GBH & CRB Drop the W !

[nowradioguy]

From what I understand, after the "CBS4" edict, there were ongoing discussions back and forth with corporate, with the local management making the case on the value of, and why they should retain the WBZ branding. Eventually corporate folks acceded.

Wimmmex, I appreciate both your and kemosabe's backing up the disparity between CBS Corporate and local TV station management regarding the branding of the legendary Westinghouse stations.

In my reply to CTListener, I cited the exact article in The Boston Globe from whence my information came.

 

[raccoonradio]

April 2014...remember "'WBZ 700"?
Wikipedia for the AM in Orange-Athol, now WPVQ:
It was WWBZ AM 700.
"During its first day with the format, the station referred to itself as "Legends 700 WBZ" despite not being associated with Boston radio station WBZ (1030 AM), whose signal reaches the Orange-Athol area; on June 10, the branding was amended to feature the full WWBZ call sign. The station subsequently rebranded as simply "AM Radio 700" after WBZ's owner, CBS Radio, objected to the WWBZ call sign as an infringement of its trademark for WBZ"

Also WNBP Newburyport objected to
the use of "The Legends".Calls became WFAT.

 

[Eli Polonsky]

April 2014...remember "'WBZ 700"?
Also WNBP Newburyport objected to
the use of "The Legends".Calls became WFAT.

I don't think there was any signal coverage overlap between 700 AM in Orange-Athol and 1450 in Newburyport. Why would WNPB have been upset? The stations cover two different, separate areas.

 

[davideduardo]

I don't think there was any signal coverage overlap between 700 AM in Orange-Athol and 1450 in Newburyport. Why would WNPB have been upset? The stations cover two different, separate areas.

Advertiser confusion by people buying in the region.

 

[CTListener]

Advertiser confusion by people buying in the region.

Huh? Both stations did no national or even regional business, strictly local mom-and-pops, gas stations, restaurants, etc. One served a small area north of Springfield, the other the Cape Ann region in the northeastern part of the state. Nobody to confuse except people who'd never been to Massachusetts or knew nothing about the radio stations.

 

[davideduardo]

Huh? Both stations did no national or even regional business, strictly local mom-and-pops, gas stations, restaurants, etc. One served a small area north of Springfield, the other the Cape Ann region in the northeastern part of the state. Nobody to confuse except people who'd never been to Massachusetts or knew nothing about the radio stations.

I said "in the region". Local advertisers can be confused by two stations that "sound like the same thing" and buy the one they think is the right one when it really is not.

It's a precaution that the FCC understands, and thus the station had to use different call letters.

 

[Eli Polonsky]

I don't know how much farther a region extends when compared to an area, or is it the other way around, does an area extend farther than a region?

Does a region have specific border lines, while an area can be more vague or diffuse?

 

[CTListener]

I said "in the region". Local advertisers can be confused by two stations that "sound like the same thing" and buy the one they think is the right one when it really is not.

It's a precaution that the FCC understands, and thus the station had to use different call letters.

But WNBP's objection was to the use of "Legends" in the Athol station's branding, not to its call of WWBZ. So was WWBZ ordered to change its branding as well as its call? And if not, why mention WNBP's beef at all?

 

[raccoonradio]

Right though it was mentioned on Wikipedia.
It isn't directly a call letter situation but branding confusion is related to it...and yes
WNBP and what was then WWBZ for a time
were in areas that don't quite overlap.
700 does come in faintly on North Shore but
again...faintly. Currently they got an FM translator and are doing country as the Outlaw.

 

[davideduardo]

I don't know how much farther a region extends when compared to an area, or is it the other way around, does an area extend farther than a region?

Does a region have specific border lines, while an area can be more vague or diffuse?

They are the same. It's a place where everybody knows your name...

 

[davideduardo]

But WNBP's objection was to the use of "Legends" in the Athol station's branding, not to its call of WWBZ. So was WWBZ ordered to change its branding as well as its call? And if not, why mention WNBP's beef at all?

Whatever the objection, the FCC has very exact definitions of both markets and coverage area. Markets are based on Nielsen, and any objection to calls or slogans will use Nielsen market data in any kind of objection.

In local jurisdictions, one has to go on the supposition that a hearing or court case will look at two area in a metro and rule that use of the name will go to the earlier user. While the court system might find differently, a small station is not going to take the risk and pay the cost of pursuing it when it is cheaper and less distracting to make the change.

This is a case where it is cheaper and easier to back off before there are punitive damages or high legal costs.