WUSF TV SOLD AT Auction, is WUSF Radio next?

CTListener said:

What a drag it is, as the Stones said.

Also, I highly doubt that any station has ever run week-old traffic reports. Or still puts them on "carts." Or pays its board ops $8 an hour.

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First of all, it has happened. You don't have to believe it. People are really lazy and also computer illiterate, even these days. Yes, board ops still make minimum wage, and even though we use computer automation, they're still called "carts". That's why I used quotation marks.

coolaid213 said:

I'm 32... lol

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If that's true, broadcasting really ceased to be a "public service" before you were born. For example, Congress created public broadcasting, which is the topic of this thread, in 1967 because it felt commercial broadcasting had become too focused on ratings and money. Of course now even public broadcasting is struggling to stay alive.

no mention

DavidEduardo said:

It's funny that these reports of bumbling incompetence always fail to mention the station or the market.

And I have never seen a successful station that had a 4,000 song library in a mass appeal format. Maybe that happens in classical music, what with all the different versions of most works, but it has been many decades since that was a mass appeal format.

P.S. 4200 watts is relatively low power for an FM, unless it is 4,200 watts at a very high location. Otherwise, it's the equivalent of that 1000 watt AM.

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I don't mention them for a specific reason.......why embarrass them even more than they do to themselves? #2: While most of the people I know have retired there are still a few working at the stations that I know so why cause them grief? They know, from me at least, that their station screwed up. #3: I still may apply at these stations and rather not have one of them say "GET OUT!" if I publicly shamed them by giving out there call letters.

And I'm sure you wouldn't want your name mentioned if you did something that was totally boneheaded......like sleeping with small farm animals. [Not that you do....but see what I mean?]

Yabadabado1 said:

I don't mention them for a specific reason.......why embarrass them even more than they do to themselves? #2: While most of the people I know have retired there are still a few working at the stations that I know so why cause them grief? They know, from me at least, that their station screwed up. #3: I still may apply at these stations and rather not have one of them say "GET OUT!" if I publicly shamed them by giving out there call letters.

And I'm sure you wouldn't want your name mentioned if you did something that was totally boneheaded......like sleeping with small farm animals. [Not that you do....but see what I mean?]

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I'm more than willing to name stations. I'm already blackballed from every radio company in the market, from Salem to Cox, and definitely iHeart. The part I can't understand is, who would want to go back anyway? I sure wouldn't. Broadcasting is dead. I feel like this board is just here to document it's demise

coolaid213 said:

Broadcasting is dead. I feel like this board is just here to document it's demise

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There are lots of things in far worse shape.

Coolaide and Yabadabado1:

I think you both need to get a plan together and go grab ya a small radio station, or two. You both seem like you could rewrite the radio book, But, I gotta ask one thing to coolaid - you are young (32 compared to an old man, like I am) and have the future ahead! What did you do (mistake or what?) to get blackballed?

Broadcasting is dead for sure. When was the last time you listened to any radio station?

Haha, I'm probably not really blackballed. That's exaggeration I suppose. I hosted a radio show that no one listened to for a few years, and I spent the entire time talking crap about every company and radio personality I could think of. Plus there are all of the things I've said here. Realistically though, I just wouldn't want another radio gig even if I could get one.

I haven't listened to the radio in over a year. I listened to Bubba 98.7 for awhile because I really enjoyed the anything goes format. I haven't listened since they flipped to jock rock, or whatever they're playing now. My daughter does like PBS Kids though. We've been watching 16.2 since she was a baby. It'll be sad to see that go.

WEDU could add 3.5 or replace 3.4 WEDU+ with PBS Kids, to fill in that void.

Jonathan7157 said:

WEDU could add 3.5 or replace 3.4 WEDU+ with PBS Kids, to fill in that void.

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Noticed today that OTA channel 3 WEDU has added a 3.5 and 3.6, one is the Kids TV and the other is Create; also WTVT Fox 13 is having a segment on WUSF TV this evening (Tuesday the 10th) one their 10PM newscast.

Right now WUSF is airing a slide which says "WEDQ will soon feature your favorite PBS programs". WEDQ? They can't even get the callsign of the other station correct?

frankberry said:

Some people are mourning the passing of WUSF television. These people need to remember that it was the decision of USF to sell the WUSF-TV operating frequency to the government.
Apparently USF cares more about cashing-in on their frequency than serving the public.
It's not surprising that they can't even get the call letters of WEDU correct. WEDU has always been the primary PBS station for the Tampa/St. Pete market.

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Actually that should be surprising because according to an FCC channel-sharing document, WEDU was expected to change the callsign of WUSF to WEDQ.

kc1ih said:

Right now WUSF is airing a slide which says "WEDQ will soon feature your favorite PBS programs". WEDQ? They can't even get the callsign of the other station correct?

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I believe WEDQ is correct. Just be on the lookout for any FCC filings that show the changing of callsigns on UHF channel 34 from WUSF to WEDQ.

frankberry said:

Actually, it's a moot point. WUSF-TV is history.

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Yes, that's true. But it entered into a channel sharing agreement with WEDU on its last few days which led to apprently WUSF being bought out by WEDU, having WUSF's signal being shared by WEDU and allowing WEDU to change the callsign to WEDQ in which it has been since today, October 16th.

Could someone explain in simple terms what the sharing agreement means? Why is Digital UHF 34 re-mapped to 16-1 still on the air? I thought the "spectrum" and channel was sold in the auction? At the same time, WEDU has added two sub channels to it's own digital channel. Just wondering where this channel or spectrum space that was sold has gone if the "Channel 16" is still on the air.

16-1 is currently airing WEDU programs. I suspect this for the short term as a tease until the transmitter is actually turned off.

frankberry said:

WUSF was not bought out by WEDU. WUSF sold their broadcast license back to the government. As I understand, WEDU will be airing some of the programs which were formerly broadcast by WUSF.
There is no FCC information which indicates that the WEDU call letters have (or will) change to WEDQ. Why would the station want to change call letters?

http://www.tampabay.com/blogs/media/wedu-now-airing-some-pbs-shows-lost-to-the-wusf-shutdown/2341241

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There is FCC information and they did change to WEDQ. The answer to your question of why would they is because call letters have to be assigned to each broadcasting frequency and WEDU will be broadcasting content there for awhile.

https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/tv-profile/wedq