Posted on 08/17/2007 12:09:52 AM PDT by raccoonradio
In sports lingo, you might say Dennis and Callahan have been boxed out.
Entercom Communications Corp., the parent corporation for WEEI sports radio, has cut a syndication deal to place its sports content on 11 Nassau Broadcasting radio stations around New England.
But more importantly, Entercom also is buying 50 percent of a 12th station, WCRB, a classical music station owned by Nassau that was said to be in negotiations with WEEI’s premier sports talk hosts, John Dennis and Gerry Callahan, who have been off the air in a contract dispute with WEEI.
Under that possible deal, WCRB would have switched to a sports format.
Today's deal keeps WCRB a classical station and effectively removes a potential alternate outlet for Dennis and Callahan while giving WEEI a sweeping new entry into more New England markets.
Julie Kahn, vice president and New England market manager for Entercom, today said the deal with Nassau had nothing to do with the possibility of Dennis and Callahan bolting to a competitor.
‘‘We’re hopeful that we can continue negotiations with them,’’ she said. ‘‘We are currently still supportive of continuing the relationship.’’
Terms of the deal between Entercom and Nassau were not disclosed. It will add WEEI programming to markets in Portland, Maine; Cape Cod; Lebanon, N.H.; Concord, N.H.; and Montpelier, Vt., among others.
(Excerpt) Read more at boston.com ...
The Entercom Press Release:
Entercom’s WEEI Sports Radio to be Syndicated on
11 Nassau Stations Across New England
Entercom and Nassau Form Joint Venture to Own and Operate
WCRB FM and Preserve 60-Year Heritage Classical Format
(August 16 2007 Bala Cynwyd, PA) Entercom Communications Corp. (NYSE: ETM) today announced the signing of a letter of intent for eleven Nassau Broadcasting stations to carry the programming content of Entercom Boston’s WEEI Sports Radio. Separately, Entercom and Nassau have also signed a letter of intent to form a joint venture to own and operate Nassau’s WCRB-FM in Boston.
WEEI Sports Radio is the nation’s leading sports talk radio station. Entercom has successfully extended the WEEI brand to three markets on its wholly owned stations: WEEI-FM in Providence, WVEI-FM in Springfield, MA, and WVEI-AM in Worcester, MA.
This agreement with Nassau Broadcasting will further extend WEEI’s programming to the following Nassau Broadcasting radio markets:
Portland, ME
· Cape Cod, MA
· Lebanon-Rutland-White River Junction, NH-VT
· Concord (Lakes Regions), NH
· Montpelier-Barre-St. Johnsbury, VT
Separately, Entercom will make a cash investment and own approximately 50% of WCRB-FM. Entercom and Nassau intend to maintain the station’s 60-year heritage Classical Music format. Nassau will continue to manage and operate the station. The parties will also seek opportunities to capitalize on Entercom’s strong position in the market to benefit WCRB listeners and advertisers.
In the Boston market, Entercom owns WEEI-AM, WRKO-AM, WAAF-FM, WKAF-FM, and WMKK-FM, and is the radio home of the Boston Red Sox, Boston Celtics and Patriots Monday.
Entercom’s President and CEO David Field stated: “We could not be more pleased with our new partnership with Nassau Broadcasting, but the big winners today are millions of listeners across New England. Nassau and Entercom have come together to preserve WCRB and its’ cherished Classical format that has provided a home for the arts for hundreds of thousands of listeners in the greater Boston area. In addition, we will be bringing America’s #1 sports radio station to millions of listeners throughout New England for the first time.”
Nassau Broadcasting’s Lou Mercatanti stated: “We are delighted to have Entercom as a partner in our heritage radio station WCRB in Boston. After our acquisition of the station less than a year ago, we have been overwhelmed by the positive response from our listeners with regards to both our preservation of the Classical format in Boston and the improvements we have made to enhance the station and its programming. Now, as partners with Entercom, the premier broadcaster in Boston, we believe that both our listeners and advertisers will benefit greatly from the partnership. Additionally, we are extremely pleased to be able to provide the programming of WEEI to an initial group of 11 of our radio stations that are part of our extensive radio group in New England. Millions of New England sports thirsty listeners will now have full access to the highly successful sports programming and personalities of WEEI.”
About Entercom Communications
Entercom is one of the nation’s largest radio broadcasters, with operations in San Francisco, Boston, Seattle, Denver, Sacramento, Portland, Kansas City, Indianapolis, Milwaukee, Austin, Norfolk, Buffalo, New Orleans, Providence, Memphis, Greensboro, Rochester, Greenville/Spartanburg, Madison, Wichita, Wilkes-Barre/Scranton, Springfield and Gainesville/Ocala.
About Nassau Broadcasting
Nassau Broadcasting Patners, L.P., a privately held firm in Princeton, New Jersey, currently owns and/or operates 53 radio stations in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts and Maine. The Company’s web site is www.nassaubroadcasting.com.
They play .005% of the available classical music. They also announce the music with canned patter by sickeningly sweet DJs that sound like they are strung out on Quaaludes or something.
The "Mozart block at 9 o'clock" was tired years ago and it is still a regular feature. And it's not really a block at all. Just one work is featured each morning. And as for Saturday Night with the Boston Pops...why? The Boston Pops are to classical music as The Archies are to rock music.
Yes, while I’m not into classical I have heard the
same complaints (on radio boards, etc.)
More details have emerged via a Herald article: Entercom paid $10 million for its half of WCRB;
Callahan’s friend John McGuire was the one who tried to set up a regional sports network
with WCRB as flagship...
It’s said the sports programming on the Nassau stations will start next month. There won’t
be Red Sox or Celtics games (which are apparently on other stations in the markets, I’d
guess) and “Patriots Monday” also won’t be on the new simulcast stations.
http://business.bostonherald.com/businessNews/media/view.bg?articleid=1017638
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