WWZN and 1510

[HHH]

Dan S. may know the answer to this:

Why does not WWZN (1510) diplex with WMKI for their day operation, keeping Waltham for night only?

This would return WWZN (formerly WMEX) to the Squantum marsh area, where (from what I understand) they could run 50KW non-directional during the day (now that WNLC New London is deleted). 50KW non-D from that location with a salt-water shot from Canada to The Cape would seem to make a fabulous
improvement over their current day signal from dry Waltham.

Night time is impossible from there (this is why they moved in the 80s), so keep Waltham for nights.

Wouldn't this radically kick up the equity and value of the license, and possibly attract a major group (Clear Channel, CBS, etc) to purchase?

I just keep thinking of that 50K non-directional day from Sqantum. What Mac Richmond wouldn't have done to get that signal for WMEX in the 60s!

 

[DanStrassberg]

A daytime diplex of 1510 and 1260 appears technically feasible. And since the demise of 1510 in New London CT, ND operation during noncritical daylight hours also appears possible (or if not, it appears to be within a whisker of being possible). WWZN would have to run directional during CH, however, to protect co-channel WLAC, Nashville from daytime-skywave interference. Using the three 1260 towers for this purpose appears feasible. In fact, only two of the towers might do the job adequately. The 1260 towers, would, of course, be much less efficient than the 198-degree towers at 411 Waverley Oaks Rd but the proximity of a salt-water path to all of Boston and a lot of the North Shore would more than make up for the reduced antenna efficiency.

Why hasn't this been done? Does anyone know whether Disney/ABC, which owns 1260, would be amenable? Also, the cost of the separate daytime facilities would not be inappreciable (my guess is north of $1.5 million), and instead of paying an exhorbitant rent on one site, there would be an exhorbitant rent on that site plus a (presumably) not-so-exhorbitant rent on the other site. WWZN's already bleak financial picture would only get worse.

Now, if WWZN could change its COL to Quincy (not possible until the FCC opens another AM major-change filing window) and operate with maybe as much as 5 kW at night from the 1260 site, the Waltham site could just go away. (There would be the little matter of breaking the lease, but the landlord might be agreeable.) In return for decimation of its night signal, WWZN would get drastically reduced operating costs. The night signal would probably remain adequate for a station running brokered multi-ethnic programming targeted at the inner-city--which seems to be what's in the cards for 1510 once Paul Allen finally sells it.

There is another possible site for WWZN that might provide somewhat better nighttime coverage of Boston but would in no way provide a full-market signal at night--even at 50 kW--if that night power proved to be feasible.

 

[HHH]

Thanks Dan.

It seems to me that a 50K non-D daytime from Squantum swamps (N. Quincy)--diplexed with 1260--and the Waltham site for night (expensive as it is) would be a solution to build up the property as as close to a 24/7 full market signal as 1510 will ever be.

It would be a shame if the Waltham site went away totally, forcing the station to have a night signal that would be a major deterioration, especailly in the face of potentially great day coverage with 50K non-directional from the salt marsh. To lose "Boston" as the "COL" (due to the night reduction) would
be a shame to this venerable old frequency.

 

[Eli Polonsky]

It seems to me that a 50K non-D daytime from Squantum swamps (N. Quincy)--diplexed with 1260--and the Waltham site for night (expensive as it is) would be a solution to build up the property as as close to a 24/7 full market signal as 1510 will ever be.

It would be a shame if the Waltham site went away totally, forcing the station to have a night signal that would be a major deterioration, especailly in the face of potentially great day coverage with 50K non-directional from the salt marsh. To lose "Boston" as the "COL" (due to the night reduction) would be a shame to this venerable old frequency.

I was a WMEX listener in the 60's and certainly appreciate 1510's heritage in Boston, but that was then, this is now. What could possibly be done nowadays for a format on an underperforming AM station in the current Boston market that could bring in enough revenue to justify expensive signal upgrades?

 

[freddyb590]

I believe that the 1260 tower site is still owned by Salem (from when WEZE and WPZE were running on 1260).

 

[HHH]

Yes, Dan, good question about the return on the investment of constructing a diplexed 1510 day site with WMKI AND keeping the expensive Waltham site.

I suppose it depends on how desirable this new setup would be to the groups with deep pockets (CBS, Clear Channel, Salem) who also produce syndicated programming which they need to clear in the top markets, or--like in the case of WBZ--may want to create a "flanking station" to do all-sports or a second news service with a different approach. Or, I suppose it depend on what happens with IBOC Digital AM Stereo as to the desirability of a big-signal music service which is heard all up and down the New England coast. Possibly a WGBH purchase for a second service of some kind.

It just seems to me that 50K non-D (even only daytime) from the salt marsh of Squantum would be worth something. Maybe not right now, but in the future.
It would be a pretty flamethrowing signal in a very important part of the country.

 

[MarcB]

1510 should go Espanol. There's been a huge hole for a year now. It was last July when Mega 890/Mega 1400 went ESPN. Or sell the station to the owners of ESPN 890 flip it to ESPN and sell 890 to someone and bring back Mega 890.

 

[JustinT]

1510 should go Espanol. There's been a huge hole for a year now. It was last July when Mega 890/Mega 1400 went ESPN. Or sell the station to the owners of ESPN 890 flip it to ESPN and sell 890 to someone and bring back Mega 890.

There's clearly a hole for Spanish; the fact that WUNR and WRCA are showing up in the Arbitrons just show the need for a true, formatted station. Problem is, as I've said before, the Hispanic population isn't concentrated in a specific area of the market like in other metropolitan areas. A Spanish-formatted station would need to reach to Lawrence to the north, Worcester to the west, Brockton to the south, and of course Boston to the east in order to cover all areas with potential listeners. 99.5 would have been a perfect fit, but we know what that station is doing now.

With the aforementioned upgrade to the Squantum site, perhaps 1510 would work. But I'd doubt that Paul Allen plans to put any money into the station at this point.

 

[Eli Polonsky]

There's clearly a hole for Spanish; the fact that WUNR and WRCA are showing up in the Arbitrons just show the need for a true, formatted station. Problem is, as I've said before, the Hispanic population isn't concentrated in a specific area of the market like in other metropolitan areas. A Spanish-formatted station would need to reach to Lawrence to the north, Worcester to the west, Brockton to the south, and of course Boston to the east in order to cover all areas with potential listeners. 99.5 would have been a perfect fit, but we know what that station is doing now.

Those three outlying areas are also served by local full-time dedicated Spanish stations. Lawrence by 800 WNNW, Worcester by 1310 WORC-AM, and Brockton by 1410 WMSX. A Boston station would be competing in those areas, but the immediate Boston metro area currently only has daily Spanish programming included on brokered stations such as WUNR and WRCA.

 

[SonicOverload]

I'm probably one of their few listeners but I like the Sporting News Radio lineup. That and ESPN radio provide a welcome respite from the clown act on WEEI. I still listen to some programmng on WEEI but I've grown tired of the roles they play... and many of the 'regular' callers.