A Flood Of Items

From radio to TV, to TV passing off as radio, we’re bailing out the water here…

LA MEGA STAYING?: If we’ve said it once, we’ve said it a thousand times…or maybe it only SEEMS like a thousand times.

We have frequently cautioned fans of first, alt-rock “87.7 Cleveland’s Sound” and then, Spanish-language CHR “La Mega 87.7”, not to become too attached to a radio signal at 87.7 on the FM dial.

Just one example, from our item when it was announced that “La Mega” would be displacing alternative rock:

And like “Cleveland’s Sound” before it, the FCC clock still ticks on the new Spanish-language operator of 87.7, with analog LPTV (and the FM audio byproduct of it) still set to go away in September 2015.

Uhhh, maybe not?

The FCC has decided to weigh in, and it looks like the analog LPTV digital conversion deadline is being postponed. (As we’ve noted frequently, Murray Hill Broadcasting’s WLFM-LP is actually an analog TV station on Channel 6, with the 87.7 FM “radio station” a side effect since it’s where the audio carrier for analog Channel 6 is located.)

Our content partners at RadioInsight had first word.

And RI’s Lance Venta reports that the FCC’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (PDF) not only deals with the overall digital conversion, but also with the potential for stations like WLFM-LP to continue broadcasting radio signals even after the TV signal becomes digital:

In the proposed rulemaking, the so-called “Franken-FM’s” may be granted a way to continue operating after the television portion of its license goes digital. The FCC has opened a comment period asking “whether to allow LPTV stations on digital television channel 6 (82-88 MHz) to operate analog FM radio-type services on an ancillary or supplementary basis”. As the commission states, “a station has proposed using a single transmitter that allows a digital visual and audio stream, as well as a separate analog audio transmission, to simultaneously operate a digital LPTV station on channel 6 and an analog FM radio-type service at 87.76 MHz”.

The FCC will have to sort out the technical issues, including whether such an arrangement will negatively impact the Channel 6 digital signal, or will interfere with nearby non-commercial FM stations on 88.1 and 88.3. They’ll also consider if the new signals would be subject to FCC radio rules.

Though this is not at all a guarantee (see “proposed” above), it’s the first major sign that these “87.7 FM” stations could “go legit” as radio stations, not TV audio side effects…and stay there for good. Tom Wilson, we’re eating crow in your honor.

We don’t know the length of the contract Wilson’s Murray Hill has with “La Mega” operator TSJ Media of Cincinnati…or if it lasts past September 2015, or even until then.

Thus, even if the FCC proposal becomes reality, we don’t know if “La Mega” will stay on 87.7, or if it’ll at some point be replaced by another audio service…

AND SPEAKING OF DIGITAL LPTV: Porcine creatures must be in the air between Kent and Ravenna.

OMW hears that Media-Com’s Retro TV-affiliated LPTV duo, WAOH-LP/29 Akron and W35AX/35 Cleveland, could actually be ready to test both stations’ digital signals soon.

We can’t say for sure exactly when you’ll be able to see the digital signals of the stations now on Channel 29 and Channel 35 in analog.

But we will be rescanning our own digital TV tuner about once a week in the coming weeks, and wouldn’t be surprised if those signals visit our tuner sometime in that time frame.

WAOH-LP has a construction permit to “flash cut” on Channel 29, with the digital signal directly replacing the analog signal. That’s a similar process that another Akron-licensed station, ION O&O WVPX/23, went through at the full-power digital transition.

W35AX will resurface on Channel 16 (one notch above Scripps ABC affiliate WEWS/5), lighting up a “digital companion channel” carrying the new calls W16DO.

This is tied to our previous item, of course.

With the FCC considering a hold on the conversion of LPTV signals from analog to digital, it looks like Media-Com and other analog LPTV operators won’t be forced to convert next September. (The FCC NPRM cites the slow rate of pre-deadline LPTV digital conversions less than one year out, and the upcoming spectrum auction.)

But it’s very much a good thing for the current 29/35 combo to leave the analog world.

For one, the stations have all but disappeared from many TVs, and not just because even analog tuners still out there are likely unused by most.

The local “Retro TV” outlet has long been carried on Time Warner Cable’s analog lineup in Akron, currently on position 11…but recently, TWC forced WAOH and other less popular local stations off the analog lineup there, forcing subscribers to pro-actively request “DTAs” (digital tuning adapters) to get those channels back.

The aforementioned WVPX was one of those channels, and the local ION outlet ran frequent announcements urging TWC subscribers to pick up those DTAs…

WWMK BUYER?: We’re getting word that there may be a buyer for Radio Disney’s Cleveland outlet, WWMK/1260.

And although the buyer of Radio Disney’s WQEW/1560 in New York City is apparently known – the folks at Family Radio – Tom Taylor’s “Tom Taylor Now” E-mail newsletter reports that the prospective buyers in Cleveland and Houston aren’t known for sure, at least yet:

It’s probably not Family Radio, though it’s possible another Christian broadcaster is in the hunt. (…) As part of its acquisition binge, Disney purchased its Cleveland O&O in 1998, paying $3.9 million for then-WMIH at 1260. These days it runs 10,000 watts daytime/5,000 watts at night as WWMK. You wonder about a buyer like Ed Atsinger at Salem Communications looking at either the Cleveland signal and/or Houston – perhaps for duty as a Spanish Christian station, or an all-business format.

Salem, of course, owns three stations in Cleveland already…Christian teaching/talk WHKW/1220 “The Word”, talk WHK/1420 “The Answer” and CCM WFHM/95.5 “The Fish”. It does indeed program both Spanish religion and all-business in some other markets.

Family Radio also operates in Northeast Ohio, as the long-time owner of WCUE/1150 Cuyahoga Falls in the Akron market.

While Family Radio has been looking for a replacement for its former New York City market home (WFME/94.7 Newark NJ, now Cumulus country WNSH “Nash FM”), it has no need for a new signal in this area.

WCUE is not a powerhouse on the AM dial, particularly in Cleveland, but it’s good enough for Family Radio…and Family Radio, unlike Salem, only operates one program stream and has no need for a second signal.

Again, it’s just speculation about Salem being a possible buyer for 1260. We also have no further information about that prospect. We’re just putting it out there…

WBNX?: Akron’s been a-buzz about a six-part newspaper series investigating one of the area’s most known exports…televangelist Ernest Angley at Grace Cathedral in Cuyahoga Falls.

We’ll let the Akron Beacon Journal’s Bob Dyer deal with the more shocking tidbits – charges by former church members that Angley forced members to have abortions or vasectomies – as we’re not Ohio Church Watch.

But you know why we’re bringing this up here.

A big part of Angley’s empire at the corner of State Road and Portage Trail in Cuyahoga Falls is Cleveland-market CW affiliate WBNX/55.

Angley’s Winston Broadcasting Network (Winston is Angley’s middle name) signed on WBNX after he bought the television facilities once used by the previous televangelist at that corner, the Rev. Rex Humbard.

As frequently noted here, WBNX has operated as a purely secular TV station, affiliated with the youth-oriented CW (and the WB before it), and the sole religious programming on Channel 55 are Angley’s own shows…the daily “The Ninety and Nine Club”, and Angley’s flagship show, “The Ernest Angley Hour”.

(Those shows, and a program featuring Angley’s choir, air repeatedly on WBNX/55.2.)

The question has been asked more than once – how will the Beacon Journal series affect WBNX?

It’s probably too early at this point to connect all the dots. But we remind you that Angley is 93 years old, and probably doesn’t have much time left on this planet as a result.

We suspect any resolution regarding WBNX could happen after Ernest Angley passes on…be it Angley cashing in on the FCC’s spectrum auction (and the numbers released by the FCC are rather eye popping), or selling Channel 55 to another operator, perhaps forming a duopoly with Tribune’s WJW/8 or Scripps’ WEWS/5…

BOOM!: Long-time OMW readers may remember the events of late 2009, when then-Elyria-Lorain Broadcasting smooth jazz WNWV/107.3 “The Wave” mounted an AAA format.

WNWV launched as “Boom!”, but the name blew up rather quickly.

As it turns out, CBS Radio complained…the mega-group operated “Boom FM” on an HD2 channel in Seattle.

Quoting Tom Taylor in our item from the time:

Seems CBS is employing “Boom FM” in Seattle on the HD-2 channel of classic hits “Jack FM” KJAQ (96.5). It may be used for CBS stations in other markets, too.

Radio One in Houston has launched the former “News 92” (KROI-FM) as “Boom 92”, a classic hip-hop outlet.

This time, RadioInsight’s Lance Venta reports that CBS apparently saw the latest “Boom” coming, and filed for a trademark earlier this month.

Cue the CBS cease-and-desist order in 3…2…1…

MIKE IVERS: Our condolences to the family, friends and co-workers of Mike Ivers on his recent death.

Ivers died October 4th at an area hospice facility.

In his over 40 year career, Ivers is most known for his long stint as midday personality at now-classic hits WMJI/105.7 “Majic 105.7″…until he was let go in 2005…