WQSH (FM)
 |
 | |
| Broadcast area | Mohawk Valley, Oneonta, Utica-Rome |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 103.5 MHz |
| Branding | Alt 103.5 |
| Programming | |
| Format | Alternative rock |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| WQBK-FM | |
| History | |
First air date | 1986 (as WITU) |
Former call signs | WITU (1986-1988) WACS (1988-1989) WSHQ (1989-1994) |
Call sign meaning | Variation of former simulcast WQBK |
| Technical information | |
| Facility ID | 40769 |
| Class | B |
| ERP | 50,000 watts |
| HAAT | 150 meters (490 ft) |
| Links | |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | alt1035.com |
WQBJ is a radio station licensed to Cobleskill, New York and serving the Mohawk Valley and the western Capital District of New York as well as the Oneonta and Utica-Rome areas. The station is owned by Townsquare Media and broadcasts on 103.5 MHz at 50,000 watts ERP from a tower west of Cobleskill.
Station history
WQBJ signed on in 1986 as WITU with an adult contemporary format. It became WACS, in 1988, still adult contemporary at the time. In 1989, WACS was sold to the owners of 98.3 WSHZ and the took a simulcast of that station's adult contemporary, and later oldies format (SHO Radio) as WSHQ. The sale of WSHZ to the owners of WTRY-AM in 1992 led to a return to adult contemporary (albeit satellite fed) on 103.5 as a stop gap for the station before it was sold to then-WQBK-FM owner Maximum Media in 1994. Maximum Media changed the calls to the current WQBJ and used it to simulcast WQBK-FM's then-mainstream rock format (first Q-104, then The Edge) which would flip the next year to modern rock. Maximum Media was purchased by Radio Enterprises in 1996.
Radio Enterprises was bought out by Clear Channel Communications, which had owned a minority share of the company, in 1997 and in 1999 the Edge stations changed their formats to active rock, a format that remained through Clear Channel divesting the stations to Regent Communications (now Townsquare Media) in 2000.
The station continued to simulcast WQBK-FM until July 1, 2019. At that time, both stations directed listeners to WQSH as their longtime rock radio format moved to the 105.7 FM frequency.[1]
On August 1, 2019, WQBJ ended stunting and took WQSH's former alternative rock format as "Alt 103.5", putting the station in competition with Pamal Broadcasting's WINU. WQBK-FM, its former simulcast partner, launched a soft AC format as "103.9 The Breeze", putting that station in competition with Pamal's WROW and WYJB.[2]
References
- ^ Q103 Albany Moves to 105.7 Radioinsight - July 1, 2019
- ^ Alt 103.5 and 103.9 The Breeze Debut in Albany Radioinsight - August 1, 2019
External links
- Facility details for Facility ID WQBJ ({{{2}}}) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- {{{2}}} in Nielsen Audio's FM station database