WRQX (AM)
{{Short description|Radio station in Salem-Youngstown, Ohio}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=March 2025}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name = WRQX
| logo = WRQX Patriot logo.png
| logo_size = 150px
| city = Salem, Ohio
| area = Youngstown metropolitan area
| branding = AM 600 The Patriot
| frequency = {{frequency|600|kHz}}
| airdate = {{start date and age|1965|6|25}}
| format = Talk radio
| power = {{val|1000|u=watts|fmt=commas}} day
{{val|45|u=watts|fmt=commas}} night
| class = D
| licensing_authority = FCC
| facility_id = 37547
| coordinates = {{coord|40|49|47|N|80|55|49|W|type:landmark_region:US-OH_source:FCC}}
| callsign_meaning = "Parked" call sign after prior usage on the former WRQX in Washington, D.C.
| former_callsigns = WSOM (1965–2019)
| affiliations = {{ubl|CBS News Radio|Westwood One}}
| owner = Cumulus Media
| sister_stations = WBBW, WHOT-FM, WLLF, WPIC, WQXK, WWIZ, WYFM
| licensee = Cumulus Licensing LLC
| webcast = {{listen live|https://player.listenlive.co/26821}}
| website = {{URL|https://www.600wrqx.com}}
}}
WRQX (600 kHz) – branded as AM 600 The Patriot – is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Salem, Ohio, and serving the Youngstown metropolitan area. Owned by Cumulus Media, WRQX has a talk radio format. It is the local network affiliate for CBS News Radio and carries talk shows from co-owned syndicator Westwood One. The WRQX studios are located in "The Radio Center" in Youngstown.
WRQX is a Class D AM station. By day, it is powered at 1,000 watts. To protect other stations on 600 AM from interference, it reduces power at night to 45 watts. It uses a directional antenna with a two-tower array. The transmitter is on Winona Road at Butler Grange Road in Winona, near the Mahoning River.[https://radio-locator.com/cgi-bin/finder?sr=Y&s=C&call=wrqx&nav=home Radio-Locator.com/WRQX] In addition to a standard analog transmission, WRQX is available online.
History
=WSOM=
The station signed on the air on June 25, 1965 as WSOM, which stood for "The Wonderful Sound Of Music". The station first aired a Top 40 music format, and was followed by MOR in the 1970s, and adult contemporary in the mid-1980s. In 1989, the station flipped to an adult standards format. The lineup featured longtime Youngstown radio personalities Dick Thompson, Johnny Kay and Gary Rhamy. In its early years, WSOM was a daytimer, required to go off the air at night. It eventually got authorization to broadcast around the clock using low power at night.
WSOM changed to a talk radio format on December 13, 2010, mostly carrying an all-syndicated lineup in contrast to co-owned WPIC, one notable exception being a local afternoon show, Afternoons with Tracey and Friends. The station reverted to soft oldies and adult standards in September 2016, this time carrying programming from co-owned Westwood One's "America's Best Music".
WSOM changed formats again, this time to classic country, on December 26, 2016.[https://radioinsight.com/headlines/109945/classic-country-comes-to-youngstown/ Classic Country Comes to Youngstown] Radioinsight - December 28, 2016{{cite web |work=Arbitron |url=http://www.arbitron.com/radio_stations/station_information.htm |title=Station Information Profile}}
=WRQX=
With the Educational Media Foundation purchase of WRQX in Washington, D.C., the WRQX call sign–retained by Cumulus in the deal–was transferred to WSOM in a call sign "parking" move on May 31, 2019. Concurrently, the WSOM letters moved to the former WRQX until new calls were selected for that facility.{{cite web|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/177221/emf-sets-new-call-letters-for-cumulus-aloha-acquisitions-wrqx-moves-to/|title=EMF Sets New Call Letters For Cumulus/Aloha Acquisitions; WRQX Moves To…|last=Venta|first=Lance|publisher=radioinsight|date=May 27, 2019|access-date=May 28, 2019}} With the switch to K-Love programming later that day, the former WRQX took the WLVW call sign. In addition, the new WRQX removed all instances of "WSOM" from its website and re-branded as "AM 600 WRQX," with updated imaging, logos and website domain.
On May 24, 2021, WRQX flipped to conservative talk radio, branded as "The Patriot".[https://radioinsight.com/headlines/208659/600-wrqx-drops-classic-country-for-conservative-talk/ 600 WRQX Drops Classic Country For Conservative Talk] Radioinsight - May 25, 2021 It began airing the Westwood One line up of conservative talk hosts.
Programming
WRQX carries all nationally syndicated talk shows, mostly from Cumulus-owned Westwood One. Mornings begin with America in the Morning, a news magazine. Other programs carried include Chris Plante, Dan Bongino, Ben Shapiro, Matt Walsh, Mark Levin, Michael Knowles, Rich Eisen, Rich Valdes and Red Eye Radio.[http://www.insideradio.com/free/dan-bongino-debuts-with-trump-interview-as-cumulus-launches-two-new-talk-outlets/article_0f5067de-bd5f-11eb-b54d-0fd9ca816e6f.html InsideRadio.com "Dan Bongino Debuts" May 25, 2021] World and national news is supplied by CBS News Radio.
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
{{AM station data|37547|WRQX}}
{{Youngstown Radio}}
{{News/Talk Radio Stations in Ohio}}
{{Cumulus Media}}
Category:News and talk radio stations in the United States
Category:Cumulus Media radio stations
Category:Radio stations established in 1965