Stumbled across the stream for this LPFM station out of the Westerly area while going through the TuneIn app... anyone know anything about this station or who's running it? The music mix is definitely interesting, but the stream is horrible... keeps dropping, and only the left channel has been running for the past few days. Plus the talent sound like they're poorly voicetracked -- heard the jocks do the same breaks a couple of days in a row.
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96.7 The Buzz
- Thread starter RockTheGlobe
- Start date
It's Chris DiPaola's LPFM... formerly WRBZ-LP, WYCM-LP, WBLQ-LP, and WCTD-LP.
The ownership structure is currently set up so he's not an owner, per FCC rules, as he owns WBLQ 1230. However...
It's still Chris' station. Same studios, he does mornings, sells the "advanced underwriting," and his new Transit Connect station vehicle has WBLQ on one side and WSUB-LP "The Buzz" on the other side.
It's currently owned by The Buzz Alternative Radio Foundation, which is just 3 DiPaola family members.
It doesn't have a lot of resources at all, so it does what it can.
Chris DiPaola's adventures in radio have been very interesting.
The ownership structure is currently set up so he's not an owner, per FCC rules, as he owns WBLQ 1230. However...
It's still Chris' station. Same studios, he does mornings, sells the "advanced underwriting," and his new Transit Connect station vehicle has WBLQ on one side and WSUB-LP "The Buzz" on the other side.
It's currently owned by The Buzz Alternative Radio Foundation, which is just 3 DiPaola family members.
It doesn't have a lot of resources at all, so it does what it can.
Chris DiPaola's adventures in radio have been very interesting.
RockTheGlobe said:
How can u not know that it is Chris Dipaola.Everybody in Radio and TV in RI know of Chris.Yes, it is legal what he is doing....
kenwood101 said:
I never questioned the legality of it. I would think that labeling it as an LPFM station and not calling it a pirate would lead someone to believe I recognize that it's legal. But considering that I haven't lived in New England in a decade and only worked in Boston radio and not Providence, cut me some slack about the current goings-on of Chris DiPaola.
Sorry>>RockTheGlobe said:
At least Chris is trying...in spite of what might be meager resources.
That's a boat load more than I can say of a couple of other frequencies around here...one of which doesn't even try to be on the air......cough!....cough!....
That's a boat load more than I can say of a couple of other frequencies around here...one of which doesn't even try to be on the air......cough!....cough!....
kenwood101 said:
I like Chris. I've known him for a long time. However, I seriously question the legality of the operation of WSUB-LP. The LPFM rules specifically prohibit anyone in control of an LPFM from holding an interest in any other full-power broadcast license. When Chris bought WBLQ 1230, he transferred ownership "on paper" to his relatives... however, he's still clearly in control of it. He does the morning show, he sells the "underwriting," he runs the station. The logos even take up one entire side of the WBLQ station vehicle. It's definitely not in the spirit of the LPFM service, and I question if it's within the rules. Even if it is, it's a REAL stretch.
Also, although I know it's the game of non-comm's today, the "advanced underwriting" announcements really push the limit.
Chris is no stranger to "stretching" the limits of his operations, and is also no stranger to Notices of Apparent Liability. The "Advanced Underwriting" announcements on this station in particular have been in violation of commission rules.
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riradio02842
Guest
reelyreal said:
I would disagree with your opinion that the WSUB-LP operation is not in the spirit of the LPFM service. The LPFM service was setup for community broadcasters to serve areas that were ignored or not covered (by content, not signal) by larger broadcasters. Though Chris may stretch the rules to stay financially solvent, he definitely attempts to serve the communities he's broadcasting to with local programming, even if some of it is automated or pre-recorded. This contrasts to many of the 'independent' religious broadcasters who operate LPFM stations around the country, only to feed in syndicated programming via satellite 24x7, despite not being 'controlled' with said religious networks. It looks like legislation has passed that will allow for another round of LPFM applications to be filed sometime during the next few years - maybe we'll get a few more LPFM's in Rhode Island to listen to.
I agree that he does a great job of serving the community, but my understanding of the purpose of LPFM is for these stations to be available to individuals and groups that dont have the resources for a full-power commercial station. Now that DiPaola has WBLQ 1230, shouldn't the LPFM move on to another life with another community organization?
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dansteely
Guest
Ok, I've waited, now I must chime in. I serve in a guidance capacity, only. I share my expertise on a consultant basis, however, 96.7 The Buzz, owned by The Buzz Alternative Radio Foundation is self sustaining. I, as owner of WBLQ, donate advertising space on the Transit and in other ways, which is completely legal. I am not a board of director. Lorren Kleinkauf, Lana Weidner, Nicole O'Connor, and my sister Jaime DiPaola do a great job keeping the Buzz going with its spotlight on alternative and locally produced alternative music. Speaking of resources, if there is not an adequate amount of them, the FCC does not look favorably upon that. Not to toot my own horn, but one of the young ladies at the FCC complimented me with my radio experience and appreciated that I was lending my expertise.
dansteely aka Chris DiPaola
dansteely aka Chris DiPaola
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dansteely
Guest
PS. I don't know if you have listened realy real, but if you know me as you say you do, I am personally not a fan of the type of music that the Buzz plays, nor do I know anything about it. I have agreed to voice-track the morning show, and at this point, I only do time checks and no song intros.
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dansteely
Guest
One last thing I promise, but I'm on a roll...The Buzz has its own bank account at Webster Bank, separate from WBLQ, (Washington Trust), underwriting is paid separately, there is no sharing of invoices/money, and The Westerly Community Credit Union is non profit, so we can run full fledged commercials for them 
Chris... if that's really you... please fix the stream and make it more stable. The audio is only coming out of the left side, and the stream drops repeatedly, making it very hard to listen to.
When I said "poorly voicetracked," I wasn't referring to the talent being bad (although your midday jock sounds like she's bored out of her mind)... I meant that I was hearing the literally the same breaks day after day after day.
When I said "poorly voicetracked," I wasn't referring to the talent being bad (although your midday jock sounds like she's bored out of her mind)... I meant that I was hearing the literally the same breaks day after day after day.
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riradio02842
Guest
reelyreal said:
I would agree if someone else had filed for 96.7, but I'm pretty sure that WSUB-LP was the only application for that frequency in the Westerly area. I find it hard for anyone to come up with the around $10k+ needed to start a LPFM station.
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