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Sunday, August 28, 2011

FCC says just 3 radio stations are reported dark

Hurricane Irene However: the FCC's roving "Roll Call" teams in specially-equipped SUVs haven't reported in yet today. Rear Admiral James Barnett, the Chief of the FCC's Public Safety and Homeland Security Bureau, says "I quite frankly had expected to at least be getting requests for STA [Special Temporary Authority] or to shift to alternate sites." But Barnett warns that Hurricane Irene isn't over, even after the main storm has passed. Flooding and wind damage may still occur, along with persistent power outages that might be a problem for broadcasters and wireless carriers, as their own generator and/or battery backups run out to their limits.

Here's a roundup of Irene-related action as of Sunday PM:

- In Boston, it's reported that Principle Broadcasting's Boston-area brokered-ethnic WJDA, Quincy (1300) has lost its tower. The Boston Board of Radio-Info.com says the Boston Radio Interest email list believes WJDA (1-kw days/72 watts at night) is silent for that reason (here).

- In Connecticut: Clear Channel stations such as Hartford-market country WWYZ (92.5) and New Haven's "KC101" WKCI were simulcasting with NBC affiliate WVIT/Channel 30.

- Around New York City: New York Public Radio's WNYC-AM (820) experienced flooding at its transmitter site in Kearny, NJ and was silent. Citadel talker WABC (770) spent part of the day simulcasting on sister hot AC WPLJ (95.5). The news radio wars continued, with Merlin Media touting that its "FM News 101.9" WEMP had experienced reporters on the streets and had gone commercial-free during the storm.

- In upstate New York: Several stations are reported to have been off the air, according to a post on the Albany-Hudson Valley Board of Radio-Info.com. As of this morning (Sunday, 8/28), those were Albany-market oldies WPTR-FM, Clifton Park (96.7), all-sports WTMM, Mechanicsville (104.5) and local "K-Love" affiliate WYKV, Ravena (94.5). The Board posting is here.

- In New Jersey, the NJBA reports that Greater Media's AC "Magic 100.1) WJRZ, Manahawkin was on generator power all Saturday night, but continued broadcasting. Some other Greater Media stations also needed generator power for a while.

- In Richmond, VA: Salem's Tom Tradup reports to Radio-Info that a truck belonging to Salem Radio Network D.C. Bureau Chief Engineer Dave Terry was totaled by a falling tree. Tradup says the staff will hold a "Good night Irene" bake sale to help compensate Terry for his loss.

- In Tidewater Virginia, Sinclair Communications' talk WNIS (790) was planning to simulcast at least on one sister station (variety hits "93.7 Bob FM" WNOB). WNIS, however, warned that its studios are in downtown Norfolk "right on the Elizabeth River" and it was coming over the boardwalk ("although we are on generator and also on the 5th floor").



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