WWRI (AM)
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Broadcast area | |
Frequency | 1450 kHz |
Branding | Classic Rock I-105.5 and 1450 AM |
Programming | |
Format | Classic rock |
Ownership | |
Owner |
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History | |
First air date | August 15, 1956[1] |
Former call signs |
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Call sign meaning | West Warwick, Rhode Island |
Technical information[2] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
Facility ID | 15959 |
Class | C |
Power | 1,000 watts (unlimited) |
Transmitter coordinates | 41°41′38.36″N 71°31′24.22″W / 41.6939889°N 71.5233944°W |
Translator(s) | 105.5 W288EE (West Warwick) |
Links | |
Public license information | |
Webcast | Listen live |
Website | i951classicrock |
WWRI (1450
WWRI transmits with 1,000
History
WWRI
The AM 1450 frequency was a longtime home to WWRI, later WKRI, a community station serving the West Warwick area. WWRI began broadcasting August 15, 1956. WWRI was initially headquartered at 1501 Main St. in West Warwick. Its first licensee and president was W. Paul Oury.
WSVP
In 1969, the station was bought by MediAmerica Broadcasting, the company that owned
Owner Ernie Tannen installed Jim Hooker, later to become a successful radio sales trainer, as the general manager. He hired Bill Hennes, then programming WNHC in New Haven, Connecticut, as a consultant in hopes of competing for Providence ad dollars. He put in place a Drake-like format using Johnny Mann jingles, however the station had to be oldies based since there were already two established hit-music stations in greater Providence along with several other stations that bled in from outside the market. The station failed to make a dent in WPRO's dominance, but since they sounded big they attracted listeners. The 1,000-watt daytime signal made the station listenable in Providence, but in those days they had to reduce power to 250 watts at night which limited it to just Kent County after dark.
The station was one of the launching pads for air talent in the northeast. During its brief lifespan an all-star team went through there, including Buzz Brindle, Jack Casey, Dick Downes (using Bob Lawrence), G. Michael McKay, Dusty Brooks, Paul Payton, Bill Donovan, Jim Edwards and Charlie Stone.
Famous disc jockeys from Boston's WRKO sometimes volunteered their time to developing WSVP's air talent, by traveling long distances from their homes in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, offer their major-market talent and consulting to the small station, which was also considered a training ground for RKO General Top 40 stations.
WKRI
WSVP would not last long as on December 1, 1972, RSVP sold WSVP to Consolidated Communications, Inc., which changed the call sign to WKRI in 1973.[6] WKRI was sold again in 1977 to Algonquin Broadcasting Company.[7] Rainbow Broadcasting bought WKRI on October 5, 1979.[8] Rainbow Broadcasting moved WKRI out of its longtime home of 1501 Main St. in West Warwick to its new location of 1585 Centerville Road in the same town.[9] WKRI's next change of ownership came on February 16, 1984, when it was bought by WKRI Broadcasting Inc.[10] Under WKRI Broadcasting's ownership, WKRI increased its nighttime power to 1,000 watts.[11]
WKRI Broadcasting sold WKRI to DBH Broadcasting on June 3, 1986.
Radio Disney
Hibernia of Rhode Island bought WHIM in 1997
WWRI (again), WLKW, WPVD
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e8/WLKW-AM_ESPN_logo.png)
After Disney acquired WICE (550 AM, now
In July 2002, WWRI's call sign was changed to WLKW;[24] the following month, WLKW and WNBH changed to an adult standards format.[25] WLKW was an affiliate of the Pawsox Radio Network until 2009. The stations switched to ESPN Radio on February 2, 2009.[26] The call sign changed to WPVD on September 6, 2017.[27] After 10 years as a full-time ESPN Radio affiliate, WPVD switched to a simulcast of sister station WCTK, "Cat Country 98.1", on February 1, 2019. Also at that time, WNBH switched to a classic hits format and re-launched as "Big 101.3", referring to its FM translator station, W267CY, on February 11, 2019.[28] The station is also carried on the HD2 sub-channel of WCTK.[29]
On October 1, 2020, the programming on WWRI-LP moved to 1450 AM and 105.5 FM. At that time, WWRI-LP went silent on 95.1 FM. On October 1, 2020 at 5:30 p.m., WPVD relaunched with the sign-on of new FM translator signal, 105.5 W288EE in West Warwick, under the branding, "I-105.5".[30][31][32][33][34]
On October 30, 2020, Hall Communications consummated the sale of WPVD and W288EE to Chris DiPaola's DiPonti Communications, LLC. On November 3, 2020, the station changed its call sign to its historical WWRI.
Translator
Call sign | Frequency | City of license | FID | ERP (W) | Class | Transmitter coordinates | FCC info |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
W288EE | 105.5 FM | West Warwick, Rhode Island | 202750 | 250 | D | 41°41′34.7″N 71°37′52.8″W / 41.692972°N 71.631333°W | LMS |
After originally filing on January 31, 2018, for a
References
- ^ 1995 Providence Journal Almanac, p. 250
- ^ "Facility Technical Data for WWRI". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ 1957 Broadcasting Yearbook, page B-233
- ^ 1958 Broadcasting Yearbook, page A-362
- ^ 1970 Broadcasting Yearbook, page B-178.
- ^ 1974 Broadcasting Yearbook, page B-186
- ^ 1978 Broadcasting Yearbook, page C-193.
- ^ 1981 Broadcasting Yearbook, page C-207
- ^ 1982 Broadcasting Yearbook, page C-210
- ^ 1985 Broadcasting Yearbook, page B-238.
- ^ 1986 Broadcasting Yearbook, page B-249
- ^ 1987 Broadcasting Yearbook, page B-252
- ^ 1990 Broadcasting Yearbook, page B-273
- ^ Scott Fybush's North East Radio Watch: February 8, 1996
- ^ Fybush, Scott (November 6, 1997). "So Long, Parenteau". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
- ^ Fybush, Scott (January 8, 1998). "Ian Taylor, RIP". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
- ^ Fybush, Scott (March 26, 1998). "New CHR on the Cape". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
- ^ Fybush, Scott (January 28, 2000). "Welcome Back WMEX, and We Take On LPFM". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
- ^ Fybush, Scott (July 14, 2000). "Saga Swallows Ithaca; We Go To Ohio". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
- ^ Fybush, Scott (April 16, 2001). "Clear Channel Buys Two in Maine". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
- ^ Fybush, Scott (June 25, 2001). "Millennium Buys Big in NJ". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
- ^ Fybush, Scott (May 14, 2001). "Greater Media Buys in New Jersey". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
- ^ "Media Bureau Call Sign Actions" (PDF). Federal Communications Commission. July 5, 2001. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
- ^ Fybush, Scott (July 15, 2002). "Clear Channel Faces Hearings on Augusta Purchase". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
- ^ Fybush, Scott (August 12, 2002). "CING Goes Country". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
- ^ Fybush, Scott (February 9, 2009). "Cumulus' Turn for Job Cuts". NorthEast Radio Watch. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
- ^ "Call Sign History (WWRI)". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved September 6, 2017.
- ^ Venta, Lance (February 11, 2019). "Big 101.3 Brings Classic Hits To New Bedford". Radioinsight. Retrieved February 11, 2019.
- ^ Fybush, Scott (February 4, 2019). "NorthEast Radio Watch 2/4/2019: Controversy Swirls Around Silent AM". Fybush.com. Retrieved February 6, 2019.(subscription required)
- ^ "Rhode Island LPFM Moving Programming To AM/Translator Combo". RadioInsight. September 28, 2020. Retrieved October 6, 2020.
- ^ "WPVD/Providence Sold". AllAccess.com. September 11, 2020. Retrieved October 8, 2020.
- ^ "A kHz Habitat For New England Cat Is Shed". RBR. September 11, 2020. Retrieved October 7, 2020.
- ^ The Temporary Frequency Transition Logo Of I-105.5 Obtained From The Station Website
- ^ The Official Logo Of I-105.5 Obtained From The Station Website
- ^ FCCdata.org
- ^ FCCdata.org
- ^ FCCdata.org
- ^ FCCdata.org
- ^ fcc.gov
- ^ FCCdata.org
- ^ fcc.gov
- ^ fcc.gov
- ^ FCCdata.org
- ^ FCCdata.org
External links
- I-105.5 website
- WWRI in the FCC AM station database
- WWRI in Nielsen Audio's AM station database
- W288EE in the FCC FM station database
- W288EE at FCCdata.org
- FCC History Cards for WWRI