New England rimshot-related questions

[Tomgsinger]

1. What stations would you consider rim shots in the Boston market?
2. Are there any rimshots in surrounding markets/areas (e.g. Manchester, Portland, Providence, Newport, Worcester)?
3. What is the definition of a rimshot? I ask this because I have seen people say stations with xmitters in RURAL areas could be rimshots to urban centers, which I doubt.

 

[Wimmmex]

What stations would you consider rim shots in the Boston market?

Which do *I* consider rimshots?

The River 92.5

WPLM 99.5

WSRS & WXLO?

WBOQ?

...any others?

All have some decent coverage of the market...but not quite adequate to cover the market or compete.

What is the definition of a rimshot?

It is not a technical term...so it means whatever you understand it to mean.

My understanding would be: ....a signal/station on the edge of the market, not quite centered on the populous, that convers sections of the market, but not enough to be considered a contender or competitive. ALthough from time to time, some have done well for a period of time.

(feel free to re-fashion my definition!)

 

[davideduardo]

3. What is the definition of a rimshot? I ask this because I have seen people say stations with xmitters in RURAL areas could be rimshots to urban centers, which I doubt.

Brokers I have had dealings with call any station not home to the market (as defined by the Nielson Metro Survey Area) but which has a signal over at least part of the MSA.

Stations at the edge of a market are considered "suburban".

For example, in the NYC market, WLNG in Sag Harbor is not a rimshot. It is home to the market, so it is considered "suburban". It's signal gets nowhere near the City or the Boroughs, but it is licensed to and located in the market.

 

[CTListener]

Which do *I* consider rimshots?

The River 92.5

WPLM 99.5

WSRS & WXLO?

WBOQ?

...any others?

That should be WPLM 99.1, unless you meant WCRB 99.5, which also could be a rimshot (Lowell).

WBOQ (Gloucester) 104.9 is a special case in that it gets into much of the Boston area, but is wiped out in some of Boston proper by the 19-watt signal of co-channel Class D noncomm WRBB. So is WBOQ a rimshot or a "suburban" like WLNG is to New York even though its signal, unlike WLNG's, reaches the central city in its market? And WRBB's signal is so limited that WBOQ can be received well in certain parts of the city -- East Boston toward the Revere line, for example. Are there any other rimshots with similar situations?

 

[davideduardo]

That should be WPLM 99.1, unless you meant WCRB 99.5, which also could be a rimshot (Lowell).

WBOQ (Gloucester) 104.9 is a special case in that it gets into much of the Boston area, but is wiped out in some of Boston proper by the 19-watt signal of co-channel Class D noncomm WRBB. So is WBOQ a rimshot or a "suburban" like WLNG is to New York even though its signal, unlike WLNG's, reaches the central city in its market? And WRBB's signal is so limited that WBOQ can be received well in certain parts of the city -- East Boston toward the Revere line, for example. Are there any other rimshots with similar situations?

Essex County is part of the MSA. So the station is a suburban license. This is further seen in that about 90% of the 60 dbu is within that county.

There are plenty of stations that are home to a metro and licensed to significant population centers but which may not cover well or at all the biggest city or one of the biggest ones in the metro.

Places like Dallas-Ft Worth and Greensboro-High Point-Winston Salem and Miami-Ft Lauderdale are good examples.

 

[nowradioguy]

Brokers I have had dealings with call any station not home to the market (as defined by the Nielson Metro Survey Area) but which has a signal over at least part of the MSA.

Stations at the edge of a market are considered "suburban".

For example, in the NYC market, WLNG in Sag Harbor is not a rimshot. It is home to the market, so it is considered "suburban". It's signal gets nowhere near the City or the Boroughs, but it is licensed to and located in the market.

David,

Maybe I'm just dense, but how can WLNG be "home to the (NYC) market", while it "gets nowhere near the City or the Boroughs"? What am I missing here?

 

[raccoonradio]

WEEI actually allows WBOQ to be a Red Sox network affiliate. A few years ago they had a campaign to appeal to advertisers by saying they were North Shore focused: "Fish where the fishes are"..in other words, advertise with them rather than a station in Boston proper and reach NShore consumers.

 

[Eli Polonsky]

That should be WPLM 99.1, unless you meant WCRB 99.5, which also could be a rimshot (Lowell).

WBOQ (Gloucester) 104.9 is a special case in that it gets into much of the Boston area, but is wiped out in some of Boston proper by the 19-watt signal of co-channel Class D noncomm WRBB. So is WBOQ a rimshot or a "suburban" like WLNG is to New York even though its signal, unlike WLNG's, reaches the central city in its market? And WRBB's signal is so limited that WBOQ can be received well in certain parts of the city -- East Boston toward the Revere line, for example. Are there any other rimshots with similar situations?

Don't know if you've tried listening to WBOQ in the Boston area lately, since their transmitter was moved from the coast in Gloucester inland to Topsfield a few years ago. It still covers the North Shore well and the move improved their signal as they intended in the Merrimack Valley, the metro-Northwest in the Route 495, 128, Routes 2 and 3 areas, and Southern NH, but it's MUCH WEAKER in the immediate Boston metro area, Boston proper, and to the south and southwest. I wouldn't say that WBOQ reaches the central city in the market listenably any more. It improved WRBB's coverage of metro Boston, it can now be heard in places like Cambridge and Somerville where WBOQ used to cut it out.

 

[davideduardo]

David,

Maybe I'm just dense, but how can WLNG be "home to the (NYC) market", while it "gets nowhere near the City or the Boroughs"? What am I missing here?

Per the rules for Arbitron and now Nielsen, any station licensed to any location within the Metro Survey Area is "home" to the metro. Any station licensed outside the MSA (not the OMB / Census definition of Metropolitan Statistical Area which, unfortunately, has the same initials).

Sag Harbor is in the New York MSA. WLNG is licensed to Sag Harbor. So it is home to the metro.

What is almost universally referred to as The Market is the metro. Stations that don't cover all the metro are less likely to show up well in the ratings and in most markets don't even subscribe to the ratings.

The FCC uses Nielsen's market definitions to determine ownership caps and the extent of each market, so the concept is not just a sales and valuation metric, but also a legal one.

 

[Wimmmex]

I wouldn't say that WBOQ reaches the central city in the market listenably any more.

It is usually unlistenable right after I go over the bridge from Somerville to Boston.

For example, in the NYC market, WLNG in Sag Harbor...

What is WLNG doing these days. Didn't the owner pass away awhile ago?

They were doing some fun oldies format awhile back.

 

[davideduardo]

What is WLNG doing these days. Didn't the owner pass away awhile ago?

They were doing some fun oldies format awhile back.

Paul Sidney, who passed away, was just one of the owners. The station apparently was set up by a group of local business people. Originally, it was 500 watts daytime on 1600. It is still doing the eclectic deep oldies format with lost dog reports and lots of community involvement and plenty of old jingles.

 

[raccoonradio]

WBOQ certainly has a null to protect WRBB but yes the xmtr move probably affects reception in those areas.

 

[Wimmmex]

Originally, it was 500 watts daytime on 1600

It is still doing the eclectic deep oldies format with lost dog reports and lots of community involvement and plenty of old jingles.

Lost dogs! I think we once called it the "puppy patrol" at a station I once worked at. Gotta love it! LOL!

Hey, was WLNG's FM the prime property? is it simulcasting 1600AM?

 

[jlehmann]

The null protects WWLI, I don't think they have to protect WRBB, as it's a class D.

 

[davideduardo]

Lost dogs! I think we once called it the "puppy patrol" at a station I once worked at. Gotta love it! LOL!

Hey, was WLNG's FM the prime property? is it simulcasting 1600AM?

The FM came later in the 60's. Eventually the AM was sold to New York's WWRL and closed down to allow the other station to increase power.

 

[Tomgsinger]

Any rimshots in nearby markets? I know I've asked this, but I am kind of shocked no one has answered that question. After all, the thread says New England Rimshot Questions and not Boston.

 

[blackgold]

How about WATD-FM 95.9 in Marshfield? It's the only station that plays 50s and 60s oldies on weekends, and it's got award winning local news.

 

[Tomgsinger]

How about WATD-FM 95.9 in Marshfield? It's the only station that plays 50s and 60s oldies on weekends, and it's got award winning local news.

Maybe a "suburban station". It can be heard on the north shore, and south to the South Coast (where it starts to interfere with WCRI-FM, licensed to Block Island and serving Newport) and Cape Cod.

 

[Tomgsinger]

Maybe a "suburban station". It can be heard on the north shore, and south to the South Coast (where it starts to interfere with WCRI-FM, licensed to Block Island and serving Newport) and Cape Cod.

It's a suburban station because it really doesn't care about Boston, only the south shore, even though it gets a (fairly staticky) signal inside of 128 whose strong points are near the coast, where it is like WAAF, WPLM, WXRV, WCRB, WXLO or any other rimshot.

Do you think WSNE could potentially become a rimshot? It is the only Providence station whose protected contour covers all of Boston and nearby communities.

 

[blackgold]

Yes, I can pick up WSNE here in Boston and it's a really classy station. I can also pick up Cat Country 98.1 and Radio Globo 97.3.