Have you heard the news? Boston's radio station 104.1 WBCN is being phased out by CBS. It's a complicated process, but it looks like WBCN's programming will be shifted to the web as an online-only radio station (wbcn.com). Meanwhile a brand-new all-sports channel will be put on the air at 98.5 FM, the former home of Mix 98.5. Mix 98.5 will continue--but change stations on the FM dial from 98.5 to 104.1. The new sports channel at 98.5 will feature the Patriots broadcasts that were formerly on WBCN, among other fare. The changes will happen on August 13--a sad day for fans of WBCN to be sure.

While change happens all the time, and WBCN has had a long and storied history, it's still sad to see an institution like this simply be phased out. I admit that, other than Patriots games, I really don't listen to 'BCN anymore--but that's more a reflection on my age than the channel itself. I still consider it to be "The Rock of Boston"--even if the rock featured on it isn't what I listen to. I grew up with BCN in the 80s and 90s listening to all the great music they featured (and frequently introduced to the public). I loved listening to Charles Laquidara's Big Mattress show in the mornings, and also loved tuning into the Howard Stern show at night (when Laquidara's show was such an institution that Howard's broadcast was forced into a later slot than usual).

Here's coverage of the changes from the Boston Globe (with a news report from NECN News):

http://www.boston.com/business/articles/2009/07/15/cbs_pulls_plug_on_legendary_wbcn/

Sad news indeed, rock is dead in Boston! I remember in the early 80s listening to 'BCN and WCOZ! Great times for radio! And to go even further than that, In the 70s it was WRKO & WHDH that were the stations that I listened to!

It seems the iPod will be the death of music radio as we know it--just like the Internet is the death of TV as we know it.
I'm a little surprised that they decided to change to an all-sports format because WEEI will bury them. There have been a few all-sports stations in RI and MA that just could not compete with WEEI's expansion into RI, Western MA, and Northern New England.

i heard about this. i was going to post about it but it was too depressing. sigh. i miss the old bcn. i guess in many ways it was dead the minute charles left the air.

Wow, that is big news! I didn't hear about this! (I barely ever listen to BCN anymore, but a shock nonetheless!) It is a shame these things happen!

I also remember WCOZ from back when I was in middle school! That was when it was "uncool" to listen to Kiss 108!

yes coz was cool. i used to have the force poster for the longest time. i think it vanished in a move. i tried to find a graphic to post but instead i found this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YCMgibUS0UA

WBCN going off the air was like losing a friend that you grew up with but hadn't spoken to in a long time. That is how I felt about it. 'BCN lost its magic for me when Stern came on and they moved The Big Mattress over to 'ZLX. It was in its waning days by that time anyway and I just stopped listening. The last 4 days though were a great reminder of how good the station used to be. I digitally recorded most of it just to have it like my recordings of Dr. Dimento, Larry Glick, Dave Maynard and a long forgotten radio personality Ken Mayer and his Sunday night comedy show.

I agree...well said! The station went downhill bigtime, so I rarely listened anymore...most recently when they did play any music in the mornings (during the Toucher and Rich Show) it was always the same lame songs over and over!




Aaahhh...Dr. Dimento!!! Reminds me of 8th grade!!!

Just to show how much I listen to WBCN these days, I completely forgot about the switchover on the 13th. I randomly saw some mention of it on a TV screen at my bank on the 14th and decided to put 104.1 on when I got back in the car. They were already playing the new Mix 98.5 format. Adios old friend...

Very well said CDF Fan That's pretty much how I felt too, but didn't have the words.

If anyone is interested in listening to or downloading any part of the last 4 days you can get it here.

http://www.wbcnfinale.com/

Thanks for that CDF Fan!

sigh.