WFID

WFID (95.7 FM), branded on-air as Fidelity, is a radio station licensed to serve Río Piedras, Puerto Rico, established in 1958. As of 2015 it is owned by the Uno Radio Group, and the broadcast license held by Madifide, Inc.

WFID
Broadcast areaSan Juan, Puerto Rico
Frequency95.7 MHz (HD Radio)
BrandingFidelity
Programming
Language(s)Spanish and English
FormatAdult Contemporary
AffiliationsiHeartMedia (2020–present)
Ownership
Owner
  • Uno Radio Group
  • (Madifide, Inc.)
WUNO/WPRP/WORA/WCMN
WPRM/WIVA/WRIO
WTOK-FM
WCMN-FM/WMIO
WNEL
History
First air date
November 17, 1958[1]
Call sign meaning
FIDelity
Technical information
Facility ID10063
ClassB
ERP50,500 watts
HAAT857.0 meters (2,811.7 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
18°16′0.00″N 68°58′5.00″W
Links
WebcastListen live (via iHeartRadio)
Websitefidelitypr.com

WFID broadcasts an Adult Contemporary music format.[2]

History
WZAR Radio Station at Puerto Viejo, Barrio Playa, Ponce, Puerto Rico

WFID's predecessor was Fidelity Broadcasting Corporation. The founders, Rafael Acosta and his wife Victoria Suarez, made their first broadcast from their house with a 250W FM transmitter on November 17, 1958 before hiring others. It was Puerto Rico's third FM radio station (along with WIOB in Mayagüez and WKAQ-FM in San Juan).

Logo until 2012.

Originally, WFID broadcast on 95.9 MHz, but this frequency was at that time catalogued as Class A, subject to power restrictions, so Acosta applied for a change to 95.7 MHz, class B, increased in 1962 to 12,500 watts. Acosta frequently travelled to the United States to stay up to date with technology, particularly the Gates transmitters and equipment. Acosta died in 1971, before FM became predominant. In 1962 it became the first FM radio station to broadcast in stereo in Puerto Rico and Latin America. After Acosta's death the station was managed by Suarez, known as Doña Vicky, and the Acostas' son José Julián and daughter Carola. In 1980 Beautiful Music Service began broadcasting music for businesses. In 1983 the recently acquired WUNO was turned into NotiUno, a newstalk radio station. As of 2015 the 50,000-watt WFID was owned and operated by Arso Radio Corporation under Jesús Soto, who had been a friend of Acosta's.

Carlos Montalbán, brother of Ricardo Montalbán was the principal announcer in the early 1970s. WFID was the first FM radio station to broadcast salsa in stereo, Saturday nights on their program "El Bailable Don Q". The program switched to Spanish ballads when the first salsa FM station came on the air. That radio station was Jesus Soto's WPRM-FM, SalSoul 98.

Satellites
Callsign Frequency City of license Broadcast Area ERP HAAT First air date Former callsigns Licensee
WFDT 105.5 FM Aguada 31,000 watts 560.0 meters (1,837.3 ft) April 20, 1977 WRFE (1977-1992)
WNNV (1992–2000)		 Arso Radio Corporation
WZAR 101.9 FM (HD Radio) Ponce 30,000 watts 789.0 meters (2,588.6 ft) March 17, 1966 WLEO-FM (1966-1979) Uno Radio of Ponce, Inc.

Programming
  • Amós en Fidelity
  • El Playlist
  • Fidelity Retro Lunch
  • El Happy Hour
  • De Vuelta a Casa
  • Fidelity Nocturno
  • Fidelity Dance Fever
  • Fidelity Gospel

In the seventies, WFID programs included:

  • Temas Musicales del Cine
  • Nuestra Estrella Invitada
  • Melodías Identificadas
  • Juntos Con Don Q (Saturday night, 1979)
  • Duos Musicales
  • Oldies Sábado en la noche (1980's)
  • The Music Man (Friday night)
  • Domingo de recuerdos.
  • Jazzeando, smooth jazz Sunday night, and other programs sponsored by different businesses.

In the sixties programming included segments like:

  • The General Electric Stereophonic hour (this is the time when they played the few stereophonic records they could find).
  • La Hora Hípica (with Pito Rivera Monge, network with WUNO, WLEO and WLEY among others).
  • El Bailable Don Q (Saturday night)

References
  1. "The Facilities of Radio". 1979 Broadcasting Yearbook. Washington, D.C.: Broadcasting Publications, Inc. 1979. p. C-251.
  2. "Station Information Profile". Arbitron.
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