WBEC-FM
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City | Pittsfield, Massachusetts |
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Broadcast area | Berkshire Mountains |
Frequency | 95.9 MHz |
Branding | Live 95-9 |
Programming | |
Format | Top 40 |
Ownership | |
Owner | Townsquare Media (Townsquare Media Pittsfield License, LLC) |
Sister stations | WBEC, WNAW, WSBS, WUPE, WUPE-FM |
History | |
First air date | 1975 |
Former call signs | WGRG-FM (1975–77) WUPE-FM (1977–79) WUPE (1979-2006) WUPE-FM (April 7–14, 2006) WMNB (April 14–May 2, 2006) |
Call sign meaning | taken from sister station WBEC (AM), originally owned by the Berkshire Eagle Company |
Technical information | |
Facility ID | 71437 |
Class | A |
ERP | 1,000 watts |
HAAT | 170 meters (560 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 42°24′43″N 73°17′02″W / 42.412°N 73.284°WCoordinates: 42°24′43″N 73°17′02″W / 42.412°N 73.284°W |
Links | |
Webcast | Listen live |
Website | live959 |
WBEC-FM (95.9 MHz) is a commercial FM station in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. It is owned by Townsquare Media and broadcasts a Top 40 radio format.
WBEC-FM has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 1,000 watts. The transmitter is off Alpine Trail in Pittsfield, near South Street (U.S. Route 20).[1]
History[]
In 1975, the station signed on as WGRG-FM, airing a free form progressive rock sound. At that time, it was not associated with WBEC 1420 AM. WBEC had an FM station at 94.3 MHz dating back to the late 1940s, but gave it up in an era when few people owned FM receivers. It later put another FM station on the air at 105.5 MHz.
From 1977 to 2006, the station was known as WUPE-FM. WUPE began operations in 1977 simulcasting the top 40 sound heard on WUPE 1110 AM. WUPE-AM-FM later switched to soft adult contemporary and then oldies. After oldies, the WUPE-FM call sign and format were moved to 100.1 FM.
In August 2013, Gamma Broadcasting reached a deal to sell its Berkshire County radio stations, including WBEC-FM, to Reed Miami Holdings.[2] The sale was canceled on December 30, 2013.[3] In October 2016, Gamma agreed to sell its stations to Galaxy Communications.[4] That sale also fell through, and in 2017 the stations were acquired by Townsquare Media.[5]
References[]
- ^ Radio-Locator.com/WBEC-FM
- ^ "Western Massachusetts Cluster Sold". All Access. August 23, 2013. Retrieved August 29, 2013.
- ^ Venta, Lance (January 14, 2014). "Pittsfield Cluster Sale Withdrawn". RadioInsight. Retrieved March 30, 2014.
- ^ Venta, Lance (October 17, 2016). "Galaxy Communications Acquires Pittsfield Cluster". RadioInsight. Retrieved April 19, 2017.
- ^ Venta, Lance (July 18, 2017). "Townsquare Media Acquires Six In Massachusetts". RadioInsight. Retrieved November 14, 2017.
External links[]
- Official website
- WBEC in the FCC FM station database
- WBEC on Radio-Locator
- WBEC in Nielsen Audio's FM station database
- Radio stations in Massachusetts
- Adult top 40 radio stations in the United States
- Pittsfield, Massachusetts
- Mass media in Berkshire County, Massachusetts
- Radio stations established in 1975
- Townsquare Media radio stations
- Massachusetts radio station stubs