WUPE (AM) explained

WUPE
City:Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Country:US
Above:Simulcast of WUPE-FM, North Adams
Area:Berkshire Mountains
Branding:Whoopee
Airdate: (as WGRG)
Format:Classic hits
Power:5,000 watts day
Class:D
Facility Id:71436
Licensing Authority:FCC
Coordinates:42.4395°N -73.2912°W
Callsign Meaning:"Whoopie"[1]
Owner:Townsquare Media
Licensee:Townsquare License, LLC
Sister Stations:WBEC, WBEC-FM, WNAW, WSBS, WUPE-FM

WUPE (1110 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. It is owned by Townsquare Media and it simulcasts the classic hits format of 100.1 WUPE-FM. WUPE serves the Berkshire Mountains area. The station is a daytimer and must sign off the air at sunset, according to Federal Communications Commission rules.

By day, WUPE transmits with 5,000 watts, using a directional antenna,[2] but because 1110 AM is a clear channel frequency reserved for KFAB in Omaha and WBT in Charlotte, WUPE must be off the air at night, when radio waves travel further. Programming is also heard in Pittsfield on FM translator W277CJ at 103.3 MHz. That gives listeners three spots on the dial to hear WUPE: AM 1110, FM 100.1 and FM 103.3.

History

The station first signed on the air on September 9, 1971,[3] as progressive rock WGRG. WGRG became Top 40 WUPE in 1977. WUPE became WUHN, playing adult standards in the early 1980s. The format was flipped to oldies in 1990, and then to country music in 1996. The WUPE call letters were restored along with the oldies format in 2006.[4]

In August 2013, Gamma Broadcasting reached a deal to sell its Berkshire County radio stations, including WUPE, to Reed Miami Holdings;[5] the sale was canceled on December 30, 2013.[6] In August 2015, WUPE added an FM translator in the Pittsfield area. In October 2016, Gamma agreed to sell its stations to Galaxy Communications;[7] that sale also fell through, and in 2017 the stations were acquired by Townsquare Media.[8]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Call Letter Origins . Radio History on the Web .
  2. https://radio-locator.com/info/WUPE-AM Radio-Locator.com/WUPE-AM
  3. Book: Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 1999. 1999. D-212. October 3, 2012.
  4. Web site: WUPE Call Sign History . United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division .
  5. News: Western Massachusetts Cluster Sold. August 29, 2013. All Access. August 23, 2013.
  6. News: Venta. Lance. Pittsfield Cluster Sale Withdrawn. March 30, 2014. RadioInsight. January 14, 2014.
  7. News: Venta. Lance. Galaxy Communications Acquires Pittsfield Cluster. April 19, 2017. RadioInsight. October 17, 2016.
  8. News: Venta. Lance. Townsquare Media Acquires Six In Massachusetts. November 14, 2017. RadioInsight. July 18, 2017.