AM 1060 Billboard

[Laurence Glavin]

As I was travelling southward on route 128 in Needham, I observed a giant billboard for AM 1060...just that, no call letters. It's right next to the exit for Muzi Ford. It's one of those changing billboards, so at any given moment, it may be displaying another ad. There is a warning beneath the giant 'AM 1060' message that the programming consists of Catholic-oriented religious fare.

 

[jlehmann]

There is (or was) one on the southbound side of the expressway right near the Mass Ave exite as well.

 

[johnster]

The one on 93 north in Somerville says something like Radio for Catholics, All welcome...

 

[raccoonradio]

They got bumper stickers out quick. Not long after their debut there was a news story about thefts at a church, and when they were talking to the pastor on local TV I could see an
"AM 1060 The Station of the Cross" bumper sticker behind him

 

[johnster]

Acutully saw one again today... They say: AM1060 Catholic Radio All Invited

 

[KarsonWithaK]

Actually, I think it reads...



1060 AM

Catholic Radio. All Are Invited.




There is also an image but it was hard to figure. It seemed to be the back of The Pope. ???

 

[beantownradio25]

I think hacking a conversation and stating opinion as fact in red, bold, capital letter text was a bad look to say the least. I agree with people who say that all these K-Love repeaters and all of these unneccesary translators popping up everywhere all over the dial can be considered a waste of spectrum/power, but in 1060's case and any other station trying to be local and relevent to the community, I applaud them and agrue that they are FAR from a waste of spectrum. If you don't like it, don't tune in. Just because it doesn't meet your entertainemnt standards, doesn't mean others don't find it useful and compelling. They are investing into making 1060 work, and have local programming from what I can see. They're not just throwing on some K-Love feed and not promoting and expecting it to start raining money. They are investing alot into promotion, and for that, I applaud them. Makes me want to start listening actually. And how does it waste people's money? If they want to donate to something they want to hear... so be it!

 

[WNTIRadio]

I'm amazed it took this long to have a Catholic station in a city that is almost 47% Catholic. Seems like a good move to me, purely from a business standpoint.

 

[DanStrassberg]

but in 1060's case and any other station trying to be local and relevent to the community, I applaud them and agrue that they are FAR from a waste of spectrum.

WQOM occasionally runs a calendar of events that refers to the Boston area, but I believe that that calendar, which is the only content (a few minutes per day, at most) that specifically relates to the Boston area, is voiced in, recorded at, and relayed from the company's studio in Buffalo NY. Also, AFAIK, WQOM has no offices or studios in the Boston area, and as a non-profit operation, they don't have to have any. However, they shouldn't receive any commendations for being local, either.

Also, despite the large number of Roman Catholics in the Boston area whose first language is something other than English (there are many Spanish, French Creole, and Portuguese speakers--and I must be missing several other languages spoken by significant numbers of local Catholics), all of WQOM's programming is in English except for insignificant portions in Latin. Arguably, the non-English-speaking Roman Catholic communities in this area are less well served by radio than is the English-speaking Catholic community. Non-English speakers likely need and deserve programming directed toward them more than do English speakers. My impression is that the exclusion of programming directed toward Catholics who speak languages other than English is not an oversight; it is quite intentional. Since essentially 100% of the programming originates with EWTN, I think the focus on English is a conscious decision of EWTN management.

 

[Don Juannn]

WQOM occasionally runs a calendar of events that refers to the Boston area, but I believe that that calendar, which is the only content (a few minutes per day, at most) that specifically relates to the Boston area, is voiced in, recorded at, and relayed from the company's studio in Buffalo NY.

Incorrect.

Also, AFAIK, WQOM has no offices or studios in the Boston area, and as a non-profit operation, they don't have to have any.

Incorrect.

Also, despite the large number of Roman Catholics in the Boston area whose first language is something other than English (there are many Spanish, French Creole, and Portuguese

Incorrect. The vast majority of Catholics in this area are English speaking.

Arguably, the non-English-speaking Roman Catholic communities in this area are less well served by radio than is the English-speaking Catholic community.

This is broadcasting, reaching the largest number of people that can be touched by it's signal. The more you microcast, the more you are dividing the pie. Non-English speaking Catholics are served by their neighborhood churches which feature services/masses in all sorts of languages and dialects.

My impression is that the exclusion of programming directed toward Catholics who speak languages other than English is not an oversight; it is quite intentional.

Your impression is incorrect. Unless of course you can back it up with something.

Since essentially 100% of the programming originates with EWTN...

Incorrect.

 

[raccoonradio]

>>I'm amazed it took this long to have a Catholic station in a city that is almost 47% Catholic

Some stations like WROL have had Catholic Mass, etc.
There were two previous efforts to have an all-Catholic station; one fell apart when they
couldn't get funding (Ray Flynn was involved, among others) and as for the other, the
news broke that WCCM (or whatever the call letters were) 800 was to be sold to the
Archdiocese of Boston; then suddenly, that fell apart. Shortly thereafter we started hearing
about sexual molestation of minors by priests*, etc. Maybe they figured the money that could
have bought the station was needed for legal defense, settlements, etc.?

Wayback machine, 9/24/01
http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-010924.html
--------------------------
>>The AM radio landscape in the Merrimack Valley of MASSACHUSETTS is about to change again, thanks to Costa-Eagle's $1.5 million sale of WCCM (800 Lawrence) to the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Boston....As for the AM 800 signal, with 1000 watts by day and 244 watts at night, it's not heard well outside the central Merrimack Valley, which leads us to wonder why the Archdiocese is spending all this money on a facility its leaders won't even hear at their suburban Boston headquarters. Could a move south be in the offing?
---------------------------

But then--a month later:
10/15/01:
>>Up in Lawrence, Costa-Eagle will have to find a new buyer for WCCM (800), now that the Archdiocese of Boston has pulled out of its planned $1.5 million purchase.

*--a quick websearch said that the Globe uncovered about 5 cases of sexual abuse by priests in
2002; perhaps the Church knew by late '01 that this info would be made public soon and they backed off buying AM 800...?

 

[DanStrassberg]

Incorrect.
Incorrect.
Incorrect. The vast majority of Catholics in this area are English speaking.
Your impression is incorrect. Unless of course you can back it up with something.
Incorrect.

Well, you've backed up NONE of your many assertions that what I wrote was incorrect. I think you owe all of us who are following this thread explanations for every one of YOUR assertions about the inaccuracy of what I wrote. Lacking that, we will just have to conclude that you don't play by the rules you would impose on others. Or is your position that, as a Catholic (I assume you are Catholic) writing about a Catholic radio station, you are exempt from having to prove your points, but as a non-Catholic, I am required prove mine?

I used the best information at my disposal, which included an e-mail exchange with someone whose job is to be well informed about New England radio and who IS well connected. I was careful to point out where I was unsure. That's the best I can do. Meanwhile, you have simply asserted that I am wrong, which is possible, but you have given us no basis for believing that you are correct. Please provide the facts. Start with the location of WQOM's local studio and office (a town, at least; a street address would be better). I could not find such info at the WQOM Web site. I have reason to believe that e-mail sent to the e-mail address at the WQOM Web site IS a) read and b) probably is answered, if appropriate. However, that says nothing about the location of the person who reads the e-mail. I could find no local phone number at the Web site either--just a toll-free number that could ring just about anywhere and is, AFAIK, the same number that other EWTN Radio affiliates use.

 

[DanStrassberg]

Also, AFAIK, WQOM has no offices or studios in the Boston area, and as a non-profit operation, they don't have to have any.

Incorrect.

Then explain this (I copied it moments ago directly from the wqom.org Web site)

Studio Address:
Holy Family Communications
6325 Sheridan Drive
Williamsville, NY 14221

Williamsville NY is a suburb of Buffalo.

 

[Don Juannn]

Incorrect.
Incorrect.
Incorrect. The vast majority of Catholics in this area are English speaking.
Your impression is incorrect. Unless of course you can back it up with something.
Incorrect.

Well, you've backed up NONE of your many assertions that what I wrote was incorrect.

Which do you want explained to you?

Also, AFAIK, WQOM has no offices or studios in the Boston area, and as a non-profit operation, they don't have to have any.

Incorrect.

Then explain this

They have someone locally managing the day-to-day.

 

[Schuyler]

.....I think hacking a conversation and stating opinion as fact in red, bold, capital letter text was a bad look to say the least.....

You'll be pleased to know that, in keeping with the radio industry's impeccable good taste, this "thread" has been sanitized for your protection. Even the posts which were moved to Take It Outside have been expunged from the official record. Thank you, Lord; it's a message board miracle. Go forth and use colored fonts no more.

 

[infrequency]

Other than the terrible reception where I am (Quincy), WQOM has been great. The signal is a little better now during the day, but really non-existent at night. I know it's much better as one goes west toward Natick. Those with a fear of the programming should give it a try anyway. The other day I heard a show in which atheists were calling in to debate the existence of God with a priest who did a nice job engaging the conversation in a civil, respectful and rational manner. Great stuff so far.

 

[DanStrassberg]

Other than the terrible reception where I am (Quincy), WQOM has been great. The signal is a little better now during the day, but really non-existent at night. I know it's much better as one goes west toward Natick. Those with a fear of the programming should give it a try anyway. The other day I heard a show in which atheists were calling in to debate the existence of God with a priest who did a nice job engaging the conversation in a civil, respectful and rational manner. Great stuff so far.

Although the CoL is Natick, the transmitter is located in Ashland, just east of Route 126 and a couple of miles south of downtown Framingham. The signal isn't going to be that great in Quincy at night, but non-existent could be an exaggeration. You may have a problem with WBZ overloading your receiver. WBZ is third-adjacent and has a huge, huge, HUGE signal in Quincy. If you are in a part of Quincy where WBZ is basically to your south and Ashland is to your west, try fiddling with the orientation of your radio. If the two stations are ~90 degrees apart, you may be able to maximize the 1060 signal while minimizing the 1030 signal. But the 1060 nighttime signal in Quincy just won't be great. WQOM does stream. however.