WNWR

Last updated

WNWR
WNWR The Word 95.3 1540 logo.png
Broadcast area Delaware Valley
Frequency 1540 kHz
BrandingAM 1540 The Word
Programming
Format Christian talk and teaching
Ownership
OwnerWilkins Broadcasting LLC
History
First air date
July 11, 1947;76 years ago (July 11, 1947) (as WJMJ)
Former call signs
  • WJMJ (1948–1965)
  • WRCP (1965–1985)
  • WSNI (1985–1987)
  • WPGR (1987–1995)
Call sign meaning
"New World Radio" (previous format and owner)
Technical information [1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID 1027
Class B
Power
  • 50,000 watts day
  • 250 watts night
Transmitter coordinates
40°2′46.4″N75°14′7.65″W / 40.046222°N 75.2354583°W / 40.046222; -75.2354583
Translator(s) 95.3 W237EH (Pennsauken, New Jersey)
Links
Public license information
Webcast Listen live
Website www.wnwrtheword.com

WNWR (1540 AM) is a commercial radio station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It broadcasts a Christian talk and teaching format and is owned by Wilkins Broadcasting LLC. Program hosts include Jim Daly, John MacArthur, Greg Laurie and Charles Capps. The studios are at 200 Monument Road, Suite 6, in Bala Cynwyd.

Contents

By day, WNWR is powered at 50,000 watts, non-directional. [2] As 1540 AM is a clear channel frequency, to protect other stations from interference, at night it reduces power to 250 watts. The transmitter is in the Belmont Village neighborhood of Philadelphia, off Conshohocken Avenue. [3] Programming is also heard on 250-watt FM translator W237EH at 95.3 MHz in Pennsauken, New Jersey. [4]

History

Christian programming

The station first signed on the air on July 11, 1947. [5] Its call sign was WJMJ which stood for "Jesus, Mary, Joseph". The station broadcast middle-of-the-road music and religious programming. It was owned by Patrick Joseph Stanton and had its offices and studios in the St. James Hotel.

WJMJ was a daytimer, powered at 1,000 watts and forced to sign-off at sunset to avoid interfering with other stations on 1540 kHz. In the late 1950s, the station got a boost to 50,000 watts, but it still had to stay off the air at night. [6] One of the programs carried on WJMJ in the 1950s was George A. Palmer's popular Morning Cheer daily broadcast. [7]

Country and oldies

In 1965 it was acquired by the Rust Craft Greeting Card Company, which changed the call letters to WRCP (for "Rust Craft Philadelphia"). [8] In 1967, Rust Craft changed the sound to country music, a format not found on the Philadelphia radio dial.

In 1981, after WFIL also adopted a country format, WRCP switched to oldies. Later in 1985, the call sign was changed to WSNI to match sister station 104.5 WSNI-FM (now WRFF). For a time, the AM station broadcast an all-Beatles-and-Motown format. After two years, a more conventional oldies mix returned and the station became WPGR ("Philly Gold Radio").

Ethnic programming

In 1995, the station was sold to new owners operating as Global Radio LLC, becoming WNWR. [9] The call letters stood for "New World Radio". It switched to mostly ethnic brokered programming, where show hosts bought time on the station and sold advertising in their communities to pay for their broadcasts.

On June 13, 2011, WNWR's entire brokered program schedule moved to WWDB. [10] The station was then leased to broadcast China Radio International. [11] Several years later, WNWR got authorization from the Federal Communications Commission to stay on the air around the clock with low power at night. WNWR went off the air and was listed as silent since June 14, 2018. As of Saturday November 17, 2018, WNWR returned on the air broadcasting a Spanish language format. On December 8, 2019, however, it was on the FCC's Silent AM Stations List. [12]

As of April 27, 2021, WNWR returned to the airwaves with 1,000 watts of power during the day and 7 watts at night according to station engineer Dana Puopolo. By then, the station was owned by Aztec Capital Partners and was simulcasting WHAT 1340 AM, airing Latin hit music. [13]

Return to religion

In 2023, the station was sold to Wilkins Broadcasting LLC, which owns dozens of Christian talk and teaching stations around the U.S. WNWR returned to its beginning roots with a religious format, broadcasting as "1540 The Word". The call sign's meaning was repurposed as "New Word Radio", with "Word" as a synonym for "The Bible".

Translator

Call sign Frequency City of license FID ERP (W) Class Transmitter coordinatesFCC info
W237EH95.3 FM Pennsauken, New Jersey 141664250D 39°55′34.6″N75°3′11.1″W / 39.926278°N 75.053083°W / 39.926278; -75.053083 (W237EH) LMS

Related Research Articles

KMPC is a commercial radio station in Los Angeles, California. It is owned by P&Y Broadcasting Corporation. Radio Korea is a division of the Radio Korea Media Group. The station airs Korean–language programming, a blend of talk, news, information, and music for the largest Korean–American community in the United States, and the largest Korean community outside Korea. KMPC is one of four radio stations in the greater Los Angeles area that broadcast entirely in Korean. The others are 1190 KGBN Anaheim, 1230 KYPA Los Angeles and 1650 KFOX Torrance.

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

WSAN is a commercial radio station licensed in Allentown, Pennsylvania. It is owned by iHeartMedia and serves the Lehigh Valley radio market. It broadcasts an oldies radio format, with its studios and offices in the iHeart Broadcasting Center in Whitehall Township. It is the oldest station in the Lehigh Valley.

WJFA is a commercial radio station licensed to Apollo, Pennsylvania, and serving the northeast suburbs of the Greater Pittsburgh. The station carries a conservative talk radio format simulcast with WJFG 1480 AM in Latrobe. Both stations are owned by John Fredericks, through licensee Disruptor Radio LLC. They formerly carried the syndicated JACK-FM programming service.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WKHB (AM)</span> Radio station in Irwin, Pennsylvania, United States

WKHB is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Irwin, Pennsylvania, and serving Greater Pittsburgh. It is owned by Broadcast Communications, Inc., and it carries a brokered programming radio format. During the day, hosts pay the station for time on the air and may advertise their products or services during their shows. At night, WKHB plays oldies music.

WDCD was a news/talk radio station licensed to Albany, New York, United States and served New York's Capital District, Adirondacks, and much of western New England. The station was owned by DJRA Broadcasting, and broadcast on 1540 kHz at 50 kilowatts from a three-tower directional antenna array adjacent to the station's studios in Colonie, New York.

WTLN is a commercial AM radio station located in Orlando, Florida. It is owned by the Salem Media Group and it airs a Christian talk and teaching radio format. The offices and studios are on Lake View Drive in Altamonte Springs. Some of the national religious leaders heard on WTLN include David Jeremiah, Chuck Swindoll, Jim Daly, John MacArthur and Charles Stanley. Hosts pay for 30- to 60-minute segments on WTLN and can use the time to seek donations to their ministries. WTLN is known as "AM 990 and FM 101.5 The Word."

WXVE is an American radio station, licensed to the city of Latrobe, Pennsylvania. WXVE operates at 1570 kHz with a maximum power of 1,000 watts day, 220 watts night. The station is owned by Robert and Ashley Stevens' Broadcast Communications, Inc.

WWAC is a commercial radio station licensed to Ocean City, New Jersey, and serving the Atlantic City area of the Jersey Shore. It is owned by Enrico S. Brancadora, broadcasting a country format. WWAC is co-owned with WIBG-FM, a classic hits station licensed to Avalon, New Jersey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KIVA (AM)</span> Talk radio station in Albuquerque, New Mexico

KIVA is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Albuquerque, New Mexico. It is owned by the Rock of Talk LLC and airs a talk radio format. Studios and offices are located at 2309 Renard Place Southeast, near the Albuquerque International Sunport.

WJNL is a radio station licensed to Kingsley, Michigan, and serving the Traverse City area. The station is owned by Mitten News LLC. The station is also rebroadcast on 101.1 FM, through a translator in Traverse City, Michigan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WRFF</span> Radio station in Pennsylvania, U.S.

WRFF is a commercial FM radio station in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The station is owned by iHeartMedia, and broadcasts an alternative rock radio format. The studios are in Bala Cynwyd.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WJXL (AM)</span> Radio station in Jacksonville Beach, Florida

WJXL is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Jacksonville Beach, Florida, and serving the Jacksonville metropolitan area. WJXL is owned by Seven Bridges Radio, LLC.

WOYK is a commercial radio station licensed to York, Pennsylvania, and also serving the Harrisburg, and Lancaster radio markets. The station is owned by the York Revolution. The Revolution is an Atlantic League of Professional Baseball team, whose games air on WOYK.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WRTZ</span> Radio station in Roanoke, Virginia

WRTZ is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Roanoke, Virginia. WRTZ is owned and operated by Metromark Media, LLC. It broadcasts an oldies and classic hits radio format supplied by The True Oldies Channel. It plays the hits of the 1960s, 70s and 80s, hosted by Scott Shannon and other disc jockeys.

WJFP is a commercial radio station broadcasting a conservative talk format. It is licensed to Chester, Pennsylvania, and serves the Philadelphia metropolitan area. The station is owned by John Fredericks, with the license held by Disruptor Radio, LLC. Fredericks hosts a syndicated weekday morning talk show and also owns three stations in Virginia. Other syndicated shows on WJFP include "The War Room with Steve Bannon," "The Ramsey Show with Dave Ramsey" and "Red Eye Radio."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KDYL (AM)</span> Radio station in South Salt Lake, Utah

KDYL is an AM radio station licensed to South Salt Lake, Utah broadcasting a Spanish Variety format. The station is owned by Eric Palacios, through licensee Radio Activo 3 LLC.

WZTA is a commercial radio station in Vero Beach, Florida. The station serves the Treasure Coast area and is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. WZTA broadcasts a conservative talk radio format, and is known on air as "The Patriot".

WRSA is a commercial AM radio station licensed to the City of St. Albans, Vermont. It is owned by Steven Silberberg's Northeast Broadcasting Company, through licensee Radio Broadcasting Services, Incorporated. It airs a hot adult contemporary format, simulcasting sister station WIXM. There is an unrelated WRSA-FM/96.9 in Huntsville, Alabama.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WBAT</span> Radio station in Marion, IN, US

WBAT is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Marion, Indiana, and serving Grant County, Indiana, including Muncie. It broadcasts an oldies radio format, with a morning news and talk show, along with sports programming nights and weekends, including Chicago Cubs baseball. The station is owned by Hoosier AM/FM LLC, and features programming from CBS News Radio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KNND</span> Radio station in Cottage Grove, Oregon

KNND is a radio station licensed to serve Cottage Grove, Oregon, United States. The station, which began broadcasting in 1953, is currently owned by Cameron Reiten, through licensee Reiten Communications, LLC.

References

  1. "Facility Technical Data for WNWR". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. FCC.gov/WNWR
  3. Radio-Locator.com/WNWR
  4. Radio-Locator.com/W237EH
  5. Broadcasting Yearbook 1949 page 226
  6. Broadcasting Yearbook 1960 page A-219
  7. "Statement Issued by 'Cheer' Head". Courier-Post . Camden, New Jersey. July 1, 1959. p. 30 via Newspapers.com. Open Access logo PLoS transparent.svg
  8. Broadcasting Yearbook 1967 page B-138
  9. Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2010 page D-471
  10. "NorthEast Radio Watch by Scott Fybush". Archived from the original on June 3, 2011. Retrieved June 6, 2011.
  11. "FCC, Justice Department investigate covert Chinese radio network". Reuters. November 2, 2015. Retrieved July 5, 2020.
  12. "Silent AM Broadcast Stations List". May 25, 2016.
  13. "History of Philadelphia radio station 1540 WNWR (Aztec Capital Partners)".