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'''WPTR''' (1240 [[AM broadcasting|AM]]) is a [[radio station]] located west of [[Schenectady, New York]], United States. The station serves the [[Albany, New York|Albany]] area as well as Schenectady. The station is owned by Empire Broadcasting Corporation.
'''WPTR''' (1240 [[AM broadcasting|AM]]) is a [[radio station]] located west of [[Schenectady, New York]], United States. The station serves the [[Albany, New York|Albany]] area as well as Schenectady. The station is currently owned by Area Independent Radio, Corp. <ref>Current owners</ref> and operates out of the Via Port Mall in Rotterdam, NY.

Empire has sold WPTR to a group led by Randall Hogue. WPTR studios are now located at ViaPort Mall in Schenectady and began broadcasting in November 2019<ref>Current owners</ref>.
<br />


==History==
==History==

Revision as of 13:10, 17 January 2020

WPTR
Broadcast areaAlbany, New York
Frequency1240 kHz
Programming
FormatClassic rock
Ownership
OwnerArea Independent Radio
WSSV, WABY
History
First air date
1942 (as WSNY)
Former call signs
WSNY (1942–1975)
WWWD (1976–1988)
WVKZ (1988–2012)
Call sign meaning
PaTRoon Broadcasting Company (original owners of WDCD)
Technical information
Facility ID8726
ClassC
Power1,000 watts unlimited
Transmitter coordinates
42°48′37″N 73°59′04″W / 42.81028°N 73.98444°W / 42.81028; -73.98444
Links
WebcastListen live
Websitewww.wptrradio.com

WPTR (1240 AM) is a radio station located west of Schenectady, New York, United States. The station serves the Albany area as well as Schenectady. The station is currently owned by Area Independent Radio, Corp. [1] and operates out of the Via Port Mall in Rotterdam, NY.


History

WPTR began as long running middle-of-the-road station WSNY in 1942. In 1968, WSNY flipped to Top 40, going into direct competition with more powerful and established stations WPTR (now WDCD) and WTRY (now WOFX). The format was initially a success. However, by the early 1970s, FM Top 40 began to take hold in the Albany market as well; by 1973, in addition to WPTR and WTRY, WSNY had to contend with WABY (now WAMC), WGFM (now WRVE), and WHSH (now WPYX). In 1974, WSNY left the air. In 1976, the station returned to the air as WWWD, with kind of a top 40/oldies hybrid format. WWWD began to add vast amounts of off-track betting racing to their schedule during the 1980s. In early 1988, the station became WVKZ and partially simulcasted WVKZ-FM (now WMHH), with their rock based top 40 format. WVKZ drifted through various formats during the 1990s, including classic country and talk, before flipping to oldies in 2004. In February 2009, WVKZ started broadcasting Scott Shannon's True Oldies network after broadcasting as "Real Oldies" since 2004.

Ernie Anastos sold his Albany-area stations—WVKZ, WABY, WQAR, and WUAM and its translator W291BY—to Empire Broadcasting Corporation in June 2012 at a purchase price of $1.2 million.[2] The transaction consummated on September 7, 2012. On September 8, 2012, the station adopted the historic WPTR call letters, formerly used on the stations now known as WDCD, WAJZ, and WMHH.[3] On June 7, 2013 WPTR changed their format to sports.[4] On June 27, 2016 WPTR changed their format from sports to a simulcast of business news-formatted WAIX 1160 AM Mechanicville, branded as "Empire News Network".[5] On May 15, 2018, WPTR and its sister AM stations went silent (off the air).[6]

History of call letters

The call letters WPTR were previously assigned to an AM station (later known as WDCD (AM)) in Albany, New York.[7]

References

  1. ^ Current owners
  2. ^ Pickney, Barbara (June 14, 2012). "Joe Reilly purchases 4 Albany area radio stations". The Business Review. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
  3. ^ "Media Bureau Call Sign Actions" (PDF). Federal Communications Commission. August 15, 2012. Retrieved August 17, 2012.
  4. ^ CBS Sports Radio Comes To Albany NY Radioinsight - June 7, 2013
  5. ^ Albany Trio Switches to Business Radioinsight - June 29, 2016
  6. ^ Trio of Albany AMs Go Silent Radioinsight - May 17, 2018
  7. ^ "WPTR, Owned by Theatre Chain, Starts in Albany" (PDF). Broadcasting. August 9, 1948. Retrieved 29 December 2014.