This morning - AM 1580 is back to simulcasting 95X/93X...
-
Get involved.
We want your input!
Apply for Membership and join the conversations about everything related to broadcasting.
After we receive your registration, a moderator will review it. After your registration is approved, you will be permitted to post.
If you use a disposable or false email address, your registration will be rejected.
After your membership is approved, please take a minute to tell us a little bit about yourself.
https://www.radiodiscussions.com/forums/introduce-yourself.1088/
Thanks in advance and have fun!
RadioDiscussions Administrators
What is up with the Delmar stations?
- Thread starter redsfan1966
- Start date
K.M. Richards
Program Director, The Eighties Channel™
This situation has gotten to the point where I practically need a flow chart to track it all.
The delmar flowchart is nothing compared to another ownership flowchart i had to read recently
Fun Fact--- 93/95X plays the unedited version of Dire Straits' "Money For Nothing".
Most translators are not fed directly over the air. You're reading it a direct translation of the FCC rules, not how it is done in practice...
Speculatory theory: WXGT is in the Columbus market. WVXG/WQCD are not. Does WVXG run a syndicated show at the times that WXGT is running Oldies that is cleared on another Columbus station so they do not have the rights to in Columbus. Being on 92.9 still is a legal loophole around that.
K.M. Richards
Program Director, The Eighties Channel™
I can vouch for that being the case on several of the AM/translator combos that fall under various consulting retainer agreements that I have in force.
It is commonplace for these combos to feed outside of the air chain, as Lance says. Technically speaking, the FCC doesn't care how the translator is fed, so long as the programming is a simulcast of the designated originating station. If you pull up any station with a translator at FCCdata.org, Michi shows any associated translator at the bottom of the left column. If you click through to the translator, in that same area Michi lists the history of filings regarding the originating station. Sample enough translators, and you will find entries such as "microwave", "wired", "internet" and even "other".
I wouldn't be surprised if some translators were fed via a STL and the AM actually picks up the translator off the air and uses that for its programming. We're dealing with the "spirit of the rule" here and as long as there is a 100% simulcast, there's not going to be a NAV issued.
What I am unable to decipher from @xmusicmatt's rather convoluted post is if there is a translator in that mess which is originating programming on its own. That would be a violation. (BTW, incorrect RDS data is not covered by any FCC rule that I am aware of.)
Oh I know - Barix boxes, tielines, satellite dishes, HD-2s, zip ones, computer in a closet etc... Oh and on a rare occasion and actual AM or FM tuner.
Times I have tuned in and switched between both on Saturday and Sunday that I have heard the TOC on the AM the FMs/WQCD have been just running locally automated music. Does not mean there is not a 30 minute show or something somewhere I didn't hear though that could fit your theory.
Truthfully I feel like given the wheel of formats on 92.9 - My929, CD92.9, 93X Alt Rock, WXGT Oldies, Spanish, 95X/93X ... I got a feeling Delmar is just doing what they are doing right now to keep the license hot until they figure what to really do with it and plugging in the classic rock simulcast and testing the waters with oldies on the AM is the flavor of the season at the moment.
There are two translators licensed to 92.9 - one is tied to AM 1550 WQCD and the other is tied to 1580 WXGT. When 1580 WXGT is running "True Oldies Channel" as discussed in this thread and it's FM translator 92.9 W225CS (WXGT as it's displayed on RDS) is still airing the same programming as WQCD one could argue it's not simulcasting the station it's licensed too - however as Lance has alluded nothing can stop the owner from changing the source technically and just file with the FCC to do so. the only thing I called out was when the AM was running it's own programming the 92.9 translator was still IDing the AM which I found odd but outside of a radio geek - the average listener wouldn't care.
Checked today on the way home from Grove City and 1580 is back to True Oldies Channel... Without a doubt it will be back to classic rock tomorrow morning!
K.M. Richards
Program Director, The Eighties Channel™
Okay, I am now officially at the point where I no longer care. This has gotten too ridiculously convoluted.
But will they still be mixin formats for St. Patrick’s Day?
92.9 has a new format for the moment! This time silence - Clearly the wind storms today has taken them off the air. The downtown Columbus translator is on air transmitting dead air.
92.9, 95.1 and 96.7 and 98.5 are all dead air. Guessing the Delaware studio is without power. Also noticed 93.7 Mt Vernon, 100.5 Findlay and 95.3 Kenton are also dead air (95.3 isn't even transmitting.)
Yeah your likely right re: no power at the studios. I checked this morning and 92.9, 96.7 and 95.1 all still dead carrier.
93.7 is back on air though. The other ones you mentioned are too far north for me to receive in Columbus.
Sort of blows away the adage that local radio is important during times of crisis.
I guess if they are required to have EAS equipment, they should also be required to have back up generators at studio and transmitter sites. Does no good to get emergency information if it can’t be passed on.
Delmar stations (1580 and 92,9) returned sometime Saturday evening. Not sure about the rest of their portfolio.
More and more stations are using the Internet for their STL and the widespread Internet outages took numerous stations off the air this past weekend.
I know for a fact that 95.1 is internet-fed. You can hear it randomly buffering, and I remember years ago when they hired "Tim Kennedy the Senator" as a DJ, he went on a tirade about CenturyLink's subpar internet causing 95.1 to go silent. Their transmitter location in rural Morrow County probably doesn't have the most reliable internet service.