WOLF-FM

Last updated
WOLF-FM
WOLF 92.1TheWolf logo.png
Broadcast area Syracuse, New York
Frequency 92.1 MHz (HD Radio)
Branding92.1 The Wolf
Programming
Format Country
Subchannels
Affiliations Compass Media Networks
Westwood One
Ownership
Owner
  • Craig Fox and Sam Furco
  • (FoxFur Communications, LLC)
WFBL, WMBO, WMVN, WOLF, WOSW, WSEN, WSIV, WVOA-LD
History
First air date
 1967 (as WSEN-FM)
Former call signs
  • WSEN-FM (1967-2016)
  • WNDR (4/6/2016-4/14/2016)
Call sign meaning
"The Wolf" (station branding)
Technical information
Facility ID 7716
Class B1
ERP 25,000 watts
HAAT 91 meters (299 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
 43°10′46″N76°20′19″W / 43.17944°N 76.33861°W / 43.17944; -76.33861
Translator(s) See § Repeaters and translators
Repeater(s) See § Repeaters and translators
Links
Webcast Listen Live
Website 921fmthewolf.com

WOLF-FM (92.1 MHz) is a radio station serving the community of Baldwinsville, New York, in the Syracuse metropolitan area. The station is owned by Craig Fox and Sam Furco, through licensee FoxFur Communications, LLC, and broadcasts a country music format branded as 92.1 The Wolf.

Contents

History

In 1967, the station began operations as a full-time country outlet as WSEN-FM. It was the sister station to WSEN 1050, one of the first country stations in the northeastern United States. Century Radio sold the stations in 1974.

On September 7, 1975, WSEN-FM began operating on a 24-hour basis continuing with a country music format hosted by Carl Knight from 1-6 a.m. The new 24 hour full-time programming lineup included: Bob Paris 6-10 a.m.; Daniel J. Dunn 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.; "Uncle" Rob 2-6 p.m.; Les Howard 6-10 p.m.; Al Jenner 10 p.m. - 1 a.m.

In 1986, the station format flipped to oldies. Both AM and FM were owned by Buckley Broadcasting during much of the 2000s, until being sold in 2008 to Leatherstocking Media Group.

In 2011, as the oldies format drifted into classic hits, WSEN (at the time playing a 1960s/1970s mix of songs) split its simulcast: the FM side switched to a modern-leaning classic hits format centered on the 1970s and 1980s, while the AM side went for a "real oldies" approach featuring 1950s and 1960s music. [1]

Acquisition by Family Life and trade with Craig Fox

In late 2015, the station was sold to the Family Life Network, a regional religious broadcaster, along with WMCR-FM and rights to WFBL. WSEN-FM's intellectual property (including all on-air programming and staff contracts, but not the rights to the WSEN call sign) was sold to Galaxy Communications, who merged it with that of WZUN (which Galaxy reacquired in February 2016). [2]

Family Life Network then promptly traded the 92.1 license to Craig Fox in exchange for the former WOLF-FM (105.1) in DeRuyter and WWLF-FM (96.7) in Oswego. WOLF's country music format was installed on 92.1 on March 29 at 5:00 p.m. [3] The WSEN-FM call letters were swapped with Fox's WNDR-FM on April 6, 2016. The station adopted the WOLF-FM call sign on April 14, 2016.

On June 15, 2016, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) denied the trade and fined FoxFur and Wolf Radio $20,000 for violating the multiple ownership rule (because the companies' owner Craig Fox illegally operated eight licenses, where ownership limits in the market are seven). [4] [5]

In late June 2016, FoxFur filed a second request for the transfer of 105.1 and 96.7 to Family Life. However, because of the FCC's ruling, FoxFur ceased operation of WOLF-FM. As a result, Fox temporarily installed the country music format on his station WOSW. The station's previous owner, Family Life, then simulcasted WOSW on 92.1 until the transfer was finalized. [6] At the time, WOLF-FM was the only station in FLN's portfolio running secular programming.

The transaction was approved in September 2016 and the consummation occurred simultaneously with FoxFur's purchase of WFBL on August 21, 2017 in order to keep Fox under the ownership limits in the market. The transfer of translator W252AC to Family Life and translator W207BH to FoxFur affiliate Wolf Radio, Inc. was also included in the final deal.

Shortly after the consummation in late 2017, WOLF-FM began HD radio broadcasts. It also began simulcasting sister stations WSEN and WMVN on its HD2 and HD3 subchannels, respectively.

Repeaters and translators

Broadcast translators for WOLF-FM
Call sign Frequency City of license ERP (W) Class Transmitter coordinatesFCC infoNotes
W231CS94.1 FM Elmwood, New York 235D 43°03′30.20″N76°09′58.70″W / 43.0583889°N 76.1663056°W / 43.0583889; -76.1663056 (W231CS) FMQ Relays HD2
W255DC98.9 FM Fulton, New York 210D 43°17′41″N76°26′35″W / 43.29472°N 76.44306°W / 43.29472; -76.44306 (W255DC) FMQ Relays HD3
W259DJ99.7 FM Volney, New York 190D 43°17′41.0″N76°26′34.0″W / 43.294722°N 76.442778°W / 43.294722; -76.442778 (W259DJ) FMQ Relays HD3
Call sign Frequency City of license Facility ID ERP
W 		Height
m (ft)		 Class Transmitter coordinates
WMVN (FM) HD3 100.3 FM (HD) Sylvan Beach, New York 855346,000100 m (330 ft)A 43°14′46.2″N75°46′23.7″W / 43.246167°N 75.773250°W / 43.246167; -75.773250 (WMVN)
Broadcast translator for WMVN (FM) HD3
Call sign Frequency City of license ERP (W) Class Transmitter coordinatesFCC info
W268AE101.5 FM Wampsville, New York 75D 43°03′57″N75°40′05″W / 43.06583°N 75.66806°W / 43.06583; -75.66806 (W268AE) FMQ

Related Research Articles

WVPO is an FM radio station in Lehman Township, Pennsylvania known as "Bigfoot Country 96.7 & 97.3". The station is owned by Seven Mountains Media, programming a country music format.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KKSE-FM</span> Sports radio station in Broomfield–Denver, Colorado

KKSE-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to Broomfield, Colorado, and serving the Denver metropolitan area and Northern Colorado. KKSE-FM airs a sports talk format branded as "Altitude Sports 92.5 FM." KKSE-FM has studios on South Colorado Boulevard in Glendale, with its transmitter located off Wheatland Road near Fort Lupton in Weld County. It is owned by Stan Kroenke's KSE Radio Ventures, which also owns sister stations KIMN, KKSE and KXKL-FM.

WKHL is a non-commercial FM radio station licensed to serve Palmyra, Pennsylvania. The station is owned by Educational Media Foundation and is an affiliate of K-LOVE, EMF's contemporary Christian music network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WOLF (AM)</span> Radio station in Syracuse, New York

WOLF is a sports formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Syracuse, New York, serving the Syracuse metropolitan area. The station is 100% owned by Craig Fox, who also owns several other radio and low-power TV stations in the state of New York. The WOLF broadcast license is held by WOLF Radio, Inc. The station is also simulcast on FM translator W223CP at 92.5 FM, on the FM6 service of WVOA-LD at 87.75 FM, and in Fulton, New York, on WOSW 1300 AM and its FM translator, W253BZ at 98.5 FM.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WMVN (FM)</span> Radio station in Sylvan Beach, New York

WMVN is a rhythmic top 40 FM radio station serving the Syracuse and a part of the Utica-Rome, New York market. WMVN is licensed to Sylvan Beach, New York. A separate translator W243AB, serves the city of Westvale, New York on the 96.5 frequency. The station is located at 401 West Kirkpatrick St, in Syracuse, NY.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WSYR-FM</span> News/talk radio station in Solvay–Syracuse, New York

WSYR-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to Solvay, New York, and serving the Syracuse metropolitan area and Central New York. Owned and operated by iHeartMedia, it broadcasts a talk radio format, simulcast with WSYR 570 AM since January 2011. The studios and offices are on Plum Street in Syracuse.

WCIS-FM is a contemporary Christian radio station serving the Central New York Region. The station broadcasts with an ERP of 33 kW and is licensed to DeRuyter, New York; it is owned and operated by the Family Life Network, a regional Christian broadcaster active in upstate New York and Northern Pennsylvania. Family Life also owns WCIO in Oswego.

WFBL is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Syracuse, New York, and owned by Wolf Radio, Inc. The studios and offices are on Smokey Hollow Road in Baldwinsville. Since September 2017. the station has simulcast Craig Fox's "Dinosaur Radio" classic hits format. The programming originates on WSEN 103.9 FM.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WEEX</span> Radio station in Easton, Pennsylvania

WEEX is a radio station in Easton, Pennsylvania, owned by Cumulus Media through licensee Radio License Holding CBC, LLC. The station airs a sports radio format branded as "Fox Sports Lehigh Valley", carrying the Fox Sports Radio network. It is also the flagship radio station for the Lehigh Valley IronPigs minor league baseball team and Lehigh University Athletics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WRNY (AM)</span> Radio station in Rome, New York

WRNY is an American radio station broadcasting at 1350 kHz in Rome, New York. The station was owned by Clear Channel Communications until September 2007, when ownership was transferred to Galaxy Utica as a result of Clear Channel's decision to "go private". The station had been acquired by Clear Channel from Dame Media in June 1999.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WIXT (AM)</span> Radio station in Little Falls, New York

WIXT is an AM radio station broadcasting on a frequency of 1230 kHz and licensed to the city of Little Falls, New York. Owned by Galaxy Communications, the station airs a variety hits format under the branding Tony FM 99.1.

WBVG was an AM radio station licensed to Baldwinsville, New York serving the Syracuse metropolitan area. WBVG was last owned by Leatherstocking Media Group and aired a 1950s - 1960s oldies radio format. The transmitter was on Hencle Boulevard in Baldwinsville.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WKAL</span> Radio station in Rome, New York

WKAL is a radio station licensed to Rome, New York, United States, and serving the Utica-Rome-Syracuse radio market. The station is owned by Tune In Broadcasting, LLC, a company based in Santa Clarita, California. It broadcasts a talk radio format, with an emphasis toward Rome-area sports.

WSKP is an AM radio station licensed to Hope Valley, Rhode Island. The station is owned by John Fuller's Red Wolf Broadcasting Corporation and airs an oldies radio format. WSKP operates as part of the "Kool Radio" simulcast, along with 990 WNTY in Southington, Connecticut, and formerly with 1270 WACM in Springfield, Massachusetts.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WZUN-FM</span> Radio station in Phoenix, New York

WZUN-FM is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Phoenix, New York, and serving the Syracuse metropolitan area. The station is owned by Edward Levine's Galaxy Communications through licensee Galaxy Syracuse Licensee LLC. It airs a classic hits radio format.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WSEN (FM)</span> Radio station in Mexico, New York

WSEN is an FM radio station licensed to Mexico, New York, United States. The station serves the Syracuse area and is currently owned by Wolf Radio, Inc., majority owned by Craig Fox.

WOSW is a radio station licensed to Fulton, New York, United States. The station serves the northern suburbs of the Syracuse area. WOSW is owned by Craig Fox's Wolf Radio, through licensee Foxfur Communications, LLC.

WUTI was a radio station broadcasting a talk format. Licensed to Utica, New York, United States, the station, established in 1948 as WRUN, was last owned by Leatherstocking Media Group, Inc., and simulcast with WFBL in Syracuse until going off the air in 2013.

WVOA-LD is a low-power television station licensed to Westvale, New York, United States, serving the Syracuse area. The station is owned by Metro TV, Inc., one of the numerous holding companies owned or co-owned by Craig Fox. WVOA-LD's transmitter is located on the WOLF radio tower on West Kirkpatrick Street northwest of downtown Syracuse.

WMBO is an AM radio station licensed to Auburn, New York, United States. The station serves the western Syracuse metropolitan area. The station is 51% owned by Craig Fox, who also owns several other radio and low-power TV stations in the state of New York.

References

  1. ↑ "WSEN Trades Casey's 70s Countdowns for the 80s | CNYRadio.com / CNYTVNews.com". Cnyradio.com. 2011-08-22. Retrieved 2012-09-12.
  2. ↑ "WSEN, Sunny 102 combining into one 'super' radio station". 21 March 2016.
  3. ↑ Syracuse's Wolf On the Move as Family Life Swaps Again
  4. ↑ Memorandum Opinion and Order and Notice of Apparent Liability for Forfeiture - Federal Communications Commission
  5. ↑ FCC Denies Syracuse Station Swap; Fines Foxfur For Ownership Limit Violations - Radio Insight
  6. ↑ After Fine, FoxFur Takes Second Crack at Family Life Deal
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.