WLKK
Encyclopedia
WLKK is an American radio station located in Wethersfield, New York
. Broadcasting on the frequency of 107.7 MHz, the station is currently owned by Entercom Communications
and is operated out of the company's studios in Amherst, New York
, a suburb of Buffalo
. Perhaps at least partly because of the station's unique ability to cover both the Buffalo and the Rochester radio markets with one (relatively weak) signal, WLKK is known for its frequent format changes. Since the early 1980s, the station has changed formats approximately once every four to seven years. On April 5, 2011, the station changed formats once again from classic
adult album alternative
to talk radio
by simulcast
ing sister station WBEN
. To date, none of the many 107.7 formats have managed to dominate in either Rochester or Buffalo FM radio ratings, although some of the formats have had limited success.
based in Ithaca
.
The network changed ownership three times in the 1960s, and was most notable between 1969 and 1981 for being upstate New York's arm of Pat Robertson
's original Christian Broadcasting Network
as WBIV.
After Robertson sold off the network, the station had become a part of the Buffalo, New York
market (despite its position about halfway between Buffalo and Rochester
). As a result of its distance from Buffalo, it struggled to gain ratings with multiple formats.
. 1986-88. WBYR had a brief moment of great success in the classic rock format; the heritage album-oriented rock
station, WGR-FM, was at the time an adult contemporary music
station known as "WRLT," and as such, WBYR was able to make inroads into the Buffalo market. This, however, ended when WRLT changed back to classic rock as WGRQ (currently WGRF
).
, intended to compete with WYRK
(and indirectly WBEE, WPIG
and many others). One of its longest-running formats, country on WNUC ran from August 1992 to October 2000, when the station was sold to Adelphia Communications for $5,600,000.
. October 2000 to May 2004. This station was a relatively rare monaural
FM station, unlike its stereophonic
counterparts; this was in part to increase the station's coverage area.
Arguably the station's greatest success was under this format. Between October 2000 and April 2004, Empire Sports Network
, under VP/GM Bob Koshinski
, operated the radio station, aimed at fans from Western New York into the Finger Lakes. The purpose of WNSA's existence was to challenge WGR
, Buffalo's often antagonistic sports talk station. Howard Simon was recruited to host morning drive, longtime Buffalo sports talker Art Wander hosted during lunch, and radio newcomer Mike Schopp
launched "Sports Talk for Smart People" during the afternoon drive. Later additions would include Jim Brinson, Doug Young (who defected from WGR and is widely credited as the person who landed the interviews and guests that made WNSA so popular), and Zig Fracassi, who had been a nationally syndicated host until the dissolution of the Sports Fan Radio Network
. Jim Kelley
, Mike Robitaille
and Schopp (later replaced by Simon) hosted a two-hour show known as The Sharpshooters prior to Buffalo Sabres
games. The station affiliated with Sporting News Radio
and was among the first to carry the Sports USA Radio Network
's NFL coverage. WNSA carried many of the same sporting events as Empire, including Sabres and Destroyers
games, and WNSA consistently outperformed WGR in the ratings for most of its run.
WNSA also held several unique promotions such as the Western New York Sports Symposium, which was a yearly, two-day event held at an event center which included participation by the Buffalo Bills
, Buffalo Sabres, Buffalo Bisons
and most of the Buffalo area colleges. The symposium featured two days of sports talk from the event location and numerous round table discussions with dozens of notable Buffalo sports team players, coaches, alumni, announcers, and newspaper columnists.
WNSA also created a fictitious radio fantasy hockey game called Sabres Showdown that pitted the Buffalo Sabres 1975 Stanley Cup
finalists against the 1999 Sabres finalist squad. The game featured actual Sabres play-by-play man Rick Jeanneret
and analyst Mike Robitaille
calling the action as well as staged and archival interviews with Sabres players and management from both eras. The taped broadcast was a hit and sounded incredibly real.
The station's fortunes would collapse when the Rigas/Adelphia Communications scandal was exposed. After filing Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the new Adelphia management decided to sell off WNSA despite its solid performance. That resulted in the retirement of Art Wander, the defection of Mike Schopp to WGR and part-time work at ESPN Radio
.Adelphia Communications, began to slash WNSA's budget to prepare it for sale. Howard Simon's show was moved to afternoon drive time, began simulcasting on Empire, and was dubbed The SimonCast, and the other personalities, none of whom seemed to be interested in the morning drive slot, rotated the AM shift (WNSA insisted on a local morning show because the Sporting News offering, Murray in the Morning
, was deemed too inappropriate for its as-stated "PG-rated" listening audience). Ratings fell below those of WGR toward the end. The end of WNSA came when the station was sold to WGR's owner, Entercom Communications
, in May 2004 for $10.5 million. Entercom turned it into classic rock
"107.7 The Lake". Simon's show, however, would continue on WLVL
1340 in Lockport until November 2004, when he was recruited to host WGR's morning show.
Many WNSA staffers found jobs at WGR, while others (particularly those who had worked at both WNSA and WNUC) ended up at WYRK. Several hundred hours of WNSA's programming, including several unique specials, were archived by producer Steve Cichon and are available for purchase.http://www.staffannouncer.com/airchecks.htm
"The Lake." May 2004 to April 2011. WLKK maintained (and for a brief time early in its run exceeded) the number of listeners that the station had during the peak of WNSA's run. The station indirectly took aim at the classic rock
market and sought to create a more laid-back, relaxed atmosphere. The playlist of WLKK contained a large portion of hit songs from the 1970s and 1980s (broad enough that the station boasted it never repeated a song throughout an entire 24-hour day), less focused on hard rock and metal than most classic rock stations, but also containing the occasional deep track
. The station used a series of bumpers with flowing water, chirping birds, and a deep voice reading the station slogan.
Disc jockeys, which included Hank Dole and Lorne Hunter, occasionally told the story behind the song (sometimes from CD liner notes). They also played WNY musicians on a regular basis and offered a local music show on Monday nights, hosted by Robbie Takac, a local music promoter and member of The Goo Goo Dolls
.
The "Lake" format continues on WLKK, but only on the HD2
digital subchannel
, and without any jocks; all of WLKK's staff was laid off in the change. "The Lake" will also continue to maintain its Internet stream, without commercials.
, effective at 12Midnight on April 5, 2011. As of 2011, WLKK will not be able to acquire the WBEN-FM
call signs, because WBEN-FM is already in use on another station (not owned by Entercom) in the Philadelphia area.
Programming on WBEN and WLKK includes two blocks of news, one during morning drive (hosted by John Zach and Susan Rose) and the other during the 6 p.m. dinner hour (hosted by Tom Puckett), local talk shows hosted by Tom Bauerle (early midday) and Sandy Beach (afternoon drive), and syndicated shows The Rush Limbaugh Show
, The Sean Hannity Show
, Jim Bohannon
, and Coast to Coast AM
. WLKK is currently the only station carrying Limbaugh live in the Rochester metropolitan area (Rochester affiliate WHAM
carries Limbaugh on a two-hour delay, and WLKK's signal is listenable in many portions of the Rochester metropolitan area). Despite an initial announcement that WLKK would not carry the Sabres Hockey Network
, WBEN later reversed that decision and announced that Sabres playoff games would be heard on WBEN and WLKK in addition to their flagship station, WGR
.
Wethersfield, New York
Wethersfield is a town in Wyoming County, New York, United States. The population was 891 at the 2000 census.The Town of Wethersfield is centrally located in the county.- History :...
. Broadcasting on the frequency of 107.7 MHz, the station is currently owned by Entercom Communications
Entercom Communications
Entercom Communications Corporation is the fourth-largest broadcasting company in the United States. As of November 2009, Entercom operates 110 radio stations in 23 markets across the United States....
and is operated out of the company's studios in Amherst, New York
Amherst, New York
Amherst is a town in Erie County, New York, United States. As of the 2010 census, the town had a total population of 122,366. This represents an increase of 5.0% from the 2000 census. The town is named for Jeffrey Amherst, a British Army officer of the colonial period...
, a suburb of Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
. Perhaps at least partly because of the station's unique ability to cover both the Buffalo and the Rochester radio markets with one (relatively weak) signal, WLKK is known for its frequent format changes. Since the early 1980s, the station has changed formats approximately once every four to seven years. On April 5, 2011, the station changed formats once again from classic
Classic rock
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
adult album alternative
Adult album alternative
Adult album alternative is a radio format. A spinoff from the album-oriented rock format, its roots trace to the 1960s and 1970s from the earlier freeform and progressive formats....
to talk radio
Talk radio
Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
by simulcast
Simulcast
Simulcast, shorthand for "simultaneous broadcast", refers to programs or events broadcast across more than one medium, or more than one service on the same medium, at the same time. For example, Absolute Radio is simulcast on both AM and on satellite radio, and the BBC's Prom concerts are often...
ing sister station WBEN
WBEN (AM)
WBEN is an AM and FM radio station serving the Niagara, Buffalo and Western New York area, broadcasting on 930 AM and, as of April 5, 2011, simulcasting on sister station WLKK at 107.7 FM. It previously simulcasted between 1946 and 1960 on 102.5 FM as WBEN-FM. Both stations retained the WBEN...
. To date, none of the many 107.7 formats have managed to dominate in either Rochester or Buffalo FM radio ratings, although some of the formats have had limited success.
Earliest days: Rural Radio Network
The FM station on 107.7 at Wethersfield originally started broadcasting June 6, 1948 as WFNF, a member of the Rural Radio NetworkRural Radio Network
The Rural Radio Network was an interconnected group of six commercial FM radio stations spread across upstate New York and operated from Ithaca, NY -- the first all-radio, no-wireline network in the world...
based in Ithaca
Ithaca, New York
The city of Ithaca, is a city in upstate New York and the county seat of Tompkins County, as well as the largest community in the Ithaca-Tompkins County metropolitan area...
.
The network changed ownership three times in the 1960s, and was most notable between 1969 and 1981 for being upstate New York's arm of Pat Robertson
Pat Robertson
Marion Gordon "Pat" Robertson is a media mogul, television evangelist, ex-Baptist minister and businessman who is politically aligned with the Christian Right in the United States....
's original Christian Broadcasting Network
Christian Broadcasting Network
The Christian Broadcasting Network, or CBN, is a fundamentalist Christian television broadcasting network in the United States. Its headquarters and main studios are in Virginia Beach, Virginia.-Background:...
as WBIV.
After Robertson sold off the network, the station had become a part of the Buffalo, New York
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
market (despite its position about halfway between Buffalo and Rochester
Rochester, New York
Rochester is a city in Monroe County, New York, south of Lake Ontario in the United States. Known as The World's Image Centre, it was also once known as The Flour City, and more recently as The Flower City...
). As a result of its distance from Buffalo, it struggled to gain ratings with multiple formats.
WUWU
"The Sound Future." New wave and jazz music. 1982-86. Notable only for an offbeat promotional campaign that featured the images and sounds of cows that grazed near the rural transmitter site, and a stunt that involved a "renegade program director" locked himself at the transmitter site and refused to play the music that the management demanded. This was suspiciously similar to the plot of a film that was popular at the time.WBYR
"The Bear -- High Quality Rock and Roll." Classic rockClassic rock
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
. 1986-88. WBYR had a brief moment of great success in the classic rock format; the heritage album-oriented rock
Album-oriented rock
Album-oriented rock is an American FM radio format focusing on album tracks by rock artists.-Music played:Most radio formats are based on a select, tight rotation of hit singles...
station, WGR-FM, was at the time an adult contemporary music
Adult contemporary music
Adult contemporary music is a broad style of popular music that ranges from lush 1950s and 1960s vocal music to predominantly ballad-heavy music with varying degrees of rock influence, as well as a radio format that plays such music....
station known as "WRLT," and as such, WBYR was able to make inroads into the Buffalo market. This, however, ended when WRLT changed back to classic rock as WGRQ (currently WGRF
WGRF
WGRF is a radio station in Buffalo, New York, USA. The station's on air branding is "97 Rock". The station mostly plays Classic rock from the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s...
).
WNUC
"New Country;" "The Bullet" in its last years. Country musicCountry music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
, intended to compete with WYRK
WYRK
WYRK is a country music formatted radio station located in Buffalo, New York. It broadcasts from the top of the Rand Building in Buffalo, where its studios are located on the 12th floor....
(and indirectly WBEE, WPIG
WPIG
WPIG is an FM radio station located in Olean, New York. Branded as the "Big Pig," "The Pig" or simply by its frequency and callsigns at times, the station operates at 95.7 MHz on the FM dial and operates a broad-based country music format...
and many others). One of its longest-running formats, country on WNUC ran from August 1992 to October 2000, when the station was sold to Adelphia Communications for $5,600,000.
WNSA
"The Sports Authority/Sports Paradise" – sports radioSports radio
Sports radio is a radio format devoted entirely to discussion and broadcasting of sporting events. A popular format with an almost exclusively male demographic in most areas, sports radio is characterized by an often-boisterous on-air style and extensive debate and analysis by both hosts and...
. October 2000 to May 2004. This station was a relatively rare monaural
Monaural
Monaural or monophonic sound reproduction is single-channel. Typically there is only one microphone, one loudspeaker, or channels are fed from a common signal path...
FM station, unlike its stereophonic
Stereophonic sound
The term Stereophonic, commonly called stereo, sound refers to any method of sound reproduction in which an attempt is made to create an illusion of directionality and audible perspective...
counterparts; this was in part to increase the station's coverage area.
Arguably the station's greatest success was under this format. Between October 2000 and April 2004, Empire Sports Network
Empire Sports Network
Empire Sports Network was a regional sports network on cable television which served upstate New York from Buffalo to Albany, parts of northern Pennsylvania and eastern Ohio...
, under VP/GM Bob Koshinski
Bob Koshinski
Bob Koshinski is an American broadcaster and multi-media communications specialist from Niagara Falls, New York, best known for his involvement with the Empire Sports Network, having a prominent role in the network through its entire time of existence...
, operated the radio station, aimed at fans from Western New York into the Finger Lakes. The purpose of WNSA's existence was to challenge WGR
WGR
WGR, or WGR Sports Radio 550, is an all sports radio station in Buffalo, New York that broadcasts on 550 AM. It is the flagship station of the Buffalo Sabres and the Buffalo Bandits, and is currently the only full-time sports talk station in the city of Buffalo. Its studios are located in Amherst,...
, Buffalo's often antagonistic sports talk station. Howard Simon was recruited to host morning drive, longtime Buffalo sports talker Art Wander hosted during lunch, and radio newcomer Mike Schopp
Mike Schopp
Mike Schopp is an American sports radio personality,. Mike was born and currently lives in Grand Island. He is the current afternoon co-host of the sports talk show Mike Schopp and The Bulldog which runs weekdays from 3-7 p.m. Eastern on WGR in Buffalo, New York and WROC in Rochester. His co-host...
launched "Sports Talk for Smart People" during the afternoon drive. Later additions would include Jim Brinson, Doug Young (who defected from WGR and is widely credited as the person who landed the interviews and guests that made WNSA so popular), and Zig Fracassi, who had been a nationally syndicated host until the dissolution of the Sports Fan Radio Network
Sports Fan Radio Network
The Sports Fan Radio Network was a sports talk radio network that existed from 1996 through 2001, when it abruptly folded.-Launch:SportsFan Radio Network officially debuted in 1993 with 80 hours of programming per month. Based in Las Vegas, the network broadcast its flagship show "SportsFan...
. Jim Kelley
Jim Kelley
James Thomas "Jim" Kelley, Jr. was a professional sports news columnist whose 30-year career focused primarily on the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League, and the greater Buffalo area...
, Mike Robitaille
Mike Robitaille
Michael James David Robitaille is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman. He played in the National Hockey League with the New York Rangers, Detroit Red Wings, Buffalo Sabres and Vancouver Canucks...
and Schopp (later replaced by Simon) hosted a two-hour show known as The Sharpshooters prior to Buffalo Sabres
Buffalo Sabres
The Buffalo Sabres are a professional ice hockey team based in Buffalo, New York. They are members of the Northeast Division of the Eastern Conference of the National Hockey League .-Founding and early success: 1970-71—1980-81:...
games. The station affiliated with Sporting News Radio
Sporting News Radio
Yahoo! Sports Radio, formerly Sporting News Radio is a United States sports radio network that broadcasts sports news, talk, scores, and highlights 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. On August 1, 2011, it was announced the network would change its name to Yahoo! Sports Radio, effective...
and was among the first to carry the Sports USA Radio Network
Sports USA Radio Network
The Sports USA Radio Network is the largest independent nationwide sports broadcasting radio network, specializing in live broadcasts of American football, specifically of the NCAA football Division I-A and National Football League...
's NFL coverage. WNSA carried many of the same sporting events as Empire, including Sabres and Destroyers
Columbus Destroyers
The Columbus Destroyers were an Arena Football League team based in Columbus, Ohio. The team was founded in as the Buffalo Destroyers, based in Buffalo, New York, and relocated to Columbus in . They folded along with the original incarnation of the AFL following the 2008 season, after a total of...
games, and WNSA consistently outperformed WGR in the ratings for most of its run.
WNSA also held several unique promotions such as the Western New York Sports Symposium, which was a yearly, two-day event held at an event center which included participation by the Buffalo Bills
Buffalo Bills
The Buffalo Bills are a professional football team based in Buffalo, New York. They are currently members of the East Division of the American Football Conference in the National Football League...
, Buffalo Sabres, Buffalo Bisons
Buffalo Bisons
The Buffalo Bisons are a minor league baseball team based in Buffalo, New York. They currently play in the International League and are the Triple-A affiliate of the New York Mets...
and most of the Buffalo area colleges. The symposium featured two days of sports talk from the event location and numerous round table discussions with dozens of notable Buffalo sports team players, coaches, alumni, announcers, and newspaper columnists.
WNSA also created a fictitious radio fantasy hockey game called Sabres Showdown that pitted the Buffalo Sabres 1975 Stanley Cup
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup is an ice hockey club trophy, awarded annually to the National Hockey League playoffs champion after the conclusion of the Stanley Cup Finals. It has been referred to as The Cup, Lord Stanley's Cup, The Holy Grail, or facetiously as Lord Stanley's Mug...
finalists against the 1999 Sabres finalist squad. The game featured actual Sabres play-by-play man Rick Jeanneret
Rick Jeanneret
Richard "Rick" Jeanneret is the television and radio play-by-play announcer for the National Hockey League's Buffalo Sabres and its broadcast network, the Sabres Hockey Network. Having started with the team on radio during the 1971–72 season, he is the longest-tenured announcer in the NHL...
and analyst Mike Robitaille
Mike Robitaille
Michael James David Robitaille is a retired Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman. He played in the National Hockey League with the New York Rangers, Detroit Red Wings, Buffalo Sabres and Vancouver Canucks...
calling the action as well as staged and archival interviews with Sabres players and management from both eras. The taped broadcast was a hit and sounded incredibly real.
The station's fortunes would collapse when the Rigas/Adelphia Communications scandal was exposed. After filing Chapter 11 bankruptcy, the new Adelphia management decided to sell off WNSA despite its solid performance. That resulted in the retirement of Art Wander, the defection of Mike Schopp to WGR and part-time work at ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio is an American sports radio network. It was launched on January 1, 1992 under the original banner of "SportsRadio ESPN." ESPN Radio is located at ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut...
.Adelphia Communications, began to slash WNSA's budget to prepare it for sale. Howard Simon's show was moved to afternoon drive time, began simulcasting on Empire, and was dubbed The SimonCast, and the other personalities, none of whom seemed to be interested in the morning drive slot, rotated the AM shift (WNSA insisted on a local morning show because the Sporting News offering, Murray in the Morning
Murray in the Morning
Murray in the Morning was a radio program that aired on Sporting News Radio from 2002 to August 12, 2005. Hosted by Bruce Murray, T. J. Shanoff, Tanyette Colon , and Kevin Fleming , it was known for its comedic features, eccentric "borts", and extremely informal discussion of sports...
, was deemed too inappropriate for its as-stated "PG-rated" listening audience). Ratings fell below those of WGR toward the end. The end of WNSA came when the station was sold to WGR's owner, Entercom Communications
Entercom Communications
Entercom Communications Corporation is the fourth-largest broadcasting company in the United States. As of November 2009, Entercom operates 110 radio stations in 23 markets across the United States....
, in May 2004 for $10.5 million. Entercom turned it into classic rock
Classic rock
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
"107.7 The Lake". Simon's show, however, would continue on WLVL
WLVL
WLVL is a radio station broadcasting a News Talk Information format. Licensed to Lockport, New York, USA, the station serves the Buffalo-Niagara Falls area. The station is currently owned by Culver Communications Corp., Inc...
1340 in Lockport until November 2004, when he was recruited to host WGR's morning show.
Many WNSA staffers found jobs at WGR, while others (particularly those who had worked at both WNSA and WNUC) ended up at WYRK. Several hundred hours of WNSA's programming, including several unique specials, were archived by producer Steve Cichon and are available for purchase.http://www.staffannouncer.com/airchecks.htm
WLKK
Classic rock
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
market and sought to create a more laid-back, relaxed atmosphere. The playlist of WLKK contained a large portion of hit songs from the 1970s and 1980s (broad enough that the station boasted it never repeated a song throughout an entire 24-hour day), less focused on hard rock and metal than most classic rock stations, but also containing the occasional deep track
Deep Cut
Deep Cut is a play performed by Cardiff based theatre company Sherman Cymru and written by Philip Ralph. It premiered at the Edinburgh Festival in 2008 and won the Amnesty International Freedom of Expression Award in the same year as well as best Actor and Best Actress awards with The Stage's...
. The station used a series of bumpers with flowing water, chirping birds, and a deep voice reading the station slogan.
Disc jockeys, which included Hank Dole and Lorne Hunter, occasionally told the story behind the song (sometimes from CD liner notes). They also played WNY musicians on a regular basis and offered a local music show on Monday nights, hosted by Robbie Takac, a local music promoter and member of The Goo Goo Dolls
Goo Goo Dolls
The Goo Goo Dolls are a Grammy-nominated American rock band formed in 1986 in Buffalo, New York, by vocalist and guitarist John Rzeznik and vocalist and bass guitarist Robby Takac. Since the end of 1994, Mike Malinin has been the band's drummer, a position previously held by George Tutuska...
.
The "Lake" format continues on WLKK, but only on the HD2
HD Radio
HD Radio, which originally stood for "Hybrid Digital", is the trademark for iBiquity's in-band on-channel digital radio technology used by AM and FM radio stations to transmit audio and data via a digital signal in conjunction with their analog signals...
digital subchannel
Digital subchannel
In broadcasting, digital subchannels are a means to transmit more than one independent program at the same time from the same digital radio or digital television station on the same radio frequency channel. This is done by using data compression techniques to reduce the size of each individual...
, and without any jocks; all of WLKK's staff was laid off in the change. "The Lake" will also continue to maintain its Internet stream, without commercials.
WBEN FM simulcast
On April 4, 2011, Entercom announced that WLKK would become a complete simulcast of sister station WBENWBEN (AM)
WBEN is an AM and FM radio station serving the Niagara, Buffalo and Western New York area, broadcasting on 930 AM and, as of April 5, 2011, simulcasting on sister station WLKK at 107.7 FM. It previously simulcasted between 1946 and 1960 on 102.5 FM as WBEN-FM. Both stations retained the WBEN...
, effective at 12Midnight on April 5, 2011. As of 2011, WLKK will not be able to acquire the WBEN-FM
WBEN-FM
WBEN-FM, known as "95.7 Ben FM," is an adult hits station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The station plays a mix of 1970s, 1980s and 1990s hits, with some current hot adult contemporary rock singles. Named after Benjamin Franklin, the station pioneered a "Playing Anything We Feel Like" radio...
call signs, because WBEN-FM is already in use on another station (not owned by Entercom) in the Philadelphia area.
Programming on WBEN and WLKK includes two blocks of news, one during morning drive (hosted by John Zach and Susan Rose) and the other during the 6 p.m. dinner hour (hosted by Tom Puckett), local talk shows hosted by Tom Bauerle (early midday) and Sandy Beach (afternoon drive), and syndicated shows The Rush Limbaugh Show
The Rush Limbaugh Show
The Rush Limbaugh Show is an American talk radio show hosted by Rush Limbaugh on Premiere Radio Networks...
, The Sean Hannity Show
The Sean Hannity Show
The Sean Hannity Show is a talk radio show hosted by Sean Hannity on Citadel Media and Premiere Radio Networks. The program is broadcast live every weekday, 3 p.m. to 6 p.m...
, Jim Bohannon
Jim Bohannon
James E. "Jim" Bohannon is an American broadcaster who has worked in both television and radio.During the 1980s he was a fill-in for Larry King when King had his popular nighttime national radio program. He also does much work with the Smithsonian Associates...
, and Coast to Coast AM
Coast to Coast AM
Coast to Coast AM is a North American late-night syndicated radio talk show that deals with a variety of topics, but most frequently ones that relate to either the paranormal or conspiracy theories. It was created by Art Bell and is distributed by Premiere Radio Networks. The program currently...
. WLKK is currently the only station carrying Limbaugh live in the Rochester metropolitan area (Rochester affiliate WHAM
WHAM (AM)
WHAM is a clear-channel talk radio station in Rochester, New York, owned by Clear Channel Communications. Its 50,000-watt transmitter is located in Chili, New York, and the station broadcasts on 1180 kHz.The station first went on the air in 1922...
carries Limbaugh on a two-hour delay, and WLKK's signal is listenable in many portions of the Rochester metropolitan area). Despite an initial announcement that WLKK would not carry the Sabres Hockey Network
Sabres Hockey Network
The Sabres Hockey Network is the official radio and television broadcast network of the Buffalo Sabres of the National Hockey League. The network is currently operated jointly by the Sabres and by Entercom Communications....
, WBEN later reversed that decision and announced that Sabres playoff games would be heard on WBEN and WLKK in addition to their flagship station, WGR
WGR
WGR, or WGR Sports Radio 550, is an all sports radio station in Buffalo, New York that broadcasts on 550 AM. It is the flagship station of the Buffalo Sabres and the Buffalo Bandits, and is currently the only full-time sports talk station in the city of Buffalo. Its studios are located in Amherst,...
.