WNYE to Simulcast WFUV HD3, Mornings

[Barry]

According to an article in today's New York Times, New York City owned WNYE 91.5 will be airing WFUV HD3, the Alternate Side, weekdays from 6 AM-12 pm, starting June 1. This replaces the rock programming produced by KEXP, in Seattle. The article states that WFUV will be paying WNYE for this rebroadcast. Like KEXP, WFUV HD3 showcases Indie and alternative music. But unlike KEXP, it is locally produced. The piece in the Times states that the Alternate Side does provide radio training for Fordham University students
As WNYE is one of the lowest rated stations in New York (.1), I'm not expecting this news to create a lot of excitement . I still feel that with such low ratings, WNYE should be sold, and New York City ought to get out of the radio business.

NY Times Article: http://artsbeat.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/05/29/a-new-radio-home-for-alternative-music/

 

[Theater of My Mind]

The Alternate Side is a really well-programmed station that does a great job of making their college-alternative format sound local, local, local. For all the lamenting we hear about NYC not being a rock market, HD radio containing no original programming, or too little excitement to be found on the radio at all any more, this station answers all of those refrains by doing things right. Even more impressive is that they've been doing it exclusively as an HD subchannel all this time, but it's probably for that very reason that they don't seem to get the credit they rightfully deserve - who even knows they're there?

You say you want a great alt-rock station in NYC? Well it's been there for a couple of years and in my opinion is just about the only good reason to own an HD Radio in New York (if only the signal were more reliable). The Alternate Side will be a much more appropriate fit on WNYE than the piped-in KEXP programming was - I never really understood that. And maybe they'll get a little more exposure being on the conventional FM band too, at least for part of the day.

As for the notion of New York City selling WNYE, well I have mixed feelings about that. I agree it's hard to see how the station serves the NYC government's interest. But if the city were to sell it there's a chance it could end up going to yet another God-caster. At least WNYE is putting some unique specialty programming on the air so my take on it is, be careful what you wish for.

 

[nd2023]

Sell it to Family Radio as a non-com, and then have Family Radio sell 94.7 to a commercial broadcaster. New York City gets the profit from the sale, Family Radio gets to pocket the difference in the price of 94.7 and 91.5 and get a better signal in the city and less overlap with 106.9, and we get another real radio station. Family Radio can use the proceeds to advertise October 21 as the new doomsday.

If anything, WFUV-HD3 is worthy of an HD translator, rather than Clear Channel or CBS.

 

[musichead1029]

Sell it to Family Radio as a non-com, and then have Family Radio sell 94.7 to a commercial broadcaster. New York City gets the profit from the sale, Family Radio gets to pocket the difference in the price of 94.7 and 91.5 and get a better signal in the city and less overlap with 106.9, and we get another real radio station.

Real radio station? We'd get another crap "best hits of the 90s and today" dreck outlet. Or yet another take on urban hits. Let NYC sell NYE to a noncomm consortium to carry the alternative programming. Family radio can keep WFME. Nothing more exciting is going to happen on the commercial dial with a full market signal. Do you people really think turning the likes of a WFME or WBAI over to commercial broadcasters would make anything better? Tune down the dial now. Crap as far as the ear can hear. Stop dreaming.

 

[nd2023]

We can only hope we'd get a new station as innovative as Pulse 87 was.

 

[MarcB]

Sell WNYE to K-LOVE for their Air-1 Network.

 

[DToTheJ]

Or better yet, give it to WBAI as part of a commercial/non-commercial tradeoff.

 

[ansky212]

Unless a new station is going to start playing country music I have no interest in any other format they might choose.

 

[Barry]

Someone that wanted to provide country music programming could buy time on WNYE. But I do not think they would be able to run regular commercials, as they are on a non-commercial frequency.
A few years ago, WNYE actually simulcasted XM radio's contemporary country channel for part of the day. This was only for a week or two. Apparently XM bought the time to promote the channel to country stationless New Yorkers.
As XM did not advertise this, and virtually no one listens to WNYE, maybe three people heard this broadcast.

 

[Barry]

The WNYE simulcast of The Alternate Side, WFUV HD3 has begun. It should be of interest to anyone that enjoys current rock, and wants to hear something a bit off the mainstream. It covers the local rock scene well, and Russ Boris is an engaging dj. I even heard some political rap from the hip-hop group Public Enemy.
Kudos to WFUV for operating such an interesting HD subchannel, and then making it available to those with regular radios on WNYE. Perhaps a way can be found for WFUV to LMA WNYE 24/7 for this service, or even buy it.
BTW, WNYE FM's web page only mentions in passing that 1/4 of their weekday programming has changed. The Alternate Side is shown on the schedule charts, but not mentioned anywhere else. Perhaps that sort of apathy is in part responsible for WNYE's abysmal ratings, despite its decent signal.

 

[DToTheJ]

...I even heard some political rap from the hip-hop group Public Enemy...

This is probably the first time Chuck D was on New York radio since the "Unfiltered" program on the now-defunct Air America network (then on WLIB; not sure if he was still around with AA when they moved their flagship to WWRL).

 

[musichead1029]

Kudos to WFUV for operating such an interesting HD subchannel, and then making it available to those with regular radios on WNYE. Perhaps a way can be found for WFUV to LMA WNYE 24/7 for this service, or even buy it.

It's a programming service that happens to be using an HD channel and two analog FM carriers part time as outlets. Of course it's available here world-wide, 24-7. Think of it as an online station with additional promotion.

BTW, WNYE FM's web page only mentions in passing that 1/4 of their weekday programming has changed. The Alternate Side is shown on the schedule charts, but not mentioned anywhere else. Perhaps that sort of apathy is in part responsible for WNYE's abysmal ratings, despite its decent signal.

Or perhaps its the hodge podge nature of programming typical of a brokered outlet. WFUV is leasing the timeslot from WNYE. I would imagine FUV will also handle promotions for its programming. I didn't see mention of any of the other leased programs on NYE outside of the program grid.

 

[WNTIRadio]

Shows you how pointless HD is when you have to lease another B1 for anyone to actually hear it.