.gif)
WPAT (AM)
Encyclopedia
WPAT is the callsign of a radio station licensed to Paterson, New Jersey
. Located at 930 kHz in the medium-wave AM
band, the station runs paid ethnic programming.
WPAT first went on the air in 1941, originally from its studios in Newark, New Jersey
, before eventually moving to new studios on Church Street in Paterson and finally from their last studio in Clifton, New Jersey
.
For many years, the station (along with its FM counterpart
) would broadcast a beautiful music
format under the slogan "Easy 93". In 1951, WPAT's Gaslight Revue program debuted. It was a skilfully assembled montage of music pieces that would become widely imitated within the industry. Indeed, it was so popular that albums of its selections and segues were made and released. WPAT was the essence of a mellow sound and feel; the requirement for different programming between the AM and FM was met simply by repeating the previous week's AM programs in a slightly different order on FM.
Three announcer
s who worked at WPAT in the late 1940s and early 1950s — Tom Gregory
, Ed Ladd and Lou Steele
— went on to become staff announcers for New York
television station
WNEW-TV Channel 5, remaining there into the 1980s.
The station for many years would be owned by Capital Cities Communications
until 1985, when the company would buy ABC
. As a result of Federal Communications Commission
regulations at the time, the company decided to sell WPAT AM and FM because ABC already owned WABC
and WPLJ
. The stations would be sold to Park Communications.
In the early 1990s both frequencies of WPAT evolved to an adult contemporary format. In addition, WPAT would start to offer programming different from those of its FM counterpart. This programming would include sporting events that would normally be on WFAN whenever WFAN was carrying another event, public affairs shows, Broadway shows, and Sunday mass.
In January 1996, WPAT-FM would be sold to SBS
, and would switch to a Spanish language adult contemporary format. Around the same time, WPAT would be sold to Heftel Broadcasting (now Univisión
Radio), and would switch to a Mexican music format on March 26. Eventually, the station would start adding ethnic and paid programming, and in 1997, the station would become all-Korean. By the next year, the station's ownership would change again when its current owners, Multicultural Broadcasting
, would buy the station in exchange for WNWK. (WNWK subsequently would become WCAA, then in 2009 would switch frequencies with WQXR, New York. It is now known as WXNY and broadcasts at 96.3 FM.) The new owners of WPAT would later switch the station to its current paid ethnic programming format. Currently WPAT is the station that broadcasts Colombia's
syndicated radio show La W
every morning, Monday through Friday, which features personality Julio Sanchez Cristo
.
WPAT's four transmitting towers remain in Clifton at the former 1396 Broad Street studios.
Paterson, New Jersey
Paterson is a city serving as the county seat of Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, its population was 146,199, rendering it New Jersey's third largest city and one of the largest cities in the New York City Metropolitan Area, despite a decrease of 3,023...
. Located at 930 kHz in the medium-wave AM
Amplitude modulation
Amplitude modulation is a technique used in electronic communication, most commonly for transmitting information via a radio carrier wave. AM works by varying the strength of the transmitted signal in relation to the information being sent...
band, the station runs paid ethnic programming.
WPAT first went on the air in 1941, originally from its studios in Newark, New Jersey
Newark, New Jersey
Newark is the largest city in the American state of New Jersey, and the seat of Essex County. As of the 2010 United States Census, Newark had a population of 277,140, maintaining its status as the largest municipality in New Jersey. It is the 68th largest city in the U.S...
, before eventually moving to new studios on Church Street in Paterson and finally from their last studio in Clifton, New Jersey
Clifton, New Jersey
Clifton is a city in Passaic County, New Jersey, United States. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 84,136. The 2010 population represented an increase of 5,464 residents from its population of 78,672 in the 2000 Census, making it the state's 11th largest...
.
WPAT-FM
WPAT-FM, known on-air as "93.1 Amor", is a radio station with a Spanish-language Rhythmic AC format. Located on 93.1 FM, the station, which is licensed to Paterson, New Jersey, serves the New York City Metropolitan area.-History:...
) would broadcast a 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 under the slogan "Easy 93". In 1951, WPAT's Gaslight Revue program debuted. It was a skilfully assembled montage of music pieces that would become widely imitated within the industry. Indeed, it was so popular that albums of its selections and segues were made and released. WPAT was the essence of a mellow sound and feel; the requirement for different programming between the AM and FM was met simply by repeating the previous week's AM programs in a slightly different order on FM.
Three announcer
Announcer
An announcer is a presenter who makes "announcements" in an audio medium or a physical location.-Television and other media:Some announcers work in television production , radio or filmmaking, usually providing narrations, news updates, station identification, or an introduction of a product in...
s who worked at WPAT in the late 1940s and early 1950s — Tom Gregory
Tom Gregory
Thomas R. Gregory was an American radio and television announcer and news anchor.Born in Charleston, South Carolina, Gregory served in the United States Navy during World War II. After the war, he went to Seton Hall University in New Jersey, initially as a law student...
, Ed Ladd and Lou Steele
Lou Steele
Louis J. "Lou" Steele was an American actor, radio, and television announcer.Born Louis Ferraioli in 1928, he was an announcer on Armed Forces Radio during the Korean War, and was the voice who informed the troops that their commander, General Douglas MacArthur, had been recalled by President...
— went on to become staff announcers for New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
television station
Television station
A television station is a business, organisation or other such as an amateur television operator that transmits content over terrestrial television. A television transmission can be by analog television signals or, more recently, by digital television. Broadcast television systems standards are...
WNEW-TV Channel 5, remaining there into the 1980s.
The station for many years would be owned by Capital Cities Communications
Capital Cities Communications
Capital Cities redirects here. For the article about the seat of a government, see Capital .Capital Cities Communications was an American media company best known for its surprise purchase of the much larger American Broadcasting Company in 1985...
until 1985, when the company would buy ABC
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
. As a result of Federal Communications Commission
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...
regulations at the time, the company decided to sell WPAT AM and FM because ABC already owned WABC
WABC (AM)
WABC , known as "NewsTalkRadio 77 WABC" is a radio station in New York City. Owned by the broadcasting division of Cumulus Media, the station broadcasts on a clear channel and is the flagship station of Cumulus Media Networks...
and WPLJ
WPLJ
WPLJ is a radio station in New York City owned by the broadcasting division of Cumulus Media. WPLJ shares studio facilities with sister station WABC inside 2 Penn Plaza in midtown Manhattan, and its transmitter is atop the Empire State Building. The station currently plays a Hot Adult...
. The stations would be sold to Park Communications.
In the early 1990s both frequencies of WPAT evolved to an adult contemporary format. In addition, WPAT would start to offer programming different from those of its FM counterpart. This programming would include sporting events that would normally be on WFAN whenever WFAN was carrying another event, public affairs shows, Broadway shows, and Sunday mass.
In January 1996, WPAT-FM would be sold to SBS
Spanish Broadcasting System
Spanish Broadcasting System, Inc. is one of the largest owners and operators of radio stations in the United States. SBS is also invested in television and internet properties, deriving the majority of its income from advertising through its media products.SBS owns the internet portal LaMusica.com...
, and would switch to a Spanish language adult contemporary format. Around the same time, WPAT would be sold to Heftel Broadcasting (now Univisión
Univision
Univision is a Spanish-language television network in the United States. It has the largest audience of Spanish language television viewers according to Nielsen ratings. Randy Falco, COO, has been in charge of the company since the departure of Univision Communications president and CEO Joe Uva...
Radio), and would switch to a Mexican music format on March 26. Eventually, the station would start adding ethnic and paid programming, and in 1997, the station would become all-Korean. By the next year, the station's ownership would change again when its current owners, Multicultural Broadcasting
Multicultural Broadcasting
Multicultural Broadcasting is a media company based in New York City founded by Chinese-American businessman Arthur Liu. Multicultural caters mostly to the Asian American community and owns television and radio stations in several of the top markets in multiple languages.-History:This company was...
, would buy the station in exchange for WNWK. (WNWK subsequently would become WCAA, then in 2009 would switch frequencies with WQXR, New York. It is now known as WXNY and broadcasts at 96.3 FM.) The new owners of WPAT would later switch the station to its current paid ethnic programming format. Currently WPAT is the station that broadcasts Colombia's
Colombia
Colombia, officially the Republic of Colombia , is a unitary constitutional republic comprising thirty-two departments. The country is located in northwestern South America, bordered to the east by Venezuela and Brazil; to the south by Ecuador and Peru; to the north by the Caribbean Sea; to the...
syndicated radio show La W
La W
La W is a Colombian influential morning radio show, broadcast since 2003 on weekdays on W Radio and syndicated to stations in Panama, United States, and Spain. It is presented by Julio Sánchez Cristo....
every morning, Monday through Friday, which features personality Julio Sanchez Cristo
Julio Sanchez Cristo
Julio Sánchez Cristo is a Colombian radio personality, born 9 January 1959 in Bogotá. He is best known for his morning news, radioshow and variety show La W, in the Spanish-owned broadcasting station W Radio...
.
WPAT's four transmitting towers remain in Clifton at the former 1396 Broad Street studios.