New England RadioWatch: September 20, 1996

WBZ's 75th, etc.

by Scott Fybush

• New England's oldest radio station, Boston's WBZ (1030) celebrated its 75th anniversary this week, with much merriment both on and off the air.

  Off-air, the big event was a party for staff and clients Wednesday night at the Boston Harbor Hotel. Guests of honor from 'BZ's past included Carl deSuze, Dave Maynard, Guy Mainella, Don Kent, Ken Meyer, Don Batting, and Bob Wilson. On-air, many of those same voices were heard during special segments on the anniversary morning, September 19, along with anniversary greetings from many of the state's politicos, plus Paul Harvey and a birthday poem from Charles Osgood. The David Brudnoy talk show Thursday night included chats with Dave Maynard, a 'BZ vet since the late 50s, and former producer-talk host Ken Meyer. And this Saturday, September 21, 'BZ's "Sports Saturday" will mark the anniversary by bringing many of Boston's legendary sports voices in for a special show from 12:30 to 6:30pm.

• Down in Southern Connecticut, Cox's adult-contemporary WEZN (99.9) in Bridgeport is changing its name. The station now bills itself as "Star 99.9." NERW Connecticut correspondent Bill Dillane says no call changes are planned; it's just that the old "WEZN" identity didn't mesh too well with the upbeat AC the station is playing these days. WEZN's big competition is WEBE (107.9) in Westport.

• A Providence, R.I. sportscaster can return to the airwaves, now that his opponent in a state legislative election has waived a potential equal-time challenge. Republican John Rooke was pulled from his role doing play-by-play for Providence College basketball and Brown University football after officials at WPRO (630) were warned that his on-air work might subject them to equal-time challenges by Democrat Elizabeth Dennigan. Dennigan at first refused to sign a waiver, but as the radio ban became a noisy campaign issue, she backed down this week. Also from the politics-and-radio front, former WXTK (94.9 West Yarmouth MA) talk host Ed Teague has won the GOP nomination for Congress in Massachusetts' 10th district, which covers Cape Cod and the South Shore.

• UMass football is on the air in Boston for the first time in a decade. Evergreen's adult standards WXKS (1430) Everett-Boston will pick up the games, joining a network that includes flagship WHMP (1400) Northampton, WORC (1310) Worcester, WUHN (1110) Pittsfield (which has reportedly switched from satellite oldies to satellite country), and WGAM (1520) Greenfield.

• Hard rocker WAAF (107.3) Worcester-Boston is branching out to television. The soon to be ARS-owned station is launching "WAAF Real Rock" starting October 5th, in a midnight Saturday time slot on Boston independent WABU-TV (68). The program will showcase WAAF personalities, as well as the music they play.

• And finally this week, the mystery of the unusual "WROR..AM" top-hour ID on Boston's AM 1150 has been solved. NERW has learned that the ID originates separately from the rest of AM 1150's programming. The programming comes from the Cambridge studios of ADD Media, which leases WROR(AM)'s broadcast day...but the ID is inserted automatically by a cart machine at the Stuart Street studios of station owner Greater Media.

  So what happened? Seems the automation equipment opens the audio chain from the cart machine for just 2.5 seconds -- which was long enough for the previous ID of "WROR, Boston" and the "WMEX, Boston" ID before that -- but not quite long enough for the "WROR AM Boston" ID that was recorded once the 'ROR calls returned to FM 105.7 as well. Which is why all we've been hearing is the "WROR...AM" portion.

  And that's that for this week...next time out, NERW reflects on its visit to our nation's capital.