WQXI-AM sale closed: flipping imminent

[DavidEduardo]

A radio station must still use the city of license on its legal ID which must air near the top of the hour when a complete legal ID is required. s.

The rule:

"§ 73.1201 Station identification.

(a) When regularly required. Broadcast station identification announcements shall be made:

(1) At the beginning and ending of each time of operation, and

(2) Hourly, as close to the hour as feasible, at a natural break in program offerings. Television and Class A television broadcast stations may make these announcements visually or aurally.

(b) Content.

(1) Official station identification shall consist of the station's call letters immediately followed by the community or communities specified in its license as the station's location; Provided, That the name of the licensee, the station's frequency, the station's channel number, as stated on the station's license, and/or the station's network affiliation may be inserted between the call letters and station location. DTV stations, or DAB Stations, choosing to include the station's channel number in the station identification must use the station's major channel number and may distinguish multicast program streams. For example, a DTV station with major channel number 26 may use 26.1 to identify an HDTV program service and 26.2 to identify an SDTV program service. A DTV station that is devoting one of its multicast streams to transmit the programming of another television licensee must identify itself and may also identify the licensee that it is transmitting. If a DTV station in this situation chooses to identify the station that is the source of the programming it is transmitting, it must use the following format: Station WYYY-DT, community of license (call sign and community of license of the station whose multicast stream is transmitting the programming), bringing you WXXX, community of license (call sign and community of license of the licensee providing the programming). The transmitting station may insert between its call letters and its community of license the following information: the frequency of the transmitting station, the channel number of the transmitting station, the name of the licensee of the transmitting station and the licensee providing the programming, and/or the name of the network of either station. Where a multicast station is carrying the programming of another station and is identifying that station as the source of the programming, using the format described above, the identification may not include the frequency or channel number of the program source. A radio station operating in DAB hybrid mode or extended hybrid mode shall identify its digital signal, including any free multicast audio programming streams, in a manner that appropriately alerts its audience to the fact that it is listening to a digital audio broadcast. No other insertion between the station's call letters and the community or communities specified in its license is permissible.

(2) A station may include in its official station identification the name of any additional community or communities, but the community to which the station is licensed must be named first. "


Stations today make a broad interpretation of "natural break in program offerings" and will defend the position of not placing the ID in the middle of a music sweep, which they believe is not a place with any breaks. This has been done for several decades now, and I do not recall the FCC finding fault with the practice. Additionally, there are several things that can be placed between the calls and the Community (or Communities) of License.

 

[jabba17]

It is not necessary that a community be incorporated for a radio station to be licensed to it. The reason WCNN changed to North Atlanta city of license was because when it added 10KW nighttime operation, the interference free nighttime contour (must cover 100% of city of license) did not cover the entire city of Atlanta...didn't even come close. Later on the FCC became more relaxed on AM nighttime coverage requirements. However when WCNN added nighttime, it did cover the North Atlanta CDP(Census Designated Place). I believe the Census Bureau still shows a North Atlanta CDP.

When WCNN (then WRNG) was placed on the air by the late Charles Smithgall, it was licensed to Atlanta as a daytimer. Originally 5KW then 10KW, then 25KW before it moved to the nighttime site and went 50KW directional daytime. The daytime is a very shallow null (just two towers) to the northeast and northwest. The nighttime is extremely complex (8 towers). As I recall they send about 8 watts toward WPTF in Raleigh which has dominance on 680. The signal is pretty much hemmed in except to the south southwest which is why the present site was chosen. The RF is beamed south southwest from there across the core of Atlanta. It comes in really well along the Florida Gulf coast.

You sure about the CoL of Atlanta? I'm looking at the 1970 Broadcasting Yearbook, which has WRNG as 5kW and a CoL of North Atlanta. In fact, I didn't know this--the 1966 Broadcasting Yearbook has 680 as WATY, with a CoL of North Atlanta, and an on-air date of 9/1/65 (!), not 1968 as I and many others had thought. Smithgall is listed as the president and GM.

 

[PTBoardOp94]

They did the "WGST Atlanta/Canton" after WCHK-FM changed to WGST-FM.

Not sure about this, but was that even a legal legal ID?

Probably not by the letter of the rules, but neither was "B 97 is WBBB AM and FM, West Podunk" lots of simulcasts used in the 70s, and some still use today.

 

[kf4rca]

Question For David

What is the rule for legal ID for foreign language stations? Are they required to identify in English? I hear many foreign language stations with no (understandable) ID at all. Sure would help us DXer's.

 

[jabba17]

What is the rule for legal ID for foreign language stations? Are they required to identify in English? I hear many foreign language stations with no (understandable) ID at all. Sure would help us DXer's.

David keep me honest here, but American foreign language stations can ID in the language of the station, for example Regional Mexican WBZY El Patron 105.3 IDs as "ubeh-dobleh beh zeta ee-griega, Bowdon", not "double-you bee zee wye, Bowdon"

The reverse is not true for Mexican English-language stations; they have to ID in Spanish. You can find airchecks of XETRA-FM that ID as "equis eh teh ereh ah efeh emeh, Baja Cal-ee-forn-ee-ah, Meh-ee-co", not "ecks ee tee are ay eff em, Baja Cal-uh-forn-yuh, Mecksico", even as the rest of the programming is in English (except for the required government programming). Apparently you don't have to mention the city in a Mexican ID, just the state--and you can talk over it with other programming.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XETRA-FM

 

[Mike_Rafone]

This is just a thought …

680 as WATY, with a CoL of North Atlanta, and an on-air date of 9/1/65 … Smithgall is listed as the president and GM.

I may be wrong, but that might have been a place holder for Smithgalll's later introduction of WRNG. I'm a native Atlantan, was living here in '65, and do not recall the call sign "WATY."

 

[jabba17]

I may be wrong, but that might have been a place holder for Smithgalll's later introduction of WRNG. I'm a native Atlantan, was living here in '65, and do not recall the call sign "WATY."

I had never heard of WATY before now either. I had always thought that 680 came on the air as Ring Radio right from the beginning.

I'm a native Atlantan too, but not as seasoned as you

 

[DavidEduardo]

David keep me honest here, but American foreign language stations can ID in the language of the station, for example Regional Mexican WBZY El Patron 105.3 IDs as "ubeh-dobleh beh zeta ee-griega, Bowdon", not "double-you bee zee wye, Bowdon"

The reverse is not true for Mexican English-language stations; they have to ID in Spanish. [/URL]

There is a gray area in station ID language requirements. The rule (which I posted earlier) does not specify language. The assumption can be made that any language can be used. But that is an assumption, not something specific to the rule.

For years, going into the 90's, mainland Spanish language stations did their ID in English thinking it was a requirement. But at the same time, stations in Puerto Rico, USA, did the ID in Spanish except for a few English language stations.

Gradually, the ID on mainland Spanish stations started to be commonly done in Spanish. Stations in other languages picked up on this and started doing the ID in whatever language they use.

In Mexico, the rule requires the ID in Spanish. That is as true for the English language stations on the border as for the indigenous language stations in rural areas all over Mexico. In part, it has to do with the fact that Mexico has an "official language" and the U.S. does not.

 

[DavidEduardo]

I may be wrong, but that might have been a place holder for Smithgalll's later introduction of WRNG. I'm a native Atlantan, was living here in '65, and do not recall the call sign "WATY."

The station shows in the Broadcasting Yearbook as being on the air and having a staff in 1965... they even list a News Director! But were they really on the air?

WRNG calls were granted in March, 1967 and applied for in January, 1967.

In September, 1965 they filed for changes in the antenna system and was given a completion date in April, 1966. The change was to go from directional to non-directional and included changes in the single non-directional tower. The completion date was later extended to September, 1966. My guess is that they never built the directional and pushed out the CP by requesting non-DA operation and then extensions for completion.

The WATY calls were assigned in May, 1965. As calls are assigned in advance of going on the air, it looks like it could not have been on the air in early 1965. In those years, granting of calls would generally be done in advance of starting to build a Construction Permit.

So it would appear that, if the station were on the air as WATY, it would have been in late 1966 and very early 1967 only.

 

[KayJayJay]

Stations today make a broad interpretation of "natural break in program offerings" and will defend the position of not placing the ID in the middle of a music sweep, which they believe is not a place with any breaks. This has been done for several decades now, and I do not recall the FCC finding fault with the practice.

Only exception I recall might have been 1998 WZPL Greenfield/Indianapolis. A Greenfield city council person protested the ID airing at about :50 each hour. Letter from the FCC and the legal moved back to the top and remained until at least the sale to Entercom.

 

[RoddyFreeman]

I had never heard of WATY before now either. I had always thought that 680 came on the air as Ring Radio right from the beginning.

I'm a native Atlantan too, but not as seasoned as you

Ah...maybe they were going for "The Waty (weighty) 680!" Just a little levity.

 

[Mike_Rafone]

Who Was That News Director?

… they even list a News Director!

I could look that up myself, but I'm lazy, so tell me the name they list for the News Director? That might be a clue to me.

 

[RoddyFreeman]

I could look that up myself, but I'm lazy, so tell me the name they list for the News Director? That might be a clue to me.

Sylvan Meyer

 

[DavidEduardo]

Only exception I recall might have been 1998 WZPL Greenfield/Indianapolis. A Greenfield city council person protested the ID airing at about :50 each hour. Letter from the FCC and the legal moved back to the top and remained until at least the sale to Entercom.

Why in the world would a city council member be worried about call-letter station IDs, which of themselves are pretty obsolete.

 

[KayJayJay]

It's a story that dates back to 1979, when Cecil Heftel bought the frequency and refocused on Indianapolis. The Greenfield city council explored ways to bring back the local programming lost...news, sports, church broadcasts. There was even talk of buying the frequency back. Along with my dad, an earlier city councilman had done play by play on the station when a local pharmacist launched it in 1962. I grew up there and knew and respected the people involved. That ID carried the city name and they considered themselves stakeholders even after Heftel sold to Booth and Booth to Mystar. That ID had aired anywhere from :45 to :50 for a dozen years, but they saw it as a slight to Greenfield. Their intentions were good, though a bit nitpicky. I could admire their passion for the city. Getting that ID moved back to the top of the hour was about the only success they had in those twenty years. By 2000, the local high school had launched a radio station. Those persons retired and most have since passed away. I can't recall the issue drawing any discussion since.

 

[golden eagles97]

David keep me honest here, but American foreign language stations can ID in the language of the station, for example Regional Mexican WBZY El Patron 105.3 IDs as "ubeh-dobleh beh zeta ee-griega, Bowdon", not "double-you bee zee wye, Bowdon"

The reverse is not true for Mexican English-language stations; they have to ID in Spanish. You can find airchecks of XETRA-FM that ID as "equis eh teh ereh ah efeh emeh, Baja Cal-ee-forn-ee-ah, Meh-ee-co", not "ecks ee tee are ay eff em, Baja Cal-uh-forn-yuh, Mecksico", even as the rest of the programming is in English (except for the required government programming). Apparently you don't have to mention the city in a Mexican ID, just the state--and you can talk over it with other programming.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/XETRA-FM

When I was living in San Diego over a decade ago, XETRA-AM ID'd as "Rosarito, Baja California, Mejico", with the FM calls ID'ing as "Tijuana, Baja California, Mejico". XHRM (Magic 92.5) did use say only Baja California in their ID. I don't know if they've added a city name since then. Another station, XEPRS, also identified as "Rosarito, Baja California", but didn't say "Mejico".

 

[DavidEduardo]

When I was living in San Diego over a decade ago, XETRA-AM ID'd as "Rosarito, Baja California, Mejico", with the FM calls ID'ing as "Tijuana, Baja California, Mejico". XHRM (Magic 92.5) did use say only Baja California in their ID. I don't know if they've added a city name since then. Another station, XEPRS, also identified as "Rosarito, Baja California", but didn't say "Mejico".

The spelling is "México" and noot "Méjico". "Méjico" is an Americanism sometimes used in nations far removed from Mexico where the Náhuatl origins of the nation's name are not understood. It's an old, perhaps arcane, usage and far less common today.

In México, it is spelled "México" and using a "j" is offensive to the nation's heritage.

 

[DavidEduardo]

It's a story that dates back to 1979, when Cecil Heftel bought the frequency and refocused on Indianapolis. The Greenfield city council explored ways to bring back the local programming lost...news, sports, church broadcasts. There was even talk of buying the frequency back. Along with my dad, an earlier city councilman had done play by play on the station when a local pharmacist launched it in 1962. I grew up there and knew and respected the people involved. That ID carried the city name and they considered themselves stakeholders even after Heftel sold to Booth and Booth to Mystar. That ID had aired anywhere from :45 to :50 for a dozen years, but they saw it as a slight to Greenfield. Their intentions were good, though a bit nitpicky. I could admire their passion for the city. Getting that ID moved back to the top of the hour was about the only success they had in those twenty years. By 2000, the local high school had launched a radio station. Those persons retired and most have since passed away. I can't recall the issue drawing any discussion since.

Fascinating story. Thanks for sharing it.

Cecil was one of the earliest believers in considering that stopping down the music was not a "natural break" in programming. He made a point of telling me that at one point. He explained that the ID was not necessarily a station's identity and not to confuse the two terms.

 

[jabba17]

Bringing this back home...

I'm guessing Quixie will continue to ID as "double-you queue ecks eye, Atlanta". Since Korean uses Hangul (which is actually an alphabet, i.e., individual letters representing different sounds, not ideographic like Chinese, etc.) and not the Roman alphabet, I don't think there are Korean names for the letters like other languages that use the Roman alphabet have.

Atlanta Radio Korea got a steal for what they paid Entercom, compared to comps like Salem buying WDWD from the Mouse or the sale of WGUN.

http://atlantaradiokorea.com/

 

[MediaMan]

You sure about the CoL of Atlanta? I'm looking at the 1970 Broadcasting Yearbook, which has WRNG as 5kW and a CoL of North Atlanta. In fact, I didn't know this--the 1966 Broadcasting Yearbook has 680 as WATY, with a CoL of North Atlanta, and an on-air date of 9/1/65 (!), not 1968 as I and many others had thought. Smithgall is listed as the president and GM.

Correct, you are. Station always cited North Atlanta as city of license. The link below takes you to the FCC notecards on WCNN. Note the first application for the station was filed in 1959 and it was for 1150. Smithgall was one of the early morning announcers on WSB building his own station in Gainesville, WGGA, in 1941. He later bought a weekly newspaper there and converted it into a daily, the Gainesville Times. When WCON(AM) in Atlanta surrendered its license on 550, he filed to move WGGA from 1240 to 550. WDUN then moved to 1240 from 1400. Smithgall later owned WRGA AM/FM in Rome and an AM/FM in Gadsden, AL plus a few cable systems including the one in Rome and another at Chattanooga.

https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/p...ortletter_exh.cgi?import_letter_id=66677&.pdf