WMCR (AM)

WMCR (1600 AM) is a radio station licensed to Oneida, New York, United States. The station is owned by Letitia and Robert English, through licensee Towercast Media, LLC.[1]

WMCR
Broadcast areaMohawk Valley
Frequency1600 kHz
Branding101.1 The Wave
Programming
FormatAdult contemporary
Ownership
Owner
  • Letitia and Robert English
  • (Towercast Media, LLC)
History
First air date
September 26, 1956 (1956-09-26) (as WONG)
Former call signs
WONG (1956–1961)
Call sign meaning
Madison County Radio
Technical information
Facility ID70890
ClassD
Power1,000 watts day
20 watts night
Transmitter coordinates
43°05′04″N 75°41′35″W
Translator(s)101.1 W266DJ (Oneida)
Links
Websitewmcramfm.com

History

The station signed on September 26, 1956[2] as WONG, owned by John J. Geiger;[3] it was transferred by 1959 to Madison County Broadcasting Corporation,[4] which changed the call letters to WMCR[5] on April 26, 1961[6] The station was sold to Chenor Communications in 1965,[7] and to Warren Broadcasting Company in 1969.[8]

At one time, the station simulcast with sister station WMCR-FM (106.3 FM, now WCIT-FM), which Warren signed on in 1972.[2] After co-owner Bill Warren died in 2005, his wife Vivian Warren maintained full ownership of the stations, but ultimately decided to sell in 2009 after receiving an offer from Leatherstocking Media Group.[9] Leatherstocking immediately announced plans to split the simulcast,[9][10] and did so on February 11, 2010, when WMCR began simulcasting WFBL, a talk radio station in Syracuse.[11]

On September 2, 2016, WMCR went silent. WMCR resumed broadcasting on July 21, 2017. Effective December 29, 2017, Leatherstocking Media sold WMCR to Towercast Media.

The station returned to the air in April 2019 with an adult contemporary format. Syracuse-based broadcaster Gary Dunes is the morning host and program director. Dunes left the station in 2020

Translator
Broadcast translator for WMCR
Call signFrequencyCity of licenseFIDERP (W)ClassTransmitter coordinatesFCC info
W266DJ 101.1 FMOneida, New York201474250D43°05′04″N 75°41′35″WLMS

References
  1. "WMCR Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  2. Broadcasting Yearbook 1981 (PDF). 1981. p. C-161. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 8, 2010. Retrieved February 14, 2010.
  3. Broadcasting Yearbook 1957 (PDF). 1957. p. 188. Retrieved February 14, 2010.
  4. Broadcasting Yearbook 1959 (PDF). 1959. p. B-197. Retrieved February 14, 2010.
  5. Broadcasting Yearbook 1961-62 (PDF). 1961. p. B-111. Retrieved February 14, 2010.
  6. "WMCR history cards" (PDF). CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved May 2, 2017.
  7. Broadcasting Yearbook 1967 (PDF). 1967. p. B-111. Archived from the original (PDF) on March 22, 2011. Retrieved February 14, 2010.
  8. Broadcasting Yearbook 1971 (PDF). 1971. p. B-143. Archived from the original (PDF) on October 8, 2010. Retrieved February 14, 2010.
  9. Fybush, Scott (March 23, 2009). "ABC's Weber Murdered in Brooklyn". NorthEast Radio Watch. Retrieved February 14, 2010.
  10. Migdail-Smith, Liam (July 3, 2009). "WMCR radio changing as it stays the same". The Oneida Daily Dispatch. Retrieved February 14, 2010.
  11. "Local Radio Listeners Now Have a New Option". Madison County Courier. February 11, 2010. Retrieved February 14, 2010.
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