WNED-FM
{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name = WNED-FM
| logo =
| city = Buffalo, New York
| area = {{ubl|Western New York|Toronto}}
| branding = BTPM Classical
| frequency = {{Frequency|94.5|MHz}} {{HD Radio}}
| airdate = {{start date and age|1960|06|06|p=y|br=yes}} (as WEBR-FM)
| language = English
| format = Classical music
| subchannels = HD2: "WBFO The Bridge" (AAA)
| erp = {{val|94000|u=watts|fmt=commas}}
| haat = {{convert|220.5|m|ft|0|abbr=out|sp=us}}
| class = B
| licensing_authority = FCC
| facility_id = 27669
| coordinates = {{coord|42|38|15|N|78|46|06|W|type:landmark_region:US_source:FCC}}
| callsign_meaning = same as WNED-TV
| former_callsigns = {{ubl|WEBR-FM (1960–1971)|WBCE (1971–1973)|WREZ (1973–1975)|WEBR-FM (1975–1976)}}
| owner = Buffalo Toronto Public Media
| licensee = Western New York Public Broadcasting Association
| sister_stations = {{hlist|WBFO|WNED-TV}}
| webcast = {{listenlive|https://www.btpm.org/listen/classical}}
| website = {{URL|https://www.btpm.org/listen/classical}}
}}
WNED-FM (94.5 MHz) is a non-commercial radio station licensed to Buffalo, New York. WNED-FM offers a classical music format. It is owned by the Western New York Public Broadcasting Association (formerly the Western New York Educational TV Association), doing business as Buffalo Toronto Public Media. The organization also operates Buffalo's PBS station, WNED-TV (channel 17), as well as a second radio station, WBFO (which offers a news/talk format and programming from NPR). While WNED-FM airs no commercials, it does conduct periodic pledge drives on the air to seek donations for the station. WNED-FM has local hosts in most day-parts, including weekends.
Programming on WNED-FM is simulcast on WNJA (89.7 FM) in Jamestown, New York, for listeners in Southwestern New York and some parts of Pennsylvania. WNED-FM's studios and offices are at Horizons Plaza on Lower Terrace in Buffalo, and the transmitter is off Zimmerman Road in Boston, New York.[http://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/patg?id=WNED-FM WNED-FM Radio Station Coverage Map] WNED-FM and TV also maintain an office in Toronto for listeners and contributors in Canada.
Superpower status
WNED-FM is a grandfathered "Superpower" Class B FM radio station, operating at 94,000 watts. WNED-FM is one of four Buffalo superpower FM stations, along with 92.9 WBUF, 99.5 WDCX-FM and 102.5 WBKV. Under current U.S. Federal Communications Commission rules, Class B FM stations are not allowed to exceed 50,000 watts ERP. WNED-FM at one time broadcast at 105,000 watts; however in 2012, it increased its antenna height due to "structural modifications" to the tower, at which time it also reduced its power.[https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbsmenu.hts?context=25&appn=101526622&formid=301&fac_num=27669 CDBS Print] WNED-FM's signal extends into Canada; as such, the station has listeners in Toronto and around the Niagara Peninsula of Ontario. However, WNED-FM may be difficult to tune in the Hamilton area, due to adjacent-channel interference from CHKX-FM 94.7.
History
WNED-FM first signed on as a commercial radio station on June 6, 1960, with the call letters WEBR-FM.Broadcasting Yearbook 1977 page C-139 It was a sister station to WEBR (which at the time was at AM 970, a frequency now occupied by WDCZ). On September 24, 1971, WEBR-FM was renamed WBCE; on May 21, 1973, it became WREZ, before returning to the WEBR-FM call sign on April 21, 1975.{{cite web |title=WNED-FM history cards |url=https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=70569 |website=CDBS Public Access |publisher=Federal Communications Commission |access-date=February 4, 2020 |format=PDF}} In 1975, the Western New York Educational TV Association bought it and AM 970 WEBR, turning both stations into non-commercial operations. On August 14, 1976, 94.5 was renamed WNED-FM, and the following year began offering a classical music format with Peter Goldsmith becoming music director there until his retirement in October 2009 (he died the following year).[https://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/73162/wned-f-buffalo-s-peter-goldsmith-dies WNED-F/Buffalo's Peter Goldsmith Dies|AllAccess.com]
WNED-FM, along with sister stations WBFO and WNED-TV, began collectively referring to themselves as Buffalo Toronto Public Media (BTPM) on February 4, 2020;{{cite news |last1=Pergament |first1=Alan |title=A brand change for Buffalo's public broadcasting stations embraces Canada |url=https://buffalonews.com/2020/02/04/a-brand-change-for-buffalos-public-broadcasting-stations-embraces-canada/ |access-date=February 4, 2020 |work=The Buffalo News |date=February 4, 2020 |language=en-us}} concurrently, WNED-FM amended its own branding from "Classical WNED 94.5" to "WNED Classical".{{cite news |title=What is Buffalo Toronto Public Media? |url=https://news.wbfo.org/post/what-buffalo-toronto-public-media |access-date=February 4, 2020 |work=WBFO |date=February 4, 2020 |language=en}} While the rebranding in part reflected WNED-TV's significant Canadian viewership and financial support, WNED officials told The Buffalo News that the organization's radio stations have minimal listenership in Canada. In April 2025, it further amended its branding to "BTPM Classical" to include the BTPM name.{{Cite web |date=April 4, 2025 |title=WBFO/WNED Consolidate Under BTPM Branding |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/298191/wbfo-wned-consolidate-under-btpm-branding/ |access-date=April 4, 2025 |website=RadioInsight |language=en-US}}
Local programming
WNED-FM has an extensive music library, which allows the station to produce local programming for most of its broadcast day. It collaborates with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra (conducted by JoAnn Falletta, who has her own weekday morning feature JoAnn's Classical Corner[https://bpo.org/enhance-your-listening/ Enhance Your Experience - BPO]) and other local ensembles as well as local school music departments.
HD Radio
WNED-FM operates in HD Radio. Its HD2 subchannel, which prior to November 2021 had carried a simulcast of WBFO, carries the JazzWorks network feed. JazzWorks had previously been heard on WBFO's subchannel before it launched an adult album alternative feed in its place in 2021.[https://radioinsight.com/headlines/215447/aaa-the-bridge-built-in-buffalo/ Adult Alternative Bridge Built In Buffalo] Radioinsight - November 23, 2021 As of 2024, The Bridge is duplicated on both WNED-HD2 and WBFO-HD2, eliminating the last vestiges of jazz programming in Buffalo.[https://www.wned.org/radio/radio-coverage-maps/ Radio Coverage Maps] (section: HD Radio). WNED.org. Retrieved June 25, 2024.
Repeater
{{RadioTranslators
| call1 = WNJA
| freq1 = 89.7
| watts1 = 6000
| class1 = B
| haat1 = 230
| fid1 = 71913
| city1 = Jamestown, New York
| coord1 = {{coord|42|02|48|N|79|05|25|W|type:landmark_region:US_source:FCC}}
}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|https://www.btpm.org/listen/classical}}
- {{FM station data|27669|WNED-FM}}
- {{FM station data|71913|WNJA}}
- [http://www.w9wi.com/articles/grand_fm.htm List of "grandfathered" FM radio stations in the U.S.]
{{Buffalo Radio}}
{{Jamestown NY Radio}}
{{Classical Radio Stations in New York}}
Category:Classical music radio stations in the United States