WBMS (AM)

Last updated

WBMS
Broadcast area Boston, Massachusetts
Frequency 1460 kHz
Branding101.1 FM and AM 1460 WBMS
Ownership
Owner
  • Beatrice Innocent Cesar
  • (Fraternity Broadcasting Group, LLC)
History
First air date
November 27, 1946
Former call signs
  • WBET (1946–2006)
  • WBZB (2006)
  • WXBR (2006–2016)
  • WATD (2016–2019)
Call sign meaning
"Brockton Metro South"
Technical information [1]
Licensing authority
 FCC
Facility ID 19631
Class D
Power
  • 5,000 watts day
  • 30 watts night
Transmitter coordinates
 42°3′1.36″N71°3′40.17″W / 42.0503778°N 71.0611583°W / 42.0503778; -71.0611583 (WBMS)
Translator(s) 101.1 W266DA (Brockton)
Links
Public license information

WBMS (1460 AM) is a radio station licensed to Brockton, Massachusetts. The station is owned by Beatrice Innocent Cesar through licensee Fraternity Broadcasting Group, LLC. The station also broadcasts through FM translator station W266DA (101.1).

Contents

History

As WBET

WBMS signed on as WBET on November 27, 1946. The station was owned by The Brockton Publishing Company, with studios on 60 Main Street in Brockton, inside the headquarters of The Enterprise newspaper. [2] The original frequency was 990 kHz, daytime only, but by 1952 would move to its current 1460 kHz frequency due to the owners of WBET buying the two other Brockton stations, WBKA (1450 AM) and WBKA-FM (107.1). WBET then turned in the licenses for 990 and 107.1 and moved WBET to 1460. WBKA had been owned by Joseph Curran. The 1951 Broadcasting Yearbook does not list either WBKA or WBKA-FM but the 1953 Broadcasting Yearbook lists WBET as having a construction permit for 1460 with 1,000 watts and the following year is listed as being on 1460.

FM simulcast service would be added with the 1948 launch of WBET-FM (97.7). When WBET would sign off at sundown, WBET-FM provided service through the nighttime hours. In 1976, WBET-FM ended its simulcasts of the AM station and began broadcasting a top 40 format. A year later, its call letters were changed to WCAV. In 1982, the station switched to a country music format and remained with it until 1999 when Radio One purchased the station and moved its studios out of Brockton. [2] Today, that station is operated from studios in Medford by iHeartMedia as WZRM and broadcasts a Spanish contemporary hits format.

WBET featured local news, talk, sports and a variety of different programs and was promoted as "Full Service Radio for Metro South".

Sale to Business TalkRadio Network, as WBZB/WXBR

The station was purchased in 2006 by the Business Talk Radio Network based in Greenwich, Connecticut. Syndicated programming from the network was added to the station's lineup. The station was assigned the WBZB call letters on November 24, 2006, three days ahead of the 60th anniversary of its first sign-on. On December 12, 2006, the station changed its call sign to WXBR. [3] The station was put up for sale in 2011. [4] On May 2, 2012, WXBR staff was evicted from its studios for failure by its owner to pay rent. [5] During this time, the station aired only those programs syndicated by the Business Talk Radio Network.

Sale to Azure Media

On May 18, 2012, the Federal Communications Commission approved the sale of WXBR to Azure Media, LLC., a Haitian American-owned radio group based in Miami Gardens, Florida. [6] The station's local programming returned to the air that day with its rent paid. [7]

On August 3, 2012, Azure Media officially took control of WXBR and signed the station off at 7 P.M. the same day. [8] Former station personalities Dawn Carr and Dennis DeNapoli were on hand at its 60 Main Street studios to announce that the station would be off the air as its studios were relocated and thank all of its current personalities and staff at the time. This was followed by a vintage programming promo voiced by Jack Ainslie from its days as WBET and the playing of "Bye, Bye, Baby (Baby Goodbye)" by The Four Seasons. DeNapoli read the final station identification before the station went silent. [9]

Azure Media constructed new studios on 250 Belmont Street in Brockton with new studio equipment and replaced the station's transmitter. Also, a new logo and website was designed. The new owners intended to return most of WXBR's original programming and hosts under the previous ownership and invite local businesses and community members to start new programs on the station. [10] The station was originally scheduled to return to the air on September 12, 2012. [11] However, problems with the installation of the new transmitter delayed that return. [12] It was later revealed that copper plates needed to transmit were allegedly stolen from its transmitter site in West Bridgewater among other unexpected issues. [13] Those issues were successfully resolved and almost six months to the day after the station signed off, WXBR returned to the air on February 2, 2013, at 6:50 P.M. with a 30-minute test broadcast consisting of a mix of classic rock and country music played from its new studios. More stunting was periodically conducted in the days that followed. [14] The station officially returned to the air on March 5, 2013.

Azure attempted to restore WXBR's original format of local news, talk, sports and variety programming with a mix of longtime personalities, new faces and syndicated offerings. They also encouraged community members to purchase time on the station to develop new programs under a time-brokered format. However, according to reports, the station had been unsuccessful with these efforts and was losing revenue under this format. [15] On July 7, 2014, Azure Media announced that it would be ending WXBR's in-house broadcasts and change the station's format to ethnic Haitian Creole. [16] The station's last day of airing local news and talk programs was July 11, 2014. [17] The station was branded as Radio Azure 1460, adopted the slogan La Radio Haitienne de Boston (Boston's Haitian Radio Station), and had its studios relocated to Randolph, Massachusetts. [18]

Sale to Marshfield Broadcasting Company, as WATD/WBMS

On April 29, 2015, the Marshfield Broadcasting Company and owner Ed Perry entered into an agreement to purchase WXBR from Azure Media. [19] The station was taken silent shortly thereafter and the sale was closed on July 17, 2015, at a purchase price of $165,000. [20] The new owner planned to bring the station's studios back to Brockton, restore its original full service format and change its call sign to WATD, in reference to the company's flagship station, WATD-FM in Marshfield. [21] The station changed its call sign to WATD on April 28, 2016. [3]

In February 2019, WATD returned to the air with a simulcast of WATD-FM and signed on FM translator station W266DA. On March 1, the station changed its call sign to WBMS, [3] which stands for "Brockton Metro South". This would be the third time the WBMS call sign was used in the Boston market, as it was the call sign for WILD (1090 AM) from its sign-on in 1946 to 1951 and again from 1952 to 1957. The station has since aired limited original programming and sports with a locally based oldies format on weekdays while continuing to simulcast WATD-FM. [22] [23] [24]

Beatrice Innocent Cesar's Fraternity Broadcasting Group agreed to purchase WBMS from Marshfield Broadcasting for $350,000 in late 2023. [25] The sale was completed on January 31, 2024. [26]

Programming

Former hosts

One of the earliest personalities at WBET was Arthur "Doc" Jones. He was brought over from the former WBKA in 1952 and hosted the morning drive time slot from that point through the mid-to-late 1970s. [27] After Jones, William "Bill" Hess took over the time slot and hosted until 1983. He is currently the program director at WMAL-FM in Washington, D.C. Charlie Bergeron hosted the morning show for 21 years (1983 to 2004). He was also WBET's program director, general manager and play-by-play announcer for high school sports during his time at the station. [28] In 2004, frequent fill-in host Steve Mason became the successor to Bergeron, who is currently a freelance broadcaster and weekend sports anchor at WBZ in Boston. [29]

In January 2009, WXBR made changes to its traditional morning drive format, which featured two people; Mason and news director Kevin Tocci. Management cited tough economic times and decided go with a single personality. Tocci was asked to continue with live news updates, and also to fill the role of host. Mason was let go after 16 years at the station and is currently a personality on WPLM-FM in Plymouth. [30] The show was renamed The Metro South Morning News with Kevin Tocci. Tocci also hosted a sports talk show on the station with Mark Littlefield on Saturday afternoons called KITB Sports Talk (KITB standing for "Krashing into the Bigfield").

After Azure Media took over ownership of the station and took it off the air in August 2012, Tocci departed and joined WATD-FM as a news correspondent and talk show host. When the station returned to the air in March 2013, Peter Czymbor and Mike Paiva took over as hosts and the show was known as the Metro South Morning Show or PM in the AM until the switch to ethnic Haitian in July 2014.

Jim Larkin was one of the longest-tenured personalities at WBET/WXBR. He hosted Sounds of the Emerald Isle, an Irish music and comedy show, Sunday afternoons from 1982 to 2012. When Azure Media took over ownership of the station and took it off the air in August 2012, Larkin moved his show to WVBF in Middleborough Center.

Bill Alex hosted Newsline, a popular Brockton-area morning talk show/news program weekdays from 9 to 11 a.m. during the 1990s. Bill also reported news events during the day at WBET. Ron Van Dam, who was brought over from cross-town WMSX, became the successor to Alex's program in 2001 and hosted until the change in formats in July 2014.

Translator

Broadcast translator for WBMS
Call sign Frequency City of license FID ERP (W) Class Transmitter coordinatesFCC info
W266DA101.1 FM Brockton, Massachusetts 140627220D 42°3′1.3″N71°3′40.1″W / 42.050361°N 71.061139°W / 42.050361; -71.061139 (W266DA) LMS

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WBZ (AM)</span> American radio station in Boston

WBZ is a commercial AM radio station, licensed to Boston, Massachusetts, and owned and operated by iHeartMedia, Inc. Its studios and offices are located on Cabot Road in the Boston suburb of Medford.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WXKS (AM)</span> Radio station in Newton, Massachusetts

WXKS – branded Talk 1200 – is a commercial conservative talk radio station licensed to Newton, Massachusetts, serving the Greater Boston area. Owned by iHeartMedia, WXKS serves as the Boston affiliate for Fox News Radio, The Glenn Beck Program, The Clay Travis and Buck Sexton Show, The Sean Hannity Show and The Mark Levin Show; and the home of syndicated personalities Bill Handel, Ron Wilson, Gary Sullivan and Leo Laporte. The WXKS studios are located in the Boston suburb of Medford, while the station transmitter resides in Newton. Besides its main analog transmission, WXKS streams online via iHeartRadio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WRKO</span> Talk radio station in Boston, Massachusetts

WRKO is a commercial news/talk radio station licensed to Boston, Massachusetts, serving Greater Boston and much of surrounding New England. Owned by iHeartMedia, WRKO is a Class B AM station that provides secondary coverage to portions of Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Maine during the day, but is highly directional at night to protect a number of clear-channel stations on adjacent frequencies. WRKO serves as the Boston affiliate for ABC News Radio, Coast to Coast AM and This Morning, America's First News with Gordon Deal; syndicated personalities Joe Pags, John Batchelor and Bill Cunningham; the flagship station of The Howie Carr Show, and the home of radio personality Jeff Kuhner. The WRKO studios are located in the Boston suburb of Medford, while the station transmitter resides in nearby Burlington. Besides its main analog transmission, WRKO simulcasts over the HD2 subchannel of sister station WZLX, and streams online via iHeartRadio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WCAP (AM)</span> Radio station in Lowell, Massachusetts

WCAP is a radio station licensed to serve Lowell, Massachusetts, United States. The station is owned by Sam Poulten through the holding company Merrimack Valley Radio, LLC. The station's studios are located on Market Street in Lowell.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WSNE-FM</span> Radio station in Massachusetts, United States

WSNE-FM is a commercial radio station, licensed to Taunton, Massachusetts, serving Southeastern Massachusetts and the Providence metropolitan area. It is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. and broadcasts a hot adult contemporary radio format branded Now 93.3. Its studios and offices are on Oxford Street in Providence. The station carries the syndicated On Air with Ryan Seacrest in afternoons. Several of the other shifts are voicetracked by DJs working at other iHeart stations.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WMEX (AM)</span> Radio station in Quincy, Massachusetts, United States

WMEX is a commercial radio station licensed to Quincy, Massachusetts, and serving the Greater Boston media market. It is owned by L&J Media, headed by Tony LaGreca and Larry Justice. WMEX broadcasts an oldies format of hits from the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, as well as full service features including local DJs, news, traffic and weather. Late nights and weekends, it carries MeTV FM, a syndicated music service. The station's studios and offices are on Enterprise Drive in Marshfield.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WXTK</span> News/talk radio station in West Yarmouth, Massachusetts, United States

WXTK is a commercial radio station licensed to West Yarmouth, Massachusetts, and serving Cape Cod. It has a news/talk format and is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. The studios and offices are on Barnstable Road in Hyannis, while the transmitter is on Radio Lane in Yarmouth. WXTK is the direct descendant of Cape Cod's first commercial radio station, WOCB.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WLLH</span> Radio station in Lawrence, Massachusetts

WLLH is a commercial radio station in Lawrence, Massachusetts, serving the Merrimack Valley region. The station is owned by Gois Broadcasting, LLC, and airs a tropical music radio format. The transmitter site is on Common Street, near the Lawrence Police Department Headquarters.

WXTP is a Catholic talk radio station licensed to North Windham, Maine, serving the Portland area from studios in Freeport. The station is an affiliate of Relevant Radio and is owned by Relevant Radio, Inc.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WBFB</span> Radio station in Bangor, Maine

WBFB is a commercial radio station in Bangor, Maine. The station is owned by Blueberry Broadcasting and airs a country music radio format, simulcast on sister stations WBFE in Bar Harbor and WMCM in Rockland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WZRM</span> Spanish-language radio station in Brockton–Boston, Massachusetts

WZRM is a Spanish-language radio station in the Boston, Massachusetts, market, carrying a Spanish contemporary hits format. Owned and operated by iHeartMedia, it serves the Metro Boston and South Shore areas of Massachusetts, and is licensed to Brockton. The station's studios are located in Medford and the transmitter site is atop Great Blue Hill.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WBAK</span> Radio station in Belfast, Maine

WBAK is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Belfast, Maine. It is owned by Blueberry Broadcasting, and broadcasts a classic hits radio format. Its programming is also simulcast on WBKA in Bar Harbor, as well as WABK-FM in Gardiner.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WVEI-FM</span> Radio station in Rhode Island, United States

WVEI-FM is a radio station broadcasting a sports talk format, largely simulcasting Boston-based WEEI-FM. The station is licensed to Westerly, Rhode Island, United States, and is owned by Audacy, Inc. In addition to WEEI programming, WVEI-FM carries Providence Friars men's basketball, Boston Bruins hockey, and ESPN Radio. Its transmitter is in Exeter, Rhode Island; due to it being mostly a simulcast, its operations are run out of WEEI-FM's studios in Boston's Brighton neighborhood.

The Boston Bruins Radio Network is a 17-station network which carries live game broadcasts of the Boston Bruins. The network's flagship station is WBZ-FM (98.5) in Boston, Massachusetts. Judd Sirott announces play-by-play. Bob Beers provides color commentary.

WATD-FM is a radio station carrying local news and features for the South Shore of Massachusetts, with an adult contemporary music format. Founded and owned by local entrepreneur Edward Perry and licensed to Marshfield, Massachusetts, the station went live on December 6, 1977.

WATD may refer to:

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WCCM (AM)</span> Radio station in Haverhill, Massachusetts

WCCM is an AM radio station broadcasting a Spanish CHR format. Licensed to Haverhill, Massachusetts, United States, the station is owned by Costa-Eagle Radio Ventures Limited Partnership, a partnership between Pat Costa and his chief investor, The Eagle-Tribune. Under a local marketing agreement, WCCM is programmed by Costa Media Boston LLC, a similarly-named but separate company controlled by Jose Villafañe. WCCM also operates on two translator stations, W255DA in Salem, New Hampshire and W279DH in Haverhill.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WPKZ</span> Radio station in Massachusetts, United States

WPKZ is a radio station broadcasting a news–talk and sports format and licensed to Fitchburg, Massachusetts, United States. The station is owned by John Morrison through licensee K-Zone Media Group, LLC, and features programming from Fox News Radio, Fox Sports Radio, Compass Media Networks, Premiere Networks, Radio America, and Westwood One. WPKZ's studios are located on Water Street in Fitchburg, across the street from the Wachusett Potato Chip Company factory; its transmitter is located on Alpine Road, also in Fitchburg.

WVBF is a radio station broadcasting a news/talk format. Licensed to Middleborough Center, Massachusetts, United States, the station serves the Middleborough/Taunton area. The station is currently owned by Massachusetts state senator Marc R. Pacheco through his MRP Communications and Consulting, LLC. WVBF carries the Massachusetts Reading Network when not airing local programming. USA Radio News plays at the top of the hour during locally produced programs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WNNW</span> Radio station in Massachusetts, United States

WNNW is a commercial radio station licensed to Lawrence, Massachusetts, United States. Established in 1947 as WCCM, the station is owned by Costa-Eagle Radio Ventures, LP, a partnership between Pat Costa and the Lawrence Eagle-Tribune newspaper. WNNW airs a Spanish-language tropical music format.

References

  1. ↑ "Facility Technical Data for WBMS". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. 1 2 Todesca, Janina (March 28, 2011). "Radio station WXBR broadcasts from solitary downtown Brockton spot". The Enterprise (Brockton) . Retrieved October 8, 2012.
  3. 1 2 3 "WBMS Call Sign History". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  4. ↑ Potter, Erik (January 13, 2012). "WXBR could be sold by April". The Enterprise (Brockton). Retrieved October 8, 2012.
  5. ↑ Potter, Erik (May 9, 2012). "WXBR locked out of downtown Brockton studio". The Enterprise (Brockton). Retrieved October 8, 2012.
  6. ↑ Potter, Erik (May 25, 2012). "WXBR sale approved by Federal Communications Commission". The Enterprise (Brockton). Retrieved October 8, 2012.
  7. ↑ Sweeney, Emily (May 18, 2012). "Rent paid, Brockton's WXBR-AM 1460 to return to air". The Boston Globe . Archived from the original on January 18, 2013. Retrieved October 8, 2012.
  8. ↑ Graeber, Justin (August 4, 2012). "Brockton's WXBR taken off the air". The Enterprise (Brockton). Retrieved October 8, 2012.
  9. ↑ Carr, Dawn. "AM 1460 WXBR Sign-off, August 3, 2012". YouTube . Retrieved October 8, 2012.
  10. ↑ Sweeney, Emily (May 27, 2012). "New owner of WXBR-AM says radio station will continue to focus on Brockton". Boston Globe. Archived from the original on January 18, 2013. Retrieved April 24, 2013.
  11. ↑ Bloom, Alex (August 21, 2012). "New WXBR owners want local focus when radio station reopens Sept. 12". The Enterprise (Brockton). Retrieved October 8, 2012.
  12. ↑ Bloom, Alex (October 12, 2012). "New WXBR owners working through technical difficulties". The Enterprise (Brockton). Retrieved October 12, 2012.
  13. ↑ Sweeney, Emily (February 3, 2013). "Radio station to return to air". Boston Globe. Retrieved February 3, 2013.
  14. ↑ Gualdron, Carla (February 6, 2013). "Strong signals that Brockton radio station will return soon". The Enterprise (Brockton). Retrieved March 8, 2013.
  15. ↑ Sweeney, Emily (July 24, 2014). "Brockton radio station format changes". Boston Globe. Retrieved August 12, 2014.
  16. ↑ Papadopoulos, Maria (July 8, 2014). "Brockton radio station adopts a global sound". The Enterprise (Brockton). Retrieved August 12, 2014.
  17. ↑ Markman, Joseph (July 12, 2014). "Local voices going silent on Brockton's historic WXBR radio". The Enterprise (Brockton). Retrieved August 12, 2014.
  18. ↑ Markman, Joseph (July 5, 2015). "More changes ahead for WXBR in Brockton". The Enterprise (Brockton). Retrieved July 24, 2015.
  19. ↑ "New Local Voice Coming To Brockton, MA". Radio Ink . Retrieved July 24, 2015.
  20. ↑ "Time Brokerage Deal Converts To Sale At KUPA/Honolulu". All Access Media Group. Retrieved July 24, 2015.
  21. ↑ Markman, Joseph (May 5, 2014). "WATD bringing local radio back to Brockton". The Enterprise (Brockton). Retrieved July 24, 2015.
  22. ↑ Fybush, Scott (March 4, 2019). "NorthEast Radio Watch 3/4/2019: Entercom Makes News (Together?)". Fybush.com. Retrieved March 8, 2019.(subscription required)
  23. ↑ Fybush, Scott (January 13, 2020). "NorthEast Radio Watch 1/13/2020: WMEX Relaunch Date Set". Fybush.com. Retrieved February 6, 2020.(subscription required)
  24. ↑ Fybush, Scott (February 10, 2020). "NorthEast Radio Watch 2/10/2020: Talkers Brace for Rush Aftermath". Fybush. Retrieved February 17, 2020.(subscription required)
  25. ↑ Venta, Lance (December 1, 2023). "Station Sales Week Of 12/1". RadioInsight. Retrieved December 4, 2023.
  26. ↑ Moskowitz, Allan G. (January 31, 2024). "Notification of Consummation". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission . Retrieved April 7, 2024.
  27. ↑ Raymond, Jack. "Shoe City". Jack Raymond Radio. Retrieved April 28, 2013.
  28. ↑ "Charlie Bergeron Interview". YouTube. PMintheAMBoston. Retrieved April 28, 2013.
  29. ↑ "Steve Mason Interview". YouTube. PMintheAMBoston. Retrieved April 28, 2013.
  30. ↑ Allegrini, Elaine (December 30, 2008). "Familiar voice gone from airwaves in Brockton". The Enterprise (Brockton). Retrieved April 28, 2012.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.