According to today's (02/23) FCC Applications, an individual named Robert Vessot (along with presumably his Wife Norma) has filed an objection to WCRB-FM's license renewal. No renewal...no sale. A Google search for "Robert Vessot" turns up a scientist at the Hahvud Astrophysical lab. How could an apparently bright person want to continue WCRB's pablum? Perhaps he suffers from senile dementia (his most prominent work was in the 70s, 1970s that is) and doesn't realize that the piece WCRB is playing right now was played day before yesterday. But even formal objections don't seem to stop the FCC...the plan to shutter WPEP-AM 1570 in Taunton, home of the weather alerts, so WNSH could increase its output toward the Atlantic Ocean met with a blizzard of objections, apparently to no avail.
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Roadblock To WCRB Sale?
- Thread starter Shellanswerman
- Start date
What is the objection?
> According to today's (02/23) FCC Applications, an individual
> named Robert Vessot (along with presumably his Wife Norma)
> has filed an objection to WCRB-FM's license renewal. No
> renewal...no sale. A Google search for "Robert Vessot"
> turns up a scientist at the Hahvud Astrophysical lab. How
> could an apparently bright person want to continue WCRB's
> pablum? Perhaps he suffers from senile dementia (his most
> prominent work was in the 70s, 1970s that is) and doesn't
> realize that the piece WCRB is playing right now was played
> day before yesterday. But even formal objections don't seem
> to stop the FCC...the plan to shutter WPEP-AM 1570 in
> Taunton, home of the weather alerts, so WNSH could increase
> its output toward the Atlantic Ocean met with a blizzard of
> objections, apparently to no avail.
What is the objection? The trust (?) that isn't supposed to sell the station?
> According to today's (02/23) FCC Applications, an individual
> named Robert Vessot (along with presumably his Wife Norma)
> has filed an objection to WCRB-FM's license renewal. No
> renewal...no sale. A Google search for "Robert Vessot"
> turns up a scientist at the Hahvud Astrophysical lab. How
> could an apparently bright person want to continue WCRB's
> pablum? Perhaps he suffers from senile dementia (his most
> prominent work was in the 70s, 1970s that is) and doesn't
> realize that the piece WCRB is playing right now was played
> day before yesterday. But even formal objections don't seem
> to stop the FCC...the plan to shutter WPEP-AM 1570 in
> Taunton, home of the weather alerts, so WNSH could increase
> its output toward the Atlantic Ocean met with a blizzard of
> objections, apparently to no avail.
What is the objection? The trust (?) that isn't supposed to sell the station?
W
webcastboy
Guest
Re: What is the objection?
> > According to today's (02/23) FCC Applications, an
> individual
> > named Robert Vessot (along with presumably his Wife Norma)
>
> > has filed an objection to WCRB-FM's license renewal. No
> > renewal...no sale. A Google search for "Robert Vessot"
> > turns up a scientist at the Hahvud Astrophysical lab. How
>
> > could an apparently bright person want to continue WCRB's
> > pablum? Perhaps he suffers from senile dementia (his most
>
> > prominent work was in the 70s, 1970s that is) and doesn't
> > realize that the piece WCRB is playing right now was
> played
> > day before yesterday. But even formal objections don't
> seem
> > to stop the FCC...the plan to shutter WPEP-AM 1570 in
> > Taunton, home of the weather alerts, so WNSH could
> increase
> > its output toward the Atlantic Ocean met with a blizzard
> of
> > objections, apparently to no avail.
>
> What is the objection? The trust (?) that isn't supposed to
> sell the station?
>
I don't think informal objections are routinely posted to the public beyond a note that one was filed. You can see Vessot's if you go to the CDBS, search application info for WCRB, and click on "info" for their renewal app, and then click "public notice comment". All it says is:
Public Notice Comment
BRH-20051128ADO Renewal of License.
Informal Objection filed 2/3/06 by Norma and Robert Vessot
However, you can obtain Vessot's objection (or any other document ever filed with the FCC) for a small fee somewhere on www.fcc.gov - forget exactly where, there.
I applaud Mr. & Mrs. Vessot for attempting to hold a station accountable for its actions, but I would think this is a fool's errand. The onus is very much on the challenger to prove a station is not worthy of license renewal, and arguments related to "serving the public interest" generally do not fly. If WCRB were violating technical or operational rules, then a case could be made...but I know Rob Landry would die before letting tech rules be violated under his watch; he's a damn good engineer. And I doubt he'd let any operational rules slide, either.
> > According to today's (02/23) FCC Applications, an
> individual
> > named Robert Vessot (along with presumably his Wife Norma)
>
> > has filed an objection to WCRB-FM's license renewal. No
> > renewal...no sale. A Google search for "Robert Vessot"
> > turns up a scientist at the Hahvud Astrophysical lab. How
>
> > could an apparently bright person want to continue WCRB's
> > pablum? Perhaps he suffers from senile dementia (his most
>
> > prominent work was in the 70s, 1970s that is) and doesn't
> > realize that the piece WCRB is playing right now was
> played
> > day before yesterday. But even formal objections don't
> seem
> > to stop the FCC...the plan to shutter WPEP-AM 1570 in
> > Taunton, home of the weather alerts, so WNSH could
> increase
> > its output toward the Atlantic Ocean met with a blizzard
> of
> > objections, apparently to no avail.
>
> What is the objection? The trust (?) that isn't supposed to
> sell the station?
>
I don't think informal objections are routinely posted to the public beyond a note that one was filed. You can see Vessot's if you go to the CDBS, search application info for WCRB, and click on "info" for their renewal app, and then click "public notice comment". All it says is:
Public Notice Comment
BRH-20051128ADO Renewal of License.
Informal Objection filed 2/3/06 by Norma and Robert Vessot
However, you can obtain Vessot's objection (or any other document ever filed with the FCC) for a small fee somewhere on www.fcc.gov - forget exactly where, there.
I applaud Mr. & Mrs. Vessot for attempting to hold a station accountable for its actions, but I would think this is a fool's errand. The onus is very much on the challenger to prove a station is not worthy of license renewal, and arguments related to "serving the public interest" generally do not fly. If WCRB were violating technical or operational rules, then a case could be made...but I know Rob Landry would die before letting tech rules be violated under his watch; he's a damn good engineer. And I doubt he'd let any operational rules slide, either.
I wouldn't hold your breath on WCRB losing its' license all because of one "informal objection". WCRB has been an exemplary operation since day one. True, the Classical format is more than likely "toast" once Greater Media takes possession in April or May. But this complaint won't stop the transfer of the license. The FCC is out of the "format business" ever since the WNCN issue. The Classical format will probably continue on 102.5's HD-2 channel to cover for the 99 year "trust" agreement. But as for analog 102.5, well..... Greater Media has a tendency to dump the Classical format off the stations they buy (i.e.-WQRS/Detroit and WFLN/Philadelphia). I doubt that WCRB will be the exception to the rule.
The bottom line, I doubt that this "informal objection" will derail the transfer or renewal of the WCRB license.
> It's a stupid move. If it succeeds, WCRB goes off the air
> and the allocation gets auctioned. Who would the highest
> bidder be but Greater Media? And so Greater Media gets the
> license, which is no different than what would happen if no
> objection were filed at all.
> <P ID="signature">______________
Peter Q. George (K1XRB)
Whitman, Massachusetts</P>
The bottom line, I doubt that this "informal objection" will derail the transfer or renewal of the WCRB license.
> It's a stupid move. If it succeeds, WCRB goes off the air
> and the allocation gets auctioned. Who would the highest
> bidder be but Greater Media? And so Greater Media gets the
> license, which is no different than what would happen if no
> objection were filed at all.
> <P ID="signature">______________
Peter Q. George (K1XRB)
Whitman, Massachusetts</P>
> The Classical format
> will probably continue on 102.5's HD-2 channel to cover for
> the 99 year "trust" agreement.
I believe 96.9 HD-2 will be covering the classical commitment.
> Greater Media has a tendency to dump the Classical
> format off the stations they buy (i.e.-WQRS/Detroit and
> WFLN/Philadelphia). I doubt that WCRB will be the exception
> to the rule.
But do they want this reputation to continue? Greater Media's best move would be to ditch WCRB to 99.5, forcing the new owner of that frequency to kill the classical legacy. Of course, if they just want to be cheap, 99.5 will just end up simulcasting 102.5 until a sale (or time brokerage agreement) of the current WKLB takes place.
> will probably continue on 102.5's HD-2 channel to cover for
> the 99 year "trust" agreement.
I believe 96.9 HD-2 will be covering the classical commitment.
> Greater Media has a tendency to dump the Classical
> format off the stations they buy (i.e.-WQRS/Detroit and
> WFLN/Philadelphia). I doubt that WCRB will be the exception
> to the rule.
But do they want this reputation to continue? Greater Media's best move would be to ditch WCRB to 99.5, forcing the new owner of that frequency to kill the classical legacy. Of course, if they just want to be cheap, 99.5 will just end up simulcasting 102.5 until a sale (or time brokerage agreement) of the current WKLB takes place.
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