Stephen King "losing his shirt" on his Bangor radio stations

[ray ting]

Stephen King's stations (WZON and WZON-FM) air Progressive Talk, not Conservative Talk.  If I recall correctly, when he reacquired WZON many years ago, he immediately removed Rush Limbaugh from its on-air lineup.

[CygnusX1]

Make no mistake. Stephen King is operating two of his stations to get his agenda out there. Even in rural central Maine, conservative talk rules. 

Even in? How about "especially in"? 

[DougD]

Conservative talk does indeed rule in rural Maine, what with the format going out far and wide via WGAN and WLOB in Portland and the blowtorch signals of WVOM/WVQM in Bangor and Augusta.  If Stephen King is "losing his shirt" operating WZON AM-FM, I would suggest that a large part of the problem is that neither station's signal is reaching what should be his target audience: the considerably more politically liberal Maine coast.  I live there, only 35 miles from Bangor.  I can get WZON-AM's signal very well during the day, less well at night.  The FM signal doesn't come in at all --- interference from blowtorch WBLM on the adjacent 102.9. 

Most people wouldn't be inclined listen to an AM station if an FM simulcast is available.  In this instance, it's not.  If Mr. King wants to make a bigger dent in the ratings books, he needs to build or, more likely, buy an FM station somewhere between Ellsworth and Rockland that will simulcast WZON's signal.  As a classical music lover, I don't want to see W-BACH bite the dust, but I have to admit the sale of the Nassau stations certainly would be an opportunity for him. 

[amguy]

JIBGUY:  His station's don't have conservatives talkers.  I think Seltzer is referring to a competing station WVOM that carries Rush, etc. and that they 'rule'. 

[Mainedude2007]

JIBGUY:  His station's don't have conservatives talkers.  I think Seltzer is referring to a competing station WVOM that carries Rush, etc. and that they 'rule'. 

When King bought WZON back in the early 90's they were running talk with Rush. King flipped ZON to sports and Jerry Evans started up WVOM

Most people wouldn't be inclined listen to an AM station if an FM simulcast is available.  In this instance, it's not.  If Mr. King wants to make a bigger dent in the ratings books, he needs to build or, more likely, buy an FM station somewhere between Ellsworth and Rockland that will simulcast WZON's signal.  As a classical music lover, I don't want to see W-BACH bite the dust, but I have to admit the sale of the Nassau stations certainly would be an opportunity for him. 

The problem with his "other" FM, WZON is it's a Class A, licensed to Dover-Foxcroft. He actually spent money (off air) to upgrade the station: Move the WERU translator from 102.9 and move the transmitter of 103.1 WZON closer to Bangor. It's not a Bangor station, he's just trying to make it one.

King won't buy another station, ever. They're his play toys. As long as they're covering the bills he's fine with that.

[forevernight]

And unfortunately we are mandated by the FCC to reduce the power at night on WZON AM, which is probably why DougD has the difficulty he mentioned.

[Gregg]

According to www.Radio-Locator.com, WZON 620 runs 5000 watts around the clock.  By day, it's non-directional. But at night a directional pattern puts most of the signal to the north.

There are other 620s in Burlington VT and Jersey City NJ, part of the NYC market, which I guess are being protected.

[Mainedude2007]

According to www.Radio-Locator.com, WZON 620 runs 5000 watts around the clock.  By day, it's non-directional. But at night a directional pattern puts most of the signal to the north.

There are other 620s in Burlington VT and Jersey City NJ, part of the NYC market, which I guess are being protected.

Looking at the FCC database though, they've got an engineering STA to drop down to 500 watts at night, non directional. Other than that, their normal day pattern and night pattern are the same: 5kw non directional.

[forevernight]

All I know is that when I go in every night and throw the switch to night settings, the power drops of dramatically. But what do I know...?

[NHRadio]

Maybe the studios are in one of the pattern nulls, so the drop in signal strength would sound like a power reduction.