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The Black Bear Radio Network has welcomed a Portland all-sports station to the fold, but the still-uncertain status of one of its primary members could still shake things up a bit.
Portland’s WLOB (1310 AM) has signed on to do University of Maine football and men’s hockey during the upcoming fall and winter seasons, bringing to seven the number of full- or part-time network affiliates.
That number of network affiliates won’t change in the near future, but the specific stations that are affiliates might. Due to Federal Communications Commission rules, GoodRadio.TV LLC, a Florida-based private ownership group that is buying 187 stations nationwide from Clear Channel, may have to sell off two of the eight Maine stations purchased. If that is the case, Dexter’s WGUY (102.1 FM) would be one of those two stations.
Since WGUY is a primary member of the Black Bear Radio Network, which has Howland’s WVOM (103.9 FM) as its flagship station, that would create a significant void in the network.
Not to worry, says Clear Channel Bangor market manager Josh Scroggins.
“It may not affect it at all. The station is currently in trust, so that doesn’t mean necessarily that it will be sold again to begin with,” Scroggins explained. “But even if it is, WWBX [97.1 FM] in Bangor will take WGUY’s spot.
“The good thing about that is WWBX’s listenership is 2.7 times greater than WGUY’s and it’s already quite popular with the UMaine community.”
The 50,000-watt WWBX had 33,800 listeners to WGUY’s 12,400, according to the fall (2006) Arbitron radio ratings book.
Ironically, WWBX is also one of the eight stations being sold to GoodRadio.TV, but is not one put in trust. The other Black Bear Network stations which are to be sold to GoodRadio are Bangor’s WABI (910 AM), WVOM, WRKD (1450 AM) of Rockland, Madison’s WIGY (97.5 FM), and Gardiner’s WFAU (1280 AM). None of them are affected, either.
The plans are still being ironed out, but WVOM is slated to air men’s hockey and football with WGUY (or WWBX) doing all men’s and women’s basketball games plus selected baseball and softball games. WABI would be utilized for overflow and secondary coverage. WRKD, WFAU and WIGY would air games not conflicting with their high school football and basketball schedules.
Ironically, the newest network member (WLOB) is the only one station not being sold.
One of the University of Maine’s primary aims the last several years when it came to awarding exclusive radio contracts was coverage extending into the Portland market.
The addition of Portland’s WLOB (1310 AM) to the newly-formed network, which counts six stations and high-powered flagship station WVOM (103.9 FM) of Howland as its members, gives UMaine its coveted Portland presence, but only for men’s hockey and football broadcasts.
“Down the line, it may also include basketball, but the plan for this year is taking football and men’s hockey,” said WLOB general manager and sales manager Jon Van Hoogenstyn, who confirmed the affiliation deal is two years in length along with an option year. “It fits perfectly with our programming because we’re the sports station for southern Maine.
Van Hoogenstyn points out UMaine coaches are already “regular guests” on the morning shows of WLOB and sister stations WJAE (1440 AM) and WJJB (99.5 FM) of Topsham.
WLOB had been taking selected UMaine football and hockey games for the last several years, but did not last year because of scheduling conflicts, programming decisions and other factors.
“We ran into some real clearance issues last year, so we made the decision not to carry UMaine,” Van Hoogenstyn said. “It had nothing to do with the flagship station or who was carrying UMaine sports. We were in the process of renewing our Red Sox agreement and starting up a new station.”
Joining the network makes sense for WLOB, according to Van Hoogenstyn.
“There’s a huge alumni base here and there’s obviously a lot of interest in what’s happening. When they [hockey] went to the finals last year, the fan reaction was pretty rabid,” he said. “The other thing that’s exciting about UMaine is you have a hockey team that’s just fabulous and a lot of those guys end up in the pros, plus you have football doing well and sending players on to the NFL.”
Andrew Neff can be reached at 990-8205, 1-800-310-8600 and at aneff@bnagordailynews.net
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