WPTR (AM)
| Broadcast area | Albany, New York |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 1240 kHz |
| Branding | Empire News Network |
| Programming | |
| Format | Business news (WAIX simulcast) |
| Affiliations | Bloomberg Radio |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Empire Broadcasting Corporation |
| WJKE, WAIX, WABY | |
| History | |
First air date | 1942 (as WSNY) |
Former call signs | WSNY (1942-1975) WWWD (1976-1988) WVKZ (1988-2012) |
| Technical information | |
| Facility ID | 8726 |
| Class | C |
| Power | 1,000 watts unlimited |
Transmitter coordinates | 42°48′37″N 73°59′04″W / 42.81028°N 73.98444°W |
WPTR (1240 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a business news format known as "Empire News Network". Located west of Schenectady, New York, USA, the station serves the Albany area as well as Schenectady. The station is owned by Empire Broadcasting Corporation.
History
WPTR began as long running middle-of-the-road station WSNY in 1942. In 1968, WSNY flipped to Top 40, going into direct competition with more powerful and established stations WPTR (now WDCD) and WTRY (now WOFX). The format was initially a success. However, by the early 1970s, FM Top 40 began to take hold in the Albany market as well; by 1973, in addition to WPTR and WTRY, WSNY had to contend with WABY (now WAMC), WGFM (now WRVE), and WHSH (now WPYX). In 1974, WSNY left the air. In 1976, the station returned to the air as WWWD, with kind of a top 40/oldies hybrid format. WWWD began to add vast amounts of off-track betting racing to their schedule during the 1980s. In early 1988, the station became WVKZ and partially simulcasted WVKZ-FM (now WDCD-FM), with their rock based top 40 format. WVKZ drifted through various formats during the 1990s, including classic country and talk, before flipping to oldies in 2004. In February 2009, WVKZ started broadcasting Scott Shannon's True Oldies network after broadcasting as "Real Oldies" since 2004.
Ernie Anastos sold his Albany-area stations—WVKZ, WABY, WQAR, and WUAM and its translator W291BY—to Empire Broadcasting Corporation in June 2012 at a purchase price of $1.2 million.[1] The transaction consummated on September 7, 2012. On September 8, 2012, the station adopted the historic WPTR call letters, formerly used on the stations now known as WDCD, WAJZ, and WDCD-FM.[2]
On June 7, 2013 WPTR changed their format to sports.[3]
On June 27, 2016 WPTR changed their format from sports to a simulcast of business news-formatted WAIX 1160 AM Mechanicville, branded as "Empire News Network".[4]
History of call letters
The call letters WPTR were previously assigned to an AM station (later known as WDCD (AM)) in Albany, New York.[5]
References
- ^ Pickney, Barbara (June 14, 2012). "Joe Reilly purchases 4 Albany area radio stations". The Business Review. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
- ^ "Media Bureau Call Sign Actions" (PDF). Federal Communications Commission. August 15, 2012. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
- ^ CBS Sports Radio Comes To Albany NY Radioinsight - June 7, 2013
- ^ Albany Trio Switches to Business Radioinsight - June 29, 2016
- ^ "WPTR, Owned by Theatre Chain, Starts in Albany" (PDF). Broadcasting. August 9, 1948. Retrieved 29 December 2014.
External links
- WPTR in the FCC AM station database
- WPTR in Nielsen Audio's AM station database
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