WUPE-FM
Encyclopedia
WUPE-FM is a radio station
broadcasting an oldies
format. Licensed to North Adams, Massachusetts
, USA, WUPE-FM serves the Pittsfield
area. The station is currently owned by Vox Communications.
. The Hardmans sold Northern Berkshire Broadcasting to Donald A. Thurston in 1966; the company became Berkshire Broadcasting after the purchase of WSBS in Great Barrington
in 1968. By 1973, WMNB-FM had a beautiful music
format, separately-programmed from the AM station (though even at WMNB-FM's inception the two stations did not duplicate more than thirty percent of their programming). The callsign was modified to simply WMNB on January 30, 1988, after the AM station was renamed WNAW
. During the mid-1990s, WMNB's format incorporated smooth jazz
and soft adult contemporary programming; as a whole, however, it remained one of the few remaining beautiful music stations.
Vox purchased Berkshire Broadcasting in November 2003, with the sale closing in May 2004. One month later, WMNB began to simulcast an oldies format with another Vox station, WUPE (95.9). The station took the WUPE-FM callsign two years later, as part of a larger shuffle that resulted in WBEC-FM
moving from 105.5 (now WWEI
) to 95.9. WUPE-FM's programming also began to be heard on an AM
station in Pittsfield on 1110 AM.
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 an 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....
format. Licensed to North Adams, Massachusetts
North Adams, Massachusetts
North Adams is a city in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 13,708 as of the 2010 census, making it the least populous city in the state...
, USA, WUPE-FM serves the Pittsfield
Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Pittsfield is the largest city and the county seat of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the principal city of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Berkshire County. Its area code is 413. Its ZIP code is 01201...
area. The station is currently owned by Vox Communications.
History
The station went on the air July 12, 1964 as WMNB-FM, owned by the Hardman family along with WMNB (1230 AM) and the North Adams TranscriptNorth Adams Transcript
The North Adams Transcript is a daily newspaper, published Monday through Saturday in North Adams, Massachusetts.Branded as "The Voice of the Northern Berkshires Since 1843," the Transcript covers North Adams and Adams, Cheshire, Clarksburg, Florida, Hancock, Lanesborough, New Ashford, and...
. The Hardmans sold Northern Berkshire Broadcasting to Donald A. Thurston in 1966; the company became Berkshire Broadcasting after the purchase of WSBS in Great Barrington
Great Barrington, Massachusetts
Great Barrington is a town in Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is part of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 7,104 at the 2010 census. Both a summer resort and home to Ski Butternut, Great Barrington includes the villages of Van...
in 1968. By 1973, WMNB-FM had 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, separately-programmed from the AM station (though even at WMNB-FM's inception the two stations did not duplicate more than thirty percent of their programming). The callsign was modified to simply WMNB on January 30, 1988, after the AM station was renamed WNAW
WNAW
WNAW is a radio station broadcasting a Adult Contemporary format. Licensed to North Adams, Massachusetts, USA, the station serves the Pittsfield area. The station is currently owned by Berkshire Broadcasting Co., Inc. and features programing from AP Radio....
. During the mid-1990s, WMNB's format incorporated smooth jazz
Smooth jazz
Smooth jazz is a genre of music that grew out of jazz fusion and is influenced by R&B, funk, rock, and pop music styles ....
and soft adult contemporary programming; as a whole, however, it remained one of the few remaining beautiful music stations.
Vox purchased Berkshire Broadcasting in November 2003, with the sale closing in May 2004. One month later, WMNB began to simulcast an oldies format with another Vox station, WUPE (95.9). The station took the WUPE-FM callsign two years later, as part of a larger shuffle that resulted in WBEC-FM
WBEC-FM
WBEC-FM is a radio station in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. The station broadcasts hot adult contemporary formatted music. Its transmitter is located in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. From 1977-2006, the station was known as WUPE-FM...
moving from 105.5 (now WWEI
WWEI
WWEI is a radio station in Easthampton, Massachusetts, serving Springfield with a sports radio format. The station is owned by Entercom Communications...
) to 95.9. WUPE-FM's programming also began to be heard on an AM
AM broadcasting
AM broadcasting is the process of radio broadcasting using amplitude modulation. AM was the first method of impressing sound on a radio signal and is still widely used today. Commercial and public AM broadcasting is carried out in the medium wave band world wide, and on long wave and short wave...
station in Pittsfield on 1110 AM.