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WFNX being sold to Clear Channel

It's supposed to happen in about a week: I believe WFNX is to shut off or somehow discontinue broadcasting (maybe play a loop? stunt?) on Sunday with CC to take over Monday, a week from today. From what I've seen the sale has not yet been approved by the FCC or at least they haven't announced the sale is approved. Also I guess no sign of call letter filing--we won't know the new format but CC can do so the moment the sale is approved I'd guess, and I don't know if there would be any clues to new format if certain calls are requested.

We'll all have to wait. Cons talk, Spanish, libtalk, oldies, who knows.
--Looked at the WFNX signal range via radio-locator. Yes, yes, yes, it's only a basic idea not totally accurate.
We have said the station does best in the city and not as well in suburbs where perhaps more conservative talk fans tend to live. But look: Solid signal in "local", then they still reach quite a bit of area with "distant".
As for fringe, if (assuming they went cons. talk) you're in that area, you can pick up most of the same shows
via Worcester (580), Prov (920) or Manch NH (610). Also for all we know CC could do a WEEI and keep the AM going so if the 101.7 can't reach you, the 1200 might. (Again it does surprisingly well here in Beverly.
Listened to some Bill Cunningham last night on 1200, clear to me)

Or... Mia?
Or... dare they try libtalk? Steph Miller and Ed Schulz?
(Talk shows: no or few music royalties...high time spent listening...if they only use parts of songs for bumpers I don't know if they'd have to pay royalties)

Or... going for the disaffected ODS listeners (though CBS had a reason for changing)
Fox Sports? (Synd by CC/Premiere; CBS would have to find other stuff for 98.5 overnights--and, why, they do have their own network coming up)

Anyway...still awaiting word even for just the approval of the sale.
 
(WHBA...?) Re: WFNX being sold to Clear Channel

oops, guess what NERW just posted on Facebook:
>>The calls "WHBA" were requested on Friday

and via tweet:
(NERadioWatch)There's an FCC filing now to change the #WFNX callsign to WHBA. Let the wild speculation begin... (or continue, anyway.)
 
Yes I was thinking of that :) But Lipstick being an HBA product rather than where one applies the lipstick...
hey, remember the old TV ad with skiier Suzy Chaffee saying people call her Suzy Chapstick? :)
 
The Harbor? The Bay? Variety Hits? Maybe some kind of rock?

Clear Channel has been launching some variety hits stations lately; Charlotte, Miami, Jacksonville all come to mind.
 
Gotta be conservative talk. WHBA = We Hate Barack's America or We Hire Bush Admirers. ;D

Or maybe HBA = HuB Alternative and nothing changes musically but the playlist is slashed to 450 titles!
 
WHBA could be branded as Hispanic Boston, or "Harbor/Bay", which to me would suggest a very soft AC format (softer than WMJX-106.7) which would allow Clear Channel's Delilah :eek: to be heard there at night.

It would also open up that frequency to go all-Christmas during the Holiday season.
 
Considering they are blowing up a legendary rock station, the new calls could stand for We Had Better Achieve
 
It is quite unbelievable that the cat is still in the bag. This must be one of the best kept secrets in radio in quite a while. They know what they are going to do. People know. The fact that it hasn't leaked out is truly impressive.
 
Bongwater said:
Considering they are blowing up a legendary rock station, the new calls could stand for We Had Better Achieve

Won't achieve a whole lot with its coverage limitations. Wishing Had Better Antenna!
 
Definitely.
I remember General Cinema used to own 100.7 and 1150 as WHUE (-FM) and AM, and the slogan was "Beautiful Music for YOU" (HUE="you" somehow) and I wondered why they didn't choose the calls
WHUB. Maybe they weren't available at the time. The HUB. (I think home shopping channel 66 was WHUB-TV
for awhile though wasn't it?)
 
A reason why they went with WBZ-FM instead of WHUB for 98.5 is to maintain the call letters for heritage AMs for their FM sports outlets: see also KDKA-FM (the AM is news/talk and the FM is sports), rather then something like WPFN (for Pittsburgh's Fan) :)
 
I’m wondering if keeping the new format a “secret” is the best choice for CC. Other than us who post of this website, and possibly some disgruntled FNX listeners, is there really any interest in the Boston area on what will become of 101.7 FM? Somebody mentioned that the switch could be built up with ads and promos, but the silence on CC’s part has been weird. It’s almost like if they don’t care then why should the average listener?
 
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