Couldn't Happen To A Nicer Bunch Of Guys

Press Communications owns Thunder Country 106.3/106.5, formerly Hit 106, formerly G-Rock, formerly G106.3, formerly FM106.3. Since it's FM106.3 that served as my old stomping grounds (and informs my music selection these days at Altrok 90.5 HD2) you might have suspected that I watch their antics with some amusement.

It seems Clear Channel (the nationwide radio-station-owning behemoth) has popped a 99-watt "translator" atop the Empire State Building and is "translating" the HD2 signal from WLTW-HD2 (format to be determined) on the 106.3 frequency. Not that Thunder Country has much of a signal in New York City, it does have one south of there - or had one, anyway, until the translator went on the air.

I'm actually kind of against this. There really shouldn't be a translator on 106.3 in NYC, so close to the 106.3 in Eatontown, NJ that Thunder Country calls home. However, I don't see any reason why I can't take this opportunity to cook up a batch of popcorn and be entertained by their wriggling. Here's their listener plea...

"To our Loyal Thunder 106 Listeners! We are aware that many of our listeners in the Counties of Middlesex, Somerset, Hunterdon, Morris, Passaic, Sussex, Union, Bergen, Essex, Hudson as well as Staten Island, Brooklyn, Long Island and Lower Manhattan are experiencing interference with our Thunder 106.3 signal.

We have become aware that a New York radio station is sending out a signal that is on the same106.3 FM frequency. We have already contacted the FCC (Federal Communications Commission) about the interference and are making every attempt to have the interference stopped immediately. In the meantime we could use your help.

Please fill out the form below and provide your information to us. By doing so we will be able to advise the FCC on how and where this interference is affecting YOU, our LOYAL LISTENER."

Aheh. It's the "Loyal Listener" thing that gets ya right here, don't it? It's as though they care!

To be fair, the country format has certainly gained traction for them, which is good, because they couldn't run an alternative rock station to save their life, and they did even worse running a Hit Music station. How do you blow that?

Actually, that part's easy: launch your Hit format in a market that has lots of other options for hit music, and then completely alienate the young-but-plugged-in audience your former alternative format had by blaming them for your problems. If they're in the car when a radio is being tuned, they'll go out of their way to recommend anything but your station.

So Press, I feel for ya, I really do.

But at the same time, CRY MOAR.