Similar call letters (WBZ, WBZS)

[raccoonradio]

I understand the AM 550 in Pawtucket RI which Salem bought and will put religion on will
have the call letters WBZS (official as of 1/1?). Similar to the legendary WBZ here.

http://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/finder?call=WBZS&x=0&y=0&sr=Y&s=C
>>WBZS-AM 550 kHz
Pawtucket, Rhode Island (Currently Dark)

Don't know if there will be a problem, probably not as it's not the same market but I guess in the past sometimes complaints were made if a station requested similar call letters to that of a
competitor (perhaps hoping that they could benefit from errors in ratings diaries?)


Of course sometimes the same company will request similar calls: Entercom's WAAF...WKAF
But I remember that when 105.7 went country they were WCLB, for country CLuB. But apparently
WCRB complained (and maybe even WCVB-TV 5 even though that's TV?) so it changed to
WKLB...Also I recall when 96.9 went country they went to WBCS, Boston's Country Station
but maybe the similarly named WBCN had no problem with that...?

Anyone know of other examples and I wonder if CBS (WBZ) will complain? Did Salem Comm. pick those calls for a certain reason?

 

[Schuyler]

BiZness Salem. Or: We Buy Zoot Suits.

 

[DG02816]

WBZS sounds more like a call you'd have on a business-talker. If memory serves, 1460 Brockton flipped to business as WBZB, but CBS complained, resulting in the current WXBR calls there.

 

[raccoonradio]

I can't remember if it was said Salem would be putting religion on WBZS or their money talk but those call letters do imply the latter; but isn't there already business/money talk on 790 in Prov?

 

[DanStrassberg]

>>WBZS-AM 550 kHz Pawtucket, Rhode Island (Currently Dark)

I wonder what would have happened if Alex Langer had chosen the WBZS calls instead of WBIX when he flipped 1060 to Business talk (and other stuff--although he wanted to be recognized for business talk). Would have put WBZS only 30 kHz from WBZ. OTOH, ~50 years ago, the Boston area had WVDA on 1260, with transmitter in Milton on the Quincy line and WJDA, licensed to Quincy, on 1300. IIRC, WJDA complained but the WVDA calls remained until shortly after 1260 was sold.

But speaking of business calls for the Providence 550, if CBS complains about WBZS, WBIX might not yet be taken. Also, when Peter Ottmar owned what is now WEZE, he ran a business format with the WBNW calls. Those calls eventually moved to 1120 in Concord, which has a business format. But when Ottmar owned 590 here, didn't he also own 550 in Providence? And didn't it also run a business format? And weren't the calls WPNW?

Salem was involved in that in a roundabout way. IIRC. the end of the business format on 590 brought about the sale of 550 and the end of the business format there. It was Salem's purchase of 590 that caused Ottmar to sell 550; IIRC, 550 and 590 were more or less simulcast.

 

[cd637299]

Wasn't WBZS the calls of the former 1030 "synchro" for WBZ in Springfield?

And for those who are old enough to remember it....how did it sound back then? Was it a perfect synch, or was there any echo effect?

cd

 

[pqgeorge]

Wasn't WBZS the calls of the former 1030 "synchro" for WBZ in Springfield?

And for those who are old enough to remember it....how did it sound back then? Was it a perfect synch, or was there any echo effect?

cd

The booster was WBZA/Springfield on 1030. It left the air in 1962, as did WBZA-FM as well.

 

[MHB]

Of course sometimes the same company will request similar calls: Entercom's WAAF...WKAF
But I remember that when 105.7 went country they were WCLB, for country CLuB. But apparently
WCRB complained (and maybe even WCVB-TV 5 even though that's TV?) so it changed to
WKLB...Also I recall when 96.9 went country they went to WBCS, Boston's Country Station
but maybe the similarly named WBCN had no problem with that...?

Anyone know of other examples and I wonder if CBS (WBZ) will complain? Did Salem Comm. pick those calls for a certain reason?

(1) With WCLB, not sure a competitor "complained" but they wanted to avoid confusion in the ratings.

(2) With WBCS, WBCN took them to court over it.

 

[raccoonradio]

thanks--I do know eventually 96.9 and 105.7 merged as WKLB later and the moved to 99.5 and then 102.5
(for a time WBCS 96.9 and WKLB 105.7 simulcast then 105.7 became WROR and KLB calls moved tp 96.9 which stayed country)

A .pdf (or .hmtl) file about the patent court decision in BCN and BCS can be found (long URL) if you type
WBCN WBCS court into yahoo search

 

[DG02816]

550 under the business format was indeed WPNW. Those calls are now on a religious station in MI.

 

[ssetta]

This isn't call letters, but I remember for a very brief period of time in January 2003, WSNE was known as "Star 93.3," which was just like what was then "Star 93.7" Apparently people complained, so the name was changed to Coast.

 

[aerie]

I'm surprised that WMKK and WTKK, and WMKK and WMKI, are in the same market. I guess their audiences are different enough that there is no confusion.

 

[DanStrassberg]

I'm surprised that WMKK and WTKK, and WMKK and WMKI, are in the same market. I guess their audiences are different enough that there is no confusion.

Clearly we now need a WTMK, WMTK, or something of the sort. Will get three companies upset but lots of free publicity for the new station. Good slogan: When you sue us over our call letters, don't forget to mention our dial position

 

[Wbzfm2010]

theres only one problem no one has the balls to change formats in this market

 

[beantownradio25]

theres only one problem no one has the balls to change formats in this market

Everyone is doing pretty good with their own formats, no one really has a reason to flip.