WBLQ (AM)
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City | Westerly, Rhode Island |
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Broadcast area | Southern Rhode Island, Southeastern Connecticut |
Frequency | 1230 khz in C-QUAM A.M. Stereo |
Branding | "Stereo 1230 WBLQ" |
Programming | |
Format | Full Service |
Ownership | |
Owner | Christopher DiPaola (DiPonti Communications) |
WWRI, WSUB-LP, WWRI-LP | |
History | |
First air date | July 1, 1949 |
Former call signs | WERI[1] (1949-1999) WXNI (1999-2009) |
Technical information | |
Facility ID | 71722 |
Class | C |
Power | 1,000 watts (unlimited) |
Transmitter coordinates | 41°21′57″N 71°50′11″W / 41.36583°N 71.83639°W |
Translator(s) | 103.1 W276DF (Westerly) |
Links | |
Webcast | [1] |
Website | WBLQ Online |
WBLQ (1230 AM) is a radio station licensed to serve Westerly, Rhode Island. The station is owned by Diponti Communications.
History[]
1940s[]
1949[]
The station, then called WERI, began broadcasting on 1230kc. on July 1, 1949 using Day/Night power of 250 watts, non-directional. The station still uses its original 185-foot, Blaw-Knox,[2] self-supporting tower, on Margin Street, beside the Pawcatuck River.[3]
1960s[]
The FCC increases the daytime power of all Class IV[4] AM stations to 1,000 watts. WERI still has to reduce power to 250 watts at night, as did all other stations on the same frequency.
1966[]
WERI adds F.M. service with WERI-FM/103.7 (Channel 279) (now WVEI-FM). The FM antenna is initially mounted to the side of the AM tower on Margin Street in downtown Westerly. The FM station broadcasts for only a few days from this location before it is shut down due to harmonic interference to TV channel 12.
1968[]
WERI-FM moves its transmitter to a new location on Route 3 in Ashaway, and begins regular broadcasting.
1970s[]
The FCC increases the nighttime power of all Class IV stations from 250 to 1,000 watts, including WERI.
1980s[]
WERI-FM moves its transmitter closer to Providence, changes callsign to "WWRX", and effectively becomes a Providence station.
1990s[]
WERI-FM (WWRX) is sold to an independent owner from the AM station (WERI).
1999[]
In a separate transaction, WERI was sold to Boston University, and the callsign was changed to WXNI on January 4.[1] As WXNI It aired a format of news and talk from National Public Radio.[5] It was a repeater of WRNI in Providence, and the two stations combined to provide a locally-focused NPR member for Rhode Island–the forerunner of what evolved into Rhode Island Public Radio (now The Public's Radio).
2000s[]
2007[]
In December, BU reached an agreement to sell WXNI to Diponti Communications for a reported $350,000.[6] The move came after a local group took control of WRNI and acquired WAKX (later WRNI-FM, now WNPE) in Narragansett Pier to serve as its southern satellite.
2009[]
Diponti Communications moved the local news and variety programming of WBLQ-LP (96.7 FM, Ashaway, Rhode Island) to WXNI's more powerful AM signal.[6] WXNI begins broadcasting in C-QUAM A.M. Stereo. WXNI changes call letters to WBLQ November 29.
2019[]
WBLQ begins broadcasting on FM translator W276DF (103.1 MHz) in November.
2021
December 1, WBLQ begins the "Time Machine", weekday evenings and overnights, 6pm to 6am. The Time Machine is a 1960's, 70s and 80s music format based upon the "WNBC Time Machine" aired in New York City, circa 1987-88. The format was built by WBLQ on-air personalities Steve West and Bob Gilmore, with advice from former WNBC PD Dale Parsons.
References[]
- ^ a b "Call Sign History". FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database.
- ^ Blaw-Knox tower
- ^ Pawcatuck River
- ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2012-04-30. Retrieved 2013-02-20.
{{cite web}}
: CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link) - ^ "Winter 2008 Station Information Profile". Arbitron.
- ^ a b Fybush, Scott (2007-12-24). "WAMC Backs Down in Noncomm Fight". NorthEast Radio Watch.
External links[]
- Official website
- WBLQ in the FCC AM station database
- WBLQ on Radio-Locator
- WBLQ in Nielsen Audio's AM station database
- WBLQ New Year's Eve show, Interview with Dale Parsons. From Airchexx.com
- Radio stations in Rhode Island
- Westerly, Rhode Island
- Radio stations established in 1949
- 1949 establishments in Rhode Island