WNEB
Encyclopedia
WNEB is a Catholic
radio station
broadcasting religious programming
. Licensed to Worcester, Massachusetts
, USA, the station serves the Worcester area. The station is currently owned by Emmanuel Communications, Inc. and features EWTN programming.
, WORC, and WAAB), and its first independent station
. New England Broadcasting, owned by John Hurley, sold the station to George Steffy and Harold Glidden in 1960; around this time, WNEB had a middle of the road (MOR) format. Its independent status ended in 1963, when the station joined the CBS Radio Network
.
Glidden took full control of WNEB in 1975, shortly after Steffy's death; soon afterward, the station shifted to a country music
format. The CBS affiliation had also ceased by this time, and moved to WAAB. Two years later, WNEB was sold to Segal Broadcasting. Segal reverted the station to MOR and affiliated it with the ABC Entertainment
network. WNEB shifted to a big band
format in 1981; the next year, it rejoined CBS. AAMAR Communications bought the station in 1986. Financial problems soon forced AAMAR to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection
on December 4, 1990; on August 23, 1991, WNEB went dark
.
Bob Bittner, owner of WJIB
in Cambridge
, purchased WNEB in 1994, and brought the station back on the air October 24, 1996 with a simulcast of WJIB's beautiful music
format. A year later, Bittner sold the station to Heirwaves, Inc., which relaunched the station with a contemporary Christian music
format on November 29, 1997. Heirwaves sold WNEB to Great Commission Broadcasting in 1999, which implemented a simulcast of similarly-formatted WJLT from Natick
(which Great Commission programmed at that time) soon afterward. Great Commission later changed its name to Grace Broadcasting.
A financial dispute with Windsor Financial Corporation led to Windsor assuming control of WNEB's license in 2003. The station's format and staff then migrated to WYCM
(90.1 FM) (its station manager, Stephen Binley, had founded Heirwaves and remained with WNEB after the sale to Great Commission), and Windsor operated WNEB with an automated contemporary Christian music format for several months before switching it to a simulcast of Leicester
's WVNE
(760 AM), a religious station owned by Blount Communications, that fall; as WVNE is a daytimer, WNEB continued the format on its own during that station's off-air hours. Blount bought WNEB outright soon afterward.
WNEB began moving away from religious programming in June 2007 with the addition of The Sean Hannity Show
; in March 2008, it switched to a full-time conservative talk
format. This format ended in April 2009, and the station went silent for one week before the launch of a Spanish language
talk
format, also incorporating some inspirational music, on May 4.
Blount sold WNEB to Emmanuel Communications, with plans to relaunch the station with Catholic radio programming, in October 2010. Upon taking over on January 14, 2011, WNEB temporarily left the air once more while relocating to new studios; it returned to the air with the new format on May 1. As with most Catholic radio stations, WNEB is an EWTN Radio affiliate, though it intends to produce some local programming as well.
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
broadcasting religious programming
Religious broadcasting
Religious broadcasting refers to broadcasting by religious organizations, usually with a religious message. Many religious organizations have long recorded content such as sermons and lectures, and have moved into distributing content on their Internet websites.While this article emphasises...
. Licensed to Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
, USA, the station serves the Worcester area. The station is currently owned by Emmanuel Communications, Inc. and features EWTN programming.
History
WNEB signed on December 16, 1946 under the ownership of the New England Broadcasting Company. It was Worcester's fourth radio station (after WTAGWTAG
WTAG is an AM radio station broadcasting on 580 kHz in Paxton, Massachusetts. WTAG programming is also simulcast on FM translator W235AV at 94.9 MHz, licensed to Tatnuck, Massachusetts...
, WORC, and WAAB), and its first independent station
Independent station
An independent station is in the category of television terminology used to describe a television station broadcasting in the United States or Canada that is not affiliated with any television network....
. New England Broadcasting, owned by John Hurley, sold the station to George Steffy and Harold Glidden in 1960; around this time, WNEB had a middle of the road (MOR) format. Its independent status ended in 1963, when the station joined the CBS Radio Network
CBS Radio Network
The CBS Radio Network provides news, sports and other programming to more than 1,000 radio stations throughout the United States. The network is owned by CBS Corporation, and operated by CBS Radio ....
.
Glidden took full control of WNEB in 1975, shortly after Steffy's death; soon afterward, the station shifted to a country music
Country 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...
format. The CBS affiliation had also ceased by this time, and moved to WAAB. Two years later, WNEB was sold to Segal Broadcasting. Segal reverted the station to MOR and affiliated it with the ABC Entertainment
ABC News Radio
ABC News Radio is the radio service of ABC News, a division of the ABC Television Network. Formerly known as ABC Radio News, ABC News Radio feeds, through Cumulus Media Networks, newscasts on the hour to its more than 2,000 affiliates...
network. WNEB shifted to a big band
Big band
A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with jazz and the Swing Era typically consisting of rhythm, brass, and woodwind instruments totaling approximately twelve to twenty-five musicians...
format in 1981; the next year, it rejoined CBS. AAMAR Communications bought the station in 1986. Financial problems soon forced AAMAR to file for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection
Chapter 11, Title 11, United States Code
Chapter 11 is a chapter of the United States Bankruptcy Code, which permits reorganization under the bankruptcy laws of the United States. Chapter 11 bankruptcy is available to every business, whether organized as a corporation or sole proprietorship, and to individuals, although it is most...
on December 4, 1990; on August 23, 1991, WNEB went dark
Dark (broadcasting)
In the broadcasting industry, dark is a term used to describe a radio station or television station that has gone off-the-air for an indefinite period of time, or as defined by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission , a "silent" station...
.
Bob Bittner, owner of WJIB
WJIB
WJIB is a radio station based in Cambridge, Massachusetts that specializes in Adult Standards and 1950s & 1960s pop music. It is owned by Bob Bittner Broadcasting, with a sister station: WJTO at Bath, Maine...
in Cambridge
Cambridge, Massachusetts
Cambridge is a city in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States, in the Greater Boston area. It was named in honor of the University of Cambridge in England, an important center of the Puritan theology embraced by the town's founders. Cambridge is home to two of the world's most prominent...
, purchased WNEB in 1994, and brought the station back on the air October 24, 1996 with a simulcast of WJIB's beautiful music
Beautiful music
Beautiful music is a mostly instrumental music format that was prominent in American radio from the 1960s through the 1980s...
format. A year later, Bittner sold the station to Heirwaves, Inc., which relaunched the station with a contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music
Contemporary Christian music is a genre of modern popular music which is lyrically focused on matters concerned with the Christian faith...
format on November 29, 1997. Heirwaves sold WNEB to Great Commission Broadcasting in 1999, which implemented a simulcast of similarly-formatted WJLT from Natick
Natick, Massachusetts
Natick is a town in Middlesex County, Massachusetts, United States. Natick is located near the center of the MetroWest region of Massachusetts, with a population of 33,006 at the 2010 census. Only west from Boston, Natick is considered part of the Greater Boston area...
(which Great Commission programmed at that time) soon afterward. Great Commission later changed its name to Grace Broadcasting.
A financial dispute with Windsor Financial Corporation led to Windsor assuming control of WNEB's license in 2003. The station's format and staff then migrated to WYCM
WYCM
WYCM is a radio station broadcasting a Contemporary Christian format. Licensed to Charlton, Massachusetts, USA, the station serves the Worcester area. The station is currently owned by Christian Mix Radio, Inc.....
(90.1 FM) (its station manager, Stephen Binley, had founded Heirwaves and remained with WNEB after the sale to Great Commission), and Windsor operated WNEB with an automated contemporary Christian music format for several months before switching it to a simulcast of Leicester
Leicester, Massachusetts
Leicester is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 10,970 at the 2010 census.-History:Leicester was first settled in 1713 and was officially incorporated in 1714....
's WVNE
WVNE
WVNE is a radio station broadcasting a Christian radio format. Licensed to Leicester, Massachusetts, USA, the station serves the Worcester area. The station is currently owned by Blount Masscom, Inc. and features programing from Salem Communications....
(760 AM), a religious station owned by Blount Communications, that fall; as WVNE is a daytimer, WNEB continued the format on its own during that station's off-air hours. Blount bought WNEB outright soon afterward.
WNEB began moving away from religious programming in June 2007 with the addition of 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...
; in March 2008, it switched to a full-time conservative talk
Conservative talk
Conservative talk radio is a talk radio format in the United States and Canada devoted to expressing conservative viewpoints of issues, as opposed to progressive talk radio...
format. This format ended in April 2009, and the station went silent for one week before the launch of a Spanish language
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
talk
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...
format, also incorporating some inspirational music, on May 4.
Blount sold WNEB to Emmanuel Communications, with plans to relaunch the station with Catholic radio programming, in October 2010. Upon taking over on January 14, 2011, WNEB temporarily left the air once more while relocating to new studios; it returned to the air with the new format on May 1. As with most Catholic radio stations, WNEB is an EWTN Radio affiliate, though it intends to produce some local programming as well.