Since we have the topic about WMUR, I thought I'd do a similar one for WSBE. While it is not part of the Boston DMA, it is carried on Verizon FiOS throughout the market, and Comcast carries it for a good portion of it. But I'm not sure exactly where the cutoff area is. I don't think it's available in the city of Boston itself, or the northern suburbs. But I think the carriage used to be much more inconsistent. And not just for WSBE, but also WENH. Growing up in the town of Natick, I always had 4 PBS stations on cable. But I think the town of Dedham only had 2. It was pretty rare for communities to carry all 4 of them. But I know they recently dropped WENH in all of Massachusetts, so maybe that's why they decided to expand carriage of WSBE so people would still have a choice.
-
Get involved.
We want your input!
Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.
After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.
After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/
Thanks in advance and have fun!
RadioDiscussions Administrators
Comcast's carriage of Rhode Island PBS outside the Providence market
- Thread starter ssetta
- Start date
WENH and WGBH made an agreement several years ago to not be carried on "each others turf". While I initially was upset about this as a NH cable viewer, i do recall both stations carrying pretty much the same programming. WSBE does not have the value or prestige of WGBH and together with WGBX probably make WSBE redundant in Mass much like WENH and WGBH/WGBX
Comcast's carriage of WSBE is also inconsistent in Massachusetts. While every town south of Boston gets it on cable (which makes sense), Boston proper, Brookline, Cambridge, and Somerville don't get it, but Quincy, Milton, Dedham, Newton, Waltham, and Watertown (all surrounding Boston proper) do get it.
Lexington gets WSBE and WMUR, but neighboring Burlington gets neither. Ashburnham, MA (right along the NH border!) gets both WSBE and WMUR as well!
Last I checked, the "must carry" rule for PBS stations is 50 miles from its city of license (for WSBE, that's Providence), but some towns in that radius don't get it while others do. Very, very weird.
Lexington gets WSBE and WMUR, but neighboring Burlington gets neither. Ashburnham, MA (right along the NH border!) gets both WSBE and WMUR as well!
Last I checked, the "must carry" rule for PBS stations is 50 miles from its city of license (for WSBE, that's Providence), but some towns in that radius don't get it while others do. Very, very weird.
Some of it may be tradition, dating back to the various cable operators Comcast absorbed. Some may be the influence of the local cable commissions. The somewhat spotty signal coverage might play a part too.
While WENH programming is very similar to WGBH, WSBE has tended to pick up PBS shows skipped by WGBH / WGBX. Some of them might be considered "corny" - shows about rural American history, simple hobbies, etc. - and the long time WSBE tradition - Lawrence Welk.
WENH has some sort of operating agreement with WGBH and the stations have a very similar program schedule.
- Status