WFNX Moves Up Farewell (alt-rocker sold to Clear Channel)

Radio Insight ^ | 7/18/12 | Lance Venta

[raccoonradio]

Following the FCC approval of its sale to Clear Channel, 101.7 WFNX Boston has reportedly moved up its farewell to Friday, July 20 at 7:00pm.

TJ Connelly, one of WFNX’s former DJ’s returning for a farewell shift, has blogged that his farewell shift has been moved up due to the new end time for the station. The station had originally planned to say goodbye on Saturday evening.

We also know that when Clear Channel begins operating the station it will be under the WHBA calls. What we don’t know yet is what format will accompany those call letters or when they will begin operating the station.

[raccoonradio]

OK here's the situation; the Boston Phoenix is a longtime alternative weekly, very lefty in its politics, and they started alternative rock station WFNX FM 101.7 in 1983. Last month came the news that the station was sold and would be changing hands, er, right about now. So who did Stephen Mindich sell the big lefty station to?

Clear Channel. You know, the huge corporation that has many talk stations that run Rush, Hannity, etc. The "Occupy" station is going away, and guess who bought it? Now, many in Boston and beyond are very upset. Some think this should be stopped.

Guess what: Mindich sold the station willingly to Clear Channel. They are giving him 14.5 million reasons to be happy, and all of them have George Washington's picture on them. He could have sold to some hippy-dippy company that would keep it lefty-oriented. But he didn't, and the FCC does not step in with regards to format.

What format will they run? Lately I've been thinking maybe "variety hits", 60s through 90s. Or maybe Spanish language. But many feel it could be conservative talk.

Clear Channel owns WXKS AM 1200 here in Boston, with local hosts Jeff Katz and Jay Severin, plus Beck, Rush, Hannity, Levin. Could this become the "FM home for Talk 1200"? Maybe. Maybe not. (The station is available on phones via IHeartRadio, and on HD radio as the HD-2 signal of WXKS-FM 107.9)

Imagine...big lefty radio giving way to conservative talk! I don't know if it will happen. They're keeping it a big secret, though morning Talk 1200 host Jeff Katz put on his facebook "it occcurs to me there's way too much music on the FM dial".

He could just be funnin' us, though

[Dr. Sivana]

Jeff Katz used to do a show in Hartford, CT. He was a real pro but got bounced over a Vegas trip. I am glad he landed well...trfang.

[raccoonradio]

Howie Carr list ping.
--Someone registered the domain name talk1017.com and pointed it at the Talk 1200 site. Actually this is probably someone not with Clear Channel who wants to make money by selling them the domain name (domain name squatter)

--It's possible they may remain music, maybe 60s-80s, 70s-90s pop, or whatever.

--But it costs to pay royalties. And people tend to spend more time listening to talk stations than music (keep hitting the button; they are engrossed in topic though on talk stations). "Time spent listening" matters to advertisers.

--The WFNX signal does very well in Boston proper and some outlying areas. FM--no static at all. IF, if, if, they were to do conservative talk they could conceivably keep it on 1200 as well for those who can't pick up 101.7 well.

"Stay...tuned..."

(May 16 from the Boston Phoenix: "WFNX fans in silent protest of Clear Channel sale, outside of the Phoenix offices")

[StAnDeliver]

WFNX kicked ass in the 80s, without politics.

But alternative rock is dead. $14.5 million is premium. CC is bringing talk radio, count on it.

[raccoonradio]

Would hope so though some think Spanish language stuff? We’ll find out. Whatever makes ‘em money

[dfwgator]

Would hope so though some think Spanish language stuff?

I hear the talking of the DJ/Can't understand, just what does he say?

[Hillarys Gate Cult]

At least they got both fans in the picture.

In most cases if Rush does move it's historically been to an FM station. Leftist always get giddy when they find out a station dropped him, only to go silent when he shows later up on an FM station or an AM with better coverage.

[Fractal Trader]

Mindich has his hands in many different pies. However, I have to think that, on the whole, that neither the Phoenix nor ‘FNX were great money makers.

However, people forget his main innovation: 900 numbers and similar toll message formats. Recording and replying to personals, chat lines, phone sex lines, etc. Mindich practically invented to the concept and, as I understand it, was a key national player. There was said to be an AT&T office in Cambridge that glowed red and printed money.

I have no doubt that, compared to his other ventures, Mindich’s phone forays were vastly profitable.

[Lonesome in Massachussets]

“Death before Clear Channel”

Proposition accepted.

[raccoonradio]

Howie joked the Phoenix is a one-hand rag. You hold it with one hand while the other is...

---

W. Mass band Wildcat O’Halloran with a fun tune about a man whose wife gets a job “selling love on the telephone”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aM17HrQUohg