Salem Classic Hits “103.3 Earth-FM” WRTH Greer, SC launched its new website this week with a bit of a surprise included.
The station’s logo included references to the station also being heard on 98.5. That variation of the logo has since been removed but remains visible on the station’s Twitter account. The 98.5 in question is W253BG Arial/Greenville owned by Ted McCall. The translator is currently operated by Summit Media as Alternative “X98.5” rebroadcasting 107.3 WJMZ-HD2.
The addition of 98.5 to WRTH will enhance the station’s coverage in Greenville. WRTH operates with 2.7kW at 151 meters with its tower closer to the Spartanburg side of the market. Its 60dbu protected contour just misses reaching the east side of Greenville. W253BG operates from Paris Mountain north of Greenville with 250 watts at 319.8 meters. It would need to rebroadcast an HD subchannel of Salem’s 94.5 WGTK-FM to bring WRTH’s programming to Greenville.
Actually, if the translator remains in McCall’s hands and can get WRTH 103.3 off-air, relaying a subchannel of 94.5 wouldn’t be necessary. Given the translator’s location and height of the tower, it looks like getting 103.3 off-air would be pretty easy.
A translator rebroadcasting a commercial station can’t operate outside the originating stations protected contour. As 98.5 would be doing that to enhance WRTHs coverage in Greenville it would need to simulcast 94.5 to do so
Yes, it can so long as it doesn’t have the same owner as the primary station and is fed over-the-air. That would be a non-fill-in translator. So long as Salem is content with feeding 98.5 off-air and has no intention of owning it, it doesn’t have to relay a subchannel of 94.5
http://www.fcc.gov/encyclopedia/fm-translators-and-boosters-general-information#NONFILLIN
Salem also would not be able to pay Ted Mcall for the use of the translator, so for all practical purposes, it would need to be a fill-in translator.
You are correct that Salem would not be able to pay McCall for use of his translator unless they do it as a fill-in arrangement.
I’m not sure if it’s still allowed, but non-fill-in translators used to be permitted to break from the primary station for a brief period of time each hour to air a sponsorship or two.
McCall owns a bunch of translators in the Upstate of SC and rents them out. About the only station around here that owns the translator they use is WBCU in Union.