WZBR

{{For|the station in Troy, New York, formerly called WZBR|WHAZ (AM)}}

{{Infobox radio station

| name = WZBR

| logo = WZBR AM 1410 logo.png

| city = Dedham, Massachusetts

| country = US

| area = Greater Boston

| branding = AM 1410 WZBR

| frequency = 1410 kHz

| translator = {{Radio Relay|98.1|W251CR|Medford}}

| airdate = July 17, 1961

| last_airdate = {{end date|2024|4|1}} ({{age in years, months and days|1961|07|17|2024|4|1}})

| format =

| power = {{ubl|2,300 watts day|25 watts night}}

| erp =

| haat =

| class = D

| facility_id = 41348

| licensing_authority = FCC

| coordinates = {{coord|42|14|5.36|N|71|8|11.19|W|region:US-MA_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}

| callsign_meaning =

| former_callsigns = {{ubl|WOKW (1961–1981)|WAMK (1981–1985)|WATD (1985–1990)|WMSX (1990–2013)}}

| operator =

| owner = Alexander Langer

| licensee = Langer Broadcasting Group, LLC

| sister_stations = WSRO

| webcast =

| website =

| affiliations =

}}

WZBR (1410 AM) was a radio station licensed to Dedham, Massachusetts, United States. The station served the Greater Boston area. WZBR was owned by Langer Broadcasting Group, LLC, along with WSRO.{{cite web|url=http://www.fcc.gov/fcc-bin/amq?call=WZBR |title=WZBR Facility Record |work=United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division }}[https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbsmenu.hts?context=25&appn=101503321&formid=314&fac_num=41348 APPLICATION FOR CONSENT TO ASSIGNMENT OF BROADCAST STATION CONSTRUCTION PERMIT OR LICENSE] fcc.gov WZBR also operated translator station W251CR (98.1 FM) in Medford.

The station went on the air in 1961 as WOKW in Brockton; the principals of founding owner Associated Broadcasters were associated with WSPR in Springfield. Following a series of ownership changes, the middle of the road station became WAMK in 1981, WATD—a sister station to WATD-FM in Marshfield—in 1985, and talk radio station WMSX in 1990. After operating as a Spanish-language tropical music station from 2001 to 2008 and a contemporary Christian music station from 2009 to 2012, WMSX was sold to Alex Langer in 2012. Langer moved the station to Dedham as WZBR in 2013, initially as part of his network of Portuguese language radio stations based at WSRO, and later leased out to the programmer of an urban contemporary format from 2016 to 2020. WZBR suspended operations for financial reasons in July 2020; it then operated as a jazz music station from November 2020 until Langer's death in March 2023. WZBR ceased operations entirely in 2024.

History

Alan C. Tindal, Kristian Solberg, Paul Monson, and John J. Sullivan, doing business as Associated Broadcasters, applied to build a daytime-only radio station on 1410 kHz in Brockton, on October 9, 1957;{{cite web |title=WOKW (WZBR) history cards|url=https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=65968|website=CDBS Public Access |publisher=Federal Communications Commission |access-date=May 3, 2024|format=PDF}} Tindal and Solberg were part owners of WSPR in Springfield, and Monson and Sullivan were also associated with that station.{{cite news |title=New Am Stations |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1957/1957-10-21-BC.pdf#page=125 |access-date=March 5, 2023 |work=Broadcasting |date=October 21, 1957 |page=125}} Later that month, a second application for the frequency was filed by Simon Geller, proposing a station in Gloucester.{{cite news |title=New Am Stations |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1957/1957-11-04-BC.pdf#page=103 |access-date=March 5, 2023 |work=Broadcasting |date=November 4, 1957 |page=102}} The Federal Communications Commission (FCC) initiated comparative hearing proceedings in 1960;{{cite news |title=Routine Roundup |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1960/BC-1960-06-13.pdf#page=110 |access-date=March 5, 2023 |work=Broadcasting |date=June 13, 1960 |page=112}} that August, Geller amended his application to instead operate on 1540 kHz,{{cite news |title=Routine Roundup |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1960/BC-1960-09-12.pdf#page=110 |access-date=March 5, 2023 |work=Broadcasting |date=September 12, 1960 |page=110}} and Associated was granted a construction permit on November 22. The station, assigned the call sign WOKW,{{cite news |title=For the Record |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1961/1961-01-09-BC.pdf#page=88 |access-date=March 5, 2023 |work=Broadcasting |date=January 9, 1961 |page=88}} went on the air July 17, 1961,{{cite news |title=Setting up shop |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1961/1961-08-28-BC.pdf#page=67 |access-date=March 5, 2023 |work=Broadcasting |date=August 28, 1961 |page=69}} and was licensed on November 28. WOKW was affiliated with the Mutual Broadcasting System by 1968,{{cite book|title=1969 Broadcasting Yearbook|year=1969|page=B-81|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1969/B%20All%20Radio%201969%20BC%20YB.pdf#page=79|access-date=March 5, 2023}} and had a middle of the road format.{{cite book|title=1973 Broadcasting Yearbook|year=1973|page=B-94|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1973/B%201973.pdf#page=92|access-date=March 5, 2023}}

Sullivan, Tindal, and Solberg sold WOKW to Sidney and Arlene Sanft and Henrietta Masters for $350,000 in 1976;{{cite news |title=Changing Hands |work=Broadcasting |date=September 27, 1976 |page=82}} the new owners took over on February 7, 1977. Sanft, in turn, sold the station to Bay Colony Broadcasting—owned by New York literary agents Francis Greenburger, Edward F. Acton, and Dennis Holler—for $435,000 in 1981.{{cite news |title=Changing Hands |work=Broadcasting |date=May 25, 1981 |page=43}} Bay Colony changed the call sign to WAMK on September 28, 1981;{{cite web|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=41348&Callsign=WZBR |title=WZBR Call Sign History |work=United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division }} following format changes, by December 1983 the station was promoting itself as "America's music from 1930 to today".{{cite news |last1=Lehrman |first1=Paul D. |title=Up and down the dial |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=kH0hAAAAIBAJ&sjid=r4oFAAAAIBAJ&pg=6753%2C6064212 |access-date=January 23, 2025 |work=Boston Phoenix The Season Part 4: Home Entertainment |date=December 13, 1983 |page=4, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30, 32, 34}} That year, Bay Colony Broadcasting sold WAMK to Espirit Inc. for $210,000; principal Scott B. Davis was the president of Mobile Television Services, a television production company in Boston.{{cite news |title=Changing Hands |work=Broadcasting |date=October 24, 1983 |page=71}}

Davis's MTS Broadcasting Limited Partnership sold WAMK to Edward F. Perry and William C. Blackmore's Marshfield Broadcasting Company, owner of WATD-FM in Marshfield and WRTT in Vernon, Connecticut, in 1985.{{cite news |title=For the Record |work=Broadcasting |date=July 22, 1985 |page=99}} The call sign was changed to WATD, matching the Marshfield station, on December 15, 1985; it first changed to a big band format,{{cite book|title=Broadcasting Cablecasting Yearbook 1987|year=1987|page=B-135}} and later simulcast the adult contemporary programming of WATD-FM.{{cite news |title=Format Changes |work=The M Street Journal |date=March 19, 1990 |page=1}}

Marshfield Broadcasting sold WATD (AM) to Metro South Broadcasting for $175,000 in 1989; principal Donald Sandler was the station's sales manager.{{cite news |title=Sanders Buys Chattanooga Combo For $2 Million |work=Radio & Records |date=May 12, 1989 |pages=9, 11–12}} Metro South changed the call sign to WMSX on April 1, 1990, and replaced the WATD-FM simulcast with a talk format. Sandler owned 51 percent of the station;{{cite news |title=For the Record |work=Broadcasting |date=November 16, 1992 |page=79}} minority stakes in WMSX were held by Edward Bowen, George Denham, and Malda Thompson, who would go own to also own stakes in WATD-FM's Cape Cod sister station, WATB.{{cite news |title=Great American Cooks Combo Desert Deal For $11.4 Million |work=Radio & Records |date=January 3, 1992 |page=6}} WMSX gained its own sister station in 1992, when Sandler's Metro South Broadcasting Network bought WCEG in Middleborough from Steven J. Callahan; it operated WCEG as a WMSX simulcast, and later as a Portuguese language station.{{cite news |last1=Fybush |first1=Scott |title=Back From the Dead... |url=https://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-970126.html |access-date=January 23, 2025 |work=North East RadioWatch |date=January 26, 1997}} WCEG went off the air in September 1993,{{cite news |title=Format Changes |work=The M Street Journal |date=September 15, 1993 |page=1}} and was sold back to Callahan in 1996.{{cite news |title=Connoisseur's Appetite Grows In Ohio |work=Radio & Records |date=November 15, 1996 |page=8}}

Metro South Broadcasting attempted to sell WMSX to Griot Communications, owned by former WILD general manager Monte Bowens, for $410,000 in 1998.{{cite news |title=Elsewhere |work=The M Street Journal |date=February 4, 1998 |page=9}}{{cite news |last1=Brown |first1=Sara |title=Changing Hands |work=Broadcasting & Cable |date=February 9, 1998 |page=75}} The sale fell through; the following year, the station was instead sold to Keating Willcox's Willow Farm Inc., for $647,000.{{cite news |last1=Fybush |first1=Scott |title=WBEC, WMSX sold |url=https://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-990702.html |access-date=January 23, 2025 |work=North East RadioWatch |date=July 2, 1999}}{{cite news |title=Clear Channel Cleans Up In Des Moines |work=Radio & Records |date=July 9, 1999 |pages=6, 8}} Willow Farm sold most of its stations—WMSX; WGAW in Gardner; WPEP in Taunton; WMVU in Nashua, New Hampshire; and WNRI in Woonsocket, Rhode Island—to Anastos Media Group, controlled by New York City television news anchor Ernie Anastos, for $2.1 million in 2001.{{cite news |last1=Fybush |first1=Scott |title=Utica Goes "Quick" |url=https://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-010604.html |access-date=January 23, 2025 |work=North East RadioWatch |date=June 4, 2001}}{{cite news |title=Lynn Martin Makes It Six In Lexington, KY |work=Radio & Records |date=June 22, 2001 |page=6}} Willcox, who retained WNSH in Beverly, sold the stations due to health problems.{{cite news |last1=Fybush |first1=Scott |title=Millennium Buys Big in NJ |url=https://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-010625.html |access-date=January 23, 2025 |work=North East RadioWatch |date=June 25, 2001}}

In November 2001, WMSX dropped its talk programming for Spanish-language programming as "{{langr|es|La Super X}}",{{cite web |title=Massachusetts Radio Directory |url=http://100kwatts.tmi.net/radio/MA.html |website=100000 Watts |access-date=January 25, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20030609100142/http://100kwatts.tmi.net/radio/MA.html |archive-date=June 9, 2003 |url-status=dead }} with a tropical music format.{{cite book|title=Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2003–2004|year=2003|page=D-224}} Hispanic Broadcasters, controlled by Antonio Molina, bought the station{{cite news |last1=Fybush |first1=Scott |title=Dorman Out at WODS |url=http://www.fybush.com/NERW/2008/080915/nerw.html |access-date=January 22, 2025 |work=NorthEast Radio Watch |date=September 15, 2008}} for $1.43 million in 2004;{{cite book|title=Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2005|year=2005|page=D-258}} after defaulting on a loan, the company's lenders took over WMSX in 2008. The Hispanic Broadcasting Asset Trust took the station silent on December 1, 2008,{{cite web |last1=Schlesinger |first1=Susan |title=Request for Silent Authority of an AM Station Application |url=https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/views/public/amDraftCopy?displayType=html&appKey=6732235d4d86457f9b00c1b6063ebeb7&id=6732235d4d86457f9b00c1b6063ebeb7&goBack=N |website=Licensing and Management System |publisher=Federal Communications Commission |access-date=January 25, 2025 |date=December 2, 2008}} ahead of a sale to Kingdom Church for $540,000.{{cite news |author1=BIA Financial Networks |title=Deals |url=https://www.nexttv.com/news/deals-109606 |access-date=January 22, 2025 |work=Broadcasting & Cable |date=December 13, 2008 |language=en}} After the church took control on February 5, 2009,{{cite book|title=Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2010|year=2010|page=D-272}} WMSX returned to the air April 13;{{cite web |last1=Alpert |first1=Dan J. |title=Resumption of Operations of an AM Station Application |url=https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/views/public/amDraftCopy?displayType=html&appKey=d57888c5162c4fa99328c1b6063ebeb7&id=d57888c5162c4fa99328c1b6063ebeb7&goBack=N |website=Licensing and Management System |publisher=Federal Communications Commission |access-date=January 25, 2025 |date=May 4, 2009}} it played contemporary Christian music as "Power 1410".{{cite web |title=About WMSX |url=http://www.thepowernetwork.net/About.php |website=The Power Network |access-date=January 25, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120301195808/http://www.thepowernetwork.net/About.php |archive-date=March 1, 2012 |url-status=dead}}

Alex Langer, owner of Framingham-area Portuguese language station WSRO, bought WMSX from Kingdom Church for $100,000 in 2012;{{cite news |last1=Fybush |first1=Scott |title=NERW 6/18/2012: WKAJ St. Johnsville is Still Dead |url=https://www.fybush.com/nerw-6182012-wkaj-st-johnsville-is-still-dead/ |access-date=May 4, 2024 |work=Fybush.com |date=June 18, 2012}} by that September, the station had gone silent following the end of its transmitter site lease.{{cite news |last1=Fybush |first1=Scott |title=NERW 9/17/2012: Shark Sighting on Long Island |url=https://www.fybush.com/nerw-9172012-shark-sighting-on-long-island/ |access-date=May 4, 2024 |work=Fybush.com |date=September 17, 2012}} On June 10, 2013, WMSX filed an application to move from Brockton to Dedham, with a transmitter in the Hyde Park neighborhood of Boston.{{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=1552064&Service=AM&Form_id=301&Facility_id=41348|work=CDBS Public Access|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|access-date=June 30, 2013|date=June 10, 2013}} Langer soon announced his intention to use the station as a Boston extension of WSRO, with its own studios in Hyde Park.{{cite news|last=Swinconeck|first=John|title=Framingham's Brazilian radio station branching out to Boston|url=http://www.boston.com/news/local/massachusetts/2013/06/29/framingham-brazilian-radio-station-branching-out-boston-framingham-brazilian-station-will-adding-outlet-boston/GPXBqYnsctnxUgavg2j5UI/story.html|access-date=June 30, 2013|newspaper=The Boston Globe|date=June 30, 2013}} Langer signed the station on from its new site on the Hyde Park-Dedham border on October 23, 2013, testing with jazz music.{{cite news |last1=Fybush |first1=Scott |title=NERW 10/28/2013: NYC Cringes at Herman, Mourns Mazer |url=https://www.fybush.com/nerw-20131028/ |access-date=October 31, 2021 |work=NorthEast Radio Watch |date=October 28, 2013}} The station transmitted from a small Valcom fiberglass antenna next to the river;{{Cite web|url=http://www.bamlog.com/wzbr.htm|title=1410 WZBR Dedham, Massachusetts}} the antenna was previously used a decade earlier (in a different location) by Langer's original WSRO (prior to its own move into the Boston area as WAZN), and had to be cleaned up after a decade of disuse. On November 12, 2013, the station changed its call sign to WZBR.

File:WSRO WBAS Rede ABR logo.png

In early 2014, WZBR began simulcasting WSRO; the jazz programming was moved to Langer's newly acquired Cape Cod station, WBAS,{{cite news |last1=Fybush |first1=Scott |title=NERW 2/3/2014: Big Consolidation in Small Upstate Markets |url=https://www.fybush.com/nerw-20140203/ |access-date=October 31, 2021 |work=NorthEast Radio Watch |date=February 3, 2014}} ahead of that station joining the WSRO simulcast as well.{{cite news |last1=Fybush |first1=Scott |title=NERW 2/17/2014: Sales, Sales and More Sales |url=https://www.fybush.com/nerw-20140217/ |access-date=October 31, 2021 |work=NorthEast Radio Watch |date=February 17, 2014}} WZBR's new facility was licensed on February 11, 2014. In December 2014, WZBR and WBAS began carrying some separate programming from WSRO;{{cite web | url=http://redeabr.com/radios-1240-am-e-1410-am-inauguram-grade-de-programacao/ | title=Rede ABR }} by 2015, the three stations were jointly branded as "Rede ABR".{{cite news |title=Sudbury Valley Trustees, Rede ABR to host pumpkin patch children's day event |url=https://www.metrowestdailynews.com/article/20151005/NEWS/151007825 |access-date=October 31, 2021 |work=MetroWest Daily News |date=October 5, 2015}}

On February 3, 2016, WZBR dropped the Portuguese programming and launched an urban contemporary format, known as "The Bass of Boston". The new format, whose studios were located near Dudley Square, was operated by Frank Holder and programmed by Steve Gousby, both of whom had previously been associated with Boston's longtime Black-oriented station, WILD.{{Cite web|url=https://digboston.com/reborn-to-be-wild-a-startup-independent-am-station-grows-to-serve-throwbacks-and-community/|title = Boston News Today - REBORN TO BE WILD: A STARTUP INDEPENDENT AM STATION GROWS TO SERVE THROWBACKS AND COMMUNITY|date = 18 May 2016}} In September 2016, New Edition lead singer Ralph Tresvant launched his Friday afternoon, radio show "Inside The Ride" on WZBR. In 2018, the station rebranded as "98.1 The Urban Heat" to reflect the sign-on of its FM translator.{{cite news |last1=Venta |first1=Lance |title=Translator Bringing Urban Heat To Boston |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/169736/translator-bringing-urban-heat-to-boston/ |access-date=October 31, 2021 |work=RadioInsight |date=July 31, 2018}}

Langer Broadcasting took WZBR and its translator silent in mid-July 2020, due to financial difficulties; the shutdown was concurrent with the suspension of operations of WSRO and WBAS, which had continued with the "Rede ABR" Portuguese programming. The "Urban Heat" programming continues to be available online.{{cite news |last1=Venta |first1=Lance |title=Pair Of Boston AMs Shut Down |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/191065/pair-of-boston-ams-shut-down/ |access-date=October 31, 2021 |work=RadioInsight |date=July 14, 2020}} WZBR resumed broadcasting on November 4, 2020.{{cite web |last1=Langer |first1=Alexander G. |title=Resumption of Operations |url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1823179&Form_id=910&Facility_id=41348 |website=CDBS Public Access |publisher=Federal Communications Commission |access-date=October 31, 2021 |date=November 4, 2020}} {{as of|2021|12}}, WZBR served as an analog simulcast of WSRO, which had converted to digital-only operation on December 1, and was programming jazz music;{{cite news |last1=Stine |first1=Randy J. |title=New England Gets Its First All-Digital AM |url=https://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/headlines/new-england-gets-its-first-all-digital-am |access-date=December 26, 2021 |work=Radio World |date=December 13, 2021}} after WSRO switched to classical music in 2022, the jazz programming remained on WZBR.

WZBR again went silent on March 5, 2023;{{cite web |last1=Allan G |first1=Moskowitz |title=Request for Silent Authority of an AM Station Application |url=https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/views/public/amDraftCopy?displayType=html&appKey=25076ff386be5a130186e5c7235b0f06&id=25076ff386be5a130186e5c7235b0f06&goBack=N |website=Licensing and Management System |publisher=Federal Communications Commission |access-date=March 16, 2023 |date=March 15, 2023}} the shutdown of WSRO and WZBR followed the death of Alex Langer.{{cite news |last1=Fybush |first1=Scott |title=NorthEast Radio Watch 3/13/2023: Remembering Alex Langer |url=https://www.fybush.com/nerw-20230313/ |access-date=March 16, 2023 |work=Fybush.com |date=March 13, 2023}} Both stations had been put up for sale prior to his death; WBAS had already been sold off in 2021. WZBR returned to the air in March 2024{{cite web |last1=Moskowitz, Esq. |first1=Allan G |title=Resumption of Operations of an AM Station Application |url=https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/views/public/amDraftCopy?displayType=html&appKey=25076f918df1fe12018df6c8b29002ef&id=25076f918df1fe12018df6c8b29002ef&goBack=N |website=Licensing and Management System |publisher=Federal Communications Commission |access-date=May 3, 2024 |date=March 5, 2024}} from a 10-watt facility on Great Blue Hill under special temporary authority;{{cite web |last1=Moskowitz, Esq. |first1=Allan G |title=AM Engineering STA Application |url=https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/views/public/amDraftCopy?displayType=html&appKey=25076f918e0e947f018e10b662d20282&id=25076f918e0e947f018e10b662d20282&goBack=N |website=Licensing and Management System |publisher=Federal Communications Commission |access-date=May 3, 2024 |date=March 11, 2024}} it went silent on April 1 following technical problems.{{cite web |last1=Moskowitz, Esq. |first1=Allan G |title=Request for Silent Authority of an AM Station Application |url=https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/views/public/amDraftCopy?displayType=html&appKey=25076ff38e9f0dff018e9f275b2d0041&id=25076ff38e9f0dff018e9f275b2d0041&goBack=N |website=Licensing and Management System |publisher=Federal Communications Commission |access-date=May 3, 2024 |date=April 2, 2024}} The Federal Communications Commission cancelled the station's license on May 2, 2024,{{cite web|url= https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/public/tv/publicFacilityDetails.html?facilityId=41348|title=License Cancelled|work=Federal Communications Commission Licensing and Management System|date=May 2, 2024|access-date=May 3, 2024}} following a request by Langer Broadcasting;{{cite web |last1=Moskowitz, Esq. |first1=Allan G |title=Cancellation Application |url=https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/views/public/amDraftCopy?displayType=html&appKey=25076f918f39402b018f39e694500318&id=25076f918f39402b018f39e694500318&goBack=N |website=Licensing and Management System |publisher=Federal Communications Commission |access-date=May 3, 2024 |date=May 2, 2024}} the license for translator W251CR was concurrently surrendered.{{cite web |last1=Moskowitz, Esq. |first1=Allan G |title=Cancellation Application |url=https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/views/public/fmDraftCopy?displayType=html&appKey=25076f918f39402b018f39ec49060330&id=25076f918f39402b018f39ec49060330&goBack=N |website=Licensing and Management System |publisher=Federal Communications Commission |access-date=May 3, 2024 |date=May 2, 2024}}