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1600 Dover Changes Hands

DCRTV reported this week that WMHZ-1600 has been sold to Eko Media, who owns WNWK-1260 Newark. Looks like it'll be a simulcast of 1260.
 
Actually, it will be a replacement for 1260; Eko has signed an interference-reduction agreement that will take 1260 silent so Salem can boost WWRC in Washington to 25 kW days.
 
In other words, AM1260 Newark will be no more. So the Wilmington market loses yet another AM station, granted not much of a station. The other AM to bite the dust was 1380 Wilmington formerly WAMS, and in its case it became DELDOT outdated traffic info, which is the same thing as going dark, except that we the tax payers of Delaware get to pay to run a station that not even the tourist's from out of state use.

So 1600 Dover will become a Regional Mexican format. What happens with those FM translators, do they stay with 1600 Dover or do they go with 1590 Ocean City MD.
 
1590 in Ocean City has 2-FM translators, 104.3 and 105.1. The sale of 1600 Dover includes the translators for that station, 105.1 in Milford and 98.3 in Dover. The 80's will live on in Ocean City and online at www.wamsfm.com.
 
So the 80s station has completely vacated Delaware? Tis only available now in OC on 105.1 an am1590? radio-locator has no coverage map for 105.1, does it come in on the beach?
 
New Castle County is now where it needs to be in terms of AM radio stations. 1 News Talker, WDEL. 1 Talker, WILM. And 1 sports station, WWTX. A medium sized market in the north east does not need more than 3.

In major cities such as Philadelphia you can have a second tier talker such as 990 and a second tier sports station such as WPEN AM and FM. 1380 and 1260 have vanished from commerical radio because, frankly, they were no longer needed.
 
New Castle County would now be a good place for a true Internet station. It would take some time to get it established but it would be something that would work.
 
New Castle County is now where it needs to be in terms of AM radio stations. 1 News Talker, WDEL. 1 Talker, WILM. And 1 sports station, WWTX. A medium sized market in the north east does not need more than 3.

I might agree with your assessment IF NCC had more FM stations than simply WSTW and WJBR (WXCY, WDSD, WRTX and WJKS are all Wilmington wannabes from other places), but for Delaware's largest market, it is underserved. On the non-comm side: WRTI does have a translator here, WVUD and WXHL only cover part of the county with their non-comm programming. Philly's WHYY-FM now offers some minor Delaware coverage as a way of making up for dumping Channel 12's daily newscast for Delaware. If Wilmington was where Dover is, we'd have far more of our own local stations, but because Philly is only 23 miles away, we get short shrift and really have no local TV, and only a couple of local radio stations. This for a market of about 600,000. Other markets with less people like Ocean City MD have way more local TV and more local radio stations. I have no problem ditching the AM stations, but this market should have more FM and yes TV to call its own.

I find it interesting that both WSTW and WJBR both cover Philly fine, yet barely show up in the ratings in Philly, because folks in Philly want a Philly station. Why should we in Wilmington have to settle for less. Granted we'd not have as many stations as Philly, but only 2 FM and 0 TV? That's not reasonable.
 
For the last couple of weeks 98.3/1600 through at least yestersay afternoon (June 29th) was some sort of Hispanic station, playing tradional music (heavy on trupmets and other brass ). However today while I was in the car at 6:00 here in Dover, WAMS was back on the air both on 98.3 and 1600. The legal ID jingle even said WAMS, the 80s Channel. I have no idea what's going on. The 1600AM frequency my have changed its call sign to WMHZ but its now definintely simulcasting with 98.3FM.
Has anyone else in and/or around Dover heard the Spanish music in the last few weeks?
 
Here's the deal. The LMA expired and the sale looks like it could be dead. The buyer, EKO can not get the funding to close the deal at this time.
 
One man's music is another man's noise. You love the 80's, so 1600 Dover works for you and others like you who like that type of music. That's why we have an ON/OFF switch and a station selector on every radio. Enjoy your 80's music.
 
MikefromDelaware said:
One man's music is another man's noise. You love the 80's, so 1600 Dover works for you and others like you who like that type of music. That's why we have an ON/OFF switch and a station selector on every radio. Enjoy your 80's music.

I understand Mike. It just takes me back to my younger years. I grew up listen to the old WCAU "Hot Hits" in the 80's. So it's great to hear those jingles again along with the music. Granted some of the songs that come up are flops, but over all a good station. And not only on am but 98.3 fm in Dover and 105.1 fm in Milford.
 
Nothing wrong with that Jaydog. As your age group is still in the desired demo advertisers want, maybe that station will do well, that way you'll get to hear your music for some time to come. Good luck.
 
1260 is still on the air as of this morning. I wonder when they have to be off the air as part of their agreement with WWRC?

I would hate to be trying to get funding for an AM radio station these days. It is a lose-lose situation as an investment and a technology with no future.
 
ILOVERADIO2 said: Here's the deal. The LMA expired and the sale looks like it could be dead. The buyer, EKO can not get the funding to close the deal at this time.

So maybe 1260 WNWK Newark will be on the air for the foreseeable future playing regional Mexican and not going silent. Apparently, according to Jaydog 1600 Dover and it's FM repeaters are still playing 80's music. It would be interesting to find out if the owner of WNWK is making any money with the Newark station. He's running a niche station that does have the potential to serve a growing audience in NCC. WNWK comes in pretty well in the New Castle area and there is a decent amount of Mexican Hispanics in the area as I believe there are in the Bear area too. Another area where WNWK's signal covers pretty well. I'm not sure about Newark/Brookside or surrounding area in terms of Mexican Hispanic listeners.
 
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