Yes. 1110 is now Spanish language talk, while 98.9 is still airing the former "Valley" named classic hits format that was on 1110.
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How Boston AM's will either go silent, or already are?
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The whole Costa-Eagle setup of low-power AMs, along with their HD-2s and their FM translators, is one convoluted cluster of an operation.
WBZ 1030 just dedicated a renovated and upgraded emergency studio, located at their AM transmitter site (Hull, MA). Which means WBZ is not going away in the foreseeable future. Now, WBZ is a class A station, reaching most of the U.S. at night, so it has the best chance of an AM station to survive.
Not to say if anyone far away, whether or not involved in the same emergency, would tune to WBZ to find out how the folks in New England are coping. Much akin to the way lots of us tune in on Christmas Day to see how this celebrity or that celebrity is spending the holidays.
I would say that the most likely reason for WBZ AM as a business to go silent is if, probably for political reasons, their license is non-renewed and given to another applicant (or several class B applicants) deemed to "better serve the public interest."
IF AM radio is really supposed to fade into oblivion, WBZ (or someone else) would have built an emergency site somewhere in the Needham area where WBZ and many other stations have FM transmitters.
Not to say if anyone far away, whether or not involved in the same emergency, would tune to WBZ to find out how the folks in New England are coping. Much akin to the way lots of us tune in on Christmas Day to see how this celebrity or that celebrity is spending the holidays.
I would say that the most likely reason for WBZ AM as a business to go silent is if, probably for political reasons, their license is non-renewed and given to another applicant (or several class B applicants) deemed to "better serve the public interest."
IF AM radio is really supposed to fade into oblivion, WBZ (or someone else) would have built an emergency site somewhere in the Needham area where WBZ and many other stations have FM transmitters.
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But apparently no AM is running the programming that is on 98.9.....which I would think is not allowed.
I was hoping Scott could tell us why.
did you miss where scott said its coming from the Hd of the 102.9 translator.. and thts questionable. Scott already answered
I saw that....but the fact that it doesn't appear on ANY am signal appears to be the problem, not where it's fed from.....
Yes, that is what I was saying. It was from 1110, which flipped to a Spanish language talk format, while 98.9 remained with its old format.
Scott said that it's being fed through an HD-2 on the 102.9 translator, which I pointed out in other threads a couple months back.
I feel that it shouldn't be allowed, as that basically is a way to stack translators (should there be a way to make the stations profitable). That would be like iHeart putting WRKO on a translator, then flipping WBZ-AM to ESPN Radio while using the HD-2 of WRKO's translator to feed a second translator with the Newsradio format currently on WBZ-AM. Not that iHeart would do that. Just an example.
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If it was on an AM signal, yet fed from a translator, that would still be the problem, as I understand. The AM has to feed the translator. Not that the station has to also just be available on AM. If they leased it onto a full powered HD-2 or HD-3, that would then be legal to feed 98.9.
The fact its not on an AM was also addressed.
If a translator is supposed to rebroadcast an AM, it doesnt have to be fed by the AM signal but simply in the same method the AM was.. such as an STL.
If its fed by an HD2/Hd3, it can be fed over the air or by STL
It doesn't have to be "the same method the AM" uses. There's no such requirement. A translator licensed to rebroadcast an AM station is always considered a "fill-in" translator and can be fed by any method. Usually that's either an internet feed to a Barix box or somesuch, or a microwave STL - but it has nothing to do with whatever STL is feeding the parent AM. Sometimes it's the same feed, much more often it's not.
Translators fed by HD2/HD3 can be fed via any method IF they're licensed as fill-in translators. If they're used to extend the coverage of the parent FM, there's a separate set of power restrictions and a requirement that the feed be off-air.
The particular issue here is whether the HD2/HD3 of another translator can be a valid source of programming for a translator. There's a lack of clarity on that, especially since the 60 dBu contour of 98.9 (W255DA) extends well to the north beyond the 60 dBu contour of the translator where its programming is originating, W275BH 102.9.
I was repeating what one engineer had told me, but that was.... several years ago. So my fuzzy memory may have been incorrect
It's not a question of how it's "fed"...so much as the content of what is fed.
And as Scott said: "The legality of that as a program feed is unclear."
That's the issue that has not been addressed.
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Last I checked, the HD2 of 102.9 was OFF THE AIR and so it could not feed the 98.9 translator, and I mentioned this in another post well over a month ago
I am gone for a while so I can't check to see if Costa Eagle got the HD2 up and running, and for some reason they won't return my calls....
I am gone for a while so I can't check to see if Costa Eagle got the HD2 up and running, and for some reason they won't return my calls....
Using my HD Radio on Sunday (during the Patriots and Bruins games) I was still getting HD on 102.9. My portable is on its way out, and can only sustain the HD2/3 signals off WGBH, WBZ, and WJMN. Which stinks because I would like use it on my walks to get both specifically WAAF off either WEEI-HD2 or WWBX-HD2, and WBZ-AM off WXKS-HD2. I can pull in the initial signal of most local HD2/3 signals; but they come in, glitch then I get only the text info. It may be the headphones I'm using, and should look into a better wired pair.
Either way, I was able on Sunday to at least get the signal to say that HD2 and HD3 were there on 102.9.
FEMA paid to upgrade their emergency studio there. That's the government at work with your tax dollars. FEMA's number 1 mission is to let people know there is still a government in charge and pass along information in a disaster. So they look for signals that could help them do that. Even if they need to erect a temporary antenna because the towers are gone. This is not planning for a storm it's more like what would be used after a significant attack. Yes if people have no AM radios this program would be a waste of money. But in a scenario like this most of your AM and FM broadcasters would be gone.
Yeah, they'll just close it down.
If it happens, then you can claim you scooped it
Sure, they will; right, Norm? You and I (I hope) still believe there's a "fat chance" of THAT happening anytime soon.
No way that Kiss will be blown up to move anything over, so long as CHR remains a viable format. I also don't see Jamin going anywhere to put WBZ on FM.
Then there's the slight issue of the calls. Although the Sports Hub doesn't identify as WBZ on air, Beasley still holds the rights to the calls "WBZ-FM." Yet, you're hypothetically going to have Newsradio WBZ on either 94.5 or 107.9? Mind us, that CBS is really the rights holder of the WBZ call letters with Channel 4. How long was Entercom granted the rights to still use the WBZ calls in the merger? I know at some point in the future, CBS holds the power, not iHeart or Beasley. So what happens with that mess? Does Beasley switch the calls of 98.5, which would be nothing as the calls are only used in the legal ID. Or, do they stay steadfast and tell iHeart to rebrand? Or do you have a situation like in (I believe San Fransisco) where WBZ Newsradio is on WXKS or WJMN?
Regardless, I don't see iHeart blowing any FM up to move or simulcast WBZ-AM, be it Kiss, Jamin, The Bull, or any other property.
Then there's the slight issue of the calls. Although the Sports Hub doesn't identify as WBZ on air, Beasley still holds the rights to the calls "WBZ-FM." Yet, you're hypothetically going to have Newsradio WBZ on either 94.5 or 107.9? Mind us, that CBS is really the rights holder of the WBZ call letters with Channel 4. How long was Entercom granted the rights to still use the WBZ calls in the merger? I know at some point in the future, CBS holds the power, not iHeart or Beasley. So what happens with that mess? Does Beasley switch the calls of 98.5, which would be nothing as the calls are only used in the legal ID. Or, do they stay steadfast and tell iHeart to rebrand? Or do you have a situation like in (I believe San Fransisco) where WBZ Newsradio is on WXKS or WJMN?
Regardless, I don't see iHeart blowing any FM up to move or simulcast WBZ-AM, be it Kiss, Jamin, The Bull, or any other property.
some full power FM simulcasting 1030 could be WBZA.. it could be WZZZ. Doesnt matter "WBZ News Radio 1030 and 107.9" (just for this argument) is what they can call it
in San Francisco, they refer to it as News Radio 106.9 and 740 KCBS.
106.9 is KFRC. Theyve not changed the calls.
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