Rumor: Entercom/Nassau WEEI network deal dead

[JustinT]

I would think WXLO makes too money for Citadel to release it for any reason. I would bet more on 100.1 The Pike or WORC being sold to Entercom over WXLO, IMHO.

WWFX's signal is really only Worcester metro though, and WORC's signal is barely Worcester metro. While both of those could become WEEI's FM outposts in Worcester, neither could be positioned as WEEI's Boston area FM signal (granted you're not hearing WXLO in the Financial District either, but it would be a good fit simulcasting with the existing 850 signal).

Of course everything is complete speculation, but if such a sale were to take place, Citadel could shift the intellectual property of WXLO to 100.1, and WWFX to 98.9.

 

[argytunes]

Back in the 80s when Fred Miller was connected with WDCS-FM (106.3) in Scarborough, Maine...I seem to recall a half-religious/half classical music format?

Religious programming would be aired until noontime followed by light classical till late at night!

Maybe there's a grain of truth to the often-quoted slogan: God's money is good money! :

argytunes

 

[raccoonradio]

btw I know the WEEI/Nassau deal appears to be dead but I could swear I heard a liner tonight (voice
of Jim Cutler) on 'EEI saying it's the "WEEI Sports Radio Network" ?!?!? (And yes, they do have
1440/105.5/103.7, but I wonder if this is a sign that maybe they are expanding...or...Who knows.)

 

[NO DAG]

I've heard Mr. Cutler do an WEEI ID that ID'd all four Entercom owned stations.. I've never heard it as 'the network', that's probably a new one. perhaps a sign...

 

[jlehmann]

I started hearing those "network" IDs a few weeks ago. They were probably getting ready for the Nassau deal, which is now dead. They do still have their own 4 stations though, so I think that still qualifies.

 

[BRNout]

Proselytizing is part and parcel of Christianity for the denominations that run radio ministries. I don't think the FCC or any other government branch can do anything about those radio station deals on the grounds that Christian evangelism isn't in the best interest of a given community.

It doesn't serve the community of license - or even the metro area of license. Furthermore, the airwaves are (supposedly) publicly-owned and licenses to use them are allocated by the FCC. I find it interesting that we have athiestic zealots filing lawsuits over things like Christmas trees on public property, yet they don't seem to worry when religious broadcasters are buying up the airwaves left and right. Not to mention that far too many of these stations seem to be more about bilking the gullible out of their hard-earned cash as they are about proselytizing the uninitiated.

Let's take a quick look at Canada, where such formats are not banned but are controlled so that they are not overrepresented on the dial. Granted, Canada's system overreaches far too much - but the point is that it can be done. When reviewing for new licenses, the format and it's service to the COL is taken into account. Canada does have religious broadcasters, but very few. Basically in line with the size of the audience.

In some places in the US, these stations are far too prevalent on the dial. Right now, I'm thinking of central New York where there are far too many of these stations and where there are too few commercial stations. Wild comment: personally, I'd prefer to see licenses turned in than bandwidth taken up by powerhouses that no one listens to. All they do is block the out of market signals that may well do a better job in serving the people of that listening area.

The case of WCYI is a great example to consider. Maine is hardly a hotbed of born-again Christianity. It's just not, so I don't even want to get into that argument. And, there already is WBCI which is a religious broadcaster that managed to snag a powerhouse signal. OK, fine, we have one FM religious station in the area. Based on the various ratings books, almost no one listens to it but it is there and doing its thing. It serves the very few who do appreciate that type of broadcasting. But, the people of that area DO NOT need another such station. Here is where I wish a line could be drawn.

The whole thing has gotten out of hand and if it continues apace, rural areas will basically be stuck with a bunch of K-Love and snake handler stations (live from Twin Falls, Idaho) on translators, plus one local country station and maybe a rocker. And that is not how the spectrum should be doled out. I'm all for the free market, but even that great concept needs guidance at times.

 

[aaronread]

What wrong with the internet ? alot of radio stations stream online . There is no need for One station, to be on many radio signals . Hot 106 in Providence is on a weak signal , and Hot 106 has adds saying , " Listen to us online ,at Hot1063.com". The Internet is everywhere ( DeskTops,Labtops,Cell Phone's ).

Besides the fact that the internet, by and large, is not available in the car...internet streaming of any major league sport is tightly regulated by the sport; MLB doesn't want people listening/watching via local affiliates' webstreams...they want people paying to watch via mlb.com

 

[Bring Back F-105]

The sad part is many Nassau employees who were hoping they wouldn't be losing their gigs are now thinking otherwise...however the truth of the matter is the $ Nassau was hoping to pull from Sports Radio is now out of reach and that means any staffed stations will soon become automated like the majority of their clusters so PD's from the mountains of Northern New Hampshire to the shores of Cape Cod can look foward to tapes and resumes on thier desks real soon.

 

[dumber than a box of hair]

Let's take a quick look at Canada, where such formats are not banned but are controlled so that they are not overrepresented on the dial. Granted, Canada's system overreaches far too much - but the point is that it can be done. When reviewing for new licenses, the format and it's service to the COL is taken into account. Canada does have religious broadcasters, but very few. Basically in line with the size of the audience.

Wrong analogy, but thanks for playing. Canada doesn't have an equivalent of the US' First Amendment. The CRTC can and does impose far more restrictions than the FCC can, for that exact reason. What freedom of speech exists in Canada has been held by their courts not to apply to the regulation of broadcasting, whereas the exact opposite is true in the US.

 

[BRNout]

Let's take a quick look at Canada, where such formats are not banned but are controlled so that they are not overrepresented on the dial. Granted, Canada's system overreaches far too much - but the point is that it can be done. When reviewing for new licenses, the format and it's service to the COL is taken into account. Canada does have religious broadcasters, but very few. Basically in line with the size of the audience.

Wrong analogy, but thanks for playing. Canada doesn't have an equivalent of the US' First Amendment. The CRTC can and does impose far more restrictions than the FCC can, for that exact reason. What freedom of speech exists in Canada has been held by their courts not to apply to the regulation of broadcasting, whereas the exact opposite is true in the US.

It was an example and was not meant as an analogy. There is a difference, you know.

As I said above, Canada's system overreaches far too much and I'll agree with you that we could not have quite the same system here. Nor would we necessarily want it. For example, licenses are granted based on language as well as format and some of these decisions are quite political. Not to mention the Cancom regs. In the end, they tend to have less format diversity as a result. But, they also seem to get by without dollar-a-holler religious hucksters too. Or endless hours of brokered programming. It's a definite tradeoff though.

That being said, sometimes taking cues from another's system can be a good thing and does offer some hints as to how to deal with this business of proliferation of crap on what is supposed to be commercial radio does need to be reformed.

By the way, who ever told you that the first amendment applied to radio in the way you describe? Sure doesn't seem like it. I'll pose a question on that note: What would happen if the KKK wanted to buy a 100,000 watt station in a mid-sized market? Say, Memphis or Cincinnati. Do you think that the purchase would be approved?

I sincerely doubt it.

That same scrutiny should be given to other deals as well.

 

[JIBGUY]

There are more "religious" stations than just WBCI-FM (ex WJTO-FM). I forget the frequencies (as I don't listen to that kind of programming), but there are two more of 'em in the Freeport, Harpswell area, with both signals covering influential mid-coast areas including Portland. Then there's Bangor.... LOADED with high-power Cash-4-Christ stations. Maine has been inundated with these stations just as much as any other state. An in Maine, it's apparently all on FM !
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Different Catholic groups have also applied for at least 10 new non-comm FM's in Maine.
Sooo, if one wants religion in Maine, it is (or will be) there, on the dial in many places.
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On a different topic, I DO believe that a license would be granted to the KKK... eventually, after they take it to court after an initial "no license for you guys".
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I remember when Canada forbade religious programming on radio. Then, in the 70's it was allowed after 7 PM only. (I remember being in St John, NB, and hearing CHSJ doing it after 7 PM).
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One good thing about Massachusetts FM radio: There's very little religion on the FM band. Mass is an AM-religion radio state. Maine is FM.
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I wonder when the "Christian Pie" will be cut into so many pieces (slices) that none or few of the relgious stations will be making money..... where's the saturation point? If they stop making money, then I'm sure most of them will exit the business.

 

[JustinT]

There are more "religious" stations than just WBCI-FM (ex WJTO-FM). I forget the frequencies (as I don't listen to that kind of programming), but there are two more of 'em in the Freeport, Harpswell area, with both signals covering influential mid-coast areas including Portland. Then there's Bangor.... LOADED with high-power Cash-4-Christ stations. Maine has been inundated with these stations just as much as any other state. An in Maine, it's apparently all on FM !

The translator situation, in particular, is getting really bad in Southern Maine. WMDR-FM, which is an 88.9 in the Augusta area doing some sort of southern gospel-type format (as "God's Country") seems to be putting translators on everywhere! 97.1 in Sanford, 102.3 in Biddeford, and translators at both 92.5 AND 107.9 in Portland - how is that even allowed? And looking at radio-locator, apparently there's a CP for them to go 50,000 watts and cover down to Portland so there won't even be a need for most of these translators.

This was not the situation at all just two years ago...

 

[raccoonradio]

Boston Sports Media/Scott's shots on the collapsed deal

http://www.bostonsportsmedia.com/shots/

So, are the WBOS to sports rumors back in play?

 

[dumber than a box of hair]

By the way, who ever told you that the first amendment applied to radio in the way you describe? Sure doesn't seem like it. I'll pose a question on that note: What would happen if the KKK wanted to buy a 100,000 watt station in a mid-sized market? Say, Memphis or Cincinnati. Do you think that the purchase would be approved?

I sincerely doubt it.

Well, you would be wrong, at least as far as programming is concerned. The FCC does not get involved in programming decisions, and its own enabling law (the Communications Act), specifically Section 326, prohibits the FCC from engaging in censorship. The FCC, on its own web site, cites the First Amendment as the reason they cannot involve themselves in programming. We go through this every single time some person or group objects to some programming on a station whose license is up for renewal. Yes, every single time. The FCC denies the petition, and always on the same grounds: They do not involve themselves in programming decisions. And you don't have to look very far to find the kind of programming the KKK would love, already on the airwaves. Preachers of hate hold forth daily on many so-called religious stations.

Likely the KKK would be denied a broadcast license on character issues...for example, felony convictions of any principals of the corporation which would hold the license. The FCC has, in the past, denied licenses and renewals to all sorts of convicted criminals. In 2006, they opened a proceeding to strip a broadcast license from a convicted pedophile, almost as soon as the ink was dry on the sentencing order.