WPVQ-FM

WPVQ-FM
Greenfield, Massachusetts; United States;
Frequency	95.3 MHz (HD Radio)
Branding	Bear Country 95.3
Programming
Format	Country
Subchannels	HD2: Soft AC "EZ 107.5"; HD3: Classic country "92.3 The Outlaw";
Affiliations	Compass Media Networks; Westwood One; New England Patriots Radio Network;
Ownership
Owner	Saga Communications; (Saga Communications of New England, LLC);
Sister stations	WHAI, WIZZ, WRSI
History
First air date	July 26, 1981
Former call signs	WRSI (1981–2001); WPVQ (2001–2018);
Technical information
Licensing authority	FCC
Facility ID	54780
Class	A
ERP	610 watts
HAAT	224 meters (735 ft)
Transmitter coordinates	42°41′53.3″N 72°36′18.3″W / 42.698139°N 72.605083°W
Translator(s)	HD2: 107.5 W298CA (Greenfield); HD3: 92.3 W222CH (Greenfield);
Links
Public license information	Public file; LMS;
Webcast	Listen live; Listen live (HD2); Listen live (HD3)
Website	bear953.com; ez1075.com (HD2); outlaw923.com (HD3)

WPVQ-FM (95.3 MHz, "Bear Country 95.3") is a radio station licensed to serve Greenfield, Massachusetts. The station is owned by Saga Communications and licensed to Saga Communications of New England, LLC; it operates as part of Saga's Western Mass Radio Group. WPVQ-FM airs a country music format.^[4]

History

In August 1996, Dynacom purchased WRSI (95.3 FM) and WGAM from Radio Skutnik, Inc. (Ed Skutnik, owner) for a reported sale price of $650,000.^[5] In August 1999, Vox Media Corp. purchased Dynacom and all of its radio assets, including WRSI, for a reported $5.5 million.^[6]

In July 2000, Vox purchased WPVQ (93.9 FM) from Cardwell Broadcasting for a reported sale price of $2.925 million.^[7]

In February 2001, WPVQ swapped frequencies with WRSI so that WRSI now broadcasts on 93.9 MHz from Turners Falls, Massachusetts, and WPVQ broadcasts on its current 95.3 MHz.^[8] The 95.3 FM station was assigned the WPVQ call letters by the Federal Communications Commission on February 1, 2001.^[2]

In December 2003, Saga Communications announced that it had reached an agreement to purchase WRSI (93.9 FM) and WPVQ (95.3 FM) plus WRSY (101.5 FM) from Vox.^[9] The $7 million deal closed in April 2004.^[10] The station's call sign was modified to WPVQ-FM on October 5, 2018.^[2]

HD subchannels

On February 1, 2021, WPVQ-FM launched a soft adult contemporary format on its HD2 subchannel, branded as "EZ 107.5"; the branding reflects its carriage on translator W298CA (107.5 FM) in Greenfield.^[11]

As of November 2022^[update], WPVQ-FM's HD3 subchannel serves as the origination for the classic country format, branded "92.3 The Outlaw", carried on W222CH (92.3 FM) in Greenfield. The "Outlaw" programming and the 92.3 translator had been associated with WPVQ (700 AM) prior to Saga's sale of that station in 2022.^[12]

Call sign	Frequency	City of license	FID	ERP (W)	Class	Transmitter coordinates	FCC info	Notes
W298CA	107.5 FM	Greenfield, Massachusetts	25008	250	D	42°35′20.3″N 72°37′3.3″W / 42.588972°N 72.617583°W / 42.588972; -72.617583 (W298CA)	LMS	Relays HD2
W222CH	92.3 FM	Greenfield, Massachusetts	140079	250	D	42°34′15.1″N 72°38′41.1″W / 42.570861°N 72.644750°W / 42.570861; -72.644750 (W222CH)	LMS	Relays HD3

References

^ Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2009 (PDF). 2009. p. D-271. Retrieved August 7, 2018.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Call Sign History". FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database.
^ "Facility Technical Data for WPVQ-FM". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
^ "Station Information Profile". Arbitron. Archived from the original on March 1, 2010.
^ Fybush, Scott (August 28, 2006). "Entercom's Big Week". NorthEast Radio Watch.
^ Fybush, Scott (August 6, 1999). "Sales Galore". NorthEast Radio Watch.
^ "Changing Hands". Broadcasting & Cable. July 31, 2000.
^ Fybush, Scott (December 31, 2001). "2001: The Year in Review". NorthEast Radio Watch.
^ Fybush, Scott (December 29, 2003). "Saga Adds in Pioneer Valley". NorthEast Radio Watch.
^ Fybush, Scott (April 12, 2004). "Nassau Shakeup in Maine". NorthEast Radio Watch.
^ Saga Gets EZ In Greenfield MA Radioinsight - February 12, 2021
^ Venta, Lance (November 4, 2022). "Station Sales Week Of 11/4". RadioInsight. Retrieved November 4, 2022.

External links

Official website
Facility details for Facility ID 54780 (WPVQ-FM) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
WPVQ-FM in Nielsen Audio's FM station database
Facility details for Facility ID 140079 (W222CH) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
W222CH at FCCdata.org
Facility details for Facility ID 25008 (W298CA) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
W298CA at FCCdata.org

This article about a radio station in Massachusetts is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[by2009-1] Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2009 (PDF). 2009. p. D-271. Retrieved August 7, 2018.

[fcc1-2] "Call Sign History". FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database.

[3] "Facility Technical Data for WPVQ-FM". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.

[arb1-4] "Station Information Profile". Arbitron. Archived from the original on March 1, 2010.

[5] Fybush, Scott (August 28, 2006). "Entercom's Big Week". NorthEast Radio Watch.

[6] Fybush, Scott (August 6, 1999). "Sales Galore". NorthEast Radio Watch.

[7] "Changing Hands". Broadcasting & Cable. July 31, 2000.

[8] Fybush, Scott (December 31, 2001). "2001: The Year in Review". NorthEast Radio Watch.

[9] Fybush, Scott (December 29, 2003). "Saga Adds in Pioneer Valley". NorthEast Radio Watch.

[10] Fybush, Scott (April 12, 2004). "Nassau Shakeup in Maine". NorthEast Radio Watch.

[11] Saga Gets EZ In Greenfield MA Radioinsight - February 12, 2021

[ri-wpvqoutlawhd3-12] Venta, Lance (November 4, 2022). "Station Sales Week Of 11/4". RadioInsight. Retrieved November 4, 2022.

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