WHVW
Encyclopedia
WHVW is a radio station
licensed to Hyde Park, New York
that is noted for its eclectic format based on old-fashioned blues, jazz, country and Americana music. In a time of corporate ownership of broadcast outlets, it is also one of only three Hudson Valley
radio stations (other two: WTBQ
, Warwick
; WDST
, Woodstock
) that are independently owned. WHVW broadcasts on 950 kHz with a power of 500 watt
s daytime and 57 watts nighttime from a tower located off Route 9G
in the Town of Hyde Park. Studios are located at 316 Main Street in Poughkeepsie, New York
.
.
WHVW was sold to Castle Communications Corp in 1975. It would remain in the Top 40 format until 1976 when the new ownership saw the Top 40 format, still getting good ratings, as having passed its time and flipped the station to all-news (via NBC's News and Information Service
) as WHPN, continuing the format after NBC folded the service in 1977. This move reduced the station's audience considerably and in 1978 the format changed again to adult contemporary with the new calls of WWWI coming in. Positioning itself as a more musical alternative to WKIP, the station struggled to find an audience as the station bled money.
In 1982, WWWI's owners filed for bankruptcy and the future of the station was in doubt. While the sale of WJJB
(the former WHVW-FM) helped matters, ownership nearly donated WWWI to a Christian group that would later become the genesis of Sound of Life Radio
. Instead, the station was sold and upon sale a standards
format with the WHVW calls returned to the air. For the next decade, WHVW would change between various oldies
and adult standards
formats, often changing its format as a result of a higher powered, better funded station coming into competition. WHVW would add a minuscule amount of nighttime power in the mid 1980s, while moving its studios to Market Street in Poughkeepsie. In 1989 the station moved back to the original "Broadcast House" on Route 9G
in Hyde Park, NY.
A similar financial crisis in 1992 led to WHVW's sale to current owner Joseph-Paul (J. P.) Ferraro, a former pirate radio
broadcaster. Noted by some as an eccentric, Ferraro would change the format to something that would share his musical tastes with the community.
, being based mostly on pre-1965 music that was originally issued on 78 rpm records
; this music rarely gets airplay anywhere except on some low-powered college or community radio stations. Non-music programming on WHVW includes some weekend religious and ethnic programs, a weekly talk show done with the Poughkeepsie Chamber of Commerce, a high school sports program, and a weekly program hosted by Poughkeepsie Journal
columnist and former WEOK
morning host Larry Hughes.
The mystique of WHVW's unique format has led to there being something of a cult following of the station. Though not a factor in its own market and not having been rated in many years, WHVW has been profiled by many publications throughout the northeast including a 2001 piece by The New York Times
.
AM broadcasting
AM broadcasting is the process of radio broadcasting using amplitude modulation. AM was the first method of impressing sound on a radio signal and is still widely used today. Commercial and public AM broadcasting is carried out in the medium wave band world wide, and on long wave and short wave...
licensed to Hyde Park, New York
Hyde Park, New York
Hyde Park is a town located in the northwest part of Dutchess County, New York, United States, just north of the city of Poughkeepsie. The town is most famous for being the hometown of U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt....
that is noted for its eclectic format based on old-fashioned blues, jazz, country and Americana music. In a time of corporate ownership of broadcast outlets, it is also one of only three 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:...
radio stations (other two: WTBQ
WTBQ
WTBQ is an independent radio station broadcasting from Warwick, New York, featuring oldies, local talk shows and specialty programming. The last locally-owned radio station left in Orange County, New York , WTBQ broadcasts on 1110 AM and 93.5 FM, throughout Orange County and northern New...
, Warwick
Warwick, New York
Warwick is a town in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 30,764 at the 2000 census. The 2007 census population estimate is 32,669.The Town of Warwick is located in the southwest part of the county...
; WDST
WDST
WDST is a radio station licensed to Woodstock, New York. The station is owned by CHET-5 Broadcasting and broadcasts with 3 kW ERP from a tower in the Town of Kingston.WDST also broadcasts one translator:...
, Woodstock
Woodstock, New York
Woodstock is a town in Ulster County, New York, United States. The population was 5,884 at the 2010 census, down from 6,241 at the 2000 census.The Town of Woodstock is in the northern part of the county...
) that are independently owned. WHVW broadcasts on 950 kHz with a power of 500 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 daytime and 57 watts nighttime from a tower located off Route 9G
New York State Route 9G
New York State Route 9G is a state highway in the Hudson Valley of New York in the United States. It runs north from U.S. Route 9 at Poughkeepsie, starting out as Violet Avenue, then follows the Hudson River mostly along the eastern side of the US 9 to Rhinebeck, where the two...
in the Town of Hyde Park. Studios are located at 316 Main Street in Poughkeepsie, New York
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...
.
History
Owned by Ubiquitous Corp., WHVW signed on the air on July 4, 1963 as a daytime-only station broadcasting from a tower just north of the Poughkeepsie/Hyde Park line. Launching with a Top 40 format that superserved the Poughkeepsie area, the station became instantly popular and within a few years was the #1 station in Poughkeepsie with shares at one point totaling more than all other stations combined. In 1966, WHVW-FM signed on at 97.7 MHzWCZX
WCZX is an hot adult contemporary radio station licensed to Hyde Park, New York and serving the Mid-Hudson Valley of New York state...
.
WHVW was sold to Castle Communications Corp in 1975. It would remain in the Top 40 format until 1976 when the new ownership saw the Top 40 format, still getting good ratings, as having passed its time and flipped the station to all-news (via NBC's News and Information Service
NBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
) as WHPN, continuing the format after NBC folded the service in 1977. This move reduced the station's audience considerably and in 1978 the format changed again to adult contemporary with the new calls of WWWI coming in. Positioning itself as a more musical alternative to WKIP, the station struggled to find an audience as the station bled money.
In 1982, WWWI's owners filed for bankruptcy and the future of the station was in doubt. While the sale of WJJB
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...
(the former WHVW-FM) helped matters, ownership nearly donated WWWI to a Christian group that would later become the genesis of Sound of Life Radio
Sound of Life Radio
The Sound of Life Radio Network is a regional Inspirational radio network headquartered in Lake Katrine, New York and serves eastern New York State, northern New Jersey, northeast Pennsylvania, and western New England. Programming on the network is primarily music based . Programs are practical,...
. Instead, the station was sold and upon sale a standards
Standard (music)
In music, a standard is a tune or song of established popularity.-See also:* Blues standard* Jazz standard* Pop standard* Great American Songbook-Further reading:* Greatest Rock Standards, published by Hal Leonard ISBN 0793588391...
format with the WHVW calls returned to the air. For the next decade, WHVW would change between various 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....
and adult standards
Adult standards
Adult standards is a North American radio format heard primarily on AM or class A FM stations.Adult standards is aimed at "mature" adults, meaning mainly those persons over 50 years of age, but it is mostly targeted for senior citizens...
formats, often changing its format as a result of a higher powered, better funded station coming into competition. WHVW would add a minuscule amount of nighttime power in the mid 1980s, while moving its studios to Market Street in Poughkeepsie. In 1989 the station moved back to the original "Broadcast House" on Route 9G
New York State Route 9G
New York State Route 9G is a state highway in the Hudson Valley of New York in the United States. It runs north from U.S. Route 9 at Poughkeepsie, starting out as Violet Avenue, then follows the Hudson River mostly along the eastern side of the US 9 to Rhinebeck, where the two...
in Hyde Park, NY.
A similar financial crisis in 1992 led to WHVW's sale to current owner Joseph-Paul (J. P.) Ferraro, a former pirate radio
Pirate radio
Pirate radio is illegal or unregulated radio transmission. The term is most commonly used to describe illegal broadcasting for entertainment or political purposes, but is also sometimes used for illegal two-way radio operation...
broadcaster. Noted by some as an eccentric, Ferraro would change the format to something that would share his musical tastes with the community.
Programming
WHVW's musical library is one of the most obscure in the United StatesUnited States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
, being based mostly on pre-1965 music that was originally issued on 78 rpm records
Single (music)
In music, a single or record single is a type of release, typically a recording of fewer tracks than an LP or a CD. This can be released for sale to the public in a variety of different formats. In most cases, the single is a song that is released separately from an album, but it can still appear...
; this music rarely gets airplay anywhere except on some low-powered college or community radio stations. Non-music programming on WHVW includes some weekend religious and ethnic programs, a weekly talk show done with the Poughkeepsie Chamber of Commerce, a high school sports program, and a weekly program hosted by Poughkeepsie Journal
Poughkeepsie Journal
The Poughkeepsie Journal is a newspaper based in Poughkeepsie, New York owned by the Gannett Company, who bought the paper in 1977. Founded in 1785 , the Journal is the oldest paper in New York state, and is the third-oldest in the nation...
columnist and former WEOK
WEOK
WEOK is a radio station licensed to Poughkeepsie, New York and serving the Mid-Hudson Valley. The station is owned by Cumulus Media broadcasts on 1390 kHz at 5 kilowatts daytime and 106 watts nighttime from a two-tower directional antenna array adjacent to the Cumulus cluster complex on Pendell...
morning host Larry Hughes.
The mystique of WHVW's unique format has led to there being something of a cult following of the station. Though not a factor in its own market and not having been rated in many years, WHVW has been profiled by many publications throughout the northeast including a 2001 piece by The New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
.