WOLF (AM)

WOLF (1490 kHz) is a sports formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Syracuse, New York, serving the Syracuse metropolitan area. The station is 100% owned by Craig Fox, who also owns several other radio and low-power TV stations in the state of New York. The WOLF broadcast license is held by WOLF Radio, Inc.[6] The station is also simulcast on FM translator W223CP at 92.5 FM and WOSW (1300 AM) and W253BZ at 98.5 FM, Fulton, NY.

WOLF
Broadcast areaSyracuse metropolitan area
Frequency1490 kHz
BrandingFox Sports 1490
Programming
FormatSports
AffiliationsFox Sports Radio
Ownership
Owner
WMBO, WMVN, WSEN, WSIV, WFBL, WVOA-LD
History
First air date
May 5, 1940[2]
Former call signs
WNNR (April 1–October 23, 1989)[3]
WNYR (October 4, 1988–April 1, 1989)[3]
? (1981-October 4, 1988)
WOLF (1940–1981?)[4]
Call sign meaning
Wolf
Technical information[5]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID73380
ClassC
Power1,000 watts unlimited
Transmitter coordinates
43°3′30″N 76°10′0″W[3]
Translator(s)92.5 W223CP (Syracuse)
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen Live
Websitewww.foxsports1490.com

History

WOLF first signed on in Syracuse shortly after the start of World War II. Like all local-channel AMs, it was initially limited to only 250 watts of power. During the early 1960s it was permitted to raise daytime power to 1,000 watts, and increased night power to 1,000 watts a decade later along with nearly all other local-channel (Class C) AM stations in the United States. It long programmed a personality popular music format, and for many years was highly competitive within its signal area with stronger regional (Class B) signals from similarly formatted stations including WNDR and WFBL, although it was unable to achieve full metropolitan coverage especially after sunset.

Past radio personalities at WOLF include:

WOLF's last logo as "Radio Disney AM 1490," used until February 1, 2014

On May 3, 1999, WOLF (alongside WOLF-FM and WKGJ) became the Radio Disney affiliates in the Syracuse metropolitan area.[7][8] In June 2001, WBGJ started the simulcast of WOLF.[9] On November 25, 2006, WAMF also started the simulcast of WOLF as result of the sale of the station to Craig Fox;[10][11] although in October, the WAMF callsign was heard in the ID of Radio Disney stations in Syracuse.[12]

In December 2006, the FM stations split off and flipped to the MOViN format.[13] In September 2012, WAMF (now WOSW) dropped Radio Disney and flipped to Country.[14]

In December 2013, WMBO dropped the WOLF simulcast and flipped to all-Beatles programming.[15][16] On February 1, 2014, Radio Disney (as part of its phaseout of terrestrial broadcasting) canceled its affiliation with WOLF. WOLF was the last Radio Disney station not owned by the ABC, Inc. subsidiary of The Walt Disney Company. This resulted in the station going off-the-air as it transitioned to a new format, originally slated according to FCC filings to happen in August 2014.[17]

At the time, a construction permit was filed for a new FM translator at 93.9 FM by Pathway Community Radio, Inc. to simulcast WOLF.[18] However, this was never completed.

WOLF was still silent in January 2015. As a result, the station temporarily signed on with a simulcast of WNDR-FM to keep the station's license active.[19]

On July 20, 2015, the station flipped to sports as the Fox Sports Radio affiliate on the area. The station broadcasts the national network lineup.[20] Fox Sports Radio had previously been heard in the area on network owned-and-operated WHEN until late 2010.

In May 2017, the station began simulcasting on FM translator W223CP at 92.5 FM.

References
  1. Wolf Radio, Inc. (2013-12-16). "FCC 323: Ownership Report For Commercial Broadcast Stations - 20131216AAU". Retrieved 2014-01-20.
  2. Christiano, Bob (2006-12-24). "Historical Look at WOLF 1490: The WOLF Story". The WOLF 1490 Tribute Site. pp. Part 1. Retrieved 2007-10-19.
  3. "WOLF(AM)". FCCInfo. Cavell, Mertz & Associates, Inc. 2017-03-23. Retrieved 2017-03-23.
  4. Christiano, Bob (2006-12-24). "Historical Look at WOLF 1490: The WOLF Story". The WOLF 1490 Tribute Site. pp. Part 2. Retrieved 2007-10-19. Listeners' Network ... bought WOLF in January 1981 from Deer River Broadcasting. In July of last year, WOLF switched from Top 40 to country and western format.
  5. "Facility Technical Data for WOLF". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  6. "WOLF Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  7. North East RadioWatch: April 23, 1999
  8. North East RadioWatch: 1999 in Review
  9. North East RadioWatch: June 25, 2001
  10. Dark Days All Around
  11. Resumption of Operations - Federal Communications Commission
  12. CC Cutbacks in Rochester Claim Five Jobs - Fybush.com
  13. North East RadioWatch: 2006 in Review
  14. Naughton, Peter (September 10, 2012). Fulton's WOSW flips to classic country. CNYRadio.com. Retrieved September 10, 2012.
  15. All-Christmas “Holly-FM” stunting changes to all-Beatles format - CNYRadio.com
  16. WNDR’s Holly Gives Way To Beatles For Now - Radio Insight
  17. "Notification of Suspension of Operations / Request for Silent STA". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved February 11, 2014.
  18. WOLF goes dark - Radio Insight.
  19. Fybush, Scott (January 12, 2015). Salary Controversy Ousts Public TV Exec. NorthEast Radio Watch. Retrieved January 12, 2015. Fybush placed a free copy of this column on his Facebook account.
  20. WOLF-AM 1490 Relaunches as FOX Sports 1490AM in Syracuse - iHeart Oswego
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