WPST
{{short description|Radio station in Trenton, New Jersey}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}{{Distinguish|text=former Miami, Florida, television station WPST-TV}}
{{More citations needed|date=September 2008}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name = WPST
| logo = Current_Logo_of_the_radio_station_WPST_on_94.5_FM.png
| city = Trenton, New Jersey
| country = US
| area = Central New Jersey, Delaware Valley
| branding = 94.5 PST
| airdate = {{start date and age|1965|08|07|p=y|br=yes}}
| frequency = 94.5 MHz {{HD Radio}}
| format = Contemporary hit radio
| erp = {{ubl|50,000 watts (horizontal)|48,000 watts (vertical)}}
| haat = {{Convert|150|m|ft|sp=us}}
| class = B
| licensing_authority = FCC
| facility_id = 25013
| coordinates = {{coord|40|11|21.8|N|74|50|47.6|W|type:landmark_region:US-NJ_source:FCC|name=WPST|display=inline,title}}
| callsign_meaning = "Passport" or "Passport Stereo Trenton"{{cite web |title=Call Letter Origins |url=http://www.oldradio.com/archives/nelson/origins.call-list.html |work=Radio History on the Web}}
| former_callsigns = {{ubl|WTTM-FM (1965–1969)|WCHR (1969–1998)|WNJO (1998–2002)|WTHK (2002–2005)}}
| owner = Townsquare Media
| licensee = Townsquare License, LLC
| sister_stations = WCHR, WKXW, WNJE
| webcast = {{listenlive|http://wpst.com/listen-live/}}
| website = {{url|https://wpst.com/}}
}}
WPST (94.5 FM, "94.5 PST") is a commercial radio station licensed to Trenton, New Jersey, airing a contemporary hit radio format. Owned by Townsquare Media,{{cite web|url=http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?call=WPST |title=WPST Facility Record |work=United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division }}{{cite web|url=http://www1.arbitron.com/sip/displaySip.do?surveyID=SU08&band=fm&callLetter=WPST|title=WPST Station Information Profile|publisher=Arbitron}} the station serves Central Jersey, the Delaware Valley, Philadelphia and its northern and eastern suburbs.{{cite web |url=https://www.fcc.gov/media/radio/map-display#appid=1799484&call=WPST&freq=94.5&contour=60&city=TRENTON&state=NJ&fileno=BMLH-20190128ABN&.map |title=60 dBu Service Contour for WPST, Trenton, NJ, 94.5 MHz BMLH-20190128ABN |website=fcc.gov |date=January 28, 2016 |publisher=Federal Communications Commission |access-date=January 26, 2020}}
The station's studio is located in the suburbs of Trenton in Ewing, New Jersey.{{Cite web |title=FM Station WPST - Station Information - FCC Public Inspection Files |url=https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/fm-profile/wpst#docs |access-date=February 13, 2024 |website=publicfiles.fcc.gov}} Its broadcast tower is located west of Morrisville, Pennsylvania, at ({{coord|40|11|21.8|N|74|50|47.6|W}}).{{cite web|url=https://transition.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/fmq?call=wpst |title=FM Query Results for WPST |website=fcc.gov |publisher=Federal Communications Commission |access-date=January 26, 2020}} In addition to a standard analog transmission, the station can be streamed available online.
History
On August 7, 1965, 94.5 signed on as WTTM-FM. It was owned by the Scott Broadcasting Company, Inc. of New Jersey and was the adjunct to WTTM (920 AM).{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/42521748/|title=FCC Approves Sale Of Trenton Station|date=October 11, 1963|access-date=January 18, 2020|work=Courier-Post|agency=Associated Press|page=8}} On February 1, 1969, WTTM-FM became WCHR, a religious station; in 1974, it was approved to increase its effective radiated power to 50,000 watts.{{Cite web|url= https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=80363 |title= History Cards for WPST|publisher=Federal Communications Commission}} (Guide to reading History Cards)
The Scott family sold WTTM and WCHR in 1996 for $20 million to Nassau Broadcasting Partners.{{cite news|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1996/R&R-1996-10-04.pdf|work=Radio & Records|title=Transactions|page=10|access-date=January 18, 2020|date=October 4, 1996}} The sale prompted immediate speculation that a format change was in the offing for WCHR.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/42522621/|date=January 8, 1997|title=Change is in the air for local radio scene|first=Chuck|last=Darrow|work=Courier-Post|page=12E|access-date=January 18, 2020}} That November, WCHR's religious programming began being simulcast on 920 AM. On February 27, 1998, the 94.5 frequency began stunting with construction sound effects.
On March 2, 1998, at 5:00 pm, 94.5 relaunched as "New Jersey's Oldies Station", with new WNJO call letters.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/42522715/|title=Not-so-oldies find home on 'new' station|first=Chuck|last=Darrow|work=Courier-Post|page=9TGIF|date=March 6, 1998|access-date=January 18, 2020}} The station's format of primary 1960s oldies was selected so as to avoid cannibalizing Nassau's other Trenton station, WPST (97.5 FM). The first request on the new WNJO was made by Governor Christine Whitman, who attended the launch.{{cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/42523087/|title=WBLS puts its money on veteran Doug Banks|page=D-5|work=Courier-News|date=March 5, 1998|access-date=January 18, 2020}}
WNJO brought in morning personality Don Kellogg Who was a ratings winner, but facing competition from WKXW which was moving in a 1970s direction, and inspired by the revenue success of a similar flip at Nassau's station in Allentown, Pennsylvania, WNJO became classic hits "The Hawk" on December 1, 2001{{cite news|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/2000s/2002/RR-2002-10-11.pdf|work=Radio & Records|date=October 11, 2002|title='Hawks' Soar to Ratings Heights|pages=22, 29|access-date=January 18, 2020}} and adopted WTHK call letters on August 1, 2002.
WPST's contemporary hit radio format moved from 97.5 to 94.5 on February 14, 2005, at 5 pm. At the same time, WTHK's programming moved to 97.5, which had been approved to move its community of license to Burlington, New Jersey, closer to Philadelphia.{{cite news|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/2000s/2005/RR-2005-01-14.pdf|date=January 14, 2005|title=Street Talk|page=18|access-date=January 18, 2020|work=Radio & Records}}
File:2024-11-15 12 14 23 The Townsquare Media Trenton offices in Ewing Township, Mercer County, New Jersey.jpg, co-located with the studios for New Jersey 101.5, 1040 WCHR and 920 WNJE]]
The station, along with nine other Nassau stations in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, was purchased at bankruptcy auction by NB Broadcasting in May 2012. NB Broadcasting is controlled by Nassau's creditors — Goldman Sachs, Pluss Enterprises, and P.E. Capital.{{cite news|title=10 Nassau Stations Go To NB Broadcasting LLC|url=http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/106532/10-nassau-stations-go-to-nb-broadcasting-llc|access-date=November 10, 2012|newspaper=All Access|date=May 30, 2012}}{{cite news|last=Pierce|first=David|title=Pocono radio stations now in the hands of creditors|url=http://www.poconorecord.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20120612/NEWS/206120329|access-date=November 10, 2012|newspaper=Pocono Record|date=June 12, 2012}} In November, NB Broadcasting filed a motion to assign its rights to the stations to Connoisseur Media.{{cite news|title=Connoisseur Moves To Assume Debtor's Bid To Buy 10 Nassau Stations, Including WPST|url=http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/112815/connoisseur-moves-to-assume-debtor-s-bid-to-buy-10|access-date=November 21, 2012|newspaper=All Access|date=November 21, 2012}} The sale to Connoisseur Media, at a price of $38.7 million, was consummated on May 29, 2013.
On March 22, 2018, it was announced that the station had been sold by Connoisseur Media to Townsquare Media (along with WNJE and WCHR) for a deal totaling $17.3 million.{{Cite web|title=Townsquare Adds CHR Powerhouse WPST To Its Trenton Talker WKXW.|url=http://www.insideradio.com/townsquare-adds-chr-powerhouse-wpst-to-its-trenton-talker-wkxw/article_7597048e-2dcb-11e8-8cf6-77d81d14ac56.html|website=Insideradio.com|date=March 22, 2018 |language=en}} The acquisition was finalized on July 2, 2018.
Signal note
WPST is short-spaced to two other Class B stations: WXBK 94.7 The Block (licensed to serve Newark, New Jersey) and WDAC (licensed to serve Lancaster, Pennsylvania). They are also short spaced due to WJLK-FM on 94.3 in Asbury Park.
WPST and WXBK operate on first adjacent channels (94.5 MHz and 94.7 MHz) and the distance between the stations' transmitters is 59 miles as determined by FCC rules.{{cite web|url=https://www.ecfr.gov/cgi-bin/retrieveECFR?gp=&SID=f3c56971693dd1afdad89a680fece345&mc=true&r=SECTION&n=se47.4.73_1208 |title=Reference points and distance computations. 47 CFR § 73.208 |access-date=August 22, 2021}} The minimum distance between two Class B stations operating on first adjacent channels according to current FCC rules is 105 miles.{{cite web|url=http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/pkg/CFR-2012-title47-vol4/pdf/CFR-2012-title47-vol4-sec73-207.pdf |title=Minimum distance separation between stations. 47 CFR § 73.207(b)(1) |access-date=January 26, 2020}}
WPST and WDAC operate on the same channel and the distance between the stations' transmitters is 76 miles as determined by FCC rules. The minimum distance between two Class B stations operating on the same channel according to current FCC rules is 150 miles.
See also
References
{{reflist}}
External links
{{commonscat}}
- {{Official website|https://wpst.com/}}
{{FM station data|25013|WPST}}
{{Trenton Radio}}
{{Philadelphia Radio}}
{{Townsquare Media}}
{{Philadelphia Morning Drive}}
{{Contemporary Hit Radio Stations in New Jersey}}
{{Trenton, New Jersey|state=collapsed}}
Category:Radio stations established in 1965
Category:Contemporary hit radio stations in the United States