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Clear Channel to downgrade, Cape, RI stations to boost Bull signal

http://www.fybush.com/nerw-update-clear-channels-new-england-shuffle/

>>When Clear Channel acquired Qantum’s Cape Cod stations as part of a bigger northeast station swap, we suspected there might be a move afoot to rearrange a chunk of the FM dial in eastern New England – and sure enough, that’s just what Clear Channel has planned. In a set of interlinked applications filed Tuesday, Clear Channel outlined its plans to upgrade its Boston country upstart, WBWL (101.7 Lynn), by downgrading two other stations
 
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I've looked through the applications, and man… it's an awful lot of compromising for some relatively minor gains, signal-wise, in Boston. I'm not in that area so I don't the realities of the situation, but on paper the Providence station is going to lose a ton of coverage. It's going from 99% of Rhode Island in the 54 dBu to not even all of the Providence main metro area.

All this to go non-directional still as a class A? Those southern suburbs must really be a desirable area for country because that's all the territory it looks like the station will gain.
 
Yes and judging by the following WBWL's signal won't be all that much, though this may simply be the "local" signal as designated on radio-locator's maps (local/distant/fringe). Via a link on radioinsight, the 60dBu contour of 101.7's application (and for this the Cape & RI stations lose a lot...the latter going from 50kW ERP to 13kW...?)

http://raccoonradio.freehostia.com/WBWL.jpg
 
The Providence and Cape stations lose less than you think. They keep their "in market" signals, but lose some fringe listeners who can't be monetized anyway.
WBWL, on the other hand, picks up a pretty sizable chunk of population in the Boston metro which can be monetized.
It's a very good deal for Clear Channel.
 
Easier fix to just move The Bull to 94.5 and put Jam'n on 101.7 Yeah I know that wouldn't happen. Would be giving a gift to Hot and Amp.

As for country format I'm surprised no one else went that direction before 101.7 did. Entercom could had but it would be hard with their signals. And CBS could done country on 103.3 before going Amp. As currently Amp isn't taking much of a bite out of Kiss.
 
...And CBS could done country on 103.3 before going Amp. As currently Amp isn't taking much of a bite out of Kiss.

Amp took enough of a fraction of Kiss's numbers to allow WKLB to beat them to #1 in one 6+ book last year. One reason for Bull was to take a fraction from WKLB to try to prevent that from happening again.
 
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Continue to let them twist in the wind?

Let me know how that works out for you.

I mean they're already $20 billion in debt. What more can you do?

Be relentless? Don't vote in corporate corrupt pols who continue to deregulate the telecommunications industry?

I'm just shooting off ideas. ClearChannel and Entercom are persons too.

#PrivatizeLocalRadio
 
They can't just take 101.5 Providence off the air entirely or move it to Boston. Could 101.5 be moved away from Boston, perhaps to the WVEI tower southwest of Providence? Or perhaps, simulcast The Bull on 101.5.

They turned its HD off when Evolution 101.7 launched. 101.7 never went HD.

Boston and Providence are just far apart enough that a class B can't serve them both well. A 100,000 watt class C in Foxborough could serve both.
 
One class B comes close to 100kW though--grandfathered in. It's WGBH-FM and radio-locator says that while it is very close to 100 kW, the HAAT is definitely above 500 ft:

According to radio-locator
Effective Radiated Power 98,000 Watts
Height above Avg. Terrain 198 meters (650 feet)
Height above Ground Level 55 meters (180 feet)
Height above Sea Level 242 meters (794 feet)
 
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