Friday, December 12, 2003

Lou Does It Again, This Time In Maine

Lou Mercatanti’s Nassau Broadcasting has purchased six radio stations up and down the coast of Maine for $18.5 million cash. The group, Mariner Broadcasting, owns the stations, four of the six are presently Classical and are known as the Bach Quartet. The stations cover the entire coast of Maine from New Hampshire to the Canadian Border.

The stations include, WBQQ-FM Kennebunkport, WBQW-FM Scarborough, WBQX-FM Thomaston and WBQI-FM Bar Harbor. The stations function as a network, covering the entire Maine Coast. In addition, Soft AC WQEZ, Kennebunkport and Music of Your Life, WYBA-FM Islesboro are part of the deal. Our sources in Maine tell QuickNews that Lou isn’t done yet.  There are two more Maine groups, privately held, that Lou would like to add as well.  First, New Jersey, then Northeast Pennsylvania and now Maine, perhaps tomorrow, the world.  The Nassau folks are great broadcasters. They know what they are doing, and the folks in Maine can look forward to some great radio from Nassau. Good Luck Lou! 

Big Change In QuickNews

As the New Year approaches, QuickNews will go through a major change. We will finally move into the 21^st century. QuickNews is now available every Friday morning on your fax machine, Thursday evening on our web site, www.njbroadcasters.org, and for those who request it, by e-mail. Effective with the issue of January 9, we will be eliminating the fax delivery of QuickNews for an all e-mail service. Everyone on your staff can get their own copy of QuickNews delivered directly to their computers. All fax receivers of QuickNews have been sent a notice and invited to supply their e-mail address so they can continue to receive this weekly newsletter. If you have not yet opted in, please do so today.  Send an e-mail to mary@njba.com and in the subject line please say, “E-mail QuickNews”. That’s all there is to it. Come January, your very own edition of QuickNews will arrive every Friday early morning on your computer and it’s still free! 

Warnings From The FCC Are Clear

As QuickNews has stated several times, the FCC is really cracking down on what it calls indecency. The sentiment is Washington is to make a horrible example of someone to make broadcasters get the message. At least one major broadcast group is getting ready to take the FCC to court on indecency, on the grounds of free speech. Rejecting the fines the FCC has leveled at the group, they are probably going to court. The FCC should fear a court battle. They could lose. However, the pressure from some Commissioners on the 8^th floor is intense. They are pushing for huge increases in fines, and holding a station to an every incidence with in a given program. That could mean thousands of dollars in fines in a very few minutes. Complaints to the commission are up over 500% and they are poised to take action. Don’t be the horrible example and lose your license. For warned is forearmed.  

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