WPVQ-FM

{{Infobox radio station

| name = WPVQ-FM

| logo = WPVQ logo.png

| logo_size = 230px

| city = Greenfield, Massachusetts

| country = US

| area =

| branding = Bear Country 95.3

| frequency = 95.3 MHz {{HD Radio}}

| translator = {{ubl|{{Radio Relay|107.5|W298CA|Greenfield|HD2}}|{{Radio Relay|92.3|W222CH|Greenfield|HD3}}}}

| airdate = July 26, 1981{{cite book|title=Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2009|year=2009|page=D-271|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/2009/Radio-GA-MT-BC-YB-2009.pdf|access-date=August 7, 2018}}

| format = Country

| subchannels = {{ubl|HD2: Soft AC "EZ 107.5"|HD3: Classic country "92.3 The Outlaw"}}

| erp = 610 watts

| haat = {{convert|224|m|ft|sp=us}}

| class = A

| facility_id = 54780

| licensing_authority = FCC

| coordinates = {{coord|42|41|53.3|N|72|36|18.3|W|region:US-MA_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}

| callsign_meaning =

| former_callsigns = {{ubl|WRSI (1981–2001)|WPVQ (2001–2018)}}

| affiliations = {{ubl|Compass Media Networks|Westwood One|New England Patriots Radio Network}}

| owner = Saga Communications

| licensee = Saga Communications of New England, LLC

| sister_stations = WHAI, WIZZ, WRSI

| webcast = {{listenlive|https://player.amperwave.net/7938}}
{{listenlive|https://player.amperwave.net/11788}} (HD2)
{{listenlive|https://player.amperwaveg.net/7937}} (HD3)

| website = {{URL|https://bear953.com}}
{{URL|https://ez1075.com}} (HD2)
{{URL|https://outlaw923.com}} (HD3)

}}

WPVQ-FM (95.3 MHz, "Bear Country 95.3") is a radio station licensed to serve Greenfield, Massachusetts. The station is owned by Saga Communications and licensed to Saga Communications of New England, LLC; it operates as part of Saga's Western Mass Radio Group. WPVQ-FM airs a country music format.{{cite web|title=Station Information Profile |work=Arbitron |url=http://www.arbitron.com/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100301134627/http://www.arbitron.com/ |archive-date=March 1, 2010 }}

History

In August 1996, Dynacom purchased WRSI (95.3 FM) and WGAM from Radio Skutnik, Inc. (Ed Skutnik, owner) for a reported sale price of $650,000.{{cite news |title=Entercom's Big Week |date=August 28, 2006 |url=http://www.fybush.com/NERW/2006/060828/nerw.html |work=NorthEast Radio Watch |first=Scott |last=Fybush}} In August 1999, Vox Media Corp. purchased Dynacom and all of its radio assets, including WRSI, for a reported $5.5 million.{{cite news |title=Sales Galore |date=August 6, 1999 |url=http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-990806.html |work=NorthEast Radio Watch |first=Scott |last=Fybush}}

In July 2000, Vox purchased WPVQ (93.9 FM) from Cardwell Broadcasting for a reported sale price of $2.925 million.{{cite news |url=http://www.broadcastingcable.com/article/CA17837.html?q=WPVQ |work=Broadcasting & Cable |title=Changing Hands |date=July 31, 2000}}

In February 2001, WPVQ swapped frequencies with WRSI so that WRSI now broadcasts on 93.9 MHz from Turners Falls, Massachusetts, and WPVQ broadcasts on its current 95.3 MHz.{{cite news |date=December 31, 2001 |url=http://www.fybush.com/nerw-yir2001.html |first=Scott |last=Fybush |title=2001: The Year in Review |work=NorthEast Radio Watch}} The 95.3 FM station was assigned the WPVQ call letters by the Federal Communications Commission on February 1, 2001.{{cite web |work=FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database |title=Call Sign History |url=https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=54780&Callsign=WPVQ-FM}}

In December 2003, Saga Communications announced that it had reached an agreement to purchase WRSI (93.9 FM) and WPVQ (95.3 FM) plus WRSY (101.5 FM) from Vox.{{cite news |title=Saga Adds in Pioneer Valley |date=December 29, 2003 |url=http://www.fybush.com/nerw-031229.html |first=Scott |last=Fybush |work=NorthEast Radio Watch}} The $7 million deal closed in April 2004.{{cite news |url=http://www.fybush.com/NERW/2004/040412/nerw.html |title=Nassau Shakeup in Maine |date=April 12, 2004 |work=NorthEast Radio Watch |first=Scott |last=Fybush}} The station's call sign was modified to WPVQ-FM on October 5, 2018.

HD subchannels

On February 1, 2021, WPVQ-FM launched a soft adult contemporary format on its HD2 subchannel, branded as "EZ 107.5"; the branding reflects its carriage on translator W298CA (107.5 FM) in Greenfield.[https://radioinsight.com/headlines/204899/saga-gets-ez-in-greenfield-ma/ Saga Gets EZ In Greenfield MA] Radioinsight - February 12, 2021

{{as of|2022|11}}, WPVQ-FM's HD3 subchannel serves as the origination for the classic country format, branded "92.3 The Outlaw", carried on W222CH (92.3 FM) in Greenfield. The "Outlaw" programming and the 92.3 translator had been associated with WPVQ (700 AM) prior to Saga's sale of that station in 2022.{{cite news |last1=Venta |first1=Lance |title=Station Sales Week Of 11/4 |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/244818/station-sales-week-of-11-4/ |access-date=November 4, 2022 |work=RadioInsight |date=November 4, 2022}}

{{RadioTranslators

| call1 = W298CA

| freq1 = 107.5

| fid1 = 25008

| watts1 = 250

| class1 = D

| city1 = Greenfield, Massachusetts

| coord1 = {{coord|42|35|20.3|N|72|37|3.3|W|region:US-MA_type:landmark|name=W298CA}}

| notes1 = Relays HD2

| call2 = W222CH

| freq2 = 92.3

| fid2 = 140079