One-man Cambridge radio station WJIB bought by a Boston broadcasting legend

RadioInsight reports the estate of Bob Bittner, who died last May has sold WJIB in Cambridge to longtime Boston-area broadcaster and DJ John Garabedian, who might be looking to move the station's frequency and antenna location.

No immediate word on any format changes.

Until his death, Bittner broadcast a unique ad-free format on AM 740, playing an eclectic mix of standards from across several decades on WJIB and several sister stations in Maine and one on the Cape - often via mix tapes he made in his home studio using VHS tapes. He paid station expenses via what today we'd call crowdfunding - a stream of donations from listeners.

The deal between Bob Bittner Broadcasting - which his wife Raisa now runs - includes WJIB's FM "translator" which rebroadcasts the AM station, as well as the station's 400-watt AM transmitter (and a spare), its 500-watt FM transmitter, various other equipment needed to run a radio station and the "WJIB jingle package." The Bittner company will retain the Maine stations and the one on the Cape.

According to filings with the FCC, Garabedian will, at least initially, continue to use WJIB's existing antenna at Concord Avenue and Fern Street, near Fresh Pond in Cambridge, and will pay the Bittner estate $3,000 a month, until he finds a new frequency and a site for a new antenna within the next year or until the building landlord decides it no longer wants an antenna on its roof, whichever comes first.

Another radio station, WNTN will continue to sublease space on the tower from the Bittner estate.

Garabedian who worked as a DJ at WBCN, later helped start, with Arnie "Woo-Woo" Ginsburg V-66, an alternative to MTV for the latest music videos and news, especially from and about Boston bands.

Sales agreement and details (1.2M PDF).

H/t Ron Newman.