Question Re WJJL

[Jay_Surly]

If WJJL is licensed to serve Niagara Falls, NY, how can it broadcast from West Seneca, where it maintains offices and studios.

How does this station serve its community of license from such a distance?

Secondly, is this a calculated attempt to transfer the station's community of license from Niagara Falls to West Seneca?

Thirdly, have the legal-financial issues relative to FCC fines and solvency been addressed and resolved?

I realize these questions may generate an eccentric response or two, but I thank you for your well-reasoned answers.

Best regards,

Janos Surlikevich

 

[fybush]

> If WJJL is licensed to serve Niagara Falls, NY, how can it
> broadcast from West Seneca, where it maintains offices and
> studios.

It puts the minimum 5 mV/m (millivolts/meter) signal over all of the city of Niagara Falls by day. As a "class D" station, it has no signal-coverage requirements for its night signal.

> How does this station serve its community of license from
> such a distance?

That's all the FCC requires - that it put a signal over the community and have a legal "main studio" that's either within 25 miles of the center of the city of license or within the station's primary-coverage contour. WJJL meets the latter requirement. Welcome to the 21st century...

> Secondly, is this a calculated attempt to transfer the
> station's community of license from Niagara Falls to West
> Seneca?

I don't know if "calculated" is the word I'd use, but WJJL filed an application in early 2004 during the FCC's "major change" window to change its city of license to West Seneca, raise day power to 5 kW and night power to 1 kW.

> Thirdly, have the legal-financial issues relative to FCC
> fines and solvency been addressed and resolved?

That, I do not know.

> I realize these questions may generate an eccentric response
> or two, but I thank you for your well-reasoned answers.

The only thing eccentric, I hope, is that I'm posting this from a motel room in La Crosse, Wisconsin. It'll be good to get home to western NY tomorrow...

s<P ID="signature">______________
Tower Site Calendar 2005 NOW AVAILABLE! - <a target="_blank" href=http://www.fybush.com/nerw.html#calendar>www.fybush.com</a></P>

 

[Element9]

> > If WJJL is licensed to serve Niagara Falls, NY, how can it
>
> > broadcast from West Seneca, where it maintains offices and
>
> > studios.
>
> It puts the minimum 5 mV/m (millivolts/meter) signal over
> all of the city of Niagara Falls by day. As a "class D"
> station, it has no signal-coverage requirements for its
> night signal.
>
> > How does this station serve its community of license from
> > such a distance?
>
> That's all the FCC requires - that it put a signal over the
> community and have a legal "main studio" that's either
> within 25 miles of the center of the city of license or
> within the station's primary-coverage contour. WJJL meets
> the latter requirement. Welcome to the 21st century...
>
> > Secondly, is this a calculated attempt to transfer the
> > station's community of license from Niagara Falls to West
> > Seneca?
>
> I don't know if "calculated" is the word I'd use, but WJJL
> filed an application in early 2004 during the FCC's "major
> change" window to change its city of license to West Seneca,
> raise day power to 5 kW and night power to 1 kW.
>
> > Thirdly, have the legal-financial issues relative to FCC
> > fines and solvency been addressed and resolved?
>
> That, I do not know.
>
> > I realize these questions may generate an eccentric
> response
> > or two, but I thank you for your well-reasoned answers.
>
> The only thing eccentric, I hope, is that I'm posting this
> from a motel room in La Crosse, Wisconsin. It'll be good to
> get home to western NY tomorrow...
>
> s
>

I think Janos was refering to a certain poster who claims ownership of the radio station, certainly not to your informative post, Scott.

WJJL AM 1440 puts 5 mV/m over Niagara Falls because its transmitter and antenna remain in the Falls, near the Niagara river, not in West Seneca. Its daytime signal in Niagara county is quite good, in some areas better than the mighty 1520. And although the signal really takes off along the water, its night time signal some 70+ Watts is anemic, even in Niagara county. There's not much worth listening to on the station, save for an authentic Italian midday show and a few ethnic shows on the weekend which more than likely keep the station on the air.

Not long ago, a few WJJL alumni (there are many in the area) related a littany of tales regarding the once-proud station. One thing that kept coming up was "...Niagara Falls was a tough place to do business." Interpret that as you will. Perhaps that's one reason the owners moved the main studios to West Seneca.

It's kind of weird how this station has de-volved, while a station like WLVL still maintains a position in Niagara county and Lockport in particular and WBTA is still very much a part of daily life in Genesee county and Batavia, mainly because they provide local news, weather, talk and sports, at least in some dayparts.

-9-

 

[Yeziknoradio]

> It's kind of weird how this station has de-volved, while a
> station like WLVL still maintains a position in Niagara
> county and Lockport in particular and WBTA is still very
> much a part of daily life in Genesee county and Batavia,
> mainly because they provide local news, weather, talk and
> sports, at least in some dayparts.
>
> -9-
>
I miss the old location. It was easy to get to from the border on foot, so a Contra deal for Canadians was much easier...and as long as it looks good on a resume...that's all that should matter anyway.

People need a resume brush up, (and current air check) now and then, and that was a great station to help add life to the resume. (eliminates the "what were you doing between this time and that time" question often asked by employers)<P ID="signature">______________
"If you never say NO, How much is your YES worth?"
</P>

 

[jim8230]

> ...(WJJL's)night time signal some 70+ Watts is anemic....


According to the FCC website, their nighttime power is even lower at 55 watts. Even on a Superadio the hetrodyne whine is louder than the program here in Tonawanda...

 

[dj_niceshot]

De-evolution

> > It's kind of weird how this station has de-volved, while a
>
> > station like WLVL still maintains a position in Niagara
> > county and Lockport in particular and WBTA is still very
> > much a part of daily life in Genesee county and Batavia,
> > mainly because they provide local news, weather, talk and
> > sports, at least in some dayparts.
> >
> > -9-
> >
> I miss the old location. It was easy to get to from the
> border on foot, so a Contra deal for Canadians was much
> easier...and as long as it looks good on a resume...that's
> all that should matter anyway.
>
> People need a resume brush up, (and current air check) now
> and then, and that was a great station to help add life to
> the resume. (eliminates the "what were you doing between
> this time and that time" question often asked by employers)
>

It has served me well, i did a couple year tour of 1224 Main street. It taught me many things that have served me well in broadcasting. The meager paycheck was a 'bonus'. I started doing weekends, then a couple weeknights, then moved to afternoon drive. The freedom that you had was great. Not being able to hear yourself when the headphone jack broke or when the phone broke was something else.

Had I done it all over again, I wouldnt have stayed as long and moved up farther. The de-voling of the station is sad, the new studios are nice.
Also had the convienence of filling in a couple years of radio experience on the resume.