WVTX (FM)

Last updated

WVTX
Broadcast areaGreater Burlington, Vermont
Frequency 88.7 MHz
BrandingVermont Public Classical
Programming
Format Classical music
Ownership
Owner
History
First air date
1973 (1973) (as WWPV-FM)
Last air date
August 23, 2024
Former call signs
WWPV-FM (1973–2015)
Technical information [1]
Licensing authority
 FCC
Facility ID 58598
Class A
ERP 260 watts
HAAT 19.8 meters (65.0 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
 44°30′28.4″N73°9′3.2″W / 44.507889°N 73.150889°W / 44.507889; -73.150889 (WVTX)
Links
Public license information
Webcast Listen live
Website Vermont Public Classical

WVTX (88.7 FM) was a radio station formerly licensed to Colchester, Vermont and owned by Vermont Public. The station, established in 1973 by Saint Michael's College as the original FM home of its campus radio station WWPV-FM, last aired programming from the Vermont Public Classical network. Vermont Public turned in the station's license in 2024.

Contents

History

WWPV-FM

WWPV's roots lie in a carrier current AM station with the call letters WSSE, created in the 1950s. This station was initially run by the Edmundite priests that founded Saint Michael's, before becoming more of a student station in later years. In 1973, [2] the college obtained a license to operate on 88.7 FM and put it on the air as WWPV-FM, replacing WSSE. A new station was built in an old military barracks on the college's North Campus, located at Fort Ethan Allen. In 1988, the station moved to the St. Michael's main campus with a new studio space in the newly constructed St. Edmund's Hall. [3]

As WWPV-FM, 88.7 FM operated as a campus radio station under the nickname The Mike. The station allowed any student, faculty, or staff member of SMC to be a DJ, as well as members of the local community. Throughout its existence, WWPV's programming has been freeform in nature, playing music that can't be heard on any commercial or mainstream radio stations in the Burlington area, including indie, jazz, blues, and folk. Each show has its own specialty, so a jazz show might be followed by an indie show, which then might be followed by a punk rock show.

Throughout the 1970s, 80s, and most of the 90s, the station aired live shows throughout the day, but had dead air during overnight hours or during other times when no live DJs were in the studio. This changed in 1999, when WWPV entered a partnership with Vermont Public Radio, in which VPR broadcast its BBC World Service feed at 88.7 FM when there were no live shows being aired. In May 2009, VPR and WWPV mutually agreed to terminate this relationship. WWPV now airs music programming 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with an automated mix of music from the station's music library when there are no DJs in the studio. VPR later shifted its BBC World Service programming to a dedicated HD Radio channel.

WWPV put on free concerts every spring at St. Michael's, a tradition that started in 2007 with a free Zox show. In spring 2008, the station won a nationwide college/university contest through the independent digital music retailer Mytracks.com, winning $5,000 to put towards a concert. The station beat out radio stations and programming boards at prestigious large universities such as Ole Miss, Michigan State, and Kentucky. With its winnings, WWPV brought State Radio to the college to perform a concert at the St. Michael's gymnasium that April.

The WWPV concert took a hiatus in 2009, although the station organized a smaller concert featuring Grimis right before Christmas. Station staff has announced that the concert will be back in 2010, and this time will take place outdoors.

Spring 2007 VPR buyout controversy

In March 2007, WWPV attracted local attention when Vermont Public Radio approached the college's president, Marc vanderHeyden, and the Board of Trustees with an interest in purchasing the frequency to turn it into a 24-hour classical station. [4] After word of this potential sale became public in the Burlington Free Press and the St. Michael's online magazine, The Echo, SMC students, faculty, and staff rallied against the sale in an effort to preserve the station as a student-run, freeform college station. Numerous letters were written to the Free Press, [5] posters were put up around campus, and a large Facebook group was created to mobilize students. Because of the outcry, vanderHeyden recommended to the board that the station not be sold, effectively ending the possibility of a deal. [6] Vermont Public Radio instead bought 90.9 FM, now known as WOXR, to run the classical format.

Donation to Vermont Public Radio

On February 12, 2014, Saint Michael's College was granted a construction permit for a low-power FM station on 92.5 FM in Colchester. [7] Under Federal Communications Commission (FCC) regulations, the college was required to divest the 88.7 FM facility upon constructing the new station; [8] on April 8, 2015, it agreed to donate the WWPV-FM license to Vermont Public Radio. [9] On September 14, 2015, WWPV's programming moved to the new WWPV-LP; [10] the following day, WWPV-FM went silent. [11] VPR officially took control of 88.7 FM on September 17, 2015 [12] and changed the station's call sign to WVTX; [13] it intends to move the station's transmitter from the Saint Michael's campus to an as-yet-undetermined location, and will keep WVTX silent until this move is completed. As of June 2018, WVTX was airing VPR Classical programming. [11]

Vermont Public surrendered WVTX's license effective August 23, 2024, in order to make way for a power increase for co-channel WRVT, licensed to Rutland. There was no loss of service as Vermont Public Classical network flagship WOXR (90.9 FM) also covers the greater Burlington area. [14] [15]

Related Research Articles

WGMU-LP was a low-power television station in Burlington, Vermont, United States. It was a translator of Retro TV affiliate WNMN in Saranac Lake, New York. Owned by CEC Media Group, the station had studios on Pine Haven Shores Road in Shelburne, Vermont. Its transmitter was located in Charlotte, Vermont.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WYCI</span> TV station in Saranac Lake, New York

WYCI is a television station licensed to Saranac Lake, New York, United States, serving the Burlington, Vermont–Plattsburgh, New York area as an affiliate of MyNetworkTV. It is owned by Gray Media alongside Burlington-licensed CBS affiliate WCAX-TV. The two stations share studios on Joy Drive in South Burlington, Vermont; WYCI's transmitter is located on Mount Pisgah north of Saranac Lake, along the Essex–Franklin county line.

WLIW-FM is a radio station licensed to Southampton, New York, and serving eastern Long Island and coastal Connecticut. Owned by The WNET Group, it is a sister station to PBS member television station WLIW, and features programming from American Public Media, NPR and Public Radio Exchange. The station also broadcasts in HD.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WPKQ</span> Radio station in New Hampshire, United States

WPKQ is a commercial radio station licensed to North Conway, New Hampshire. It is owned by Townsquare Media and simulcasts the alternative rock format of 94.3 WCYY from the Portland, Maine, area. It is an affiliate of the New England Patriots Radio Network. WPKQ shares its main studio with WCYY at One City Center in Portland, Maine, with its sales office and auxiliary studio located in North Conway.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WIUV</span> American online radio station

WIUV is an online radio station in Castleton, Vermont. It is the student-run station of Castleton University. The station signed on the air in 1976 at 91.3MHz with an ERP of 230 watts from a transmitter located on campus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WCVR</span> Radio station in Randolph, Vermont

WCVR is a radio station broadcasting a hybrid country music format to Randolph, Vermont, United States. Established in 1968, the station is owned by Robert and John Landry, through licensee Sugar River Media.

WBTN is an AM radio station in Bennington, Vermont. Established in 1953, the station is owned by Shires Media Partnership. WBTN can also be streamed online via TuneIn Radio.

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

WJMP is an AM radio station broadcasting a classic hip hop format. Licensed to Plattsburgh, New York, United States, the station serves the Champlain Valley, including Burlington, Vermont. The station is owned by Loud Media. WJMP's programming is also heard on translator station W279DE in Plattsburgh.

WNUB-FM is a radio station licensed to serve Northfield, Vermont. It is the radio station of Norwich University, airing a college radio format from studios and transmitter on the university campus.

WVXR is a radio station licensed to serve Randolph, Vermont. The station is owned by Vermont Public. It is a classical music station, serving as the central Vermont outlet for Vermont Public Classical.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WRFK (FM)</span> Radio station in Vermont, United States

WRFK is an FM radio station licensed to Barre and serving central Vermont. Established in 1974, the station is owned by Jeffrey Shapiro's Great Eastern Radio. WRFK airs a classic rock format, and is simulcast in the Champlain Valley on WWFK in Plattsburgh West, New York. The transmitter is located off Websterville Road and the studios and offices are on Jacques Street.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WSNO (AM)</span> Radio station in Barre, Vermont

WSNO was an AM radio station licensed to serve Barre, Vermont. The station, which operated from 1959 to 2023, was owned by Jeffrey Shapiro's Great Eastern Radio. It had most recently broadcast an adult hits format, simulcast from Burlington-market WSNO-FM in Au Sable, New York, and also heard on translator W289CH.

WKAF is a commercial AM radio station licensed to the City of St. Albans, Vermont. It is owned by Kalani Bowles, through licensee Sky Radio & Press, LLC. It airs a mainstream rock format, simulcasting former sister station WWMP.

WOXR is a radio station broadcasting a Classical music format. Licensed to Schuyler Falls, New York, United States, the station is currently owned by Vermont Public as the flagship station of the VPR Classical network.

WAKC is an American licensed radio station in Concord, New Hampshire. The station is owned by the Educational Media Foundation (EMF) and is part of its K-Love network of contemporary Christian music outlets. EMF also owns WLKC in Campton, serving the White Mountains and Lakes Region.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WWFK</span> Radio station in Plattsburgh West, New York

WWFK is a radio station broadcasting a classic rock radio format. Licensed to Plattsburgh West, New York, it serves the Champlain Valley, including the Plattsburgh-Burlington radio market. The station is owned by Jeff Shapiro, through licensee Great Eastern Radio, LLC, and operates in a simulcast with its WRFK in Barre.

WOXM is a radio station licensed to Middlebury, Vermont. The station is owned by Vermont Public, and carries classical music through the VPR Classical network.

WVXM was a radio station licensed to Middlebury, Vermont. The station was owned by Vermont Public Radio, and carried classical music through the VPR Classical network.

WWPV-LP is a radio station licensed to serve the community of Colchester, Vermont. The station is owned by Saint Michael's College. It airs a variety radio format. This station is the successor to WWPV-FM, the college's prior radio station on 88.7 FM.

Vermont Public Co. is the public broadcaster serving the U.S. state of Vermont. Its headquarters, newsroom, and radio studios are located in Colchester, with television studios in Winooski. It operates two statewide radio services aligned with NPR, offering news and classical music, and the state's PBS service. It was formed by the 2021 merger of what had been previously separate organizations, Vermont Public Radio and Vermont Public Television, which were both renamed Vermont Public in 2022.

References

  1. ↑ "Facility Technical Data for WVTX". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ↑ "New Radio Station at SMC Goes on the Air". Burlington Free Press. August 10, 1973. p. 21. Retrieved May 24, 2020.
  3. ↑ Cebula, Judith (November 21, 1988). "'PV cleans up its act". Burlington Free Press. pp. 1B, 3B . Retrieved May 24, 2020.
  4. ↑ Johnson, Tim (March 9, 2007). "College signal fading? St. Michael's considers selling student station to VPR". Burlington Free Press. pp. 1A, 8A . Retrieved May 24, 2020.
  5. ↑ "Hands off St. Michael's radio". Burlington Free Press. March 17, 2007. p. 8A. Retrieved May 24, 2020.
  6. ↑ Johnson, Tim (March 22, 2007). "WWPV staying on the air". Burlington Free Press. p. 5A. Retrieved May 24, 2020.
  7. ↑ "Application Search Details (WWPV-LP)". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission . Retrieved October 10, 2015.
  8. ↑ "APPLICATION FOR CONSTRUCTION PERMIT FOR A LOW POWER FM BROADCAST STATION (WWPV-LP)". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. November 12, 2013. Retrieved October 10, 2015.
  9. ↑ "APPLICATION FOR CONSENT TO ASSIGNMENT OF BROADCAST STATION CONSTRUCTION PERMIT OR LICENSE". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. April 9, 2015. Retrieved October 10, 2015.
  10. ↑ Shetter, Karianne (September 24, 2015). "WWPV The Mike: Same Sound, New Frequency". The Defender. Saint Michael's College . Retrieved October 10, 2015.
  11. 1 2 "Notification of Suspension of Operations / Request for Silent STA". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission . Retrieved October 10, 2015.
  12. ↑ "Consummation Notice". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. September 18, 2015. Retrieved October 10, 2015.
  13. ↑ "Call Sign History". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission . Retrieved October 10, 2015.
  14. ↑ "Cancellation (LMS File No. 252182)".
  15. ↑ Venta, Lance (August 25, 2024). "FCC Report 8/25: $3000 Fine Proposed Against Georgia FM For Late License Renewal Filing". RadioInsight.
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.