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WSRO

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WSRO
File:WSRO650.png
Broadcast areaMetroWest
Frequency650 kHz
BrandingRadio 650 AM
Programming
FormatPortuguese
Ownership
Owner
  • Alex Langer
  • (Langer Broadcasting Group, LLC)
WZBR
History
First air date
May 19, 1970 (in Peterborough, New Hampshire)
February 9, 1997 (Ashland)
Former call signs
WSCV (1970-81)
WRPT (1981-89)
WMDK (1989-91)
WRPT (1991-99)
WJLT (1999-2002)
Technical information
Facility ID52398
ClassD
Power1,500 watts (daytime)
62 watts (nighttime)
Transmitter coordinates
42°17′17.0″N 71°25′53.0″W / 42.288056°N 71.431389°W / 42.288056; -71.431389
Links
WebcastListen Live
Websitewsro.com

WSRO (650 AM) is a radio station broadcasting Portuguese programming. Licensed to Ashland, Massachusetts, it serves the MetroWest area. The station is currently owned by Alex Langer. In October 2012 WSRO filed an application for an FCC construction permit to increase night power to 100 watts.

History

Although the 650 frequency in Ashland has operated since 1997, the license dates back to May 19, 1970, when WSCV in Peterborough, New Hampshire began operations on 1050 kHz.[1] The station was originally owned by Frank and Beverly Harms of Syracuse, New York, and managed by John Lawrence Scott, who had previously hosted children's television programs in Syracuse, New York, and also started up an FM sister station, WSLE 92.1 (now WFEX).[2] The station continued to serve Peterborough (later under the call signs of WMDK and WRPT) until 1991, when the station closed down.[1]

In 1995, Alex Langer entered into an agreement to pay the then-owners of the station to return the WRPT license to the Federal Communications Commission in order to upgrade the facilities of his 1060 in Natick, Massachusetts, WBIV (now WQOM).[3] A few months later, he turned around and purchased WRPT outright,[1] and in 1996 applied to move it to 650 in Ashland, Massachusetts.[4]

On February 9, 1997, the new WRPT signed on with talk programming from the Talk America network, operating from a transmitter site in Framingham shared with WKOX (now WXKS) (where it remains to this day).[5] Local talk programming was subsequently added to the schedule (such as an afternoon show hosted by Upton Bell[6]), much of it simulcast on the original WSRO (1470) in Marlborough after Langer bought it in 1998.[7][8]

In October 1999, the station took the WJLT call letters from 1060 as part of a larger format switch that saw the talk format move to the latter frequency as WMEX, with the Contemporary Christian Music that had been on 1060 migrating to 650;[9] the switch was completed on-air on January 24, 2000.[10] However, one year later, the station began mixing talk programming back onto the afternoon schedule, as WMEX was converted to business talk station WBIX.[11] The next year, the station switched to a religious talk format,[1] and in December assumed the WSRO callsign from 1470, which was sold to Multicultural Broadcasting and became WAZN in Watertown.[12]

WSRO returned to secular talk in February 2003, primarily from the Langer-owned National Radio Network (which operates out of the same facility in Framingham that WSRO broadcasts from); this would gradually evolve into the current Portuguese format.[1]

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "The Boston Radio Dial: WSRO(AM)". The Archives at BostonRadio.org. 2007-02-25. Retrieved 2008-01-15.
  2. ^ Fybush, Scott (2004-04-26). "WNSA Bidding War Escalates". NorthEast Radio Watch. Retrieved 2008-01-15.
  3. ^ Fybush, Scott (1996-04-30). "A Big Move?". New England RadioWatch. Retrieved 2008-01-15.
  4. ^ Fybush, Scott (1996-11-27). "Langer Rides Again!". New England RadioWatch. Retrieved 2008-01-15.
  5. ^ Fybush, Scott (1997-02-28). "The Big Get Bigger". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved 2008-01-15.
  6. ^ Fybush, Scott (1998-10-23). "FCC Clears CBS/Entercom Deal". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved 2008-01-15.
  7. ^ Fybush, Scott (1998-05-07). "The FCC Strikes Again". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved 2008-01-15.
  8. ^ Fybush, Scott (1999-03-05). "We Will Never Make Fun of Boston Weather Again..." North East RadioWatch. Retrieved 2008-01-15.
  9. ^ Fybush, Scott (1999-10-15). "The All New All New WMEX??". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved 2008-01-15.
  10. ^ Fybush, Scott (2000-01-28). "Welcome Back WMEX, and We Take On LPFM". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved 2008-01-15.
  11. ^ Fybush, Scott (2001-01-08). "FM Flip-Flop in the Pioneer Valley". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved 2008-01-15.
  12. ^ Fybush, Scott (2002-12-23). "Vinikoor Plans Another Change". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved 2008-01-15.
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