WVMT
Encyclopedia
WVMT is an English-language
American
radio station
located in Burlington, Vermont
.
Owned and operated by local businessman Paul S. Goldman, it broadcasts on 620 kHz with a power of 5,000 watt
s as a class B station, using a directional antenna
with slightly different daytime and nighttime directional patterns in order to protect various other stations on that frequency.
The station has a news/talk
format
. Most of its programming consists of carrying syndicated politically-conservative talk shows, like those of Howie Carr
and Laura Ingraham
, and sports broadcasts, including New York Yankees
baseball, University of Vermont
hockey and women's basketball, and Syracuse University
basketball and football. The morning show, hosted by Charlie Papillo, Ernie Farrar and Lisa Nagle, is produced locally.
WVMT's easily identifiable triple towers are shown on Lake Champlain
navigation charts.
(UVM). In its early years, WCAX largely operated on an experimental basis, and it was not until October 10, 1924 that the station formally opened. WCAX was run by UVM students, with most of its programming consisting of farming information from the University's Extension Service; although the call letters have been claimed to stand for College of Agriculture Extension in recognition of this service, the station's license was granted, and the call letters assigned, on May 13, 1922, in close proximity to stations such as WCAU (now WPHT
) in Philadelphia and WCAY (now WTMJ
) in Milwaukee. Initially operating at 833 kHz (as most stations did at that time), it had moved to 1200 kHz by 1925, to 1190 kHz in 1926, to 1180 kHz in 1927, and then back to 1200 in November 1928.
By 1931, the University of Vermont did not have the funds to continue its operation of WCAX, largely due to the need to purchase newer equipment required by the Federal Radio Commission
, and on June 17 it sold the station to the Burlington Daily News; at that time, the newspaper was controlled by Dr. Horatio Nelson Jackson
, the first person to drive across the country in a motor car. The Daily News relaunched WCAX as a commercial station on November 4, 1931; however, under the terms of the sale, UVM continued to broadcast its programming on the station. Charles Hasbrook bought WCAX and the Daily News in 1939; the following year, the station joined the CBS Radio Network
. The North American Radio Broadcasting Agreement
moved the station to 1230 kHz in 1941; the following year, WCAX moved to its current position at 620 kHz, and the Daily News was sold off, with Hasbrook retaining the station through the WCAX Broadcasting Corporation. (The 1230 frequency is now occupied by WJOY
.) A television station, WMVT, was launched on September 26, 1954; it would be renamed WCAX-TV
two years later. By 1960, WCAX had switched from CBS to NBC Radio
.
Hasbrook sold WCAX to James Broadcasting, a company controlled by Simon Goldman that also owned WJTN
in Jamestown, New York
, in 1963, and the call letters were changed to WVMT. (The previous call letters remain on WCAX-TV, which is still owned by the family of Hasbrook's stepson, Stuart T. Martin Jr.) By 1971, WVMT had a middle-of-the-road music format. The station had placed more of an emphasis on oldies
by 1980, but largely remained middle-of-the-road; by 1984, the station had shifted to an adult contemporary format, which, by 1986, also emphasized oldies. WVMT gained an FM sister station in 1990, when James Broadcasting purchased WXXX
from Atlantic Ventures.
By 1994, WVMT had shifted its music programming entirely to oldies, and had also incorporated some talk shows; by 1999, the station had formally moved to a talk format. Paul Goldman's company, Sison Broadcasting, purchased WVMT and WXXX in 1997.
, Charlie & Ernie in the Morning, Dennis Miller
, Rush Limbaugh
, Laura Ingraham
, Howie Carr
, Jerry Doyle, Clark Howard
, Dennis Prager
, and Michael Medved
.
English language
English is a West Germanic language that arose in the Anglo-Saxon kingdoms of England and spread into what was to become south-east Scotland under the influence of the Anglian medieval kingdom of Northumbria...
American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
radio station
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...
located in Burlington, Vermont
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....
.
Owned and operated by local businessman Paul S. Goldman, it broadcasts on 620 kHz with a power of 5,000 watt
Watt
The watt is a derived unit of power in the International System of Units , named after the Scottish engineer James Watt . The unit, defined as one joule per second, measures the rate of energy conversion.-Definition:...
s as a class B station, using a directional antenna
Directional antenna
A directional antenna or beam antenna is an antenna which radiates greater power in one or more directions allowing for increased performance on transmit and receive and reduced interference from unwanted sources....
with slightly different daytime and nighttime directional patterns in order to protect various other stations on that frequency.
The station has a news/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
Radio format
A radio format or programming format not to be confused with broadcast programming describes the overall content broadcast on a radio station. Radio formats are frequently employed as a marketing tool, and constantly evolve...
. Most of its programming consists of carrying syndicated politically-conservative talk shows, like those of Howie Carr
Howie Carr
Howard Louis "Howie" Carr, Jr. is an American journalist, author, and conservative radio talk-show host based in Boston with a listening audience rooted in New England.-Radio:...
and Laura Ingraham
Laura Ingraham
Laura Anne Ingraham is an American radio host, author, and conservative political commentator. Her nationally syndicated talk show, The Laura Ingraham Show, airs throughout the United States on Talk Radio Network...
, and sports broadcasts, including New York Yankees
New York Yankees
The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the The Bronx, New York. They compete in Major League Baseball in the American League's East Division...
baseball, University of Vermont
University of Vermont
The University of Vermont comprises seven undergraduate schools, an honors college, a graduate college, and a college of medicine. The Honors College does not offer its own degrees; students in the Honors College concurrently enroll in one of the university's seven undergraduate colleges or...
hockey and women's basketball, and Syracuse University
Syracuse University
Syracuse University is a private research university located in Syracuse, New York, United States. Its roots can be traced back to Genesee Wesleyan Seminary, founded by the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1832, which also later founded Genesee College...
basketball and football. The morning show, hosted by Charlie Papillo, Ernie Farrar and Lisa Nagle, is produced locally.
WVMT's easily identifiable triple towers are shown on Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain
Lake Champlain is a natural, freshwater lake in North America, located mainly within the borders of the United States but partially situated across the Canada—United States border in the Canadian province of Quebec.The New York portion of the Champlain Valley includes the eastern portions of...
navigation charts.
History
WVMT is the oldest radio station in Vermont, going on the air May 20, 1922 as WCAX under the ownership of the University of VermontUniversity of Vermont
The University of Vermont comprises seven undergraduate schools, an honors college, a graduate college, and a college of medicine. The Honors College does not offer its own degrees; students in the Honors College concurrently enroll in one of the university's seven undergraduate colleges or...
(UVM). In its early years, WCAX largely operated on an experimental basis, and it was not until October 10, 1924 that the station formally opened. WCAX was run by UVM students, with most of its programming consisting of farming information from the University's Extension Service; although the call letters have been claimed to stand for College of Agriculture Extension in recognition of this service, the station's license was granted, and the call letters assigned, on May 13, 1922, in close proximity to stations such as WCAU (now WPHT
WPHT
WPHT is a CBS Radio station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, broadcasting on 1210 kHz. A 50,000-watt clear-channel station, it broadcasts in an omnidirectional pattern that allows it to cover most of the eastern half of North America at night. It uses the nickname "Talk Radio 1210 WPHT." The...
) in Philadelphia and WCAY (now WTMJ
WTMJ (AM)
WTMJ is a radio station in Milwaukee, Wisconsin broadcasting at 620 AM. It is a 50,000-watt station airing a format of news, talk and sports. WTMJ is owned by Journal Broadcast Group, which also owns the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and sister station WLWK-FM....
) in Milwaukee. Initially operating at 833 kHz (as most stations did at that time), it had moved to 1200 kHz by 1925, to 1190 kHz in 1926, to 1180 kHz in 1927, and then back to 1200 in November 1928.
By 1931, the University of Vermont did not have the funds to continue its operation of WCAX, largely due to the need to purchase newer equipment required by the Federal Radio Commission
Federal Radio Commission
The Federal Radio Commission was a government body that regulated radio use in the United States from its creation in 1926 until its replacement by the Federal Communications Commission in 1934...
, and on June 17 it sold the station to the Burlington Daily News; at that time, the newspaper was controlled by Dr. Horatio Nelson Jackson
Horatio Nelson Jackson
Horatio Nelson Jackson was a physician and automobile pioneer. In 1903, he and driving partner Sewall K. Crocker became the first people to drive an automobile across the United States.-Early life and medical career:...
, the first person to drive across the country in a motor car. The Daily News relaunched WCAX as a commercial station on November 4, 1931; however, under the terms of the sale, UVM continued to broadcast its programming on the station. Charles Hasbrook bought WCAX and the Daily News in 1939; the following year, the station joined the CBS Radio Network
CBS Radio Network
The CBS Radio Network provides news, sports and other programming to more than 1,000 radio stations throughout the United States. The network is owned by CBS Corporation, and operated by CBS Radio ....
. The North American Radio Broadcasting Agreement
North American Radio Broadcasting Agreement
The North American Radio Broadcasting Agreement, usually referred to as NARBA, is a treaty that took effect in March 1941 and set out the bandplan and interference rules for mediumwave AM broadcasting in North America. Although mostly replaced by other agreements in the 1980s, the basic bandplan...
moved the station to 1230 kHz in 1941; the following year, WCAX moved to its current position at 620 kHz, and the Daily News was sold off, with Hasbrook retaining the station through the WCAX Broadcasting Corporation. (The 1230 frequency is now occupied by WJOY
WJOY
WJOY is a radio station broadcasting an adult standards format. Licensed to Burlington, Vermont, USA, the station is currently owned by Hall Communications, Inc....
.) A television station, WMVT, was launched on September 26, 1954; it would be renamed WCAX-TV
WCAX-TV
WCAX-TV, virtual channel 3, is a television station in Burlington, Vermont, USA. WCAX is affiliated with the CBS Television Network and has been locally owned by the Hasbrook/Martin family and their company, Mount Mansfield Television, since the station's inception...
two years later. By 1960, WCAX had switched from CBS to NBC Radio
NBC Red Network
The NBC Red Network was one of the two original radio networks of the National Broadcasting Company. After NBC was required to divest itself of its Blue Network , the Red Network continued as the NBC Radio Network.It, along with the Blue Network, were the first two commercial radio networks in the...
.
Hasbrook sold WCAX to James Broadcasting, a company controlled by Simon Goldman that also owned WJTN
WJTN
WJTN is a radio station licensed to Jamestown, New York. The mostly local news/talk outlet is owned by Media One Group. The station signed on on December 31, 1924, making the station the oldest in southwestern New York and fourth-longest lived in all of Western New York-- behind only WGR, WBEN and...
in Jamestown, New York
Jamestown, New York
Jamestown is a city in Chautauqua County, New York in the United States. The population was 31,146 at the 2010 census.The City of Jamestown is adjacent to Town of Ellicott and is at the southern tip of Chautauqua Lake...
, in 1963, and the call letters were changed to WVMT. (The previous call letters remain on WCAX-TV, which is still owned by the family of Hasbrook's stepson, Stuart T. Martin Jr.) By 1971, WVMT had a middle-of-the-road music format. The station had placed more of an emphasis on 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....
by 1980, but largely remained middle-of-the-road; by 1984, the station had shifted to an adult contemporary format, which, by 1986, also emphasized oldies. WVMT gained an FM sister station in 1990, when James Broadcasting purchased WXXX
WXXX
WXXX is a U.S. radio station based in Colchester, Vermont, and licensed in South Burlington. On air and in advertisements the station is known as "95 Triple X." The primary format of the station is Top 40...
from Atlantic Ventures.
By 1994, WVMT had shifted its music programming entirely to oldies, and had also incorporated some talk shows; by 1999, the station had formally moved to a talk format. Paul Goldman's company, Sison Broadcasting, purchased WVMT and WXXX in 1997.
Programming
Current programs and hosts include Jim BohannonJim Bohannon
James E. "Jim" Bohannon is an American broadcaster who has worked in both television and radio.During the 1980s he was a fill-in for Larry King when King had his popular nighttime national radio program. He also does much work with the Smithsonian Associates...
, Charlie & Ernie in the Morning, Dennis Miller
Dennis Miller
Dennis Miller is an American stand-up comedian, political commentator, actor, sports commentator, and television and radio personality. He is known for his critical assessments laced with pop culture references...
, Rush Limbaugh
Rush Limbaugh
Rush Hudson Limbaugh III is an American radio talk show host, conservative political commentator, and an opinion leader in American conservatism. He hosts The Rush Limbaugh Show which is aired throughout the U.S. on Premiere Radio Networks and is the highest-rated talk-radio program in the United...
, Laura Ingraham
Laura Ingraham
Laura Anne Ingraham is an American radio host, author, and conservative political commentator. Her nationally syndicated talk show, The Laura Ingraham Show, airs throughout the United States on Talk Radio Network...
, Howie Carr
Howie Carr
Howard Louis "Howie" Carr, Jr. is an American journalist, author, and conservative radio talk-show host based in Boston with a listening audience rooted in New England.-Radio:...
, Jerry Doyle, Clark Howard
Clark Howard
Clark Howard , is a popular U.S. talk radio host of the nationally syndicated consumer advocate program The Clark Howard Show. The show covers consumer and financial news, with advice on how to spend less, save more and avoid rip-offs...
, Dennis Prager
Dennis Prager
Dennis Prager is an American syndicated radio talk show host, syndicated columnist, author, and public speaker. He is noted for his conservative political and social views emanating from conservative Judeo-Christian values. He holds that there is an "American Trinity" of essential principles,...
, and Michael Medved
Michael Medved
Michael Medved is an American radio host, author, political commentator and film critic. His Seattle, Washington-based nationally syndicated talk show, The Michael Medved Show, airs throughout the U.S...
.