WXXI (AM)

WXXI (1370 kHz) is a non-commercial AM radio station in Rochester, New York. It broadcasts news, talk and informational programming as a member station of National Public Radio (NPR). WXXI, along with WXXI-FM (105.9), WXXO (91.5 FM), and WXXI-TV (channel 21), are owned by the WXXI Public Broadcasting Council. The studios and offices are on State Street in Rochester at the Public Broadcasting Center. WXXI holds periodic on-air fundraisers to support the station.

WXXI
Frequency1370 kHz
BrandingWXXI News
Programming
FormatPublic radio (news, talk, information)
Affiliations
Ownership
OwnerWXXI Public Broadcasting Council
History
First air date
October 27, 1936 (1936-10-27)
Former call signs
  • WSAY (1936–1982)
  • WRTK (1982–1984)
Former frequencies
  • 1210 kHz (1936–1941)
  • 1240 kHz (1941–1942)
Call sign meaning
derived from WXXI-TV ("XXI" is the Roman numeral for 21, WXXI-TV's channel number)
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID74220
ClassB
Power5,000 watts
Transmitter coordinates
43°06′01″N 77°34′23″W
Translator(s)107.5 W298CH (Rochester)
Repeater(s)
Links
Public license information
WebsiteWXXI.org

WXXI is powered at 5,000 watts, non-directional by day. At night, to protect other stations on 1370 AM from interference, it uses a directional antenna with a four-tower array. The transmitter is on French Road in Brighton.[2] Programming is also heard on WXXI-FM, 250-watt FM translator W298CH at 107.5 MHz in Rochester and on an HD Radio digital subchannel of WXXO.[3]

Programming

Most of WXXI's weekday programming comes from NPR, along with local newscasts. NPR shows include Morning Edition, All Things Considered, Fresh Air, 1A, Marketplace and Here and Now. Weekdays at noon and repeated at 9 p.m., a local two-hour interview and call-in show is heard, Connections with Evan Dawson. The BBC World Service airs overnight.

On weekends, shows from NPR are heard along with local newscasts. Programs include Wait, Wait, Don't Tell Me, It's Been A Minute, On The Media, Hidden Brain, TED Radio Hour, Radio Lab, Latino USA, Travel with Rick Steves, The Splendid Table, Milk Street Radio and The New Yorker Radio Hour. WXXI has won numerous local, state and national awards for its programs, newscasts and investigative reporting.

History
Headquarters in Rochester, New York

WSAY

The station signed on the air on October 27, 1936, as WSAY. It was a facility founded and built by Gordon P. Brown as a small local area station with a 250 watt signal on 1210 kHz. As a result of the North American Regional Broadcasting Agreement (NARBA), it moved to 1240 kHz in 1941. In the pre-war era WSAY became best known as the home of local music programs at a time when its network-affiliated competitors were airing a mix of local news and sports with national drama, comedy and music/variety shows supplied by the NBC and CBS networks. WSAY also was the first station to hire an African-American announcer for a regular shift.

Following World War II, WSAY received FCC permission to improve its signal by moving to the regional 1370 kHz frequency. It relocated its transmitter from a downtown Rochester building with rooftop antenna to a modern four-tower plant in suburban Brighton. It increased power first to 1,000 watts and shortly afterward to 5,000 watts full-time. Over the next three decades, WSAY operated under a number of formats, from adult standards to Top 40 to Progressive Rock to Country music.

WRTK

Gordon Brown owned WSAY until his death in 1979. His estate sold it to future Cumulus Media CEO Lew Dickey and his family.

The Dickey family operated 1370 AM from 1980 to 1984. It also tried a variety of formats from personality adult contemporary to country to talk radio. In 1982, the call sign was switched to WRTK.

Public radio

The license and facility was sold to the WXXI Public Broadcasting Council in early 1984. It briefly was taken dark as it prepared for a new format. In the summer 1984, it relaunched as WXXI (AM) with a round-the-clock noncommercial schedule of news, talk and public affairs. While the AM station focused on spoken-word programming, its sister station, WXXI-FM (91.5) was able to offer a full schedule of classical music.

On January 10, 2014, WXXI began simulcasting on FM translator W266CL. It originally was heard on 101.1 MHz. It moved to 107.5 FM on October 4, 2016, and the call sign was changed to W298CH.[4] In August 2023, WXXI entered into an agreement to sell W298CH to the Ibero-American Action League, owners of WEPL-LP, pending FCC approval.[5]

On October 7, 2022, WXXI announced its purchase of the license of WJZR (105.9 FM).[6] WXXI announced its intention to relaunch 105.9 under a new call sign with a simulcast of WXXI (AM)'s public radio programming;[7] the new WXXI-FM went on the air May 24, 2023.[8]

References
  1. "Facility Technical Data for WXXI". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. Radio-Locator.com/WXXI-AM
  3. Radio-Locator.com/W298CH
  4. "Call Sign History".
  5. Jacobson, Adam (August 11, 2023). "WXXI Spins FM Translator As Part of Spoken Word Upgrade | Radio & Television Business Report". Retrieved September 18, 2023.
  6. Venta, Lance (October 7, 2022). "Station Sales Week Of 10/7: WXXI Expands In Rochester - RadioInsight". RadioInsight. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
  7. Spevak, Jeff (October 7, 2022). "WXXI signals intention to acquire new FM radio frequency". WXXI News. Retrieved February 23, 2023.
  8. Venta, Lance (May 24, 2023). "WXXI Rochester Launches 105.9 WXXI-FM". Retrieved May 24, 2023.
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