Entercom announces what it plans to keep

[Scott Fybush]

I think we're a little off course here. WBZ-TV is not changing its 
calls, period. Nor are WCBS-TV, KYW-TV, WJZ-TV, KDKA-TV, WBBM-TV or 
KCBS-TV. CBS is keeping those heritage calls on its TV stations. They 
have no reason to change them, and they know as well as we do that 
there's some value to those brands that should stay with the TVs.

The issue is whether it will share those calls with the CBS Radio 
stations when they're sold. We know that the contract between CBS and 
Entercom provides that Entercom itself gets a perpetual license to 
continue using those base calls on its radio stations - so there will be 
no call changes at WCBS(AM), WCBS-FM, KYW(AM), KDKA(AM), KDKA-FM, 
WBBM(AM), WBBM-FM, KCBS(AM) or KCBS-FM. (My recollection is that WJZ was 
excluded for some reason, probably because there's no news-talk format 
using those calls, just two sports stations that could change calls 
without anyone noticing.)

Which leaves us with WBZ(AM) and WBZ-FM. If they're transferred to 
another radio broadcaster, the perpetual license to use the calls 
continues. If they are transferred to anyone else, that's where CBS then 
has to give permission. Which is basically to say, this is all only an 
issue if it's Cox and WFXT buying. And we simply don't know if that's 
the case yet.

s

On 10/14/2017 3:44 PM, Attorney Chase wrote:
> I agree with those who have made the point that WBZ TV's call letters may
> play a greater part in their brand identity than their network logo. Given
> that some won't watch a certain network's "news" and may shy away from
> anything that carries that brand, even on the local level where perhaps the
> "news" has different approach, (the Boston outlet being a good example) why
> would any local station  want to alienate part of its viewer base for no
> apparent gain. This is especially true about the WBZ call letters and brand
> effect. Ffor years the competencies of that station which are associated
> with its call letters have been unparalleled, something others have referred
> to as "heritage" branding .
> 
> Bob Chase
> 
>