New England RadioWatch: March 29, 1996

by Scott Fybush

• Not much to report this time, except that WDIS 1170 in Norfolk MA has returned to the airwaves. The station is still running a talk format.

• On the construction-permit front, WFFF-TV 44 in Burlington VT has been granted permission to move its transmitter. The transmitter for the not-yet-on-air station was to have been in New York state. Now it will join the market's other UHFs, WVNY 22 and WETK 33, atop Mount Mansfield, Vermont's highest point.

• The FCC's latest expanded-band plan does little for New England. The last plan had just one New England station moving, WNSW 1200 Brewer (Bangor), Maine. The new plan has just one New England station moving, WZNN 930 Rochester NH, to 1700. Just over the New England line, WTRY 980 Troy NY would still move, to 1640. Oddly, WESO 970 Southbridge MA placed very high on the FCC's list of stations qualified to move (they were 21st), yet the station did not receive an expanded-band allocation.

• Now that Infinity has purchased WBOS 92.9 Brookline-Boston, the station is undergoing a subtle shift away from AAA. The new tagline is "Rock of the 80s and 90s," and a new series of TV ads contrast 'BOS with the stations that play "Hard Rock" (presumably a stab at WAAF) and "Old Rock" (apparently a stab at Infinity stablemate WZLX). We shall see whether this month's format can succeed at this notoriously underperforming station.

• An interesting translator application: Saga Communications has applied for a translator of its soft-rock WZID 95.7 Manchester, some 45 miles away in Laconia NH. The requested frequency is 96.5, the same spot on the dial where WAEF in Bedford NH (adjacent to Manchester) is expected to sign on this spring. WZID wouldn't be trying to squeeze out a competitor, now would they? Naaaahh....