WQVD

WQVD signed on May 13, 1956, as WCAT, operating on 1390 AM.{{cite book|title=Broadcasting Yearbook-Marketbook 1957|year=1957|page=139|url=http://www.davidgleason.com/Archive%20BC-YB/1957/1957%20YB%20States%20Ala%20to%20Mon.pdf|access-date=January 11, 2010}}{{cite book|title=Broadcasting Yearbook 1959|year=1959|page=B-168|url=http://www.davidgleason.com/Archive%20BC-YB/1959/B-2%20Radio%201959%20YB.pdf|access-date=January 11, 2010}} Original owner Miller's River Broadcasting sold the station to Tri-State Radio in 1960,{{cite book|title=Broadcasting Yearbook 1960|year=1960|page=B-168|url=http://www.davidgleason.com/Archive%20BC-YB/1960/B%201%20Radio%20Yearbook%201960.pdf|access-date=January 11, 2010}} who in turn sold it to Berkshire Broadcasting in 1969.{{cite book|title=Broadcasting Yearbook 1971|year=1971|page=B-100|url=http://www.davidgleason.com/Archive%20BC-YB/1971/B%201%20Radio%20YB%201971.pdf|access-date=January 11, 2010}} By 1971, the station had a middle-of-the-road format, which it would retain into the 1980s, as the station was sold to P&S Broadcasting in 1975.{{cite book|title=Broadcasting Yearbook 1981|year=1981|page=C-112|url=http://www.davidgleason.com/Archive%20BC-YB/1981/Ca%20Facilities%20of%20Radio%201981%20A-M.pdf|access-date=January 11, 2010}}

In 1983, WCAT moved to its current position on 700.{{cite web|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=48751|title=Application Search Details (1)|work=CDBS Public Access|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|access-date=January 11, 2010}}{{cite web|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=62180|title=Application Search Details (2)|work=CDBS Public Access|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|access-date=January 11, 2010}} The station changed its call sign to WPNS, reflecting its ownership,{{cite web|title=WPNS reception verification|url=http://www.nrcdxas.org/ERC_Veries/MA/WCAT.pdf|access-date=May 17, 2014|date=December 1987}} in 1987; after just over a year, however, the station reverted to WCAT.{{cite web |title=Call Sign History |url=https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=51118&Callsign=WQVD |work=FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database}} WCAT subsequently discontinued locally originated programming; by 1996, the station was a talk radio station, affiliated with the Talk America network.{{cite news|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-960413.html|title=New England RadioWatch|last=Fybush|first=Scott|date=April 13, 1996|access-date=January 11, 2010}} An FM sister station on 99.9 FM (now WKMY) was launched on December 4, 1989.{{cite book|title=Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 1999|year=1999|page=D-207|url=http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1999/D-Radio-AL-NE-BC-YB-1999.pdf|access-date=December 28, 2011}}

In 1998, P&S sold WCAT and WCAT-FM to CAT Communications Corporation (a company controlled by Jeff Shapiro),{{cite news|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-980820.html|title=Non-Compete -- The Battle Continues|last=Fybush|first=Scott|date=August 20, 1998|work=North East RadioWatch|access-date=January 11, 2010}}{{cite news|title=Changing Hands|url=http://americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1998/BC-1998-08-31.pdf|access-date=May 28, 2014|newspaper=Broadcasting & Cable|date=August 31, 1998|page=55}} who in turn sold the stations to Citadel Broadcasting in 2000.{{cite news|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-000225.html|title=Changing Hands on Route 2|last=Fybush|first=Scott|date=February 25, 2000|work=North East RadioWatch|access-date=January 11, 2010}} Citadel operated WCAT-AM-FM as part of its Worcester group of stations, even though Arbitron considered the stations to be within the Boston market.{{cite news|title=Citadel sheds a Worcester pair|url=http://www.rbr.com/epaper/pages/april03/03-78_3m2.html|access-date=May 28, 2014|newspaper=Radio Business Report|date=April 21, 2003}} Several months after Citadel took over, WCAT went silent while its tower was replaced, putting the station in danger of having its license canceled by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) for failing to broadcast for a year;{{cite news|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-011022.html|title=North East RadioWatch|last=Fybush|first=Scott|date=October 22, 2001|access-date=January 11, 2010}} when it returned in late October 2001, just before its November 1 deadline to do so, it simulcast the oldies format of WCAT-FM.{{cite news|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-011112.html|title=Montreal Gets X-Bander|last=Fybush|first=Scott|date=November 12, 2001|work=North East RadioWatch|access-date=January 11, 2010}} By the following year,{{cite news|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-021118.html|title=North East RadioWatch|last=Fybush|first=Scott|date=November 18, 2002|access-date=January 11, 2010}} WCAT had been leased out to a Spanish language operator that implemented a religious format.{{cite news|url=http://www.fybush.com/nerw-030421.html|title=CRTC grants four in Toronto|last=Fybush|first=Scott|date=April 21, 2003|work=NorthEast Radio Watch|access-date=January 11, 2010}}

File:WJOE-AM logo.png

Citadel sold WCAT and its FM sister station, by then WAHL, to Northeast Broadcasting, controlled by Steve Silberberg, in 2003. Silberberg subsequently purchased WGAW (1340 AM) in nearby Gardner,{{cite news|url=http://www.fybush.com/nerw-030908.html|title=WODS Lands Dorman for Mornings|last=Fybush|first=Scott|date=September 8, 2003|work=NorthEast Radio Watch|access-date=January 11, 2010}} and in 2004, WCAT began simulcasting its talk format.{{cite news|url=http://www.fybush.com/NERW/2004/040517/nerw.html|title=Remembering Nick Berg|last=Fybush|first=Scott|date=May 17, 2004|work=NorthEast Radio Watch|access-date=January 11, 2010}} The station was renamed WJOE in 2005; it subsequently resumed separate programming, and after a stint as an oldies station, WJOE joined ESPN Radio on January 2, 2008.{{cite news|url=http://www.fybush.com/NERW/2008/080107/nerw.html|title=Entercom/Nassau WEEI Deal is Dead|last=Fybush|first=Scott|date=January 7, 2008|work=NorthEast Radio Watch|access-date=January 11, 2010}}

WJOE was to switch to a Brazilian format on March 16, 2009; this format was to be programmed by Langer Broadcasting Group as a sister station to WSRO.{{cite news|url=http://www.metrowestdailynews.com/news/x238204187/New-Brazilian-radio-station-hits-the-airwaves|title=New Brazilian radio station hits the airwaves|last=Mineo|first=Liz|date=March 10, 2009|work=MetroWest Daily News|access-date=March 11, 2009}} However, this format change did not occur, and the station remained with ESPN Radio.

On September 2, 2009, WJOE swapped callsigns with WVBB (106.3 FM) in Columbia City, Indiana, which desired the WJOE call sign to match its "Joe FM" branding.{{cite web |title=NorthEast Radio Watch, September 14, 2009 |url=http://www.fybush.com/NERW/2009/090914/nerw.html}} Nine days later, the call sign was changed again, this time to WTUB.{{cite web | title=NorthEast Radio Watch, September 21, 2009 | url=http://www.fybush.com/NERW/2009/090921/nerw.html}} The station dropped ESPN Radio in late 2011 and returned to simulcasting its FM sister station, by then WXRG, which at that time was itself rebroadcasting adult album alternative sister station WXRV from Andover.{{cite news |last1=Fybush |first1=Scott |title=NERW 12/12/2011: Philadelphia All-News Battle is Joined |url=https://www.fybush.com/nerw-12122011-philadelphia-all-news-battle-is-joined/ |access-date=March 5, 2023 |work=Fybush.com |date=December 12, 2011}}

File:WFAT700.png

The station's call sign was changed to WWBZ on April 30, 2014. WWBZ and what had become WFNX dropped the WXRV simulcast in May 2014 and began stunting with a wide range of music while preparing to launch new formats for the stations on June 9, with listeners being asked to vote on which of the songs being played should be included in the new formats.{{cite news|last=Venta|first=Lance|title=99.9 WFNX Rebrands As 99.9 WFNX|url=http://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/88818/northeast-to-launch-new-central-massachusetts-formats/|access-date=July 1, 2014|newspaper=RadioInsight|date=July 1, 2014}} At the end of the stunting, WWBZ dropped the simulcast with WFNX (which continued with a variety hits format) and introduced an oldies format. During its first day with the format, the station referred to itself as "Legends 700 WBZ" despite not being associated with Boston radio station WBZ (1030 AM), whose signal reaches the Orange-Athol area; on June 10, the branding was amended to feature the full WWBZ call sign. The station subsequently rebranded as simply "AM Radio 700" after WBZ's owner, CBS Radio, objected to the WWBZ call sign as an infringement of its trademark for WBZ, as well as a separate trademark infringement dispute with the owners of WNBP in Newburyport over the "Legends" branding. WWBZ then announced its intention to introduce a new branding and call sign; on September 1, 2014, it took the WFAT call sign.

Following a lack of success at attracting advertisers, in May 2016, WFAT announced that it would end its oldies format after May 29 and return to simulcasting WXRV, concurrently with sister station WFNX; in its announcement, WFAT said it needed ten businesses to advertise on the station on an annual basis to cover its costs.{{cite news|last1=Venta|first1=Lance|title=Two Central Massachusetts Stations To End Programming|url=https://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/106079/two-central-massachusetts-stations-to-end-programming/|access-date=May 21, 2016|work=RadioInsight|date=May 3, 2016}} Despite the announcement, WFAT continued to broadcast the oldies format until 2019.{{Cite news|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/173613/saga-debuts-92-3-the-outlaw-in-greenfield/|title=Saga Debuts 92.3 The Outlaw In Greenfield|date=January 10, 2019|work=RadioInsight|access-date=January 14, 2019|language=en-US}} In June 2016, WFAT acquired the construction permit for FM translator W226BX (93.5) in Hanover, New Hampshire, from Vermont Public Radio, with the intention of relocating it to the Orange–Athol area as W222CH (92.3).{{cite news |title=Sold: Richmond AM, Meridian, MS Cluster |url=https://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/154252/sold-richmond-am-meridian-ms-cluster |access-date=November 4, 2022 |work=All Access |date=June 3, 2016 |language=en}}

Saga Communications agreed to acquire WFAT for $210,000 in September 2018.{{Cite news|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/170860/station-sales-week-of-9-28/|title=Station Sales Week Of 9/28|date=September 28, 2018|work=RadioInsight|access-date=January 14, 2019|language=en-US}} The purchase was consummated on January 4, 2019, at which point Saga changed the station's call sign to WPVQ, shared with existing Saga-owned country music station WPVQ-FM (95.3). On January 10, 2019, Saga relaunched the station as "92.3 The Outlaw" (reflecting the FM translator), with a classic country format.

Saga Communications filed to sell WPVQ to Kurt Jackson's Hampden Communications for $2,000 in November 2022; as part of the deal, Hampden agreed to remove equipment from an auxiliary tower that was being vacated by Saga-owned WRSI. Ahead of the sale, the HD3 channel of WPVQ-FM became the primary station for W222CH and the "92.3 The Outlaw" programming.{{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}} The sale was completed on February 28, 2023,{{cite web |last1=Bush |first1=Samuel D |title=Notification of Consummation |url=https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/views/public/consummationDraftCopy?displayType=html&appKey=25076ff3865228d90186803610b2235e&id=25076ff3865228d90186803610b2235e&goBack=N |website=Licensing and Management System |publisher=Federal Communications Commission |access-date=March 5, 2023 |date=February 28, 2023}} at which time WPVQ went silent.{{cite web |last1=Jackson |first1=Kurt |title=Request for Silent Authority of an AM Station Application |url=https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/views/public/amDraftCopy?displayType=html&appKey=25076f9186a4a5d30186a5e3abc80018&id=25076f9186a4a5d30186a5e3abc80018&goBack=N |website=Licensing and Management System |publisher=Federal Communications Commission |access-date=March 5, 2023 |date=March 3, 2023}} In connection with the sale, the station changed its call sign to WQVD on March 5, 2023.{{cite web |last1=Guin |first1=Dan |title=Form 380 - Transfer/Assignment Request |url=https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/views/public/amDraftCopy?displayType=html&appKey=25076ff3848dd5470184bf0fcd91198b&id=25076ff3848dd5470184bf0fcd91198b&goBack=N |website=Licensing and Management System |publisher=Federal Communications Commission |access-date=March 5, 2023 |date=December 1, 2022}}

{{Reflist|35em}}

• {{Official website|https://wqvrradio.com/|WQVR website}}

{{AM station data|51118|WQVD}}

{{Worcester Radio}}

{{Classic Hits Radio Stations in Massachusetts}}

{{Daytime-only radio stations in Massachusetts}}

QVD

Category:Classic hits radio stations in the United States

Category:Mass media in Franklin County, Massachusetts

Category:Radio stations established in 1956

Category:Orange, Massachusetts

Category:Athol, Massachusetts

Category:Mass media in Worcester County, Massachusetts

Category:1956 establishments in Massachusetts

QVD