WSTL (1220 AM, "La Mega 94.9") is a radio station licensed to serve Providence, Rhode Island. The station broadcasts a Spanish tropical format programmed by Radio Sharon Foundation. Its programming is also heard on translator stations in Providence, W229AN (93.7 FM) and W235CN (94.9 FM).
Known as WRIB from 1947 to July 7, 2006, the station changed its call sign to WSTL on July 7, 2006.[1]
History
The station was started in 1947 as a 250-watt daytimer, WRIB with studios at the old Narragansett Hotel.[3] In 1952, WRIB increased its daytime power to the current 1 kilowatt.
For many years, WRIB had aired mostly brokered programming, serving as an outlet for primarily ethnic broadcasters. Faith Christian Center, an evangelical megachurch in nearby Seekonk, Massachusetts, bought WRIB in 2005. While the station's time brokers had expected to be forced to find new homes for their programming, Faith Christian took WRIB off the air at 12:30 on July 7, 2006, with no advance warning, angering many of WRIB's former time brokers. The church only gave the time brokers a few hours to get their equipment out of the studios or face charges for trespassing.[4][5] Some shows continue on other stations (e.g.: the Armenian Radio Hour is now on WARA) but others disappeared.
On the morning of Friday, June 23, 2017, the station reported to be going off the air soon; it then went silent.[6][7][8][9] On November 29, 2017, WSTL returned to the air with Spanish tropical, branded as "Mega 94.9" (simulcast on FM translator W235CN 94.9 FM Providence).[10]
Translators
| Call sign | Frequency | City of license | FID | ERP (W) | Class | Transmitter coordinates | FCC info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W229AN | 93.7 FM | Providence, Rhode Island | 156667 | 250 (V) 0 (H) |
D | 41°49′15.4″N 71°23′5.2″W / 41.820944°N 71.384778°W | LMS |
| W235CN | 94.9 FM | Providence, Rhode Island | 41191 | 250 | D | 41°49′40″N 71°22′7″W / 41.82778°N 71.36861°W | LMS |
References
- ^ a b "Call Sign History". FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database.
- ^ "Facility Technical Data for WSTL". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ Boston Radio essays. Retrieved July 13, 2017.
- ^ "Providence Journal story from September 9, 2006". Archived from the original on November 2, 2010. Retrieved January 19, 2010.
- ^ All Access.com; July 11, 2006. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
- ^ WSTL Radio Ministry's Facebook Page
- ^ radio-locator.com
- ^ Remain silent authority request from the FCC's CDBS, filed June 30, 2017. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
- ^ W229AN's request for silent authority, filed June 30, 2017. Retrieved July 14, 2017.
- ^ Mega 94.9 Launches in Providence Radioinsight - November 29, 2017
External links
- Facility details for Facility ID 9183 (WSTL) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
- WSTL in Nielsen Audio's AM station database
- W229AN in the FCC FM station database
- W229AN at FCCdata.org
- W235CN in the FCC FM station database
- W235CN at FCCdata.org
- Boston Radio essay on Providence radio (incomplete)
- Armenian Radio Hour's take on the loss of WRIB
- Providence Journal story from September 9, 2006 Archived November 2, 2010, at the Wayback Machine
Recent Comments