WPYX
Encyclopedia
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. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications
and broadcasts at 106.5 MHz at 15.5 kilowatts ERP
from a non-directional transmitter located from the Helderberg Mountains antenna farm in New Scotland.
Though billed as classic rock
, WPYX plays a moderate amount of currents which puts it on a fringe alongside mainstream rock
. Regardless of what format the station is filed under, WPYX is one of the longest lasting stations in the Capital District since it began on September 15, 1980. However, newer rock can still be heard on Townsquare Media's Q103 active rock
stations (WQBK-FM/WQBJ
) and Albany Broadcasting's WKLI-FM (Rock 100.9).
During the NFL season, WPYX also broadcasts New York Giants
football games.
). In 1971, the call letters were changed to WTRY-FM. It continued as an MOR station during the day, but simulcasted WTRY's Top 40 format at night; returning to full-time MOR programming in 1972. In early 1973, the WTRY stations were sold, and WTRY-FM became WHSH, which then went to its first full-time rock format as the format was changed to a Top 40–Oldies hybrid with live DJs. The station was now known as "Wish" as well as "The Albany Stereo Giant". Ownership automated the station a year later in 1974, and changed the format to Oldies. During Labor Day weekend, 1975, the format was flipped again, this time to beautiful music
, while keeping the "Wish" nickname.
By 1980, there was an obvious hole for a mainstream album-oriented rock
station in the Albany market, and the station flipped to its current format on September 15, 1980, changing its call letters to WPYX.
WPYX and WTRY went through several ownership changes which includes Scott Broadcasting of Pennsylvania, television personality Merv Griffin
and Capstar Broadcasting (which was controlled by billionaire mogul Tom Hicks
). In 1999, Capstar merged with another Hicks-owned company, Chancellor Media Corporation, to form AMFM Inc. In 2000, the stations were acquired by its current owner Clear Channel Communications
when they merged with AMFM.
The Wolf is the host of the WPYX morning show, Wakin' Up With the Wolf. His program runs weekdays 5:30 to 10:00 a.m. Until April 28, 2009, other personalities included:
Presently, only morning drive and afternoon drive remain local and live.
digital radio
alongside the rest of Clear Channel's Albany stations. On August 17, 2006, WPYX began airing an HD2 channel with a deep tracks classic rock format, known as Vinyl Vineyard which remains to this day.
Capital region
A capital region, also called a national capital region, capital district or capital territory is a common term for the region or district surrounding the capital city of a country or any other administrative division...
, the Adirondacks, and surrounding areas. The station is owned by 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...
and broadcasts at 106.5 MHz at 15.5 kilowatts 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 a non-directional transmitter located from the Helderberg Mountains antenna farm in New Scotland.
Though billed as 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...
, WPYX plays a moderate amount of currents which puts it on a fringe alongside mainstream rock
Mainstream rock
Mainstream rock is a radio format used by many commercial radio stations in the United States and Canada.-Format background:...
. Regardless of what format the station is filed under, WPYX is one of the longest lasting stations in the Capital District since it began on September 15, 1980. However, newer rock can still be heard on Townsquare Media's Q103 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:...
stations (WQBK-FM/WQBJ
WQBK-FM
WQBK-FM and WQBJ are Active Rock music formatted radio stations licensed to Rensselaer, New York and Cobleskill, New York respectively, and serving New York's Capital District and Mohawk Valley. The stations are owned by Townsquare Media...
) and Albany Broadcasting's WKLI-FM (Rock 100.9).
During the NFL season, WPYX also broadcasts New York Giants
New York Giants
The New York Giants are a professional American football team based in East Rutherford, New Jersey, representing the New York City metropolitan area. The Giants are currently members of the Eastern Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
football games.
History
The 106.5 frequency signed on in September 1967 as WDKC, operating as an MOR music station. It was owned by Kopps-Monahan Communications, Inc., owners of Top 40 powerhouse WTRY 980 (today's WOFXWOFX (AM)
WOFX, known as Fox Sports 980, is an AM radio station broadcasting on 980 kHz licensed to Troy, New York. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications and runs a sports radio format and is the Fox Sports Radio affiliate for the Capital District, Adirondacks, and...
). In 1971, the call letters were changed to WTRY-FM. It continued as an MOR station during the day, but simulcasted WTRY's Top 40 format at night; returning to full-time MOR programming in 1972. In early 1973, the WTRY stations were sold, and WTRY-FM became WHSH, which then went to its first full-time rock format as the format was changed to a Top 40–Oldies hybrid with live DJs. The station was now known as "Wish" as well as "The Albany Stereo Giant". Ownership automated the station a year later in 1974, and changed the format to Oldies. During Labor Day weekend, 1975, the format was flipped again, this time to beautiful music
Beautiful music
Beautiful music is a mostly instrumental music format that was prominent in American radio from the 1960s through the 1980s...
, while keeping the "Wish" nickname.
By 1980, there was an obvious hole for a mainstream 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 in the Albany market, and the station flipped to its current format on September 15, 1980, changing its call letters to WPYX.
WPYX and WTRY went through several ownership changes which includes Scott Broadcasting of Pennsylvania, television personality Merv Griffin
Merv Griffin
Mervyn Edward "Merv" Griffin, Jr. was an American television host, musician, actor, and media mogul. He began his career as a radio and big band singer who went on to appear in movies and on Broadway. From 1965 to 1986 Griffin hosted his own talk show, The Merv Griffin Show on Group W Broadcasting...
and Capstar Broadcasting (which was controlled by billionaire mogul Tom Hicks
Tom Hicks
Thomas Ollis Hicks, Sr. , is an American 'leveraged buyout' businessman living in Dallas, Texas. Despite Forbes Magazine estimating Hicks' wealth at USD 1 billion in 2009, Hicks was unable to pay off joint loans of circa £200 million the following year...
). In 1999, Capstar merged with another Hicks-owned company, Chancellor Media Corporation, to form AMFM Inc. In 2000, the stations were acquired by its current owner 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...
when they merged with AMFM.
The Wolf is the host of the WPYX morning show, Wakin' Up With the Wolf. His program runs weekdays 5:30 to 10:00 a.m. Until April 28, 2009, other personalities included:
- Suzanne 10 AM-2 PM
- Uncle Vito 2 PM-7 PM
- Vinnie 7 PM-12 AM
- John Clark 12 AM-5:30 AM
Presently, only morning drive and afternoon drive remain local and live.
HD Radio operations
In 2005, WPYX upgraded to IBOCIn-band on-channel
In-band on-channel is a hybrid method of transmitting digital radio and analog radio broadcast signals simultaneously on the same frequency....
digital radio
Digital radio
Digital radio has several meanings:1. Today the most common meaning is digital radio broadcasting technologies, such as the digital audio broadcasting system, also known as Eureka 147. In these systems, the analog audio signal is digitized into zeros and ones, compressed using formats such as...
alongside the rest of Clear Channel's Albany stations. On August 17, 2006, WPYX began airing an HD2 channel with a deep tracks classic rock format, known as Vinyl Vineyard which remains to this day.