WBQN
| Broadcast area | Puerto Rico |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 680 kHz |
| Branding | WAPA Radio |
| Programming | |
| Format | News Talk Information |
| Affiliations | CNN en Español Telenoticias Puerto Rico |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| WISO WMIA WTIL WVOZ WXRF | |
| History | |
First air date | January 15, 1947 |
Call sign meaning | Asociación de Productores de Azúcar |
| Technical information | |
| Facility ID | 8889 |
| Class | B |
| Power | 10,000 watts (day) 9,500 watts (night) |
Transmitter coordinates | 18°24′16″N 65°56′52″W / 18.40444°N 65.94778°W |
| Links | |
| Website | waparadiopr.com |
WAPA (680 AM) is a radio station licensed to San Juan, Puerto Rico, broadcasting a News Talk Information format. The station is owned by Wifredo G. Blanco-Pi (d/b/a Grupo AM Puerto Rico). It is an affiliate of CNN en Español radio news network.
The station was relayed through an experimental synchronous station, WA2XPA Arecibo, which also broadcasts on 680 kHz. On April 19, 2017 the Federal Communications Commission ruled that WA2XPA's license will not be renewed. The ruling stated that it must discontinue operation on May 7, 2017 and the license would be cancelled on May 8, 2017.[1][2][3][4]
A petition for review of the order to cancel WA2XPA's license was submitted on April 24, 2017.[5]
History
Its call letters are a partial abbreviation of the station's original owners, the now-defunct Asociación de Productores de Azúcar, or Puerto Rico Sugar Grower's Association. In the late 60's, it was acquired by Hearst Corporation. In 1991 it was acquired by NotiRadio Broadcasting (Eng. Wifredo G. Blanco-Pi, owner & his son Eng. Jorge Blanco, news director).
WAPA was the only radio station to remain on the air throughout the passage of Hurricane Maria on September 20, 2017. The station helped family members contact each other by relaying messages of safety.[6] As of October 1, WAPA's programming will be reduced for a few hours from 6AM until 9PM, operating with a diesel generator.
Programming
The station has a famous show which is regularly broadcast at 8:30 am, "Dándole casco al tema" (Thinking through the topic), in which the owners discuss with the listeners political topics. Detras de la Noticia (behind the news) is the program that interviews some Puerto Rican political personalities, airing at 9:00 am, and has a weekly edition on Saturdays. Another popular show is Opine Usted (Express yourself), in this show listeners are given 1 minute and 30 seconds to analyze the situation of the country.
WAPA Radio over the years
In 1996, NotiRadio Broadcasting acquires radio station WISO 1260 in Ponce from South Puerto Rico Broadcasting Corporation (founded by Luis Freyre in 1953), this would become the second radio station of the WAPA Radio News Network. In 2014, After 66 years of local operation, WXRF 1590 AM in Guayama (originally founded by Jose Fuster) finally acquires from International Broadcasting Corporation to NotiRadio Broadcasting for $100,000, this become the third radio station of WAPA Radio. Then on March 24, the station changed its call letters to WGYA. On March 14, 2017, After a year off the air due to transmitter problems, NotiRadio Broadcasting resumes operations WVOZ 1580 AM in Morovis-Manatí, rejoining the WAPA Radio News Network, since its establishment, 35 years ago in 1981. That station acquires from International Broadcasting Corporation for $150,000, this leaves WVOZ became silent due to technical maitenance and financial reasons in April 2016. The Network consists of 7 radio stations all across Puerto Rico. On May 7, 2017, WAPA will cease operations on experimental synchronized stations in WA2XPA Arecibo, WI2XSO Mayagüez and WI3XSO Aguadilla. All 3 stations cancelled the licenses the next day, on May 8, 2017. On March 2, 2017, WAPA Radio is acquiring WMIA 1070 AM in Arecibo (originally owned by Abacoa Radio Corporation) for over $250,000, and the sale was completed on April 14, 2017. On May 1, WMIA became the new WAPA Radio News Network station, serving the northern area. Also, WVOZ will changed its city of license from Morovis to Aguadilla, currently occupied by WI3XSO, which its license is cancelled on May 8. Now, WAPA Radio will provide a network of five radio stations across the island. On June 21, 2017, WTIL 1300 AM in Mayaguez buys for a three-way swap from La Mas Z Radio, Inc., when awaiting the transaction completes, this becomes the sixth radio station of the WAPA Radio News Network on August 1. On August 3, WGYA changed back to the original WXRF call letters. On August 15, the sale of WTIL to Blanco Pi was completed.
Affiliates
WAPA's programming is heard on over six radio stations across the island.
| Call sign | Frequency | City of license | FCC info |
|---|---|---|---|
| WAPA | 680 AM | San Juan, PR | FCC |
| WISO | 1260 AM | Ponce, PR | FCC |
| WMIA | 1070 AM | Arecibo, PR | FCC |
| WTIL | 1300 AM | Mayaguez, PR | FCC |
| WVOZ | 1580 AM | Morovis, PR | FCC |
| WXRF | 1590 AM | Guayama, PR | FCC |
References
- ^ Blanco-Pi Loses Experimental Licenses Radio World - April 20, 2017
- ^ Application for Renewal of License Federal Communications Commission - November 7, 2016
- ^ Petition for Reconsideration Federal Communications Commission - April 19, 2017
- ^ "Field Trial Results of AM Transmitter Carrier Synchronization" (PDF). Thomas F. King; Stephen F. Smith. Retrieved May 24, 2017.
- ^ "Petition for Review" (PDF). Wifredo G. Blanco-Pi. April 24, 2017. Retrieved May 23, 2017.
- ^ Hernandez, Estefania (September 22, 2017). "'Helpless, Worried and Sick': Puerto Rico's Vast Outages Leave Relatives on Mainland Worried". NBC New York. Retrieved September 22, 2017.
External links
- WAPA in the FCC AM station database
- WAPA in Nielsen Audio's AM station database
