Investment firm Hicks, Muse, Tate, and Furst has significant interests in both LIN and Chancellor -- and in Capstar, which owns WPLR (99.1) and LMAs WYBC (94.3) in New Haven, as well as owning four FMs and an AM in Hartford. The trades are already buzzing about a combined Capstar-Chancellor, which would create a massive media conglomerate in the Nutmeg State.
Elswhere in Connecticut, the Bloomfield pirate known as "Prayze 105" was the subject of a lengthy article in the Hartford Courant this week. The newspaper spoke with several Prayze 105 listeners and advertisers -- and with licensed WKND (1480 Windsor), which claims it's losing ad revenue to the long-running pirate at 105.3.
More on the simulcast 10PM newscast at WTXX (Channel 20) and WTIC-TV (Channel 61): The folks at WTIC say even though the sports and weather segments seen at the end of WTXX's half-hour are taped right now, they may go live eventually. In the meantime, the "CT20" version of the newscast is being offered to viewers as a shorter alternative to the full hour seen on Fox 61.
Big Apple news anchor Ernie Anastos is becoming a station owner. The WWOR (Channel 9) anchor is one of the partners buying WJKE (101.3 Stillwater) in the Saratoga Springs market. Peter Coughlin's Fair Way Communications gets $900,000 for the adult contemporary station. He's using the money to buy two stations in Florida.
Sinclair Broadcasting has closed on its purchase of Sullivan Broadcasting, including WUTV in Buffalo and WUHF in Rochester, but don't count Sullivan head Dan Sullivan out just yet. He's buying Utica Fox affiliate WFXV (Channel 33) Rome and UPN affiliate WPNY-LP (Channel 11) Little Falls as part of the deal, under the new corporate name Quorum Broadcasting.
Way up north, we hear the debut of Norwood's WAZV (96.1) has been delayed, after a lease deal for a tower site fell through. Expect a fall sign-on date at the earliest.
In Buffalo, Sue O'Neil is the new operations manager for WMJQ (102.5) and for WKSE (98.5), where she had been program director. At WMJQ, Dave Gillis takes over PD duties from morning co-host Rob Lucas. A new PD for WKSE is expected to be named soon.
Buffalo's UPN affiliate was the subject of a nice profile in Wednesday's Buffalo News. WNGS (Channel 67) is a true mom-and-pop station, the creation of Pennsylvania natives Caroline Powley and Bill Smith. Powley's father, John, owned WOPC (Channel 38, now WATM Channel 23) in Altoona until the mid-eighties.
More LPTV displacements: This week's batch includes three that haven't been built yet, Anthony Fant's W63BM Rochester moving to 35 and W69CS Buffalo to 36. NERW believes both will relay PaxNet's yet-to-be-built Channel 51 in Batavia. Also moving is W15BH in Buffalo (which appeared in the FCC listing as "Buffalo PA"!), heading to the WUTV tower on Grand Island with 11.6 kilowatts.
Former WRKO talker Tom Leykis came back to town the night before the Fourth, turning up with a few hours from the Samuel Adams Brewpub. Leykis' syndicated show is heard on several area stations including WCAP and WGY, but not in Boston itself.
What's that going up on Wood Hill in Andover? We're told construction has begun on the new tower for WKLB-FM (99.5), next to the old one.
Here's what's changing at WHYN in Springfield: Pat McKay, formerly of WBWZ (93.3 New Paltz) and WRWD (107.3 Highland) in the Hudson Valley, comes to the stations as program director. Former PD Chris Tracy heads to the engineering shop.
Longtime WMJX (106.7 Boston) afternoon jock John Kosian has left the building. NERW hears he really did leave voluntarily, to spend more time with his young children. Music director Mark Lawrence takes on afternoon duties for now.
Up for sale: Dynacom wants to get rid of the two AMs that came with its purchase of WQVR (100.1 Southbridge). We hear the asking price for WESO (970 Southbridge) and WARE (1250 Ware) is in the half-million dollar range.
And the inevitable displacement application: PaxNet-to-be W54CN Boston has applied to go to channel 40.
And the inevitable displacement application: TBN's W19BC (Dover-Foxcroft) has applied to go to channel 27.
And the inevitable displacement application: Killington's W18AE has applied to go to channel 51.
And that's it for this week; we'll see you again next Thursday!