A knawing stupid question about the original WFNX.

[Retro]

How were they able to have both the radio station, and the Boston Phoenix? Both for all tense and purposes, we're in the Boston market. Was there some type of technicality, or loophole, that allowed this? Or was it much more of a the Phoenix was not considered a major newspaper, therefore it was ok instead? Just wondering is all.

 

[davideduardo]

How were they able to have both the radio station, and the Boston Phoenix? Both for all tense and purposes, we're in the Boston market. Was there some type of technicality, or loophole, that allowed this? Or was it much more of a the Phoenix was not considered a major newspaper, therefore it was ok instead? Just wondering is all.

The Phoenix was an alternative weekly. The FCC seems to have focused on new acquisitions by daily newspapers, not weeklies. And the purchase of WFNX by the paper was in 1982, under a very different FCC. And, because the Phoenix was a predominantly Boston paper, the FCC let them buy some surrounding FMs back then, too.

Remember, also, that the FCC allowed existing daily paper and electronic media ownerships to continue, such as the Cox ownership of the Journal and WSB radio and TV in Atlanta.

 

[Retro]

The Phoenix was an alternative weekly. The FCC seems to have focused on new acquisitions by daily newspapers, not weeklies. And the purchase of WFNX by the paper was in 1982, under a very different FCC. And, because the Phoenix was a predominantly Boston paper, the FCC let them buy some surrounding FMs back then, too.

Remember, also, that the FCC allowed existing daily paper and electronic media ownerships to continue, such as the Cox ownership of the Journal and WSB radio and TV in Atlanta.

Fair enough, thank you for answering this!

 

[Deleted User]

because it would not take anyone at the FCC more than 30 seconds (or the length of time it took to get to the back of the paper) to realize although it was printed on newsprint, it was not a newspaper.... we can discuss if they were a weekly magazine or just a place for advertising escorts, massage parlors and eventually 900 numbers.

 

[Retro]

because it would not take anyone at the FCC more than 30 seconds (or the length of time it took to get to the back of the paper) to realize although it was printed on newsprint, it was not a newspaper.... we can discuss if they were a weekly magazine or just a place for advertising escorts, massage parlors and eventually 900 numbers.

Oh well, they still called it a newspaper though, but I digress.

 

[fybush]

The crossownership rule, when it existed, explicitly defined "newspaper." The prongs of the test, as I recall, were frequency of publication (it had to publish at least 4 days a week, iirc) and that it was a newspaper of "general interest."

The Phoenix wasn't the only weekly with radio cross-ownership, and there was never a prohibition against weeklies being co-owned with radio.

The stickier issues were with Gannett and News Corp, which needed FCC rulings to allow them to own both local TV and national dailies (USA Today and WSJ, respectively.)

 

[Zooz]

because it would not take anyone at the FCC more than 30 seconds (or the length of time it took to get to the back of the paper) to realize although it was printed on newsprint, it was not a newspaper.... we can discuss if they were a weekly magazine or just a place for advertising escorts, massage parlors and eventually 900 numbers.

This made me laugh! So true...though they did carry Cecil Adams' syndicated column "The Straight Dope" and a rock-themed crossword, neither of which enticed me to make use of the rest of the newsprint save for lining the bird cage...

 

[justgladtobehere]

Intents and purposes