Tuesday, February 26, 2008
Al Diamon
The End of the Blues
Since October 2007, WCYI-FM, 93.9 in Portland, has been broadcasting an all-blues format that’s attracted a sizable audience across southern, central and western Maine – in part because the music was rarely interrupted and it ran no commercials. WCYI is currently operated by something called the Last Bastion Station Trust, which is one of those business oddities created by federal broadcasting regulations.
When WCYI’s owner, Citadel Broadcasting, bought ABC radio in June 2007, the Federal Communications Commission required the company to get rid of a some stations in markets where it had too great a share of the audience. Portland was one of those markets. So, Citadel sold WCLZ to rival Saga Communications and put WCYI up for sale. Until a buyer could be found, a trust was created to operate the station. The trust asked Herb Ivy, program manager of Citadel’s WBLM, to come up with something to fill WCYI’s airwaves on a temporary basis. Ivy decided on the blues format.
Now, according to Northeast Radio Watch (www.fybush.com), WCYI is being sold to EMF Broadcasting, destined to become part of its K-Love Network of Christian music, which features such artists as Casting Crowns, Newsboys and Leeland. No purchase price has been made public. K-Love can already be heard in Maine on low-power translators in Bangor and Orono, but the WCYI purchase gives EMF a 50,000-watt outlet in the populous southern part of the state.
As for fans of the station’s current format, the sale is likely to give them the blues – by taking away the blues.
Filed February 28, 2008
Al Diamon can be e-mailed at aldiamon@herniahill.net.
Posted on Tuesday, February 26, 2008 in Permalink
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Reader Comments:
Why is it that the Blues format is what most radio stations perfer not to play?When 93.9 started playing the Blues,I thought there was hope,for both the artist,and the people of Maine.For years, I have sponsered The Blues Festival, Blues breaks,cruises and the arts.When are radio stations going to wake up and give people what they want to hear?
I'll certainly miss the Maine Blues Project. I listen to it constantly when I'm on the road, even though the playlist is rather short and there seems to be a wide interpretation of what constitutes "blues."
I'm surprised that the new owners didn't try to market the station as-is. They might be surprised at the number of listeners.
Guess it's back to the CD player.
It is a real shame..I have been meaning to Google the Maine Blues project for some time now...I guess I am sorry I did!
Sometimes, it's best not to know.
Let's hope the Christians can find the ground fault causing that damn line hum.
And maybe the music files won't be compressed to the point of making AM radio seem like high fidelity.
And fingers crossed, perhaps the song rotation will be larger than what fits on a Post-it note.
This station is the best! I can't say enough good about it and I work at a pub and my customers talk about it. It is great and has to stay on the air.
That's too bad. I have been listening to this station exclusively since they started broadcasting blues. It has opened me up to a new world of listening pleasure. I'm going to be sad to see it go.
Just what Maine needs, more Christian broadcasting.
If anyone in broadcasting should read this, count me as one individual who would love to see an all blues format return, even if it meant commercials. The loss of The Maine Blues project will certainly leave a huge void. I know there must be an audience for the blues!!
An update: According to EMF Broadcasting, WCYI will carry the Air 1 Christian network, not the K-Love programming. Air 1 aims at listeners in their 20s and 30s, while K-Love seeks an older audience. Still no official date as to when the changeover will occur, but it's likely to be this summer.
wow !
After the Maine Blues Project is gone, so will be my FM tuner. I believe it is a huge mistake to change formats. I have listened to this station exclusively since it's inception. This is a huge loss for the people of southern Maine.
What,no more Maine Blues Project, C'mon, it must be a April Fools joke, best station in Maine, played everything Blue from Willy Nelson, Gram Parsons to Muddy Waters and James Cotton. BUMMER