WBPM
Encyclopedia
WBPM is a Classic Hits
music formatted radio station
licensed to Saugerties
, New York
, serving the Mid-Hudson Valley
and Catskills. The station is owned by Pamal Broadcasting
and broadcasts at 6,000 watt
s ERP
from the a tower in the Town of Kingston, New York
.
The WBPM calls were previously on 94.3 MHz from 1975 to 2003, that station is today known as WKXP
.
was added to the FCC's
Table of Allotments in June 1998. The allotment was applied for and won by then-WRNQ
/WKIP/WTND
owner Eric Straus. In its preparation to reach the air, its tower site changed from WDST's original tower in Lake Katrine to a defunct AT&T
microwave relay tower site in the Town of Kingson, given that a feasibility study showed that from the former very little signal would reach the main target market of Poughkeepsie
.
On September 15, 1999, the allotment was assigned the call letters
WRKW, signed on for testing that October 23, and made a full launch on November 1, 1999. WRKW's launch format was a Classic Hits
format called Quality Rock which was automated and jockless outside of the syndicated Bob & Tom morning show. Later a voicetracked PM drive jock and the syndicated weekend show The Beatle Years was added. Considering that the same music was available on the far stronger WPDH
, the station struggled to make a showing.
After Clear Channel Communications
purchased Straus' stations in 2000, the format remained the unchaged until 2002 due to contractual obligations to the firm that programmed the Quality Rock format. On June 26, 2002, the station entered a 26-hour long stunt of Eminem
's "Without Me." The next day, WRKW relaunched as active rock
92.9 Rock. Unlike its predecessor, the station launched with DJ's taken from sister stations and a heavy promotion blitz and quickly became a middle-of-the pack radio station.
In March 2003, the syndicated Waking with the Wolf show began airing on the station. "The Wolf" had been on WPDH
for several years before moving to WPYX
in Albany, New York
. This show did not live up to the station's expectations and was canceled 14 months later when the station changed formats again.
On May 26, 2004, WRKW changed format to oldies
as Cool 92.9 and soon thereafter took the WBPM calls which had served nearly three decades on 94.3 FM
and with air staff formerly of that station and oldies predecessor WCZX
.
In late May 2006, it was announced that WBPM and sister station WGHQ
would be swapped to Pamal Broadcasting
along with Clear Channel's Rutland, Vermont cluster (WYSB
, WZRT
) and WPYR in Baton Rouge, Louisiana for WRNX
in Amherst, Massachusetts. The deal made WBPM a sister station to market leaders WSPK
and WHUD
as well as WBNR
and WLNA
.
, sister station of WPDH
.
Mornings with Bob Miller; mid-day host J.J. Carter and afternoon drive host Randy Turner, along with news director Brian Jones.
Weekend programming includes:
Special Theme weekends such as: All-70's, All-80's, Rock on Stage, and Rock Almanac Weekends.
Sun 6pm "Live In Concert" presenting live concert performances of classic rock groups
WBPM often presents one-time radio specials on the weekends.
Classic hits
Classic hits is a radio format which generally includes rock and pop music from 1964 to 1989. The term is sometimes erroneously used as a synonym for the adult hits format, but is more accurately characterized as a contemporary style of the oldies format...
music formatted radio station
FM broadcasting
FM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
licensed to Saugerties
Saugerties (town), New York
Saugerties is a town in Ulster County, New York, USA. The population was 19,482 at the 2000 census. The Town of Saugerties contains the Village of Saugerties. The town is in the northeast corner of Ulster County....
, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
, serving the Mid-Hudson Valley
Hudson Valley
The Hudson Valley comprises the valley of the Hudson River and its adjacent communities in New York State, United States, from northern Westchester County northward to the cities of Albany and Troy.-History:...
and Catskills. The station is owned by Pamal Broadcasting
Pamal Broadcasting
Pamal Broadcasting, Ltd. is a family-owned radio ownership with stations in medium-to-small markets in the Northeast and Florida. Based in the Albany suburb of Latham, New York, Pamal Broadcasting was founded in 1986 as Albany Broadcasting when business man James J. Morrell entered broadcast...
and broadcasts at 6,000 watt
Watt
The watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:...
s ERP
Effective radiated power
In radio telecommunications, effective radiated power or equivalent radiated power is a standardized theoretical measurement of radio frequency energy using the SI unit watts, and is determined by subtracting system losses and adding system gains...
from the a tower in the Town of Kingston, New York
Kingston (town), New York
Kingston is a town in Ulster County, New York, USA. The Town of Kingston is in the northeast part of Ulster County, north of the City of Kingston. Kingston is inside the Catskill Park...
.
The WBPM calls were previously on 94.3 MHz from 1975 to 2003, that station is today known as WKXP
WKXP
WKXP is a country music station licensed to Kingston, New York and serving the Hudson Valley of New York state. The station is owned by Cumulus Media and broadcasts at 6 kilowatts ERP from a tower in Kingston....
.
History
92.9 MHz, Saugerties, New YorkSaugerties (village), New York
Saugerties is a village in Ulster County, New York, USA. The population was 4,955 at the 2000 census.The Village of Saugerties is a Town in the eastern part of the Town of Saugerties. U.S. Route 9W passes through the village...
was added to the FCC's
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
Table of Allotments in June 1998. The allotment was applied for and won by then-WRNQ
WRNQ
WRNQ is an adult contemporary radio station licensed to Poughkeepsie, New York and serving the Mid-Hudson Valley of New York state. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications and broadcasts at 6 kilowatts ERP from the Illinois Mountain master tower in Highland, New York to which it moved...
/WKIP/WTND
WPKF
WPKF is a Rhythmic Top 40 radio station licensed to Poughkeepsie, New York and serving the Mid-Hudson Valley of New York state. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications and broadcasts at 6 kilowatts ERP from a tower mounted on the roof of the Ross Pavilion at the Hudson River...
owner Eric Straus. In its preparation to reach the air, its tower site changed from WDST's original tower in Lake Katrine to a defunct AT&T
American Telephone & Telegraph
AT&T Corp., originally American Telephone and Telegraph Company, is an American telecommunications company that provides voice, video, data, and Internet telecommunications and professional services to businesses, consumers, and government agencies. AT&T is the oldest telecommunications company...
microwave relay tower site in the Town of Kingson, given that a feasibility study showed that from the former very little signal would reach the main target market of Poughkeepsie
Poughkeepsie (city), New York
Poughkeepsie is a city in the state of New York, United States, which serves as the county seat of Dutchess County. Poughkeepsie is located in the Hudson River Valley midway between New York City and Albany...
.
On September 15, 1999, the allotment was assigned the call letters
Call sign
In broadcasting and radio communications, a call sign is a unique designation for a transmitting station. In North America they are used as names for broadcasting stations...
WRKW, signed on for testing that October 23, and made a full launch on November 1, 1999. WRKW's launch format was a Classic Hits
Classic hits
Classic hits is a radio format which generally includes rock and pop music from 1964 to 1989. The term is sometimes erroneously used as a synonym for the adult hits format, but is more accurately characterized as a contemporary style of the oldies format...
format called Quality Rock which was automated and jockless outside of the syndicated Bob & Tom morning show. Later a voicetracked PM drive jock and the syndicated weekend show The Beatle Years was added. Considering that the same music was available on the far stronger WPDH
WPDH
WPDH is a mainstream rock radio station licensed to Poughkeepsie, New York, and serving from extreme Northern New Jersey to New York's Hudson Valley and Catskills. The station is owned by Cumulus Media and broadcasts on 101.5 MHz at 4.4 kilowatts ERP from a tower site on Illinois Mountain in...
, the station struggled to make a showing.
After Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications, Inc. is an American media conglomerate company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It was founded in 1972 by Lowry Mays and Red McCombs, and was taken private by Bain Capital LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners LP in a leveraged buyout in 2008...
purchased Straus' stations in 2000, the format remained the unchaged until 2002 due to contractual obligations to the firm that programmed the Quality Rock format. On June 26, 2002, the station entered a 26-hour long stunt of Eminem
Eminem
Marshall Bruce Mathers III , better known by his stage name Eminem or his alter ego Slim Shady, is an American rapper, record producer, songwriter and actor. Eminem's popularity brought his group project, D12, to mainstream recognition...
's "Without Me." The next day, WRKW relaunched as active rock
Active rock
Active rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations across the United States and Canada. Active rock plays contemporary rock artists with a mix of songs common in the classic rock radio format.-Format background:...
92.9 Rock. Unlike its predecessor, the station launched with DJ's taken from sister stations and a heavy promotion blitz and quickly became a middle-of-the pack radio station.
WPDH
WPDH is a mainstream rock radio station licensed to Poughkeepsie, New York, and serving from extreme Northern New Jersey to New York's Hudson Valley and Catskills. The station is owned by Cumulus Media and broadcasts on 101.5 MHz at 4.4 kilowatts ERP from a tower site on Illinois Mountain in...
for several years before moving to WPYX
WPYX
WPYX is a Classic Rock radio station licensed to Albany, New York and primarily serving New York's Capital Region, the Adirondacks, and surrounding areas...
in Albany, New York
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
. This show did not live up to the station's expectations and was canceled 14 months later when the station changed formats again.
On May 26, 2004, WRKW changed format to oldies
Oldies
Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day....
as Cool 92.9 and soon thereafter took the WBPM calls which had served nearly three decades on 94.3 FM
WKXP
WKXP is a country music station licensed to Kingston, New York and serving the Hudson Valley of New York state. The station is owned by Cumulus Media and broadcasts at 6 kilowatts ERP from a tower in Kingston....
and with air staff formerly of that station and oldies predecessor WCZX
WCZX
WCZX is an hot adult contemporary radio station licensed to Hyde Park, New York and serving the Mid-Hudson Valley of New York state...
.
In late May 2006, it was announced that WBPM and sister station WGHQ
WGHQ
WGHQ is a United States radio station licensed to Kingston, New York and serving the Hudson Valley as well as a part of the Capital District market...
would be swapped to Pamal Broadcasting
Pamal Broadcasting
Pamal Broadcasting, Ltd. is a family-owned radio ownership with stations in medium-to-small markets in the Northeast and Florida. Based in the Albany suburb of Latham, New York, Pamal Broadcasting was founded in 1986 as Albany Broadcasting when business man James J. Morrell entered broadcast...
along with Clear Channel's Rutland, Vermont cluster (WYSB
WYSB
WYSB is a radio station licensed to serve Springfield, Kentucky, as well as Bardstown, Kentucky. The station is owned by Commonwealth Broadcasting Corporation and licensed to Washington County CBC, Inc. It airs an Adult Contemporary music format....
, WZRT
WZRT
WZRT is a radio station broadcasting a contemporary hit radio format. Licensed to Rutland, Vermont, USA, the station serves the Lebanon-Rutland-White River Junction area. The station is currently owned by Pamal Broadcasting....
) and WPYR in Baton Rouge, Louisiana for WRNX
WRNX
WRNX is an American radio station licensed to serve Amherst, Massachusetts. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications and the broadcast license is held by CC Licenses, LLC....
in Amherst, Massachusetts. The deal made WBPM a sister station to market leaders WSPK
WSPK
WSPK is a CHR radio station licensed to Poughkeepsie, New York and broadcasting from studios in Fishkill. It is owned by Pamal Broadcasting and broadcasts on 104.7 MHz at an ERP of 7.4 kilowatts from a tower at the top of Mount Beacon in Fishkill.WSPK's main coverage area is centered on the...
and WHUD
WHUD
WHUD is an Adult Contemporary radio station licensed to Peekskill, New York. The station is owned by Pamal Broadcasting and broadcasts on 100.7 MHz at 50 kW ERP from a tower site in Philipstown, New York.-History:...
as well as WBNR
WBNR
WBNR is the callsign of an AM radio station licensed to Beacon, New York and serving the Hudson Valley. The station is owned by Pamal Broadcasting and broadcasts on 1260 kHz at 1,000 watts daytime and 480 watts nighttime, both directional, from a four-tower array at 475 South Avenue in the of...
and WLNA
WLNA
WLNA is the callsign of an AM radio station licensed to Peekskill, New York and serving the Hudson Valley. The station is owned by Pamal Broadcasting and broadcasts on 1420 kHz at 5 kilowatts daytime and 1 kilowatt nighttime, both directional, from a five-tower array located just north of Peekskill...
.
Programming
When Pamal took control of the station on February 1, 2007, the station changed to "Classic Hits" at 12:00 p.m. that day after twelve hours of stunting. The programming of the station is described by the station as "Classic Rock-leaning hits from 1965-1989" Currently, the station is programmed by Randy Turner, formerly of WCZXWCZX
WCZX is an hot adult contemporary radio station licensed to Hyde Park, New York and serving the Mid-Hudson Valley of New York state...
, sister station of WPDH
WPDH
WPDH is a mainstream rock radio station licensed to Poughkeepsie, New York, and serving from extreme Northern New Jersey to New York's Hudson Valley and Catskills. The station is owned by Cumulus Media and broadcasts on 101.5 MHz at 4.4 kilowatts ERP from a tower site on Illinois Mountain in...
.
Personalities
Current notable on-air personalities on WBPM include:Mornings with Bob Miller; mid-day host J.J. Carter and afternoon drive host Randy Turner, along with news director Brian Jones.
Weekend programming includes:
Special Theme weekends such as: All-70's, All-80's, Rock on Stage, and Rock Almanac Weekends.
Sun 6pm "Live In Concert" presenting live concert performances of classic rock groups
WBPM often presents one-time radio specials on the weekends.