WWCO

Last updated
WWCO
Simulcasts WRYM New Britain
Broadcast area Greater Waterbury
Frequency 1240 kHz
BrandingViva Radio
Programming
Format Spanish contemporary - tropical - reggaeton
Ownership
OwnerTrignition Media, LLC
WCUM, WRYM
History
First air date
1946;78 years ago (1946) [1]
Call sign meaning
Waterbury, Connecticut
Technical information [2]
Licensing authority
 FCC
Facility ID 40678
Class C
Power 1,000 watts unlimited
Transmitter coordinates
 41°33′59.35″N73°3′21.39″W / 41.5664861°N 73.0559417°W / 41.5664861; -73.0559417
Translator(s) 106.3 W292FI (Waterbury)
Links
Public license information
Webcast Listen live
Website www.vivazona.com

WWCO (1240 kHz; "Viva Radio") is a commercial radio station licensed to Waterbury, Connecticut, and owned by David Webster's Trignition Media LLC. WWCO is a simulcast of its sister station in New Britain, WRYM (840 AM); the stations' programming is also heard on WCUM (1450 AM) in Bridgeport. [3] [4] WWCO, WRYM, and WCUM all air a Spanish contemporary hit radio format, including tropical music and reggaeton.

Contents

WWCO transmits with 1,000 watts non-directional. The transmitter is on Thomaston Avenue in Waterbury, near the Naugatuck River. [5] Programming is also heard on 200-watt FM translator W292FI on 106.3 MHz in Waterbury. [6]

History

Top 40 hits

WWCO signed on the air in 1946. It was originally powered at 250 watts. It was a network affiliate of the Mutual Broadcasting System with studios in the Mattatuck Historical Society Building at 119 West Main Street. As network programming moved from radio to television in the 1950s, WWCO had a format that was mostly pop music.

By the 1960s, WWCO was the first station in Waterbury to play rock and roll records and had a Top 40 format. On-air personalities during this era included Bob "Records" Crager, Les Davis, Joe Mulhall (later known as Ken Griffin in Hartford and Los Angeles), Bob Rouge and "Wildman Steve" Gallon. Davis and WWCO were featured in an article in the April 25, 1955, edition of Life magazine.

During the 1960s and the 1970s, WWCO was owned by TV entertainer Merv Griffin and operated as "1240 Super Music C-O". In 1967, WWCO added an FM station, WWCO-FM 104.1 (now WMRQ-FM). On-air personalities during this era included Tom Collins, later known as Joe Cipriano, the voice of the Fox network, CBS and NBC.

Adult contemporary and oldies

The station evolved from Top 40 to an adult contemporary format (called "All-Star Music WWCO") at about the same time as WKCI (KC-101) switched from easy listening to adult top 40 as "KC-101". WKCI's switch to the new format may have hastened WWCO's departure from Top 40. Some WWCO personalities left to take jobs at KC-101.

In 1984, WWCO was sold to Westport resident Sam Brownstein and abandoned the "All-Star" format. It switched to 1950s and 1960s oldies under the direction of program director Mike Dowling.

Urban nights

The station found success with a night–time urban contemporary format called "Nightflight" which it used from 1984 to 1989. Ricky "J" was one of the DJs. Later[ when? ] financial issues caused WWCO to terminate some of its personalities and to carry Unistar's "Niche 29" adult album rock (AOR) format.

WWCO was sold to Winthrop Broadcasting, whose relatives owned Waterbury's WQQW (1590 AM; now silent). WWCO relocated from its longtime location on the Straits Turnpike in Middlebury to a new studio in Waterbury. By 1990, WWCO again returned to its old Top 40 format, again as "1240 Super Music 'C-O". Steve Skipp returned for a short tenure as program director, after which Wally Mann succeeded him and continued in that position as the station switched back to an oldies format.

General manager Tom Coffey and former WWYZ salesman Rob Johnson formed Mattatuck Communications and purchased the station. The studios moved to a new location.[ when? ] While most AM stations had already abandoned contemporary music, WWCO, and its on-air talent, continued into the early 1990s.

Buckley Broadcasting and Connoisseur Media

WWCO was then[ when? ] sold to Connecticut-based Buckley Broadcasting, the parent of WDRC in Hartford. WWCO moved to WDRC's studios in Bloomfield and began broadcasting the same programming as WDRC. WDRC's talk radio format was known as "The Talk of Connecticut". It also included AM stations in Meriden and Torrington.

On March 5, 2014, Buckley Broadcasting announced that it would sell its Connecticut radio stations, including WWCO, to Connoisseur Media. [7] The sale was consummated on July 7, 2014 at a price of $7,922,035.

Trignition Media

WWCO was not included in the 2018 sale of WDRC and the other "Talk of Connecticut" stations to Red Wolf Broadcasting, [8] which was completed on March 29, 2018. [9] Instead, the station was sold to Trignition Media, owner of WRYM in New Britain, for $260,000. [10]

In February 2018, WWCO left the "Talk of Connecticut" network and began simulcasting WRYM's "Viva" tropical format. [11] Trignition Media's purchase of the station was completed on February 22, 2019. [12] Both stations acquired translators so their programming could be heard on the FM band.

FM translator

Call sign Frequency City of license FID ERP (W) HAAT Class Transmitter coordinatesFCC info
W292FI106.3 FM Waterbury, Connecticut 2007422500  m (0  ft)D 41°31′4.3″N73°1′7.3″W / 41.517861°N 73.018694°W / 41.517861; -73.018694 (W292FI) LMS

Related Research Articles

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

WTIC is a commercial AM radio station in Hartford, Connecticut. It airs a news/talk format and is owned by Audacy, Inc. The station's studios and offices are on Executive Drive in Farmington.

WTIC-FM is a commercial radio station in Hartford, Connecticut. It is owned by Audacy, Inc. and broadcasts a hot adult contemporary radio format. The station's studios and offices are located on Executive Drive in Farmington.

WAVZ is a radio station broadcasting a sports radio format. Licensed to New Haven, Connecticut, United States, the station is owned by iHeartMedia.

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

WMRQ-FM (104.1 MHz) is an alternative rock radio station licensed to Waterbury, Connecticut, and serving Greater Hartford and New Haven. WMRQ-FM is owned by Full Power Radio and has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 14,000 watts. Its transmitter is on West Peak in Meriden, Connecticut. Its tower is shared with former sister station 95.7 WKSS. WMRQ-FM's studios and offices are located on Blue Hills Avenue in Bloomfield, Connecticut, with its other co-owned radio stations.

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

WHCN is a commercial radio station licensed to Hartford, Connecticut. It broadcasts a classic hits radio format for the Hartford, Waterbury and New Haven areas, and is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. It is branded "The River 105.9", a reference to the Connecticut River. Its studios and offices are located on Columbus Boulevard in Hartford.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WRCH (FM)</span> Adult contemporary radio station in New Britain–Hartford, Connecticut

WRCH is a commercial radio station licensed to New Britain, Connecticut, and serving the Greater Hartford and New Haven areas. It is owned by Audacy, Inc. and airs an adult contemporary radio format.

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

WDRC-FM is a radio station with a classic rock format licensed to Hartford, Connecticut. The station began broadcasting in 1959 and was the first commercial FM station in the Hartford radio market. The station is owned by John Fuller's Red Wolf Broadcasting Corporation, with studios located on Blue Hills Avenue in Bloomfield, Connecticut, with other radio stations and a transmitter site in Meriden, Connecticut.

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

WWYZ is a commercial radio station licensed to Waterbury, Connecticut, and serving the Waterbury, Hartford and New Haven areas. It is owned by iHeartMedia, and airs a country music radio format.

WERB is the call sign of the FM non-commercial educational high school radio station licensed to the Berlin Board of Education in Berlin, Connecticut. The studios are located at Berlin High School.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WHYN-FM</span> Radio station in Springfield, Massachusetts

WHYN-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to Springfield, and serving the Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts. It airs a hot adult contemporary format and is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. It carries several nationally syndicated shows from co-owned Premiere Networks, including On with Mario Lopez weekday evenings and American Top 40 with Ryan Seacrest on Sundays. The studios and offices are in downtown Springfield's "Marketplace" along with sister stations 560 WHYN, and 100.9 WRNX.

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

WICC is a commercial AM radio station in Bridgeport, Connecticut, owned by Connoisseur Media. It airs as a news–talk radio format featuring local shows with Melissa Sheketoff, Lisa Wexler and Paul Pacelli. Nationally syndicated programs include Erick Erickson, Lars Larson, Dave Ramsey and Red Eye Radio. Weekends feature shows on safe money, music with the Oh Wow Oldies Show, featuring DJ Rob Ray. Most hours begin with world and national news from CBS News Radio. WICC was formerly a member of the New York Yankees Radio Network and formerly aired Sacred Heart University athletics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WPOP</span> News/talk radio station in Hartford, Connecticut

WPOP is a commercial radio station in Hartford, Connecticut, broadcasting a news–talk–sports radio format. The station is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. The studios and offices are located on Columbus Boulevard in Hartford.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WDRC (AM)</span> News/talk radio station in Hartford, Connecticut

WDRC is a commercial AM radio station in Hartford, Connecticut. It is owned by Full Power Radio and airs a conservative talk radio format. The studios and transmitter site are located on Blue Hill Avenue in Bloomfield, Connecticut, with other radio stations.

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

WILS is a commercial radio station in Lansing, Michigan. It is owned by MacDonald Broadcasting and airs a talk radio format. It features a local news department and a mixture of local and national talk personalities. The studios and offices are on West Cavanaugh Street in Lansing.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KNZR-FM</span> Radio station in Shafter, California

KNZR-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to Shafter, California, and broadcasting to the Bakersfield radio market. KNZR-FM airs a conservative talk radio format. It is owned by Alpha Media, LLC, through licensee Alpha Media Licensee LLC. The studios and offices are on Pegasus Drive in Bakersfield.

WCUM is a radio station broadcasting a Spanish tropical format. Licensed to Bridgeport, Connecticut, United States, it serves the Bridgeport area. WCUM’s transmitter and studios are both located on State Street and Chopsey Road in Bridgeport. The station is owned by David Webster, through licensee Trignition Media, LLC. WCUM is a simulcast of WRYM in New Britain and WWCO in Waterbury.

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

WELI is an AM commercial radio station licensed to New Haven, Connecticut, and serving the New Haven and Bridgeport areas. It broadcasts a news/talk radio format and is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. WELI's studios are in Radio Towers Park on Benham Street in Hamden, where it shares facilities with sister stations WKCI-FM and WAVZ. Transmitting towers for WELI are also at this location.

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

WRYM is a commercial radio station licensed to New Britain, Connecticut, and serving the Hartford metropolitan area. The station is owned by licensee Trignition Media, LLC. It simulcasts a Spanish-language contemporary hit radio format, including tropical music and reggaeton, with sister stations WWCO 1240 AM in Waterbury and WCUM 1450 AM in Bridgeport. WRYM's studios are located in Newington, Connecticut, in front of its radio towers on Willard Avenue at Robbins Avenue.

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

WBOM is a commercial radio station licensed to Meriden, Connecticut, and covering Central Connecticut. The station broadcasts an urban adult contemporary format, aimed at the Hartford area. The station is owned by Full Power Radio, through Red Wolf Broadcasting Corporation. WBOM's programming is also heard on FM translator W273DS (102.5); the station's branding emphasizes the FM frequency.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WSNG</span> Radio station in Torrington, Connecticut

WSNG is a radio station licensed in Torrington, Connecticut, broadcasting a talk radio format. WSNG is simulcasting 1360 WDRC (AM), Hartford. The stations use the slogan "The Talk of Connecticut" featuring Mornings with Gary Byron and syndicated programs the rest of the day, including Michael Savage. The station is owned by Red Wolf Broadcasting and features programming from Fox News Radio, Salem Radio Network, and Westwood One. The Talk of Connecticut stations also broadcast sporting events such as New York Yankees major league baseball, New Britain Rock Cats minor league baseball, Hartford Hawks college basketball and high school sports.

References

  1. ↑ Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2009 (PDF). 2009. p. D-126. Retrieved February 10, 2019.
  2. ↑ "Facility Technical Data for WWCO". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  3. ↑ "WWCO Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  4. ↑ "WWCO Station Information Profile". Arbitron.
  5. ↑ Radio-Locator.com/WWCO
  6. ↑ Radio-Locator.com/W292FI
  7. ↑ Fillo, Maryellen (March 5, 2014). "Buckley Sells WDRC And CT Stations To Connoisseur". Hartford Courant . Archived from the original on March 5, 2014. Retrieved March 5, 2014.
  8. ↑ "Connoisseur Sells Hartford's WDRC, 3 Others to Red Wolf". Inside Radio. January 16, 2018. Retrieved February 9, 2019.
  9. ↑ Cooper, Joe (March 30, 2018). "Red Wolf completes purchase of five CT radio stations". Hartford Business Journal. Retrieved February 9, 2019.
  10. ↑ "Connoisseur Sells Last 'Talk Of Connecticut' Signal". Inside Radio. January 18, 2018. Retrieved February 10, 2019.
  11. ↑ Venta, Lance (February 13, 2018). "Viva Expands In Connecticut". RadioInsight. Retrieved February 10, 2019.
  12. ↑ "Consummation Notice". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission . Retrieved April 25, 2019.
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.