Another legendary Connecticut Radio station going bye-bye

[ynkeesfn82]

Last year Marlin Broadcasting adjusted the format of 106.9 WCCC-FM from New Rock to Classic Rock. Today it was announced the station was sold to The K-Love Christian Network.

http://courantblogs.com/java/wccc-being-sold-talent-shown-the-door/

Editor's Note: I guess the only real shocking thing here is the buyer. It's been known for a while that Marlin Broadcasting was struggling to make money with the station and was looking for a buyer. It was rumored that before they bought WDRC-FM and trashed it, Connoisseur Media was looking at buying WCCC-FM, but was outbid by K-LOVE.

[TheFugitive]

As I understand this station was a legacy rocker like WDVE in Pittsburgh or
WIOT in Toledo.  What a shame.

[ynkeesfn82]

As I understand this station was a legacy rocker like WDVE in Pittsburgh or
WIOT in Toledo.  What a shame.

It sure was. It's been playing Rock & Roll for 39 years. Tomorrow Noon-5PM they're doing a 5 hour retrospective - talking about the history of the station, talking with former DJs, playing old interviews, and they're supposed to have Howard Stern on too. He worked there back in the day. Later after his show went national they carried his show until he went over to Sirius.

[TheFugitive]

Apparently it is darned near impossible to make a buck in the radio business anymore.
A small AM station here in Pittsburgh sold for the price of a gently used sedan, and another
was donated to a church for the tax write-off.

Friends I had who worked in radio are all doing something else now.

[Hudsons81]

Apparently it is darned near impossible to make a buck in the radio business anymore.
A small AM station here in Pittsburgh sold for the price of a gently used sedan, and another
was donated to a church for the tax write-off.

Friends I had who worked in radio are all doing something else now.

Apparently, it's somewhat declining nationally too...over here in Detroit, there was one FM station (93.1) that was once a variety station (or at least that's what it sounded like), then suddenly it was rebranded and converted into yet another country station.

[ynkeesfn82]

Apparently, it's somewhat declining nationally too...over here in Detroit, there was one FM station (93.1) that was once a variety station (or at least that's what it sounded like), then suddenly it was rebranded and converted into yet another country station.

Cumulus wants a Country station called NASH-FM in virtually every city where they own radio stations whether there's a Country station in the market already or not. If Cumulus already owns the Country station, they rebrand it as NASH-FM.

[TheFugitive]

Rumor here is that the FM talk station at 104.7 is going to be changing to country as well.

Reason supposedly is that it is owned by Clear Channel which owns WDVE.
WDVE is in a neck-and-neck ratings battle with Y-108, a country station owned by CBS.
By flipping another station they own to country Clear Channel hopes to shave away
just enough of Y-108's audience to ensure WDVE's dominance.

[ynkeesfn82]

Clear Channel just did that in Boston. They got rid of the Electronic Dance Music Station Evolution 101.7 and flipped it to Country 101.7 The Bull. They hope to take down Greater Boston Media Group's 102.5 WKLB. The problem is WKLB has a much bigger signal. Supposedly The Bull won't even be local. Supposedly they're going to air The Bobby Bones Show in the morning and either have out of town DJs on the rest of the day or run their own Premium Choice Network.

As for Pittsburgh, there's rumblings that Clear Channel will move 104.7's current talk format to 970, replacing ESPN.

[TheFugitive]

The AM dial here is basically a mess.  Among it's current residents:

620 WKHB - A station with a booming daytime signal that is for the most part wasted on medical quacks.
When they do play music it is automated stuff from the 70's and 80's.  Often commercial free.

660 WAMO - a daytime-only station that only exists to justify an FM repeater at 100.1.  The AM is often
found on illegally at night.  Or often not at all.  Call letters and format an homage to the long-time
African-American station here.

860 WAOB - the original WAMO with a very nice day and night time signal.  Taken over by a devout
Catholic Church group.  Not just any Catholic Church group, but one that thinks the Church should still conduct
its business the way it did in the 14th. Century.  Long readings of encyclical letters from the Pope and
Gregorian Chant are often heard here.

970 WBGG - the ESPN station that you say is going to go to talk.  A technical train wreck.  They carry
Altoona Curve baseball games which often as not are interrupted by technical problems.  Once the
game just died in the middle of the 6th.  For 25 minutes I heard the frantic sounds of telephone dialing.
Then a long string of public service announcements, followed by ESPN programming, joined in progress.
Never did get back to the game.

1020 KDKA - the world's first radio station reduced to Tradio and endless brokered shows featuring realtors,
investment advisors and veterinarians.  Despite the 50,000 watt power their signal is spotty and full of holes.

1080 WWNL - the onetime country voice of Pittsburgh as WEEP, it now pumps out brokered religious shows
at 50,000 watts.

1250 WDZZ - the former WTAE with a really solid signal, wasted night and day on Radio Disney.

1320 WJAS - my dad's favorite station featuring Patti Page, Perry Como, et. al.  Also rumored to be
looking at a talk format.

1360 WBGN - the former "Thirteen Sixty WIXZ" where Rush Limbaugh got his start.  Was recently donated to
a church and the former owner took the tax write-off.  The church is pastored by Rev. Loran Mann, a longtime
TV newscaster here in town.  It now plays sermons and Gospel music.

1410 KQV - the second stop in Limbaugh's career, the former rock-and-roll powerhouse Groovy Q-Vie has been all news since 1975.   Not a very practical format in the #26 market.  Though they are very loyal to their employees.  I have been hearing some of the same voices on there for about thirty years.  The owner died last year and his kids are rumored to be looking at new formats.

1510 WPGR - another station owned by the Gregorian Chant Catholic group and simulcasts 860.

Only AM's really worth listening to anymore are 770 WKFB (oldies and doo-wop) and 1550 WZUM (soul and Motown)

And 810 WEDO McKeesport if you are interested by ethnic programming in a myriad of foreign languages.

[ynkeesfn82]

Connecticut's not much better.

600 WICC - Talk - Bridgeport - This station owned by Cumulus has a mix of local and syndicated talk. They also carry play-by-play of The New York Yankees and University of Connecticut. They recently added an Oldies show (I think it's automated) on Saturday Nights. They have an Italian Music Show on Sundays.

610 WSNG - Talk - Torrington -This station owned by Connoisseur Media brings the Political Talk and infomercials from WDRC 1360 into Litchfield County. WDRC bought the station out of bankruptcy in 1996. Before than they were a community station feature a mix of Country Music, Talk, and New York Yankees baseball. They played Country Music from the 1960s-Present (which was 1996).

690 WADS - Spanish Religious - Ansonia. - This is a Spaish Religious station know as Radio Amor. Daytime only.

800 WLAD - Talk - Danbury. - This station is locally owned by Berkshire Broadcasting. Carries Rush Limbaugh and Play by Play of The Boston Redsox. (They switched from The Yankees to the Redsox this year. Station ownership saying new Yankees flagship WFAN AM/FM NYC came in just fine in Danbury).

840 WRYM - Spanish Tropical - New Britain - This station is owned by the Eight Forty Broadcasting Company. They broadcast with 1000 watts during the day and 125 at night from antennas on Willard Ave in Newington. They feature Polish, Portuguese, and Italian Programming on Sundays.

850 WAXB - Classic Hits - Ridgfield. - Locally owned by Berkshire Broadcasting. Station is all satellite fed. - Simulcast on a lowpower repater on 107.3 FM. 850 broadcasts during the day time only.

910 WLAT - Spanish Tropical - New Britain - Owned by Gois Broadcasting.

940 WINE - Sports - Brookfield. - This station owned by Town Square Media runs The CBS Sports Radio Network. They broadcast with 680 watts during the day and just 4  watts at night. Those 680 watts really get out however.

960 WELI - Talk - New Haven - Clear Channel owned. Local morning show. Carries the slate of Clear Channel's Premire Radio Network talk shows including Rush Limbaugh and Hannity. Also carries The NY Yankees.

980 WXLM - Talk - Groton

990 WXCT - Spanish Tropical - Southington - Owned by DMG they run 2500 watts during the day and 80 watts at night. Monday-Friday 10AM-6AM they simulcast WSPR West Springfield, Mass. Saturdays all day they run Spanish Christian Programming from Radio Cantico Nuevo (who programmed the station 24 hours a day until January 2012). Sundays they have an Italian Show, a taped mass from one of the Lutheran Churches in Bristol, and a Polka show. The rest of the time on Sundays is Radio Cantico Nuevo.

1020 WHDD - Public Radio - Sharon - Daytime online. Known as Robin Hood Radio.

1080 WTIC - Talk - Hartford - This 50,000 watt station owned by CBS carries a mix of local ad national talk include Rush and Hannity (tho Hannity is aired at 10PM). WTIC also carries consumer advocate Clark Howard and play-by-play of the Boston Redsox, NY Football Giants, and is the flagship station of University of Connecticut Football, and both men's and women's basketball.

1120 WPRX - Spanish Tropical - Bristol.

1150 WMRD - Variety - Middletown - This station owned by a former CBS News Executive, is a mix of Music, Talk, Ethnic Programming. They carry select games from the  New Britain Rockcats minor league baseball team. Simulcast on WLIS 1420 in Old Saybrook

1170 WCTF - Religious - Vernon - This station is a day time only station and runs Family Radio.

1220 WQUN - Nostalgia - Hamden. - This station is a commercial station owned by Quinnipiac University.

1230 WNEZ - Spanish Variety - Manchester - This station owned by Gois Broadcasting features several different genres of Spanish Music and also carries Spanish talk programming.

1240 WWCO - Talk - Waterbury - This station simulcasts WDRC 1360 since 1997. It used to be a mix of Oldies, Talk, and the New York Yankees. Was once known at 1240 CO. Once owned  by the late Merv Griffin.

1260 WSHU - NPR Talk - Westport - This NPR station is owned by Sacred Heart Univeristy.

1290 WCCC - Christian AC - West Hartford. - This station broadcasts with 490 watts day and 11 watts at night. It simulcasts K-LOVE from WCCC-FM. Used to be Classical.

1300 WAVZ - Sports - New Haven - Clear Channel owned ESPN affiliate. They carry the NY Mets.

1310 WICH - Norwich - Unknown format.

1320 WATR - Talk/Oldies - Waterbury

1340 WYBC - Public Radio - New Haven - LMA by Sacred Heart University, but does not simulcast their stations.

1350 WINY - AC/Talk - Putnam. - This is a locally owned station in the Northeast Corner of CT. Carries The New England Patriots and Boston Redsox and High School Sports.

1350 WNLK - NPR Talk - Norwalk - Owned by Sacred Heart University. Also heard on 1400 WSTC Stamford.

1360 WDRC - Talk - Hartford - This station is owned by Connoisseur Media.

1380 WFNW - Portuguese - Naugatuck

1400 WILI - AC/Talk - Willimantic - Talk AC Music. Redsox Baseball.

1400 WSTC -NPR Talk - Stamford. - Simulcasts WNLK.

1410 WPOP - Sports - Hartford - This is a Clear Channel FOX Sports affiliate. Carries select Rockcats Baseball Games and Central CT State University Sports. Was ESPN until 2012 when they CC moved it to a new station on FM.

1420 WLIS - Variety - Old Saybrook - Simulcasts WMRD Middletown

1450 WCUM - Bridgeport - Spanish Variety

1470 WMMW - Talk - Meriden - This station owned by Connoisseur Media has simulcast WDRC 1360 since 1998.

1480 WKND - African American Programming - Windsor - This 500 watt station north of Hartford is owned by Gois Broadcasting and runs programming targeting African Americas.

1490 WGCH - Format Unknown - Greenwich

1550 WSDK - Religious - Bloomfield

[Hudsons81]

Apparently, it's somewhat declining nationally too...over here in Detroit, there was one FM station (93.1) that was once a variety station (or at least that's what it sounded like), then suddenly it was rebranded and converted into yet another country station.

Cumulus wants a Country station called NASH-FM in virtually every city where they own radio stations whether there's a Country station in the market already or not. If Cumulus already owns the Country station, they rebrand it as NASH-FM.

Cumulus happens to own 93.1-and it's now, of course, Nash FM.

[TheFugitive]

I don't speak Spanish but I do enjoy the music on Spanish stations when I tune by them
in other cities.   Pittsburgh has about the smallest Hispanic population of any American city.
Hence there are no Spanish stations here.  One that adopted that format briefly (540 WWCS
in Canonsburg, PA) actually managed to program bad Spanish music.  I mean, really bad,
crappy, unlistenable Spanish music.

Now they are Fox Sports.  Badly automated.

[ynkeesfn82]

I don't speak Spanish but I do enjoy the music on Spanish stations when I tune by them
in other cities.   Pittsburgh has about the smallest Hispanic population of any American city.
Hence there are no Spanish stations here.  One that adopted that format briefly (540 WWCS
in Canonsburg, PA) actually managed to program bad Spanish music.  I mean, really bad,
crappy, unlistenable Spanish music.

Now they are Fox Sports.  Badly automated.

Clear Channel is paying AM 540 to air Fox Sports. Just like before that Disney was paying 540 to air Radio Disney.