New name/date for 99.5 transfer

[encarta95]

Seems like we should be hearing more from WGBH shortly about the swap. At http://www.wgbh.org/listen/bostonsallclassical.cfm, they have December 1st listed as the date for the swap. It also seems a lot like they're going to have an entirely new identity with a new name, which if you put the pieces together sure seems like it will be "99.5 All-Classical WGBH."

Will the WCRB calls even come along for the ride? And for that matter, will anyone currently at WCRB be held over when the big switch is made? And what becomes of WBQW/WBQX/WBQI in Maine that are fed from WCRB in 27 days?

[raccoonradio]

Ironically enough it was on Dec 1 a couple yrs back that WCRB and WKLB swapped freqs at high noon.
WKLB did a rendition of the national anthem by the country group Ricochet which started on 99.5 and
ended on 102.5, followed by "Life is a Highway" (from Disney's CARS) by Rascal Flatts while WCRB
finished their run on 102.5 with a classical piece which I think was called Rodeo (features on the Beef:
It's What's For Dinner ads). Anyway that was on a Dec 1 as well.

[DanStrassberg]

Will the WCRB calls even come along for the ride? And for that matter, will anyone currently at WCRB be held over when the big switch is made? And what becomes of WBQW/WBQX/WBQI in Maine that are fed from WCRB in 27 days?

I think WGBH is trying to mollify those listeners who currently get a good signal on 89.7 for but won't be getting as good a signal for the classical music that will be disappearing from that frequency and reappearing on the lesser--and not geographically as central 99.5. Remember that Channel 44 (except in its legal IDs, which are not audible) has been IDing for several years as WGBH-44. The WGBX call sign is used only in legal IDs. I think the likely corollary is that 99.5 will use "Non-commercial, All Classical 99.5--WGBH Boston" as its positioner, which it will use many times each hour, but at (or near) TOH, those who listen closely will continue to hear WCRB-FM Lowell-Boston once an hour. Just a guess, of course.

[ThatGuyOnTheRadio]

I would agree with Dan... a very good possibility. Slammed in the middle of underwriting messages or something or perhaps a quick 'WCRB Lowell.... this is Boston's all Classical 99.5 WGBH!"

[4CX1000A]

I don't see the December 1 date anywhere on the page you linked to, but my understanding is you may be right. Until the FCC gives its approval, no date can be official.

If you look at the purchase and sale agreement posted on the FCC Web site, you'll see that the call letters WCRB go to the buyer along with the domain name wcrb.com and even the station's Facebook and Twitter accounts.

I have a relationship with WCRB going back to 1985. It'll be sad not to see the place any more.

This has been an interesting autumn for me: one client goes dark, another is sold to WGBH, and a third declares bankruptcy.

Do any of y'all know anyone who needs technical help?


Rob

[encarta95]

I don't see the December 1 date anywhere on the page you linked to, but my understanding is you may be right. Until the FCC gives its approval, no date can be official.

That's strange, it was up last night. The WGBH web team must be Radio-Info fans. But it's now on the main WGBH radio page:

"Coming in December: 99.5 All Classical - WGBH is bringing WCRB 99.5 into our family of noncommercial, listener-supported public broadcasting stations, preserving full-time classical radio in Boston. Tune in to 99.5 All Classical, beginning Dec. 1, to hear the music you love, 24/7."

Ironically enough it was on Dec 1 a couple yrs back that WCRB and WKLB swapped freqs at high noon.
WKLB did a rendition of the national anthem by the country group Ricochet which started on 99.5 and
ended on 102.5, followed by "Life is a Highway" (from Disney's CARS) by Rascal Flatts while WCRB
finished their run on 102.5 with a classical piece which I think was called Rodeo (features on the Beef:
It's What's For Dinner ads).

Indeed, it was December 1, 2006 that the WCRB/WKLB flip happened. While the national anthem seems to get all of the credit for WKLB's last song, the aircheck seems to suggest that the staff had intended The Wreckers' "Leave the Pieces," the last standard playlist tune, to be the one that went down in history. And yes, Aaron Copeland's four-part "Rodeo" was last on WCRB 102.5. I wonder what the last piece on commercial classical radio in Boston will be... are there any classical works about money?

[mescutia]

Will the WCRB calls even come along for the ride?

If not, WGBX-FM would be the obvious choice.

[mgpt6]

Will GBH just keep the HD1 on CRB 99.5 or add an HD2 and HD3 to the 99.5 signal?Also, would WGBH consider buying WFCC 107.5 FM on the Cape which is 24/7 Classical and it owners are hurting ?

[Laurence Glavin]

I don't see the December 1 date anywhere on the page you linked to, but my understanding is you may be right. Until the FCC gives its approval, no date can be official.

If you look at the purchase and sale agreement posted on the FCC Web site, you'll see that the call letters WCRB go to the buyer along with the domain name wcrb.com and even the station's Facebook and Twitter accounts.

I have a relationship with WCRB going back to 1985. It'll be sad not to see the place any more.

This has been an interesting autumn for me: one client goes dark, another is sold to WGBH, and a third declares bankruptcy.

Do any of y'all know anyone who needs technical help?


Rob

Wait a minute:  is this Rob LANDRY?  Using " 'y'all "?  Are you a southerner?  Maybe you should apply at Mario Mazza's WHIL-FM in Mobile, Alabamer, where EVERYONE says " y'all ".   Let's figure out which stations are the ones to which you referred:  the only station around here to go dahk is WAGM-AM 890.  I thought Chris Hall was the CE there.   We know the station that was sold to 'GBH.  The ones declaring bankruptcy would seem to be the Sandab outlets on the Cape of Cod, including WFCC.  Do I have that right?

[4CX1000A]

I'm not a southerner, but my father is, even though he's lived in the North for many years now. The name Landry is as common as Smith in Louisiana.