WWEI
Encyclopedia
WWEI is a radio station in Easthampton, Massachusetts
, serving Springfield
with a sports radio
format. The station is owned by Entercom Communications
. Most programming is provided by Boston
sister station WEEI
.
, where it signed on in October 1967 as WQRB-FM. It was co-owned with WBEC
(1420 AM), though it offered its own programming; this was a middle-of-the-road format by 1972. The station became WBEC-FM in 1979, upon adopting an album-oriented rock
format. During the 1980s, the station shifted to more of a contemporary hit radio
format.
Vox Media acquired the WBEC stations in 2002. Two years later, to accommodate then-sister station WNYQ (now WQSH)'s move to Malta, New York
, Vox filed to move WBEC-FM to Easthampton in 2004. Vox then put the station up for sale, and after an unsuccessful attempt to sell it to Pamal Broadcasting
, it was sold to Entercom in 2006. WBEC-FM signed off from Pittsfield that May, with the format and call letters moving to 95.9 FM
(a former frequency of WUPE-FM
) at that time. The current incarnation of the station signed on as WVEI-FM from Easthampton on October 26. The call letters were changed to WWEI on September 14, 2011.
Easthampton, Massachusetts
Easthampton is the second largest city in Hampshire County, Massachusetts, United States. The town is on the southeastern edge of an area called the Pioneer Valley near the five colleges in the college towns of Northampton and Amherst, MA...
, serving Springfield
Springfield, Massachusetts
Springfield is the most populous city in Western New England, and the seat of Hampden County, Massachusetts, United States. Springfield sits on the eastern bank of the Connecticut River near its confluence with three rivers; the western Westfield River, the eastern Chicopee River, and the eastern...
with a sports radio
Sports radio
Sports radio is a radio format devoted entirely to discussion and broadcasting of sporting events. A popular format with an almost exclusively male demographic in most areas, sports radio is characterized by an often-boisterous on-air style and extensive debate and analysis by both hosts and...
format. The station is owned by Entercom Communications
Entercom Communications
Entercom Communications Corporation is the fourth-largest broadcasting company in the United States. As of November 2009, Entercom operates 110 radio stations in 23 markets across the United States....
. Most programming is provided by Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
sister station WEEI
WEEI
WEEI is a sports radio station in Boston, Massachusetts, that broadcasts on 850 kHz from a transmitter in Needham, Massachusetts, and is owned by Entercom Communications. The station is one of the top-rated sports talk radio stations in the nation. Studios are located in Brighton, Massachusetts...
.
History
The 105.5 MHz frequency used by WWEI was originally allocated to Pittsfield, MassachusettsPittsfield, Massachusetts
Pittsfield is the largest city and the county seat of Berkshire County, Massachusetts, United States. It is the principal city of the Pittsfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area which encompasses all of Berkshire County. Its area code is 413. Its ZIP code is 01201...
, where it signed on in October 1967 as WQRB-FM. It was co-owned with WBEC
WBEC (AM)
WBEC is a radio station broadcasting a News Talk Information format. Licensed to Pittsfield, Massachusetts, USA. The station is currently owned by Vox Communications Group LLC and features programing from ABC Radio, Fox News Radio and Westwood One....
(1420 AM), though it offered its own programming; this was a middle-of-the-road format by 1972. The station became WBEC-FM in 1979, upon adopting an album-oriented rock
Album-oriented rock
Album-oriented rock is an American FM radio format focusing on album tracks by rock artists.-Music played:Most radio formats are based on a select, tight rotation of hit singles...
format. During the 1980s, the station shifted to more of a contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
format.
Vox Media acquired the WBEC stations in 2002. Two years later, to accommodate then-sister station WNYQ (now WQSH)'s move to Malta, New York
Malta, New York
Malta is a town in Saratoga County, New York, United States. The town is in the central part of the county and is south of Saratoga Springs. The population was 13,005 at the 2000 census.- History :The town was first settled before 1865....
, Vox filed to move WBEC-FM to Easthampton in 2004. Vox then put the station up for sale, and after an unsuccessful attempt to sell it to Pamal Broadcasting
Pamal Broadcasting
Pamal Broadcasting, Ltd. is a family-owned radio ownership with stations in medium-to-small markets in the Northeast and Florida. Based in the Albany suburb of Latham, New York, Pamal Broadcasting was founded in 1986 as Albany Broadcasting when business man James J. Morrell entered broadcast...
, it was sold to Entercom in 2006. WBEC-FM signed off from Pittsfield that May, with the format and call letters moving to 95.9 FM
WBEC-FM
WBEC-FM is a radio station in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. The station broadcasts hot adult contemporary formatted music. Its transmitter is located in Pittsfield, Massachusetts. From 1977-2006, the station was known as WUPE-FM...
(a former frequency of WUPE-FM
WUPE-FM
WUPE-FM is a radio station broadcasting an oldies format. Licensed to North Adams, Massachusetts, USA, WUPE-FM serves the Pittsfield area. The station is currently owned by Vox Communications.-History:...
) at that time. The current incarnation of the station signed on as WVEI-FM from Easthampton on October 26. The call letters were changed to WWEI on September 14, 2011.