FTL to lose WNTK / WUVR in New London and Lebanon! Help!

[FTL_Ian]

I just got word that we're being bumped off of our eldest affiliates, WNTK 99.7 in New London and WUVR 1490 in Lebanon!

Why?

They are picking up Rush and Glenn Beck, and their contracts require stations to air reruns on the weekend.  So, we're getting the axe, but it's a very nice axe.  Station manager Bob Vinikoor has left the door open to having us back on in the future.  I suggested he delay broadcast us and he said, "Will consider DB'ing Free Talk Live,but can't focus on that right now."

So, starting 2/7, FTL will no longer air in the Upper Valley.

Unless you do something to change it.  If you live or work in the red zone listening areas below, please call Bob Vinikoor at 448-0500 and tell him you want him to keep Free Talk Live on the air.  Ideally, you should actually be a listener to his station as well.

WNTK 99.7


WUVR 1490

[Tom Ploszaj]

Done! I asked them to find a spot for FTL, left my name with the phone gal who said Rush was replacing Bill O'Riley, she wasn't sure about FTL replacement.

[FTL_Ian]

Thank you!

[neggy]

That's a load of crap.  Premier has no such language in their contract that Rush has to have a best of on the weekends. WRKO doesn't run Rush on the weekends, they are making more money selling informercials/estate planning shows/Pat Whitleys show.  Rush is a program that only works in real time IMHO.

Don't know about Beck


Send an email over to Scott Fybush (scott at fybush dot com) and ask him if he knows if that is indeed a contract term.   www.fybush.com

Or ask Brian Maloney over at Save WRKO/ The Radio Equalizer.  http://radioequalizer.blogspot.com/


Register at www.radio-info.com and ask there too on either the Northern NE board or a national forum.

[FTL_Ian]

Bob V. has no reason to lie to me.  What you're seeing is likely the difference between WRKO's ability to negotiate vs. WNTK.  Some stations stand firm on their programming, others will roll over for the syndicates' demands.  I have heard from other PDs that Premiere does demand these weekend cramdowns regularly.

I'm already on Radio-Info.  Great site.   

[AntonLee]

ah but how long until WRKO loses it. . . Entercom doesn't look like it's doing that good. . .even the on air talent is joking about the coming downfall.  WRKO used to do cheapo local crap on Saturday and Sunday nights.  Maybe if Entercom sells off WRKO we could see FTL on 50k watts in Boston. 

[neggy]

www.savewrko.com


I always suspected when WKOX went 50KW that Clear Channel, the owner of WKOX would take Rush away from WRKO and move it to 1200. CC owns Premier, the company that syndicates Rush.

So far they are happy to let 1200 wallow.