MediaBiz with Jessica Heslam

Dennis and Callahan praise WEEI's long-awaited FM Boston simulcast

WEEI-AM (850) morning-drive duo John Dennis and Gerry Callahan knocked their station's weak AM signal today and said their bosses bowed to listeners' demands to air on the Hub's FM dial.

As I reported in today's Herald, WEEI sports radio will begin simulcasting on WMKK-FM (93.7) - Mike FM - starting Monday. Both stations are owned by Entercom.

"I'm extremely happy to tell you that WEEI sports radio will begin simulcasting on 93.7 FM," Dennis said on the air this morning. "This is what our audience wanted. It's what the audience asked for."

Dennis said WEEI will sound better and clearer - and the "powerful" 93.7 FM signal will "double our reach."

The moves comes as WEEI takes a whipping in the ratings battle with FM rival "98.5 The Sports Hub."

Callahan said they'd see e-mails and texts from listeners - and heard from callers everyday telling them to "get on FM."

"Well, finally, thankfully, the boss listened," Callahan said.

Callahan called WEEI's spotty AM signal in the suburbs "maddening," saying he'd lose the AM station while driving under a bridge or when it rained.

"Those days are over," Callahan said. "And I understand when people gave up at times because it's so frustrating."

Callahan said his parents were glad when the pair's radio show began broadcasting on New England Sports Network because "they could finally hear me again."

"I've made the analogy on a number of occasions," Dennis added. "You have a choice to watch a Red Sox game on high definition or your old Sylvania black and white in the basement with rabbit ears. What would you do? You would watch the high definition. This is what this is - it's a high definition radio station."

Dennis said the 93.7 FM signal will reach southern New Hampshire, Merrimack Valley, MetroWest and the Worcester area.

Author(s):
http://bostonherald.com/business/media_marketing/mediabiz/2011/09/dennis_and_callahan_praise_weeis_long_awaited_fm_boston
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