WSVU (960 AM) – branded as Radio Elite International – is a commercial Haitian Creole-language radio station licensed to North Palm Beach, Florida. Owned by Jean Altidore, through licensee United Group Elite Agency Investment LLC,[2] the station serves West Palm Beach and surrounding areas. Besides a standard analog transmission, the station also simulcasts over low-power FM translators W223CJ (92.5 FM) in West Palm Beach and W269DS (101.7 FM) in North Palm Beach. The WSVU studios are located in Palm Beach Gardens, while the station's transmitter is located in West Palm Beach.
| Broadcast area | West Palm Beach, Florida |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 960 kHz |
| Branding | Radio Elite International |
| Programming | |
| Format | Haitian Creole |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| History | |
First air date | October 13, 2003 |
Former call signs |
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| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 129188 |
| Class | B |
| Power |
|
Transmitter coordinates | 26°49′1.00″N 80°15′7.00″W / 26.8169444°N 80.2519444°W |
| Translator(s) |
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| Links | |
Public license information | |
History
editThe station got its Federal Communications Commission (FCC) construction permit in 2003 as WGGT. On October 28, 2005, the still unbuilt station changed its call sign to WPBI, and signed on the air in 2006.[3] Owned by Intermart Broadcasting of Southwest Florida, the original power was 1,200 watts by day, 250 watts at night.
The call letters were changed to WSVU on October 1, 2006;[4] carrying an adult standards music format and featuring news updates from CBS Radio News, the station was owned by North Palm Beach Broadcasting, Inc. On May 14, 2014, North Palm Beach Broadcasting announced that it had sold WSVU and its translators to JVC Media, pending FCC approval.[5] The sale closed effective September 8, 2014, at a purchase price of $850,000.
On October 6, 2014, WSVU and its FM translator at 95.9 MHz changed their format to soft adult contemporary, branded as "95.9 The Palm".[6]
On August 15, 2017, the oldies format of WBGF moved to WSVU.[7] The station used the syndicated network known as The True Oldies Channel.
By November 2017, JVC Media co-founder Vic Canales, in a deal worth $450,000, sold his ownership position in the company. Canales, better known by his on-air name "Vic Latino," stuck a deal to swap his stake in the nine-year old company for 960 WSVU in West Palm Beach. Canales exchanged his shares worth a combined $450,000 for WSVU and two translators: the North Palm Beach-licensed translator W240CI at 95.9 FM and the Jupiter-licensed translator W295BJ at 106.9 FM. Together the three signals were branded as "True Oldies Channel 95.9-106.9." The transaction was consummated on January 29, 2018. Once the deal closed, JVC Media of South Florida continued to own and operate WSWN 900 AM.[8]
WSVU dropped the "True Oldies" format on November 1, 2019 (which continues on W240CI and W295BJ; instead relaying WIRK's HD3 digital subchannel) and stunted with Christmas music during the holiday season as "Rudolph's Radio 92.7/101.7";[9] the stunt gave way to classic rock branded "The Surf 92.5/101.7" that December 25.[10]
On October 17, 2021, WSVU changed their format from classic rock to Haitian Creole language programming, branded as "Radio Elite International".[11] Effective November 16, 2021, Vic Canales sold WSVU to Jean Altidore's United Group Elite Agency Investment LLC for $1.1 million.
Translators
editWSVU rebroadcasts on the following two FM translators:
| Call sign | Frequency | City of license | FID | ERP (W) | HAAT | Class | FCC info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W223CJ | 92.5 FM | West Palm Beach, Florida | 158103 | 240 | 362 m (1,188 ft) | D | LMS |
| W269DS | 101.7 FM | North Palm Beach, Florida | 203263 | 190 | 166 m (545 ft) | D | LMS |
Previous logos
edit
References
edit- ^ "Facility Technical Data for WSVU". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ "WSVU Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
- ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 2007 page D-135
- ^ "WSVU Call Sign History". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
- ^ JVC Expands Into Palm Beach Area from Radio Insight (May 14, 2014)
- ^ "WSVU Grows A Palm". RadioInsight. October 6, 2014. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
- ^ Venta, lance (August 16, 2017). "True Oldies Moves In West Palm Beach On August 15, 2017". radioinsight. Retrieved August 16, 2017.
- ^ "Vic Latino Splits From JVC Broadcasting; Acquires West Palm Beach Station". RadioInsight. November 13, 2017. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
- ^ "Rudolph's Radio Brings Christmas To West Palm Beach". RadioInsight. November 2, 2019. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
- ^ "The Surf Debuts In West Palm Beach". RadioInsight. December 26, 2019. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
- ^ Palm Beaches Surf Is Out Following Sale Radioinsight - October 17, 2021
External links
edit- Facility details for Facility ID 129188 (WSVU) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- WSVU in Nielsen Audio's AM station database
- Facility details for Facility ID 158103 (W223CJ) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- W223CJ at FCCdata.org
- Facility details for Facility ID 203263 (W269DS) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- W269DS at FCCdata.org