-a fter.html http://www.bostonsportsmedia.com/2009/09/farewell-890-espn From necrat.alternate@gmail.com Fri Sep 11 17:54:17 2009 From: necrat.alternate@gmail.com (Mike Fitzpatrick) Date: Fri, 11 Sep 2009 17:54:17 -0400 Subject: WNAC 64.2 In-Reply-To: <169174.95112.qm@web53301.mail.re2.yahoo.com> References: <169174.95112.qm@web53301.mail.re2.yahoo.com> Message-ID: <000601ca332a$69526150$3bf723f0$@alternate@gmail.com> The website is wrong. TitanTV has that listing incorrect. We've submitted the correction to them a few times but they haven't corrected it. I put 64.2 on the transmission stream on Tuesday, with the color bar generator from my bench. I can't disclose what the channel will be as of yet. But it will be launching in the "near future". --Mike ---------------- Mike Fitzpatrick WPRI/WNAC -TV Providence, RI. -----Original Message----- To: Boston Radio Group Subject: WNAC 64.2 WNAC (Fox Providence) is running a digital substation on 64.2. The guide on my box lists the channel as "My RI TV" and their website is showing it to be Eyewitness News Pinpoint Weather, even though they're only showing color bars right now. Perhaps they'll use this to show alternative MLB or NFL games - one can only hope! From scott@fybush.com Fri Sep 11 20:08:44 2009 From: scott@fybush.com (Scott Fybush) Date: Fri, 11 Sep 2009 20:08:44 -0400 Subject: 890 WAMG (ESPN) to launch new format Monday In-Reply-To: <000701ca332c$4ec01830$ec404890$@alternate@gmail.com> References: <20090911192743.5672C83BE2@ws1-1a.us4.outblaze.com> <000701ca332c$4ec01830$ec404890$@alternate@gmail.com> Message-ID: <4AAAE68C.9020008@fybush.com> Mike Fitzpatrick wrote: > What about other signals in the market? > > Not knowing the coverage areas, ownerships, etc. etc, so if I am way off > please be gentle! > > But I am thinking like 1150? (or the other station diplexed into the 1150 > array, 1470 I believe?) 1150 is owned by Salem, and is doing pretty well with leased-time Spanish religion. It's far from full-coverage - good in the city of Boston, nonexistent after dark outside 128. 1470 is even worse. > 1510? Probably the best of the "other" signals, though still with significant weaknesses to the west. Currently being leased to progressive talk. > 1570? Doesn't exist after dark...which is a problem in December. > 1330? Making good $$$ right now for Beasley, which is leasing it out. Also nonexistent west of Boston, especially after dark. > 1120? Decent west of Boston, nonexistent inside 128. The market has just completely outgrown any of these signals as far as any kind of mass-audience format is concerned. If I'm ESPN, I think I want to be on FM...which makes the 99.5 idea very tempting...or some kind of alliance with Entercom that would put some ESPN clearances on 850 or even 680... s From bob.bosra@demattia.net Wed Sep 9 20:46:01 2009 From: bob.bosra@demattia.net (Bob DeMattia) Date: Wed, 9 Sep 2009 20:46:01 -0400 Subject: WRCA-AM In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: bostonradio.org says WRCA is at 750 South St, but signal strength seems to indicate that theyhave moved to the WUNR site. The FCC database also point to the Newton site. When did they move? Are the two towers on South Street still being used for anything? -Bob From bswenson@qcc.mass.edu Fri Sep 11 09:52:42 2009 From: bswenson@qcc.mass.edu (Bob Swenson) Date: Fri, 11 Sep 2009 09:52:42 -0400 Subject: WORC 1310 Worcester Message-ID: <7D243C93CC45DC47BD40B11C9D073BA90469E844@HOBBES.campus.qcc.edu> For those of you that remember the original WORC 1310 "Good Guys" in Worcester I have posted a short video on U-tube. Type in WORC 1310 and hit play. From lglavin@mail.com Fri Sep 11 16:14:41 2009 From: lglavin@mail.com (Laurence Glavin) Date: Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:14:41 -0500 Subject: 890 WAMG (ESPN) to launch new format Monday Message-ID: <20090911201441.5063C1158CC@ws1-7.us4.outblaze.com> >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Dave Tomm" >To: "Bob Nelson" >Cc: "BostonRadio Mailing List" >Subject: Re: 890 WAMG (ESPN) to launch new format Monday >Date: Fri, 11 Sep 2009 15:53:13 -0400 >The big move ESPN should make? Get into an agreement with Nassau >and put it on 99.5. Nassau could use the cash infusion right now, >and if they won't sell the signal outright, they would probably >welcome a brokerage agreement. >-Dave Tomm Hasn't Nassau lost control of 99.5 to a consortium of lenders including Goldman Sachs ("no Sachs before a fight" Leslie Nielsen in "Police Squad") and an entity called 'RTV Ventures'? -- An Excellent Credit Score is 750 See Yours in Just 2 Easy Steps! From necrat.alternate@gmail.com Fri Sep 11 20:28:23 2009 From: necrat.alternate@gmail.com (Mike Fitzpatrick) Date: Fri, 11 Sep 2009 20:28:23 -0400 Subject: WNAC 64.2 In-Reply-To: <000601ca332a$69526150$3bf723f0$@alternate@gmail.com> References: <169174.95112.qm@web53301.mail.re2.yahoo.com> <000601ca332a$69526150$3bf723f0$@alternate@gmail.com> Message-ID: <000701ca333f$efe6d880$cfb48980$@alternate@gmail.com> Well I see it's been posted elsewhere, so I guess it is no secret. As posted on AVSForum., it will be a my-network affiliate for the Providence market. SD OTA, and HD direct to Cable. Carry On... --Mike -----Original Message----- From: boston-radio-interest-bounces@tsornin.BostonRadio.org [mailto:boston-radio-interest-bounces@tsornin.BostonRadio.org] On Behalf Of Mike Fitzpatrick Sent: Friday, September 11, 2009 17:54 To: 'bri' Subject: RE: WNAC 64.2 The website is wrong. TitanTV has that listing incorrect. We've submitted the correction to them a few times but they haven't corrected it. I put 64.2 on the transmission stream on Tuesday, with the color bar generator from my bench. I can't disclose what the channel will be as of yet. But it will be launching in the "near future". --Mike ---------------- Mike Fitzpatrick WPRI/WNAC -TV Providence, RI. -----Original Message----- To: Boston Radio Group Subject: WNAC 64.2 WNAC (Fox Providence) is running a digital substation on 64.2. The guide on my box lists the channel as "My RI TV" and their website is showing it to be Eyewitness News Pinpoint Weather, even though they're only showing color bars right now. Perhaps they'll use this to show alternative MLB or NFL games - one can only hope! From wollman@bimajority.org Fri Sep 11 20:34:37 2009 From: wollman@bimajority.org (Garrett Wollman) Date: Fri, 11 Sep 2009 20:34:37 -0400 Subject: WNAC 64.2 In-Reply-To: <000601ca332a$69526150$3bf723f0$@alternate@gmail.com> References: <169174.95112.qm@web53301.mail.re2.yahoo.com> <000601ca332a$69526150$3bf723f0$@alternate@gmail.com> Message-ID: <19114.60573.38347.882619@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> < said: > I put 64.2 on the transmission stream on Tuesday, with the color bar > generator from my bench. So are those digital color bars, or upconverted analog color bars? -GAWollman From wollman@bimajority.org Fri Sep 11 20:35:51 2009 From: wollman@bimajority.org (Garrett Wollman) Date: Fri, 11 Sep 2009 20:35:51 -0400 Subject: WRCA-AM In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <19114.60647.921332.700362@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> < said: > bostonradio.org says WRCA is at 750 South St, but signal strength seems to > indicate that theyhave moved to the WUNR site. The FCC database also point > to the Newton site. > When did they move? The move officially happened earlier this year, but in reality it was last year. I've been very slowly working my way through a round of updates in the Archives. -GAWollman From kvahey@comcast.net Fri Sep 11 20:37:27 2009 From: kvahey@comcast.net (Kevin Vahey) Date: Fri, 11 Sep 2009 19:37:27 -0500 Subject: 890 WAMG (ESPN) to launch new format Monday In-Reply-To: <4fc429770909111427p3d78b9f0i4b101051dd9fad4f@mail.gmail.com> References: <20090911194333.ADDC5CD80FB@ws1-4a.us4.outblaze.com> <4fc429770909111427p3d78b9f0i4b101051dd9fad4f@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <4fc429770909111737t4d211199l1c057cb3d80886c1@mail.gmail.com> Just thinking of what Scott wrote 590 simply comes down to if Salem can make more $$$ with ESPN (or in other words how badly does ESPN want a station in the market) 680 they sampled very well in the just released PPM book for August - Rush, Howie and the Sox 1150 covers downtown nicely but forget about the North Shore at night 1200 This would be more a case on how can The Mouse help CC elsewhere and let's make a deal. 1260 Hard to believe with that signal was #1 in the mid 60's before WJIB came along as WEZE 1510 certainly would cover the city at night better than 890 and baseball fans in Norway will hear the playoffs well :). West of Waltham umm no From necrat.alternate@gmail.com Fri Sep 11 20:44:24 2009 From: necrat.alternate@gmail.com (Mike Fitzpatrick) Date: Fri, 11 Sep 2009 20:44:24 -0400 Subject: WNAC 64.2 In-Reply-To: <19114.60573.38347.882619@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> References: <169174.95112.qm@web53301.mail.re2.yahoo.com> <000601ca332a$69526150$3bf723f0$@alternate@gmail.com> <19114.60573.38347.882619@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> Message-ID: <000801ca3342$2cdb0610$86911230$@alternate@gmail.com> Its Standard Definition. 64.2 is running at 4mbps. And the source is my portable analog color bar generator from my bench! --Mike -----Original Message----- From: Garrett Wollman [mailto:wollman@bimajority.org] Sent: Friday, September 11, 2009 20:35 To: Mike Fitzpatrick Cc: 'bri' Subject: RE: WNAC 64.2 < said: > I put 64.2 on the transmission stream on Tuesday, with the color bar > generator from my bench. So are those digital color bars, or upconverted analog color bars? -GAWollman From elipolo@earthlink.net Fri Sep 11 21:24:11 2009 From: elipolo@earthlink.net (Eli Polonsky) Date: Fri, 11 Sep 2009 21:24:11 -0400 (GMT-04:00) Subject: 890 WAMG (ESPN) to launch new format Monday Message-ID: <23642098.1252718651675.JavaMail.root@elwamui-little.atl.sa.earthlink.net> > From: "Dan.Strassberg" > > Please explain why 1260 would be a better facility for any > programming in this market other than an urban format... > The signal is really poor everywhere except for Dorchester, > Mattapan, Milton, Quincy and maybe a few places on the > North Shore where the signal arrives via salt water all the > way. In those areas, the signal is actually excellent. I get it in HD here in Somerville, but I know that the analog signal is terrible out in the west suburbs, especially at night. EP From m_carney@yahoo.com Fri Sep 11 22:06:05 2009 From: m_carney@yahoo.com (Maureen Carney) Date: Fri, 11 Sep 2009 19:06:05 -0700 (PDT) Subject: WNAC 64.2 In-Reply-To: <000701ca333f$efe6d880$cfb48980$@alternate@gmail.com> References: <169174.95112.qm@web53301.mail.re2.yahoo.com> <000601ca332a$69526150$3bf723f0$@alternate@gmail.com> <000701ca333f$efe6d880$cfb48980$@alternate@gmail.com> Message-ID: <84020.68021.qm@web53306.mail.re2.yahoo.com> Mike wrote: Well I see it's been posted elsewhere, so I guess it is no secret. As posted on AVSForum., it will be a my-network affiliate for the Providence market. I've had this discussion on another board regarding subchannels. It's becoming a question if they are worth it. Generally the subchannel never gets promoted on the main channel, and at least on Comcast systems they're placed in the 200s (and you need a digital tier) whereas the main broadcast channels are between 2-21 and are on basic. Most of the advertising is either direct response or very small local firms. As for 64.2, since My Network TV is only on 2 hours a night and is getting away from original programming is it worth going to a channel that people are going to have a hard time finding? And does it cannabalize your main channel? From raccoonradio@mail.com Sat Sep 12 10:36:06 2009 From: raccoonradio@mail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Sat, 12 Sep 2009 09:36:06 -0500 Subject: Globe: (Poss.:) WEEI to FM, ESPN to 850 Message-ID: <20090912143606.F1094CD80FB@ws1-4a.us4.outblaze.com> http://www.boston.com/sports/other_sports/articles/2009/09/12/espn_radios_boston_affiliate_set_to_sign_off/ In an article saying that Boston's ESPN station is set to sign off, it's mentioned that WEEI does intend to air some ESPN programming and that eventually Entercom will put WEEI on one of its FM properties, with ESPN then going to 850...eventually >>According to multiple industry sources, ESPN is in discussions to air some of its national programming on WEEI-AM 850 during nights and weekends, with WEEI intending to move to an FM station within months. Could be 97.7 and or 93.7 but what about 99.5..? From raccoonradio@mail.com Sat Sep 12 10:54:06 2009 From: raccoonradio@mail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Sat, 12 Sep 2009 09:54:06 -0500 Subject: Globe: (Poss.:) WEEI to FM, ESPN to 850 Message-ID: <20090912145406.4ECBB83BE2@ws1-1a.us4.outblaze.com> If this does happen it could mean some overflow sports could wind up on 850 rather than 680 (Sox on FM, Celts on 850. Celts on FM, college sports on 850. Celts on FM, Revolution on 850. Celts on FM, MLB non-Sox playoffs on 850) Oh and if this does wind up happening, especially sooner rather than later, Fox Sports radio might turn up on 890 full time. MIGHT. From nostaticatall@charter.net Sat Sep 12 11:38:29 2009 From: nostaticatall@charter.net (Dave Tomm) Date: Sat, 12 Sep 2009 11:38:29 -0400 Subject: Globe: (Poss.:) WEEI to FM, ESPN to 850 In-Reply-To: <20090912145406.4ECBB83BE2@ws1-1a.us4.outblaze.com> References: <20090912145406.4ECBB83BE2@ws1-1a.us4.outblaze.com> Message-ID: <34C3D19C-DCD4-4CDE-92E7-5BA4B3EC1223@charter.net> Also keep in mind that Fox Sports Radio is distributed by Premiere, owned by Clear Channel. Maybe CC puts it on 1200. I tend to doubt it, since 1200 and 1430 are now airing separate Spanish language formats and I'm sure they want to sell time on them as a package deal, but you never know. If all of this comes down, who would want to be the FOURTH sports talker anyway? I suppose the Sports Hub could drop Sporting News and pick up FSR.... -Dave Tomm On Sep 12, 2009, at 10:54 AM, Bob Nelson wrote: > If this does happen it could mean some overflow sports could wind up > on 850 rather than 680 (Sox on FM, Celts on 850. > Celts on FM, college sports on 850. Celts on FM, Revolution on 850. > Celts on FM, MLB non-Sox playoffs on 850) > > Oh and if this does wind up happening, especially sooner rather than > later, Fox Sports radio might turn up on 890 full time. > MIGHT. From raccoonradio@mail.com Sat Sep 12 11:43:11 2009 From: raccoonradio@mail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Sat, 12 Sep 2009 10:43:11 -0500 Subject: Globe: (Poss.:) WEEI to FM, ESPN to 850 Message-ID: <20090912154311.B412483BE2@ws1-1a.us4.outblaze.com> It is true about Premiere/ Fox Sports Radio (and Clear Channel) and I've said before I wondered if 1200 could put FSR on, etc. But indeed CC could keep 1200 and 1430 Spanish and yes who'd want to be the fourth sports talker? But as for 98.5 possibly picking up FSR, maybe they could cherry pick some FSR programs (and still do SNR) if WEEI drops them. I do know that while he does have his critics, JT The Brick has a bit of a cult following here. I think Fox Sports radio gets more into listener calls than Sporting News which may be mostly talk amongst hosts and guests (but I could be wrong) From kvahey@comcast.net Sat Sep 12 11:58:18 2009 From: kvahey@comcast.net (Kevin Vahey) Date: Sat, 12 Sep 2009 10:58:18 -0500 Subject: Globe: (Poss.:) WEEI to FM, ESPN to 850 In-Reply-To: <20090912145406.4ECBB83BE2@ws1-1a.us4.outblaze.com> References: <20090912145406.4ECBB83BE2@ws1-1a.us4.outblaze.com> Message-ID: <4fc429770909120858x1804fa5dk59887d8fa7510946@mail.gmail.com> So now the only remaining question is where does WEEI move to on FM? 93.7 would seem the logical slot and they could add 97.7 to that signal and just let WAAF stand alone. 103.7 certainly can also fill holes on the South Shore but Entercom has a nice Providence ad market now. It will also be interesting to see how they move the call letters around as WEEI is the brand. WAMG just couldn't get past the horrible night signal as being on the same frequency with WLS-Chicago doomed them. The amazing sidebar is as hard as Entercom has tried to kill WRKO it continues to surge with the new PPM system. From raccoonradio@mail.com Sat Sep 12 12:10:42 2009 From: raccoonradio@mail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Sat, 12 Sep 2009 11:10:42 -0500 Subject: Globe: (Poss.:) WEEI to FM, ESPN to 850 Message-ID: <20090912161042.7179183985@ws1-2a.us4.outblaze.com> I would hope they could do both 93.7 and 97.7 but who knows. For me at least on the North Shore 93.7 does very well, especially at work. I ride by the WMKK stick every day on the way to and from work. WAAF could indeed just stand alone or imagine Entercom doing a deal for 99.5 and putting either Mike or WAAF // there. I know classical fans would freak out one day when tuning to 99.5 and hearing Pearl Jam or something instead, but who knows. 103.7 indeed does do well south of town. The Cape affiliate at 96.3 works well there. The call letter situation would be worked out somehow. (Westerly station could get calls similar to WEEI, and shift WEEI-FM to either 93.7 or 97.7) I also found myself, in the break room of my workplace in N. Reading, finding WLS over-riding WAMG at times. And that is interesting about WRKO and the new PPM system/ratings. I don't know show to show ratings exactly but get the idea Rush, Howie, and poss. even Savage do well (they are sticking with him). Not sure about Finn & Fein, Laura, Doyle etc. From kvahey@comcast.net Sat Sep 12 13:33:45 2009 From: kvahey@comcast.net (Kevin Vahey) Date: Sat, 12 Sep 2009 12:33:45 -0500 Subject: Globe: (Poss.:) WEEI to FM, ESPN to 850 In-Reply-To: <34C3D19C-DCD4-4CDE-92E7-5BA4B3EC1223@charter.net> References: <20090912145406.4ECBB83BE2@ws1-1a.us4.outblaze.com> <34C3D19C-DCD4-4CDE-92E7-5BA4B3EC1223@charter.net> Message-ID: <4fc429770909121033s504c7224sdefa23f7ff130394@mail.gmail.com> Dan Kennedy like the rest of us is trying to digest this http://www.dankennedy.net/2009/09/12/odd-station-out/ My best guess is cash strapped Entercom will SELL 850 to Disney betting that the local WEEI brand will do fine no matter where they put it. When Disney sold off their radio empire to Citadel they kept ownership of the ESPN outlets which shows how they value the brand. From dan.strassberg@att.net Sat Sep 12 13:44:17 2009 From: dan.strassberg@att.net (Dan.Strassberg) Date: Sat, 12 Sep 2009 13:44:17 -0400 Subject: If WMKK becomes WEEI Message-ID: <96AA2A382F1C4325A05607DE6D632A50@SatU205S5044> If Entercom moves WEEI from 850 to 93.7 to ensure the survival of their cash cow, sports talk (actually, guy talk), they will be risking the nice revenue stream that the automated juke-box at 93.7 has been producing for them. A move of WMKK to 107.3/97.7 seems unlikely to me because I understand that WAAF/WKAF is cash-flow positive (although the $30 million Entercom sunk into buying 97.7 plus the huge amounts the company spent on wrecking the 107.3 signal with the move from Asnebumskit to Stiles Hill probably alter that picture if you apportion the costs appropriately). We'll have to see whether Entercom's answer to finding a home for WMKK is an LMA of 99.5. (I'm assuming that an outright purchase is not in the cards at least until Entercom's stock price improves.) But if you look at Greater Media's properties, isn't 92.9 still under-performing? If so, how much of a risk would it be for Greater to flip 92.9 to an automated jukebox format like the one Entercom is presumed to be sacrificing to preserve the WEEI franchise? Could the market support two automated juke boxes (92.9 and 99.5)? Or would Entercom reluctantly surrender that niche to Greater Media? Greater would seem to be in the enviable position of having a "spare" FM it could flip if it chose to, whereas Entercom would have to find such a signal in another company's stable. Which means that, if it decided to make such a move, Greater could probably pull the trigger more quickly than Entercom could. ----- Dan Strassberg (dan.strassberg@att.net) eFax 1-707-215-6367 From dan.strassberg@att.net Sat Sep 12 13:55:44 2009 From: dan.strassberg@att.net (Dan.Strassberg) Date: Sat, 12 Sep 2009 13:55:44 -0400 Subject: Globe: (Poss.:) WEEI to FM, ESPN to 850 References: <20090912145406.4ECBB83BE2@ws1-1a.us4.outblaze.com><34C3D19C-DCD4-4CDE-92E7-5BA4B3EC1223@charter.net> <4fc429770909121033s504c7224sdefa23f7ff130394@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <6AA628AB2B3049F4A8051BB6F56F90D7@SatU205S5044> But everyone seems to keep forgetting that Disney does not own WAMG and never has. Note also that the central/south Jersey AM 1040 that ESPN recently added to augment the coverage its New York City flagship, WEPN 1050, is an LMA, not a purchase. And also note that WPEN, the ESPN affiliate in Philadelphia, is an LMA--even though WPEN's owner, Greater Media, has for years shown little interest in AM ownership. Although the mouse is apparently in a better cash position than just about any other large radio group owner, the company may well have turned its back on buying more AMs. Even in this depressed market, Disney may now view AM purchases as bad investments. ----- Dan Strassberg (dan.strassberg@att.net) eFax 1-707-215-6367 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Kevin Vahey" To: "Dave Tomm" Cc: "BostonRadio Mailing List" Sent: Saturday, September 12, 2009 1:33 PM Subject: Re: Globe: (Poss.:) WEEI to FM, ESPN to 850 > Dan Kennedy like the rest of us is trying to digest this > > http://www.dankennedy.net/2009/09/12/odd-station-out/ > > > My best guess is cash strapped Entercom will SELL 850 to Disney > betting that the local WEEI brand will do fine no matter where they > put it. > > When Disney sold off their radio empire to Citadel they kept > ownership > of the ESPN outlets which shows how they value the brand. From kvahey@comcast.net Sat Sep 12 14:17:42 2009 From: kvahey@comcast.net (Kevin Vahey) Date: Sat, 12 Sep 2009 13:17:42 -0500 Subject: Globe: (Poss.:) WEEI to FM, ESPN to 850 In-Reply-To: <6AA628AB2B3049F4A8051BB6F56F90D7@SatU205S5044> References: <20090912145406.4ECBB83BE2@ws1-1a.us4.outblaze.com> <34C3D19C-DCD4-4CDE-92E7-5BA4B3EC1223@charter.net> <4fc429770909121033s504c7224sdefa23f7ff130394@mail.gmail.com> <6AA628AB2B3049F4A8051BB6F56F90D7@SatU205S5044> Message-ID: <4fc429770909121117v6786ff20y1d21cd849572b643@mail.gmail.com> Dan Nobody has suggested that Disney owned 890. Look how Disney has approached radio the past few years as they sold off all the non sports and Radio Disney stations to Citadel. Obviously the bottom line works for them with those two formats. How much would they be willing to pay for the 850 transmitter since Entercom moves the goodwill to FM is a big question. However it is also a buyers market out there and they may get it for a Filenes Basement price. The ESPN brand name is the golden goose that drives Disney now even more than ABC and the mouse itself. Entercom badly needs cash and they could be betting that listeners will find them no matter where they go. From raccoonradio@mail.com Sat Sep 12 14:24:54 2009 From: raccoonradio@mail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Sat, 12 Sep 2009 13:24:54 -0500 Subject: If WMKK becomes WEEI Message-ID: <20090912182454.CB8E083BE3@ws1-1a.us4.outblaze.com> I think WBOS is an automated jukebox now, only not with the same music WMKK has. WBOS is alternative, Modern Rock, something like that. WMKK is variety hits--maybe 70s-90s & this decade plus some stuff one may not expect. (Tony Bennett or Dean Martin, for example.) But yes if WBOS also went variety hits to get that audience... From kvahey@comcast.net Sat Sep 12 14:36:26 2009 From: kvahey@comcast.net (Kevin Vahey) Date: Sat, 12 Sep 2009 13:36:26 -0500 Subject: Globe: (Poss.:) WEEI to FM, ESPN to 850 In-Reply-To: <4fc429770909121117v6786ff20y1d21cd849572b643@mail.gmail.com> References: <20090912145406.4ECBB83BE2@ws1-1a.us4.outblaze.com> <34C3D19C-DCD4-4CDE-92E7-5BA4B3EC1223@charter.net> <4fc429770909121033s504c7224sdefa23f7ff130394@mail.gmail.com> <6AA628AB2B3049F4A8051BB6F56F90D7@SatU205S5044> <4fc429770909121117v6786ff20y1d21cd849572b643@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <4fc429770909121136w109a8d95qe32e9a7c3c8dc81e@mail.gmail.com> Me bad I meant to say Disney sold off everything that wasn't sports or Radio Disney On 9/12/09, Kevin Vahey wrote: > Dan > > Nobody has suggested that Disney owned 890. > > Look how Disney has approached radio the past few years as they sold > off all the non sports and Radio Disney stations to Citadel. Obviously > the bottom line works for them with those two formats. > > How much would they be willing to pay for the 850 transmitter since > Entercom moves the goodwill to FM is a big question. However it is > also a buyers market out there and they may get it for a Filenes > Basement price. > > The ESPN brand name is the golden goose that drives Disney now even > more than ABC and the mouse itself. > > Entercom badly needs cash and they could be betting that listeners > will find them no matter where they go. > From nostaticatall@charter.net Sat Sep 12 16:10:57 2009 From: nostaticatall@charter.net (Dave Tomm) Date: Sat, 12 Sep 2009 16:10:57 -0400 Subject: If WMKK becomes WEEI In-Reply-To: <20090912182454.CB8E083BE3@ws1-1a.us4.outblaze.com> References: <20090912182454.CB8E083BE3@ws1-1a.us4.outblaze.com> Message-ID: <2A876E2F-915E-4CF7-85CF-E108DBA09954@charter.net> WBOS is essentially a gold based alternative station, focusing on the 90's and early 2000's, with a few 80's tracks and currents thrown in. Core artists for them include Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Stone Temple Pilots, Red Hot Chili Peppers, etc. Just as WMKK is an updated version of the oldies format for Generation X, 92.9 is the new "classic rock" for that generation. Like WMKK, WBOS is doing very well with the money demos. Cume and share are up from the previous AAA format. I'm sure they will gain even more with WBCN going away. WBOS won't be changing a thing. The station to watch is WODS. Now that they've retired the "oldies" name, I could easily see them transitioning to a Mike-like format. They're already playing four or five 80's songs an hour. All they'd have to do is dump the 60's, add the 90's and some 2000's tracks, and get rid of the jocks. They'd save in overhead, and improve their 25-54 numbers. They could even continue to do all-Christmas, and make the changes during the holiday hiatus. If Mike becomes WEEI this fall, variety hits will probably come to WODS. -Dave Tomm On Sep 12, 2009, at 2:24 PM, Bob Nelson wrote: > I think WBOS is an automated jukebox now, only not with the same > music WMKK has. WBOS is alternative, > Modern Rock, something like that. WMKK is variety hits--maybe > 70s-90s & this decade plus some > stuff one may not expect. (Tony Bennett or Dean Martin, for example.) > > But yes if WBOS also went variety hits to get that audience... > > > From raccoonradio@mail.com Sat Sep 12 16:52:43 2009 From: raccoonradio@mail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Sat, 12 Sep 2009 15:52:43 -0500 Subject: If WMKK becomes WEEI Message-ID: <20090912205243.7DC37CD80FB@ws1-4a.us4.outblaze.com> Interesting idea about WODS going variety hits; though I think they still use the name Oldies to some extent. See their website and I think the O-word pops up from time to time on air too. Some 80s songs pop up during Tom Kent's syndie show and I would guess more and more make their way into the playlist. Would they dump the Sixties totally? Maybe cut back on it. If you tuned in to WODS and didn't hear Beatles (those re-mastered albums), Motown 60s, et al, it would seem a bit jarring. But you're right they could try it. Especially if WMKK went to WEEI's sports talk...though you wonder if Entercom might move Mike to 99.5 (sale/LMA) or 107.3 (J. Gallant was wondering on radioinsight if Entercom might shift WAAF to an HD channel...don't think so) OK re: WBOS From donald_astelle@yahoo.com Sat Sep 12 17:28:32 2009 From: donald_astelle@yahoo.com (Don A) Date: Sat, 12 Sep 2009 17:28:32 -0400 Subject: If WMKK becomes WEEI References: <20090912182454.CB8E083BE3@ws1-1a.us4.outblaze.com> <2A876E2F-915E-4CF7-85CF-E108DBA09954@charter.net> Message-ID: <32BF32B37AFF42E19CFABB4BD6AFBA3D@MainXPPro> > Like WMKK, WBOS is doing very well with the money > demos. I'm not so sure this is true anymore... Can anyone tell my their overall rank in August 25-54? From nostaticatall@charter.net Sun Sep 13 03:32:43 2009 From: nostaticatall@charter.net (Dave Tomm) Date: Sun, 13 Sep 2009 03:32:43 -0400 Subject: If WMKK becomes WEEI In-Reply-To: <32BF32B37AFF42E19CFABB4BD6AFBA3D@MainXPPro> References: <20090912182454.CB8E083BE3@ws1-1a.us4.outblaze.com> <2A876E2F-915E-4CF7-85CF-E108DBA09954@charter.net> <32BF32B37AFF42E19CFABB4BD6AFBA3D@MainXPPro> Message-ID: <02FA7AC4-4C11-4902-919F-A3E37B83C372@charter.net> Right now WBOS is getting around a 3 share 12+, and holds it's own in cume. Due to their 90's based alternative format, they most likely have no teen numbers or 55+ listeners to pad their cume. It's all 18-49, or most likely 25-44. They're super serving that core audience. If they're pulling a three share and cuming 700 something thousand listeners overall with basically just that core audience, which they probably are, that's a very attractive place for agency dollars. I haven't seen the numbers, but my guess is WBOS in the top 7 or 8 25-54, and top three 25-44. WMKK is doing even better than that. They're a share higher than WBOS and is one of the highest cuming radio stations in the market. Once the recession turns around and advertising dollars start flowing again, Mike FM could be a gold mine. It's a shame that Entercom will probably sacrifice it to keep WEEI competitive with the Sports Hub. -Dave Tomm On Sep 12, 2009, at 5:28 PM, Don A wrote: > >> Like WMKK, WBOS is doing very well with the money demos. > > I'm not so sure this is true anymore... > > Can anyone tell my their overall rank in August 25-54? From raccoonradio@mail.com Sun Sep 13 06:51:20 2009 From: raccoonradio@mail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Sun, 13 Sep 2009 05:51:20 -0500 Subject: If WMKK becomes WEEI Message-ID: <20090913105120.E5674905C49@ws1-5a.us4.outblaze.com> They could move WMKK to 97.7 and/or 107.3. However there's more speculation now (and again, only that at this point) that WAAF may be "next on the chopping block" http://www.bostonradiowatch.com talks about the upcoming move, apparently, to put WEEI on FM (probably 93.7) and ESPN on 850. They also quote an article on blastmagazine.com saying that WAAF could "be next on the chopping block", speculating Entercom could move WRKO there. They would keep Greg Hill in the morning and then have Rush, Howie, etc. Joseph Gallant speculated on another board that WAAF could go to an HD-2 and that WEEI would go to 97.7 and 107.3...I'm not so sure; I think WEEI lands on 93.7 and maybe 97.7 as well, and WRKO could go to 107.3 or perhaps 107.3 (covers the west) and 97.7 (covers south, etc.) together. Heck, buy or LMA WCRB 99.5 and you have the north. All just speculation but you have to wonder. If Entercom had an FM based directly in Boston WRKO could go there but instead they have WMKK (stick 15 mi. or so to the north), WKAF (stick on Great Blue Hill, maybe 13-15 mi. to the south but not as strong?) and WAAF (not sure how far to the west). Note that WMKK has a CP that would give it a very solid signal in most directions... WKAF may also have a CP in the works. From donald_astelle@yahoo.com Sun Sep 13 09:33:37 2009 From: donald_astelle@yahoo.com (Don A) Date: Sun, 13 Sep 2009 09:33:37 -0400 Subject: If WMKK becomes WEEI References: <20090912182454.CB8E083BE3@ws1-1a.us4.outblaze.com><2A876E2F-915E-4CF7-85CF-E108DBA09954@charter.net><32BF32B37AFF42E19CFABB4BD6AFBA3D@MainXPPro> <02FA7AC4-4C11-4902-919F-A3E37B83C372@charter.net> Message-ID: <76C7CA0CDED44AF597153D58F23B5676@MainXPPro> > Right now WBOS is getting around a 3 share 12+, and holds it's own in > cume. I haven't seen the numbers, but my guess is WBOS in the top > 7 or 8 25-54, and top three 25-44. Like I said...Anyone can guess....can anyone confirm? Can anyone tell me their overall rankb 25-54 in August ? From dan.strassberg@att.net Sun Sep 13 11:05:20 2009 From: dan.strassberg@att.net (Dan.Strassberg) Date: Sun, 13 Sep 2009 11:05:20 -0400 Subject: If WMKK becomes WEEI References: <20090913105120.E5674905C49@ws1-5a.us4.outblaze.com> Message-ID: <38047A278D234D7D992B9D0C3BE0F39C@SatU205S5044> A visit to the FCC's FM Query page reveals that WMKK's only active CP (it was granted just a month ago--on August 5) will have zero effect on the signal; the sole purpose of that CP is to correct the geographic coordinates of the tower, which is owned by American Tower Systems. It seems that ATS inadvertently submitted duplicate applications to the FAA for registration of the tower. The FAA had granted both applications--both the one that specified the correct coordinates and the one that specified coordinates four seconds of arc away (can't remember whether the error was in latitude or longitude). In any event, when the 93.7 facility was built on the tower, the specified location was, of course, on the registration with the incorrect coordinates (Murphy's law). ATS has since had the FAA delete the registration with the incorrect coordinates, thus putting WMKK on a "no-longer-existent" tower. The CP moves the station to the still-registered tower with the correct coordinates. The coordinate change necessitated a recalculation of the HAAT, which will now be one meter lower than before. As a result, WMKK's 34 kW ERP will now be equivalent to ever-so slightly less than the Class B maximum of 50 kW @ 150m AAT. Were it not for the short-spaced co-channel station in Hartford, WMKK could probably be granted a CP to increase its ERP by a tiny amount, but because of the short spacing, that is not likely to be permitted--and it would have no meaningful effect on the signal if it did happen. As for WKAF, that CP is real. I think WKAF has been operating at about 80% of the Class A maximum of the equivalent of 6 kW @ 100m AAT. I believe that the limitation to less than full Class A power was imposed by the former WINQ (don't know the current calls), the co-channel station that used to be licensed to Winchendon MA but is now (I think) licensed to Keene NH. In any event, I think that the move of the co-channel station further from WKAF's location on Great Blue Hill has enabled WKAF to increase to the Class A maximum. Since WKAF's antenna is above the 100m Class A maximum height, the station will operate with something like 2.05 kW vs the 1.7 kW it had been running. In all probability, no physical changes are required in WKAF's facilities--just an adjustment to the output power of the existing transmitter--and no change at all to the antenna. My understanding is that, since the Boston market is geographically too large for any Class A station to deliver 60 dBu (the minimum city-grade signal) to all of it, this ~20% power increase will not alter WKAF's situation as a less-than full-market signal (along with WFNX and WHRB, not to mention non-comms, such as WMBR, WZBC, and WUMB), but it probably will help incrementally--though nowhere near as much as returning WAAF to the place where it belongs--Asnebumskit Hill in Paxton. ----- Dan Strassberg (dan.strassberg@att.net) eFax 1-707-215-6367 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bob Nelson" To: "Dave Tomm" ; "Don A" Cc: "Bob Nelson" ; "Boston Radio Interest" ; "Dan.Strassberg" Sent: Sunday, September 13, 2009 6:51 AM Subject: Re: If WMKK becomes WEEI Note that WMKK has a CP that would give it a very solid signal in most directions... WKAF may also have a CP in the works. From kvahey@comcast.net Sun Sep 13 10:41:06 2009 From: kvahey@comcast.net (Kevin Vahey) Date: Sun, 13 Sep 2009 09:41:06 -0500 Subject: Mass Broadcasters Hall of Fame 2009 Class Message-ID: <4fc429770909130741wee374e4xed3ad5089b0c6776@mail.gmail.com> The Massachusetts Broadcasters Hall of Fame welcomes in 20 more on Wednesday and all are deserving. I am especially happy about Fred Cusick and I hope my gentle nagging about him being passed over the previous two years helped http://www.boston.com/ae/media/articles/2009/09/13/cusick_santos_laquidara_to_be_among_12_inducted_into_mass_broadcasters_hall_of_fame/ From kvahey@comcast.net Sun Sep 13 13:33:16 2009 From: kvahey@comcast.net (Kevin Vahey) Date: Sun, 13 Sep 2009 12:33:16 -0500 Subject: ad dollars continue to vanish Message-ID: <4fc429770909131033pa6a0ce2r8f6a056e10ada184@mail.gmail.com> The Sunday Globe has a front page story concerning Foxwoods Casino in Connecticut is going broke. As recently as two years ago Foxwoods was by far the biggest ad buyer in the Boston market with ads everywhere no matter what the format and now their spending is next to nothing. So how do broadcasters cope with this? The number of available slots on Sox games on both NESN and WEEI is staggering when you consider that they are delivering an audience. Massachusetts outlets will get a nice bump with the race for Ted's Senate seat but then what? From m_carney@yahoo.com Sun Sep 13 14:29:19 2009 From: m_carney@yahoo.com (Maureen Carney) Date: Sun, 13 Sep 2009 11:29:19 -0700 (PDT) Subject: ad dollars continue to vanish In-Reply-To: <4fc429770909131033pa6a0ce2r8f6a056e10ada184@mail.gmail.com> References: <4fc429770909131033pa6a0ce2r8f6a056e10ada184@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <35054.68744.qm@web53303.mail.re2.yahoo.com> I can tell you this is true - the renewal rate for Celtics on CSN is down, and those who are renewing are either going at a lower rate and/or looking for added value (billboards, features, live mentions, extra no charge spots). Foxwoods is one who hasn't renewed and I wasn't expecting them this year based on some things that went on last season. There are several advertisers and agencies that are holding out until after the preseason hoping to get a better deal. I'm getting a lot more requests for prelogs and postlogs from anxious agencies as well, all afraid that their message isn't reaching clients. Many advertisers who would buy different shows (say Celtics and college football) are choosing one program only. Direct response is drying up for us, and the rates for infomercials are dipping faster than a roller coaster. From rogerkirk@ttlc.net Sun Sep 13 14:34:29 2009 From: rogerkirk@ttlc.net (Roger Kirk) Date: Sun, 13 Sep 2009 14:34:29 -0400 Subject: ad dollars continue to vanish In-Reply-To: <4fc429770909131033pa6a0ce2r8f6a056e10ada184@mail.gmail.com> References: <4fc429770909131033pa6a0ce2r8f6a056e10ada184@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <4AAD3B35.6070206@ttlc.net> Kevin Vahey wrote: > The number of available slots on Sox games on [both NESN] and WEEI is > staggering when you consider that they are delivering an audience. Time for 98.5 The SportsHub to buy some spots cheap. From chris2526@comcast.net Mon Sep 14 00:57:17 2009 From: chris2526@comcast.net (chris2526) Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2009 00:57:17 -0400 Subject: WMKK Message-ID: I seem to recall when I constructed 93.7 in Peabody (1995 or so) was that the tower was 9.9 miles NNE of the Boston common....about the same distance as the WSW Newton-Needham antenna farm. Chris Hall From nostaticatall@charter.net Mon Sep 14 01:40:58 2009 From: nostaticatall@charter.net (Dave Tomm) Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2009 01:40:58 -0400 Subject: If WMKK becomes WEEI In-Reply-To: <76C7CA0CDED44AF597153D58F23B5676@MainXPPro> References: <20090912182454.CB8E083BE3@ws1-1a.us4.outblaze.com><2A876E2F-915E-4CF7-85CF-E108DBA09954@charter.net><32BF32B37AFF42E19CFABB4BD6AFBA3D@MainXPPro> <02FA7AC4-4C11-4902-919F-A3E37B83C372@charter.net> <76C7CA0CDED44AF597153D58F23B5676@MainXPPro> Message-ID: <92043B66-3E80-4E78-A1A1-60F8CCFB410B@charter.net> Obviously no one has produced the numbers to this point. Do you have access to them Don? I don't, but I do have over 20 years of experience in the industry including time as a programmer. I learned quickly how to spot basic trends from general 12+ numbers. I know it's not the same thing but it's all we have as a starting point right now. What do you have to offer this discussion besides besides ignorant condescension? What industry experience do you possess? Just curious. -D On Sep 13, 2009, at 9:33 AM, Don A wrote: > >> Right now WBOS is getting around a 3 share 12+, and holds it's own >> in cume. I haven't seen the numbers, but my guess is WBOS in >> the top 7 or 8 25-54, and top three 25-44. > > > Like I said...Anyone can guess....can anyone confirm? > > Can anyone tell me their overall rankb 25-54 in August ? > > From joe@attorneyross.com Mon Sep 14 02:07:00 2009 From: joe@attorneyross.com (A. Joseph Ross) Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2009 02:07:00 -0400 Subject: WHMP on FM Message-ID: <4AADDD84.8425.1E0A8A7@joe.attorneyross.com> I was in Amherst yesterday and, while listening to WHMP in Northampton, heard an announcement that they were "now on FM at 96.9." And sure enough, they were. They don't seem to do a legal ID for the FM station, though. I heard a legal ID for the three simulcasting AM stations, but the only mention of the FM station was the "now on FM at 96.9" which accompanied the legal ID as it does other station announcements. When I checked in the late evening, even though the AM was on the air, the FM station was silent. Silent, but apparently not off the air, since there was no hiss. I don't know whether WHMP is still doing Air America or other progressive talk. All I heard was a call-in financial advice program, and it sounded local, though I couldn't be sure. On another local note, when I checked the Amherst Bulletin online this week, I found last week's articles were still there. I also failed to find the free weekly at the two newsstands that I checked. I don't know whether this means that it has been discontinued suddenly. I hope not, but it certainly must have suffered a drop in the ad revenue that pays for the paper. -- A. Joseph Ross, J.D. 617.367.0468 92 State Street, Suite 700 Fax 617.507.7856 Boston, MA 02109-2004 http://www.attorneyross.com From m_carney@yahoo.com Mon Sep 14 08:10:30 2009 From: m_carney@yahoo.com (Maureen Carney) Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2009 05:10:30 -0700 (PDT) Subject: WAMG still running ESPN Message-ID: <602904.89395.qm@web53305.mail.re2.yahoo.com> As of this morning WAMG is still running ESPN Radio. At 7:25a I even heard a promo for "Follow us on Twitter and Facebook" with instructions to link off of both the 890ESPN and ESPNBoston web sites. That was followed by a Kevin Wynter voiced local spot. I didn't hear the local traffic and sports updates but to be honest I didn't stick around too long. From aerie.ma@comcast.net Mon Sep 14 08:20:17 2009 From: aerie.ma@comcast.net (Jim Hall) Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2009 08:20:17 -0400 Subject: WHMP on FM In-Reply-To: <4AADDD84.8425.1E0A8A7@joe.attorneyross.com> References: <4AADDD84.8425.1E0A8A7@joe.attorneyross.com> Message-ID: I believe the 96.9 is a translator licensed to Amherst, but with transmitter in Northampton. I notice the WHMP homepage mentions the 1400 and 1240, plus the 96.9 translator, but not the 1600 in Longmeadow (WHNP). I wonder if they plan to do something else with the 1600. -----Original Message----- From: boston-radio-interest-bounces@tsornin.BostonRadio.org [mailto:boston-radio-interest-bounces@tsornin.BostonRadio.org] On Behalf Of A. Joseph Ross Sent: Monday, September 14, 2009 2:07 AM To: Boston-radio-interest@bostonradio.org Subject: WHMP on FM I was in Amherst yesterday and, while listening to WHMP in Northampton, heard an announcement that they were "now on FM at 96.9." And sure enough, they were. They don't seem to do a legal ID for the FM station, though. I heard a legal ID for the three simulcasting AM stations, but the only mention of the FM station was the "now on FM at 96.9" which accompanied the legal ID as it does other station announcements. -- A. Joseph Ross, J.D. 617.367.0468 92 State Street, Suite 700 Fax 617.507.7856 Boston, MA 02109-2004 http://www.attorneyross.com From raccoonradio@mail.com Mon Sep 14 08:19:12 2009 From: raccoonradio@mail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2009 07:19:12 -0500 Subject: WMKK Message-ID: <20090914121912.35FE583BE2@ws1-1a.us4.outblaze.com> 9.9 miles NNE of Boston common...that's even a bit closer to Boston than I thought. I had gone to Google maps and entered in Lakeland Park Dr. Peabody and "Boston" and found the distance (via US 1) to be 15.5 miles (not sure exactly where they pinned the center of "Boston" to be). That's a driving distance but not necessarily "as the crow flies". Whatever it does, WMKK covers many areas well within 128 and beyond including some areas, I would think, that WEEI can't reach at night. I note that Tom Taylor's radio-info column has a prediction that Entercom will LMA 99.5 and put WEEI there and leave WMKK and WAAF/WKAF alone (Goldman-Sachs taking the money...) but what about idea of WEEI to 93.7, WMKK to 99.5 (Andover stick)? ESPNBoston.com debuted its web portal today (complete with a Boston-targeted sports report that froze my Firefox browser, thank you) and there's a listen live link to ESPNRadio; as for 890 they were still doing ESPN as of 7:30 this morning and who knows, maybe the plug gets pulled sometime during business hours today or maybe at midnight tonight... From raccoonradio@mail.com Mon Sep 14 08:39:25 2009 From: raccoonradio@mail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2009 07:39:25 -0500 Subject: WAMG still running ESPN Message-ID: <20090914123925.8FCB8905C49@ws1-5a.us4.outblaze.com> Indeed no changeover at midnight last night (yes I barely did pick it up here) and it was still on this morning but perhaps the plug gets pulled during business hours today (new format? silent?) or at midnight tonight. I also noticed WRKO was running an ad for a contest (Jeep) where you could win by "listening to the Red Sox on WRKO". Obviously a business commitment to keep running that, but at least WRKO, as far as I know, finally pulled the outdated promos saying "every pitch every hit and every out of the Red Sox is here on WRKO" (which was inaccurate even when they DID still have the Sox--WEEI had some games) and "home to great talk and the best baseball team in America--the Boston Red Sox are right here on WRKO". Those did get pulled finally, I think. As for WAMG even if they do continue with ESPN thru the rest of the day there should be no local hosts. Running off comp. and satellite. >>As of this morning WAMG is still running ESPN Radio. At 7:25a I even heard a promo for "Follow us on Twitter and Facebook" with instructions to link off of both the 890ESPN and ESPNBoston web sites. That was followed by a Kevin Wynter voiced local spot. I didn't hear the local traffic and sports updates but to be honest I didn't stick around too long. From donald_astelle@yahoo.com Mon Sep 14 13:05:19 2009 From: donald_astelle@yahoo.com (Don A) Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2009 13:05:19 -0400 Subject: If WMKK becomes WEEI References: <20090912182454.CB8E083BE3@ws1-1a.us4.outblaze.com><2A876E2F-915E-4CF7-85CF-E108DBA09954@charter.net><32BF32B37AFF42E19CFABB4BD6AFBA3D@MainXPPro><02FA7AC4-4C11-4902-919F-A3E37B83C372@charter.net><76C7CA0CDED44AF597153D58F23B5676@MainXPPro> <92043B66-3E80-4E78-A1A1-60F8CCFB410B@charter.net> Message-ID: >>I haven't seen the numbers, but my guess is WBOS in the top 7 or 8 >>25-54..... No condescension. Opinions are everywhere....just looking for some facts behind the opinions. WBOS is 13th in the money demo. (BTW...I'm told the released #'s are no longer 12+....but 6+.) ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dave Tomm" To: "Don A" Cc: "Boston Radio Interest" ; "Dan.Strassberg" Sent: Monday, September 14, 2009 1:40 AM Subject: Re: If WMKK becomes WEEI > Obviously no one has produced the numbers to this point. Do you have > access to them Don? I don't, but I do have over 20 years of experience > in the industry including time as a programmer. I learned quickly how to > spot basic trends from general 12+ numbers. I know it's not the same > thing but it's all we have as a starting point right now. What do you > have to offer this discussion besides besides ignorant condescension? > What industry experience do you possess? Just curious. > > -D > > On Sep 13, 2009, at 9:33 AM, Don A wrote: >> >>> Right now WBOS is getting around a 3 share 12+, and holds it's own in >>> cume. I haven't seen the numbers, but my guess is WBOS in the top 7 >>> or 8 25-54, and top three 25-44. >> >> >> Like I said...Anyone can guess....can anyone confirm? >> >> Can anyone tell me their overall rankb 25-54 in August ? >> >> > From raccoonradio@gmail.com Mon Sep 14 13:13:47 2009 From: raccoonradio@gmail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2009 13:13:47 -0400 Subject: 890 looped message: going off air today Message-ID: <1fbbbced0909141013r5530b2a0k7b4e26dffdb3b2b8@mail.gmail.com> 890 WAMG now has a looped message saying they leave the air today. They thank listeners and sponsors and said they were proud to bring ESPN and local sports/talk to the area for the past four years. From nostaticatall@charter.net Mon Sep 14 13:20:20 2009 From: nostaticatall@charter.net (Dave Tomm) Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2009 13:20:20 -0400 Subject: If WMKK becomes WEEI In-Reply-To: References: <20090912182454.CB8E083BE3@ws1-1a.us4.outblaze.com><2A876E2F-915E-4CF7-85CF-E108DBA09954@charter.net><32BF32B37AFF42E19CFABB4BD6AFBA3D@MainXPPro><02FA7AC4-4C11-4902-919F-A3E37B83C372@charter.net><76C7CA0CDED44AF597153D58F23B5676@MainXPPro> <92043B66-3E80-4E78-A1A1-60F8CCFB410B@charter.net> Message-ID: I'm sure Arbitron wouldn't take too kindly to just anyone on this list quoting or reproducing their data meant for subscribers only just so you can have your facts. They release 12+ numbers (diary) and 6+ numbers (ppm) for public consumption. They occasionally allow media writers like Dan Kennedy access to 25-54 and drivetime ratings, but that's sparingly done. Garrett normally takes a firm stance on fair use issues. Just food for thought. -Dave Tomm On Sep 14, 2009, at 1:05 PM, Don A wrote: >>> I haven't seen the numbers, but my guess is WBOS in the top 7 or >>> 8 25-54..... > > > > No condescension. Opinions are everywhere....just looking for some > facts behind the opinions. > > WBOS is 13th in the money demo. > > (BTW...I'm told the released #'s are no longer 12+....but 6+.) > > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dave Tomm" > > To: "Don A" > Cc: "Boston Radio Interest" >; "Dan.Strassberg" > Sent: Monday, September 14, 2009 1:40 AM > Subject: Re: If WMKK becomes WEEI > > >> Obviously no one has produced the numbers to this point. Do you >> have access to them Don? I don't, but I do have over 20 years of >> experience in the industry including time as a programmer. I >> learned quickly how to spot basic trends from general 12+ >> numbers. I know it's not the same thing but it's all we have as a >> starting point right now. What do you have to offer this >> discussion besides besides ignorant condescension? What industry >> experience do you possess? Just curious. >> >> -D >> >> On Sep 13, 2009, at 9:33 AM, Don A wrote: >>> >>>> Right now WBOS is getting around a 3 share 12+, and holds it's >>>> own in cume. I haven't seen the numbers, but my guess is WBOS >>>> in the top 7 or 8 25-54, and top three 25-44. >>> >>> >>> Like I said...Anyone can guess....can anyone confirm? >>> >>> Can anyone tell me their overall rankb 25-54 in August ? >>> >>> > From nostaticatall@charter.net Mon Sep 14 13:25:03 2009 From: nostaticatall@charter.net (Dave Tomm) Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2009 13:25:03 -0400 Subject: 890 looped message: going off air today In-Reply-To: <1fbbbced0909141013r5530b2a0k7b4e26dffdb3b2b8@mail.gmail.com> References: <1fbbbced0909141013r5530b2a0k7b4e26dffdb3b2b8@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <98FC8F3D-D626-4944-8674-DF121CD9B0CE@charter.net> The loop serves no purpose. There's no call to action in regards to their next format. Looking back achieves nothing. Radio is forward thinking. Either put on some sort of stunt format or pull the plug until a permanent format is ready for air. -Dave Tomm On Sep 14, 2009, at 1:13 PM, Bob Nelson wrote: > 890 WAMG now has a looped message saying they leave the air today. > They thank listeners and sponsors and said > they were proud to bring ESPN and local sports/talk to the area for > the past four years. From donald_astelle@yahoo.com Mon Sep 14 13:30:20 2009 From: donald_astelle@yahoo.com (Don A) Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2009 13:30:20 -0400 Subject: If WMKK becomes WEEI References: <20090912182454.CB8E083BE3@ws1-1a.us4.outblaze.com><2A876E2F-915E-4CF7-85CF-E108DBA09954@charter.net><32BF32B37AFF42E19CFABB4BD6AFBA3D@MainXPPro><02FA7AC4-4C11-4902-919F-A3E37B83C372@charter.net><76C7CA0CDED44AF597153D58F23B5676@MainXPPro><92043B66-3E80-4E78-A1A1-60F8CCFB410B@charter.net> Message-ID: <224808A0AA954410A40D47EC793FF453@MainXPPro> More food.... http://arbitron.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=65 >>All other demographic information (Persons 25-54, Men 18-34, etc.) may >>only be used in a form that does not publish the actual estimate. Ranking >>or characterizing the data is acceptable, i.e. Station WAAA is #2 in Men >>25-54.<< ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dave Tomm" To: "Don A" Cc: "Boston Radio Interest" ; "Dan.Strassberg" Sent: Monday, September 14, 2009 1:20 PM Subject: Re: If WMKK becomes WEEI > I'm sure Arbitron wouldn't take too kindly to just anyone on this list > quoting or reproducing their data meant for subscribers only just so you > can have your facts. They release 12+ numbers (diary) and 6+ numbers > (ppm) for public consumption. They occasionally allow media writers like > Dan Kennedy access to 25-54 and drivetime ratings, but that's sparingly > done. Garrett normally takes a firm stance on fair use issues. Just > food for thought. > > -Dave Tomm > > On Sep 14, 2009, at 1:05 PM, Don A wrote: > >>>> I haven't seen the numbers, but my guess is WBOS in the top 7 or 8 >>>> 25-54..... >> >> >> >> No condescension. Opinions are everywhere....just looking for some >> facts behind the opinions. >> >> WBOS is 13th in the money demo. >> >> (BTW...I'm told the released #'s are no longer 12+....but 6+.) >> >> >> >> >> >> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dave Tomm" > > >> To: "Don A" >> Cc: "Boston Radio Interest" >> > >; "Dan.Strassberg" >> Sent: Monday, September 14, 2009 1:40 AM >> Subject: Re: If WMKK becomes WEEI >> >> >>> Obviously no one has produced the numbers to this point. Do you have >>> access to them Don? I don't, but I do have over 20 years of >>> experience in the industry including time as a programmer. I learned >>> quickly how to spot basic trends from general 12+ numbers. I know >>> it's not the same thing but it's all we have as a starting point right >>> now. What do you have to offer this discussion besides besides >>> ignorant condescension? What industry experience do you possess? Just >>> curious. >>> >>> -D >>> >>> On Sep 13, 2009, at 9:33 AM, Don A wrote: >>>> >>>>> Right now WBOS is getting around a 3 share 12+, and holds it's own >>>>> in cume. I haven't seen the numbers, but my guess is WBOS in the >>>>> top 7 or 8 25-54, and top three 25-44. >>>> >>>> >>>> Like I said...Anyone can guess....can anyone confirm? >>>> >>>> Can anyone tell me their overall rankb 25-54 in August ? >>>> >>>> >> > From marklaurence@mac.com Mon Sep 14 13:31:21 2009 From: marklaurence@mac.com (Mark Laurence) Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2009 13:31:21 -0400 Subject: If WMKK becomes WEEI In-Reply-To: <131909874353412994366202666521388817919-Webmail@me.com> References: <131909874353412994366202666521388817919-Webmail@me.com> Message-ID: <63363973486432506444003361362074926696-Webmail@me.com> You can see for yourself what Arbitron allows and doesn't allow here: http://arbitron.mediaroom.com/index.php?s=65 "All other demographic information (Persons 25-54, Men 18-34, etc.) may only be used in a form that does not publish the actual estimate. Ranking or characterizing the data is acceptable, i.e. Station WAAA is #2 in Men 25-54." It sounds like this post is well within Arbitron's fair use guidelines. Of course, I'm not attempting to speak for Garrett as to what's allowed on this list. Mark On Monday, September 14, 2009, at 01:20PM, "Dave Tomm" wrote: >I'm sure Arbitron wouldn't take too kindly to just anyone on this list >quoting or reproducing their data meant for subscribers only just so >you can have your facts. They release 12+ numbers (diary) and 6+ >numbers (ppm) for public consumption. They occasionally allow media >writers like Dan Kennedy access to 25-54 and drivetime ratings, but >that's sparingly done. Garrett normally takes a firm stance on fair >use issues. Just food for thought. > >-Dave Tomm > >On Sep 14, 2009, at 1:05 PM, Don A wrote: > >>>> I haven't seen the numbers, but my guess is WBOS in the top 7 or >>>> 8 25-54..... >> >> >> >> No condescension. Opinions are everywhere....just looking for some >> facts behind the opinions. >> >> WBOS is 13th in the money demo. >> >> (BTW...I'm told the released #'s are no longer 12+....but 6+.) >> >> >> >> >> >> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dave Tomm" > > >> To: "Don A" >> Cc: "Boston Radio Interest" > >; "Dan.Strassberg" >> Sent: Monday, September 14, 2009 1:40 AM >> Subject: Re: If WMKK becomes WEEI >> >> >>> Obviously no one has produced the numbers to this point. Do you >>> have access to them Don? I don't, but I do have over 20 years of >>> experience in the industry including time as a programmer. I >>> learned quickly how to spot basic trends from general 12+ >>> numbers. I know it's not the same thing but it's all we have as a >>> starting point right now. What do you have to offer this >>> discussion besides besides ignorant condescension? What industry >>> experience do you possess? Just curious. >>> >>> -D >>> >>> On Sep 13, 2009, at 9:33 AM, Don A wrote: >>>> >>>>> Right now WBOS is getting around a 3 share 12+, and holds it's >>>>> own in cume. I haven't seen the numbers, but my guess is WBOS >>>>> in the top 7 or 8 25-54, and top three 25-44. >>>> >>>> >>>> Like I said...Anyone can guess....can anyone confirm? >>>> >>>> Can anyone tell me their overall rankb 25-54 in August ? >>>> >>>> >> > > > From necrat.alternate@gmail.com Mon Sep 14 12:29:01 2009 From: necrat.alternate@gmail.com (Mike Fitzpatrick) Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2009 12:29:01 -0400 Subject: WHMP on FM In-Reply-To: References: <4AADDD84.8425.1E0A8A7@joe.attorneyross.com> Message-ID: <000001ca3558$77fb1be0$67f153a0$@alternate@gmail.com> W245BK, 96.9. It transmits from the site of sister station, WLZX on Horse Mountain in Northampton. This is the old W246AM (97.1) repeater of the river that used to be on WFCR's tower. The legal is ID is probably being done using FSK. --Mike -----Original Message----- From: boston-radio-interest-bounces@tsornin.BostonRadio.org [mailto:boston-radio-interest-bounces@tsornin.BostonRadio.org] On Behalf Of Jim Hall Subject: RE: WHMP on FM I believe the 96.9 is a translator licensed to Amherst, but with transmitter in Northampton. I notice the WHMP homepage mentions the 1400 and 1240, plus the 96.9 translator, but not the 1600 in Longmeadow (WHNP). I wonder if they plan to do something else with the 1600. >>>>> I was in Amherst yesterday and, while listening to WHMP in Northampton, heard an announcement that they were "now on FM at 96.9." And sure enough, they were. They don't seem to do a legal ID for the FM station, though. I heard a legal ID for the three simulcasting AM stations, but the only mention of the FM station was the "now on FM at 96.9" which accompanied the legal ID as it does other station announcements. -- A. Joseph Ross, J.D. 617.367.0468 92 State Street, Suite 700 Fax 617.507.7856 Boston, MA 02109-2004 http://www.attorneyross.com From bob.bosra@demattia.net Mon Sep 14 09:45:42 2009 From: bob.bosra@demattia.net (Bob DeMattia) Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2009 09:45:42 -0400 Subject: WMKK In-Reply-To: <20090914121912.35FE583BE2@ws1-1a.us4.outblaze.com> References: <20090914121912.35FE583BE2@ws1-1a.us4.outblaze.com> Message-ID: 15 miles sounds correct, depending on where you pick the center of Boston. From the same point,the Needham towers and Great Blue Hill is ~7 miles. Aside from WKAF being class A, the big difference between GBH and Needham is antenna height, as there are no enormous towers on the hill. WKAF is ~2kW @ 173m while most of the Needham stations are ~10kW @~350m. WMKK is 34kW @ 178m. So if MKK pulls a larger audience than AAF/KAF, do you abandon the more popular station in exchange for a bigger signal? Bob From keithlavon@gmail.com Mon Sep 14 13:35:08 2009 From: keithlavon@gmail.com (Keith Lavon) Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2009 13:35:08 -0400 Subject: 890 looped message: going off air today In-Reply-To: <1fbbbced0909141013r5530b2a0k7b4e26dffdb3b2b8@mail.gmail.com> References: <1fbbbced0909141013r5530b2a0k7b4e26dffdb3b2b8@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <3c6f0dce0909141035v5b4cb16y3b0a61ecb09bed5c@mail.gmail.com> Midnight (11:59:50 will start final legal with no TOH sportscenter) is the switch time I was told by former station employees, still no word on new format.... On 9/14/09, Bob Nelson wrote: > 890 WAMG now has a looped message saying they leave the air today. > They thank listeners and sponsors and said > they were proud to bring ESPN and local sports/talk to the area for > the past four years. > -- Sent from my mobile device From lglavin@mail.com Mon Sep 14 13:59:01 2009 From: lglavin@mail.com (Laurence Glavin) Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2009 12:59:01 -0500 Subject: WHMP on FM Message-ID: <20090914175901.5A4AABE407E@ws1-9.us4.outblaze.com> >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Jim Hall" >To: boston-radio-interest@bostonradio.org >Subject: RE: WHMP on FM >Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2009 08:20:17 -0400 >I believe the 96.9 is a translator licensed to Amherst, but with transmitter >in Northampton. I notice the WHMP homepage mentions the 1400 and 1240, plus >the 96.9 translator, but not the 1600 in Longmeadow (WHNP). I wonder if they >plan to do something else with the 1600. When I was out in Western Mass last July, I also picked up the WHMP "network" on 96.9. At that time, they ran a promo from time to time voiced by Rachel Maddow announcing the fact that progressive talk was now available on FM. I'm not sure how many civilians (i.e. non-radio geeks) realized that the FM being promoted is a limited-signal translator (W245BK). Thus, if they set a push-button for it at their home, they might lose it in a couple of miles. With respect to station-ID: I seem to recall in another thread that stations usually don't have to identify translators on-the-hour. This is true of the NH Public Radio Network, which only does it a few times a day. When I'm in Western Mass, the WAMC stations take so long to ID all their outlets that if the add any more, there'll be no time for underwriting messages! That'll be the day. (BTW, I've never caught WAMC also IDing any translators...do they have any?) -- An Excellent Credit Score is 750 See Yours in Just 2 Easy Steps! From dav2149@comcast.net Mon Sep 14 15:06:20 2009 From: dav2149@comcast.net (D) Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2009 15:06:20 -0400 Subject: Fundraising drive on commercial radio WIZZ-1520 (Greenfield, MA) Message-ID: When driving in western MA., I?ve always looked forward to listening to WIZZ (a great mix of oldies and American standards). I?m delighted they are now on the internet (http://WIZZradio.com), and at home here in Wellesley I listen all the time. This summer they have been having a ?financial campaign? to raise money for a shortcoming in their budget. They make it clear that this is not an annual event but a one- time thing (due to the economy). They don?t have a goal but they do say that any ?extra money? will go toward a new transmitter(on the morning show a few days ago they said that their old xmtr costs $1550 a month for electricity and a new one will cost half that). Listeners? contributions are acknowledged on the air (name but not amount), and we?re kept informed of how things are going (this past week they had appraisers come in as they are looking to re-finance and that went well). I?m just wondering if any other commercial, New England stations have done fundraising drives (besides WJIB). Unlike WJIB, WIZZ airs commercials, too. For my listening tastes WIZZ is the perfect station (great music 24/7 and only one DJ (Phil D. who hosts the 6:30-9am slot, who I believe is the owner and does a great job with a style similar to Bob Steele?s old show on WTIC). I am happy to contribute because I like the station so much and am always listening. I can?t wait until internet radio is available for the car. I thought I read last winter that something would be available summer ?09, but when I inquire at car radio installers (e.g.,Rich?s Car Tunes, Watertown) they seem to think it?ll be a long time coming. Does anyone have info on this? (When I google, I get this - http://gizmodo.com/5123673/ worlds-first-internet-car-radio-would-go-perfectly-in-kitts-dashboard I don?t want an entire in-dash unit, I just want something that can be added to the radio I have now. In the meantime would putting a laptop with a wireless card on the passenger seat work? I am desperate for some decent radio listening when in the car if I?m in the Boston area). David Wilson From rac@gabrielmass.com Mon Sep 14 16:42:59 2009 From: rac@gabrielmass.com (Richard Chonak) Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2009 16:42:59 -0400 Subject: Fundraising drive on commercial radio WIZZ-1520 (Greenfield, MA) In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <4AAEAAD3.6090503@gabrielmass.com> D wrote: > In the meantime would putting a laptop > with a wireless card on the passenger seat work? I am desperate for some > decent radio listening when in the car if I?m in the Boston area). A laptop with a cellular card can play internet radio: cellular service is more portable than public wi-fi. Also, many Internet-capable phones can play internet radio; an external speaker or FM modulator would probably help. --RC From rac@gabrielmass.com Mon Sep 14 16:43:48 2009 From: rac@gabrielmass.com (Richard Chonak) Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2009 16:43:48 -0400 Subject: 890 looped message: going off air today In-Reply-To: <1fbbbced0909141013r5530b2a0k7b4e26dffdb3b2b8@mail.gmail.com> References: <1fbbbced0909141013r5530b2a0k7b4e26dffdb3b2b8@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <4AAEAB04.5090407@gabrielmass.com> Bob Nelson wrote: > 890 WAMG now has a looped message saying they leave the air today. > They thank listeners and sponsors and said > they were proud to bring ESPN and local sports/talk to the area for > the past four years. Is this their way of telling current listeners to go away because the new format will be aimed at a completely different audience: e.g., kids or Spanish-speakers? --RC From walkerbroadcasting@gmail.com Mon Sep 14 15:58:16 2009 From: walkerbroadcasting@gmail.com (Paul B. Walker, Jr.) Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2009 14:58:16 -0500 Subject: WHMP on FM In-Reply-To: <-8763667882996231807@unknownmsgid> References: <4AADDD84.8425.1E0A8A7@joe.attorneyross.com> <-8763667882996231807@unknownmsgid> Message-ID: <8bce0fe80909141258p629fd3fcw8aececf7895dbf29@mail.gmail.com> I dont think a translator, if it is rebroadcasting an FM station has to be ID every hour.. only 3x a day I was told. However, if it's an FM translator, rebroadcasting an AM station, it has to be ID'd on the hour every hour, I think -- Sincerely, Paul B. Walker, Jr. www.onairdj.com walkerbroadcasting@gmail.com On Mon, Sep 14, 2009 at 11:29 AM, Mike Fitzpatrick < necrat.alternate@gmail.com> wrote: > W245BK, 96.9. It transmits from the site of sister station, WLZX on Horse > Mountain in Northampton. > This is the old W246AM (97.1) repeater of the river that used to be on > WFCR's tower. > The legal is ID is probably being done using FSK. > > --Mike > > -----Original Message----- > From: boston-radio-interest-bounces@tsornin.BostonRadio.org > [mailto:boston-radio-interest-bounces@tsornin.BostonRadio.org] On Behalf > Of > Jim Hall > Subject: RE: WHMP on FM > > I believe the 96.9 is a translator licensed to Amherst, but with > transmitter > in Northampton. I notice the WHMP homepage mentions the 1400 and 1240, > plus > the 96.9 translator, but not the 1600 in Longmeadow (WHNP). I wonder if > they > plan to do something else with the 1600. > > >>>>> > > I was in Amherst yesterday and, while listening to WHMP in > Northampton, heard an announcement that they were "now on FM at > 96.9." And sure enough, they were. They don't seem to do a legal ID > for the FM station, though. I heard a legal ID for the three > simulcasting AM stations, but the only mention of the FM station was > the "now on FM at 96.9" which accompanied the legal ID as it does > other station announcements. > > \ > From rac@gabrielmass.com Mon Sep 14 17:01:47 2009 From: rac@gabrielmass.com (Richard Chonak) Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2009 17:01:47 -0400 Subject: 890 looped message: going off air today In-Reply-To: <1fbbbced0909141013r5530b2a0k7b4e26dffdb3b2b8@mail.gmail.com> References: <1fbbbced0909141013r5530b2a0k7b4e26dffdb3b2b8@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <4AAEAF3B.1020006@gabrielmass.com> Bob Nelson wrote: > 890 WAMG now has a looped message saying they leave the air today. > They thank listeners and sponsors and said > they were proud to bring ESPN and local sports/talk to the area for > the past four years. The signal stopped at 5 p.m. --RC From gary@garysicecream.com Mon Sep 14 17:17:26 2009 From: gary@garysicecream.com (Gary's Ice Cream) Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2009 17:17:26 -0400 Subject: FW: 890 looped message: going off air today Message-ID: <200909142117.n8ELHZGe009807@tsornin.bostonradio.org> 1400 Lowell and Lawrence carriers are also gone. -----Original Message----- From: boston-radio-interest-bounces@tsornin.BostonRadio.org [mailto:boston-radio-interest-bounces@tsornin.BostonRadio.org] On Behalf Of Richard Chonak Sent: Monday, September 14, 2009 5:02 PM To: Bob Nelson Cc: BostonRadio Mailing List Subject: Re: 890 looped message: going off air today Bob Nelson wrote: > 890 WAMG now has a looped message saying they leave the air today. > They thank listeners and sponsors and said they were proud to bring > ESPN and local sports/talk to the area for the past four years. The signal stopped at 5 p.m. --RC From Jibguy@aol.com Mon Sep 14 18:01:03 2009 From: Jibguy@aol.com (Jibguy@aol.com) Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2009 18:01:03 EDT Subject: Fundraising drive on commercial radio WIZZ-1520 (Greenfield, MA) Message-ID: In a message dated 9/14/2009 3:24:59 PM Eastern Standard Time, dav2149@comcast.net writes: I?m just wondering if any other commercial, New England stations have done fundraising drives (besides WJIB). Unlike WJIB, WIZZ airs commercials, too. For my listening tastes WIZZ is the perfect station (great music 24/7 and only one DJ (Phil D. who hosts the 6:30-9am slot, who I believe is the owner and does a great job with a style similar to Bob Steele?s old show on WTIC). Well yes, WJTO in Bath, Maine does too. - Phil IS the owner and DJ of/on WIZZ. His fundraising is different than WJIB/WJTO, altho I helped him out with it, and told him of some of the applicable details of WJIB/WJTO's fundraising efforts. - WIZZ needs the commercials too, along with the fundraising because WIZZ is not in a big city, nor is it in a "Vacationland" type of place where half-year residents having two homes are there to contribute (in the Greenfield area). - Phil is one of "the good guys" in the area radio biz; picking his own music, doing his own thing. ----BB From dan.strassberg@att.net Mon Sep 14 19:56:18 2009 From: dan.strassberg@att.net (Dan.Strassberg) Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2009 19:56:18 -0400 Subject: WMKK References: <20090914121912.35FE583BE2@ws1-1a.us4.outblaze.com> Message-ID: Has WKAF turned on the CP 2.05 kW yet? It easily could have because I doubt that the CP to increase from 1.7 kW to 2.05 kW involved any construction at all--most likely just dialing up the power on the existing transmitter. No changes to the existing two-bay antenna. That increase, when implemented, will finally make the station a full Class A; that wasn't possible until what used to be WINQ moved out of the way; I think it moved from Winchendon MA to Keene NH. ----- Dan Strassberg (dan.strassberg@att.net) eFax 1-707-215-6367 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Bob DeMattia" To: "BostonRadio Mailing List" Sent: Monday, September 14, 2009 9:45 AM Subject: Re: WMKK > 15 miles sounds correct, depending on where you pick the center of > Boston. > From the same point,the Needham towers and Great Blue Hill is ~7 > miles. > Aside from WKAF being class A, the big > difference between GBH and Needham is antenna height, as there are > no > enormous towers on > the hill. WKAF is ~2kW @ 173m while most of the Needham stations > are ~10kW > @~350m. > > WMKK is 34kW @ 178m. > > So if MKK pulls a larger audience than AAF/KAF, do you abandon the > more > popular station in exchange > for a bigger signal? > > Bob From radiotest@plymouthcolony.net Mon Sep 14 19:05:03 2009 From: radiotest@plymouthcolony.net (Dale H. Cook) Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2009 19:05:03 -0400 Subject: WHMP on FM In-Reply-To: <20090914175901.5A4AABE407E@ws1-9.us4.outblaze.com> References: <20090914175901.5A4AABE407E@ws1-9.us4.outblaze.com> Message-ID: <7.0.1.0.2.20090914185457.026ac448@plymouthcolony.net> At 01:59 PM 9/14/2009, Laurence Glavin wrote: >I seem to recall in another thread that stations >usually don't have to identify translators on-the-hour. That is correct, if the ID is aural. There are two ways to ID an FM translator: 1) Aurally, over-the-air, three times each day: a) Between 7 AM and 9 AM, b) Between 12:55 PM and 1:05 PM, and c) Between 4 PM and 6 PM 2) By Morse code hourly, by one of two methods: a) Frequency-shift-keying the carrier, or b) Amplitude modulating the carrier Dale H. Cook, Chief Engineer, Centennial Broadcasting, Roanoke/Lynchburg, VA - WZZI / WZZU / WLNI / WLEQ http://plymouthcolony.net/starcity/starcity.html From walkerbroadcasting@gmail.com Mon Sep 14 20:15:48 2009 From: walkerbroadcasting@gmail.com (Paul B. Walker, Jr.) Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2009 19:15:48 -0500 Subject: WHMP on FM In-Reply-To: <7.0.1.0.2.20090914185457.026ac448@plymouthcolony.net> References: <20090914175901.5A4AABE407E@ws1-9.us4.outblaze.com> <7.0.1.0.2.20090914185457.026ac448@plymouthcolony.net> Message-ID: <8bce0fe80909141715w74f27204td0daad1d68396408@mail.gmail.com> A friend of mine who works for an AM station with an FM translator told me that the FM translator rebroadcasting their AM station is to be treated like a full power commercial station, in terms of ID'ing and must be done every hour just like the AM, this is according to the companies attorney.. but right now, it is totally escaping me what station. Paul Walker www.onairdj.com www.facebook.com/onairdj On Mon, Sep 14, 2009 at 6:05 PM, Dale H. Cook wrote: > At 01:59 PM 9/14/2009, Laurence Glavin wrote: > > I seem to recall in another thread that stations >> usually don't have to identify translators on-the-hour. >> > > That is correct, if the ID is aural. There are two ways to ID an FM > translator: > > 1) Aurally, over-the-air, three times each day: > a) Between 7 AM and 9 AM, > b) Between 12:55 PM and 1:05 PM, and > c) Between 4 PM and 6 PM > > 2) By Morse code hourly, by one of two methods: > a) Frequency-shift-keying the carrier, or > b) Amplitude modulating the carrier > > Dale H. Cook, Chief Engineer, Centennial Broadcasting, Roanoke/Lynchburg, > VA - WZZI / WZZU / WLNI / WLEQ > http://plymouthcolony.net/starcity/starcity.html > From scott@fybush.com Mon Sep 14 20:22:41 2009 From: scott@fybush.com (Scott Fybush) Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2009 20:22:41 -0400 Subject: WHMP on FM In-Reply-To: <8bce0fe80909141715w74f27204td0daad1d68396408@mail.gmail.com> References: <20090914175901.5A4AABE407E@ws1-9.us4.outblaze.com> <7.0.1.0.2.20090914185457.026ac448@plymouthcolony.net> <8bce0fe80909141715w74f27204td0daad1d68396408@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <4AAEDE51.7040807@fybush.com> Paul B. Walker, Jr. wrote: > A friend of mine who works for an AM station with an FM translator told me > that the FM translator rebroadcasting their AM station is to be treated like > a full power commercial station, in terms of ID'ing and must be done every > hour just like the AM, this is according to the companies attorney.. but > right now, it is totally escaping me what station. That's not the way the new rules are written, at least in the last version I saw. They treat AM-on-FM translators like any other translator: you can ID them aurally three times daily at specified times, or you can do it inaudibly by sending FSK code. There was a push from some AM stations to give AM-on-FM translators full-power-style calls - i.e., WHMP-FX - but the FCC declined to act on that proposal. s From walkerbroadcasting@gmail.com Mon Sep 14 20:27:37 2009 From: walkerbroadcasting@gmail.com (Paul B. Walker, Jr.) Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2009 19:27:37 -0500 Subject: WHMP on FM In-Reply-To: <4AAEDE51.7040807@fybush.com> References: <20090914175901.5A4AABE407E@ws1-9.us4.outblaze.com> <7.0.1.0.2.20090914185457.026ac448@plymouthcolony.net> <8bce0fe80909141715w74f27204td0daad1d68396408@mail.gmail.com> <4AAEDE51.7040807@fybush.com> Message-ID: <8bce0fe80909141727r3fd1b61fu23a4cb3839df0845@mail.gmail.com> When I asked my friend, he said the word came down from their attorney that this was how the station was to be ID'd... I've heard Ams who ID the translator every hour, calls and all.. maybe the attorney was just being on the safe side.. there's nothing wrong with going "WXYA Anytown, W300ZZ Anytown" every hour, or burying "w300zzanytown" in between comemrcials and runnnig the AM ID at the top of hour. -- Sincerely, Paul B. Walker, Jr. www.onairdj.com www.facebook.com/onairdj walkerbroadcasting@gmail.com On Mon, Sep 14, 2009 at 7:22 PM, Scott Fybush wrote: > Paul B. Walker, Jr. wrote: > >> A friend of mine who works for an AM station with an FM translator told me >> that the FM translator rebroadcasting their AM station is to be treated >> like >> a full power commercial station, in terms of ID'ing and must be done every >> hour just like the AM, this is according to the companies attorney.. but >> right now, it is totally escaping me what station. >> > > That's not the way the new rules are written, at least in the last version > I saw. They treat AM-on-FM translators like any other translator: you can ID > them aurally three times daily at specified times, or you can do it > inaudibly by sending FSK code. > > There was a push from some AM stations to give AM-on-FM translators > full-power-style calls - i.e., WHMP-FX - but the FCC declined to act on that > proposal. > > s > From scott@fybush.com Mon Sep 14 20:42:42 2009 From: scott@fybush.com (Scott Fybush) Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2009 20:42:42 -0400 Subject: WHMP on FM In-Reply-To: <8bce0fe80909141727r3fd1b61fu23a4cb3839df0845@mail.gmail.com> References: <20090914175901.5A4AABE407E@ws1-9.us4.outblaze.com> <7.0.1.0.2.20090914185457.026ac448@plymouthcolony.net> <8bce0fe80909141715w74f27204td0daad1d68396408@mail.gmail.com> <4AAEDE51.7040807@fybush.com> <8bce0fe80909141727r3fd1b61fu23a4cb3839df0845@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <4AAEE302.8030504@fybush.com> Paul B. Walker, Jr. wrote: > When I asked my friend, he said the word came down from their attorney > that this was how the station was to be ID'd... I've heard Ams who ID > the translator every hour, calls and all.. maybe the attorney was just > being on the safe side.. there's nothing wrong with going "WXYA Anytown, > W300ZZ Anytown" every hour, or burying "w300zzanytown" in between > comemrcials and runnnig the AM ID at the top of hour. There's nothing wrong with playing it safe, no...but if we're going to talk about what the rules actually are, and not just what "my friend told me," it's helpful to look at what the rules actually are, straight from the FCC's mouth. The AM translator rulemaking is here: http://hraunfoss.fcc.gov/edocs_public/attachmatch/FCC-09-59A1.pdf ...and the end of paragraph 22 on page 11 is the relevant passage: "With respect to the issue of ?conforming? call signs, adopting the proposed call sign naming system would be contrary to the current system utilized by other translator stations. Moreover, because the current system for FM booster call sign selection allows for conforming call signs, allowing FM translators also to conform their call signs could prompt potential conflicts with FM booster call signs. Therefore, we will continue to use the same translator call sign system in place for FM stations. Stations using fill-in FM translators can and do promote the availability of those translators with on-air announcements on their primary stations and other promotional techniques." Read on to the "implementation" section at the end, where the FCC tells us what changes it's actually making to its existing rules, and you'll see that 74.1283, the section that governs on-air identification, isn't changed by the translator rulemaking. If I were an AM station running an FM translator, I'd be using hourly inaudible FSK IDing for the translator callsign - and calling it "WSDF-FM" the rest of the hour on the air. Why confuse listeners with the meaningless gibberish of "W245QJ, Anytown"? (And remember, I'm a legal-ID geek here...) From joe@attorneyross.com Tue Sep 15 01:25:59 2009 From: joe@attorneyross.com (A. Joseph Ross) Date: Tue, 15 Sep 2009 01:25:59 -0400 Subject: WHMP on FM In-Reply-To: References: <4AADDD84.8425.1E0A8A7@joe.attorneyross.com>, Message-ID: <4AAF2567.8818.7DFF17@joe.attorneyross.com> On 14 Sep 2009 at 8:20, Jim Hall wrote: > I believe the 96.9 is a translator licensed to Amherst, but with > transmitter in Northampton. I notice the WHMP homepage mentions the > 1400 and 1240, plus the 96.9 translator, but not the 1600 in > Longmeadow (WHNP). I wonder if they plan to do something else with the > 1600. I don't know, but they were IDing all three AM stations when I was out there on Saturday. -- A. Joseph Ross, J.D. 617.367.0468 92 State Street, Suite 700 Fax 617.507.7856 Boston, MA 02109-2004 http://www.attorneyross.com From joe@attorneyross.com Tue Sep 15 01:26:00 2009 From: joe@attorneyross.com (A. Joseph Ross) Date: Tue, 15 Sep 2009 01:26:00 -0400 Subject: WHMP on FM In-Reply-To: <4AADDD84.8425.1E0A8A7@joe.attorneyross.com> References: <4AADDD84.8425.1E0A8A7@joe.attorneyross.com> Message-ID: <4AAF2568.10821.7E00DA@joe.attorneyross.com> On 14 Sep 2009 at 2:07, A. Joseph Ross wrote: > On another local note, when I checked the Amherst Bulletin online this > week, I found last week's articles were still there. I also failed to > find the free weekly at the two newsstands that I checked. I don't > know whether this means that it has been discontinued suddenly. I > hope not, but it certainly must have suffered a drop in the ad revenue > that pays for the paper. Happily, the new edition of the Amherst Bulletin is online tonight. In response to my e-mail inquiry, they said that they had "some web- related problems" which they hoped to have corrected soon. -- A. Joseph Ross, J.D. 617.367.0468 92 State Street, Suite 700 Fax 617.507.7856 Boston, MA 02109-2004 http://www.attorneyross.com From necrat.alternate@gmail.com Tue Sep 15 01:04:42 2009 From: necrat.alternate@gmail.com (Mike Fitzpatrick) Date: Tue, 15 Sep 2009 01:04:42 -0400 Subject: WHMP on FM In-Reply-To: <8bce0fe80909141258p629fd3fcw8aececf7895dbf29@mail.gmail.com> References: <4AADDD84.8425.1E0A8A7@joe.attorneyross.com> <-8763667882996231807@unknownmsgid> <8bce0fe80909141258p629fd3fcw8aececf7895dbf29@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <000601ca35c2$096ff460$1c4fdd20$@alternate@gmail.com> Paul, Go to the FCC website if you don't believe me. "W245BK" is a translator license, nothing else. The station uses FSK IDing. It is operating LEGALLY, as a Legal Transmitter doing a LEGAL ID. End of story. --Mike -----Original Message----- From: Paul B. Walker, Jr. [mailto:walkerbroadcasting@gmail.com] Sent: Monday, September 14, 2009 15:58 To: Mike Fitzpatrick Cc: Jim Hall; boston-radio-interest@bostonradio.org Subject: Re: WHMP on FM I dont think a translator, if it is rebroadcasting an FM station has to be ID every hour.. only 3x a day I was told. However, if it's an FM translator, rebroadcasting an AM station, it has to be ID'd on the hour every hour, I think -- Sincerely, Paul B. Walker, Jr. www.onairdj.com walkerbroadcasting@gmail.com On Mon, Sep 14, 2009 at 11:29 AM, Mike Fitzpatrick wrote: W245BK, 96.9. It transmits from the site of sister station, WLZX on Horse Mountain in Northampton. This is the old W246AM (97.1) repeater of the river that used to be on WFCR's tower. The legal is ID is probably being done using FSK. --Mike -----Original Message----- From: boston-radio-interest-bounces@tsornin.BostonRadio.org [mailto:boston-radio-interest-bounces@tsornin.BostonRadio.org] On Behalf Of Jim Hall Subject: RE: WHMP on FM I believe the 96.9 is a translator licensed to Amherst, but with transmitter in Northampton. I notice the WHMP homepage mentions the 1400 and 1240, plus the 96.9 translator, but not the 1600 in Longmeadow (WHNP). I wonder if they plan to do something else with the 1600. >>>>> I was in Amherst yesterday and, while listening to WHMP in Northampton, heard an announcement that they were "now on FM at 96.9." And sure enough, they were. They don't seem to do a legal ID for the FM station, though. I heard a legal ID for the three simulcasting AM stations, but the only mention of the FM station was the "now on FM at 96.9" which accompanied the legal ID as it does other station announcements. \ From raccoonradio@mail.com Tue Sep 15 03:04:56 2009 From: raccoonradio@mail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Tue, 15 Sep 2009 02:04:56 -0500 Subject: FW: 890 looped message: going off air today Message-ID: <20090915070456.DB0F283985@ws1-2a.us4.outblaze.com> I was on 28 in N. Reading just before 5 pm and tried 1400; no sign of them. Had a hunch 890 would be next. Mere seconds before the clock struck 5, I tuned to 890 and heard that looped message one more time--and then the transmitter was switched off. New format for now is silent, I guess. From raccoonradio@mail.com Tue Sep 15 03:06:19 2009 From: raccoonradio@mail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Tue, 15 Sep 2009 02:06:19 -0500 Subject: 890 looped message: going off air today Message-ID: <20090915070619.A612783985@ws1-2a.us4.outblaze.com> Yes and I tuned in mere seconds before it did. End of business hours, end of station. For now. >>The signal stopped at 5 p.m. --RC From walkerbroadcasting@gmail.com Tue Sep 15 07:10:37 2009 From: walkerbroadcasting@gmail.com (Paul B. Walker, Jr.) Date: Tue, 15 Sep 2009 06:10:37 -0500 Subject: WHMP on FM In-Reply-To: <-2694005935013957811@unknownmsgid> References: <4AADDD84.8425.1E0A8A7@joe.attorneyross.com> <-8763667882996231807@unknownmsgid> <8bce0fe80909141258p629fd3fcw8aececf7895dbf29@mail.gmail.com> <-2694005935013957811@unknownmsgid> Message-ID: <8bce0fe80909150410u4715db49ha32dab7a75bf4132@mail.gmail.com> Mike, I am so sorry I led you to beleive that I didn't think you were telling the truth or that I didn't believe you.Im very aware of FSK ID'ing, I just kow some translators ID 3x a day, some do it every hour.. and I was trying to clarify what the rules were for FM on AM translators. Paul Walker www.onairdj.com www.facebook.con/onairdj On Tue, Sep 15, 2009 at 12:04 AM, Mike Fitzpatrick < necrat.alternate@gmail.com> wrote: > Paul, > > Go to the FCC website if you don't believe me. "W245BK" is a translator > license, nothing else. > The station uses FSK IDing. > It is operating LEGALLY, as a Legal Transmitter doing a LEGAL ID. > > End of story. > > --Mike > > -----Original Message----- > From: Paul B. Walker, Jr. [mailto:walkerbroadcasting@gmail.com] > Sent: Monday, September 14, 2009 15:58 > To: Mike Fitzpatrick > Cc: Jim Hall; boston-radio-interest@bostonradio.org > Subject: Re: WHMP on FM > > I dont think a translator, if it is rebroadcasting an FM station has to be > ID every hour.. only 3x a day I was told. > > However, if it's an FM translator, rebroadcasting an AM station, it has to > be ID'd on the hour every hour, I think > > > -- > Sincerely, > Paul B. Walker, Jr. > www.onairdj.com > walkerbroadcasting@gmail.com > > > On Mon, Sep 14, 2009 at 11:29 AM, Mike Fitzpatrick > wrote: > > > W245BK, 96.9. It transmits from the site of sister station, WLZX on > Horse > Mountain in Northampton. > This is the old W246AM (97.1) repeater of the river that used to be > on > WFCR's tower. > The legal is ID is probably being done using FSK. > > --Mike > > > -----Original Message----- > > From walkerbroadcasting@gmail.com Tue Sep 15 11:23:43 2009 From: walkerbroadcasting@gmail.com (Paul B. Walker, Jr.) Date: Tue, 15 Sep 2009 10:23:43 -0500 Subject: 890/1400 Message-ID: <8bce0fe80909150823i37d52376q281cd2ab82ea2050@mail.gmail.com> So, have these stations come back on the air yet? What are they running? Is it possible 890 and 1400 could seperate and run different programming? -- Sincerely, Paul B. Walker, Jr. www.onairdj.com walkerbroadcasting@gmail.com From dan.strassberg@att.net Tue Sep 15 11:46:02 2009 From: dan.strassberg@att.net (Dan.Strassberg) Date: Tue, 15 Sep 2009 11:46:02 -0400 Subject: 890/1400 References: <8bce0fe80909150823i37d52376q281cd2ab82ea2050@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <14E4E1D23D8A47F1BC78F6769D9B30BA@SatU205S5044> My guess is that neither station is going to return until the owner (Waller Sutton) finds someone who will LMA or buy it. If that takes more than a year, they will probably light up for a day next September to keep the licenses alive. ESPN was paying to keep the stations on the air and, in the absence of that money, the game plan almost certainly is to spend as little as humanly possible. I believe that the 890 site (diplexed at night with Alex Langer's 1060) is owned by a third party, so W-S will probably have to fork over WAMG's share of the rental each month. I have no idea how long the (expensive, I'm told) lease on the Charlestown studios has to run. If the studio lease ends before someone buys the station or enters into a binding LMA, I imagine that they will sell off the studio equipment (or at least put it in storage) and get out of the space. A new owner or LMA partner, will then have to find new studio space--usually not a big problem. ----- Dan Strassberg (dan.strassberg@att.net) eFax 1-707-215-6367 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Paul B. Walker, Jr." To: "bri" Sent: Tuesday, September 15, 2009 11:23 AM Subject: 890/1400 > So, have these stations come back on the air yet? What are they > running? > > Is it possible 890 and 1400 could seperate and run different > programming? > > -- > Sincerely, > Paul B. Walker, Jr. > www.onairdj.com > walkerbroadcasting@gmail.com From Jibguy@aol.com Tue Sep 15 12:00:27 2009 From: Jibguy@aol.com (Jibguy@aol.com) Date: Tue, 15 Sep 2009 12:00:27 EDT Subject: 890/1400 Message-ID: In a message dated 9/15/2009 10:47:01 AM Eastern Standard Time, dan.strassberg@att.net writes: I believe that the 890 site (diplexed at night with Alex Langer's 1060) is owned by a third party, so W-S will probably have to fork over WAMG's share of the rental each month. ----------------------------------------- Most tower leases are ironclad as to begin and end dates regardless of whether a station is actually transmitting or not. There's 890 owners will still be paying monthly and 1060 would not be seeing any higher rent due to 890 being off. The only thing 890 is saving is electricity and possibly staff right now. I'm sure, in the next month, someone will come along to rent the station. ---BB From Jibguy@aol.com Tue Sep 15 12:00:27 2009 From: Jibguy@aol.com (Jibguy@aol.com) Date: Tue, 15 Sep 2009 12:00:27 EDT Subject: 890/1400 Message-ID: In a message dated 9/15/2009 10:47:01 AM Eastern Standard Time, dan.strassberg@att.net writes: I believe that the 890 site (diplexed at night with Alex Langer's 1060) is owned by a third party, so W-S will probably have to fork over WAMG's share of the rental each month. ----------------------------------------- Most tower leases are ironclad as to begin and end dates regardless of whether a station is actually transmitting or not. There's 890 owners will still be paying monthly and 1060 would not be seeing any higher rent due to 890 being off. The only thing 890 is saving is electricity and possibly staff right now. I'm sure, in the next month, someone will come along to rent the station. ---BB From dan.strassberg@att.net Tue Sep 15 11:46:02 2009 From: dan.strassberg@att.net (Dan.Strassberg) Date: Tue, 15 Sep 2009 11:46:02 -0400 Subject: 890/1400 References: <8bce0fe80909150823i37d52376q281cd2ab82ea2050@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <14E4E1D23D8A47F1BC78F6769D9B30BA@SatU205S5044> My guess is that neither station is going to return until the owner (Waller Sutton) finds someone who will LMA or buy it. If that takes more than a year, they will probably light up for a day next September to keep the licenses alive. ESPN was paying to keep the stations on the air and, in the absence of that money, the game plan almost certainly is to spend as little as humanly possible. I believe that the 890 site (diplexed at night with Alex Langer's 1060) is owned by a third party, so W-S will probably have to fork over WAMG's share of the rental each month. I have no idea how long the (expensive, I'm told) lease on the Charlestown studios has to run. If the studio lease ends before someone buys the station or enters into a binding LMA, I imagine that they will sell off the studio equipment (or at least put it in storage) and get out of the space. A new owner or LMA partner, will then have to find new studio space--usually not a big problem. ----- Dan Strassberg (dan.strassberg@att.net) eFax 1-707-215-6367 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Paul B. Walker, Jr." To: "bri" Sent: Tuesday, September 15, 2009 11:23 AM Subject: 890/1400 > So, have these stations come back on the air yet? What are they > running? > > Is it possible 890 and 1400 could seperate and run different > programming? > > -- > Sincerely, > Paul B. Walker, Jr. > www.onairdj.com > walkerbroadcasting@gmail.com From kvahey@comcast.net Tue Sep 15 18:02:17 2009 From: kvahey@comcast.net (Kevin Vahey) Date: Tue, 15 Sep 2009 17:02:17 -0500 Subject: RIP Fred Cusick Message-ID: <4fc429770909151502w4dba2841m5f0c6dd627a7e0a7@mail.gmail.com> Long time Bruins announcer Fred Cusick died this morning at the age of 90 http://www.boston.com/sports/hockey/bruins/extras/bruins_blog/2009/09/legendary_voice.html From sean.smyth@yahoo.com Tue Sep 15 19:06:17 2009 From: sean.smyth@yahoo.com (Sean Smyth) Date: Tue, 15 Sep 2009 16:06:17 -0700 (PDT) Subject: RIP Fred Cusick In-Reply-To: <4fc429770909151502w4dba2841m5f0c6dd627a7e0a7@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <208418.25796.qm@web110505.mail.gq1.yahoo.com> On Tue, 9/15/09, Kevin Vahey wrote: > Long time Bruins announcer Fred > Cusick died this morning at the age of 90 > > http://www.boston.com/sports/hockey/bruins/extras/bruins_blog/2009/09/legendary_voice.html At least he had the pleasure of knowing he'd be inducted into the local broadcasting hall, even if he didn't get to witness it. From markwats@comcast.net Tue Sep 15 20:36:40 2009 From: markwats@comcast.net (markwats@comcast.net) Date: Wed, 16 Sep 2009 00:36:40 +0000 (UTC) Subject: RIP Fred Cusick In-Reply-To: <1755367342.2812271253061077002.JavaMail.root@sz0140a.westchester.pa.mail.comcast.net> Message-ID: <2013495402.2814921253061400861.JavaMail.root@sz0140a.westchester.pa.mail.comcast.net> Kevin Vahey wrote: >Long time Bruins announcer Fred Cusick died this morning at the age of 90 ?? Sadly, he passed the day before he was to be inducted into the Mass. Broadcasters Hall of Fame. ?? After his Bruins broadcast run ended he called some Lowell Lock Monsters (AHL) games for Comcast's CN8 channel,?paired with former Bruins & NY Rangers great Brad Park. H e was in his early 80's by the time CN8 no longer carried the games. He also?called a weekly golf match series for a few years that aired on CN8 or NECN (can't recall exactly which).? ? ? Since I'm on vacation in North Conway and the cable system here has no Boston channels, I'm just curious if?any of the Boston TV newscasts made mention of Fred Cusick's passing. ? ?Mark Watson From m_carney@yahoo.com Tue Sep 15 21:30:12 2009 From: m_carney@yahoo.com (Maureen Carney) Date: Tue, 15 Sep 2009 18:30:12 -0700 (PDT) Subject: RIP Fred Cusick In-Reply-To: <2013495402.2814921253061400861.JavaMail.root@sz0140a.westchester.pa.mail.comcast.net> References: <2013495402.2814921253061400861.JavaMail.root@sz0140a.westchester.pa.mail.comcast.net> Message-ID: <606401.49543.qm@web53301.mail.re2.yahoo.com> The Sox had a moment of silence for him and it was shown on NESN. They'll have more on Sports Desk after the game. From kvahey@comcast.net Tue Sep 15 22:20:21 2009 From: kvahey@comcast.net (Kevin Vahey) Date: Tue, 15 Sep 2009 21:20:21 -0500 Subject: RIP Fred Cusick In-Reply-To: <2013495402.2814921253061400861.JavaMail.root@sz0140a.westchester.pa.mail.comcast.net> References: <1755367342.2812271253061077002.JavaMail.root@sz0140a.westchester.pa.mail.comcast.net> <2013495402.2814921253061400861.JavaMail.root@sz0140a.westchester.pa.mail.comcast.net> Message-ID: <4fc429770909151920u67333131nd14886589a3a87bd@mail.gmail.com> I had a long conversation with Fred about those WMUR tapes. He had used his connections with the CBC to have them patch in his audio and also edit the tapes in Montreal and Toronto as WMUR could not edit tapes having only one VTR. He would leave Toronto or Montreal after midnight and drive to Manchester to air the tape on Sunday mornings. Toronto was actually an easier but longer drive because I 89 in Vermont wasn't finished yet. He finally convinced WHDH-TV to air a road game from New York on a Saturday afternoon in February of 1966 and it achieved an enormous rating. The following season Fred got the games on WKBG-56 but after one season Kaiser-Globe decided to focus on Celtics only and the Bruins went to WSBK. Fred then was out as announcer as he was working full time at 56 and 38 hired Don Earle. Fred would get back the following year on WBZ and then moved to TV in 1972. It is tragic he could not live for his induction tomorrow. From mariogonz@aol.com Mon Sep 14 16:47:14 2009 From: mariogonz@aol.com (Mario Gonzalez Jr.) Date: Mon, 14 Sep 2009 16:47:14 -0400 Subject: Fundraising drive on commercial radio WIZZ-1520 (Greenfield, MA) In-Reply-To: <4AAEAAD3.6090503@gabrielmass.com> References: <4AAEAAD3.6090503@gabrielmass.com> Message-ID: <4AAEABD2.6070405@aol.com> The iPhone can definitely play internet radio. I do it all the time, whether I am in a car or a bus. The stream for the station referenced in the email seems to running on a flash program. I tried to find in on the various programs that I have on my iPhone and I could not find it. Many other streams are available to play on the iPhone though. Mario On 9/14/2009 4:42 PM, Richard Chonak wrote: > D wrote: >> In the meantime would putting a laptop with a wireless card on the >> passenger seat work? I am desperate for some decent radio listening >> when in the car if I in the Boston area). > > A laptop with a cellular card can play internet radio: cellular > service is more portable than public wi-fi. Also, many > Internet-capable phones can play internet radio; an external speaker > or FM modulator would probably help. > > --RC From kvahey@comcast.net Wed Sep 16 13:19:43 2009 From: kvahey@comcast.net (Kevin Vahey) Date: Wed, 16 Sep 2009 12:19:43 -0500 Subject: RIP Fred Cusick In-Reply-To: <4fc429770909151920u67333131nd14886589a3a87bd@mail.gmail.com> References: <1755367342.2812271253061077002.JavaMail.root@sz0140a.westchester.pa.mail.comcast.net> <2013495402.2814921253061400861.JavaMail.root@sz0140a.westchester.pa.mail.comcast.net> <4fc429770909151920u67333131nd14886589a3a87bd@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <4fc429770909161019y6e34f78dtedd3de0172d7ad9@mail.gmail.com> Nice pic of Fred from WCOP in 1941 http://www.google.com/hostednews/canadianpress/slideshow/ALeqM5hlr66lUnokgFmtHzpsUsnMv5FLNA?index=0&ned=us Cape Cod Times looks back on hic career. He was a hustler in the radio biz and his book recounts the early days of AM 1600 when most radios couldn't even tune the station. http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090916/SPORTS/909159967 From wwdj@optonline.net Wed Sep 16 08:43:23 2009 From: wwdj@optonline.net (Dennis Jackson) Date: Wed, 16 Sep 2009 08:43:23 -0400 Subject: Even-Handed Story on WCLX Going Dark In-Reply-To: <4AB05248.90301@optonline.net> References: <4AB05248.90301@optonline.net> Message-ID: <4AB0DD6B.8090904@optonline.net> There is an even-handed news item about this under "BLOGS" in the online version of the Burlington publication "Seven Days." Google "7 Days VT WCLX" or similar. > From nostaticatall@charter.net Wed Sep 16 16:48:57 2009 From: nostaticatall@charter.net (Dave Tomm) Date: Wed, 16 Sep 2009 16:48:57 -0400 Subject: Fundraising drive on commercial radio WIZZ-1520 (Greenfield, MA) In-Reply-To: <4AAEABD2.6070405@aol.com> References: <4AAEAAD3.6090503@gabrielmass.com> <4AAEABD2.6070405@aol.com> Message-ID: Car manufacturers are now building docks for the I-Phone, so it can recharge while driving and patches in directly to the car's sound system. Many stations are developing apps that allow streaming over the I-Phone. Public Radio has already done it. Clear Channel has their iheartradio app that allows streaming of nearly all of their stations, plus other content as well. Individual stations have apps as well. It's still in the rudimentary stages, but internet radio is coming. It will make satellite radio largely obsolete and make things even more difficult for local signals. -Dave On Sep 14, 2009, at 4:47 PM, Mario Gonzalez Jr. wrote: > The iPhone can definitely play internet radio. I do it all the > time, whether I am in a car or a bus. > > The stream for the station referenced in the email seems to running > on a flash program. I tried to find in on the various programs that > I have on my iPhone and I could not find it. Many other streams are > available to play on the iPhone though. > > Mario > > On 9/14/2009 4:42 PM, Richard Chonak wrote: >> D wrote: >>> In the meantime would putting a laptop with a wireless card on the >>> passenger seat work? I am desperate for some decent radio >>> listening when in the car if I in the Boston area). >> >> A laptop with a cellular card can play internet radio: cellular >> service is more portable than public wi-fi. Also, many Internet- >> capable phones can play internet radio; an external speaker or FM >> modulator would probably help. >> >> --RC From paulranderson@charter.net Wed Sep 16 22:17:35 2009 From: paulranderson@charter.net (Paul Anderson) Date: Wed, 16 Sep 2009 22:17:35 -0400 Subject: Fundraising drive on commercial radio WIZZ-1520 (Greenfield, MA) In-Reply-To: References: <4AAEAAD3.6090503@gabrielmass.com> <4AAEABD2.6070405@aol.com> Message-ID: <93B22C06-0A91-4F71-8A1D-487EB6F37CF3@charter.net> On Sep 16, 2009, at 4:48 PM, Dave Tomm wrote: > It's still in the rudimentary stages, but internet radio is coming. > It will make satellite radio largely obsolete and make things even > more difficult for local signals. How will Internet radio be delivered to cars? Wi-Fi? Sure, if you're driving in one of the few places with wireless Internet services. Cell phone signals? Not when there's so many dead spots in cell phone reception. Something major would have to change to get this to work. Paul From wollman@bimajority.org Wed Sep 16 23:29:47 2009 From: wollman@bimajority.org (Garrett Wollman) Date: Wed, 16 Sep 2009 23:29:47 -0400 Subject: Fundraising drive on commercial radio WIZZ-1520 (Greenfield, MA) In-Reply-To: <93B22C06-0A91-4F71-8A1D-487EB6F37CF3@charter.net> References: <4AAEAAD3.6090503@gabrielmass.com> <4AAEABD2.6070405@aol.com> <93B22C06-0A91-4F71-8A1D-487EB6F37CF3@charter.net> Message-ID: <19121.44331.934771.550799@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> < said: > Cell phone signals? Not when there's so many dead spots in cell phone > reception. There actually *aren't* "so many dead spots in cell phone reception"; that's why it will work. I encounter far more dead spots in my satellite radio reception than I ever have in my cell service. -GAWollman From billohno@gmail.com Wed Sep 16 23:37:29 2009 From: billohno@gmail.com (Bill O'Neill) Date: Wed, 16 Sep 2009 23:37:29 -0400 Subject: WiFi Radio (was: Fundraising drive on commercial radio WIZZ-1520 (Greenfield, MA)) In-Reply-To: <93B22C06-0A91-4F71-8A1D-487EB6F37CF3@charter.net> References: <4AAEAAD3.6090503@gabrielmass.com> <4AAEABD2.6070405@aol.com> <93B22C06-0A91-4F71-8A1D-487EB6F37CF3@charter.net> Message-ID: <4AB1AEF9.7070604@gmail.com> Paul Anderson wrote: > Something major would have to change to get this to work. > Here in Vermont it could take years to get blanket cell or WiFi coverage but rural areas like this are not the markets that would bring return on investment to begin with. Rt 2 from East Montpelier to St Jay is pathetic for cell coverage, for instance. (Bring on the Northeast Kingdom jokes...) In most areas, however, it's just a matter of time and demand for increase cellular or WiFi penetration. And if there is a turnkey solution to receiving music over IP in next generation vehicles then that will be a vehicle for driving that demand. (Talk about punned-up beyond all recognition....) Bottom line is I would welcome any excuse to day g'day to SirusXM. I just let my second radio subscription lapse and will simply toss the head unit from car to car to office, etc. Bill O'Neill From donald_astelle@yahoo.com Thu Sep 17 00:56:40 2009 From: donald_astelle@yahoo.com (Don A) Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:56:40 -0400 Subject: Fundraising drive on commercial radio WIZZ-1520 (Greenfield, MA) References: <4AAEAAD3.6090503@gabrielmass.com> <4AAEABD2.6070405@aol.com><93B22C06-0A91-4F71-8A1D-487EB6F37CF3@charter.net> <19121.44331.934771.550799@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> Message-ID: > < said: > >> Cell phone signals? Not when there's so many dead spots in cell phone >> reception. > > There actually *aren't* "so many dead spots in cell phone reception"; > that's why it will work. I have to disagree garrett. Maybe in metro Boston....but in the burbs outside 128, NH and here in VT...there are lots of dead spots. It's getting better...but in my experiene there are still a lot of dead spots...and the public would never put up with trying to 'radio' that way in it's current state. From mward@iname.com Thu Sep 17 00:03:15 2009 From: mward@iname.com (Mike Ward) Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:03:15 -0400 Subject: Fundraising drive on commercial radio WIZZ-1520 (Greenfield, MA) In-Reply-To: <19121.44331.934771.550799@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> References: <4AAEAAD3.6090503@gabrielmass.com> <4AAEABD2.6070405@aol.com> <93B22C06-0A91-4F71-8A1D-487EB6F37CF3@charter.net> <19121.44331.934771.550799@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> Message-ID: <4AB1B503.9060607@iname.com> Garrett Wollman wrote: > There actually *aren't* "so many dead spots in cell phone reception"; > that's why it will work. > > I encounter far more dead spots in my satellite radio reception than I > ever have in my cell service. Indeed, and that's the very same experience I have. YMMV for others, but I have pretty solid 3G coverage along pretty much every major roadway in this part of the world (NE Ohio, VZW service). Other carriers? Other areas? I don't know, and I don't know who's the Coverage King of the New England region. For ME, here, using my current service, cell-phone-Internet fed 3G service to stream audio in the car would work 95% of the time...even in the most rural areas. The aforementioned iPhone dock would be a viable solution for me. Well, if I had an iPhone, which I don't. (See above about VZW service.) From wollman@bimajority.org Thu Sep 17 01:05:49 2009 From: wollman@bimajority.org (Garrett Wollman) Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2009 01:05:49 -0400 Subject: Fundraising drive on commercial radio WIZZ-1520 (Greenfield, MA) In-Reply-To: References: <4AAEAAD3.6090503@gabrielmass.com> <4AAEABD2.6070405@aol.com> <93B22C06-0A91-4F71-8A1D-487EB6F37CF3@charter.net> <19121.44331.934771.550799@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> Message-ID: <19121.50093.736495.381532@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> < said: > I have to disagree garrett. Maybe in metro Boston....but in the burbs > outside 128, NH and here in VT...there are lots of dead spots. > It's getting better...but in my experiene there are still a lot of dead > spots...and the public would never put up with trying to 'radio' that way in > it's current state. The population in those places is not all that significant to start with, and is becoming less so every year. Most of "the public" doesn't live in rural areas any more. The real fight is going to be over the sort of licensing that will be required for these systems. The computer industry wants unlicensed, or at most "lite licensed", spectrum to predominate; the entrenched telecommunications companies (cell and landline carriers) want heavy-licensed, exclusive spectrum allocations with the concomitant spectrum auctions and very high barriers to entry, to maintain their oligopoly and make it uneconomical for potential competitors to gain a foothold (unless their names begin with "Google" or "Microsoft" and have billions to throw away in the name of market share). -GAWollman From kvahey@comcast.net Thu Sep 17 01:09:27 2009 From: kvahey@comcast.net (Kevin Vahey) Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2009 00:09:27 -0500 Subject: WiFi Radio (was: Fundraising drive on commercial radio WIZZ-1520 (Greenfield, MA)) In-Reply-To: <4AB1AEF9.7070604@gmail.com> References: <4AAEAAD3.6090503@gabrielmass.com> <4AAEABD2.6070405@aol.com> <93B22C06-0A91-4F71-8A1D-487EB6F37CF3@charter.net> <4AB1AEF9.7070604@gmail.com> Message-ID: <4fc429770909162209o4dcaaaady323b7452ac3665bc@mail.gmail.com> I get a full Sprint Signal on 91 as far as Newport then start roaming on Bell Quebec. I suspect you will soon see a portable internet radio that works like the Amazon Kindle which works anywhere that Sprint does as Amazon pays the bill. From donald_astelle@yahoo.com Thu Sep 17 01:28:45 2009 From: donald_astelle@yahoo.com (Don A) Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2009 01:28:45 -0400 Subject: Fundraising drive on commercial radio WIZZ-1520 (Greenfield, MA) References: <4AAEAAD3.6090503@gabrielmass.com> <4AAEABD2.6070405@aol.com><93B22C06-0A91-4F71-8A1D-487EB6F37CF3@charter.net><19121.44331.934771.550799@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> <19121.50093.736495.381532@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> Message-ID: <851374147CD34A6BA5491750E7616E39@MainXPPro> > < > said: > >> I have to disagree garrett. Maybe in metro Boston....but in the burbs >> outside 128, NH and here in VT...there are lots of dead spots. > >> It's getting better...but in my experiene there are still a lot of dead >> spots...and the public would never put up with trying to 'radio' that way >> in >> it's current state. > > The population in those places is not all that significant to start > with, and is becoming less so every year. Most of "the public" > doesn't live in rural areas any more. My brother is in Burlington Mass and cannot get service at his home. There are places in and around Nashua that always drop calls. For some reason whenever I take the exit in Marlboro Mass....I get a dropped call. These are not quite rural. Looking at all the complaints generated by WRKO's signal faults....I can't imagine the public putting up with unreliable signals trying to get their radio over existing cell phone service. I'm sure it's going to get better...but it's a ways off to get it reliable enough to start replacing radio. From donald_astelle@yahoo.com Thu Sep 17 01:31:17 2009 From: donald_astelle@yahoo.com (Don A) Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2009 01:31:17 -0400 Subject: Fundraising drive on commercial radio WIZZ-1520 (Greenfield, MA) References: <4AAEAAD3.6090503@gabrielmass.com> <4AAEABD2.6070405@aol.com><93B22C06-0A91-4F71-8A1D-487EB6F37CF3@charter.net><19121.44331.934771.550799@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> <19121.50093.736495.381532@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> Message-ID: <127E18D7CF214DBEABBC6D653EC32422@MainXPPro> > < > said: > >> I have to disagree garrett. Maybe in metro Boston....but in the burbs >> outside 128, NH and here in VT...there are lots of dead spots. > >> It's getting better...but in my experiene there are still a lot of dead >> spots...and the public would never put up with trying to 'radio' that way >> in >> it's current state. > > The population in those places is not all that significant to start > with, and is becoming less so every year. Most of "the public" > doesn't live in rural areas any more. My brother is in Burlington Mass and cannot get service at his home. There are places in and around Nashua that always drop calls. For some reason whenever I take the exit in Marlboro Mass....I get a dropped call. These are not quite rural. Looking at all the complaints generated by WRKO's signal nulls....I can't imagine the public putting up with unreliable signals trying to get their radio over existing cell phone service. I'm sure it's going to get better...but it's a ways off to get it reliable enough to start replacing radio. >I get a full Sprint Signal on 91 as far as Newport then start roaming > on Bell Quebec. It seems like they have a priority to cover the major highways pretty well. From kc1ih@mac.com Thu Sep 17 01:24:39 2009 From: kc1ih@mac.com (Larry Weil) Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2009 01:24:39 -0400 Subject: WiFi Radio (was: Fundraising drive on commercial radio WIZZ-1520 (Greenfield, MA)) In-Reply-To: <4AB1AEF9.7070604@gmail.com> References: <4AAEAAD3.6090503@gabrielmass.com> <4AAEABD2.6070405@aol.com> <93B22C06-0A91-4F71-8A1D-487EB6F37CF3@charter.net> <4AB1AEF9.7070604@gmail.com> Message-ID: At 11:37 PM -0400 9/16/09, Bill O'Neill wrote: >Here in Vermont it could take years to get blanket cell or WiFi >coverage but rural areas like this are not the markets that would >bring return on investment to begin with. Rt 2 from East Montpelier >to St Jay is pathetic for cell coverage, for instance. (Bring on the >Northeast Kingdom jokes...) In most areas, however, it's just a >matter of time and demand for increase cellular or WiFi penetration. >And if there is a turnkey solution to receiving music over IP in >next generation vehicles then that will be a vehicle for driving >that demand. (Talk about punned-up beyond all recognition....) >Bottom line is I would welcome any excuse to day g'day to SirusXM. >I just let my second radio subscription lapse and will simply toss >the head unit from car to car to office, etc. I also know that in southern VT there is very little coverage along Rt 9 between Brattleboro and Bennington. Even in Brattleboro it's spotty. Maybe a small area near Wilmington has service, but that's about it. -- Larry Weil Lake Wobegone, NH From brian_vita@cssinc.com Thu Sep 17 10:23:59 2009 From: brian_vita@cssinc.com (Brian Vita) Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2009 10:23:59 -0400 Subject: Fundraising drive on commercial radio WIZZ-1520 (Greenfield, MA) In-Reply-To: <127E18D7CF214DBEABBC6D653EC32422@MainXPPro> References: <4AAEAAD3.6090503@gabrielmass.com> <4AAEABD2.6070405@aol.com><93B22C06-0A91-4F71-8A1D-487EB6F37CF3@charter.net><19121.44331.934771.550799@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> <19121.50093.736495.381532@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> <127E18D7CF214DBEABBC6D653EC32422@MainXPPro> Message-ID: <004501ca37a2$802d4300$8087c900$@com> >My brother is in Burlington Mass and cannot get service at his home. There are places in and around Nashua that always drop calls. For some reason whenever I take the exit in Marlboro Mass....I get a dropped call. These are not quite rural. Looking at all the complaints generated by WRKO's signal nulls....I can't imagine the public putting up with unreliable signals trying to get their radio over existing cell phone service. I'm sure it's going to get better...but it's a ways off to get it reliable enough to start replacing radio.< Look, there are places where landline telephone is pretty iffy also. There's never going to be a single solution that fits everywhere. We can wring our hands until the PERFECT solution comes along or make the best with what we have. Brian From tcoco@whav.net Thu Sep 17 10:43:29 2009 From: tcoco@whav.net (Tim Coco) Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2009 10:43:29 -0400 Subject: Fundraising drive on commercial radio WIZZ-1520 (Greenfield, MA) In-Reply-To: <19121.50093.736495.381532@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> References: <4AAEAAD3.6090503@gabrielmass.com> <4AAEABD2.6070405@aol.com><93B22C06-0A91-4F71-8A1D-487EB6F37CF3@charter.net><19121.44331.934771.550799@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> <19121.50093.736495.381532@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> Message-ID: I have to agree with Garrett that cell service has improved greatly and, depending on the carrier, is quite reliable. I use Sprint's unlimited plan (love the plan and coverage, hate the company, but that's another story) to listen to Internet radio on my Treo using PocketTunes. I haven't lost my signal at all (yet anyway) traveling between Boston and as far as Meredith, New Hampshire. Because of the limited bandwidth, say 32kbps, MP3 streams aren't full fidelity, but better than car AM radios. Stations streaming in AACPlus, however, sound great! Tim Coco President & General Manager WHAV -----Original Message----- From: Garrett Wollman [mailto:wollman@bimajority.org] Sent: Thursday, September 17, 2009 1:06 AM To: Don A Cc: boston-radio-interest@bostonradio.org Subject: Re: Fundraising drive on commercial radio WIZZ-1520 (Greenfield, MA) < said: > I have to disagree garrett. Maybe in metro Boston....but in the burbs > outside 128, NH and here in VT...there are lots of dead spots. > It's getting better...but in my experiene there are still a lot of > dead spots...and the public would never put up with trying to 'radio' > that way in it's current state. The population in those places is not all that significant to start with, and is becoming less so every year. Most of "the public" doesn't live in rural areas any more. The real fight is going to be over the sort of licensing that will be required for these systems. The computer industry wants unlicensed, or at most "lite licensed", spectrum to predominate; the entrenched telecommunications companies (cell and landline carriers) want heavy-licensed, exclusive spectrum allocations with the concomitant spectrum auctions and very high barriers to entry, to maintain their oligopoly and make it uneconomical for potential competitors to gain a foothold (unless their names begin with "Google" or "Microsoft" and have billions to throw away in the name of market share). -GAWollman From lglavin@mail.com Thu Sep 17 14:22:51 2009 From: lglavin@mail.com (Laurence Glavin) Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2009 13:22:51 -0500 Subject: W221CH Work? Message-ID: <20090917182251.A437911581F@ws1-7.us4.outblaze.com> OK, if WNNW-AM 800AM is off the air, it can only mean one thing: riggers are up on the tower for some reason. Well, AM 800 IS off the air right now (Thursday afternoon 08/17) and so it became necessary for me to drive to the tower site to investigate why. As I did so, there were two men (could have been a woman or women, but doubtful) working at the 2/3rd level of the tower, not up where the W221CH elements are. W221CH was on the air without interruption. No more to report other than the fact that Costa-Eagle has a CP to reorient the antenna due north (zero-degrees). -- An Excellent Credit Score is 750 See Yours in Just 2 Easy Steps! From kc1ih@mac.com Thu Sep 17 15:00:52 2009 From: kc1ih@mac.com (Larry Weil) Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2009 15:00:52 -0400 Subject: W221CH Work? In-Reply-To: <20090917182251.A437911581F@ws1-7.us4.outblaze.com> References: <20090917182251.A437911581F@ws1-7.us4.outblaze.com> Message-ID: <003601ca37c9$33fe79f0$c4141bac@whdh.com> > -----Original Message----- > From: boston-radio-interest-bounces@tsornin.BostonRadio.org > [mailto:boston-radio-interest-bounces@tsornin.BostonRadio.org] > On Behalf Of Laurence Glavin > Sent: Thursday, September 17, 2009 2:23 PM > To: boston-radio-interest@lists.BostonRadio.org > Subject: W221CH Work? > > OK, if WNNW-AM 800AM is off the air, it can only mean one > thing: riggers are up on the > tower for some reason. Well, AM 800 IS off the air right now > (Thursday afternoon 08/17) > and so it became necessary for me to drive to the tower site > to investigate why. As I > did so, there were two men (could have been a woman or women, > but doubtful) working > at the 2/3rd level of the tower, not up where the W221CH > elements are. W221CH was on > the air without interruption. No more to report other than > the fact that Costa-Eagle > has a CP to reorient the antenna due north (zero-degrees). Which antenna do they have the permit to re-orient? Larry Weil Lake Wobegone, NH From hykker@wildblue.net Wed Sep 16 21:59:56 2009 From: hykker@wildblue.net (SteveOrdinetz) Date: Wed, 16 Sep 2009 21:59:56 -0400 Subject: Fundraising drive on commercial radio WIZZ-1520 (Greenfield, MA) In-Reply-To: References: <4AAEAAD3.6090503@gabrielmass.com> <4AAEABD2.6070405@aol.com> Message-ID: <4ab2dda1.1402be0a.35d9.1f0d@mx.google.com> At 04:48 PM 9/16/2009, Dave Tomm wrote: >Car manufacturers are now building docks for the I-Phone, so it can >recharge while driving and patches in directly to the car's sound >system. Many stations are developing apps that allow streaming over >the I-Phone. Public Radio has already done it. Clear Channel has >their iheartradio app that allows streaming of nearly all of their >stations, plus other content as well. Individual stations have apps >as well. It's still in the rudimentary stages, but internet radio is >coming. It will make satellite radio largely obsolete and make things >even more difficult for local signals. Realistically, how much bandwidth is available for wireless streaming? It's one thing when there are only a handful of these devices around but as more and more get "out there" you'll start to see problems. Also, keep in mind that, especially here in New England once you get away from the cities & interstate corridors, cell service becomes flakey really fast. From dave@skywaves.net Thu Sep 17 22:41:02 2009 From: dave@skywaves.net (Dave Doherty) Date: Thu, 17 Sep 2009 22:41:02 -0400 Subject: iPhone in cars - was "Fundraising drive on commercial radio WIZZ-1520 (Greenfield, MA)" In-Reply-To: <4ab2dda1.1402be0a.35d9.1f0d@mx.google.com> References: <4AAEAAD3.6090503@gabrielmass.com> <4AAEABD2.6070405@aol.com> <4ab2dda1.1402be0a.35d9.1f0d@mx.google.com> Message-ID: <2DE00CFEA1E24CFBAA3687EB0F4EDCAB@dave> I just happened to read this post. Can somebody please pay attention to the relationship between the subject and the content? -------------------------------------------------- From: "SteveOrdinetz" Sent: Wednesday, September 16, 2009 9:59 PM To: "Dave Tomm" ; Subject: Re: Fundraising drive on commercial radio WIZZ-1520 (Greenfield, MA) > > At 04:48 PM 9/16/2009, Dave Tomm wrote: >>Car manufacturers are now building docks for the I-Phone, so it can >>recharge while driving and patches in directly to the car's sound >>system. Many stations are developing apps that allow streaming over >>the I-Phone. Public Radio has already done it. Clear Channel has >>their iheartradio app that allows streaming of nearly all of their >>stations, plus other content as well. Individual stations have apps >>as well. It's still in the rudimentary stages, but internet radio is >>coming. It will make satellite radio largely obsolete and make things >>even more difficult for local signals. > > > Realistically, how much bandwidth is available for wireless streaming? > It's one thing when there are only a handful of these devices around but > as more and more get "out there" you'll start to see problems. > Also, keep in mind that, especially here in New England once you get away > from the cities & interstate corridors, cell service becomes flakey really > fast. > > From rogerkirk@ttlc.net Fri Sep 18 01:05:58 2009 From: rogerkirk@ttlc.net (Roger Kirk) Date: Fri, 18 Sep 2009 01:05:58 -0400 Subject: iPhone in cars - was "Fundraising drive on commercial radio WIZZ-1520 (Greenfield, MA)" In-Reply-To: <2DE00CFEA1E24CFBAA3687EB0F4EDCAB@dave> References: <4AAEAAD3.6090503@gabrielmass.com> <4AAEABD2.6070405@aol.com> <4ab2dda1.1402be0a.35d9.1f0d@mx.google.com> <2DE00CFEA1E24CFBAA3687EB0F4EDCAB@dave> Message-ID: <4AB31536.6060005@ttlc.net> Sometimes we can get three or four sub-threads going - all forked from a single one and all with the same subject line - which, by then, is mostly irrelevant to any of the threads. Unless, of course, one of the child threads inadvertently wanders back to the original subject. If we religiously used the "subject (was: subject...) construct, the nesting would quickly overflow the Subject Line Buffer. Dave Doherty wrote: > I just happened to read this post. Can somebody please pay attention > to the relationship between the subject and the content? From rac@gabrielmass.com Fri Sep 18 01:23:59 2009 From: rac@gabrielmass.com (Richard Chonak) Date: Fri, 18 Sep 2009 01:23:59 -0400 Subject: blooper of the day Message-ID: <4AB3196F.3030403@gabrielmass.com> Since no one has mentioned it: I noticed a news story on the net this evening about Emmy-winning anchor Ernie Anastos in New York. He has made his way into internet fame by dropping an inadvertent expletive during his banter with the weatherman Wednesday night. Here's the wire service report: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090918/ap_en_tv/us_tv_anchor_flub A clip of the slip is on YouTube, of course: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdnXYWSa56w The co-anchor's shocked expression is priceless! I had no idea what a vast array of TV bloopers, of on-air flubs and off-air outtakes, is preserved for posterity out on the net! --RC From necrat.alternate@gmail.com Fri Sep 18 00:20:20 2009 From: necrat.alternate@gmail.com (Mike Fitzpatrick) Date: Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:20:20 -0400 Subject: W221CH Work? In-Reply-To: <003601ca37c9$33fe79f0$c4141bac@whdh.com> References: <20090917182251.A437911581F@ws1-7.us4.outblaze.com> <003601ca37c9$33fe79f0$c4141bac@whdh.com> Message-ID: <001201ca3817$55a6f9d0$00f4ed70$@alternate@gmail.com> >>-----Original Message----- >>Subject: RE: W221CH Work? >> >> at the 2/3rd level of the tower, not up where the W221CH >> elements are. W221CH was on >> the air without interruption. No more to report other than >> the fact that Costa-Eagle >> has a CP to reorient the antenna due north (zero-degrees). > >Which antenna do they have the permit to re-orient? There is no such CP that I see for W221CH. The only CP W221CH has is BPFT-20090130AAI, which calls for the current configuration oriented in the current direction (140?). This is the CP to move it to the 800 tower. There are no subsequent filings in the CDBS database to move or change orientation. And a license to cover was filed for that back in February. (BLFT-20090226AAA), which hasn't been granted yet due to an objection by FNX broadcasting. --Mike From mike@miscon.net Fri Sep 18 14:49:36 2009 From: mike@miscon.net (mike@miscon.net) Date: Fri, 18 Sep 2009 14:49:36 -0400 (Eastern Daylight Time) Subject: Richard Knisely at WGBH gone Message-ID: <.132.185.144.124.1253299776.squirrel@mail.miscon.net> After 25 years, Richard Knisely is gone from the WGBH afternoon slot, not of his choosing. Tuesday was his last show. Mike From donald_astelle@yahoo.com Fri Sep 18 14:58:00 2009 From: donald_astelle@yahoo.com (Don A) Date: Fri, 18 Sep 2009 14:58:00 -0400 Subject: Richard Knisely at WGBH gone References: <.132.185.144.124.1253299776.squirrel@mail.miscon.net> Message-ID: <7A75D1A1E7A94683916406EC30D4685B@MainXPPro> My father was a big fan of his.....and Knisely was rquired listening every day. Does anyone know what happenned to him or why? -don ----- Original Message ----- From: To: Sent: Friday, September 18, 2009 2:49 PM Subject: Richard Knisely at WGBH gone > > > After 25 years, Richard Knisely is gone from the WGBH afternoon slot, not > of his choosing. Tuesday was his last show. > > Mike From nostaticatall@charter.net Mon Sep 21 01:41:17 2009 From: nostaticatall@charter.net (Dave Tomm) Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2009 01:41:17 -0400 Subject: Fundraising drive on commercial radio WIZZ-1520 (Greenfield, MA) In-Reply-To: <4ab2dda1.1402be0a.35d9.1f0d@mx.google.com> References: <4AAEAAD3.6090503@gabrielmass.com> <4AAEABD2.6070405@aol.com> <4ab2dda1.1402be0a.35d9.1f0d@mx.google.com> Message-ID: <257739C7-532E-4705-9E37-0A67A6F47BBD@charter.net> True, but keep in mind that spotty service in certain areas with some carriers hasn't hastened cellphone growth. It just means different carriers do better in different areas. I have Sprint, but it doesn't work when I visit my dad on the midcoast of Maine. Everyone there has US Cellular. If you want the technology, you go with what works. If it's not available, you don't. Heck, there are still rural areas of this country that don't even have cable, but it's still considered a viable form of television programming distribution. Like any other new technology, internet radio will start in the larger cities and in affluent suburbs. Those are the areas with "early adopters" that will jump on the latest technology as soon as it's introduced. If demand grows, it will spread to the the fringe areas of major markets and into medium and smaller cities. It may never get to the very rural parts of this country, much like cable and cellphone service, but if it can reach potentially 80 to 90% of the available population, it would be considered a success. -Dave Tomm On Sep 16, 2009, at 9:59 PM, SteveOrdinetz wrote: > At 04:48 PM 9/16/2009, Dave Tomm wrote: >> Car manufacturers are now building docks for the I-Phone, so it can >> recharge while driving and patches in directly to the car's sound >> system. Many stations are developing apps that allow streaming over >> the I-Phone. Public Radio has already done it. Clear Channel has >> their iheartradio app that allows streaming of nearly all of their >> stations, plus other content as well. Individual stations have apps >> as well. It's still in the rudimentary stages, but internet radio is >> coming. It will make satellite radio largely obsolete and make >> things >> even more difficult for local signals. > > > Realistically, how much bandwidth is available for wireless > streaming? It's one thing when there are only a handful of these > devices around but as more and more get "out there" you'll start to > see problems. > Also, keep in mind that, especially here in New England once you get > away from the cities & interstate corridors, cell service becomes > flakey really fast. > From raccoonradio@mail.com Mon Sep 21 14:39:02 2009 From: raccoonradio@mail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2009 13:39:02 -0500 Subject: WGBH may buy WCRB? Message-ID: <20090921183902.ECD7683BE2@ws1-1a.us4.outblaze.com> http://twitter.com/InsideRadio Inside Radio (tip of cap to Scott F) tweets that acc to sources WGBH may be buying WCRB to keep classical going From madprof@ix.netcom.com Mon Sep 21 14:53:32 2009 From: madprof@ix.netcom.com (Robert F. Sutherland) Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:53:32 -0400 Subject: WGBH may buy WCRB? Message-ID: <380-220099121185332843@ix.netcom.com> apparently one must join Twitter to view whole article from InsideRadio? recommendaed or not? Bob > [Original Message] > From: Bob Nelson > To: BostonRadio Mailing List > Date: 9/21/2009 2:39:03 PM > Subject: WGBH may buy WCRB? > > http://twitter.com/InsideRadio > > Inside Radio (tip of cap to Scott F) tweets that acc to sources WGBH may be buying WCRB to keep classical going From rac@gabrielmass.com Mon Sep 21 15:02:37 2009 From: rac@gabrielmass.com (Richard Chonak) Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2009 15:02:37 -0400 Subject: WGBH may buy WCRB? In-Reply-To: <380-220099121185332843@ix.netcom.com> References: <380-220099121185332843@ix.netcom.com> Message-ID: <4AB7CDCD.5030708@server4.gabrielmass.com> Robert F. Sutherland wrote: > apparently one must join Twitter to view whole article from InsideRadio? > recommendaed or not? > Bob > No need. Bob N's post conveyed the substance of the whole Twitter message from InsideRadio; the note did not contain a link to an article. -_RC From mike@miscon.net Mon Sep 21 15:13:49 2009 From: mike@miscon.net (mike@miscon.net) Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2009 15:13:49 -0400 (Eastern Daylight Time) Subject: OFFICIAL: WGBH buy WCRB In-Reply-To: <4AB7CDCD.5030708@server4.gabrielmass.com> References: <380-220099121185332843@ix.netcom.com> <4AB7CDCD.5030708@server4.gabrielmass.com> Message-ID: <.204.152.13.175.1253560429.squirrel@mail.miscon.net> on front page now: http://www.wgbh.org From raccoonradio@mail.com Mon Sep 21 15:26:13 2009 From: raccoonradio@mail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:26:13 -0500 Subject: WGBH may buy WCRB? Message-ID: <20090921192613.2E01CCD80FB@ws1-4a.us4.outblaze.com> It was just a news bit saying WGBH would be buying WCRB, so no need to join just yet. http://www.fybush.com/nerw.html Fybush says purchase price not announced yet but it will happen, and no doubt WGBH would absorb WCRB into its Guest St studios (now in Waltham); perhaps 99.5 to non commercial all classical and 89.7 would be news/talk by day, and maybe jazz programming at night? (Not sure if 89.7 would be full time news/talk) From raccoonradio@mail.com Mon Sep 21 15:27:54 2009 From: raccoonradio@mail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:27:54 -0500 Subject: OFFICIAL: WGBH buy WCRB Message-ID: <20090921192754.E86ECCD80FB@ws1-4a.us4.outblaze.com> Thanks-- http://www.radio-info.com is saying the "2009 price" for CRB is $14 million. From raccoonradio@mail.com Mon Sep 21 15:50:06 2009 From: raccoonradio@mail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:50:06 -0500 Subject: WGBH may buy WCRB? Message-ID: <20090921195008.D559083986@ws1-2a.us4.outblaze.com> Think it could be news/talk by day, jazz by night? >>How can they justify buying WCRB when they're in such dire straits that they laid off a host last week? Their webpage is now asking listeners to donate to help out their new classical service at 99.5 ...Will they bring back Whad Ya Know? ("Not much...you?", or is it back already? Gone awhile back...) From scott@fybush.com Mon Sep 21 15:07:31 2009 From: scott@fybush.com (Scott Fybush) Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2009 15:07:31 -0400 Subject: WGBH may buy WCRB? In-Reply-To: <4AB7CDCD.5030708@server4.gabrielmass.com> References: <380-220099121185332843@ix.netcom.com> <4AB7CDCD.5030708@server4.gabrielmass.com> Message-ID: <4AB7CEF3.2080902@fybush.com> Richard Chonak wrote: > Robert F. Sutherland wrote: >> apparently one must join Twitter to view whole article from InsideRadio? >> recommendaed or not? >> Bob >> > > No need. > > Bob N's post conveyed the substance of the whole Twitter message from > InsideRadio; the note did not contain a link to an article. > > Though there's an update now up at fybush.com with details... s From sean.smyth@yahoo.com Mon Sep 21 15:29:45 2009 From: sean.smyth@yahoo.com (Sean Smyth) Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2009 12:29:45 -0700 (PDT) Subject: WGBH may buy WCRB? In-Reply-To: <20090921183902.ECD7683BE2@ws1-1a.us4.outblaze.com> Message-ID: <52661.37521.qm@web110505.mail.gq1.yahoo.com> On Mon, 9/21/09, Bob Nelson wrote: > Inside Radio (tip of cap to Scott F) tweets that acc to > sources WGBH may be buying WCRB to keep classical going How can they justify buying WCRB when they're in such dire straits that they laid off a host last week? Are they going news/talk on 89.7? Does anyone really think they're going to out-'BUR WBUR? Is there enough of an audience in Boston for Diane Riehm (who I love, btw) and Tell Me More as opposed to other NPR offerings at that hour? Or will they just program more jazz on 89.7? From scott@fybush.com Mon Sep 21 17:05:46 2009 From: scott@fybush.com (Scott Fybush) Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2009 17:05:46 -0400 Subject: WGBH may buy WCRB? In-Reply-To: <20090921204437.6159D326701@ws1-8.us4.outblaze.com> References: <20090921204437.6159D326701@ws1-8.us4.outblaze.com> Message-ID: <4AB7EAAA.8090107@fybush.com> Laurence Glavin wrote: > Part of the problems with the 99.5 signal could be solved with a transmitter move closer > to the City, taking into account the allowable spacings between WCRB and the 99.3 in > southern Maine, 99.7 near Providence, and WPLM. Of course that would cost even > more money, and WGBH must somehow raise the cash to pull off the purchase alone. > I wonder if some other broadcaster is looking at the purchase price of just 14 > million dollars and thinking "Hey, I'd like to bid more than that" ESPN peut-etre? I think if there were another broadcaster willing to outspend WGBH, they'd have already done so. It's been no secret that Nassau has wanted to unload 99.5 almost from day one. As for moving 99.5 closer to Boston, I think we clear-cut that ground back in 2006 when WCRB moved down the dial. As a class B station, WCRB can't get any closer than it already is - it's too constrained by the spacings to WPLM-FM. I've seen some studies that show that 99.5 could come in closer as a B1, but the consensus among the experts I talked to was that there's really very little to be gained by going that route - you lose some of your Merrimack Valley/New Hampshire coverage and don't get much stronger in Boston as a tradeoff. I'm surprised nobody's brought W242AA into the discussion, however. Seems to me there's some potential there, if it should become a WCRB (or WGBH-89.7HD2) simulcast... s From kc1ih@mac.com Mon Sep 21 17:48:52 2009 From: kc1ih@mac.com (Larry Weil) Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2009 17:48:52 -0400 Subject: WGBH may buy WCRB? In-Reply-To: <20090921183902.ECD7683BE2@ws1-1a.us4.outblaze.com> References: <20090921183902.ECD7683BE2@ws1-1a.us4.outblaze.com> Message-ID: At 1:39 PM -0500 9/21/09, Bob Nelson wrote: >http://twitter.com/InsideRadio > >Inside Radio (tip of cap to Scott F) tweets that acc to sources WGBH >may be buying WCRB to keep classical going If they did that, would WGBH then become more of a WBUR clone? (rhetorical question) -- Larry Weil Lake Wobegone, NH From gary@garysicecream.com Mon Sep 21 17:59:37 2009 From: gary@garysicecream.com (Gary's Ice Cream) Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2009 17:59:37 -0400 Subject: WCRB / WGBH Sale Message-ID: <200909212200.n8LM00RS024677@tsornin.bostonradio.org> Will WGBH have to operate WCRB as a non-commercial station? Or can they use it to make money for the foundation? Gary From scott@fybush.com Mon Sep 21 18:12:24 2009 From: scott@fybush.com (Scott Fybush) Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2009 18:12:24 -0400 Subject: WCRB / WGBH Sale In-Reply-To: <200909212200.n8LM00RS024677@tsornin.bostonradio.org> References: <200909212200.n8LM00RS024677@tsornin.bostonradio.org> Message-ID: <4AB7FA48.4010307@fybush.com> Gary's Ice Cream wrote: > Will WGBH have to operate WCRB as a non-commercial station? Or can they use > it to make money for the foundation? Will they have to? No. But they're going to, for much the same reason that WNYC plans to operate its version of WQXR non-commercially. If you're funding the station purchase with a capital campaign, it's a selling point for donors to offer 24-hour commercial-free classical music. I am not a tax expert, nor an attorney of any stripe, so I can't speak with authority to the tax/legal aspects of a nonprofit organization operating a commercial radio station. I know it can be done - commercial classical WFMT in Chicago is owned by Chicago's public TV station, WTTW - but I suspect it creates some complex administrative and regulatory hurdles keeping everything straight. And, honestly, given what's now allowed in underwriting announcements, and given the weak ad market, it's hard for me to imagine that they'd take in that much more in commercial ad revenue than they'll get anyway in underwriting. It's not as though the current WCRB sponsors will have a lot of other places to go to reach that audience. s From revdoug1@myfairpoint.net Mon Sep 21 19:56:04 2009 From: revdoug1@myfairpoint.net (Doug Drown) Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2009 19:56:04 -0400 Subject: WCRB / WGBH Sale References: <200909212200.n8LM00RS024677@tsornin.bostonradio.org> <4AB7FA48.4010307@fybush.com> Message-ID: Any hint as to what will happen to Nassau's W-BACH classical network in Maine? The loss of that would be a big blow to a lot of us living up Nawth. -Doug ----- Original Message ----- From: "Scott Fybush" To: "Gary's Ice Cream" Cc: "Boston radio e-mail list" Sent: Monday, September 21, 2009 6:12 PM Subject: Re: WCRB / WGBH Sale > Gary's Ice Cream wrote: >> Will WGBH have to operate WCRB as a non-commercial station? Or can they >> use >> it to make money for the foundation? > > Will they have to? No. But they're going to, for much the same reason > that WNYC plans to operate its version of WQXR non-commercially. If > you're funding the station purchase with a capital campaign, it's a > selling point for donors to offer 24-hour commercial-free classical music. > > I am not a tax expert, nor an attorney of any stripe, so I can't speak > with authority to the tax/legal aspects of a nonprofit organization > operating a commercial radio station. I know it can be done - commercial > classical WFMT in Chicago is owned by Chicago's public TV station, WTTW > - but I suspect it creates some complex administrative and regulatory > hurdles keeping everything straight. > > And, honestly, given what's now allowed in underwriting announcements, > and given the weak ad market, it's hard for me to imagine that they'd > take in that much more in commercial ad revenue than they'll get anyway > in underwriting. It's not as though the current WCRB sponsors will have > a lot of other places to go to reach that audience. > > s > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 8.5.409 / Virus Database: 270.13.112/2387 - Release Date: 09/21/09 17:55:00 From dan.strassberg@att.net Mon Sep 21 20:00:41 2009 From: dan.strassberg@att.net (Dan.Strassberg) Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2009 20:00:41 -0400 Subject: WCRB / WGBH Sale References: <200909212200.n8LM00RS024677@tsornin.bostonradio.org> <4AB7FA48.4010307@fybush.com> Message-ID: <26AAD14736A3492D8B2CE7D0D7A1395F@SatU205S5044> If you accept the thesis that, as far as a sponsor is concerned, an underwriting announcement is as useful as a commercial spot (and I'm sure that, for many advertisers, that is the case) and the underwriters are therefore willing to pay as much for an underwriting announcement as they pay for a spot of the same duration, it sounds to me as if going non-comm may be a no-brainer for non-profit organizations that acquire commercial stations. Commercial stations pay federal corporate income tax on the difference between their revenues (ad sales) and their expenses. In Mass, they also pay state corporate income tax. As I understand it, non-profit organizations pay neither tax. So if the revenues can really be the same for a given station that had been commercial and becomes a non-comm, the organization that owns the non-comm can pay out what it would have paid in income taxes as salary or bonuses to its management and/or talent and will wind up at the end of the fiscal year with the same number of $$$ in its kitty either way. And, of course, this little back-of-an-envelope analysis doesn't even try to account for the revenues the non-comm can derive from fuund raising. ----- Dan Strassberg (dan.strassberg@att.net) eFax 1-707-215-6367 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Scott Fybush" To: "Gary's Ice Cream" Cc: "Boston radio e-mail list" Sent: Monday, September 21, 2009 6:12 PM Subject: Re: WCRB / WGBH Sale > > And, honestly, given what's now allowed in underwriting > announcements, and given the weak ad market, it's hard for me to > imagine that they'd take in that much more in commercial ad revenue > than they'll get anyway in underwriting. It's not as though the > current WCRB sponsors will have a lot of other places to go to reach > that audience. From dan.strassberg@att.net Mon Sep 21 20:02:58 2009 From: dan.strassberg@att.net (Dan.Strassberg) Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2009 20:02:58 -0400 Subject: WCRB / WGBH Sale References: <200909212200.n8LM00RS024677@tsornin.bostonradio.org><4AB7FA48.4010307@fybush.com> Message-ID: <6EDF1B778F764E10AC581CF15DBAC05B@SatU205S5044> I thought the northern New England stations were NOT simulcasting WCRB. Is that not true? ----- Dan Strassberg (dan.strassberg@att.net) eFax 1-707-215-6367 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Doug Drown" To: "Scott Fybush" ; "Gary's Ice Cream" Cc: "Boston radio e-mail list" Sent: Monday, September 21, 2009 7:56 PM Subject: Re: WCRB / WGBH Sale > Any hint as to what will happen to Nassau's W-BACH classical network > in Maine? The loss of that would be a big blow to a lot of us > living up Nawth. -Doug > > > > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Scott Fybush" > To: "Gary's Ice Cream" > Cc: "Boston radio e-mail list" > > Sent: Monday, September 21, 2009 6:12 PM > Subject: Re: WCRB / WGBH Sale > > >> Gary's Ice Cream wrote: >>> Will WGBH have to operate WCRB as a non-commercial station? Or >>> can they use >>> it to make money for the foundation? >> >> Will they have to? No. But they're going to, for much the same >> reason >> that WNYC plans to operate its version of WQXR non-commercially. If >> you're funding the station purchase with a capital campaign, it's a >> selling point for donors to offer 24-hour commercial-free classical >> music. >> >> I am not a tax expert, nor an attorney of any stripe, so I can't >> speak >> with authority to the tax/legal aspects of a nonprofit organization >> operating a commercial radio station. I know it can be done - >> commercial >> classical WFMT in Chicago is owned by Chicago's public TV station, >> WTTW >> - but I suspect it creates some complex administrative and >> regulatory >> hurdles keeping everything straight. >> >> And, honestly, given what's now allowed in underwriting >> announcements, >> and given the weak ad market, it's hard for me to imagine that >> they'd >> take in that much more in commercial ad revenue than they'll get >> anyway >> in underwriting. It's not as though the current WCRB sponsors will >> have >> a lot of other places to go to reach that audience. >> >> s >> > > > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > No virus found in this incoming message. > Checked by AVG - www.avg.com > Version: 8.5.409 / Virus Database: 270.13.112/2387 - Release Date: > 09/21/09 17:55:00 > From kvahey@comcast.net Mon Sep 21 22:22:37 2009 From: kvahey@comcast.net (Kevin Vahey) Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2009 21:22:37 -0500 Subject: ESPN saying nothing for now Message-ID: <4fc429770909211922t2b5a266dl213d80c4c5112218@mail.gmail.com> One week into 890 going silent and no word on ESPN Radio yet However this interview does indicate that the Mouse pulled the plug on 890 http://fangsbites.bostonsportsmedia.com/2009/09/interview-about-espn-boston/ From nostaticatall@charter.net Mon Sep 21 21:39:09 2009 From: nostaticatall@charter.net (Dave Tomm) Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2009 21:39:09 -0400 Subject: WCRB / WGBH Sale In-Reply-To: <26AAD14736A3492D8B2CE7D0D7A1395F@SatU205S5044> References: <200909212200.n8LM00RS024677@tsornin.bostonradio.org> <4AB7FA48.4010307@fybush.com> <26AAD14736A3492D8B2CE7D0D7A1395F@SatU205S5044> Message-ID: <29216738-FF13-4E41-A593-A1CFB26219F5@charter.net> Most underwriters nowadays simply plug their name, services and most importantly, their websites. There can't be a call to action in an underwriting announcement, but you can drive listeners to the website for more information....then hit them with the sales pitch. Believe it or not, an underwriting only revenue generating vehicle could be a viable option for some commercial ventures in the future. More and more listeners aren't putting up with 5-10 minute stopsets of screaming auto spots and "spackle or paste" ads anymore. I could easily see certain adult skewing commercial stations (like talk or AAA) discontinuing spot sales and taking a underwriting-type approach to raising revenue. It's better than losing those listeners to public radio and new media. -Dave Tomm On Sep 21, 2009, at 8:00 PM, Dan.Strassberg wrote: > If you accept the thesis that, as far as a sponsor is concerned, an > underwriting announcement is as useful as a commercial spot (and I'm > sure that, for many advertisers, that is the case) and the > underwriters are therefore willing to pay as much for an underwriting > announcement as they pay for a spot of the same duration, it sounds to > me as if going non-comm may be a no-brainer for non-profit > organizations that acquire commercial stations. Commercial stations > pay federal corporate income tax on the difference between their > revenues (ad sales) and their expenses. In Mass, they also pay state > corporate income tax. As I understand it, non-profit organizations pay > neither tax. So if the revenues can really be the same for a given > station that had been commercial and becomes a non-comm, the > organization that owns the non-comm can pay out what it would have > paid in income taxes as salary or bonuses to its management and/or > talent and will wind up at the end of the fiscal year with the same > number of $$$ in its kitty either way. And, of course, this little > back-of-an-envelope analysis doesn't even try to account for the > revenues the non-comm can derive from fuund raising. > > ----- > Dan Strassberg (dan.strassberg@att.net) > eFax 1-707-215-6367 > > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Scott Fybush" > To: "Gary's Ice Cream" > Cc: "Boston radio e-mail list" > Sent: Monday, September 21, 2009 6:12 PM > Subject: Re: WCRB / WGBH Sale >> >> And, honestly, given what's now allowed in underwriting >> announcements, and given the weak ad market, it's hard for me to >> imagine that they'd take in that much more in commercial ad revenue >> than they'll get anyway in underwriting. It's not as though the >> current WCRB sponsors will have a lot of other places to go to reach >> that audience. > From joe@attorneyross.com Tue Sep 22 01:54:06 2009 From: joe@attorneyross.com (A. Joseph Ross) Date: Tue, 22 Sep 2009 01:54:06 -0400 Subject: WGBH may buy WCRB? In-Reply-To: <4AB7EAAA.8090107@fybush.com> References: <20090921204437.6159D326701@ws1-8.us4.outblaze.com>, <4AB7EAAA.8090107@fybush.com> Message-ID: <4AB8667E.10186.10F2933@joe.attorneyross.com> On 21 Sep 2009 at 17:05, Scott Fybush wrote: > I think if there were another broadcaster willing to outspend WGBH, > they'd have already done so. It's been no secret that Nassau has > wanted to unload 99.5 almost from day one. If Nassau has been wanting to unload WCRB, why did they buy it? And, BTW, whatever happened to WCRB's former sister station, WFCC, on the Cape? -- A. Joseph Ross, J.D. 617.367.0468 92 State Street, Suite 700 Fax 617.507.7856 Boston, MA 02109-2004 http://www.attorneyross.com From joe@attorneyross.com Tue Sep 22 01:54:06 2009 From: joe@attorneyross.com (A. Joseph Ross) Date: Tue, 22 Sep 2009 01:54:06 -0400 Subject: WCRB / WGBH Sale In-Reply-To: <4AB7FA48.4010307@fybush.com> References: <200909212200.n8LM00RS024677@tsornin.bostonradio.org>, <4AB7FA48.4010307@fybush.com> Message-ID: <4AB8667E.23258.10F2AAF@joe.attorneyross.com> On 21 Sep 2009 at 18:12, Scott Fybush wrote: > I am not a tax expert, nor an attorney of any stripe, so I can't speak > with authority to the tax/legal aspects of a nonprofit organization > operating a commercial radio station. I know it can be done - > commercial classical WFMT in Chicago is owned by Chicago's public TV > station, WTTW - but I suspect it creates some complex administrative > and regulatory hurdles keeping everything straight. And before anyone asks me, I'm mainly a real estate attorney. I have had some experience with tax-exempt organizations, but not enough to opine very authoritatively about this complicated subject. -- A. Joseph Ross, J.D. 617.367.0468 92 State Street, Suite 700 Fax 617.507.7856 Boston, MA 02109-2004 http://www.attorneyross.com From nostaticatall@charter.net Tue Sep 22 04:38:17 2009 From: nostaticatall@charter.net (Dave Tomm) Date: Tue, 22 Sep 2009 04:38:17 -0400 Subject: ESPN saying nothing for now In-Reply-To: <4fc429770909211922t2b5a266dl213d80c4c5112218@mail.gmail.com> References: <4fc429770909211922t2b5a266dl213d80c4c5112218@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <113E33BA-99DF-4845-A85D-F0130B530823@charter.net> That ESPN to 850 rumor just won't go away. Entercom in a recent press release talked about moving WEEI to FM "within months," so until that happens I would expect ESPN to stay mum on the subject. Then the question becomes, does ESPN buy 850 outright, or do they cut an affiliate deal with Entercom for the signal. With WCRB now off the table, it looks like Entercom will have to sacrifice either Mike FM or WAAF. Considering Entercom is in no big hurry to make the switchover, I'm wondering if there are more related moves afoot. Most rumors have WEEI landing on 93.7 which would displace Mike FM. I agree, since that's their best signal within the city itself. But, I personally think WAAF will be the odd one out. With Tom Finneran's contract ending at the end of the year, I'm thinking that Entercom will take AAF morning man Hillman (who's been talking a lot of politics lately) and put him on 680. That's about the only compelling show on WAAF right now and with Hillman on WRKO, I could see Mike moving over to 107.3 & 97.7. -Dave Tomm On Sep 21, 2009, at 10:22 PM, Kevin Vahey wrote: > One week into 890 going silent and no word on ESPN Radio yet > > However this interview does indicate that the Mouse pulled the plug > on 890 > > http://fangsbites.bostonsportsmedia.com/2009/09/interview-about-espn-boston/ From nostaticatall@charter.net Tue Sep 22 04:11:58 2009 From: nostaticatall@charter.net (Dave Tomm) Date: Tue, 22 Sep 2009 04:11:58 -0400 Subject: WGBH may buy WCRB? In-Reply-To: <4AB8667E.10186.10F2933@joe.attorneyross.com> References: <20090921204437.6159D326701@ws1-8.us4.outblaze.com>, <4AB7EAAA.8090107@fybush.com> <4AB8667E.10186.10F2933@joe.attorneyross.com> Message-ID: <7C0EE57F-4F87-41FC-9544-09F6462693D3@charter.net> WFCC (107.5) was bought by Cape Cod Broadcasting (Sandab) in 2007 when WCRB was sold to Nassau. They also bought the World Classical Network that was originally started by WCRB as part of the deal. CCB also owns WQRC, WOCN and WKPE on the Cape. WFCC is still classical and runs the network. I believe the W-Bach stations up in Maine are also World Classical Network affiliates but I don't know for sure. -Dave Tomm On Sep 22, 2009, at 1:54 AM, A. Joseph Ross wrote: >> If Nassau has been wanting to unload WCRB, why did they buy it? > > And, BTW, whatever happened to WCRB's former sister station, WFCC, on > the Cape? > From tlmedia@triad.rr.com Tue Sep 22 07:09:57 2009 From: tlmedia@triad.rr.com (Ted Larsen) Date: Tue, 22 Sep 2009 07:09:57 -0400 Subject: More Details On 'GBH Sale Message-ID: <5E2AE82526BB41F4809BC8976DB568E2@teddesktop> >From today's Boston Globe with quotes from Scott F. http://www.boston.com/ae/tv/articles/2009/09/22/wgbh_bids_for_broader_presence_in_public_radio/ From raccoonradio@mail.com Tue Sep 22 10:56:41 2009 From: raccoonradio@mail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Tue, 22 Sep 2009 09:56:41 -0500 Subject: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut Message-ID: <20090922145641.8D4AD905C49@ws1-5a.us4.outblaze.com> The pirate at 87.9 out of the Boxford/Georgetown area, The Wave, is apparently operating at reduced power because according to a radio-info.com post by the man who allegedly runs the station, someone cut his coaxial cable and damaged his transmitter. Perhaps once he gets it fixed it will again reach the wide area it was covering. Psst, sir: You need a license. Maybe the FCC will grant more LPFM licenses to our already crowded dial (though it may be less crowded up his way, who knows) and I hope any "pirate" would go the "official" route. After all, who's to say that someone down the street can't just put a station at 87.9 or 88.1 and cause him interference? Hey, it's a free country--can't we all just put radio stations on the air? Oh, I forgot...long ago, there was an act to create the Federal Radio Commission, now the Federal Communications Commission, to regulate just that problem. (Now, I don't know--is broadcasting at 87.9 okay now?) I remember a few years ago when a friend of mine contacted the FCC--he could no longer hear WMBR's "Lost and Found" at his home in Methuen because a pirate went on the air. They were soon shut down. But hey, who needs a license anyway? Now, if this man does have an LPFM license, then forget what I just said. Who knows, maybe he does...? Maybe nobody--especially the adjacent WMBR--will complain and he will continue to broadcast. After all he's a bit far removed from Cambridge... From walkerbroadcasting@gmail.com Tue Sep 22 11:07:33 2009 From: walkerbroadcasting@gmail.com (Paul B. Walker, Jr.) Date: Tue, 22 Sep 2009 10:07:33 -0500 Subject: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut In-Reply-To: <20090922145641.8D4AD905C49@ws1-5a.us4.outblaze.com> References: <20090922145641.8D4AD905C49@ws1-5a.us4.outblaze.com> Message-ID: <8bce0fe80909220807x11ef9969r9d4f8ce101508b3b@mail.gmail.com> What would make you even begin to think this man has an LPFM license? LPFM's don't operate below 92mhz and non commercial full powers havent been granted on 87.9 in years, only 2 licensed 87.9's exsist Paul On Tue, Sep 22, 2009 at 9:56 AM, Bob Nelson wrote: > > > But hey, who needs a license anyway? > > Now, if this man does have an LPFM license, then forget what I just said. > Who knows, maybe he does...? > > Maybe nobody--especially the adjacent WMBR--will complain and he will > continue to broadcast. After all he's a bit > far removed from Cambridge... > -- Sincerely, Paul B. Walker, Jr. www.onairdj.com walkerbroadcasting@gmail.com From raccoonradio@mail.com Tue Sep 22 11:09:38 2009 From: raccoonradio@mail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Tue, 22 Sep 2009 10:09:38 -0500 Subject: ESPN saying nothing for now Message-ID: <20090922150938.3E9BF905C49@ws1-5a.us4.outblaze.com> That's interesting, your theory about Hill moving to WRKO and Mike taking over 97.7 and 107.3. Some speculation had the opposite--that WRKO would displace 107.3 (and/or 97.7) and it would be Hill in the morning followed by Ingraham, Rush, Howie, Savage, etc. (Not sure what would happen to 680--sold off?) A new WRKO-FM would also perhaps grab some sports that WEEI (whether AM or FM) doesn't have room for (WRKO ran Monday Night Football's second game of the initial doubleheader last week and perhaps could run ESPN baseball playoffs) But ESPN of course would want a pretty full time station--especially one that could carry their Mike and Mike show (morning drive). Somehow I picture WEEI moving to FM but not WRKO. We shall see. (Though I think you feel RKO would stay at 680 and just add Hill. I think Finneran's contract ends in Jan or Feb, based on the fact he had started in Feb a few yrs ago.) But indeed they could put ESPN on 850 and WEEI most likely to 93.7, either w/ Entercom still owning 850 or selling it to ESPN It may be in no big hurry to switch but the idea of baseball playoffs (non-Sox) not on Boston radio is bad (though true, one could tune to the stations in Hartford or NYC after dark)..and what about the possibility of a move co-inciding with the start of the Celtics season? I think that kicks off in late October. Hopefully the hometown team at Fenway might make it all the way to the World Series but who knows at this point. If the series goes 7 games it would end on November 5. (According to Wikipedia this year's Fall Classic is scheduled to start on Oct 28--the latest ever. Some World Series have ended around Oct 26 or so...this year it BEGINS on 10/28. If you're attending a World Series game in a place like New York, Boston, Detroit, or Philadelphia, dress warmly, folks... I think also there was a theory of Hill moving to Mike, which would have him in the morning and then jockless otherwise...? From raccoonradio@mail.com Tue Sep 22 11:27:34 2009 From: raccoonradio@mail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Tue, 22 Sep 2009 10:27:34 -0500 Subject: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut Message-ID: <20090922152734.985CE905C49@ws1-5a.us4.outblaze.com> Well of course I was being a bit sarcastic...:) He did say he reported it to the cops. "Hello, I run a radio station not licensed for broadcasting by the FCC and someone cut my cable..." Would be right up there with "officer, someone stole my marijuana plants" :) >> non commercial full powers havent been granted on 87.9 in years, only 2 licensed 87.9's exsist Precisely my point. He is definitely not licensed. I will say I wasn't aware LPFMs aren't licensed under 92 MHz--but indeed that makes sense. In my travels around New England there have been LPFMs above 92 in places like Bellows Falls, VT; Londonderry, NH; various rest areas in Vermont, etc. So maybe I was being kind of rhetorical and sarcastic, but if he has some kind of legit license, I hope he can show it to us. (Indeed, the FCC in their NAL letters do say that if the broadcaster does have some kind of authority to broadcast on that frequency, they should show evidence of it.) From dave@skywaves.net Tue Sep 22 11:50:18 2009 From: dave@skywaves.net (Dave Doherty) Date: Tue, 22 Sep 2009 11:50:18 -0400 Subject: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut In-Reply-To: <8bce0fe80909220807x11ef9969r9d4f8ce101508b3b@mail.gmail.com> References: <20090922145641.8D4AD905C49@ws1-5a.us4.outblaze.com> <8bce0fe80909220807x11ef9969r9d4f8ce101508b3b@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <5E2A7C4893264465AB83F7E8E2C6C301@dave> There are some channel 6 LPTVs on operating as FM stations. But of course there are none in Massachusetts. The FCC's FMQuery tool lists 12 LPFMs on the reserved band below 92mHz. Of course, not one of these is on 87.9, which actually has three current occupants, only one of which - KSFH in Mountain View, CA - is a "real" station. The other two are a translator in Nevada and an experimental authorization in Texas. In addition, WJCF in Morristown, IN, which operates on 88.1 with 2.7kW and holds a CP for 5.4kW has applied for 25kW on 87.9. Good luck. FMQuery is available at http://www.fcc.gov/mb/audio/fmq.html -d -------------------------------------------------- From: "Paul B. Walker, Jr." Sent: Tuesday, September 22, 2009 11:07 AM To: "Bob Nelson" Cc: "BostonRadio Mailing List" Subject: Re: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut > > What would make you even begin to think this man has an LPFM license? > LPFM's > don't operate below 92mhz and non commercial full powers havent been > granted > on 87.9 in years, only 2 licensed 87.9's exsist > Paul > On Tue, Sep 22, 2009 at 9:56 AM, Bob Nelson wrote: > >> >> >> But hey, who needs a license anyway? >> >> Now, if this man does have an LPFM license, then forget what I just said. >> Who knows, maybe he does...? >> >> Maybe nobody--especially the adjacent WMBR--will complain and he will >> continue to broadcast. After all he's a bit >> far removed from Cambridge... >> > > > > -- > Sincerely, > Paul B. Walker, Jr. > www.onairdj.com > walkerbroadcasting@gmail.com > From TVNETDUDE@aol.com Tue Sep 22 16:03:30 2009 From: TVNETDUDE@aol.com (TVNETDUDE@aol.com) Date: Tue, 22 Sep 2009 16:03:30 EDT Subject: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut Message-ID: In a message dated 9/22/2009 11:53:21 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, boston-radio-interest-request@tsornin.BostonRadio.org writes: >>>Well of course I was being a bit sarcastic...:) He did say he reported it to the cops. "Hello, I run a radio station not licensed for broadcasting by the FCC and someone cut my cable..." Would be right up there with "officer, someone stole my marijuana plants" :) Precisely my point. He is definitely not licensed. I will say I wasn't aware LPFMs aren't licensed under 92 MHz--but indeed that makes sense. In my travels around New England there have been LPFMs above 92 in places like Bellows Falls, VT; Londonderry, NH; various rest areas in Vermont, etc. So maybe I was being kind of rhetorical and sarcastic, but if he has some kind of legit license, I hope he can show it to us. (Indeed, the FCC in their NAL letters do say that if the broadcaster does have some kind of authority to broadcast on that frequency, they should show evidence of it.)<<<< I don't really care whether he has a license or not. The local police aren't the FCC nor do they have the authority to do anything about it. I guess that makes it alright to vandalize someone's home because he didn't have a license. It is a good thing it happened in Massachusetts or the outcome may have been different. If I were that guy I would get a good communications attorney and go the radio Goldfield route. According to my communications attorney he told me that it would cost around 20+K. It is doubtful that this station is interfering with anyone 87.9 isn't doing anything right now and the increased range is probably due to the fact that there is no other station on the frequency. Let's not forget there are many pirates in Boston DO interfere with commercial stations and what exactly is the FCC doing about it? My take on it is if there are others doing it and the FCC looks the other way what is the problem with that? I am as pro-license as anyone on this list. I have spent my entire career in radio, TV, and network TV and I hold ALL of the commercial licenses. Where is the FCC and enforcement here? If any pirate has an audience and a commercial or NCE station claims that they are "stealing" their audience, as if the audience is obligated to listen to a specific station, you would think that they would get the message but they don't. What station in Boston, or the suburbs, serves the 55+ year old demo the media dead people? "Yeah, but they don't have a license". Mike From necrat.alternate@gmail.com Tue Sep 22 22:51:39 2009 From: necrat.alternate@gmail.com (Mike Fitzpatrick) Date: Tue, 22 Sep 2009 22:51:39 -0400 Subject: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <000901ca3bf8$c68e1950$53aa4bf0$@alternate@gmail.com> >Precisely my point. He is definitely not licensed. I will say I wasn't >aware LPFMs aren't licensed under 92 MHz--but indeed >that makes sense. LPFM's are licensed to channels 201 (88.1) to 300 (107.9). There is no "below 92mhz" rule. Not sure where that started but that is completely incorrect information. Right here in New England we have a LPFM operating on 89.1 (WYTC-LP), in Hyde Park, VT. >I don't really care whether he has a license or not. The local police >aren't the FCC nor do they have the authority to do anything about it. They have the authority to contact the FCC before persuing anything. >I guess that makes it alright to vandalize someone's home because he didn't >have a license. I don't recall anyone saying that. What was pointed out was the true irony of the situation. The guy calling the police because someone damaged his illegal radio station. Just a ironic situation was all that was said. >It is doubtful that this station is interfering with anyone 87.9 isn't >doing anything right now and the increased range is probably due to the fact >that there is no other station on the frequency. Hmm. Might want to ask 2nd adjacent WBMT about that. WBMT, is a LICENSED radio station, operating LEGALLY, using circular polarization. It is not very far from this guy's illegal operation. It is a class A FM station, therefor, it receives protection to its 1st, 2nd***, and 3rd frequencies. So the answer is, technically, yes, this guy IS interfering with another station, 2nd adjacent WBMT.3 And depending on the power he is using, he could be causing prohibited overlap into 1st adjacent WMBR. It's probably clear from IF spaced 98.5, but I couldn't tell at this moment if it is or not. >Let's not forget there are many pirates in Boston DO interfere with >commercial stations and what exactly is the FCC doing about it? My take on it is >if there are others doing it and the FCC looks the other way what is the >problem with that? This time I am going to agree with you, partially. The FCC does seem to be looking away from this. What needs to happen here is what happens in Florida. Where the local authorities can go after these illegal broadcasters. Maybe the FCC needs local broadcast engineers to help them team up to go after these people. Maybe even the SBE chapter could form some sort of "pirate alliance" that reports directly to the FCC. It isn't difficult to find these guys. I have a simple piece of equipment and have documented the location of several dozen pirates all ready using it and with the help of a friend of mine, we have yet to have a pirate which we haven't found. The information IS there, and the FCC will be told this information on a as-needed basis. (I would be willing to share the whole list if they wanted it.) >If any pirate has an audience and a commercial or NCE station claims that >they are "stealing" their audience, as if the audience is obligated to >listen to a specific station, you would think that they would get the message >but they don't. > >What station in Boston, or the suburbs, serves the 55+ year old demo the >media dead people? "Yeah, but they don't have a license". See that's not the problem I have, nor do most engineers have with these clowns. It isn't about the audience they serve, it's about the engineering practices they are doing and the fact that they're breaking a well established federal law. These guys don't do interference studies, don't adhere to RFR guidelines. There has been more than once when I have seen a pirate using a antenna that is literally feet off a roofline, and the station is clearly using more than 1kW. The RFR levels on that would greatly exceed the FCC minimums for uncontrolled exposure. I do NOT condone who ever damaged this guy's equipment at all. Being a Ham and a broadcaster myself, I would never want that happening to me. There are legal channels to go take care of these things. And if you don't like the interference being caused by the station, there are routes to take to get the station shut off without causing vandalisim. However hopefully the vandals end up in court along side this guy, for both breaking the law. --Mike From joe@attorneyross.com Wed Sep 23 01:54:52 2009 From: joe@attorneyross.com (A. Joseph Ross) Date: Wed, 23 Sep 2009 01:54:52 -0400 Subject: [Save_progressive_radio_boston] Re: WGBH buying WCRB-FM, turning it into a commercial-free classical station In-Reply-To: References: , Message-ID: <4AB9B82C.12415.7DFDEA@joe.attorneyross.com> On 22 Sep 2009 at 14:49, skeres wrote: > Thank goodness for that! I like the idea of keeping classical radio. But it may, in fact, reduce the availability of classical music on local radio. Right now there is WHRB in the afternoon/evening, WGBH in the morning, and WCRB all the time. When WGBH buys WCRB, will there continue to be classical music on WGBH or will WGBH do something else? -- A. Joseph Ross, J.D. 617.367.0468 92 State Street, Suite 700 Fax 617.507.7856 Boston, MA 02109-2004 http://www.attorneyross.com From raccoonradio@mail.com Wed Sep 23 03:11:26 2009 From: raccoonradio@mail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Wed, 23 Sep 2009 02:11:26 -0500 Subject: [Save_progressive_radio_boston] Re: WGBH buying WCRB-FM, turning it into a commercial-free classical station Message-ID: <20090923071126.764D5CD80FB@ws1-4a.us4.outblaze.com> >>When WGBH buys WCRB, will there continue to be classical music on WGBH or will WGBH do something else? Yes, more news/talk, they're hinting From raccoonradio@mail.com Wed Sep 23 03:15:03 2009 From: raccoonradio@mail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Wed, 23 Sep 2009 02:15:03 -0500 Subject: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut Message-ID: <20090923071503.3E1D0CD80FB@ws1-4a.us4.outblaze.com> Someone mentioned on the radio-info board that the "owner" of 87.9 The Wave heard the FCC was on his trail and shut down to be sa >>Right here in New England we have a LPFM operating on 89.1 (WYTC-LP), in Hyde Park, VT. Ah, thanks for the info on LPFM situation. >>What was pointed out was the true irony of the situation. The guy calling the police because someone damaged his illegal radio station. Just a ironic situation was all that was said. True >>Hmm. Might want to ask 2nd adjacent WBMT about that. WBMT, is a LICENSED radio station, operating LEGALLY, using circular polarization. It is not very far from this guy's illegal operation. Indeed and I think I was picking up WBMT today... >>I do NOT condone who ever damaged this guy's equipment at all. Being a Ham and a broadcaster myself, I would never want that happening to me. And I agree...would hope he could get a legal license (LPFM) or something From kvahey@comcast.net Wed Sep 23 03:38:56 2009 From: kvahey@comcast.net (Kevin Vahey) Date: Wed, 23 Sep 2009 02:38:56 -0500 Subject: [Save_progressive_radio_boston] Re: WGBH buying WCRB-FM, turning it into a commercial-free classical station In-Reply-To: <20090923071126.764D5CD80FB@ws1-4a.us4.outblaze.com> References: <20090923071126.764D5CD80FB@ws1-4a.us4.outblaze.com> Message-ID: <4fc429770909230038m29cc2d13t5d533d2e7acccabb@mail.gmail.com> GBH is past the hinting stage now http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2009/09/23/wgbh_deal_may_spark_boston_news_radio_battle/ Now GBH says they will make WCRB non-commercial but why? CRB certainly has had loyal advertisers for decades. On 9/23/09, Bob Nelson wrote: >>>When WGBH buys WCRB, will > there continue to be classical music on WGBH or will WGBH do > something else? > > Yes, more news/talk, they're hinting > > From dan.strassberg@att.net Wed Sep 23 06:11:33 2009 From: dan.strassberg@att.net (Dan.Strassberg) Date: Wed, 23 Sep 2009 06:11:33 -0400 Subject: [Save_progressive_radio_boston] Re: WGBH buying WCRB-FM, turning it into a commercial-free classical station References: , <4AB9B82C.12415.7DFDEA@joe.attorneyross.com> Message-ID: <815C48B5BE3F4598B38EA75CD68D872B@SatU205S5044> But if you agree with one very vocal and insistent poster to both the Progressive Talk and Boston Radio lists, WCRB hasn't played classical music in decades. Although I do not agree with that poster, who appears to want to impose his personal taste on all of WCRB's listeners because he is sure he knows what is good for them, even if they, themselves, do not, I gather that he is not alone in his opinion. ----- Dan Strassberg (dan.strassberg@att.net) eFax 1-707-215-6367 ----- Original Message ----- From: "A. Joseph Ross" To: Cc: "boston radio e-mail list" Sent: Wednesday, September 23, 2009 1:54 AM Subject: Re: [Save_progressive_radio_boston] Re: WGBH buying WCRB-FM,turning it into a commercial-free classical station > On 22 Sep 2009 at 14:49, skeres wrote: > >> Thank goodness for that! I like the idea of keeping classical >> radio. > > But it may, in fact, reduce the availability of classical music on > local radio. Right now there is WHRB in the afternoon/evening, WGBH > in the morning, and WCRB all the time. When WGBH buys WCRB, will > there continue to be classical music on WGBH or will WGBH do > something else? > > -- > A. Joseph Ross, J.D. 617.367.0468 > 92 State Street, Suite 700 Fax 617.507.7856 > Boston, MA 02109-2004 http://www.attorneyross.com > > From kc1ih@mac.com Wed Sep 23 05:47:57 2009 From: kc1ih@mac.com (Larry Weil) Date: Wed, 23 Sep 2009 05:47:57 -0400 Subject: [Save_progressive_radio_boston] Re: WGBH buying WCRB-FM, turning it into a commercial-free classical station In-Reply-To: <4fc429770909230038m29cc2d13t5d533d2e7acccabb@mail.gmail.com> References: <20090923071126.764D5CD80FB@ws1-4a.us4.outblaze.com> <4fc429770909230038m29cc2d13t5d533d2e7acccabb@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: At 2:38 AM -0500 9/23/09, Kevin Vahey wrote: >GBH is past the hinting stage now > >http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2009/09/23/wgbh_deal_may_spark_boston_news_radio_battle/ The question I just thought of: What becomes of WHDH-HD2? Does it remain an independently produced classical music stream or does it become a rebroadcast of WCRB? I don't know if anyone has the answer to this, or if it's just something we'll have to speculate about until the purchase closes. -- Larry Weil Lake Wobegone, NH From revdoug1@myfairpoint.net Wed Sep 23 10:14:58 2009 From: revdoug1@myfairpoint.net (Doug Drown) Date: Wed, 23 Sep 2009 10:14:58 -0400 Subject: [Save_progressive_radio_boston] Re: WGBH buying WCRB-FM, turning it into a commercial-free classical station References: <20090923071126.764D5CD80FB@ws1-4a.us4.outblaze.com><4fc429770909230038m29cc2d13t5d533d2e7acccabb@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <6B0225ABCAD74DC08D5BB8A146222AFB@doug8e1fq39qwb> Being up here in Maine, I didn't know there was a WHDH-HD2. Who owns it, and how it is programmed? -Doug P.S.: Still no word on Nassau's Maine classical stations? ----- Original Message ----- From: "Larry Weil" To: "boston radio e-mail list" Sent: Wednesday, September 23, 2009 5:47 AM Subject: Re: [Save_progressive_radio_boston] Re: WGBH buying WCRB-FM,turning it into a commercial-free classical station > At 2:38 AM -0500 9/23/09, Kevin Vahey wrote: > >>GBH is past the hinting stage now >> >>http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2009/09/23/wgbh_deal_may_spark_boston_news_radio_battle/ > > The question I just thought of: What becomes of WHDH-HD2? Does it > remain an independently produced classical music stream or does it > become a rebroadcast of WCRB? I don't know if anyone has the answer > to this, or if it's just something we'll have to speculate about > until the purchase closes. > > -- > Larry Weil > Lake Wobegone, NH > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 8.5.409 / Virus Database: 270.13.112/2389 - Release Date: 09/22/09 17:54:00 From markwa1ion@aol.com Wed Sep 23 11:05:11 2009 From: markwa1ion@aol.com (markwa1ion@aol.com) Date: Wed, 23 Sep 2009 11:05:11 -0400 Subject: 55+ (was: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut) Message-ID: <8CC0A7661AE1CEC-2C64-12901@webmail-m039.sysops.aol.com> << What station in Boston, or the suburbs, serves the 55+ year old demo the media dead people? "Yeah, but they don't have a license". Mike >> Good point Mike. I guess by day maybe WJIB-740 qualifies for some, though at night - with the lower power and co-channel Toronto's interference, the area WJIB serves becomes vanishingly small. We used to have 1430 and 1230 and 1300 serving up big bands, Broadway, standards, and the like. No longer ... guess I'd better be learning more Spanish. There's still 1450 out of Newburyport which has some daytime usability north of 128 and east of Route 3. But with 1430 running IBOC, 1450 is now a rather hissy-sounding mess now in the high-traffic 128 / 93 junction area (Woburn / Reading) where it had once been an easily-listenable signal in the car on the open highway away from power lines. WLLH-1400 Lowell once ran a similar format (up to the late '90s anyway) until various permutations of Spanish and sports were tried and failed - now 1400 is vacated, just leaving a weak signal from WVAE (Biddeford, ME) behind here in the northern suburbs. 1120 and 1390 insert some older music including Sinatra occasionally but mostly they're business talkers. 1390 isn't really that usable north of Boston except maybe right at the shore (in Beverly, etc.). It gets crushed by WEGP-ME at night. Of course "55+" listeners are not a monolithic block in terms of musical taste any more than in political affiliation. There are as many who like Frank Zappa and Led Zeppelin as those who like Jo Stafford and "Tessie" Brewer. (I must be weird since I actually like all of the above ... try programming to that !) The big-time commercial so-called "oldies" FM stations abandoned the 1950's long ago, even stalwart performers such as Elvis Presley and Buddy Holly, let alone anything verging on the obscure such as doo-wop songs that might have only made it to #38 on Billboard but are still respected by those in the know. Now the '60s, except perhaps for one or two Beatles and Motown songs, are about to roll off the dock and into the dumpster according to what I've been reading about 103.3. What's interesting is that every few years a movie comes out which revives interest in older music, even interest among young people who were not around during World War II for instance (or, for that matter, the Vietnam war). The same can be said for movies reviving "niche" music types whether old or new, e.g. "Cold Mountain" reviving bluegrass thanks to Alison Krauss and other performers. People, young and old, have to discover or rediscover a lot of great music totally without any influence by radio. Terrestrial radio considering certain demographics 'marginal' and therefore not worth serving, even large (and often prosperous) groups such as 55+, has driven more to seek out Internet radio, satellite radio, and other ways to hear music (and talk) that they want. When those who grew up on "regular" radio go away, many will not return. North of Boston WCAP-980 (Lowell) does run a credible oldies format at night but even here on the southern end of Billerica - about 12 miles south of WCAP's transmitter - there is substantial interference from WOFX (Fox Sports - Troy, NY) some nights. This requires special positioning of the radio for clear listening to the oldies and to Dick Summer's always-interesting "Goodnight" podcast show at midnight. South of the city, there's WATD Marshfield on 95.9: it has a good oldies program on Saturday night. And I think WRCA-1330 runs Danny Stiles' show out of NY sometimes. I suppose there are some other treats to be found periodically in the 88-92 MHz non-commercial segment. Cape Cod proper, a huge 55+ market, has very little going for it on local radio, maybe even less than metro-Boston. Bob Bittner should add 1240 to his roster I guess. No reason that it couldn't be commercial, or some combo of commercial and listener-supported. Other idea would be to jump on an HD subcarrier of an FM station with a WJIB-like format if HD radios ever move beyond the niche domain. Generally speaking, the offerings for 55+ are more like crumbs tossed out to the birds than a full meal. Little segments of broadcasting time on little stations. Meanwhile we've had 4 or 5 fulltime big-power stations at the same time stumbling over each other to present various flavors of sports. I guess we have to be thankful for what we get. Or maybe surf Web radio instead, order some tunes from Collectors Choice / Time-Life / iTunes / Amazon, and shut the old radio off for the last time. Mark Connelly - Billerica, MA (Arlington High Class of '67) From donald_astelle@yahoo.com Wed Sep 23 12:30:14 2009 From: donald_astelle@yahoo.com (Don A) Date: Wed, 23 Sep 2009 12:30:14 -0400 Subject: [Save_progressive_radio_boston] Re: WGBH buying WCRB-FM, turning it into a commercial-free classical station References: , <4AB9B82C.12415.7DFDEA@joe.attorneyross.com> <815C48B5BE3F4598B38EA75CD68D872B@SatU205S5044> Message-ID: <6B5BD719A43646C8AE04CEB3C540E812@MainXPPro> > But if you agree with one very vocal and insistent poster to both the > Progressive Talk and Boston Radio lists, WCRB hasn't played classical > music in decades. Although I do not agree with that poster, who > appears to want to impose his personal taste on all of WCRB's > listeners because he is sure he knows what is good for them... I wonder who that might be.....? From raccoonradio@gmail.com Wed Sep 23 12:11:31 2009 From: raccoonradio@gmail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Wed, 23 Sep 2009 12:11:31 -0400 Subject: 55+ (was: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut) In-Reply-To: <8CC0A7661AE1CEC-2C64-12901@webmail-m039.sysops.aol.com> References: <8CC0A7661AE1CEC-2C64-12901@webmail-m039.sysops.aol.com> Message-ID: <1fbbbced0909230911v724d497ar7ad921a5d3955b3b@mail.gmail.com> One could get XM/Sirius which has 40s and 50s stations, etc. (When I visit my Dad on Cape Cod and help him shop, I put XM 40s on 4, the "Savoy Express" on (my Dad can't drive any more so I do the honors). They also have a beautiful music station, Escape.) Some college stations have oldies. WMWM has a Saturday night oldies block with the group-sound Uncle Henry's Basement (on since '89) and a rotating series of shows that feature rockabilly, and 50s/60s R&B/blues, etc. Sometimes I'll throw in Bo Diddley or Chuck Berry on my blues show and will mention "you won't hear these on the oldies station down the dial". Uncle Jack's Roadhouse, a country and roots show on Sat. afternoons, will do some country or blues oldies. It's only for a minute or so, maybe not even, but usually you can hear a Sinatra tune as bumper music on Laura Ingraham (WRKO, etc.) I think she does it for her dad... WATD does have some interesting stuff. I think they still have a wee-hours (Tue nights?) oldies show done by a legally blind DJ, IIRC. I would think that older listeners will enjoy news/talk or sports but for music, there's not much out there on local terrestrial radio From tlmedia@triad.rr.com Wed Sep 23 12:48:10 2009 From: tlmedia@triad.rr.com (Ted Larsen) Date: Wed, 23 Sep 2009 12:48:10 -0400 Subject: [Save_progressive_radio_boston] Re: WGBH buying WCRB-FM, turning it into a commercial-free classical station References: , <4AB9B82C.12415.7DFDEA@joe.attorneyross.com> <815C48B5BE3F4598B38EA75CD68D872B@SatU205S5044> Message-ID: <831EAB888EF5401BA0A3ED89A73D9ED4@teddesktop> Well, sure seems they are still playing classical. Even though they aren't streaming anymore this link shows what's playing now. Last time I looked it was a Gregg Concerto. Pretty classical. http://www.wcrb.com/page.php?page_id=36169 .The page also outlines "future plans," believe it or don't. ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dan.Strassberg" To: "A. Joseph Ross" ; Cc: "boston radio e-mail list" Sent: Wednesday, September 23, 2009 6:11 AM Subject: Re: [Save_progressive_radio_boston] Re: WGBH buying WCRB-FM,turning it into a commercial-free classical station > But if you agree with one very vocal and insistent poster to both the > Progressive Talk and Boston Radio lists, WCRB hasn't played classical > music in decades. Although I do not agree with that poster, who > appears to want to impose his personal taste on all of WCRB's > listeners because he is sure he knows what is good for them, even if > they, themselves, do not, I gather that he is not alone in his > opinion. > > ----- > Dan Strassberg (dan.strassberg@att.net) > eFax 1-707-215-6367 > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "A. Joseph Ross" > To: > Cc: "boston radio e-mail list" > Sent: Wednesday, September 23, 2009 1:54 AM > Subject: Re: [Save_progressive_radio_boston] Re: WGBH buying > WCRB-FM,turning it into a commercial-free classical station > > >> On 22 Sep 2009 at 14:49, skeres wrote: >> >>> Thank goodness for that! I like the idea of keeping classical >>> radio. >> >> But it may, in fact, reduce the availability of classical music on >> local radio. Right now there is WHRB in the afternoon/evening, WGBH >> in the morning, and WCRB all the time. When WGBH buys WCRB, will >> there continue to be classical music on WGBH or will WGBH do >> something else? >> >> -- >> A. Joseph Ross, J.D. 617.367.0468 >> 92 State Street, Suite 700 Fax 617.507.7856 >> Boston, MA 02109-2004 http://www.attorneyross.com >> >> > > > From dan.strassberg@att.net Wed Sep 23 12:50:53 2009 From: dan.strassberg@att.net (Dan.Strassberg) Date: Wed, 23 Sep 2009 12:50:53 -0400 Subject: [Save_progressive_radio_boston] Re: WGBH buying WCRB-FM, turning it into a commercial-free classical station References: <4AB9B82C.12415.7DFDEA@joe.attorneyross.com> <815C48B5BE3F4598B38EA75CD68D872B@SatU205S5044> <6B5BD719A43646C8AE04CEB3C540E812@MainXPPro> <8bce0fe80909230937p76eab5abh489aebbb0bb697d9@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: Well, if he had his way, I think WCRB would devote at least one month a year to an Alban Berg festival--all atonal, all the time! He's a great grand opera devotee, and I think he really, really likes Berg's Wozzek. To borrow a phrase, that music makes my hair hurt! ----- Dan Strassberg (dan.strassberg@att.net) eFax 1-707-215-6367 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Paul B. Walker, Jr." To: "Don A" Cc: "Dan.Strassberg" ; "A. Joseph Ross" ; "boston radio e-mail list" Sent: Wednesday, September 23, 2009 12:37 PM Subject: Re: [Save_progressive_radio_boston] Re: WGBH buying WCRB-FM, turning it into a commercial-free classical station > me too, I wonder... ;) > > Paul > > > > On Wed, Sep 23, 2009 at 11:30 AM, Don A > wrote: > >> >> >> >> But if you agree with one very vocal and insistent poster to both >> the >>> Progressive Talk and Boston Radio lists, WCRB hasn't played >>> classical >>> music in decades. Although I do not agree with that poster, who >>> appears to want to impose his personal taste on all of WCRB's >>> listeners because he is sure he knows what is good for them... >>> >> >> >> I wonder who that might be.....? >> > From walkerbroadcasting@gmail.com Wed Sep 23 12:37:35 2009 From: walkerbroadcasting@gmail.com (Paul B. Walker, Jr.) Date: Wed, 23 Sep 2009 11:37:35 -0500 Subject: [Save_progressive_radio_boston] Re: WGBH buying WCRB-FM, turning it into a commercial-free classical station In-Reply-To: <6B5BD719A43646C8AE04CEB3C540E812@MainXPPro> References: <4AB9B82C.12415.7DFDEA@joe.attorneyross.com> <815C48B5BE3F4598B38EA75CD68D872B@SatU205S5044> <6B5BD719A43646C8AE04CEB3C540E812@MainXPPro> Message-ID: <8bce0fe80909230937p76eab5abh489aebbb0bb697d9@mail.gmail.com> me too, I wonder... ;) Paul On Wed, Sep 23, 2009 at 11:30 AM, Don A wrote: > > > > But if you agree with one very vocal and insistent poster to both the >> Progressive Talk and Boston Radio lists, WCRB hasn't played classical >> music in decades. Although I do not agree with that poster, who >> appears to want to impose his personal taste on all of WCRB's >> listeners because he is sure he knows what is good for them... >> > > > I wonder who that might be.....? > From TVNETDUDE@aol.com Wed Sep 23 14:17:30 2009 From: TVNETDUDE@aol.com (TVNETDUDE@aol.com) Date: Wed, 23 Sep 2009 14:17:30 EDT Subject: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut Message-ID: In a message dated 9/23/2009 12:02:18 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, boston-radio-interest-request@tsornin.BostonRadio.org writes: >>>>Hmm. Might want to ask 2nd adjacent WBMT about that. WBMT, is a LICENSED radio station, operating LEGALLY, using circular polarization. It is not very far from this guy's illegal operation. It is a class A FM station, therefor, it receives protection to its 1st, 2nd***, and 3rd frequencies. So the answer is, technically, yes, this guy IS interfering with another station, 2nd adjacent WBMT.3 And depending on the power he is using, he could be causing prohibited overlap into 1st adjacent WMBR. It's probably clear from IF spaced 98.5, but I couldn't tell at this moment if it is or not.<<<< Hi Mike, Man choosing WBMT vs a pirate was the wrong choice. First of all, WBMT operates whenever it wants and is hardly ever on the air. The only station that is interfering with WBMT is WEVS in Nashua at 5KW operating on the same frequency. WBMT messed up when they sat on their hands when NHPR signed WEVS on a few years ago. WEVS sounds like a local station even when WBMT is on the air. Speaking of irony, WBMT serves no one and is awaiting a hearing for license renewal for profanity and this guy is serving the area. When I am up there I listen to it and I know some of you listen to it too. I am betting that WBMT will loose their license because they have quite a bit against them including a statement to the FCC stating that they see no problem with obscenity on the air. That statement alone screams public service to me. They have been operating without a license for over three years now ( currently on an STA). You really have to see the documents they submitted! I have and the off air recordings as well. I doubt very much that WMBR can even hear this station and if they can perhaps he could jump down to 87.7 and that would certainly eliminate that problem. Works like a champ in NYC. Pulse 87.7 Hey let's dance! Yeah I know. "They don't have a license". Neither do the other unlicensed stations in Boston but I will bet you they have more listeners for their coverage area than the licensed stations in Boston and they serve their respective community. Speaking of the Boston stations, I want someone on this list to tell me that they are not interfering with commercial stations. Pick one and give me the analysis you just did for the station at 87.9. We both know it wouldn't be pretty regardless of what unlicensed station you chose. What about the "licensed" stations that they are interfering with? Where are they in all of this? ALL of the unlicensed stations in Boston are on the commercial band. Where is the FCC? I know where the FCC is, they are afraid of what the ramifications of Radio Goldfield could have on the radio business if one of these unlicensed station takes them to court. It seems that whenever a pirate accidentally broadcasts at the end of the FM band and gets into the aircraft band the FCC and local police have that station shutdown the same day. So you see it could be done. I just think that AM/FM Broadcasting is a low priority to the FCC. Some of these stations have been on the air for years now and they just keep on coming. Let's all climb all over a station in the middle of nowhere. I have to ask myself does anyone on this list understand the term "equality"? Shut one down, shut them all down. People over 55, when it comes to broadcast media, are also minority because all of the licensed stations don't program to "dead people". Public service my a**! Maybe the future of radio, in urban areas, is lower power community stations. If a large station cannot make enough money to make a profit, or should I say what they consider a profit, on a specific format what then? "Well to hell with the public they will listen to what we tell them to listen to". Great business model about 40 years ago when the only entertainment was radio and OTA TV but not anymore. When pirate stations have more of an audience than licensed stations something is broken. Licensed stations can do one of two things emulate the pirate and make their stations better or complain to the FCC and "try" to get it shut down. Of course they continue to broadcast the same crap nobody listens too either way. I mean whose fault is it that radio groups over paid for their stations? Listeners don't give a rat's a**. With all of the media choices out there radio broadcasters better deliver. As far as pirates being technically inferior I agree, but what should or could be done about that? It is a no win situation. Who would step up and show these guys the way to do it right? I'm not saying getting a license, because there aren't any to be had in the area, I am saying technically make it a safe environment. No technically they don't have the skill but if one of them called you would any of you help them out? Doubtful. You can't have it both ways. Bear in mind we are talking about a radio station, licensed or unlicensed, not a meth lab. Mike Hemeon - CPBE From TVNETDUDE@aol.com Wed Sep 23 14:21:59 2009 From: TVNETDUDE@aol.com (TVNETDUDE@aol.com) Date: Wed, 23 Sep 2009 14:21:59 EDT Subject: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut Message-ID: In a message dated 9/23/2009 12:02:18 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, boston-radio-interest-request@tsornin.BostonRadio.org writes: >>Someone mentioned on the radio-info board that the "owner" of 87.9 The Wave heard the FCC was on his trail and shut down to be sa<<< I love the internet news that may or may not be accurate. As I said on another list give the Boxford police a call. Mike From TVNETDUDE@aol.com Wed Sep 23 14:27:13 2009 From: TVNETDUDE@aol.com (TVNETDUDE@aol.com) Date: Wed, 23 Sep 2009 14:27:13 EDT Subject: 55+ (was: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut) Message-ID: In a message dated 9/23/2009 12:02:18 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, boston-radio-interest-request@tsornin.BostonRadio.org writes: Generally speaking, the offerings for 55+ are more like crumbs tossed out to the birds than a full meal. Little segments of broadcasting time on little stations. Meanwhile we've had 4 or 5 fulltime big-power stations at the same time stumbling over each other to present various flavors of sports. I guess we have to be thankful for what we get. Or maybe surf Web radio instead, order some tunes from Collectors Choice / Time-Life / iTunes / Amazon, and shut the old radio off for the last time. Mark, The problem with oldies stations is oldies are the 70's and 80's in NY and NJ. When that group hits the hump it will be 80's and 90's. I guess they think our feeble minds can't remember that far back. Mike From gary@garysicecream.com Wed Sep 23 14:36:14 2009 From: gary@garysicecream.com (Gary's Ice Cream) Date: Wed, 23 Sep 2009 14:36:14 -0400 Subject: 55+ (was: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut) In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <200909231836.n8NIaU7m066891@tsornin.bostonradio.org> When I was programming the overnight show "Music & Memories" on WCAP from 2002 thru Nov 2007 we would regularly get calls and letters from listeners from Lowell to Cape Cod (station aims that direction at night) saying how much they enjoyed the music. I was programming a very eclectic mix from the late 40's thru the 70's...everything from Glenn Miller to Barry Manilow. We seemed to have a lot of listeners in the Arlington area. Ages ranged from the early 30's through the 70's. We were working off of an active library of over 5,000 songs. Gary Francis -----Original Message----- From: boston-radio-interest-bounces@tsornin.BostonRadio.org [mailto:boston-radio-interest-bounces@tsornin.BostonRadio.org] On Behalf Of TVNETDUDE@aol.com Sent: Wednesday, September 23, 2009 2:27 PM To: boston-radio-interest@tsornin.bostonradio.org; MarkWA1ION@aol.com Subject: Re: 55+ (was: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut) In a message dated 9/23/2009 12:02:18 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, boston-radio-interest-request@tsornin.BostonRadio.org writes: Generally speaking, the offerings for 55+ are more like crumbs tossed out to the birds than a full meal. Little segments of broadcasting time on little stations. Meanwhile we've had 4 or 5 fulltime big-power stations at the same time stumbling over each other to present various flavors of sports. I guess we have to be thankful for what we get. Or maybe surf Web radio instead, order some tunes from Collectors Choice / Time-Life / iTunes / Amazon, and shut the old radio off for the last time. Mark, The problem with oldies stations is oldies are the 70's and 80's in NY and NJ. When that group hits the hump it will be 80's and 90's. I guess they think our feeble minds can't remember that far back. Mike From aerie.ma@comcast.net Wed Sep 23 14:36:56 2009 From: aerie.ma@comcast.net (Jim Hall) Date: Wed, 23 Sep 2009 14:36:56 -0400 Subject: [Save_progressive_radio_boston] Re: WGBH buying WCRB-FM, turning it into a commercial-free classical station In-Reply-To: <8bce0fe80909230937p76eab5abh489aebbb0bb697d9@mail.gmail.com> References: <4AB9B82C.12415.7DFDEA@joe.attorneyross.com><815C48B5BE3F4598B38EA75CD68D872B@SatU205S5044><6B5BD719A43646C8AE04CEB3C540E812@MainXPPro> <8bce0fe80909230937p76eab5abh489aebbb0bb697d9@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <2D5CD290D34446BEB9D838ECD1747DA4@CHEM214> I wonder if WCRB still has "in-town studios at the elegant Copley Plaza hotel"... WCRB Waltham...1330 AM, 102.5 FM... with in-town studios at the elegant Copley Plaza Hotel...now broadcasting 40 hours weekly in quadraphonic sound, via the CBS SQ Matrix Decoding System. From markwa1ion@aol.com Wed Sep 23 15:40:33 2009 From: markwa1ion@aol.com (markwa1ion@aol.com) Date: Wed, 23 Sep 2009 15:40:33 -0400 Subject: 55+ (was: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut) In-Reply-To: <1fbbbced0909230911v724d497ar7ad921a5d3955b3b@mail.gmail.com> References: <8CC0A7661AE1CEC-2C64-12901@webmail-m039.sysops.aol.com> <1fbbbced0909230911v724d497ar7ad921a5d3955b3b@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <8CC0A9CD97162EC-2C64-16FB5@webmail-m039.sysops.aol.com> One thing missing from a lot of the satellite stations, and to some extent terrestrial music broadcasters too, is the element of PERSONALITY. "Local feel" is often lacking too. DJ's of earlier times like Bill Marlowe on the adult-pop side and the '60s WBZ stable of DeSuze, Maynard, Kaye, Bradley, and Summer just aren't falling out of the trees these days. Some stations can be good jukeboxes, but where's the Marlowe-like exuberance over a killer sax solo, Jeffy Kaye being deeply informed about folk music on his Hootenanny, Dick Summer rallying "Nightlighters Against Gutlessness" after the murder of a woman in NY in front of witnesses who did nothing, or DeSuze trying to pick up everyone's spirits during a miserable snowstorm or after a crushing defeat of the Sox ? I hear satellite stations of various types when out in restaurants and, while the music may be good, I'm just not getting the same kick out of listening as I did with '60s-era Boston radio (or for that matter into the '70s and '80s on the FM side, especially WBCN). Is this kind of personal interaction gone from DJ practice and limited only to talk formats now that automation and non-local sourcing rule the commercial-station music formats ? I do appreciate what some of the smaller stations are doing. They put the big stations with their bigger budgets to shame. Mark Connelly - Billerica, MA -----Original Message----- From: Bob Nelson To: markwa1ion@aol.com Cc: boston-radio-interest@bostonradio.org Sent: Wed, Sep 23, 2009 12:11 pm Subject: Re: 55+ (was: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut) One could get XM/Sirius which has 40s and 50s stations, etc. (When I visit my Dad on Cape Cod and help him shop, I put XM 40s on 4, the "Savoy Express" on (my Dad can't drive any more so I do the honors). They also have a beautiful music station, Escape.) Some college stations have oldies. WMWM has a Saturday night oldies block with the group-sound Uncle Henry's Basement (on since '89) and a rotating series of shows that feature rockabilly, and 50s/60s R&B/blues, etc. Sometimes I'll throw in Bo Diddley or Chuck Berry on my blues show and will mention "you won't hear these on the oldies station down the dial". Uncle Jack's Roadhouse, a country and roots show on Sat. afternoons, will do some country or blues oldies. It's only for a minute or so, maybe not even, but usually you can hear a Sinatra tune as bumper music on Laura Ingraham (WRKO, etc.) I think she does it for her dad... WATD does have some interesting stuff. I think they still have a wee-hours (Tue nights?) oldies show done by a legally blind DJ, IIRC. I would think that older listeners will enjoy news/talk or sports but for music, there's not much out there on local terrestrial radio From markwa1ion@aol.com Wed Sep 23 16:01:01 2009 From: markwa1ion@aol.com (markwa1ion@aol.com) Date: Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:01:01 -0400 Subject: 55+ (was: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut) Message-ID: <8CC0A9FB58F7C7C-2C64-17577@webmail-m039.sysops.aol.com> Gary, I used to be one of those Cape listeners of WCAP even before 2002 when I'd stay at my parents' place in West Yarmouth or at my brother-in-law's at East Harwich. I phoned in a couple of times with requests for stuff like "Temptation" by the Everlys, "Louisiana Mama" by Gene Pitney, and a general range of other things never heard on 'Oldies 103.3' even then. With the right skip WCAP came in as well in the Yarmouth area at 100+ miles as it did at home in the Pinehurst section of Billerica, about 12 miles south of the towers. I've also listened out in Rockport on Cape Ann but that's not far enough for a good first skip and a bit too far for solid groundwave. Worst problem there is actually an Algerian station (!) sometimes in with a barn-burner signal on 981 to make a big fat 1 kHz beat note. Your show had more of the rarer stuff than what WCAP does on the overnights now. Some of us still remember songs that, during their peak week, got up to something like #35 on WCOP in 1961 or WMEX in 1963. That didn't make them worse than whatever was #1, indeed some were better and should still get some exposure today. Some of these were crossovers into Top-40-land from jazz or country or R&B where they were a much bigger deal. Mark Connelly - Billerica, MA << >From gary@garysicecream.com Wed Sep 23 14:36:14 2009 From: gary@garysicecream.com (Gary's Ice Cream) Date: Wed, 23 Sep 2009 14:36:14 -0400 Subject: 55+ (was: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut) In-Reply-To: Message-ID: <200909231836.n8NIaU7m066891@tsornin.bostonradio.org> When I was programming the overnight show "Music & Memories" on WCAP from 2002 thru Nov 2007 we would regularly get calls and letters from listeners from Lowell to Cape Cod (station aims that direction at night) saying how much they enjoyed the music. I was programming a very eclectic mix from the late 40's thru the 70's...everything from Glenn Miller to Barry Manilow. We seemed to have a lot of listeners in the Arlington area. Ages ranged from the early 30's through the 70's. We were working off of an active library of over 5,000 songs. Gary Francis >> From revdoug1@myfairpoint.net Wed Sep 23 16:19:36 2009 From: revdoug1@myfairpoint.net (Doug Drown) Date: Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:19:36 -0400 Subject: 55+ (was: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut) References: <8CC0A7661AE1CEC-2C64-12901@webmail-m039.sysops.aol.com><1fbbbced0909230911v724d497ar7ad921a5d3955b3b@mail.gmail.com> <8CC0A9CD97162EC-2C64-16FB5@webmail-m039.sysops.aol.com> Message-ID: I couldn't agree more. Whether it was Top 40 or something as "square" as NBC's "Monitor", my memories of great radio from the '60s all revolve in large part around the personalities behind the mics. And by and large, that way of doing radio no longer exists. I say "by and large"; there are exceptions, as you attest. If you've never heard the Saturday morning show "Music to Go to the Dump By" on WDEV in Waterbury, Vt., you're definitely missing something. -Doug ----- Original Message ----- From: To: Cc: Sent: Wednesday, September 23, 2009 3:40 PM Subject: Re: 55+ (was: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut) > One thing missing from a lot of the satellite stations, and to some > extent terrestrial music broadcasters too, is the element of > PERSONALITY. "Local feel" is often lacking too. > > DJ's of earlier times like Bill Marlowe on the adult-pop side and the > '60s WBZ stable of DeSuze, Maynard, Kaye, Bradley, and Summer just > aren't falling out of the trees these days. > > Some stations can be good jukeboxes, but where's the Marlowe-like > exuberance over a killer sax solo, Jeffy Kaye being deeply informed > about folk music on his Hootenanny, Dick Summer rallying "Nightlighters > Against Gutlessness" after the murder of a woman in NY in front of > witnesses who did nothing, or DeSuze trying to pick up everyone's > spirits during a miserable snowstorm or after a crushing defeat of the > Sox ? > > I hear satellite stations of various types when out in restaurants and, > while the music may be good, I'm just not getting the same kick out of > listening as I did with '60s-era Boston radio (or for that matter into > the '70s and '80s on the FM side, especially WBCN). > > Is this kind of personal interaction gone from DJ practice and limited > only to talk formats now that automation and non-local sourcing rule > the commercial-station music formats ? > > I do appreciate what some of the smaller stations are doing. They put > the big stations with their bigger budgets to shame. > > Mark Connelly - Billerica, MA > > -----Original Message----- > From: Bob Nelson > To: markwa1ion@aol.com > Cc: boston-radio-interest@bostonradio.org > Sent: Wed, Sep 23, 2009 12:11 pm > Subject: Re: 55+ (was: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut) > > One could get XM/Sirius which has 40s and 50s stations, etc. (When I > visit my Dad on Cape Cod and help him shop, I put XM 40s on 4, the > "Savoy Express" on (my Dad can't drive any more so I do the honors). > They also have a beautiful music station, Escape.) > > Some college stations have oldies. WMWM has a Saturday night oldies > block with the group-sound Uncle Henry's Basement (on since '89) and a > rotating series of shows that feature rockabilly, and 50s/60s > R&B/blues, etc. Sometimes I'll throw in Bo Diddley or > Chuck Berry on my blues show and will mention "you won't hear these on > the oldies station down the dial". Uncle Jack's Roadhouse, a country > and roots show on Sat. > afternoons, will do some country or blues oldies. > > It's only for a minute or so, maybe not even, but usually you can hear > a Sinatra tune as bumper music on Laura Ingraham (WRKO, etc.) I think > she does it for her dad... > > WATD does have some interesting stuff. I think they still have a > wee-hours (Tue > nights?) oldies show done by a legally blind DJ, IIRC. > > I would think that older listeners will enjoy news/talk or sports but > for music, there's not much out there on local terrestrial radio > -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG - www.avg.com Version: 8.5.409 / Virus Database: 270.13.112/2390 - Release Date: 09/23/09 05:52:00 From tlmedia@triad.rr.com Wed Sep 23 17:47:26 2009 From: tlmedia@triad.rr.com (Ted Larsen) Date: Wed, 23 Sep 2009 17:47:26 -0400 Subject: [Save_progressive_radio_boston] Re: WGBH buying WCRB-FM, turning it into a commercial-free classical station References: <4AB9B82C.12415.7DFDEA@joe.attorneyross.com><815C48B5BE3F4598B38EA75CD68D872B@SatU205S5044><6B5BD719A43646C8AE04CEB3C540E812@MainXPPro><8bce0fe80909230937p76eab5abh489aebbb0bb697d9@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <71D808EB547E4439AF25F2DD4E781E26@teddesktop> Is atonal really music???? Hurts everywhere, not just my hair! If I were taken hostage and forced to listen to John Cage 24/7, "they" could have all the secrets I have. TL ----- Original Message ----- From: "Dan.Strassberg" To: "Paul B. Walker, Jr." ; "Don A" Cc: "boston radio e-mail list" Sent: Wednesday, September 23, 2009 12:50 PM Subject: Re: [Save_progressive_radio_boston] Re: WGBH buying WCRB-FM,turning it into a commercial-free classical station > Well, if he had his way, I think WCRB would devote at least one month a > year to an Alban Berg festival--all atonal, all the time! He's a great > grand opera devotee, and I think he really, really likes Berg's Wozzek. To > borrow a phrase, that music makes my hair hurt! > > ----- > Dan Strassberg (dan.strassberg@att.net) > eFax 1-707-215-6367 > > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "Paul B. Walker, Jr." > To: "Don A" > Cc: "Dan.Strassberg" ; "A. Joseph Ross" > ; "boston radio e-mail list" > > Sent: Wednesday, September 23, 2009 12:37 PM > Subject: Re: [Save_progressive_radio_boston] Re: WGBH buying WCRB-FM, > turning it into a commercial-free classical station > > >> me too, I wonder... ;) >> >> Paul >> >> >> >> On Wed, Sep 23, 2009 at 11:30 AM, Don A wrote: >> >>> >>> >>> >>> But if you agree with one very vocal and insistent poster to both the >>>> Progressive Talk and Boston Radio lists, WCRB hasn't played classical >>>> music in decades. Although I do not agree with that poster, who >>>> appears to want to impose his personal taste on all of WCRB's >>>> listeners because he is sure he knows what is good for them... >>>> >>> >>> >>> I wonder who that might be.....? >>> >> > > > From kc1ih@mac.com Wed Sep 23 17:09:18 2009 From: kc1ih@mac.com (Larry Weil) Date: Wed, 23 Sep 2009 17:09:18 -0400 Subject: 55+ (was: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut) In-Reply-To: <1fbbbced0909230911v724d497ar7ad921a5d3955b3b@mail.gmail.com> References: <8CC0A7661AE1CEC-2C64-12901@webmail-m039.sysops.aol.com> <1fbbbced0909230911v724d497ar7ad921a5d3955b3b@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: At 12:11 PM -0400 9/23/09, Bob Nelson wrote: > >I would think that older listeners will enjoy news/talk or sports but >for music, there's not much out there on local terrestrial radio Last time I listened WBOQ had an oldies format. I admit I haven't listened in a while, have they trended more current too? -- Larry Weil Lake Wobegone, NH From kc1ih@mac.com Wed Sep 23 17:17:19 2009 From: kc1ih@mac.com (Larry Weil) Date: Wed, 23 Sep 2009 17:17:19 -0400 Subject: 55+ (was: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut) In-Reply-To: <8CC0A9CD97162EC-2C64-16FB5@webmail-m039.sysops.aol.com> References: <8CC0A7661AE1CEC-2C64-12901@webmail-m039.sysops.aol.com> <1fbbbced0909230911v724d497ar7ad921a5d3955b3b@mail.gmail.com> <8CC0A9CD97162EC-2C64-16FB5@webmail-m039.sysops.aol.com> Message-ID: At 3:40 PM -0400 9/23/09, markwa1ion@aol.com wrote: >One thing missing from a lot of the satellite stations, and to some >extent terrestrial music broadcasters too, is the element of >PERSONALITY. "Local feel" is often lacking too. > >DJ's of earlier times like Bill Marlowe on the adult-pop side and >the '60s WBZ stable of DeSuze, Maynard, Kaye, Bradley, and Summer >just aren't falling out of the trees these days. > You can still hear Dick Golden, formerly of WQRC, on SiriusXM Jazz on Saturday mornings from 10AM to Noon. That's XM 70, Sirius 72, DirecTV 850, and Dish Network 6072. -- Larry Weil Lake Wobegone, NH From TVNETDUDE@aol.com Wed Sep 23 19:08:33 2009 From: TVNETDUDE@aol.com (TVNETDUDE@aol.com) Date: Wed, 23 Sep 2009 19:08:33 EDT Subject: 55+ (was: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut) Message-ID: In a message dated 9/23/2009 4:03:59 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, boston-radio-interest-request@tsornin.BostonRadio.org writes: >>>"Local feel" is often lacking too. DJ's of earlier times like Bill Marlowe on the adult-pop side and the '60s WBZ stable of DeSuze, Maynard, Kaye, Bradley, and Summer just aren't falling out of the trees these days. Some stations can be good jukeboxes, but where's the Marlowe-like exuberance over a killer sax solo, Jeffy Kaye being deeply informed about folk music on his Hootenanny, Dick Summer rallying "Nightlighters Against Gutlessness" after the murder of a woman in NY in front of witnesses who did nothing, or DeSuze trying to pick up everyone's spirits during a miserable snowstorm or after a crushing defeat of the Sox ?<<<<< The problem is local stations don't have that "local feel" either. Where would a new crop of quality talent come from when there isn't a place to develop a style. Kids today can't run up to Maine and NH anymore and work at a one KW AM station to gain experience the way you did back in the day. There are still broadcasting schools out there and Communications Degrees aplenty. Why? Mike From markwats@comcast.net Wed Sep 23 20:54:48 2009 From: markwats@comcast.net (Mark Watson) Date: Wed, 23 Sep 2009 20:54:48 -0400 Subject: 55+ (was: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut) References: <8CC0A7661AE1CEC-2C64-12901@webmail-m039.sysops.aol.com> <1fbbbced0909230911v724d497ar7ad921a5d3955b3b@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <8F16AB4E5B3947A1B475587933A90C46@Mark> Bob Nelson wrote: > WATD does have some interesting stuff. I think they still >have a > wee-hours (Tue nights?) oldies show done by a >legally blind DJ, IIRC. I know that WATD has a Saturday afternoon oldies show hosted by Ron Dwyer who mixes in lots of not heard everyday gems from the 50's, 60's and 70's, with one or two early 80's tunes thrown in. I believe his show is pre-empted or shortened by U-Mass sports in season (if WATD is still carrying U Mass games). I believe Ron also has a Wed. night oldies show as well. There's was also another oldies show after Ron's Saturday show from 6 to Midnight hosted by two gentlemen. One of them I believe passed away in the last year or two, so I don't know if this show is still on the air. And of course, there's a great variety of not heard everyday oldies, including 50's and 60's hits, along with reverb and vintage jingles aplenty on WLNG (92.1 Sag Harbor NY), which still streams on line BTW. Good example of variety heard this past Sunday: "Release Me" by Little Esther Phillips, vintage jingle, then "Dance The Night Away" by Van Halen. Mark Watson From hykker@wildblue.net Wed Sep 23 19:47:04 2009 From: hykker@wildblue.net (SteveOrdinetz) Date: Wed, 23 Sep 2009 19:47:04 -0400 Subject: 55+ (was: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut) In-Reply-To: <8CC0A9CD97162EC-2C64-16FB5@webmail-m039.sysops.aol.com> References: <8CC0A7661AE1CEC-2C64-12901@webmail-m039.sysops.aol.com> <1fbbbced0909230911v724d497ar7ad921a5d3955b3b@mail.gmail.com> <8CC0A9CD97162EC-2C64-16FB5@webmail-m039.sysops.aol.com> Message-ID: <4abab398.1508c00a.5f22.5213@mx.google.com> markwa1ion@aol.com wrote: >One thing missing from a lot of the satellite stations, and to some >extent terrestrial music broadcasters too, is the element of PERSONALITY. > >DJ's of earlier times like Bill Marlowe on the adult-pop side and >the '60s WBZ stable of DeSuze, Maynard, Kaye, Bradley, and Summer >just aren't falling out of the trees these days. > >I hear satellite stations of various types when out in restaurants >and, while the music may be good, I'm just not getting the same kick >out of listening as I did with '60s-era Boston radio (or for that >matter into the '70s and '80s on the FM side, especially WBCN). > >Is this kind of personal interaction gone from DJ practice and >limited only to talk formats now that automation and non-local >sourcing rule the commercial-station music formats ? This is something that's been in the making for several decades now. A lot of people blame it on the Telecom act, and the resulting media consolidation, voicetracking, jockless formats, etc. but these were more a reaction to trends that were already well-established. Those small-market 1kW graveyard channel AMs were among the first to go with automation and/or satellite formats in the 80s because their doors were not exactly being broken down by qualified applicants. I remember reading an article in Billboard or one of the other trades back in the 70s with several PDs lamenting the lack of future talent. The increasing sophistication & reliability of automation equipment may have accellerated this trend, but it didn't create it. As far as "personal interaction" goes, I'm not sure what you mean. WRKO in its top 40 heyday was very formatted, WBZ while looser on the air still was one-way communication...AFAIK they didn't even have any sort of studio line where you could call the dj. If they did, I never recall hearing the number given out. You certainly didn't hear the djs putting callers on the air on either station. Undeniably, WBCN was a unique station in its heyday. Not my cup of tea, but they did what they did very well. Maybe we're just all getting old. I'll be the first to admit that I don't "get" Facebook, Twitter, text messaging and other ways today's generation communicates. Would today's teens/20somethings respond to radio the way it was done in the 60s & 70s or would they think it hopelessly quaint? From lspin@comcast.net Wed Sep 23 21:10:35 2009 From: lspin@comcast.net (Lou) Date: Wed, 23 Sep 2009 21:10:35 -0400 Subject: 55+ (was: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut) In-Reply-To: <8F16AB4E5B3947A1B475587933A90C46@Mark> References: <8CC0A7661AE1CEC-2C64-12901@webmail-m039.sysops.aol.com> <1fbbbced0909230911v724d497ar7ad921a5d3955b3b@mail.gmail.com> <8F16AB4E5B3947A1B475587933A90C46@Mark> Message-ID: <000d01ca3cb3$d28bcbb0$77a36310$@net> Ron Dwyer is an amazing wealth of knowledge of 60s and 70s music. He's got a great voice, too. -Lou -----Original Message----- From: boston-radio-interest-bounces@tsornin.BostonRadio.org [mailto:boston-radio-interest-bounces@tsornin.BostonRadio.org] On Behalf Of Mark Watson Sent: Wednesday, September 23, 2009 8:55 PM I know that WATD has a Saturday afternoon oldies show hosted by Ron Dwyer who mixes in lots of not heard everyday gems from the 50's, 60's and 70's, with one or two early 80's tunes thrown in. I believe his show is pre-empted or shortened by U-Mass sports in season (if WATD is still carrying U Mass games). I believe Ron also has a Wed. night oldies show as well. There's was also another oldies show after Ron's Saturday show from 6 to Midnight hosted by two gentlemen. One of them I believe passed away in the last year or two, so I don't know if this show is still on the air. From rogerkirk@ttlc.net Wed Sep 23 22:52:34 2009 From: rogerkirk@ttlc.net (Roger Kirk) Date: Wed, 23 Sep 2009 22:52:34 -0400 Subject: 55+ (was: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut) In-Reply-To: References: <8CC0A7661AE1CEC-2C64-12901@webmail-m039.sysops.aol.com> <1fbbbced0909230911v724d497ar7ad921a5d3955b3b@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <4ABADEF2.1010504@ttlc.net> Larry Weil wrote: > Last time I listened WBOQ had an oldies format. I admit I haven't > listened in a while, have they trended more current too? I've been listening frequently for the last 9+ months. I have not noticed an trending toward current. If anything, they're expanding upon their base. Some really good "Oh Wow" oldies every hour. Just a sprinkling of songs by known artists that perhaps didn't chart #1 or #2, but are recognizable. It appears that they introduce songs to the play list and retire some songs that have been on the list for a while. So, the core is manageable, but it's constantly changing - but slowly enough that the average listener doesn't notice. From joe@attorneyross.com Thu Sep 24 01:18:01 2009 From: joe@attorneyross.com (A. Joseph Ross) Date: Thu, 24 Sep 2009 01:18:01 -0400 Subject: [Save_progressive_radio_boston] Re: WGBH buying WCRB-FM, turning it into a commercial-free classical station In-Reply-To: References: <20090923071126.764D5CD80FB@ws1-4a.us4.outblaze.com>, <4fc429770909230038m29cc2d13t5d533d2e7acccabb@mail.gmail.com>, Message-ID: <4ABB0109.9191.9436B9@joe.attorneyross.com> On 23 Sep 2009 at 5:47, Larry Weil wrote: > The question I just thought of: What becomes of WHDH-HD2? Does it > remain an independently produced classical music stream or does it > become a rebroadcast of WCRB? I don't know if anyone has the answer > to this, or if it's just something we'll have to speculate about until > the purchase closes. WHDH-HD2? Can that be right? WHDH is an AM station, where does it get an HD2? -- A. Joseph Ross, J.D. 617.367.0468 92 State Street, Suite 700 Fax 617.507.7856 Boston, MA 02109-2004 http://www.attorneyross.com From kc1ih@mac.com Thu Sep 24 01:30:00 2009 From: kc1ih@mac.com (Larry Weil) Date: Thu, 24 Sep 2009 01:30:00 -0400 Subject: [Save_progressive_radio_boston] Re: WGBH buying WCRB-FM, turning it into a commercial-free classical station In-Reply-To: <4ABB0109.9191.9436B9@joe.attorneyross.com> References: <20090923071126.764D5CD80FB@ws1-4a.us4.outblaze.com> <"4fc42977090 9230038m29cc2d13t5d533d2e7acccabb"@mail.gmail.com> <4ABB0109.9191.9436B9@joe.attorneyross.com> Message-ID: <0KQG00K4WN9IWS90@asmtp017.mac.com> At 01:18 AM 9/24/2009, A. Joseph Ross wrote: >On 23 Sep 2009 at 5:47, Larry Weil wrote: > > > The question I just thought of: What becomes of WHDH-HD2? Does it > > remain an independently produced classical music stream or does it > > become a rebroadcast of WCRB? I don't know if anyone has the answer > > to this, or if it's just something we'll have to speculate about until > > the purchase closes. > >WHDH-HD2? Can that be right? WHDH is an AM station, where does it >get an HD2? That's what I get for sending e-mail when I'm dead tired, I had just gotten home after an overnight shift. Of course I meant WGBH-FM-HD2 (and I hope that's the correct designation). Then again, WHDH was an AM station, but no more. Of course there is WHDH-TV, which does have an HD2, which carries "This TV"' but that's not what I was asking about. Larry Weil Lake Wobegone, NH From elipolo@earthlink.net Thu Sep 24 12:27:22 2009 From: elipolo@earthlink.net (Eli Polonsky) Date: Thu, 24 Sep 2009 12:27:22 -0400 (GMT-04:00) Subject: 55 Message-ID: <12054310.1253809642318.JavaMail.root@elwamui-cypress.atl.sa.earthlink.net> > From: "Larry Weil" > Wednesday, September 23, 2009 5:09 PM > Re: 55+ > > Last time I listened WBOQ had an oldies format. > I admit I haven't listened in a while, have they > trended more current too? WBOQ covers a wide range, from some '50s hits to some '80s softer adult pop songs that fit their demo. They're still mostly focused from the early '60s through the '70s, and the "softer" side of oldies. I don't think that even Steppenwolf's "Born To Be Wild", a tame oldie by '70s "heavy metal" standards, is in rotation, but they do include some great mid-'60s pop oldies that aren't often heard elsewhere anymore. EP From TVNETDUDE@aol.com Thu Sep 24 12:37:10 2009 From: TVNETDUDE@aol.com (TVNETDUDE@aol.com) Date: Thu, 24 Sep 2009 12:37:10 EDT Subject: 55+ (was: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut) Message-ID: In a message dated 9/24/2009 12:01:54 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, boston-radio-interest-request@tsornin.BostonRadio.org writes: >>>Last time I listened WBOQ had an oldies format. I admit I haven't listened in a while, have they trended more current too?<<< >From some people I have spoken too WBOQ isn't doing that well financially. If you can't make money with it you cannot afford to continue with it. Mike From elipolo@earthlink.net Thu Sep 24 13:02:20 2009 From: elipolo@earthlink.net (Eli Polonsky) Date: Thu, 24 Sep 2009 13:02:20 -0400 (EDT) Subject: 55+ Message-ID: <1306115.1253811740720.JavaMail.root@elwamui-cypress.atl.sa.earthlink.net> > From: "Mark Watson" > Wednesday, September 23, 2009 8:54 PM > Re: 55+ > > I know that WATD has a Saturday afternoon oldies show > hosted by Ron Dwyer who mixes in lots of not heard > everyday gems from the 50's, 60's and 70's, with one or > two early 80's tunes thrown in. I believe his show is pre- > empted or shortened by U-Mass sports in season (if > WATD is still carrying U Mass games). I believe Ron > also has a Wed. night oldies show as well. There's was > also another oldies show after Ron's Saturday show > from 6 to Midnight hosted by two gentlemen. One of > them I believe passed away in the last year or two, so I > don't know if this show is still on the air. I'm having trouble getting WATD's program schedule page to load on my computer, so this is from memory: Ron Dwyer is on Saturdays from (I think) 12 noon to 6 PM, and Tuesday through Thursday nights 7 PM to 10 PM, plus on Monday nights with a later start after a local talk show. Bill Clark's great '50s doo-wop/R&B show "Music Heaven" airs Sunday nights 10 PM to 2 AM (Monday morning). "Yesterday's Memories" is still on Saturday nights 6 PM to 12 midnight. Bill Clark stepped in to join co-host Ed Bowen to replace the late George Dunham when he passed away, in addition to his Sunday night doo-wop show. There are other oldies shows on weekends at WATD, and weeknight overnights 2 AM to 5 AM, including the legally blind Ted McCaw who does his show from his customized home studio sent to WATD via a mono RF link. (Since he plays mostly mono '50s records, stereo is not necessary). I'm not sure which early morning he's currently on, maybe Wednesday or Thursday. Also, for some '50s and a lot of '60s music, there's Clark Smidt's automated oldies format "Beatles and Before" on 980 WCAP whenever they aren't airing local news/talk programming or local sports games. It's on certain times in the mid-day and evenings, late nights and overnights, and most of the weekends. EP From raccoonradio@mail.com Thu Sep 24 14:00:05 2009 From: raccoonradio@mail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Thu, 24 Sep 2009 13:00:05 -0500 Subject: Herald: Cape Cod B'casting files for bankruptcy Message-ID: <20090924180005.29E9783986@ws1-2a.us4.outblaze.com> The owner of AC WQRC, country WKPE, classical WFCC, and soft hits WOCN has filed for bankruptcy according to the Herald http://www.bostonherald.com/business/media/view.bg?articleid=1199771&srvc=next_article They are looking for a half million dollar loan. >>"The company listed less than $50,000 in assets and $10 million to $50 million in debt in its bankruptcy filing." WFCC is said to be the flagship station of the World Classical Music network. Any guesses on whether someone can swoop in and buy the properties at bargain basement prices or do legal matters somehow cloud that? From kc1ih@mac.com Thu Sep 24 15:51:55 2009 From: kc1ih@mac.com (Larry Weil) Date: Thu, 24 Sep 2009 15:51:55 -0400 Subject: WBOQ (was:Re: 55+ (was: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut)) In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: At 12:37 PM -0400 9/24/09, TVNETDUDE@aol.com wrote: >In a message dated 9/24/2009 12:01:54 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, >boston-radio-interest-request@tsornin.BostonRadio.org writes: > > >>>Last time I listened WBOQ had an oldies format. I admit I haven't >listened in a while, have they trended more current too?<<< > > >From some people I have spoken too WBOQ isn't doing that well >financially. If you can't make money with it you cannot afford to >continue with it. > Any idea if they are doing better or worse than when they had the jazz format? I seem to recall that the change in format was based more on the personal tastes of the new owner at that time (a transfer within the Tanger family) than on economics. -- Larry Weil Lake Wobegone, NH From jjlehmann@comcast.net Thu Sep 24 20:56:29 2009 From: jjlehmann@comcast.net (Jeff Lehmann) Date: Thu, 24 Sep 2009 20:56:29 -0400 Subject: WBOQ (was:Re: 55+ (was: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut)) In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <003001ca3d7b$04596680$0d0c3380$@net> > > >>>Last time I listened WBOQ had an oldies format. I admit I > haven't > >listened in a while, have they trended more current too?<<< It depends on what you call "oldies" these days. They're mostly 1965-85 or so, but they will go back before that more often than 103.3 does. They're also more likely to play songs that the consultants may not like than 103.3 is. Jeff Lehmann Hanson, MA From rogerkirk@ttlc.net Thu Sep 24 22:30:39 2009 From: rogerkirk@ttlc.net (Roger Kirk) Date: Thu, 24 Sep 2009 22:30:39 -0400 Subject: WBOQ (was:Re: 55+ (was: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut)) In-Reply-To: <003001ca3d7b$04596680$0d0c3380$@net> References: <003001ca3d7b$04596680$0d0c3380$@net> Message-ID: <4ABC2B4F.80400@ttlc.net> Jeff Lehmann wrote: > It depends on what you call "oldies" these days. They're mostly 1965-85 or > so, but they will go back before that more often than 103.3 does. They're > also more likely to play songs that the consultants may not like than 103.3 > is. > They dip back to '64 for Everly Brothers, Elvis, Terry Stafford, Gale Garnett,Drifters, Four Seasons... But '63 & back - almost nada. I do agree that they play many "unsafe" songs - much to my aural delight. From joe@attorneyross.com Fri Sep 25 01:08:33 2009 From: joe@attorneyross.com (A. Joseph Ross) Date: Fri, 25 Sep 2009 01:08:33 -0400 Subject: [Save_progressive_radio_boston] Re: WGBH buying WCRB-FM, turning it into a commercial-free classical station In-Reply-To: <0KQG00K4WN9IWS90@asmtp017.mac.com> References: <20090923071126.764D5CD80FB@ws1-4a.us4.outblaze.com>, <4ABB0109.9191.9436B9@joe.attorneyross.com>, <0KQG00K4WN9IWS90@asmtp017.mac.com> Message-ID: <4ABC5051.22897.651B8B@joe.attorneyross.com> On 24 Sep 2009 at 1:30, Larry Weil wrote: > That's what I get for sending e-mail when I'm dead tired, I had just > gotten home after an overnight shift. Of course I meant WGBH-FM-HD2 > (and I hope that's the correct designation). > > Then again, WHDH was an AM station, but no more. That's what I get for posting late at night, too. -- A. Joseph Ross, J.D. 617.367.0468 92 State Street, Suite 700 Fax 617.507.7856 Boston, MA 02109-2004 http://www.attorneyross.com From raccoonradio@mail.com Fri Sep 25 03:42:29 2009 From: raccoonradio@mail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Fri, 25 Sep 2009 02:42:29 -0500 Subject: Herald: Cape Cod B'casting files for bankruptcy Message-ID: <20090925074229.777A2905C49@ws1-5a.us4.outblaze.com> Good suggestion...btw Boston Business Journal says Sandab/Cape Cod Broadcasting owes $6.5 million to Baltimore-based M&T bank--and $3.5 million to Charles River Broadcasting, who sold WKPE and WFCC to them in 2007. http://boston.bizjournals.com/boston/stories/2009/09/21/daily55.html From raccoonradio@mail.com Fri Sep 25 11:56:34 2009 From: raccoonradio@mail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Fri, 25 Sep 2009 10:56:34 -0500 Subject: Cape Cod B'casting bankruptcy filing Message-ID: <20090925155635.8AA6883985@ws1-2a.us4.outblaze.com> http://bostonherald.com/jobfind/news/media/view/20090925cape_cod_broadcasting_files_for_bankruptcy/srvc=home&position=also A bit more from the Herald which says that there are no plans to sell the stations and they will keep running but they need a half million dollars to re-structure; the debt of $10 million or so is partially due to the "debt service" including the original purchase of two stations from Charles River Broadcasting. Add the declining ad market to that, according to Michael Harrison, and you have a good idea of "the plight" local radio can face. From marklaurence@mac.com Fri Sep 25 13:16:37 2009 From: marklaurence@mac.com (Mark Laurence) Date: Fri, 25 Sep 2009 13:16:37 -0400 Subject: Cape Cod B'casting bankruptcy filing In-Reply-To: <20090925155635.8AA6883985@ws1-2a.us4.outblaze.com> References: <20090925155635.8AA6883985@ws1-2a.us4.outblaze.com> Message-ID: <4ABCFAF5.2080603@mac.com> Bob Nelson wrote: > http://bostonherald.com/jobfind/news/media/view/20090925cape_cod_broadcasting_files_for_bankruptcy/srvc=home&position=also > > A bit more from the Herald which says that there are no plans to sell the stations and they will keep running but they > need a half million dollars to re-structure; the debt of $10 million or so is partially due to the "debt service" including > the original purchase of two stations from Charles River Broadcasting. Add the declining ad market to that, according to > Michael Harrison, and you have a good idea of "the plight" local radio can face. > It sounds like the plight they face does not have much to do them being local radio. They're following the typical business plan of media companies large and small: debt up to their eyeballs with no room to breathe when the economy took a downturn. From necrat.alternate@gmail.com Sat Sep 26 22:28:48 2009 From: necrat.alternate@gmail.com (Mike Fitzpatrick) Date: Sat, 26 Sep 2009 22:28:48 -0400 Subject: Best "Sounding" AM & FM in Boston... Message-ID: <000001ca3f1a$3ecbe590$bc63b0b0$@alternate@gmail.com> Non scientific poll amongst list viewers here. Which FM and which AM stations in the Boston area have the best "Sounding" signal fidelity wise. Put your personal thoughts about opinion or your favorite station aside, which station(s) , FM and AM really stand out from the crowd, in how well they actually "sound". (* When I say personal opinions, I am not talking programming, such as live versus VTed). There are a couple of stations which jump out from the crowd. You can also include nearby markets. The only thing I'd ask if you list a station from the past, also include one from today. Once a few are posted, I'll give my two cents. --Mike From lglavin@mail.com Fri Sep 18 14:12:35 2009 From: lglavin@mail.com (Laurence Glavin) Date: Fri, 18 Sep 2009 13:12:35 -0500 Subject: W221CH Work? Message-ID: <20090918181235.D97FEBE407F@ws1-9.us4.outblaze.com> >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Mike Fitzpatrick" >To: "'bri'" >Subject: RE: W221CH Work? >Date: Fri, 18 Sep 2009 00:20:20 -0400 >> -----Original Message----- >There is no such CP that I see for W221CH. >The only CP W221CH has is BPFT-20090130AAI, which calls for the >current configuration oriented in the current direction (140?). >This is the CP to move it to the 800 tower. There are no >subsequent filings in the CDBS database to move or change orientation. >And a license to cover was filed for that back in February. >(BLFT-20090226AAA), which hasn't been granted yet due to an objection >by FNX broadcasting. >--Mike Some fcc.gov listings can be confusing; for W221CH there are THREE entries, the last of which indicates an ERP of 60 watts. The relative polar plot shows the main signal going north, but the service contour map has it going toward Andover and Wilmington. WNNW-AM 800 is operating normally Friday afternoon. There appears to be a new parabolic dish on the NORTHEAST leg of the tower (it does NOT appear in the NECRAT photo; I can't swear it wasn't there before Thursday. The longer-view NECRAT photo shows a parabolic dish halfway up the tower; it may be an STL for WCCM-AM 1110.) -- An Excellent Credit Score is 750 See Yours in Just 2 Easy Steps! From lglavin@mail.com Mon Sep 21 16:44:37 2009 From: lglavin@mail.com (Laurence Glavin) Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2009 15:44:37 -0500 Subject: WGBH may buy WCRB? Message-ID: <20090921204437.6159D326701@ws1-8.us4.outblaze.com> >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Scott Fybush" >To: "Richard Chonak" , "(newsgroup) Boston-Radio-Interest" >Subject: Re: WGBH may buy WCRB? >Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2009 15:07:31 -0400 >Though there's an update now up at fybush.com with details... >s Ho hum, another week, another blockbuster news story affecting Boston radio. Of course, if WGBH follows the same practices on 99.5 as it does currently on 89.7, this is great news for ME...but it could be a less desirable outcome for listeners in the Metro Boston area, South Shore and the route 95 corridor towards Providence. If ALL of the Boston Symphony Orchestra broadcasts go to 99.5, many listeners who count on the Friday afternoon broadcasts may be short-changed. Classical music needs a lot of "quieting" or a beneficial signal-to-noise ratio. The 89.7 signal provides that for just about the entire metropolitan area; 99.5 does not. This doesn't matter for the "Blue Danube Waltz" or "Nutcracker Suite", but it does for chamber music, and pieces with great dynamic contrasts (a Mahler symphony). But to paraphrase Donald Rumsfeld, you must deal with the signals you have and not the ones you'd like to have. Part of the problems with the 99.5 signal could be solved with a transmitter move closer to the City, taking into account the allowable spacings between WCRB and the 99.3 in southern Maine, 99.7 near Providence, and WPLM. Of course that would cost even more money, and WGBH must somehow raise the cash to pull off the purchase alone. I wonder if some other broadcaster is looking at the purchase price of just 14 million dollars and thinking "Hey, I'd like to bid more than that" ESPN peut-etre? -- An Excellent Credit Score is 750 See Yours in Just 2 Easy Steps! From gregstrickland@gmail.com Tue Sep 22 21:16:25 2009 From: gregstrickland@gmail.com (Greg Strickland) Date: Tue, 22 Sep 2009 21:16:25 -0400 Subject: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut Message-ID: <14c4c7290909221816t686a8081ha42940aedc4de3af@mail.gmail.com> About LPFM, according to rule 73.854 the FCC will not grant an LPFM license to a former unlicensed pirate broadcaster. But how would the FCC know an applicant was a pirate if they have not busted the applicant? It should be possible to delay and eventually blow out LPFM applications by former pirates. But someone has to be motivated to take action. People who oppose pirates should make every effort to learn and document the identity of the pirate broadcaster. Then a petition to deny can be filed, since the LPFM applicant must certify they have not been a pirate and the petition can state this is not true. From lglavin@mail.com Wed Sep 23 14:21:51 2009 From: lglavin@mail.com (Laurence Glavin) Date: Wed, 23 Sep 2009 13:21:51 -0500 Subject: [Save_progressive_radio_boston] Re: WGBH buying WCRB-FM, turning it into a commercial-free classical station Message-ID: <20090923182151.F3F4EBE407E@ws1-9.us4.outblaze.com> >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Dan.Strassberg" >To: "A. Joseph Ross" , Save_progressive_radio_boston@yahoogroups.com >Cc: "boston radio e-mail list" >Subject: Re: [Save_progressive_radio_boston] Re: WGBH buying WCRB-FM, turning it into a commercial-free classical station >Date: Wed, 23 Sep 2009 06:11:33 -0400 >But if you agree with one very vocal and insistent poster to both the >Progressive Talk and Boston Radio lists, WCRB hasn't played classical >music in decades. Although I do not agree with that poster, who >appears to want to impose his personal taste on all of WCRB's >listeners because he is sure he knows what is good for them, even if >they, themselves, do not, I gather that he is not alone in his >opinion. That position certainly is not mine, so you must be writing about someone else. I submit that the Boston-area audience (when WCRB was on 102.5) and the north-of- Boston-area audience would have been better served if WCRB was more like KING-FM in Seattle. When both were measured by diaries, each had pretty much the same rating 12+ anyway, so WCRB probably would not have lost anything by employing a more representative playlist. The fact that someone just heard WCRB airing a performance of the GRIEG (not 'Gregg) Piano Concerto is a hint of the problem. I searched the Archives at wcrb.com. and the September 23rd scheduling of this piece was the FOURTH time in a month that's not over yet. The chances are that the station hasn't scheduled either of Brahms's 2 Piano Concertos all year, each of which is a staple of the concert repertory, at least in Symphony Hall or at Tanglewood, so some people around here must like it. Fun fact: Berg's "Wozzeck" is NOT a "Grand Opera"...check out wikipedia.org to discern the difference. -- An Excellent Credit Score is 750 See Yours in Just 2 Easy Steps! From bob.bosra@demattia.net Wed Sep 23 16:04:26 2009 From: bob.bosra@demattia.net (Bob DeMattia) Date: Wed, 23 Sep 2009 16:04:26 -0400 Subject: WYAJ 97.7 In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: WYAJ: This class "D" is evidently still transmitting. ?I'm not sure how long this has been going on, but both yesterday and today it is repeating the same 12 second audio loop: "The eagle is America's national emblem ?The Star Spangled Banner is America's national anthem ?and the rose our national flower ?But we, as a nation, do not have a national tree" (with a choir humming in the background). I wasn't around at the top of the hour to see if they do a legal ID. Range is only 1 or 2 miles around their transmitter. My HD radio reacts pretty strangely to this situation - it continues to display "WKAF FM" while receiving the YAJ signal. ?When the HD signal is good enough, the radio switches over to the WKAF audio (and the display goes to "WKAF HD1"), but when the KAF signal fades, I go back to hearing the continuous loop with "WKAF FM" showing on the display. Even if I change the tuner away from 97.7 and switch it back, it will display WKAF and given me the YAJ audio. -Bob From lglavin@mail.com Thu Sep 24 15:20:24 2009 From: lglavin@mail.com (Laurence Glavin) Date: Thu, 24 Sep 2009 14:20:24 -0500 Subject: Herald: Cape Cod B'casting files for bankruptcy Message-ID: <20090924192024.45672326701@ws1-8.us4.outblaze.com> >----- Original Message ----- >From: "Bob Nelson" >To: "BostonRadio Mailing List" >Subject: Herald: Cape Cod B'casting files for bankruptcy >Date: Thu, 24 Sep 2009 13:00:05 -0500 >The owner of AC WQRC, country WKPE, classical WFCC, and soft hits >WOCN has filed for bankruptcy according to the Herald >http://www.bostonherald.com/business/media/view.bg?articleid=1199771&srvc=next_article >They are looking for a half million dollar loan. >> "The company listed less than $50,000 in assets and $10 million >> to $50 million in debt in its bankruptcy filing." >WFCC is said to be the flagship station of the World Classical >Music network. Any guesses on whether someone can >swoop in and buy the properties at bargain basement prices or do >legal matters somehow cloud that? >From my experience, WQRC 99.9 is the FM signal on the Cape that also reaches into the south coastal region and up route 3 to the south shore. Maybe WGBH could double up its fund-raising effort to buy WQRC and make it a twin of WCRB, or any set of call letters it may use on 99.5. I can imagine the ire of any contributors to the announced fund-raiser for the 99.5 frequency who happen to live way outside of WCRB's coverage area. The day WGBH 89.7's classical programming is ported to 99.5 could be the day such potential contributors find out it's no longer receivable where they live. -- An Excellent Credit Score is 750 See Yours in Just 2 Easy Steps! From bob.bosra@demattia.net Thu Sep 24 22:39:42 2009 From: bob.bosra@demattia.net (Bob DeMattia) Date: Thu, 24 Sep 2009 22:39:42 -0400 Subject: WYAJ 97.7 In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Well, the loop is gone, now it's just dead air. -Bob From wollman@bimajority.org Sun Sep 27 22:11:43 2009 From: wollman@bimajority.org (Garrett Wollman) Date: Sun, 27 Sep 2009 22:11:43 -0400 Subject: Back from vacation Message-ID: <19136.7007.437007.993258@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> As you can see from the minor outpouring of messages that just went through, I'm back from vacation. It appears that there is much less traffic when I don't announce that I'm going away for a week. ObRadio: Saturday evening I attended the "Prairie Home Companion" season opener, which was excellent (and my, the Firzgerald is a tiny venue!), followed by the traditional meatloaf dinner and street dance (which wasn't my cup of tea, and I was tired, so I went back to my hotel). Total driving distance (MSP-MSP): about 1950 miles, including stops in Faribault, Sauk Rapids, Brainerd, Lake Itasca State Park (Headwaters of the Mississippi), Bemidji, Thief River Falls, Grand Forks, Fargo, Fergus Falls, Alexandria, St. Cloud, Litchfield, and River Falls. New counties: 27 (19 in MN, 1 in WI, and 7 in ND). Audio and pictures to follow once I've recovered. -GAWollman From kc1ih@mac.com Sun Sep 27 21:19:33 2009 From: kc1ih@mac.com (Larry Weil) Date: Sun, 27 Sep 2009 21:19:33 -0400 Subject: WGBH may buy WCRB? In-Reply-To: <20090921204437.6159D326701@ws1-8.us4.outblaze.com> References: <20090921204437.6159D326701@ws1-8.us4.outblaze.com> Message-ID: <0KQN006JBQC9PT20@asmtp016.mac.com> At 04:44 PM 9/21/2009, Laurence Glavin wrote: > >----- Original Message ----- > >From: "Scott Fybush" > >To: "Richard Chonak" , "(newsgroup) Boston-Radio-Interest" > >Subject: Re: WGBH may buy WCRB? > >Date: Mon, 21 Sep 2009 15:07:31 -0400 > > > >Though there's an update now up at fybush.com with details... > > >s > > >Ho hum, another week, another blockbuster news story affecting Boston radio. >Of course, if WGBH follows the same practices on 99.5 as it does >currently on 89.7, >this is great news for ME...but it could be a less desirable outcome >for listeners >in the Metro Boston area, South Shore and the route 95 corridor >towards Providence. I wonder if they are planning to use one of the HD subchannels on 89.7 to fill in the areas further to the south? Although I realize that the HD signals do not get out as well as the analog signals, so this may be of limited use. I noticed today that WGBH-HD-3 is no longer there, it had been a rebroadcast of WCAI (GBH's Cape and Islands station). Larry Weil Lake Wobegone, NH From rac@gabrielmass.com Sun Sep 27 22:47:53 2009 From: rac@gabrielmass.com (Richard Chonak) Date: Sun, 27 Sep 2009 22:47:53 -0400 Subject: WGBH may buy WCRB? In-Reply-To: <0KQN006JBQC9PT20@asmtp016.mac.com> References: <20090921204437.6159D326701@ws1-8.us4.outblaze.com> <0KQN006JBQC9PT20@asmtp016.mac.com> Message-ID: <4AC023D9.3050001@server4.gabrielmass.com> Larry Weil wrote: > I wonder if they are planning to use one of the HD subchannels on 89.7 > to fill in the areas further to the south? Although I realize that the > HD signals do not get out as well as the analog signals, so this may be > of limited use. I noticed today that WGBH-HD-3 is no longer there, it > had been a rebroadcast of WCAI (GBH's Cape and Islands station). How many people have any idea that there is such a thing as an HD-2 or HD-3 channel on FM radio? Just making a WAG, I expect there are more listeners to satellite radio than there are listeners to HD radio. --RC From kc1ih@mac.com Sun Sep 27 22:57:36 2009 From: kc1ih@mac.com (Larry Weil) Date: Sun, 27 Sep 2009 22:57:36 -0400 Subject: WGBH may buy WCRB? In-Reply-To: <4AC023D9.3050001@server4.gabrielmass.com> References: <20090921204437.6159D326701@ws1-8.us4.outblaze.com> <0KQN006JBQC9PT20@asmtp016.mac.com> <4AC023D9.3050001@server4.gabrielmass.com> Message-ID: <0KQN008DCUVD3P10@asmtp019.mac.com> At 10:47 PM 9/27/2009, Richard Chonak wrote: >Larry Weil wrote: > >>I wonder if they are planning to use one of the HD subchannels on >>89.7 to fill in the areas further to the south? Although I realize >>that the HD signals do not get out as well as the analog signals, >>so this may be of limited use. I noticed today that WGBH-HD-3 is >>no longer there, it had been a rebroadcast of WCAI (GBH's Cape and >>Islands station). > >How many people have any idea that there is such a thing as an HD-2 >or HD-3 channel on FM radio? Just making a WAG, I expect there are >more listeners to satellite radio than there are listeners to HD radio. Oh, I have no doubt that you are correct. But I think if WGBH/WCRB were to make it known that an HD receiver would make it possible to get the classical programming where they might not otherwise, a few people might get them for that reason. I get the feeling that a lot more public radio listeners have HD radios than commercial radio listeners, especially in areas where it's been promoted by the public stations. Larry Weil Lake Wobegone, NH From kc1ih@mac.com Sun Sep 27 22:59:07 2009 From: kc1ih@mac.com (Larry Weil) Date: Sun, 27 Sep 2009 22:59:07 -0400 Subject: Back from vacation In-Reply-To: <19136.7007.437007.993258@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> References: <19136.7007.437007.993258@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> Message-ID: <0KQN008Y1UXVX760@asmtp021.mac.com> At 10:11 PM 9/27/2009, Garrett Wollman wrote: >As you can see from the minor outpouring of messages that just went >through, I'm back from vacation. It appears that there is much less >traffic when I don't announce that I'm going away for a week. > Welcome back, Garrett. See what fun you've been missing. :-) Larry Weil Lake Wobegone, NH From kvahey@comcast.net Sun Sep 27 23:16:31 2009 From: kvahey@comcast.net (Kevin Vahey) Date: Sun, 27 Sep 2009 22:16:31 -0500 Subject: self supporting TV towers Message-ID: <4fc429770909272016l38b895dbv2f8eb209b1f953d4@mail.gmail.com> I was in Kansas City this week and saw a large self-supporting tower. I snapped a pic on my phone and sent it to Scott who replied KCTV channel 5...this is one of the three or four tallest self-supporters in America, along with WHDH, WITI in Mke, and WTBS in Atlanta! Now the question I have is - given what happened to WBZ-TV in Allston in 1954, why would WNAC-TV go self supporting in Newton when they moved from Malden. From wollman@bimajority.org Mon Sep 28 00:33:55 2009 From: wollman@bimajority.org (Garrett Wollman) Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:33:55 -0400 Subject: self supporting TV towers In-Reply-To: <4fc429770909272016l38b895dbv2f8eb209b1f953d4@mail.gmail.com> References: <4fc429770909272016l38b895dbv2f8eb209b1f953d4@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <19136.15539.762047.512945@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> < said: > Now the question I have is - given what happened to WBZ-TV in Allston > in 1954, why would WNAC-TV go self supporting in Newton when they > moved from Malden. Why would you think there would be a connection? The fact that the WBZ-TV tower failed in Hurricane Carol says nothing about the design requirements for the WNAC-TV tower in Newton. You might as well ask, given that Eiffel Tower in Paris hasn't fallen down yet, why would anyone build guyed towers? Historically, far more guyed towers than self-supporters have failed, although I can't speak for the relative frequency, and there are a lot more guyed towers than self-supporters. (Speaking only of steel lattice towers here -- I've never heard of a monopole failing.) Like any engineering problem, the design of lattice towers involves a set of design requirements, including the probability of component failure, plus some additional margin for error, and a budget. It's the responsibility of professional licensing boards to ensure that structural engineers are appropriately qualified, and that the design assumptions are reasonable and appropriate given past experience. When they get it wrong, there's a whole branch of the legal profession to find someone to pay for the consequences. -GAWollman From kvahey@comcast.net Mon Sep 28 00:58:13 2009 From: kvahey@comcast.net (Kevin Vahey) Date: Sun, 27 Sep 2009 23:58:13 -0500 Subject: WBCN wake Message-ID: <4fc429770909272158k6b729bc0xf703de4955b3cb55@mail.gmail.com> The staffers of WBCN finally had their wake last Friday (9/25/09) at The Paradise on Comm Ave. The Herald has a photo gallery. It should be worth noting that PPM figures for BCN's last week showed a sample of over a million listeners. http://www.bostonherald.com/galleries/index.php?gallery_id=3033 From kvahey@comcast.net Mon Sep 28 01:11:34 2009 From: kvahey@comcast.net (Kevin Vahey) Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2009 00:11:34 -0500 Subject: self supporting TV towers In-Reply-To: <19136.15539.762047.512945@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> References: <4fc429770909272016l38b895dbv2f8eb209b1f953d4@mail.gmail.com> <19136.15539.762047.512945@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> Message-ID: <4fc429770909272211u49ad5574n8561e25849a156c9@mail.gmail.com> Towers in Paris don't have hurricaines to worry about :) Seriously I don't pretend to understand the plus and minus of tower construction. Obviously WNAC-TV designed the tower well as it is still standing. 7 was forced to move from Malden when both 5 and 4 moved to Needham-Newton. Just was curious in the overall thinking 50 years ago. From rbello@belloassoc.com Mon Sep 28 01:47:42 2009 From: rbello@belloassoc.com (Ron Bello) Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2009 01:47:42 -0400 Subject: self supporting TV towers In-Reply-To: <4fc429770909272211u49ad5574n8561e25849a156c9@mail.gmail.com> References: <4fc429770909272016l38b895dbv2f8eb209b1f953d4@mail.gmail.com> <19136.15539.762047.512945@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> <4fc429770909272211u49ad5574n8561e25849a156c9@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <90ec04420909272247r4342a531q2fe3ce9f56bd2cce@mail.gmail.com> Although both 4 and 5 moved their transmitters to Needham / Newton in 1957, it took until 1964 for WNAC 7. I can remember watching the welders from a small hill just on the other side of 128 with a telescope. The lack / cost of available land was probably a major factor in the choice of a self-supporting tower. That area was well built out by the early 1960s. On Mon, Sep 28, 2009 at 1:11 AM, Kevin Vahey wrote: > Towers in Paris don't have hurricaines to worry about :) > > Seriously I don't pretend to understand the plus and minus of tower > construction. Obviously WNAC-TV designed the tower well as it is still > standing. > > 7 was forced to move from Malden when both 5 and 4 moved to > Needham-Newton. Just was curious in the overall thinking 50 years ago. > From TVNETDUDE@aol.com Mon Sep 28 08:12:13 2009 From: TVNETDUDE@aol.com (TVNETDUDE@aol.com) Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2009 08:12:13 EDT Subject: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut Message-ID: In a message dated 9/28/2009 12:36:20 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, boston-radio-interest-request@tsornin.BostonRadio.org writes: >>>About LPFM, according to rule 73.854 the FCC will not grant an LPFM license to a former unlicensed pirate broadcaster. But how would the FCC know an applicant was a pirate if they have not busted the applicant?<<< Nice rule it is too bad they don't enforce it. Radio Goldfield in Nevada was granted a license and he was a pirate. The FCC was ordered to issue him a license by Harry Reid. The rules have changed and I am waiting for a group to take the FCC to court on this. Mike Mike From aerie.ma@comcast.net Mon Sep 28 08:30:10 2009 From: aerie.ma@comcast.net (Jim Hall) Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2009 08:30:10 -0400 Subject: self supporting TV towers In-Reply-To: <90ec04420909272247r4342a531q2fe3ce9f56bd2cce@mail.gmail.com> References: <4fc429770909272016l38b895dbv2f8eb209b1f953d4@mail.gmail.com><19136.15539.762047.512945@hergotha.csail.mit.edu><4fc429770909272211u49ad5574n8561e25849a156c9@mail.gmail.com> <90ec04420909272247r4342a531q2fe3ce9f56bd2cce@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <6B225A505EED47508989CCCDC5E51924@fs.uml.edu> I remember the Sunday Globe had a multi-page color insert about the new Channel 7 tower when it first went on the air. I wish I had saved it. I remember in one hurricane we had, Channel 7 put a camera underneath the tower and showed how much it was swaying in the breeze. I was amazed that a self-supporting tower could move that much without collapsing. -----Original Message----- From: boston-radio-interest-bounces@tsornin.BostonRadio.org [mailto:boston-radio-interest-bounces@tsornin.BostonRadio.org] On Behalf Of Ron Bello Sent: Monday, September 28, 2009 1:48 AM To: Kevin Vahey Cc: boston-radio-interest@bostonradio.org Subject: Re: self supporting TV towers Although both 4 and 5 moved their transmitters to Needham / Newton in 1957, it took until 1964 for WNAC 7. I can remember watching the welders from a small hill just on the other side of 128 with a telescope. The lack / cost of available land was probably a major factor in the choice of a self-supporting tower. That area was well built out by the early 1960s. On Mon, Sep 28, 2009 at 1:11 AM, Kevin Vahey wrote: > Towers in Paris don't have hurricaines to worry about :) > > Seriously I don't pretend to understand the plus and minus of tower > construction. Obviously WNAC-TV designed the tower well as it is still > standing. > > 7 was forced to move from Malden when both 5 and 4 moved to > Needham-Newton. Just was curious in the overall thinking 50 years ago. > From dan.strassberg@att.net Mon Sep 28 09:11:59 2009 From: dan.strassberg@att.net (Dan.Strassberg) Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2009 09:11:59 -0400 Subject: self supporting TV towers References: <4fc429770909272016l38b895dbv2f8eb209b1f953d4@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: I don't think there was enough room at the site for a guyed tower. Given the reluctance of the WNAC-TV owners (I think it was General Tire at the time) to spend money on the station, you can bet that they would have constructed a guyed tower if they could have. Guyed towers cost less, which is why guyed towers so greatly outnumber self-supporters. So you may ask, if the company was so averse to spending money, why they built a tall tower at all. That, too, was something they really had no choice about; with the other VHF stations in the market on tall towers, it was imperative for Channel 7 to have a competitive signal. At that time, General Tire also owned WOR. WOR-TV (9) had built a self-supporting tower near Palasaides Amusement Park in New Jersey, across the Hudson from midtown Manhattan. I think WOR also could not find the space for a guyed tower. But I guess the company's experience with tall self-supporters was favorable and probably encouraged G-T to go ahead with the Boston project. By the way, the Newton candelabra tower has a very small footprint for a guyed tower of its height--I believe the smallest footprint for its height of any tower of comparable height built up to the time of its construction. As most readers of this list probably realize, the closer the guy-anchor points are to the tower base, the greater the vertical load on the tower structure. When the uppermost guys are at a 45-degree angle to the tower structure, the downward force that they exert on the tower is equal to the horizontal force. When the angle between the uppermost guys and the tower is reduced to 30 degrees, the downward force is approximately double the horizontal force. Since the incremental cost of the stronger tower is not negligible, when the footprint is sufficiently restricted, it can at some point become cheaper to put up a self-supporter. And no, I don't know what that point is. ----- Dan Strassberg (dan.strassberg@att.net) eFax 1-707-215-6367 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Kevin Vahey" To: "(newsgroup) Boston-Radio-Interest" Sent: Sunday, September 27, 2009 11:16 PM Subject: self supporting TV towers >I was in Kansas City this week and saw a large self-supporting tower. > I snapped a pic on my phone and sent it to Scott who replied > > KCTV channel 5...this is one of the three or four tallest > self-supporters in America, along with WHDH, WITI in Mke, and WTBS > in > Atlanta! > > Now the question I have is - given what happened to WBZ-TV in > Allston > in 1954, why would WNAC-TV go self supporting in Newton when they > moved from Malden. From dmoisan@davidmoisan.org Mon Sep 28 09:00:16 2009 From: dmoisan@davidmoisan.org (David Moisan) Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2009 09:00:16 -0400 Subject: self supporting TV towers In-Reply-To: <90ec04420909272247r4342a531q2fe3ce9f56bd2cce@mail.gmail.com> References: <4fc429770909272016l38b895dbv2f8eb209b1f953d4@mail.gmail.com> <19136.15539.762047.512945@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> <4fc429770909272211u49ad5574n8561e25849a156c9@mail.gmail.com> <90ec04420909272247r4342a531q2fe3ce9f56bd2cce@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: -----Original Message----- Although both 4 and 5 moved their transmitters to Needham / Newton in 1957, it took until 1964 for WNAC 7. I can remember watching the welders from a small hill just on the other side of 128 with a telescope. The lack / cost of available land was probably a major factor in the choice of a self-supporting tower. That area was well built out by the early 1960s. I've always wondered when the Needham Sheraton was built. One of the guy supports of the candelabra is in the parking lot. I'd always thought the tower came first. Once in a great while I go there for IT seminars and it's always been one of my favorite spots to just look at the tower. From dan.strassberg@att.net Mon Sep 28 09:30:57 2009 From: dan.strassberg@att.net (Dan.Strassberg) Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2009 09:30:57 -0400 Subject: self supporting TV towers References: <4fc429770909272016l38b895dbv2f8eb209b1f953d4@mail.gmail.com><19136.15539.762047.512945@hergotha.csail.mit.edu><4fc429770909272211u49ad5574n8561e25849a156c9@mail.gmail.com><90ec04420909272247r4342a531q2fe3ce9f56bd2cce@mail.gmail.com> <6B225A505EED47508989CCCDC5E51924@fs.uml.edu> Message-ID: Ever see the video of the WBZ (AM) towers in Hull during a nor'easter before they were reguyed a decade or more ago? In those days, the 'BZ towers were guyed at only two levels, which was customary at one time for guyed towers of that height. They were intended to flex in high winds and boy, did they ever! Since the towers are ~500' high, the video (someone must have the URL--I don't) gives you a chance to estimate the excursion of the tower tops. If somebody told me it was greater than 10', I wouldn't argue. Today, those same towers are guyed at four levels. A friend who is an engineer, albeit not a structural engineer, insists that the old two-level guying was safer than the four-level guying, which is the current practice. He cites the old, ~750' KFI tower, which was felled five or so years ago when struck by a small airplane. Many years earlier, before it was re-guyed at four levels, that tower, which was then guyed at only two levels, survived a hit by another small plane. Difficult to imagine those slender structures being designed to bow and bend significantly, but I assume that the structural engineers who designed them knew what they were doing. ----- Dan Strassberg (dan.strassberg@att.net) eFax 1-707-215-6367 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Jim Hall" To: Sent: Monday, September 28, 2009 8:30 AM Subject: RE: self supporting TV towers >I remember the Sunday Globe had a multi-page color insert about the >new > Channel 7 tower when it first went on the air. I wish I had saved > it. I > remember in one hurricane we had, Channel 7 put a camera underneath > the > tower and showed how much it was swaying in the breeze. I was amazed > that a > self-supporting tower could move that much without collapsing. > > -----Original Message----- > From: boston-radio-interest-bounces@tsornin.BostonRadio.org > [mailto:boston-radio-interest-bounces@tsornin.BostonRadio.org] On > Behalf Of > Ron Bello > Sent: Monday, September 28, 2009 1:48 AM > To: Kevin Vahey > Cc: boston-radio-interest@bostonradio.org > Subject: Re: self supporting TV towers > > Although both 4 and 5 moved their transmitters to Needham / Newton > in 1957, > it took until 1964 for WNAC 7. I can remember watching the welders > from a > small hill just on the other side of 128 with a telescope. > > The lack / cost of available land was probably a major factor in the > choice > of a > self-supporting tower. That area was well built out by the early > 1960s. > > > > On Mon, Sep 28, 2009 at 1:11 AM, Kevin Vahey > wrote: > >> Towers in Paris don't have hurricaines to worry about :) >> >> Seriously I don't pretend to understand the plus and minus of tower >> construction. Obviously WNAC-TV designed the tower well as it is >> still >> standing. >> >> 7 was forced to move from Malden when both 5 and 4 moved to >> Needham-Newton. Just was curious in the overall thinking 50 years >> ago. >> > From cohasset@frontiernet.net Mon Sep 28 10:04:43 2009 From: cohasset@frontiernet.net (Cohasset / Hippisley) Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2009 10:04:43 -0400 Subject: self supporting TV towers In-Reply-To: <6B225A505EED47508989CCCDC5E51924@fs.uml.edu> References: <4fc429770909272016l38b895dbv2f8eb209b1f953d4@mail.gmail.com><19136.15539.762047.512945@hergotha.csail.mit.edu><4fc429770909272211u49ad5574n8561e25849a156c9@mail.gmail.com> <90ec04420909272247r4342a531q2fe3ce9f56bd2cce@mail.gmail.com> <6B225A505EED47508989CCCDC5E51924@fs.uml.edu> Message-ID: On Sep 28, 2009, at 8:30 AM, Jim Hall wrote: > I remember the Sunday Globe had a multi-page color insert about the > new > Channel 7 tower when it first went on the air. I wish I had saved > it. I > remember in one hurricane we had, Channel 7 put a camera underneath > the > tower and showed how much it was swaying in the breeze. I was working for Honeywell in Needham Heights (or was it Newton Upper Lower Middle Falls?) at the time. We all parked in a big shared parking lot adjacent to the then-new Channel 7 tower. Probably the most "exciting" breezy day for us was the day they painted the tower....I believe there were lots of damage claims resulting from that episode. Bud Hippisley From brian_vita@cssinc.com Mon Sep 28 11:05:20 2009 From: brian_vita@cssinc.com (Brian Vita) Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2009 11:05:20 -0400 Subject: WGBH may buy WCRB? In-Reply-To: <4AC023D9.3050001@server4.gabrielmass.com> References: <20090921204437.6159D326701@ws1-8.us4.outblaze.com><0KQN006JBQC9PT20@asmtp016.mac.com> <4AC023D9.3050001@server4.gabrielmass.com> Message-ID: > How many people have any idea that there is such a thing as an HD-2 or > HD-3 channel on FM radio? Just making a WAG, I expect there are more > listeners to satellite radio than there are listeners to HD radio. > [Brian Vita] If they play up the switch to HD heavily on-air their listeners will find it. From brian_vita@cssinc.com Mon Sep 28 10:58:18 2009 From: brian_vita@cssinc.com (Brian Vita) Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2009 10:58:18 -0400 Subject: WGBH may buy WCRB? In-Reply-To: <20090921204437.6159D326701@ws1-8.us4.outblaze.com> References: <20090921204437.6159D326701@ws1-8.us4.outblaze.com> Message-ID: <08288A5543144C3086C637D827A0861D@passion> [Brian Vita] >Classical > music needs > a lot of "quieting" or a beneficial signal-to-noise ratio. The 89.7 > signal provides > that for just about the entire metropolitan area; 99.5 does not. This > doesn't matter > for the "Blue Danube Waltz" or "Nutcracker Suite", but it does for chamber > music, and > pieces with great dynamic contrasts (a Mahler symphony). [Brian Vita] That's why you buy an HD radio. Process the crap out of the analog signal so that listeners in cars can hear it. Be a bit more liberal (ha on WGBH) with the processing on the HD signal. Brian Vita From cohasset@frontiernet.net Mon Sep 28 11:00:42 2009 From: cohasset@frontiernet.net (Cohasset / Hippisley) Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2009 11:00:42 -0400 Subject: self supporting TV towers In-Reply-To: References: <4fc429770909272016l38b895dbv2f8eb209b1f953d4@mail.gmail.com><19136.15539.762047.512945@hergotha.csail.mit.edu><4fc429770909272211u49ad5574n8561e25849a156c9@mail.gmail.com><90ec04420909272247r4342a531q2fe3ce9f56bd2cce@mail.gmail.com> <6B225A505EED47508989CCCDC5E51924@fs.uml.edu> Message-ID: On Sep 28, 2009, at 9:30 AM, Dan.Strassberg wrote: > Ever see the video of the WBZ (AM) towers in Hull during a nor'easter > before they were reguyed a decade or more ago? In those days, the 'BZ > towers were guyed at only two levels, which was customary at one time > for guyed towers of that height. They were intended to flex in high > winds and boy, did they ever! Since the towers are ~500' high, the > video (someone must have the URL--I don't) gives you a chance to > estimate the excursion of the tower tops. If somebody told me it was > greater than 10', I wouldn't argue. Some time during the winter of 66-67 (when I was working at Channel 4) I visited the Hull site with the radio CE (whose name I've since forgotten). We were there to see why the radio control room had lost remote tower current and phasing info back on Soldiers' Field Road. There was a wonderful nor'easter in process, but I went out and stood under one of the towers, thus having a chance to see exactly what you describe above. It was like watching a snake slither along the ground. I never knew guyed towers could flex so much! I wouldn't disagree at all with your estimate of the side-to-side excursions at the top.... Bud Hippisley From adamg@gaffin.com Mon Sep 28 13:02:36 2009 From: adamg@gaffin.com (Adam Gaffin) Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2009 13:02:36 -0400 Subject: For those keeping track: Dorchester pirate changes frequencies In-Reply-To: References: <4fc429770909272016l38b895dbv2f8eb209b1f953d4@mail.gmail.com> <19136.15539.762047.512945@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> <4fc429770909272211u49ad5574n8561e25849a156c9@mail.gmail.com> <90ec04420909272247r4342a531q2fe3ce9f56bd2cce@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <4AC0EC2C.4060408@gaffin.com> Hot 97 (which was chased out of Hyde Park as reported here) has moved to 87.7 http://twitter.com/ReggieBeas/statuses/4446255208 They're still IDing themselves as Hot 97. Sounds like they've boosted their power quite a bit. Last week, I could barely hear them in Roslindale. Today, at the new frequency, it sounded like they were right next door. From elipolo@earthlink.net Mon Sep 28 17:24:43 2009 From: elipolo@earthlink.net (Eli Polonsky) Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2009 17:24:43 -0400 (EDT) Subject: self supporting TV towers Message-ID: <19278362.1254173083908.JavaMail.root@mswamui-cedar.atl.sa.earthlink.net> > From: "David Moisan" > RE: self supporting TV towers > Monday, September 28, 2009 9:00 AM > > I've always wondered when the Needham Sheraton was built. > One of the guy supports of the candelabra is in the parking lot. > I'd always thought the tower came first. Not sure when the hotel was built, but I became aware of its existence in the mid-'70s when it was the "Needham Motor Inn". Then, it was the "Park Tower Motor Inn" for a short time in the late '70s or early '80s, then I think it went from that name to the Sheraton Needham. I recall seeing the candelabra tower being built in the late '60s, but I don't know whether the hotel was there yet at that time. Unlike the Sheraton Hotels in Newton and Framingham, the Needham Sheraton was never a "Sheraton-Tara", only just a Sheraton. I don't know what qualified those other Sheratons to gain the "Tara" suffix that the Needham one lacked. EP From wollman@bimajority.org Mon Sep 28 17:31:12 2009 From: wollman@bimajority.org (Garrett Wollman) Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2009 17:31:12 -0400 Subject: self supporting TV towers In-Reply-To: <19278362.1254173083908.JavaMail.root@mswamui-cedar.atl.sa.earthlink.net> References: <19278362.1254173083908.JavaMail.root@mswamui-cedar.atl.sa.earthlink.net> Message-ID: <19137.11040.141793.401419@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> < said: > Unlike the Sheraton Hotels in Newton and Framingham, the > Needham Sheraton was never a "Sheraton-Tara", only just a > Sheraton. I don't know what qualified those other Sheratons > to gain the "Tara" suffix that the Needham one lacked. The other Sheratons were owned by the Flatley Company. (And the Newton one is now a Crowne Plaza, which used to be a kind of Holiday Inn, but my feel for hotel brands is all messed up now with the various mergers and spinoffs of the various franchisers in the past decade.) -GAWollman From lspin@comcast.net Mon Sep 28 17:35:20 2009 From: lspin@comcast.net (Lou) Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2009 17:35:20 -0400 Subject: self supporting TV towers In-Reply-To: <19278362.1254173083908.JavaMail.root@mswamui-cedar.atl.sa.earthlink.net> References: <19278362.1254173083908.JavaMail.root@mswamui-cedar.atl.sa.earthlink.net> Message-ID: <003001ca4083$9461a0c0$bd24e240$@net> I used to work at the Polaroid site on Kendrick St. down in that area of Needham in the very late 70s. Upon exiting the factory into the parking lot, all you could see was a huge tower directly across the way. FM radio reception was wiped-out with the exception of two stations. I believe one was WVBF, 105.7. -Lou -----Original Message----- From: boston-radio-interest-bounces@tsornin.BostonRadio.org [mailto:boston-radio-interest-bounces@tsornin.BostonRadio.org] On Behalf Of Eli Polonsky Sent: Monday, September 28, 2009 5:25 PM Not sure when the hotel was built, but I became aware of its existence in the mid-'70s when it was the "Needham Motor Inn". Then, it was the "Park Tower Motor Inn" for a short time in the late '70s or early '80s, then I think it went from that name to the Sheraton Needham. I recall seeing the candelabra tower being built in the late '60s, but I don't know whether the hotel was there yet at that time. From kc1ih@mac.com Mon Sep 28 16:57:15 2009 From: kc1ih@mac.com (Larry Weil) Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:57:15 -0400 Subject: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: At 8:12 AM -0400 9/28/09, TVNETDUDE@aol.com wrote: >In a message dated 9/28/2009 12:36:20 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, >boston-radio-interest-request@tsornin.BostonRadio.org writes: > >>>>About LPFM, according to rule 73.854 the FCC will not grant an LPFM >license >to a former unlicensed pirate broadcaster. But how would the FCC know an >applicant was a pirate if they have not busted the applicant?<<< > >Nice rule it is too bad they don't enforce it. I'm not so sure it's a wise rule. If you don't at least give someone the opportunity to clean up their act and go legit, they will have no reason to not remain a pirate forever. -- Larry Weil Lake Wobegone, NH From friedbagels@gmail.com Mon Sep 28 16:18:41 2009 From: friedbagels@gmail.com (Aaron Read) Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2009 16:18:41 -0400 Subject: WGBH may buy WCRB? (HD2 discussion) Message-ID: <4AC11A21.2020209@gmail.com> Anecdotally I believe you are right, Larry. I don't think anyone's done a real study of it but generally speaking, NPR and its affiliate stations have done MUCH more to promote and leverage HD Radio than commercial outfits have done. There's exceptions on both sides, but in general I think that's true. Also anecdotally, I have heard from WGBH staff that there are quite a few fans of the all-classical service on the HD2 multicast channel. Not as much as a regular analog station, of course, but a lot more than you might expect (a few thousand was the estimate I heard). Certainly whenever the HD2 goes away, the phone rings off the hook. Or so I'm told. BTW, the nice thing about HD Radio is that you really don't have to process it much. I know some stations that are using the Neural Audio pre-correction "processor", and nothing else, on their HD Radio streams and it sounds really, really good. That extra high-end really shines with the inherently low noise floor of HD Radio. At WEOS we run the audio into our Omnia 6EX and then the audio for HD gets passed through a Neural Audio pre-correction processor. Frankly I think it's overkill. It sounds okay on talk but for anything with music suddenly the music is just really really LOUD. I mean, in some ways it sounds great but it's a little jarring in the transition. -- ---------------------------------------------------------------- Aaron Read | Finger Lakes Public Radio friedbagels@gmail.com | General Manager (WEOS & WHWS-LP) Geneva, NY 14456 | www.weos.org / www.whws.fm >Larry Weil wrote: >But I think if WGBH/WCRB >were to make it known that an HD receiver would make it possible to >get the classical programming where they might not otherwise, a few >people might get them for that reason. I get the feeling that a lot >more public radio listeners have HD radios than commercial radio >listeners, especially in areas where it's been promoted by the public >stations. From sid@wrko.com Mon Sep 28 20:02:18 2009 From: sid@wrko.com (Sid Schweiger) Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2009 20:02:18 -0400 Subject: self supporting TV towers In-Reply-To: <003001ca4083$9461a0c0$bd24e240$@net> References: <19278362.1254173083908.JavaMail.root@mswamui-cedar.atl.sa.earthlink.net>, <003001ca4083$9461a0c0$bd24e240$@net> Message-ID: <0D5E60C875634E4AA1031FC691BCCC550797074C@ENTCORMB2.etmcorad.com> "I used to work at the Polaroid site on Kendrick St. down in that area of Needham in the very late 70s. Upon exiting the factory into the parking lot, all you could see was a huge tower directly across the way. FM radio reception was wiped-out with the exception of two stations. I believe one was WVBF, 105.7." The other on that tower was 96.9/WJIB. I worked for WVBF for a while in the 1980's and became very familiar with that site. Channel 56 was in the same building as the two FM's; 25 and 38 were in the other building. And to answer the previous poster, I believe the hotel was there first, but the multi-level parking garage went up well after the tower did. During my tenure at WVBF there was a pretty bad ice storm one winter, and when the weather warmed up we were warned not to approach the tower for a few hours while it was shedding ice. A few of those hundred-pound chunks of ice clomped a few cars in the hotel parking lot and the hotel sued the tower company. ISTR the judge laughed it out of his courtroom, saying in effect "what sort of dope builds a parking lot directly under a tower?" Sid Schweiger IT Manager, Entercom New England 20 Guest St / 3d Floor Brighton MA 02135-2040 From joe@attorneyross.com Tue Sep 29 00:11:17 2009 From: joe@attorneyross.com (A. Joseph Ross) Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:11:17 -0400 Subject: self supporting TV towers In-Reply-To: <19136.15539.762047.512945@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> References: <4fc429770909272016l38b895dbv2f8eb209b1f953d4@mail.gmail.com>, <19136.15539.762047.512945@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> Message-ID: <4AC188E5.8865.B196DF@joe.attorneyross.com> On 28 Sep 2009 at 0:33, Garrett Wollman wrote: > Why would you think there would be a connection? The fact that the > WBZ-TV tower failed in Hurricane Carol says nothing about the design > requirements for the WNAC-TV tower in Newton. You might as well ask, > given that Eiffel Tower in Paris hasn't fallen down yet, why would > anyone build guyed towers? Then there's the WBZ auxiliary radio tower on Soldiers Field Road, which was built as a self-supporting tower, but which had guy wires added after 1954. -- A. Joseph Ross, J.D. 617.367.0468 92 State Street, Suite 700 Fax 617.507.7856 Boston, MA 02109-2004 http://www.attorneyross.com From joe@attorneyross.com Tue Sep 29 00:11:18 2009 From: joe@attorneyross.com (A. Joseph Ross) Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2009 00:11:18 -0400 Subject: self supporting TV towers In-Reply-To: <19278362.1254173083908.JavaMail.root@mswamui-cedar.atl.sa.earthlink.net> References: <19278362.1254173083908.JavaMail.root@mswamui-cedar.atl.sa.earthlink.net> Message-ID: <4AC188E6.13263.B197CF@joe.attorneyross.com> On 28 Sep 2009 at 17:24, Eli Polonsky wrote: > Unlike the Sheraton Hotels in Newton and Framingham, the > Needham Sheraton was never a "Sheraton-Tara", only just a > Sheraton. I don't know what qualified those other Sheratons > to gain the "Tara" suffix that the Needham one lacked. I believe the Tara hotels were Flatley franchises, and I think they all had the same sort of Tudor architecture. -- A. Joseph Ross, J.D. 617.367.0468 92 State Street, Suite 700 Fax 617.507.7856 Boston, MA 02109-2004 http://www.attorneyross.com From donald_astelle@yahoo.com Tue Sep 29 01:09:26 2009 From: donald_astelle@yahoo.com (Don A) Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2009 01:09:26 -0400 Subject: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut References: Message-ID: <1C3BFC45DA3A4731A24088C7916F0648@MainXPPro> ----- Original Message ----- From: "Larry Weil" To: Sent: Monday, September 28, 2009 4:57 PM Subject: Re: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut > At 8:12 AM -0400 9/28/09, TVNETDUDE@aol.com wrote: > >>In a message dated 9/28/2009 12:36:20 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, >>boston-radio-interest-request@tsornin.BostonRadio.org writes: >> >>>>>About LPFM, according to rule 73.854 the FCC will not grant an LPFM >>license >>to a former unlicensed pirate broadcaster. But how would the FCC know an >>applicant was a pirate if they have not busted the applicant?<<< >> > >>Nice rule it is too bad they don't enforce it. > > I'm not so sure it's a wise rule. If you don't at least give someone the > opportunity to clean up their act and go legit, they will have no reason > to not remain a pirate forever. Except for jail, fines and forfeitures. From rac@gabrielmass.com Tue Sep 29 02:16:49 2009 From: rac@gabrielmass.com (Richard Chonak) Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2009 02:16:49 -0400 Subject: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut In-Reply-To: <1C3BFC45DA3A4731A24088C7916F0648@MainXPPro> References: <1C3BFC45DA3A4731A24088C7916F0648@MainXPPro> Message-ID: <4AC1A651.4050601@server4.gabrielmass.com> >> I'm not so sure it's a wise rule. If you don't at least give someone >> the opportunity to clean up their act and go legit, they will have no >> reason to not remain a pirate forever. > > Except for jail, fines and forfeitures. Giving him equal access to apply for a license is a cheaper, faster resolution. --RC From dan.strassberg@att.net Tue Sep 29 06:09:49 2009 From: dan.strassberg@att.net (Dan.Strassberg) Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2009 06:09:49 -0400 Subject: self supporting TV towers References: <19278362.1254173083908.JavaMail.root@mswamui-cedar.atl.sa.earthlink.net>, <003001ca4083$9461a0c0$bd24e240$@net> <0D5E60C875634E4AA1031FC691BCCC550797074C@ENTCORMB2.etmcorad.com> Message-ID: <92EB6121AD5F4ABBB05B6C190C4348C8@SatU205S5044> I've lost count of all the AM sites locally that have parking lots underneath the guy wires of AM towers. Of course, the towers aren't 1300' high, but several are more than 400' and most are more than 300'. Sid worked at one such site--the old WKOX site in Framingham--no longer home to WKOX, but still home to WBIX/WSRO. Others are the old WRCA site in Waltham, the WXKS (AM)/WILD site in Medford, and the WWZN site in Waltham. I'd be surprised if there weren't others just in the Boston area. WLYN/WESX in Lynn probably is another such. ----- Dan Strassberg (dan.strassberg@att.net) eFax 1-707-215-6367 ----- Original Message ----- From: "Sid Schweiger" To: Sent: Monday, September 28, 2009 8:02 PM Subject: RE: self supporting TV towers > ISTR the judge laughed it out of his courtroom, saying in effect > "what sort of dope builds a parking lot directly under a tower?" Sid Schweiger IT Manager, Entercom New England 20 Guest St / 3d Floor Brighton MA 02135-2040= From sid@wrko.com Tue Sep 29 07:03:12 2009 From: sid@wrko.com (Sid Schweiger) Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2009 05:03:12 -0600 Subject: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut In-Reply-To: <4AC1A651.4050601@server4.gabrielmass.com> References: <1C3BFC45DA3A4731A24088C7916F0648@MainXPPro> <4AC1A651.4050601@server4.gabrielmass.com> Message-ID: <0D5E60C875634E4AA1031FC691BCCC5507BC3BEB@ENTCORMB2.etmcorad.com> "Giving him equal access to apply for a license is a cheaper, faster resolution." ...and is seen by many as condoning illegal behavior. Enforcement of the law is impossible if there's no price to be paid for breaking the law. Sid Schweiger IT Manager, Entercom New England 20 Guest St / 3d Floor Brighton MA 02135-2040 From raccoonradio@mail.com Tue Sep 29 11:19:20 2009 From: raccoonradio@mail.com (Bob Nelson) Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2009 10:19:20 -0500 Subject: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut Message-ID: <20090929151920.93583905C49@ws1-5a.us4.outblaze.com> >>...and is seen by many as condoning illegal behavior. Enforcement of the law is impossible if there's no price to be paid for breaking the law. Agreed... A few years back a pirate called Radio Free Brattleboro went on the air and they got warnings, etc. from the FCC. A vote was held by the town's people "authorizing" the continued broadcasts of the station, and an effort was made to get an LPFM license from the FCC, but they were not given one. At one point (June '05?) the feds came down and seized their equipment. Meanwhile, an LPFM license was granted in nearby Bellows Falls for WOOL-LP and they went on the air legally. I'm sure that RFB attempted to get a license despite the warnings and eventually shutdown by the FCC but they did not get one, while WOOL went about it legally (to the best of my knowledge they did not broadcast illegally prior to the granting of the FCC license) Another LPFM went on in Brattleboro itself, Vermont Earthworks Radio. As far as I know Earthworks Radio was not the same folks who ran RFB (which incidentally moved from half a watt up to 10 watts; WVEW-LP though has 100 watts I believe). The Wikipedia entry for VEW mentions RFB and says at one point, "RFB was licensed to broadcast by its community - but not by the Federal Communications Commission." Uh, yes, you DO need permission from the FCC, despite what your community votes on. I know signals are scarce in Boston (perhaps someday the FM band will be rolled back to 76 or so?) and I wish somehow some groups would work together, get a legit license, and all these organizations can do shows on a LEGAL station. Or maybe they can get time, free or paid, on a legit station. I cite my own WMWM which has some Spanish language programming. These DJs could have started a pirate station in our area but they came to WMWM and did it legally. I don't know how much free time is ultimately available on the various AM and FM outlets around here (college radio, etc.) but better to do it legally. From friedbagels@gmail.com Tue Sep 29 12:07:36 2009 From: friedbagels@gmail.com (Aaron Read) Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2009 12:07:36 -0400 Subject: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut Message-ID: <4AC230C8.7000703@gmail.com> Bob, you've hit the nail exactly on the head. Most of these pirates aren't interested in operating legally even if given the opportunity. They're mostly on an ego trip and they want total control of their broadcast outlet...FCC be damned. This was especially true back when the LPFM license class was created in 1998-99 and there was still hope that there might be room for one in Boston, and also this was before webcasting was really a mainstream option for most stations. I was one that advocated strongly that pirates should volunteer at local college radio stations. Do it over the summer when you can almost have your pick of timeslots, and you can just stick around afterwords. This was never more on display than in 2002 or so when I was volunteering at Allston-Brighton Free Radio. IIRC at that point we were still a legal Part 15 AM station (although later a not-so-legal 20w carrier-current AM transmitter and homebrewed TIS-style antenna was used) and summer was coming up. I was also volunteering at WMFO and that was a bad patch for the station...given the number of supposedly dedicated volunteers at ABfree we could've easily volunteered to fill half their schedule, and half their management board, and both the station members and Tufts would've been grateful for the help. Within five years, ABfree could've had de facto control over everything that mattered. But no, nobody wanted to be bothered hoofing it up to Tufts' Medford campus. So much for dedication. :-P These days college radio seems to be more in vogue so it'd be harder to pull off a "bloodless coup" like that. But it's still do-able. And especially in more rural areas where there are literally stations going dark because nobody can figure out what to do with them, I think if these pirates got their act together they could probably take one over with little up-front capital. I should also point out: an unsurprising amount of "community broadcasters" (aka not-quite pirates, but close) who *did* successfully get LPFM licenses, have either failed to renew the license or just gone dark due to lack of funds. Surprise, surprise, it's not all fun and games to run a radio station...it's a lot of money, time and hard work! -- ---------------------------------------------------------------- Aaron Read | Finger Lakes Public Radio friedbagels@gmail.com | General Manager (WEOS & WHWS-LP) Geneva, NY 14456 | www.weos.org / www.whws.fm Bob Nelson raccoonradio@mail.com Tue Sep 29 11:19:20 EDT 2009 I know signals are scarce in Boston (perhaps someday the FM band will be rolled back to 76 or so?) and I wish somehow some groups would work together, get a legit license, and all these organizations can do shows on a LEGAL station. Or maybe they can get time, free or paid, on a legit station. I cite my own WMWM which has some Spanish language programming. These DJs could have started a pirate station in our area but they came to WMWM and did it legally. I don't know how much free time is ultimately available on the various AM and FM outlets around here (college radio, etc.) but better to do it legally. From kc1ih@mac.com Tue Sep 29 11:45:08 2009 From: kc1ih@mac.com (Larry Weil) Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2009 11:45:08 -0400 Subject: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut In-Reply-To: <0D5E60C875634E4AA1031FC691BCCC5507BC3BEB@ENTCORMB2.etmcorad.com> References: <1C3BFC45DA3A4731A24088C7916F0648@MainXPPro> <4AC1A651.4050601@server4.gabrielmass.com> <0D5E60C875634E4AA1031FC691BCCC5507BC3BEB@ENTCORMB2.etmcorad.com> Message-ID: At 5:03 AM -0600 9/29/09, Sid Schweiger wrote: >"Giving him equal access to apply for a license is a cheaper, faster >resolution." > >...and is seen by many as condoning illegal behavior. Enforcement >of the law is impossible if there's no price to be paid for breaking >the law. But giving one no chance for redemption also encourages continued illegal behavior. -- Larry Weil Lake Wobegone, NH From wollman@bimajority.org Tue Sep 29 13:26:14 2009 From: wollman@bimajority.org (Garrett Wollman) Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2009 13:26:14 -0400 Subject: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut In-Reply-To: <4AC230C8.7000703@gmail.com> References: <4AC230C8.7000703@gmail.com> Message-ID: <19138.17206.424159.529045@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> < said: > I should also point out: an unsurprising amount of "community > broadcasters" (aka not-quite pirates, but close) who *did* successfully > get LPFM licenses, have either failed to renew the license or just gone > dark due to lack of funds. Surprise, surprise, it's not all fun and > games to run a radio station...it's a lot of money, time and hard work! How much do LPFMs have to pay for music licensing? That's got to be a significant annual outlay, since an LPFM transmitter uses next to no power and most are located where they pay no rent. I've occasionally thought about applying for one in Framingham, should they ever relax the spacing rules sufficiently. Now that TV channel 6 is effectively gone from most places, I wonder if the Commission could be persuaded to open up channel 200 for LPFM? There are likely lots of places where an LP10 or LP100 could fit on 87.9 that don't have any other channels presently available. -GAWollman From TVNETDUDE@aol.com Tue Sep 29 16:35:25 2009 From: TVNETDUDE@aol.com (TVNETDUDE@aol.com) Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:35:25 EDT Subject: For those keeping track: Dorchester pirate changes frequencies Message-ID: In a message dated 9/29/2009 11:22:27 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, boston-radio-interest-request@tsornin.BostonRadio.org writes: >>>>Last week, I could barely hear them in Roslindale. Today, at the new frequency, it sounded like they were right next door.<<<<<< Well you should they are on a clear channel. Mike From wollman@bimajority.org Tue Sep 29 16:36:03 2009 From: wollman@bimajority.org (Garrett Wollman) Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:36:03 -0400 Subject: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut In-Reply-To: <4AC25146.2070303@gmail.com> References: <4AC230C8.7000703@gmail.com> <19138.17206.424159.529045@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> <4AC25146.2070303@gmail.com> Message-ID: <19138.28595.145261.113464@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> < said: > As for the paying no rent, it's true that a lot of them get free TOWER > rent, but I don't know too many that get free STUDIO rent. Given that most are licensed to, have studios in, and antennas attached to churches, I would expect that most of them would not pay any rent. > Garrett, in your case I'd try and work something out with WDJM. I > understand they broadcast the TIC network (if anything) quite frequently > because there's nobody around to spin records in the flesh. Well, I wouldn't be interested in spinning records in the flesh either, just providing a distinctive (but still automated) source of programming. And honestly, I think running TIC is probably a better public service for a station of WDJM's size and location than anything else it might be doing. (There's also the issue that I can't get WDJM cleanly at my condo on the east side.) Maybe if they read some Portuguese-language newspapers.... -GAWollman From friedbagels@gmail.com Tue Sep 29 14:26:14 2009 From: friedbagels@gmail.com (Aaron Read) Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2009 14:26:14 -0400 Subject: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut In-Reply-To: <19138.17206.424159.529045@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> References: <4AC230C8.7000703@gmail.com> <19138.17206.424159.529045@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> Message-ID: <4AC25146.2070303@gmail.com> Garrett Wollman wrote: > How much do LPFMs have to pay for music licensing? That's got to be a > significant annual outlay, since an LPFM transmitter uses next to no > power and most are located where they pay no rent. I've occasionally > thought about applying for one in Framingham, should they ever relax > the spacing rules sufficiently. > That is indeed a big part of it. LPFM's pay the same as any other non-commercial broadcaster. It can be a substantial outlay, although in most cases it's not more than a few thousand dollars per year. What can kill you is the time/effort spent trying to organize and submit the reports. As for the paying no rent, it's true that a lot of them get free TOWER rent, but I don't know too many that get free STUDIO rent. And those that have gotten free studios have often found them to be problematic; I can think of at least one example where a local town government offered free studio space in the town hall. Then an election came and went and a new administration came in. They allowed the station to stay until the station started saying things the administration didn't like. Suddenly the studio lease was not renewed. Oops. I remember this was a significant issue for ABfree as well; the rent was cheap by Boston standards but still a few hundred bucks per month. ABfree never had the manpower/organization to really go out and sell ads, and the listener base was too small to run fundraisers. > Now that TV channel 6 is effectively gone from most places, I wonder > if the Commission could be persuaded to open up channel 200 for LPFM? > There are likely lots of places where an LP10 or LP100 could fit on > 87.9 that don't have any other channels presently available. > Possibly. I don't think LPFM's are specifically excluded from Channel 200 as things are right now...maybe they are, I'm not sure. But realistically I wouldn't get your hopes up. Between the Oct.2007 NCE filing window and the inevitable post-DTV-transition minor/major changes that dozens of existing stations in the NCE band are making to expand now that TV6 is (mostly) gone...I doubt there will be any room left to take advantage of 87.9FM by the time the next LPFM window opens. In Greater Boston, certainly, there's already too many stations on 88.1 and 88.3 for anyone to fit an LPFM on 87.9FM. LPFM is a pipe dream for anyone anywhere near a major city; even with the third-adjacent protections removed, it's still impossible to fit a new LP100 license anywhere. LP10? Maybe...probably not, but maybe. But the FCC has shown ZERO interest in ever allowing the LP10 license to happen. Garrett, in your case I'd try and work something out with WDJM. I understand they broadcast the TIC network (if anything) quite frequently because there's nobody around to spin records in the flesh. -- ---------------------------------------------------------------- Aaron Read | Finger Lakes Public Radio friedbagels@gmail.com | General Manager (WEOS & WHWS-LP) Geneva, NY 14456 | www.weos.org / www.whws.fm From TVNETDUDE@aol.com Tue Sep 29 17:09:28 2009 From: TVNETDUDE@aol.com (TVNETDUDE@aol.com) Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2009 17:09:28 EDT Subject: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut Message-ID: In a message dated 9/29/2009 11:22:27 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, boston-radio-interest-request@tsornin.BostonRadio.org writes: >>>I'm not so sure it's a wise rule. If you don't at least give someone the opportunity to clean up their act and go legit, they will have no reason to not remain a pirate forever.<<<< I am not sure it is an enforceable rule anymore. The FCC was told to break their own rules by Harry Reid. For that matter look at Al Weiner he operated a real pirate station off the coast of NY in the late 70's or early 80's till the FCC shut him down and now he owns an AM, FM, and SW station in Maine. From wollman@bimajority.org Tue Sep 29 17:14:17 2009 From: wollman@bimajority.org (Garrett Wollman) Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2009 17:14:17 -0400 Subject: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <19138.30889.469612.263029@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> < For that matter look at Al Weiner he operated a real pirate station off the > coast of NY in the late 70's or early 80's till the FCC shut him down and > now he owns an AM, FM, and SW station in Maine. There's no rule preventing ex-pirates from getting full-power licenses (other than the usual "character qualifications"), just LPFM licenses. Ed Perry at WATD has a copy of the FCC cease-and-desist letter sent to his father from when Ed was growing up in Natick and briefly operated a pirate station. (This was before Garabedian put 1060 on the air.) -GAWollman From TVNETDUDE@aol.com Tue Sep 29 17:16:15 2009 From: TVNETDUDE@aol.com (TVNETDUDE@aol.com) Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2009 17:16:15 EDT Subject: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut Message-ID: In a message dated 9/29/2009 11:22:27 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, boston-radio-interest-request@tsornin.BostonRadio.org writes: >>>Except for jail, fines and forfeitures. <<<< Again we are talking about a radio station here. The FCC doesn't do jail they would rather have the money. In fact, if you look under part 1.84 -Practices and Procedures you will see exactly what they are getting for a violation with no mention of prison time. Mike From TVNETDUDE@aol.com Tue Sep 29 17:18:31 2009 From: TVNETDUDE@aol.com (TVNETDUDE@aol.com) Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2009 17:18:31 EDT Subject: Boston-Radio-Interest Digest, Vol 13, Issue 395 Message-ID: In a message dated 9/29/2009 11:22:27 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, boston-radio-interest-request@tsornin.BostonRadio.org writes: >>>...and is seen by many as condoning illegal behavior. Enforcement of the law is impossible if there's no price to be paid for breaking the law.<<< Why should radio be any different than the other incidents of condoning illegal behavior in this country? Mike From wollman@bimajority.org Tue Sep 29 17:33:31 2009 From: wollman@bimajority.org (Garrett Wollman) Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2009 17:33:31 -0400 Subject: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <19138.32043.700823.960055@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> < Again we are talking about a radio station here. The FCC doesn't do jail > they would rather have the money. In fact, if you look under part 1.84 > -Practices and Procedures you will see exactly what they are getting for a > violation with no mention of prison time. That's because criminal law is not within the purview of the FCC. If you look at 47 USC 5.501, you will see that Congress has provided for criminal sanctions: Any person who willfully and knowingly does or causes or suffers to be done any act, matter, or thing, in this chapter prohibited or declared to be unlawful, or who willfully and knowingly omits or fails to do any act, matter, or thing in this chapter required to be done, or willfully and knowingly causes or suffers such omission or failure, shall, upon conviction thereof, be punished for such offense, for which no penalty (other than a forfeiture) is provided in this chapter, by a fine of not more than $10,000 or by imprisonment for a term not exceeding one year, or both; except that any person, having been once convicted of an offense punishable under this section, who is subsequently convicted of violating any provision of this chapter punishable under this section, shall be punished by a fine of not more than $10,000 or by imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years, or both. (Title V, section 501, Communications Act of 1934) The decision to prosecute a pirate would be made by the United States Attorney, not by the FCC, although the prosecutor would usually not get invovled unless the FCC referred the issue to the Justice Department. This only covers violations of the statute; violations of the FCC Rules are subject only to a fine of not more than $500 per day (much less, in most cases, than the FCC's maximum civil forfeiture, and much harder to prove). -GAWollman From TVNETDUDE@aol.com Tue Sep 29 17:42:51 2009 From: TVNETDUDE@aol.com (TVNETDUDE@aol.com) Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2009 17:42:51 EDT Subject: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut Message-ID: In a message dated 9/29/2009 5:33:36 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, wollman@bimajority.org writes: >>>>The decision to prosecute a pirate would be made by the United States Attorney, not by the FCC, although the prosecutor would usually not get invovled unless the FCC referred the issue to the Justice Department.<<< I am aware of only one guy that went to prison in Florida I believe. This guy repeatedly interfered with public safety radio and after he was prosecuted the third time he went to prison for two years. No one is going to prison over pirate radio especially when the FCC is letting so many slide. Mike From TVNETDUDE@aol.com Tue Sep 29 17:43:43 2009 From: TVNETDUDE@aol.com (TVNETDUDE@aol.com) Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2009 17:43:43 EDT Subject: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut Message-ID: In a message dated 9/29/2009 11:22:27 A.M. Eastern Daylight Time, boston-radio-interest-request@tsornin.BostonRadio.org writes: >>>know signals are scarce in Boston (perhaps someday the FM band will be rolled back to 76 or so?) and I wish somehow some groups would work together, get a legit license, and all these organizations can do shows on a LEGAL station.<<< I wonder what would happen if pirates just populated 76 to 87 MHZ? Both receive and transmit equipment is readily available this is Japan's FM band. Pirates have loyal audiences because it is all a matter of content. Perhaps the audiences that they have can't support a full power station FM station. My guess is that any licensed station could make a decent profit if they ran the same formats the unlicensed stations run now. Of course to do this some of the station owners that paid millions of dollars more than the station is worth will have to file bankruptcy to get the prices of the stations down to where a station could make a profit. You certainly can't sell them for what you paid for them and by firing your talent that isn't going to keep an audience. Everyone is disturbed that young people don't listen to the radio anymore. Well how can you blame them they have their own "Top 100" in their shirt pockets. This being said the unlicensed stations are bringing kid's back to radio. Just like RFB did many years ago before it was shut down. I think local FM radio will eventually be the future of radio in the larger markets. As for the FCC shutting any of them down, it just isn't in the political air right now. Mike From TVNETDUDE@aol.com Tue Sep 29 17:48:30 2009 From: TVNETDUDE@aol.com (TVNETDUDE@aol.com) Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2009 17:48:30 EDT Subject: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut Message-ID: In a message dated 9/29/2009 5:14:40 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, wollman@bimajority.org writes: >>>There's no rule preventing ex-pirates from getting full-power licenses (other than the usual "character qualifications"), just LPFM licenses. Ed Perry at WATD has a copy of the FCC cease-and-desist letter sent to his father from when Ed was growing up in Natick and briefly operated a pirate station. (This was before Garabedian put 1060 on the air.)<<< The NAB must really hate LPFM's. The rule might be on the books but Radio Goldfield changed things forever. You can't justify giving one a license without giving another one a license unless there is a technical reason. All it will take is a person with a few buck and a lawyer. Mike From sid@wrko.com Tue Sep 29 18:01:27 2009 From: sid@wrko.com (Sid Schweiger) Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:01:27 -0600 Subject: Boston-Radio-Interest Digest, Vol 13, Issue 395 In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <0D5E60C875634E4AA1031FC691BCCC550797074F@ENTCORMB2.etmcorad.com> "Why should radio be any different than the other incidents of condoning illegal behavior in this country?" So, let's see if we have this straight: Because people happen to get away with breaking other laws, it's OK to break this one too. Right. From sid@wrko.com Tue Sep 29 18:18:33 2009 From: sid@wrko.com (Sid Schweiger) Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2009 16:18:33 -0600 Subject: FW: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut In-Reply-To: <0D5E60C875634E4AA1031FC691BCCC5507970750@ENTCORMB2.etmcorad.com> References: , <0D5E60C875634E4AA1031FC691BCCC5507970750@ENTCORMB2.etmcorad.com> Message-ID: <0D5E60C875634E4AA1031FC691BCCC5507970751@ENTCORMB2.etmcorad.com> ________________________________________ From: Sid Schweiger Sent: Tuesday, September 29, 2009 6:18 PM To: TVNETDUDE@aol.com Subject: RE: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut "The FCC was told to break their own rules by Harry Reid." The FCC did no such thing, and Harry Reid has no statutory authority to order a regulatory agency to violate either the law or its own rules (not to mention that it would be a violation of his oath as a US senator). Sen. Reid wrote FCC chairman Kevin Martin a letter, praising Radio Goldfield's programming, and the engineering folks at the Commission found a frequency (different from the one Goldfield was originally using) that, transmitting 100 watts, would not interfere with licensed stations. They issued an STA per Section 309(f) of the Communications Act. He is free to apply for an LPFM at the next filing window. It should actually have been relatively easy for Goldfield to get a license, since the area he was transmitting from is drastically underserved by radio. Unfortunately this action sets a precendent that will be difficult for the FCC to ignore. Apparently all a pirate needs to do is to claim that his station is serving previously unserved areas and/or programming. Look for the term "Goldfield waiver" to start popping up in responses to FCC actions against pirates. Sid Schweiger IT Manager, Entercom New England 20 Guest St / 3d Floor Brighton MA 02135-2040 From TVNETDUDE@aol.com Tue Sep 29 18:18:41 2009 From: TVNETDUDE@aol.com (TVNETDUDE@aol.com) Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2009 18:18:41 EDT Subject: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut Message-ID: In a message dated 9/29/2009 6:05:39 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, boston-radio-interest-request@tsornin.BostonRadio.org writes: >>Now that TV channel 6 is effectively gone from most places, I wonder if the Commission could be persuaded to open up channel 200 for LPFM? There are likely lots of places where an LP10 or LP100 could fit on 87.9 that don't have any other channels presently available.<< There are a number of proposals in front of the FCC now for channels 5 and 6. (76 to 87mhz). The question would be who could afford to heat the air, except for an AM perhaps, for 5 or 10 years until the number of receivers sold may make it profitable? Think DTV a decade ago and that is precisely what happened. In order to keep your analog TV license you had to build out the DTV station and heat the air. Mike From TVNETDUDE@aol.com Tue Sep 29 18:39:08 2009 From: TVNETDUDE@aol.com (TVNETDUDE@aol.com) Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2009 18:39:08 EDT Subject: Message-ID: In a message dated 9/29/2009 6:05:39 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, boston-radio-interest-request@tsornin.BostonRadio.org writes: >>>So, let's see if we have this straight: Because people happen to get away with breaking other laws, it's OK to break this one too.<<< Sid, I didn't say it was right but when you see other people breaking a law with ZERO ramifcations you may say to yourself why not? How many laws are on the books that are not enforced? Where is the FCC? It seems radio today is on an honor system. Mike From wollman@bimajority.org Tue Sep 29 19:33:40 2009 From: wollman@bimajority.org (Garrett Wollman) Date: Tue, 29 Sep 2009 19:33:40 -0400 Subject: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <19138.39252.29559.969644@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> < There are a number of proposals in front of the FCC now for channels 5 and > 6. (76 to 87mhz). The question would be who could afford to heat the air, > except for an AM perhaps, for 5 or 10 years until the number of receivers > sold may make it profitable? Not sure how that is relevant to my query about FM channel 200, which is already part of the FM band and received by nearly all FM receivers in existence today. Interestingly, many receivers that I've seen can't tune down to 87.7 MHz, although they can receive 87.75 MHz when tuned to 87.9. In Europe, 87.7 MHz is part of the FM band, so the receivers there must have it available. (Much of Europe no longer uses Band I (VHF-low) for television.) -GAWollman From joe@attorneyross.com Wed Sep 30 02:14:28 2009 From: joe@attorneyross.com (A. Joseph Ross) Date: Wed, 30 Sep 2009 02:14:28 -0400 Subject: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut In-Reply-To: <4AC230C8.7000703@gmail.com> References: <4AC230C8.7000703@gmail.com> Message-ID: <4AC2F744.9084.75454B@joe.attorneyross.com> On 29 Sep 2009 at 12:07, Aaron Read wrote: > These days college radio seems to be more in vogue so it'd be harder > to pull off a "bloodless coup" like that. But it's still do-able. > And especially in more rural areas where there are literally stations > going dark because nobody can figure out what to do with them, I think > if these pirates got their act together they could probably take one > over with little up-front capital. Colleges tend to require that student organizations be run by students. In particular, they tend to require that the officers of a student organization be graduate or undergraduate students. Since the station is usually licensed to the Board of Trustees, the college administration will take control if they find that people who don't have a connection to the college are running things. I realize that WMBR and WHRB are licensed to separate foundations, not the school, but the schools have other ways of preventing outsiders from getting control. In the case of WMBR, the studios are on MIT property. I don't know whether this is true of WHRB. -- A. Joseph Ross, J.D. 617.367.0468 92 State Street, Suite 700 Fax 617.507.7856 Boston, MA 02109-2004 http://www.attorneyross.com From joe@attorneyross.com Wed Sep 30 02:14:29 2009 From: joe@attorneyross.com (A. Joseph Ross) Date: Wed, 30 Sep 2009 02:14:29 -0400 Subject: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut In-Reply-To: <4AC25146.2070303@gmail.com> References: <4AC230C8.7000703@gmail.com>, <19138.17206.424159.529045@hergotha.csail.mit.edu>, <4AC25146.2070303@gmail.com> Message-ID: <4AC2F745.13840.754645@joe.attorneyross.com> On 29 Sep 2009 at 14:26, Aaron Read wrote: > I remember this was a significant issue for ABfree as well; the rent > was cheap by Boston standards but still a few hundred bucks per month. > ABfree never had the manpower/organization to really go out and sell > ads, and the listener base was too small to run fundraisers. Was the listener base large enough for ads? As I recall when I drove by, the range of the station was about one city block. -- A. Joseph Ross, J.D. 617.367.0468 92 State Street, Suite 700 Fax 617.507.7856 Boston, MA 02109-2004 http://www.attorneyross.com From TVNETDUDE@aol.com Wed Sep 30 13:13:19 2009 From: TVNETDUDE@aol.com (TVNETDUDE@aol.com) Date: Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:13:19 EDT Subject: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut Message-ID: In a message dated 9/30/2009 12:01:37 P.M. Eastern Daylight Time, boston-radio-interest-request@tsornin.BostonRadio.org writes: >>>>Sen. Reid wrote FCC chairman Kevin Martin a letter, praising Radio Goldfield's programming, and the engineering folks at the Commission found a frequency (different from the one Goldfield was originally using) that, transmitting 100 watts, would not interfere with licensed stations. They issued an STA per Section 309(f) of the Communications Act. He is free to apply for an LPFM at the next filing window. It should actually have been relatively easy for Goldfield to get a license, since the area he was transmitting from is drastically underserved by radio. Unfortunately this action sets a precendent that will be difficult for the FCC to ignore. Apparently all a pirate needs to do is to claim that his station is serving previously unserved areas and/or programming. Look for the term "Goldfield waiver" to start popping up in responses to FCC actions against pirates.<<<<< That is precisely what will happen and with that being said every market has a niche format to serve one group or another. Waiting for a pirate, with a few bucks in his pocket to challenge it in court. What kind of ticks me off is he gets an STA UFN (BSTA-20061206AFZ) until and LPFM window opens. Instead he applies under the NON-Comm window along with five other applicants on 89.1 @ 150 watts and guess who got the CP? What can they do appeal? The station is already on the air. It is still a CP but the station is still operating under KGFN from the original STA. Neither the STA nor the call letters are in the FCC database. Where can I get some of this action? I wonder if they even read the other applications? Mike From sid@wrko.com Wed Sep 30 13:31:57 2009 From: sid@wrko.com (Sid Schweiger) Date: Wed, 30 Sep 2009 11:31:57 -0600 Subject: Nevada STA (WAS: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut) In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: <0D5E60C875634E4AA1031FC691BCCC5507C23EBC@ENTCORMB2.etmcorad.com> "What kind of ticks me off is he gets an STA UFN? (BSTA-20061206AFZ) until and LPFM window opens. Instead he applies under the NON-Comm window along with five other applicants on 89.1 @ 150 watts?and guess who got the CP?? What can they do appeal? The station is already on the air. ? It is still a CP but the station is still operating under KGFN ?from the original STA. Neither the STA nor the call letters are in the FCC database. ? Where can I get some of this action? I wonder if they even read the other applications?" Although, as I stated previously on this thread, Harry Reid theoretically has no sway at the FCC, he is a powerful member of Congress, and the FCC is a creature of Congress. IOW, let's not kid ourselves that politics isn't a factor, even at the FCC. If it wasn't obvious a few years ago from the uproar over 0.7 seconds of Janet Jackson's bared nipple, it should be obvious from something like this. Want some of this action? Figure out how much of something-or-other crossed palms between Goldfield and Reid, and you know the rest... Sid Schweiger IT Manager, Entercom New England 20 Guest St / 3d Floor Brighton MA 02135-2040 From wollman@bimajority.org Wed Sep 30 13:52:21 2009 From: wollman@bimajority.org (Garrett Wollman) Date: Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:52:21 -0400 Subject: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut In-Reply-To: <4AC2F744.9084.75454B@joe.attorneyross.com> References: <4AC230C8.7000703@gmail.com> <4AC2F744.9084.75454B@joe.attorneyross.com> Message-ID: <19139.39637.533548.502679@hergotha.csail.mit.edu> < said: > Colleges tend to require that student organizations be run by > students. In particular, they tend to require that the officers of a > student organization be graduate or undergraduate students. For a number of years in the past, MIT's Tech Model Railroad club did not elect any officers because there were no student members available to hold the positions. They finally did get some more. -GAWollman From friedbagels@gmail.com Wed Sep 30 14:29:13 2009 From: friedbagels@gmail.com (Aaron Read) Date: Wed, 30 Sep 2009 14:29:13 -0400 Subject: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut In-Reply-To: <4AC2F745.13840.754645@joe.attorneyross.com> References: <4AC230C8.7000703@gmail.com>, <19138.17206.424159.529045@hergotha.csail.mit.edu>, <4AC25146.2070303@gmail.com> <4AC2F745.13840.754645@joe.attorneyross.com> Message-ID: <4AC3A379.3040303@gmail.com> A. Joseph Ross wrote: > On 29 Sep 2009 at 14:26, Aaron Read wrote: > >> I remember this was a significant issue for ABfree as well; the rent >> was cheap by Boston standards but still a few hundred bucks per month. >> ABfree never had the manpower/organization to really go out and sell >> ads, and the listener base was too small to run fundraisers. > > Was the listener base large enough for ads? As I recall when I drove > by, the range of the station was about one city block. > When using the legal Part 15 transmitter it was a little better than that. The 1630 transmitter was a piece of garbage and, you're right, barely went a block. But the 1670 transmitter on the roof of 117 Braintree St (next to the Stop & Shop) was better. You could hear it for perhaps 3/4 of a mile (on a good day) on a car radio. Indoor reception was a quarter mile at most, though. Although one night I heard it all the way out at Brandeis University but that was a fluke (and the audio quality was terrible at that range). When the not-so-legal 20w transmitter was used, the range did get out a lot further; a solid two or three miles from Union Square in Allston. There was probably enough people in range then to sell advertising if the programming was worth it, but it wasn't. The programming wasn't any different than what you heard on a dozen other college stations. Also, we never had a real person to handle trying to sell ads so that never got off the ground. -- ---------------------------------------------------------------- Aaron Read | Finger Lakes Public Radio friedbagels@gmail.com | General Manager (WEOS & WHWS-LP) Geneva, NY 14456 | www.weos.org / www.whws.fm From friedbagels@gmail.com Wed Sep 30 13:27:12 2009 From: friedbagels@gmail.com (Aaron Read) Date: Wed, 30 Sep 2009 13:27:12 -0400 Subject: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut Message-ID: <4AC394F0.8020002@gmail.com> > Given that most are licensed to, have studios in, and antennas > attached to churches, I would expect that most of them would not pay > any rent. > Most LPFM's in general, yes. I was talking specifically about the "community broadcaster" LPFM's...the ones not directly affiliated with a church, school or similar, larger, organization. I'm sure all LPFM's have found the fiscal realities are harsh for a small FM station, but it's the "community broadcaster" stations that don't have a larger organization to fall back on that're having the most trouble. > Colleges tend to require that student organizations be run by > students. In particular, they tend to require that the officers of a > student organization be graduate or undergraduate students. Since the > station is usually licensed to the Board of Trustees, the college > administration will take control if they find that people who don't > have a connection to the college are running things. > > I realize that WMBR and WHRB are licensed to separate foundations, > not the school, but the schools have other ways of preventing > outsiders from getting control. In the case of WMBR, the studios are > on MIT property. I don't know whether this is true of WHRB. > I've been to them, WHRB's studios are in a Harvard-owned building. Harvard also pays their utility costs (heat, lights, water, janitorial, telco) for the studios, too. What you say about colleges requiring student management is both true and not true. Some colleges do actually have it in writing that certain management roles be filled by a student. Many do not. Some don't have it in writing but it is "required" by tradition (and tradition can carry extraordinary weight at a college). Some don't care one way or the other. In quite a few cases, regardless of what the official or unofficial line is, the reality on the ground is that community volunteers are running things. WZBC used to be like that prior to the hiring of Judy Schwartz as a half-time GM; it might've been students in the official management positions but the community DJ's had tremendous say over virtually all aspects of how the station was run. Certainly when I was Operations Manager at WMFO (as a community volunteer, albeit only two years out of BU myself) the student managers were not about to turn down any free help...especially not over the summer. If community folks had organized and quietly just done their own thing...it wouldn't take long to establish a new "tradition" and it wouldn't matter much if it was a student in charge or not. Obviously every station is different, but there are certain trends across most college stations in regards to what students want out of them. Usually, it's not terribly hard to give them what they want while still maintaining a community-focused broadcast outlet. I'm not saying it's a cakewalk; it requires political savvy in dealing with both students and administrations, and also a fair amount of patience and planning. But it typically offers a MUCH cheaper path to effective control of what's usually a solid FM signal. And you don't have to wait years for an FCC filing window. -- ---------------------------------------------------------------- Aaron Read | Finger Lakes Public Radio friedbagels@gmail.com | General Manager (WEOS & WHWS-LP) Geneva, NY 14456 | www.weos.org / www.whws.fm From madprof@ix.netcom.com Wed Sep 30 15:24:54 2009 From: madprof@ix.netcom.com (Robert F. Sutherland) Date: Wed, 30 Sep 2009 15:24:54 -0400 Subject: WHAI 98.3 & WMUA reception Message-ID: <380-220099330192454468@ix.netcom.com> Recently I have been traveling the pike often from 495 to NY (State, not city) and of course DX'ing FM all the way. The 1 that surprized me is WHAI 98.3 Greenfield, non-directional class A, with FCC 60dbu service map that covers Northampton, not Holyoke or furthur south, yet has been consitantly good (clear days & medium rain) (no interference or static, strength 8/10) in the stretch between the Ludlow exit and I-91 (not so good furthur west). (The pike runs thru mid Chicopee, north of Chicopee River, (Chicopee is thus south / southeast of Holyoke, and north of Springfield) then runs a bit furthur south at CT.River & thru West Springfield) No special radio, just what my 1997 Saturn had. Also WMUA 91.1 Amherst (UMASS) (hey, A.Joe.R) has been consistantly solid on the pike thru all of Ludlow-Springfield, even some in Westfielld! Bob From dan.strassberg@att.net Wed Sep 30 16:51:24 2009 From: dan.strassberg@att.net (Dan.Strassberg) Date: Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:51:24 -0400 Subject: Bach trumps Telemann at the "New" WQXR Message-ID: Those who believe that classical music programmers at public radio stations such as WQXR (starting October 8) and WCRB (only a little later) should be more adventurous, apparently don't have much support from WQXR management. According to the CEO of public radio station WNYC, WQXR's new owner, "Bach trumps Telemann." Read all about it here (don't forget to repair the split link, if necessary): http://www.nytimes.com/2009/10/01/arts/music/01radio.html?_r=1&emc=eta1 If WGBH adopts a similar policy when it takes over WCRB, we all know of one poster on this list who will weep buckets for the "commercial interests" at public stations that clearly should heed his warnings, because he knows what the listeners would want if only they were as smart as he is--that is, smart enough to know what is good for them. ----- Dan Strassberg (dan.strassberg@att.net) eFax 1-707-215-6367 From radiotest@plymouthcolony.net Wed Sep 30 16:57:56 2009 From: radiotest@plymouthcolony.net (Dale H. Cook) Date: Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:57:56 -0400 Subject: WHAI 98.3 & WMUA reception In-Reply-To: <380-220099330192454468@ix.netcom.com> References: <380-220099330192454468@ix.netcom.com> Message-ID: <7.0.1.0.2.20090930164833.02685be0@plymouthcolony.net> At 03:24 PM 9/30/2009, Robert F. Sutherland wrote: >WHAI 98.3 Greenfield, >non-directional class A, with FCC 60dbu service map >that covers Northampton, not Holyoke or furthur south Elevation - 324m AMSL, on Arthur's Seat on the western edge of the valley. >Also WMUA 91.1 Amherst That is a bit surprising - 175m AMSL, and from the map it looks like the antenna is still atop Emily Dickinson Hall on Orchard Hill. Dale H. Cook, Chief Engineer, Centennial Broadcasting, Roanoke/Lynchburg, VA - WZZI / WZZU / WLNI / WLEQ http://plymouthcolony.net/starcity/starcity.html From driscollkevin@gmail.com Sun Sep 27 21:36:44 2009 From: driscollkevin@gmail.com (Kevin Driscoll) Date: Sun, 27 Sep 2009 18:36:44 -0700 Subject: Boxford pirate's coax cable cut In-Reply-To: <14c4c7290909221816t686a8081ha42940aedc4de3af@mail.gmail.com> References: <14c4c7290909221816t686a8081ha42940aedc4de3af@mail.gmail.com> Message-ID: <87a8578e0909271836j1a9704faw1d6143673cc7e0f0@mail.gmail.com> What is the logic behind this rule? Is it meant to deter folks from starting unlicensed stations? Sadly, I imagine its enforcement is counterintuitive to the purpose of LPFM. The bigger Boston-area unlicensed stations are providing valuable service to the community. Is there any incentive process by which former offenders can straighten up and get licensed? Kevin On Tue, Sep 22, 2009 at 6:16 PM, Greg Strickland wrote: > About LPFM, according to rule 73.854 the FCC will not grant an LPFM license > to a former unlicensed pirate broadcaster. ?But how would the FCC know an > applicant was a pirate if they have not busted the applicant? > > ?It should be possible to delay and eventually blow out LPFM applications by > former pirates. But someone has to be motivated to take action. > > People who oppose pirates should make every effort to learn and document the > identity of the pirate broadcaster. ?Then a petition to deny can be filed, > since the LPFM applicant must certify they have not been a pirate and the > petition can state this is not true. > From lglavin@mail.com Mon Sep 28 14:23:58 2009 From: lglavin@mail.com (Laurence Glavin) Date: Mon, 28 Sep 2009 13:23:58 -0500 Subject: EssexCounty Mass Has A Lot Of Good-looking People Message-ID: <20090928182358.1311811581F@ws1-7.us4.outblaze.com> Today (Monday, 09/28) I was again called upon for Jury Duty in Essex County, Massachusetts, this time at Lawrence District Court, right around the corner from the WLLH-Lawrence transmitter. So here's this random assemblage of adults drawn at random from the county, and I wasn't the only slender, fit, attractive person there. What's all this talk about the obesity epidemic? Since I drew a high number for empanelment, it wasn't long before I escaped sitting on a trial. Quickly I checked the time, and it was during the "Stephanie Miller Show" on WWZN-AM 1510, but that particular station has been subject to strident splatter from WLLH-AM's Lawrence stick any time I'm in the downtown area. But it's two weeks since the demise of ESPN 890/1400, and so as I turned on my car radio to 1510, it came in clearly and static-free; I touched the 'SEARCH' button on the downward setting, and it wheeled all the way down to 1110 (WKOX-1200 is not really strong enough up there to make it stop searching). I suspect that if any new format for 890/1400 is announced, people will know about it in advance. But from time to time, I'll be tuning in to 1400 near home to see if something magically appears. -- An Excellent Credit Score is 750 See Yours in Just 2 Easy Steps!