WTSJ
Encyclopedia
WCVR is a radio station
broadcasting a country music
format to Randolph, Vermont
, United States.
. Their original General Manager was the prominent Vermont radio-newspaper commentator Bob Smith, who staffed the station with a program director from Burlington
(Gary D'Arcangelo) and a morning man, Gene Puffer, who had operated a general store in a neighboring town. Puffer later purchased his own radio station in Wells River
, WYKR (now WTWN). The station struggled to gain traction with the local business community.
WCVR was sold during its first year in operation to Scott McQueen and Ted Nixon and Randy Odeneal, all Dartmouth College
graduates who subsequently built Sconnix into a very successful ownership group.
Sconnix sold the station to Vermont Radio Group in 1976; several years later, WCVR was sold to Ed and Margaret Stokes. It had shifted to a more contemporary country format by 1982, when WCVR-FM was launched as an FM
simulcast of the station. In 1987, the call letters were changed to WWWT; by 1988, the station carried an adult contemporary format, with the country format being heard solely on WCVR-FM. In the 1990s, WWWT returned to simulcasting WCVR-FM, which by then was receiving its programming via the Real Country
network from ABC Radio (now Citadel Media).
In 1999, the Stokes sold WWWT and WCVR-FM to Excalibur Media; Excalibur, in turn, was sold to Clear Channel Communications
the following year. Soon after taking over, Clear Channel returned WWWT to separate programming, airing Jones Radio Networks
' oldies
service, Good Time Oldies
. The station switched to a talk
format in May 2003; initially a simulcast of WSYB
in Rutland, it began to relay WTSL in Hanover, New Hampshire
in 2006 (following Clear Channel's sale of WSYB), at which point the WTSJ call letters were adopted. A few months later, WTSL was also sold, and WTSJ again changed simulcasts, this time to WXZO
and WEAV
in the Champlain Valley
.
In January 2008, Clear Channel agreed to sell its Vermont stations to Vox Communications as part of Clear Channel's plan to divest itself of most of its smaller market radio stations. The sale was completed July 25, 2008. Vox soon concluded that it had no interest in retaining WTSJ and WCVR-FM, and reached a deal to sell the stations to Great Eastern Radio in September 2008. Great Eastern switched WTSJ to a simulcast of Lebanon, New Hampshire
country station WXXK
. However, it never closed on the deal, and a year later Vox retook the station and reinstated the simulcast of WEAV.
In March 2010, another deal to sell WTSJ, this time to Koor Communications, was reached. Koor took over the station on March 12, and reverted the station to Real Country. The WCVR call letters were reinstated on April 23, and the sale was finalized on June 25.
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 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 to Randolph, Vermont
Randolph, Vermont
Randolph is a town in Orange County, Vermont, United States. The population was 4,853 at the 2000 census, making Randolph the largest town in Orange County. The town is a commercial center for many of the smaller, rural farming communities that surround it....
, United States.
History
WCVR signed on November 26, 1968. The station was initially a daytimer with a middle-of-the road music format that leaned country. The original owners were Frank Gilman and Nelson Crawford, businessmen from nearby White River JunctionWhite River Junction, Vermont
White River Junction is an unincorporated village and census-designated place in the town of Hartford in Windsor County, Vermont, United States...
. Their original General Manager was the prominent Vermont radio-newspaper commentator Bob Smith, who staffed the station with a program director from Burlington
Burlington, Vermont
Burlington is the largest city in the U.S. state of Vermont and the shire town of Chittenden County. Burlington lies south of the U.S.-Canadian border and some south of Montreal....
(Gary D'Arcangelo) and a morning man, Gene Puffer, who had operated a general store in a neighboring town. Puffer later purchased his own radio station in Wells River
Wells River, Vermont
Wells River is a village in the town of Newbury in Orange County, Vermont, United States. The population was 325 at the 2000 census. The village center is located at the junction of U.S...
, WYKR (now WTWN). The station struggled to gain traction with the local business community.
WCVR was sold during its first year in operation to Scott McQueen and Ted Nixon and Randy Odeneal, all Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College
Dartmouth College is a private, Ivy League university in Hanover, New Hampshire, United States. The institution comprises a liberal arts college, Dartmouth Medical School, Thayer School of Engineering, and the Tuck School of Business, as well as 19 graduate programs in the arts and sciences...
graduates who subsequently built Sconnix into a very successful ownership group.
Sconnix sold the station to Vermont Radio Group in 1976; several years later, WCVR was sold to Ed and Margaret Stokes. It had shifted to a more contemporary country format by 1982, when WCVR-FM was launched as an FM
FM broadcasting
FM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
simulcast of the station. In 1987, the call letters were changed to WWWT; by 1988, the station carried an adult contemporary format, with the country format being heard solely on WCVR-FM. In the 1990s, WWWT returned to simulcasting WCVR-FM, which by then was receiving its programming via the Real Country
Real country
Real Country is a 24-hour radio format produced by Cumulus Media Networks. Real Country, originally one of the Satellite Music Network stations, is marketed at the 18 to 54 demographic in rural areas of the United States...
network from ABC Radio (now Citadel Media).
In 1999, the Stokes sold WWWT and WCVR-FM to Excalibur Media; Excalibur, in turn, was sold to 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...
the following year. Soon after taking over, Clear Channel returned WWWT to separate programming, airing Jones Radio Networks
Jones Radio Networks
Jones Radio Networks & Jones Media Group were branches of Jones International before being sold to Triton Media Group. JRN and JMN provide local radio stations with satellite-delivered formats. They also offer other services to local radio such as news and talk programs, syndicated radio shows,...
' oldies
Oldies
Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day....
service, Good Time Oldies
Good Time Oldies
Good Time Oldies was a 24-hour music format produced by Jones Radio Networks. Ittargeted the "baby boomers" and consists of oldies music from the 1960s to early 1970s by The Beatles, The Kinks, The Beach Boys, Hues Corporation, The Rolling Stones and dozens more artists...
. The station switched to a 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 in May 2003; initially a simulcast of WSYB
WSYB
WSYB is a radio station in Rutland, Vermont.- Programming :WSYB programs a news, talk, and sports format. WSYB features a full complement of local high school and college sports coverage including football, basketball, and hockey. WSYB is home to the local talk show, "On the Air with Tim Philbin",...
in Rutland, it began to relay WTSL in Hanover, New Hampshire
Hanover, New Hampshire
Hanover is a town along the Connecticut River in Grafton County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 11,260 at the 2010 census. CNN and Money magazine rated Hanover the sixth best place to live in America in 2011, and the second best in 2007....
in 2006 (following Clear Channel's sale of WSYB), at which point the WTSJ call letters were adopted. A few months later, WTSL was also sold, and WTSJ again changed simulcasts, this time to WXZO
WXZO
-External links:...
and WEAV
WEAV
WEAV is an English-language American radio station in Plattsburgh, New York, with studios in Colchester, Vermont. The station broadcasts a talk format....
in the Champlain Valley
Champlain Valley
The Champlain Valley is a region of the United States around Lake Champlain in Vermont and New York extending slightly into Quebec, Canada as part of the St. Lawrence River drainage basin drained northward by the Richelieu River into the St...
.
In January 2008, Clear Channel agreed to sell its Vermont stations to Vox Communications as part of Clear Channel's plan to divest itself of most of its smaller market radio stations. The sale was completed July 25, 2008. Vox soon concluded that it had no interest in retaining WTSJ and WCVR-FM, and reached a deal to sell the stations to Great Eastern Radio in September 2008. Great Eastern switched WTSJ to a simulcast of Lebanon, New Hampshire
Lebanon, New Hampshire
As of the census of 2000, there were 12,568 people, 5,500 households, and 3,178 families residing in the city. The population density was 311.4 people per square mile . There were 5,707 housing units at an average density of 141.4 per square mile...
country station WXXK
WXXK
WXXK is a radio station broadcasting a Country music format. Licensed to Lebanon, New Hampshire, USA, the station serves the Lebanon-Rutland-White River Junction area. The station is currently owned by Great Eastern Radio, LLC and features programing from Jones Radio Network and Premiere Radio...
. However, it never closed on the deal, and a year later Vox retook the station and reinstated the simulcast of WEAV.
In March 2010, another deal to sell WTSJ, this time to Koor Communications, was reached. Koor took over the station on March 12, and reverted the station to Real Country. The WCVR call letters were reinstated on April 23, and the sale was finalized on June 25.