WVBF

{{short description|Radio station in Middleborough Center, Massachusetts}}

{{for|the radio station that used these call letters during 1971–1993|WROR-FM}}

{{Infobox radio station

| name = WVBF

| logo =

| city = Middleborough Center, Massachusetts

| country = US

| area = Middleborough–Taunton

| branding = AM 1530 WVBF

| frequency = 1530 kHz

| repeater =

| translator = {{Radio Relay|99.7|W259DD|Middleborough Center}}

| airdate = March 31, 1992{{cite news|last=Bickelhaupt|first=Susan|title=The little AM station that thinks it can|url=http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-8742467.html|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140629075646/http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P2-8742467.html|url-status=dead|archive-date=June 29, 2014|access-date=June 30, 2013|newspaper=The Boston Globe|date=May 15, 1992}}{{cite web|title=WCEG reception verification|url=http://www.nrcdxas.org/ERC_Veries/MA/WCEG-Middleboro-MA.pdf|access-date=May 17, 2014|date=April 1, 1992}}

| format = News/talk, radio reading service

| power = {{ubl|5,000 watts day|4 watts night}}

| haat =

| class = D

| facility_id = 63403

| coordinates = {{coord|41|52|56|N|71|3|50|W}}

| callsign_meaning = Virginia B. Fairbanks, wife of owner of unrelated WVBF (now WROR-FM){{cite web|url=http://www.oldradio.com/archives/nelson/origins.call-list.html |title=Call Letter Origins |work=Radio History on the Web }}

| former_callsigns = WCEG (1992–1997)

| owner = Sen. Marc R. Pacheco

| licensee = MRP Communications and Consulting, LLC

| sister_stations =

| webcast =

| website = {{URL|https://wvbfradio.com/}}

| affiliations = {{ubl|USA Radio News|Massachusetts Reading Network }}

| licensing_authority= FCC

}}

WVBF (1530 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a news/talk format. Licensed to Middleborough Center, Massachusetts, United States, the station serves the Middleborough/Taunton area. The station is currently owned by Massachusetts state senator Marc R. Pacheco through his MRP Communications and Consulting, LLC.{{cite web|url=http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/amq?call=WVBF |title=WVBF Facility Record |work=United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division }} WVBF carries the Massachusetts Reading Network when not airing local programming. USA Radio News plays at the top of the hour during locally produced programs.

History

The station went on the air as WCEG on March 31, 1992.^{{{Dead link|date=July 2022}}} Original owner Steven J. Callahan sold the station to Metro South Broadcasting, owner of WMSX in Brockton, on January 7, 1993.{{cite web|title=Application Search Details (1)|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=178091|work=CDBS Public Access|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|access-date=June 30, 2013}} The new owners dropped WCEG's music programming in favor of a simulcast of WMSX; separate programming was subsequently introduced in Portuguese.{{cite news|last=Fybush|first=Scott|title=Back From the Dead...|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-970126.html|access-date=June 30, 2013|newspaper=North East RadioWatch|date=January 26, 1997}} However, the station had been silent for several years by 1996, when Callahan reached a deal to repurchase the station.{{cite web|title=Application Search Details (2)|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=234910|work=CDBS Public Access|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|access-date=June 30, 2013}}{{cite news|last=Fybush|first=Scott|title=MusicAmerica Returns|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-961119.html|access-date=June 30, 2013|newspaper=New England RadioWatch|date=November 19, 1996}} Soon after reassuming control on January 5, 1997, Callahan brought WCEG back on the air with radio reading service programming; the call letters were changed to WVBF on March 21, 1997.{{cite web|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=63403&Callsign=WVBF |title=WVBF Call Sign History |work=United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division }} The WVBF call sign had previously been used by 105.7 FM in Framingham from 1971 until 1993, while broadcasting top 40 and adult contemporary formats; that station is now WROR-FM.

From the station's inception, WCEG/WVBF only broadcast during daytime hours with 1,000 watts; however, 2-watt nighttime service was inaugurated in 2002.{{cite news|last=Fybush|first=Scott|title=North East RadioWatch|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-020513.html|access-date=June 30, 2013|newspaper=North East RadioWatch|date=May 13, 2002}} In 2006, the station's daytime power was increased to 2,200 watts.{{cite web|title=APPLICATION FOR CONSTRUCTION PERMIT FOR COMMERCIAL BROADCAST STATION|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=976148&Service=AM&Form_id=301&Facility_id=63403|date=February 2, 2004|work=CDBS Public Access|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|access-date=June 30, 2013}}{{cite web|title=Application Search Details (3)|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=1130850|work=CDBS Public Access|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|access-date=June 30, 2013}} On August 7, 2007, WVBF began to air several local talk shows from studios in Taunton; these shows moved from WPEP (1570 AM), which was in the process of closing down to accommodate a power increase at WNSH in Beverly. The radio reading service programming continues when talk programming does not air.{{cite news|last=Winokoor|first=Charles|title=Local talk radio gets 2nd wind|url=http://www.tauntongazette.com/news/x225115661#axzz2XiSqpGoo|access-date=June 30, 2013|newspaper=Taunton Daily Gazette|date=August 6, 2007}}

Translator

WVBF is relayed on translator station W259DD, which transmits on 99.7 MHz. It received its license to cover on April 10, 2019.[https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/sta_det.pl?Facility_id=200670 F.C.C. information for facility 200670; retrieved June 20, 2019.]

{{RadioTranslators

| callsign = WVBF

| width =

| call1 = W259DD

| freq1 = 99.7

| city1 = Middleborough Center, Massachusetts

| fid1 = 200670

| watts1 = 20

| haat1 = 0

| class1 = D

| coord1 = {{coord|41|52|55|N|71|3|51|W}}

| notes1 =