Conway Sun asks WMWV to stop reading its news on the air

CONWAY — The owner of radio station WMWV is refusing to comply with a demand by Conway Daily Sun Publisher Mark Guerringue to stop having their deejays read the Sun’s news on the air.

Keith Murray, who took over the local radio group in December, said the law allows the radio station to summarize other outlets’ news and that it is a win-win for the radio station and the other outlets.

Murray said he respects the Sun.

“We give credit where credit is due. All we really have to do, by law, is credit the newspaper or credit the source, whether it’s Channel 9 or the TV stations in Maine or the Portland Herald or whatever,” said Murray.

Guerringue said that with the internet and social media, times have changed. “Everybody knows newspapers are incredibly challenged these days, and news is our only product, and we want to protect it, “said Guerringue.

“The Sun doesn’t take WMWV’s music, why should it be allowed to take our news?” he asked.

Guerringue said the Sun has to pay to publish CNN news. Murray would neither confirm nor deny whether he pays for ABC news. “I don’t discuss the financial operations, internal operations of my radio group with anybody,” said Murray.

Murray was sent a letter on behalf of the Sun by Bill Chapman, media lawyer with the law firm Orr & Reno in Concord, Dated Jan. 23, it asked Murray to cease and desist. The letter warned that Murray isn’t using “due care” by airing content based on Sun reporting after being told not to. This means Murray would not have liability protection in the event his news presenters summarized a defamatory story in the Sun.

Another issue, said Guerringue, is the concept of fair use, which protects content creators from others who use their content for commercial purposes.

For example, Guerringue said, InDepthNH.org covers the State House. “The Sun publishes some of those stories in the paper but pays for them because it is for a commercial use,” he said.

“We’d gladly sell our stories to Murray, but he’s unwilling to pay for them,” said Guerringue.

Guerringue, who is vice president of the New Hampshire Press Association, said, “Call it a gentlemen’s agreement, but most media in NH, whether it is radio, TV or print, shares each other’s stories — but it is permission based.”

Guerringue said, for example, the Concord Monitor shares stories with the Sun and vice versa because the Sun and the Monitor don’t compete. “There is other media in NH that don’t share their news with others, but it is because they compete in the same market,” he said.

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Guerringue said at least 25 years ago, he struck a deal with the then-owner of Mount Washington Radio Group owner, Ron Frizzell, that allowed the radio station to read the Sun’s news.

Murray said the permission was revoked just as he was getting settled in and shortly after the death of Greg Frizzell, Ron’s son, who bought the station from his dad.

“I find it suspect that the minute that I took over these radio stations in December of 2024, I have a meeting with your publisher, and he immediately demands that we ‘stop reading his news on the air and stealing his work product,’” Murray told a Sun reporter.

Guerringue responded that for years he was uncomfortable with WMWV reading the Sun’s news, but he had a good relationship with the Frizzells and didn’t want to rock the boat.

“No question, I took the opportunity with new ownership. Change happens,” he said.

Murray why he doesn’t hire his own news reporter.

Murray said he needs time to get up and running. “Rome wasn’t built in a day, and these radio stations will not be rebuilt in a day. Give me a chance. I need to determine what’s appropriate for our staffing needs and what fits into our budgetary constraints,” said Murray.

“I need to be able to have a little bit of time before I get attacked ... I don’t believe we’re doing anything wrong.”

Asked if the Sun will take the radio station to court, Guerringue said no.

“It’s not worth it,” he said.

“My understanding is reading headlines under ‘fair use’ is allowed. Reading complete stories is definitely not. Reading summaries, as the radio station does, falls somewhere in the middle,” he said.

Guerringue said the radio station is welcome to read the Sun’s headlines, but that’s it. “I hope Keith has success in the valley. But he has to do it on his own, and not use the Sun’s stories when he doesn’t have permission.”