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WPLM AM applies for downgrade

raccoonradio

raccoonradio

Scott Fybush's NorthEastRadioWatch at fybush.com notes today that WPLM 1390 is applying to broadcast on the tower its FM has
but with 500 watts day, 25 at night, instead of using the four tower array. Wiki. notes the station went silent in Jan after
part of its transmitter burned out. Currently licensed for 5,000 watts.
 
Kind a of surprised they are bothering with it at all. They haven't done anything with it other than simulcast 99.1 for a long time.

Didn't know it was 5kw as it doesn't really get out that well - I figured it was 1kw. Maybe the ground system is in poor shape. At 500w you will need to stand next to the tower to get it.

When they are off 1390 "The Dinosaur" comes in from central NY pretty well at night.
 
spt87 said:
Didn't know it was 5kw as it doesn't really get out that well - I figured it was 1kw.
Click to expand...
Its directional pattern never made it north to the greater Boston area at all, even back in the stations heyday decades ago when it used to throw a decent signal over southeastern MA, the Cape, the south coast, and much of RI.
 
1729702202590.png

This is/was the directional pattern. They did not reach RI. They pretty much covered Plymouth, bordering towns, and most of Cape Cod.
 
And WPLM hired Joe Castiglione back then in the 80s. The Red Sox broadcast network has changed quite a bit in that time. But Joe was always there. Til he retired 3 weeks ago, and yes to that question— I believe WHDH 850 was the Boston affiliate.
 
So even in the PLM years did WHDH also carry them but as an affilate?
For awhile WMEX had them and they had to have what was then WWEL-FM 107.9 run at least night games...

WHDH had them 1946-75 and for a time their Bob and Ray might do brief shows before or after, rain delays or postponements too, maybe.
 
As I recall WHDH had them for the impossible dream. WHDH lost the rights to WMEX. WMEX went bankrupt and WPLM picked up the rights but the Red Sox wanted a Boston affiliate and worked out a deal with WRKO. WRKO got the rights back and American Radio eventually got WHDH and created todays WEEI and moved the Sox there after the first Baseball strike.
 
Sep of 94 was the move of EEI from 590 to 850. The strike began mid Aug. The next season was slightly delayed as they worked out a settlement.
Around 09 most games were on WRKO perhaps to bolster its ratings (bumper stickers celebrating the 07 championship had RKO logo). EEI got select games like on Wed. Then Sports Hub debuted in mid Aug of 09..Entercom shifted all Red Sox games to 850 to help them out. The shift to FM was 9-12-11.
I recall that date because Sun the 11th marked 10th year anniversary of 9-11 with ceremonies in NY etc, then on the next day EEI -FM did their debut at 93.7.
 
spt87 said:
Kind a of surprised they are bothering with it at all. They haven't done anything with it other than simulcast 99.1 for a long time.

Didn't know it was 5kw as it doesn't really get out that well - I figured it was 1kw. Maybe the ground system is in poor shape. At 500w you will need to stand next to the tower to get it.

When they are off 1390 "The Dinosaur" comes in from central NY pretty well at night.
Click to expand...
They just spent some $$ a few years ago fixing the ground system and getting the pattern back into compliance. If I was them, turn in the AM and make the former studio and transmitter space into a roller disco for old-time sake.....
Seriously, turn off the AM knock down two of the four towers and use one tower for the FM primary and the other for the Aux. Use the land where the north towers stood as a park and donate it to the city. I wonder if the AM actually has any listeners at all.
Anyone have pics of their studios? Place looks kind of cool like a house.
 
Ok, didn't realize they had done work like that. Looking at the pattern it appears if you have boat you would pick up the signal pretty well - but most of Plymouth should have a good signal.

Plymouth is a decent size town. I'd think a separate, locally oriented news/talk morning show an the AM could attract an audience. Yes hiring a couple people to do that, finances, etc. could be obstacles and no heritage of that type of programming doesn't help. Plymouth has a lot of local businesses - restaurants, etc. so a 3 or 4 hour block of that type of program on the AM could be a good use.
 
spt87 said:
Plymouth has a lot of local businesses - restaurants, etc. so a 3 or 4 hour block of that type of program on the AM could be a good use.
Click to expand...
As a sidebar... and not a critique of your positive post... it seems that every time an AM is troubled it is suggested that there are lots of area restaurants that could be clients.

Those of us with radio management experience know that, other than chain companies, restaurants are the worst client category, tied with night clubs. Usually we ask for cash in advance, in fact.

Single local restaurants are generally not very profitable, although they may provide a nice income for the owners. But as a category with which stations can achieve profitability... the answer is "no".

And the chain restaurants, starting with McDonalds, don't buy local radio except for rare exceptions such as the opening of a new location.
 
A crowded 1390 from the 1960s shows WPLM with a pattern similar if not identical to its current pattern posted prior. Back then WPLM was a daytimer.

I forget the name of the source of the map.

wplm2.jpg
 
WMEX 1510 Renegade Radio show did ads for one place, maybe in exchange for meals for them.My friend Gary Leavitt does a 1 hr show on WATD with sponsors that pay for it.One hour
 
philsirkin said:
...and usually the only deal that can be struck is for trade, at top-of-the-card rates lol
Click to expand...
I can vouch for that….worked for a small town radio station. Employees didn’t make much money, station didn’t bill much, but we ate well lol. Question on the pay-to-play post above—do you know ballpark what an hour block on a station like that goes for?
 
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