WBOS
| File:WBOS-FM.png | |
| Broadcast area | Greater Boston |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 92.9 MHz FM (HD Radio) |
| Branding | Radio 92-9 |
| Programming | |
| Format | Modern Rock |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| History | |
First air date | 1958 |
Call sign meaning | BOSton |
| Technical information | |
| Facility ID | 23439 |
| Class | B |
| ERP | 18,500 watts |
| HAAT | 224 meters |
| Links | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | www.wbos.com |
WBOS is a commercial radio station located in Brookline, Massachusetts, broadcasting to the Greater Boston area on 92.9 FM.
WBOS airs an adult leaning modern rock music format branded as "Radio 92.9". The core artists aired include Green Day, Nirvana, Pearl Jam, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and U2; avoiding the hardger edged rock aired at cross town WBCN.
WBOS is owned and operated by Greater Media. It is based in Dorchester, and broadcasts from the top of the Prudential Tower in Back Bay.
History
WBOS-FM signed-on in 1958, simulcasting most of the programming of WBOS-AM. Most of the AM station's programming was beautiful music, but when the AM broadcast ethnic programming, the FM side continued to broadcast beautiful music, which was branded on both AM and FM as "Boston's Music Theatre". In early 2008, they completely sold out. Fans of blues, folk, acoustic live shows will be sorely disappointed they have become another copycat station playing Green Day, Nirvana, and U2 (because there is such a shortage of this type of music on the Boston airwaves!) They will surely lose most of their core audience who appreciated the station's passion for lesser known artists and local talent. Changes like these are why people are so sick of mainstream media stations. WBOS's old programming seemed to be a glimmer of hope in a smattering of sameness across the airwaves.
Disco Format
In 1975, WBOS changed to a hodgepodge format which did not gain much of an audience. In 1978, Boston radio personality Ron Robin, disgusted at the fact that the airtime for his weekly disco music show on WVBF had been cut back, left WVBF and began doing a four-hour Sunday-night disco show for WBOS.
The success of that show led to rapid expansion of the disco programming, first to seven nights a week from 8 p.m. to 12 midnight (April, 1978), and then to 24/7 in September of 1978. For a brief time in late 1978 and early 1979, WBOS was one of Boston's most popular radio stations. But when WXKS-FM came on the scene with a highly-promoted disco format, including big promotions and hiring away some WBOS jocks, WBOS' ratings suffered.
WRKO midday legend J.J. Wright (currently at WODS Boston) was one of the original disco DJ's for WBOS when the station we nt 24/7 disco in 1978.
AOR/Adult Contemporary Format
In January of 1980, the station flipped to an adult contemporary format which was a little less "adult" and a little more "contemporary", but that format would only run for two years. This was followed by a short-lived (January, 1982–July, 1983) attempt at a rock format, programmed for some of that time by legendary Boston rock personality Maxanne Satori.
But the rock format didn't make any inroads against established rockers WBCN and WAAF, not to mention the fast-rising WLYN-FM. On July 14th, 1983, WBOS' format was abruptly changed to country, and was moderately successful for several years.
"Current Definition of Music"
In 1989, WBOS dropped country and adopted a "triple-A" format, which in one form or another, has been the station's format ever since.
In April 2005, WBOS made changes to play more music and decrease the amount of talk. For example, the mornings for a time featured no live DJ. "It's putting the station somewhat back to where it started in terms of its ideals. Listener perception is that radio plays too many commercials and that DJs can be boring and irrelevant," says Buzz Knight, operations manager for WBOS. WBOS usually plays a softer-rock style of music, a unique and diverse mix that also includes older listener favorites. The WBOS audience is perceived as being more sophisticated and mature than the audiences of competing Boston radio stations. Knight says that WBOS will be "the cool station for people over 30".
As of Feburary 2008 it has been replaced by "radio 92.9" billing itself as "Want more music and less talk? Then 92.9 is the only place on the dial to get exactly that! radio 92.9 brings you the best music from artists you love... Like Nirvana, Red Hot Chili Peppers, Green Day, Pearl Jam, The Dave Matthews Band and many more." It has eschewed the previous music format for this new sound.
Owners
WBOS was originally owned by Boston businessman Herbert Hoffman. In the 1980's, he sold it to Sconnix, which later sold it to Ackerly Media in 1988. Granum owned the station from 1992 until 1997, current owner Greater Media has had the station ever since.
Demographics
Although not near the top of the Boston ratings, WBOS' audience is very desirable to some advertisers and Greater Media is quite content with keeping the station the way it is.
According to Greater Media, the majority of WBOS' listeners are ages 21–40, either currently attending college or have a degree, and earn more money than the average citizen in Massachusetts.
HD Radio
WBOS is actively broadcasting using the iBiquity HD Radio digital broadcasting system, and currently has an HD secondary channel called Radio You Boston, featuring content programmed by college aged residents of the Boston area.
Alumni
- Arnie Ginsburg
- J. J. Wright
- Ron Robin
- Neal Robert
- Charles Laquidara
- Bill Abbate
- Kristen Lessard
- Amy Brooks
- Melissa Gaudette
- Gerrie Burke
Trivia
- WBOS was also the name of a shortwave station operated by Westinghouse's WBZ affiliate during the 1940s. (Ironically, the 92.9 frequency now occupied by WBOS was one of the early frequencies used by WBZ's FM station in the 1950s.)
- Arnie Ginsburg was the nighttime host on WBOS-AM and spent some time on the FM station.
- Charles Laquidara hosted a show from Maui entitled WBOS Backspin during the Spring of 2006. The show aired commercial-free on weekdays, from 9–10 a.m., live.
- Studio 7 is the recording area where common heard artists on the station record and play some of their songs live. Since 1992, John Mellencamp, Sarah McLachlan, John Mayer, Lionel Richie, Barenaked Ladies, Alanis Morissette, and others have performed here while on tour in a major venue in Boston (e.g. Boston Garden, Tweeter Center, etc.).
- Mellencamp's Jack and Diane live version has been recorded at Studio 7 and never copyrighted.