WPYX

Last updated
WPYX
WPYX logo.png
Broadcast area Capital District
Frequency 106.5 MHz (HD Radio)
Branding"PYX 106"
Programming
Format Classic rock
Affiliations
Ownership
Owner
WGY, WGY-FM, WKKF, WOFX, WRVE, WTRY-FM
History
First air date
September 1967(56 years ago) (1967-09) as WDKC
Former call signs
  • WDKC (1967–1971)
  • WTRY-FM (1971–1973)
  • WHSH (1973–1980)
Call sign meaning
Pronounced "picks"
Technical information [1]
Licensing authority
 FCC
Facility ID 73911
Class B
ERP 15,500 watts
HAAT 275 meters (902 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
 42°38′10″N74°00′04″W / 42.636°N 74.001°W / 42.636; -74.001
Links
Public license information
Webcast Listen Live
Website pyx106.iheart.com

WPYX (106.5 FM "PYX 106") is a commercial radio station licensed to Albany, New York, and serving the Capital District. It broadcasts a classic rock radio format and is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. WPYX also carries New York Giants football games.

Contents

WPYX has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 15,500 watts. The transmitter is on Pinnacle Road in Helderberg Escarpment tower farm in New Scotland, amid the towers for other Albany-area TV and FM stations. [2] WPYX broadcasts using HD Radio technology. Its HD-2 digital subchannel formerly played 1970s classic rock, branded as "Gran Turino Radio".

History

Middle of the road and top 40

In September 1967, the station signed on as WDKC. [3] It played middle of the road (MOR) music and was owned by Kopps-Monahan Communications, Inc., which also owned Top 40 powerhouse WTRY 980 AM (today's WOFX). In 1971, the call sign was changed to WTRY-FM to match its AM counterpart. It continued as an MOR station during the day, but would simulcast WTRY's Top 40 format at night. In 1972, it returned to a full time MOR sound.

In early 1973, the WTRY-AM-FM were sold, and WTRY-FM became WHSH, which then went to its first full-time rock format as the format was changed to a Top 40–oldies hybrid with live DJs. The station was now known as "Wish" as well as "The Albany Stereo Giant" and "Your Albany Wish". Ownership automated the station a year later in 1974, and changed the format to Oldies.

Beautiful music and album rock

During Labor Day weekend, 1975, the format was flipped again, this time to beautiful music, while keeping the "Wish" nickname. From 1975 to 1980, the station played quarter hour sweeps of mostly instrumental cover versions of popular songs, along with some Broadway and Hollywood show tunes.

By 1980 there was an obvious hole for a mainstream album-oriented rock (AOR) station in the Albany market. WHSH flipped to its current format on September 15, 1980, changing the call sign to WPYX and calling itself "PYX 106". WPYX used all live and local disc jockeys until April 28, 2009, when management replaced most of the local DJs with announcers from other cities who voice-track their shows, to make them sound as if they are in the Capital District.

Ownership changes

WPYX and WTRY went through several changes in ownership over the years. These included Scott Broadcasting of Pennsylvania, television personality Merv Griffin and Capstar Broadcasting (which was controlled by billionaire mogul Tom Hicks). In 1999, Capstar merged with another Hicks-owned company, Chancellor Media Corporation, to form AMFM Inc.

In 2000, the stations were acquired by Clear Channel Communications when that company merged with AMFM. Clear Channel became iHeartMedia in 2014. WPYX has kept its same call letters and Rock format since September 15, 1980(43 years ago).

HD Radio operations

In 2005, WPYX upgraded to IBOC digital radio alongside the rest of Clear Channel's Albany stations. On August 17, 2006, WPYX began airing an HD2 channel with a deep tracks classic rock format, known as Vinyl Vineyard which was later replaced with a classic country format in August 2012.

The classic country was eventually dropped. In September 2018, WPYX-HD2 began playing a Christmas music format called, "iHeartChristmas Lites". [4] That format later gave way to "Gran Torino Radio", a format of 1970s classic rock. The HD2 subchannel has since been turned off.

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KQQL</span> Radio station in Anoka–Minneapolis–St. Paul, Minnesota

KQQL is a commercial radio station serving the Minneapolis-St. Paul radio market and is licensed to suburban Anoka. It plays classic hits and is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. The studios and offices are on Utica Avenue South in St. Louis Park.

WCSX is a commercial radio station licensed to Birmingham, Michigan, and serving Metro Detroit. It broadcasts a classic rock radio format and is owned by the Beasley Broadcast Group. The studios and transmitter are on Radio Plaza in Ferndale. Despite its call sign, WCSX is not affiliated with the CSX Corporation.

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

WODE-FM is a commercial FM radio station licensed to serve Easton, Pennsylvania. The station's service contour covers the Lehigh Valley area of Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KISC</span> Radio station in Spokane, Washington

KISC is a commercial radio station in Spokane, Washington. It is owned by iHeartMedia and airs an adult contemporary radio format, switching to Christmas music for much of November and December. The station has local DJs during the day and carries the syndicated "Delilah" show in the evening from Premiere Networks, an iHeart subsidiary. The station calls itself "KISS 98.1", using a logo trademarked by iHeart, mostly associated with Top 40 stations that also call themselves "KISS-FM".

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WVAZ</span> Radio station in Chicago, Illinois

WVAZ is an urban adult contemporary radio station serving the Chicago metropolitan area and Northwest Indiana. Licensed to Oak Park, Illinois, WVAZ is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc., alongside sister stations WCHI-FM, WGCI-FM, WGRB, WKSC-FM, WLIT-FM and WVON. WVAZ carries the nationally syndicated "Steve Harvey Morning Show" and "The Sweat Hotel with Keith Sweat."

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WBTJ</span> Urban radio station in Richmond, Virginia

WBTJ – branded as 106.5 The Beat – is a commercial urban contemporary radio station licensed to serve Richmond, Virginia. Owned by Audacy, Inc., the station services the Greater Richmond Region and the Petersburg area. The WBTJ studios are located just north of Richmond proper in unincorporated Henrico County, while the station transmitter resides in the Richmond suburb of Bon Air. Besides a standard analog transmission, WBTJ broadcasts using HD Radio technology, and is available online via Audacy.

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

WKQI is a commercial radio station licensed to Detroit, Michigan, featuring a top 40 (CHR) format known as "Channel 955", pronounced "nine-five-five". Owned by iHeartMedia, the station serves Metro Detroit and much of Southeast Michigan and southwestern portions of Ontario, including Windsor. The station's studios are located in Farmington Hills, while the transmitter is located in Oak Park, Michigan, on 10 Mile Road near Greenfield Road. In addition to a standard analog transmission, WKQI broadcasts over HD Radio using the in-band on-channel standard, and is available online via iHeartRadio.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WRVE</span> Radio station in Schenectady, New York, United States

WRVE is a commercial radio station licensed in Schenectady and serving the Capital District and Upper Hudson Valley in New York. It broadcasts a hot adult contemporary radio format and calls itself "99.5 The River", referring to the Hudson River. The station is owned by iHeartMedia as one of seven radio stations owned by the company in the Albany-Schenectady-Troy radio market.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KDGE</span> Adult contemporary radio station in Fort Worth–Dallas, Texas

KDGE is an iHeartMedia adult contemporary commercial radio station dually licensed to both Fort Worth and Dallas, Texas. Star 102.1 switches programming to Christmas music during the months of November and December.

WOFX is a radio station licensed to Troy, New York. The station is owned by iHeartMedia and runs a sports format and is the Fox Sports Radio affiliate for the Capital District, Adirondacks, and Berkshires.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WGNA-FM</span> Country music radio station in Albany, New York, United States

WGNA-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to Albany, New York, and serving the Capital District. The station is owned by Townsquare Media and broadcasts a country music format.

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

WTRY-FM, is a commercial radio station licensed to Rotterdam, New York. It airs a classic hits format. WTRY-FM serves the New York State Capital District in the Albany-Schenectady-Troy radio market. The station is owned by iHeartMedia, and broadcasts at 6,000 watts ERP from a tower in between Altamont and Duanesburg off U.S. Route 20. Studios and offices are on Troy-Schenectady Road in Latham.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WPBZ-FM</span> US radio station in Rensselaer, New York

WPBZ-FM is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Rensselaer, New York, and serving the Capital District, including the Albany-Schenectady-Troy radio market. The station is owned by Townsquare Media and airs a hot adult contemporary radio format. The studios and offices are on Kings Road in Schenectady.

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

WSRS – branded 96-1 SRS – is a commercial radio station licensed to Worcester, Massachusetts, and serving Central Massachusetts. Owned by iHeartMedia, Inc., the transmitter site and studios are located in the Worcester suburb of Paxton. WSRS broadcasts an adult contemporary format, switching to Christmas music for much of November and December. The station is the local network affiliate for the Delilah and Ellen K programs.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WMXD</span> Radio station in Detroit

WMXD is a commercial radio station in Detroit, Michigan, owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. The station operates with 45,000 watts of power from an antenna located on the Cadillac Tower building in downtown Detroit. The studios and offices were housed for years at Detroit's Penobscot Building until November 2009, when they were moved to the Clear Channel Communications, studios in Farmington Hills.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WTKK</span> Radio station in North Carolina, United States

WTKK, known as "106.1 FM Talk", is a radio station that is licensed to Knightdale, North Carolina and serves the Raleigh-Durham media market. WTKK airs a talk radio format and is owned and operated by iHeartMedia. Sister stations include WDCG, WNCB, and WRDU. The station's studios are located in Raleigh, and the transmitter site is in Garner.

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

WNNK-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to serve Harrisburg, Pennsylvania. Owned by Cumulus Media it carries a hot adult contemporary format. The station's studios are on Vartan Way in Harrisburg, with its transmitter atop Blue Mountain in East Pennsboro Township.

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

WEXT is a listener-supported, public FM radio station broadcasting an adult album alternative format. Licensed to Amsterdam, New York, the station serves the Capital District and Mohawk Valley. The station is owned by WMHT Educational Telecommunications and features programming from American Public Media, National Public Radio and Public Radio Exchange. WEXT holds periodic fundraisers on the air to support the station.

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

WPTR is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Schenectady, New York. The station serves the Capital District of New York. The station is currently owned by the Area Independent Radio, Inc. It airs a classic rock-classic hits radio format.

WPKC is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Exeter, New Hampshire, and covering the New Hampshire Seacoast region and Southern Maine. The station's format is contemporary Christian music, supplied from the K-Love network. The station's license is held by the Educational Media Foundation. The station simulcasts its sister station, 92.1 WPKC-FM in Sanford, Maine. In addition, WPKC operates two FM translators: W246BP in Exeter, and W298CU (101.5) in Chester.

References

  1. ↑ "Facility Technical Data for WPYX". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ↑ Radio-Locator.com/WPYX
  3. ↑ Information from Broadcasting Yearbook 1969 page B-111
  4. ↑ "IHeartChristmas Classics".
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.