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WAAF on from WUNI and Paxton at the same time!
- Thread starter jlehmann
- Start date
Peter Q. George (K1XRB) said:
Right. One transmitter problem is going to make them move the main back to Paxton.
I'd like some of what you're smoking.
But the WUNI site reception in Cambridge/Boston near the Charles River, at best TIES the Paxton site. I believe the whole idea of this move was to get a better signal over metro Boston and in town, which--face it--really didn't happen. Even in Newton-Wellesley, the WUNI site is about what they had with Paxton.
But with Paxton, you got tremendous reach all over New England. OK, maybe it didn't translate into Boston bucks, but people do travel and it was nice to be able to drive from New Bedford to Springfield one day, and ride WAAF from Paxton all the way while everything from the Pru and the 128 farm faded out.
Some people seem to forget that the Paxton site was an original Armstrong FM site in the late 30s/early 40s, with the Yankee Network FM up there in the 40s actually licensed to Boston! Armstrong knew what he was doing.
Scott has a great story about the site: http://www.fybush.com/site-030313.html
But with Paxton, you got tremendous reach all over New England. OK, maybe it didn't translate into Boston bucks, but people do travel and it was nice to be able to drive from New Bedford to Springfield one day, and ride WAAF from Paxton all the way while everything from the Pru and the 128 farm faded out.
Some people seem to forget that the Paxton site was an original Armstrong FM site in the late 30s/early 40s, with the Yankee Network FM up there in the 40s actually licensed to Boston! Armstrong knew what he was doing.
Scott has a great story about the site: http://www.fybush.com/site-030313.html
HHH, We all know here and at Entercom that if you wanted the better total signal pattern you'd go with Paxton. But we live in a PPM world where that just doesn't matter anymore. If one or two more meters in Boston Area can hear the new site that is the one your going to go with. That is the market they care about and that is the only thing that matters today.
dumber than a box of hair said:
We're not talking about one problem. We're talking about a history of issues with a signal that's never lived up to what Entercom was hoping for. The first move to Stiles Hill was very brief, with big time complaints of coverage issues to the intended Boston Suburbs and the city. They've been back and forth a couple of times.
It should also be noted that the Stiles Hill site in Boylston is still not the licensed transmitter location for WAAF. The license is still for Asnebumskit Hill, and they've been operating with program test authority from Boylston since 2006. More than once, they've moved back to Asnebumskit
Entercom hasn't applied for a license to cover the Stiles Hill site. The only reason I can think of for that is that they're not convinced the Stiles Hill site is appropriate, and by still being licensed to Asnebumskit they could move back there today, no problem.
With all of those signals on the Pru causing interference, it's hard for any signal "outside" the city to get in.
Johnster said:
Yes, but I don't believe that there is ANY improvement in the Boston metro, and--I'll wager--some parts of the metro are probably getting a worse signal from the new site. Again, this is the Boston Metro, not out of town.
They now have 97.7 as the Boston fill-in (unless they have other plans for that), so I don't know why they are giving up so much.
It has to be the politics!!! With regards to the current 107.3 signal too...They are now significantly weaker on the North Shore than they were from Paxton! They have lost coverage everywhere with this bone headed move...and at best...stayed the same in areas where they expected improvement!!!
Re: It's probably politics...
I knew that the Channel 27 site was going to be a dog for FM. Channel 27 itself never really had a good signal in the Boston area even in the analog era. What helped Channel 27 was must-carry. Over-the-air, it was spotty at best. 107.3 was originally allocated to Worcester. They've tried to move it as close as possible to Boston by changing the COL to Westborough (10 miles east of Worcester). 107.3 will never be a true "Boston" signal due to the close proximity to 107.9, 106.7 and 107.1 (Exeter, NH). Getting the 97.7 simulcast was a big stroke of luck. Eventhough 97.7 is licensed to Brockton, it is on top of Great Blue Hill in Canton/Milton, MA and puts a city grade signal throughout the Greater Boston area. The Paxton site for 107.3 is still the site of record eventhough they've been operating on 27's tower for over 4 years. Maybe they're waiting for the lease to expire at Stiles Hill and plan to go back to Asnebumskit at a later date. Who knows.LA_Guy said:
Re: It's probably politics...
Luck??? How about spending $30 million for a Class A signal in market #10 only a couple of years before station values tanked and the station became worth only about $3 million. Oh, and besides the $30 million, having to spend several hundred $k more to upgrade the Class A to the full 6 kW @ 100m equivalent. That little Class A may be more potent than the market's other Class As (95.3 and 101.7), but no way--as a stand-alone--could it compete with all of the market's full and nearly full Class Bs. The only way I could imagine 97.7 as a free-standing signal (that is, not part of a simulcast), would be if it were running some narrowly targeted format that no other broadcaster could see running on FM (classical, religious, or maybe some ethnic format). Not that anyone would think of doing this, but since it has moved so far from its CoL (Brockton), it could not even revert to being a suburban-focused full-service station (like 104.9) because its signal in Brockton (MetroSouth's largest city) is no longer good enough. To do that it would have to move back to the 1460 stick. You know that won't happen!
Peter Q. George (K1XRB) said:
Luck??? How about spending $30 million for a Class A signal in market #10 only a couple of years before station values tanked and the station became worth only about $3 million. Oh, and besides the $30 million, having to spend several hundred $k more to upgrade the Class A to the full 6 kW @ 100m equivalent. That little Class A may be more potent than the market's other Class As (95.3 and 101.7), but no way--as a stand-alone--could it compete with all of the market's full and nearly full Class Bs. The only way I could imagine 97.7 as a free-standing signal (that is, not part of a simulcast), would be if it were running some narrowly targeted format that no other broadcaster could see running on FM (classical, religious, or maybe some ethnic format). Not that anyone would think of doing this, but since it has moved so far from its CoL (Brockton), it could not even revert to being a suburban-focused full-service station (like 104.9) because its signal in Brockton (MetroSouth's largest city) is no longer good enough. To do that it would have to move back to the 1460 stick. You know that won't happen!
Agree with Dan that 97.7 will not be able to compete as a "stand alone" unless it is a target or a second "fill-in" transmitter.
Just dreaming for a moment, I'll bet WGBH would love to simulcast WCRB 99.5 on that signal. It would get them into the city of Boston better and the south shore.
Or, as I said, a flat-out hip hop, like Hot 97 in New York, aimed at the inner city. The fact that 87.7 exists might be a clue to a need.
But if Entercom holds on to it--and won't go hip hop--I can see WAAF moving to 93.7, keeping the 97.7 simulcast to fill in the south. WAAF is really the only current-based, mainstream rock station left, right? Then open up 107.3 from Paxton in clean mono as a WEEI simulcast. With WEEI-AM's cut to the west, that would make sense. In mono. Paxton might even get a bit deeper into the Boston metro.
Someone mentioned WFNX. If Entercom is not going to do FM sports, they could buy WFNX (I don't think they'd sell, but again...we are dreaming here). I would simulcast WAAF from Paxton and 101.7 on the present site (One Financial) which would fill in the city perfectly, right around the colleges. Then simulcast Mike FM (93.7) on 97.7 to flesh out the south.
Man, the possibilities in a dream world are endless
Just dreaming for a moment, I'll bet WGBH would love to simulcast WCRB 99.5 on that signal. It would get them into the city of Boston better and the south shore.
Or, as I said, a flat-out hip hop, like Hot 97 in New York, aimed at the inner city. The fact that 87.7 exists might be a clue to a need.
But if Entercom holds on to it--and won't go hip hop--I can see WAAF moving to 93.7, keeping the 97.7 simulcast to fill in the south. WAAF is really the only current-based, mainstream rock station left, right? Then open up 107.3 from Paxton in clean mono as a WEEI simulcast. With WEEI-AM's cut to the west, that would make sense. In mono. Paxton might even get a bit deeper into the Boston metro.
Someone mentioned WFNX. If Entercom is not going to do FM sports, they could buy WFNX (I don't think they'd sell, but again...we are dreaming here). I would simulcast WAAF from Paxton and 101.7 on the present site (One Financial) which would fill in the city perfectly, right around the colleges. Then simulcast Mike FM (93.7) on 97.7 to flesh out the south.
Man, the possibilities in a dream world are endless
N
necrat123
Guest
reelyreal said:
Actually they did, but then asked to have it rescinded. In an official letter dated October 02, 2008, Entercom officially asked the FCC to reinstate the West Boylston license.
http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/getimportletter_exh.cgi?import_letter_id=10116
encarta95 said:
Yes, primarily among African-Americans in a targeted area in the city where 97.7 has a strong signal. That's what I mean by a targeted format. It couldn't possibly compete as a second CHR, second country, A/C, etc. It just does not have the market reach against the competitors. But as a solo format targeted to a population within their coverage area, or as a fill-in simulcast signal, it would be just fine.
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