WFUZ (AM)
 | |
| Broadcast area | Wilkes-Barre |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 1240 kHz |
| Branding | Northeast PA's ESPN Radio |
| Programming | |
| Format | Sports |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| History | |
First air date | April 29, 1922 |
Former call signs | WBAX (1922-2018) |
| Technical information | |
| Facility ID | 66365 |
| Class | C |
| Power | 1,000 watts |
Transmitter coordinates | 41°15′13″N 75°54′25″W / 41.25361°N 75.90694°W |
| Repeater(s) | 96.1 W241BB (Wilkes-Barre) 106.9 W295CV (Hazleton) |
| Links | |
| Website | www.nepaespnradio.com |
WQFM is a radio station in Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania broadcasting at 1240 kHz on the AM band. It simulcasts the sports radio format of WEJL in Scranton, filling in the gaps in WEJL's signal outside Lackawanna County. It is owned by Times-Shamrock Communications of Scranton.
History
WQFM is the oldest radio station in northeast Pennsylvania, founded as WBAX on April 29, 1922[1] by John H. Stenger Jr. WQFM is also the fifth-oldest station in Pennsylvania and tied for being the 60th-oldest station in the U.S.[1] WQFM has been on the air continuously for over 94 years. It originally broadcast on a frequency of 833 kHz, the common local broadcast frequency used in 1922.[2] By 1925, the station changed frequency to 1170 kHz. In 1928, WBAX changed frequencies to 1200 kHz, which it shared with Wilkes-Barre's other station, WBRE.[3] The time-sharing arrangement between WBAX and WBRE ceased by 1930 when WBAX moved to 1210 kHz and WBRE moved to 1310 kHz. WBAX stayed at 1210 kHz until the great nationwide frequency reassignment mandated by the Federal government took place in 1941 moving the station to its current dial position of 1240 kHz.[4] WBAX was an affiliate of the Mutual radio network during its early history[5] and for a period of time in the 1970s and 1980s was owned by Merv Griffin Group Radio.
In 1994, the Lynett family of Scranton, publishers of The Scranton Times (now The Times-Tribune), bought WBAX and turned it into a full simulcast of WEJL. Although WEJL's daytime signal decently covers Wilkes-Barre, much of the southern part of the market (for instance, Hazleton) gets only a grade B signal due to the area's rugged terrain. At night, WEJL must power down to 32 watts, effectively limiting its nighttime coverage to Lackawanna County.
The station changed its call sign to WQFM on October 1, 2018.
References
External links
- WQFM official website
- Facility details for Facility ID WQFM ({{{2}}}) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- {{{2}}} in Nielsen Audio's AM station database
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