Brown’s WSBR Loses LMA, To Broadcast Online Only

Generally, radio stations require radio frequencies.

Krissy Carlson on the 9p-12m shift on WBSR

But on Monday, according to a story by Bryan Rourke at projo.com,  WBSR, a community/student-run station funded by Brown University in Providence, RI, loses its signal, its spot on the FM dial — but not, its staff hopes, its listeners.

“We are still a college radio station,” said Ryan Lester, a senior at Brown and BSR’s general manager.
“That’s whether we have a terrestrial signal or not.”

After 14 years of leasing broadcast time from WELH (88.1), BSR becomes a terrestrial-signal have-not.

Two weeks ago, BSR learned its broadcasting lease, which ends July 31, won’t be renewed.

Last year, Wheeler School, owners of WELH, increased the station’s wattage to 4,000 from 150 allowing statewide broadcasting, according to Laurie Flynn, the school’s communications director, and changed the station’s plans. Flynn said Wheeler will make “big” changes at its station, although won’t disclose them for at least a week.

“It will be great for Rhode Island,” Flynn said. “We are very excited about what we are about to announce.”

The people at BSR — 65 students and 35 non-students — aren’t as excited about the news.
BSR has been online ( www.bsrlive.com/) for several years. Now, it will be entirely online as it loses its 9 p.m.-to-3 a.m. broadcast slot on WELH.

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