WPMZ (1110 AM, "Poder 1110") is a radio station licensed to serve East Providence, Rhode Island, United States. The station is owned by Video Mundo Broadcasting Co., LLC. It airs a Spanish tropical format.[4] WPMZ is relayed on an FM translator: W271CR on 102.1 MHz. The station has been assigned the callsign WPMZ by the Federal Communications Commission since November 1, 1995.[2]
 | |
| |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Providence metropolitan area |
| Frequency | 1110 kHz |
| Branding | |
| Programming | |
| Format | Spanish tropical |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Video Mundo Broadcasting Co., LLC |
| History | |
First air date | April 15, 1947 |
Former call signs | |
| Technical information[3] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 4377 |
| Class | D |
| Power | 5,000 watts (daytime only) |
Transmitter coordinates | 41°49′40.36″N 71°22′7.2″W / 41.8278778°N 71.368667°W |
| Translator(s) | See § Translator |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live |
| Website | www |
History
editWPMZ was known as WHIM from its inception in 1947 until the 1990s. It was the first radio station to employ Jefferson Kaye as an announcer; Kaye (then known as Jeff Krimm) would move on to stations in Boston, Buffalo and Philadelphia.[5]
As WHIM
editA construction permit for a new daytime-only radio station was filed by Inter-City Broadcasting on July 29, 1946, and granted on October 17, 1946.[6] The station's first callsign was WKID, but was changed to WHIM on March 6, 1947, before the station signed on-air. WHIM signed on the air on April 15, 1947 with 1,000 watts of power (daytime only). A license to cover was filed for on June 24, 1947. Intercity Broadcasters would own the station until 1957, when it was sold to Buckley-Jaeger Broadcasting. Buckley-Jaeger owned the station until 1964, when it was sold to Golden Gate Corporation. Golden Gate would also sign on an FM sister station: WHIM-FM (now WHJY). Golden Gate sold WHIM-AM-FM to Culligan Communications Corporation in 1969. WHIM-AM-FM's ownership would change again 2 years later in 1971 to Franks Broadcasting. In 1979, Franks Broadcasting applied to increase the power on WHIM to 5,000 watts daytime and change the community of license to East Providence, Rhode Island. Franks sold WHIM-AM-FM to East Providence Broadcasting in 1980. East Providence Broadcasting sold WHIM to Bear Broadcasting (owner of then-WERI (AM) on March 8, 1989.[7]
As WWRX (AM), back to WHIM, and to WPMZ
editThe next callsign change would occur on February 22, 1992, when it changed to WWRX. The format would change to a relay of CNN as "1110 CNN". During this time, current WPRI-TV/WNAC-TV anchor Mike Montecalvo would be an anchor on the station.[8] The WHIM callsign would return on June 1, 1993, until changing to WPMZ on November 1, 1995. On the same date, the intellectual property of WHIM would switch to the former WKRI. Bear Broadcasting sold WPMZ to current owner Video Mundo Broadcasting in 1998.[9]
Former personalities
edit- Jefferson Kaye (as Jeff Krimm)
- Mike Montecalvo (1992, during the "1110 CNN" era)
Translator
edit| Call sign | Frequency | City of license | FID | ERP (W) | HAAT | Class | Transmitter coordinates | FCC info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W271CR | 102.1 FM | Providence, Rhode Island | 71534 | 99 | 0 m (0 ft) | D | 41°49′40.4″N 71°22′7.2″W / 41.827889°N 71.368667°W | LMS |
References
edit- ^ F.C.C.'s history cards for WPMZ; retrieved March 27, 2019.
- ^ a b "Call Sign History". FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database.
- ^ "Facility Technical Data for WPMZ". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ "Winter 2008 Station Information Profile". Arbitron.
- ^ Fybush, Scott (November 19, 2012). NERW 11/19/2012: Jeff Kaye, RIP – and Erie’s new CHR. NorthEast Radio Watch. Retrieved November 19, 2012.
- ^ F.C.C.'s history cards for WPMZ, p.3. Retrieved March 27, 2019.
- ^ Transfer of ownership from East Providence Broadcasting to Bear Broadcasting; retrieved March 28, 2019.
- ^ Rhode Island state senate bill S0851, dated April 15, 2015, honoring Mike Montecalvo's induction in the Rhode Island Radio Hall of Fame. Retrieved March 28, 2019.
- ^ BAL-19971015GL; retrieved March 28, 2019.
External links
edit- Official website
- Facility details for Facility ID 4377 (WPMZ) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- WPMZ in Nielsen Audio's AM station database
- Facility details for Facility ID 71534 (W271CR) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- W271CR at FCCdata.org