WSAR

WSAR

City of license	Fall River, Massachusetts
Broadcast area	Southcoast Massachusetts
Branding	1480 WSAR
Frequency	1480 kHz
First air date	September 21, 1921 (claimed by station) June 1923 (from F.C.C. Radio Service Bulletin archives)
Format	News/Talk/Sports
Power	5 kW
Class	B
Facility ID	6879
Callsign meaning	sequential
Affiliations	ABC, TRN, Boston Red Sox, New England Patriots, Boston Celtics, Pawtucket Red Sox
Owner	Jim & Bob Karam (Bristol County Broadcasting, Inc.)
Sister stations	WHTB
Webcast	On webpage
Website	wsar.com

WSAR is an AM radio station in Somerset, Massachusetts broadcasting on 1480 kHz. WSAR is the second oldest radio station in Massachusetts and the fifth oldest station in the United States.

Format

WSAR's format is currently news/talk and sports although in earlier decades it was a full service music station playing top 40 music. Currently, the radio station's flagship programs are The Bristol County Breakfast Club with Hector "Happy Hec" Gautheir and Dr. Nancy Duncan in the Morning, "Underreported" with Ric Oliveira, George Colajezzi in middays, "The WSAR Newsroom" with journalist Barry Richard at the anchor desk during the Noon Hour with Allan Zarek. WSAR also carries live game coverage for the Boston Red Sox, New England Patriots and the Boston Celtics.

History

1920s

WSAR began broadcasting in June 1923 (although in one 1940s station publication, the station claimed September 21, 1921) with the sequentially-issued callsign of WSAR. WSAR's original owner was the Doughty & Welch Electric Company. WSAR first operated on 1180kc. with 10 watts. WSAR would stay on 1180 through 1926. Power in 1926 was 100 watts. WSAR then moved to Portsmouth, Rhode Island & changed frequency to 1190kc. still with 100 watts by June 30, 1927. WSAR moved back to Fall River & changed frequency again to 1410kc. in 1928. During the late 1920s the power was increased to 1,000 watts. An early slogan (sometime between 1926–1932) used by WSAR was "Fall River Looms Up."

1930s

WSAR was on 1450kc. with 250 watts of power by June 30, 1930. The owner was still the Doughty & Welch Electric Company.

1940s

With the adaptation of the North American Radio Broadcasting Agreement, WSAR's frequency shifted from 1450 to 1480kc. effective @ 03:00 Eastern Time on March 29, 1941. In 1941-1942 WSAR was an affiliate of both the Boston Red Sox & Boston Braves networks. This has been noted by a history book on-site at WSAR detailing weekly programming schedules. In 1945 the Doughty & Welch Electric Company finally sold WSAR to K&M Publishing. In 1948, WSAR was a Mutual affiliate with 5,000 watts of power & had a license for WSAR-FM/103.7 (Channel 279); however by 1950 WSAR-FM had been deleted. It is unknown if WSAR-FM ever made it to air.

1980s

WSAR was sold by Knight Quality Stations to the current owners in 1989.

2000s

Paul Giammarco took over as program director & afternoon host in 2003. In 2005 he left for WPRO with Keri Rodrigues taking his position until her tenure ended in controversy in August 2008. Rodrigues' afternoon drive seat was filled by then Production Director "Fast" Eddie Garcia and sports-talk personality "The Hurricane" Mike Herren. Meanwhile, the role of Program Director was never officially replaced.

After several contentious, on-air confrontations, "Fast Eddie and the Hurricane" was disbanded, with Herren remaining as the afternoon drive host, and Garcia returning full-time to producing. The new program was dubbed "The Hurricane's Highway Home," with Herren adding new co-host Ryan Phelan into the studio. Phelan left the station in the spring of 2010 after accepting a position with Bristol Eighth District Mike Rodrigues' State Senate Campaign to replace the retiring Joan Menard.

Herren's program was cancelled soon afterwards.

Late in the Summer of 2008, WSAR remodeled its webpage [1], adding streaming audio, mobile streaming, and podcasts of interviews, newscasts and special programming

Notable alumni

John Greenwood - former Providence, RI television News Anchor
Kim Tunnicliffe - former News Director, Reporter for WBZ in Boston, MA
Sam Bromley - former afternoon News Anchor, Iraq War veteran
Jim Harrington - former afternoon drive talent[1969] - later at WDRC AM & FM, WBZ-AM, WCBS-FM, KDKA-AM, worked in the movie JAWS.
Tommy Cooper - former afternoon co-host
Rick Edwards (Perlman) - former Program Director, hosted The Bus Ride Home with Rick Edwards
Jay Elliott - former Operations Manager, Assistant Chief Operator, on air talent (1992–1998)

References

• Slogans page. Scroll down to WSAR.
• List of F.M. stations in 1948. WSAR-FM is listed with WCFR-FM.
• List of F.M. stations in 1950. WSAR-FM is missing as is WCFR-FM.
• Radio Service Bulletin dated July 2, 1923 listing WSAR as a new station

External links

• WSAR Website
• Query the FCC's AM station database for WSAR
• Radio-Locator Information on WSAR