UMaine tunes out the Sports Zone…

Shortsighted, sneaky

What a shortsighted and sneaky thing to do, selling the broadcasting rights of UMaine sports to an out-of-state promotion company which promises to establish a statewide radio network. And may not be able to deliver.

WZON stepped in and created interest in the University of Maine when no one else was interested. The radio station has stimulated enthusiasm for Maine and Maine athletes for hometown audiences and sports fans. Plus the fact that the Kings unquestionably are one of Maine’s most beloved and respected and generous families makes this sellout one of the most stupid decisions of the present University of Maine administration.

Helen Sloane Dudman

Ellsworth

Short-term memory

The University of Maine at Orono should be ashamed of themselves; what a slap in the face to Stephen and Tabitha King. Why would you go with an out-of-state broadcasting system? For as long as I can remember I have always been able to depend on hearing any Maine sports on WZON.

Has the university forgotten all the money that has been so graciously donated by the Kings? Shame on you!

Kimberly Khoury

Kelley

Eddington

A bad decision

This is a copy of a letter that I have sent to Blake James, athletic director at University of Maine.

As a loyal UMaine alumni living in Maryland, I am surprised and disappointed to learn of the decision to switch broadcast rights for Black Bear athletic events from WZON to WVOM. WZON began broadcasting UMaine sports when nobody else would and continued for over 13 years. So much for loyalty.

Beyond the important issue of supporting “locally owned” vs. “conglomerate media,” I have to say that the folks at WZON have done a terrific job covering Black Bear sports, in my opinion. I am a frequent listener via the Internet to their broadcasts, particularly of Maine hockey and baseball, finding their broadcasts to be entertaining and very professional. WZON’s passion for Black Bear athletics has always come through loud and clear. So, while I am sure that the new deal with Clear Channel was financially driven, I doubt that future broadcasts will have the same sense of passion and Black Bear pride. This is a bad decision.

If strength of broadcast and reaching more homes in Maine was the objective – what was wrong with WZON’s proposal of developing a network of stations throughout Maine to carry their broadcasts? Again, this was a bad decision.

Moving the broadcast rights from the Kings’ WZON is also a surprise from the standpoint of overall university support. Do we really expect the good folks at Clear Channel to be as involved and supportive to the University of Maine as Stephen and Tabitha King? Again, this is a bad decision.

Additionally, do you really think that Clear Channel’s local representatives will have any real influence to the folks back at headquarters (St. Louis, Texas, or wherever) on broadcast decisions regarding the Black Bear sports? How much thought do you think the Clear Channel conglomerate will give when considering whether to pre-empt Rush Limbaugh or Sean Hannity to broadcast a Maine-Stony Brook baseball clash? Also, it appears that the Maine stations currently owned by Clear Channel may be sold to a yet-to-be-named entity! So, now we will “hope” that someone new will live up to the contract that they had no part in signing. Great. Again, this is a bad decision.

In Friday’s Bangor Daily News article on the switch, it also mentions that WVOM cannot stream broadcasts online, but “… is working to resolve that issue.” Since I – and many other dedicated alumni – are located outside of Maine, you have now just cut off our ability to follow the Black Bears. Sorry folks, Gametracker is not quite the same. Again, this is a bad decision.

Finally, I hear that the good governor of Maine, Mr. Baldacci, continues to preach about keeping Maine’s “best and brightest” in Maine. Your decision to switch your business to Clear Channel really sends a “clear” signal to UMaine students interested in broadcasting that the real jobs are in St. Louis or in Texas. Again, this is a bad decision.

So, let’s see where this brings us… you have possibly alienated a large local benefactor (maybe one of the university’s largest?)… seems like you’ve upset your fans and listening audience, sending us to CSTV’s Gametracker to follow the Black Bear teams… you’ve reinforced the idea that “greed is good, so go for the money” to all your University of Maine students… and you’ve lost a great group of professional, loyal and dedicated broadcast partners.

Hmmmm… hope the money was worth it. Oh, did I say that I thought this is a bad decision!

David Turner

Millersville, Md.

An insult to the Kings

To Mr. Blake James and Mr. Robert Kennedy:

As a UMaine graduate, varsity letter winner, and the father of two current students (with a probable third waiting in the wings), I would like to express my displeasure with the university’s choice of Clear Channel over the local WZON as your broadcast affiliate. How can you be so shortsighted to dismiss two huge longtime supporters like Mr. and Mrs. Stephen King? Apparently loyalty and being a graduate of the school count for nothing at the flagship of the university system.

Yes, I am an out-of-state resident, attended UMaine as an out-of-state student, and am currently paying out-of-state tuition times two. I have some loyalty to my alma mater and a huge amount of respect for the quality product (read education) provided by UMaine. It would appear that the only concern the university has is money related. What about the quality product that WZON has been providing for years?

I can only attend a very few UMaine athletic contests every year (mostly hockey games) but have faithfully listened to WZON streaming online for the majority of the games I can not attend. Apparently I will no longer have that opportunity. I guess I should thank you and the university for thinking only of yourselves and filling your wallets instead of considering the thousands of people who faithfully listened to WZON for their weekly dose of UMaine sports.

My only hope is that there is some underlying major positive impact for the university with this switch to a non-local broadcast affiliate. If there is, I’d like to know what it is.

Best of luck to WZON in the future. Thank you for the hundreds of hours of entertainment that you have provided me over the past several years. Hopefully you can find some way to fill the enormous gap left in your schedule thanks to the ingrates in Orono. UMaine, unless I hear otherwise, you blew it!

Paul V. Squires, UMaine ’82

Sr. Principal Physicist

BAE Systems E&IS

Nashua, N.H.

Note to readers: The BDN reserves the right to edit submissions for libel, taste, clarity, and to fit available space. Letters should include a signature, full name, address, and daytime phone number. Letters may be mailed to: P.O. Box 1329, Bangor, ME 04402, or e-mailed: bdnsports@bangordailynews.net