WQRS
Encyclopedia
WQRS is a radio station
in Salamanca, New York in the Olean, New York
broadcasting area. The station broadcasts a country music
format and is owned by Pembrook Pines Media Group.
The station signed on October 15, 1988 and had been known as WQRT, branded as 98 Rocks, under the ownership of Michael Washington until the year 2006, when Washington sold the station to its current owners. The intention was to split WQRT into two stations, WQRS (Q Rock Salamanca) and WQRW
(Q Rock Wellsville
). However, when the station's only local jock, Scott Douglas, was let go by the company in 2007, those plans were dropped. The WQRW station was still built, but now airs a Hot Adult Contemporary
format instead.
The loss of Douglas, and the lack of a local replacement, hurt the station badly, resulting from the station losing over half of its market share, from third-place in the mid-2000shttp://ratings.radio-online.com/cgi-bin/rol.exe/arb421 to tenth in the most recent books. Between January and March 2009, Michael Hamm hosted a live morning show at the station, but left for WDOE
in Dunkirk, NY after his short stint. Hamm is now hosting evenings on country giant WPIG
in Olean. WQRS primarily broadcasted programming from Dial Global
's "Classic Rock" (and before that, The Classic Rock Experience
from ABC) and also carried the syndicated Nights with Alice Cooper
program.
In September 2010, WQRS quietly ended its classic rock format and switched to an all-satellite country music
format. WQRS competes with WBYB
, WDDH
and market leader WPIG
for the country music audience. WQRS affiliated with the New York Yankees Radio Network in 2011.
The WQRS call signs were previously heard on a classical music FM station in Detroit, Michigan
. The WQRT calls are now on an AM talk radio station in Cincinnati, Ohio
.
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...
in Salamanca, New York in the Olean, New York
Olean, New York
Olean is a city in Cattaraugus County, New York, United States. Olean is the largest city in Cattaraugus County, and serves as the financial, business, transportation and entertainment center of the county. It is one of the principal cities of the Southern Tier region of New York.The city is...
broadcasting area. The station broadcasts 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 and is owned by Pembrook Pines Media Group.
The station signed on October 15, 1988 and had been known as WQRT, branded as 98 Rocks, under the ownership of Michael Washington until the year 2006, when Washington sold the station to its current owners. The intention was to split WQRT into two stations, WQRS (Q Rock Salamanca) and WQRW
WQRW
WQRW is a radio station broadcasting a Mandarin hip-hop format. Licensed to Wellsville, New York, USA, the station serves the Olean area...
(Q Rock Wellsville
Wellsville, New York
Wellsville, New York is a village and a town in Allegany County, New York, USA.*Wellsville , New York*Wellsville , New York----For other places with this name, see Wellsville....
). However, when the station's only local jock, Scott Douglas, was let go by the company in 2007, those plans were dropped. The WQRW station was still built, but now airs a Hot Adult Contemporary
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....
format instead.
The loss of Douglas, and the lack of a local replacement, hurt the station badly, resulting from the station losing over half of its market share, from third-place in the mid-2000shttp://ratings.radio-online.com/cgi-bin/rol.exe/arb421 to tenth in the most recent books. Between January and March 2009, Michael Hamm hosted a live morning show at the station, but left for WDOE
WDOE
WDOE is an AM radio station located in Dunkirk, New York. It is owned by Alan Bishop and George Kimble, who also own sister station WBKX in Fredonia, and operates on a frequency of 1410 kHz....
in Dunkirk, NY after his short stint. Hamm is now hosting evenings on country giant 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...
in Olean. WQRS primarily broadcasted programming from Dial Global
Dial Global
Dial Global is a radio syndication company. It is a wholly owned subsidiary of Triton Media Group and is a sister company to Townsquare Media, both of which are owned by Oaktree Capital Management....
's "Classic Rock" (and before that, The Classic Rock Experience
The Classic Rock Experience
Classic Rock is a 24-hour music format produced by Cumulus Media Networks...
from ABC) and also carried the syndicated Nights with Alice Cooper
Nights with Alice Cooper
Nights with Alice Cooper is a radio show hosted by rock and roll artist and shock rock pioneer Alice Cooper. It is syndicated by United Stations Radio Networks and broadcast on over 100 radio stations in the US, seven in Canada, and is also available in the UK , Germany , Ireland, Australia ,...
program.
In September 2010, WQRS quietly ended its classic rock format and switched to an all-satellite 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. WQRS competes with WBYB
WBYB
WBYB is a talk radio formatted commercial radio station, licensed to Kane, Pennsylvania. WVTT operates at an effective radiated power of 840 watts...
, WDDH
WDDH
WDDH is an American radio station, licensed to Saint Marys, Pennsylvania. The station operates at the assigned frequency of 97.5 MHz and an effective radiated power of 50,000 watts. Its studios and offices sit atop Bootjack Mountain, just on the outskirts of Ridgway, Pennsylvania in Kersey, about...
and market leader 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...
for the country music audience. WQRS affiliated with the New York Yankees Radio Network in 2011.
The WQRS call signs were previously heard on a classical music FM station in Detroit, Michigan
Detroit, Michigan
Detroit is the major city among the primary cultural, financial, and transportation centers in the Metro Detroit area, a region of 5.2 million people. As the seat of Wayne County, the city of Detroit is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan and serves as a major port on the Detroit River...
. The WQRT calls are now on an AM talk radio station in Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati, Ohio
Cincinnati is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio. Cincinnati is the county seat of Hamilton County. Settled in 1788, the city is located to north of the Ohio River at the Ohio-Kentucky border, near Indiana. The population within city limits is 296,943 according to the 2010 census, making it Ohio's...
.