NorthEast Radio Watch 12/11/2023: Heading Toward Year’s End

In this week’s issue… It’s calendar time! – WXXI’s Silverstein, WDIY’s Capogna retire – Loftus changes companies – iHeart takes over in Atlantic City

By SCOTT FYBUSH

Jump to: ME – NH – VT – MA – RI – CT – NY – NJ – PA – Canada

*PHILADELPHIA – With a (modest) road trip underway, we gave serious thought to postponing this week’s column and wrapping this challenging year up with one final regular issue next week.

But here we are, for two reasons: first, because we expect some bigger news next week that might overshadow the collection of items we have for you this week, and second, because Tower Site Calendar 2024 is about to come back from the printer and we’re especially proud of this year’s edition.

The bigger news? One piece we know – on Wednesday, the window for new low-power FM station applications will slam shut, with the FCC quickly releasing the list of applicants. How many will there be? LPFM expert Michi Bradley expects some 2,000 applications from around the country, though we’re betting the number will be somewhat smaller, especially when faulty or ungrantable applications are weeded out. That could translate to several hundred in NERW-land, though the FM dial is so full in many areas that it’s nearly impossible to cram anything else in, and we’ll have the full list for you December 18.

Another piece remains unclear: will any of the broadcast companies that are teetering on the financial edge end up in bankruptcy before the year is out? The rumor mill is swirling, especially around Philadelphia’s troubled Audacy group, and we’ll be ready with a breaking news update if there’s any action (though of course our colleague Lance Venta will have it even sooner at RadioInsight.com!)

*As for the calendar, it’s a beauty this year – another dozen pictures from my travels across the US and Canada, from the Bay Area to New York City and from Miami to London (Ontario, that is.)

We’ll begin shipping your orders the middle of this week, so if you’re hoping to have yours in hand for Christmas, now’s the time to click on the ad right below and place your order for our 23rd annual edition of radio’s favorite gift!

(We also have a very limited stock of the Radio Historian’s Calendar, so get your orders in immediately if you’re looking for one of those…)

With that, on with this week’s news, such as it is…