WMRN, 102.5 Zanesville Status

[boyphenom]

As for Highland Co. losing their FM? Who cares? It was wasted there anyway.

http://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/vacant?select=city&city=hillsboro&state=oh&x=0&y=0

Looks like plenty of open spectrum to start up a nice FM station there. People just Complain instead of doing something.

Not only that, but there are already a gazillion country stations out that way. I doubt the one specific to Highland Co. offered anything you can't already hear on WKKJ or WPAY.

 

[CBusDave]

Was it smarmy?

What's so smarmy about it? It is what it is. There are now 45 stations so CC gets the benefit of different rules.

I definitely agree that CC is fully within their rights. However.... the FCC turned a blind eye to the move-ins that were obviously part of the Columbus metro BEFORE there were 45 stations in the market. It could be argued that CC had 4 FM stations when they were subjected to the previous rule. WHIZ comes in and saves the day and allows for 5 Columbus metro stations for CC that the FCC is finally willing to recognize when just a day before the FCC "believed" that CC had 3 Columbus FMs.

Smarmy.

You gotta admit though, cleverly executed by CC. In the document the FCC even went out of their way to state that there was no evidence that CC had any influence over the move-in of WHIZ.

 

[Allfirdup]

Was it smarmy?

What's so smarmy about it? It is what it is. There are now 45 stations so CC gets the benefit of different rules.

I definitely agree that CC is fully within their rights. However.... the FCC turned a blind eye to the move-ins that were obviously part of the Columbus metro BEFORE there were 45 stations in the market. It could be argued that CC had 4 FM stations when they were subjected to the previous rule. WHIZ comes in and saves the day and allows for 5 Columbus metro stations for CC that the FCC is finally willing to recognize when just a day before the FCC "believed" that CC had 3 Columbus FMs.

Smarmy.

You gotta admit though, cleverly executed by CC. In the document the FCC even went out of their way to state that there was no evidence that CC had any influence over the move-in of WHIZ.

not so Smarmy, if you look at the application and attachements, you can see that actually coulumbus will no be 47

they counted WMRN as 45, then WHIZ would make 46, and it doesnt count WHKC which would be 47

http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/getattachment_exh.cgi?exhibit_id=397753

 

[boyphenom]

not so Smarmy, if you look at the application and attachements, you can see that actually coulumbus will no be 47

they counted WMRN as 45, then WHIZ would make 46, and it doesnt count WHKC which would be 47

http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/getattachment_exh.cgi?exhibit_id=397753

But you guys don't seem to be getting that the number of stations that CC owns in the market or the total number of stations in the market has absolutely NOTHING to do with whether the move in would be allowed or not. The objections were a red herring to slow the process down. Either way the result would be:

1. Less than 45 stations -- CC gets 106.5 and sells 105.7;
2. More than 45 stations -- CC gets both.

Either way WMRN gets in.

 

[CBusDave]

not so Smarmy, if you look at the application and attachements, you can see that actually coulumbus will no be 47

they counted WMRN as 45, then WHIZ would make 46, and it doesnt count WHKC which would be 47

http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/getattachment_exh.cgi?exhibit_id=397753

Interesting though that the original argument presented by CC on the application wasn't used by the FCC in addressing the objections. Did something about it not pass "muster"? 19 Watt WSLN is kind of a stretch but I can see CC's argument. What about it didn't the FCC like?

And another good point. Why not mention WHKC in the approval? They made a big deal about WHIZ when they could have just said, "Hey listen... WHKC put Columbus over 45 already."

Great stuff regardless. Interesting time for Columbus radio.

 

[kentuckymedia]

WCHO FM while serving mostly Fayette County will now offer programming for both Fayette and Highland. Plus with the stations now being in question on who will own them, it could get even more interesting. There is a company called Buckeye Broadcast Communications that offered Clear Channel money for the WCHO A/F combo but of course Clear Channel was paying Dean Goodman to take all those leftovers off their hands.

B.B.Comm is also in the process of buying an AM/FM combo outside of Chillicothe. Guess who owns B.B.Comm....give you one guess.

As for who is buying WHIZ? Look for Saga to be picking up a new station here soon, but remember no one told you that.

 

[Nu_Roo_2]

As for who is buying WHIZ?  Look for Saga to be picking up a new station here soon, but remember no one told you that.

WHIZ won't be full city-grade, right?  Maybe more like WHOK?  It's mind-boggling that in a market this size there is only ONE local owner-- CC -- that has more than a single truly city-grade FM.  And they will soon have FOUR of them (assuming 106.7 will be full city-grade...does anyone know?).

As D, er boyphenom said, CC really deserves credit on the engineering side, and the other local owners look kind of lame in their lack of initiative (or just plain inability) to somehow create at least a duopoly of full city-grade FM's.  Yes, this has been an under-radioed market, but dereg is over 10 years old, and CC has managed to do it...apparently twice now (and the hat-trick with 105.7 exceeds what anyone else has accomplished, too).

 

[radiogeek07]

So, is it safe to say that Columbus will have a new station on the air come January? Who also thinks it'll be a TVN symolcast?

 

[GovernorV]

The thing about earlier comments relating to WSRW in Hillsboro is that suggesting that the movement of 106.7 is no big loss to the community is that such a position only focuses on similarly formated stations in the outlying area of the station's coverage. Sure, you can hear country music on WKKJ, WPAY, WCHO, and for that matter, WCOL and WHOK. Be that as it many, those stations do not have a person local to Hillsboro living and breathing the issues in the community and serving the city of license. WSRW, for all its warts, has done a great job of covering and serving its local community for decades, even through the CC acquisition.

 

[boyphenom]

The thing about earlier comments relating to WSRW in Hillsboro is that suggesting that the movement of 106.7 is no big loss to the community is that such a position only focuses on similarly formated stations in the outlying area of the station's coverage. Sure, you can hear country music on WKKJ, WPAY, WCHO, and for that matter, WCOL and WHOK. Be that as it many, those stations do not have a person local to Hillsboro living and breathing the issues in the community and serving the city of license. WSRW, for all its warts, has done a great job of covering and serving its local community for decades, even through the CC acquisition.

Then give them a Class A station ... don't waste 50,000 watts on cornfields. Besides, WCHO's tower is located south of Washington Court House and will put a city-grade signal over Hillsboro.

 

[SportsRadioDoc]

So, is it safe to say that Columbus will have a new station on the air come January? Who also thinks it'll be a TVN symolcast?

January is probably a safe guess, but things always take longer than expected. A WTVN Symulcast? Doubt it, but you may be on the right track.

 

[Radioma18]

According to radio-locator.com they now have their construction permit.

http://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/info?call=WMRN&service=FM

 

[gabigley1]

The Official WMRN-FM CP is now posted on the FCC Database. Click here:

http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/prod/cdbs/pubacc/Auth_Files/1125268.pdf

Click here for the New WRMN-FM Coverage map:

http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/FMTV-service-area?x=FM1125268.html

 

[XM614OhioState]

I am guessing its the new hip-hop & R&B station related to the other topic in this forum. Although, it would concern me that the station would be to close to 107.5

 

[lovejamminoldies]

What do you hear when you tune in?

 

[columbus radio fan]

What do you hear when you tune in?

Right now? WOSU-FM if you're near the translator.

 

[gabigley1]

Click here for more on the WOSU radio translator on 106.7:

http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2002/12/02/story6.html?t=printable

Friday, November 29, 2002
Clear Channel proposal worries WOSU StationsBusiness First of Columbus
by Kathy Showalter Business First

WOSU Stations and an independently owned radio translator service claim they will be hurt if the Federal Communication Commission approves a plan to move Marion radio station WMRN-FM to Dublin.

The translator, located at 106.7 on the FM dial, rents space on one of WOSU's towers and rebroadcasts WOSU-FM to portions of Franklin County. The rental generates $12,000 a year for WOSU Stations, an umbrella organization for six public radio stations, WOSU-TV and WPBO-TV in Portsmouth.

If the FCC approves the relocation plan, recently proffered by radio giant Clear Channel Communications Inc., the translator will be forced off the air and WOSU, an Ohio State University affiliate, will be out the rent.

 

[columbus radio fan]

Click here for more on the WOSU radio translator on 106.7:

http://columbus.bizjournals.com/columbus/stories/2002/12/02/story6.html?t=printable

Friday, November 29, 2002
Clear Channel proposal worries WOSU StationsBusiness First of Columbus
by Kathy Showalter Business First

WOSU Stations and an independently owned radio translator service claim they will be hurt if the Federal Communication Commission approves a plan to move Marion radio station WMRN-FM to Dublin.

The translator, located at 106.7 on the FM dial, rents space on one of WOSU's towers and rebroadcasts WOSU-FM to portions of Franklin County. The rental generates $12,000 a year for WOSU Stations, an umbrella organization for six public radio stations, WOSU-TV and WPBO-TV in Portsmouth.

If the FCC approves the relocation plan, recently proffered by radio giant Clear Channel Communications Inc., the translator will be forced off the air and WOSU, an Ohio State University affiliate, will be out the rent.

...and WOSU and Ohio State can recoop that $12,000 by allowing a cell company to put up a new facility on their tower and could easily double that amount.

 

[CatFM]

It's goofy that WOSU-FM has the best FM signal in the market and they have a translator for it only a few miles away. What a waste of spectrum. It never was needed for them and it won't be missed. As for the money, one of their parking areas that cost $10 per quarter to park in with a temporary permit last year has increased to $25 per quarter this year. A 125% increase in one year??? Everything at OSU is money money money! I can't believe they are whining about $12,000 for that translator rent. They can make that up on parking permits alone.

 

[CBusDave]

It's goofy that WOSU-FM has the best FM signal in the market and they have a translator for it only a few miles away. What a waste of spectrum. It never was needed for them and it won't be missed. As for the money, one of their parking areas that cost $10 per quarter to park in with a temporary permit last year has increased to $25 per quarter this year. A 125% increase in one year??? Everything at OSU is money money money! I can't believe they are whining about $12,000 for that translator rent. They can make that up on parking permits alone.

Well to be fair, OSU departments are all separate from each other with different budgets. WOSU has a different budget than Traffic and Parking. Traffic and Parking probably has to foot the bill for all those fancy parking garages.

As for the translator, I don't think they have always simulcast WOSU. For awhile it was WWCD if I recall... and WHOK for awhile. They probably just wanted to retain the right to rent it out to *someone*.