WORC-FM
WORC-FM, 98.9 MHz, is a country radio station owned by Cumulus Media and serving most of Worcester County, Massachusetts and northeastern Connecticut. It is affiliated with the Worcester Railers.
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City | Webster, Massachusetts |
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Broadcast area | Worcester, Massachusetts |
Frequency | 98.9 MHz |
Branding | 98.9 Nash Icon |
Programming | |
Format | Country |
Affiliations | Worcester Railers |
Ownership | |
Owner | Cumulus Media (Radio License Holding CBC, LLC) |
WWFX, WXLO | |
History | |
First air date | April 8, 1994 (as WXXW) |
Former call signs | WXXW (1994–1998) |
Call sign meaning | Former FM sister station of WORC |
Technical information | |
Facility ID | 50231 |
Class | A |
ERP | 1,870 watts |
HAAT | 125 meters |
Transmitter coordinates | 42°2′11.00″N 71°59′22.00″W |
Links | |
Webcast | Listen Live |
Website | www |
History
The station signed on April 8, 1994 as WXXW, though it did not formally launch its initial format, a blend of hot talk and oldies, until April 11 (in the interim, the station stunted by continuously playing Bob Seger's "Old Time Rock and Roll").[1] Following original owner Alan Okun's death on December 31, 1996,[2] the station, along with AM sister station WGFP, was sold to Bengal Atlantic Communications in 1997,[3] who in turn sold them to Chowder Broadcasting soon afterward.[4] Chowder switched WXXW to a classic rock format in 1998;[5] this was followed by a call change to WORC-FM, reflecting its newly-common ownership with WORC, that September.[6]
Montachusett Broadcasting, owner of WXLO, acquired WORC-FM in 1999;[7] several months later, the stations were sold to Citadel Broadcasting.[8] Citadel subsequently acquired competing classic rock station WWFX, and as a result reverted WORC-FM to oldies, this time on a full-time basis, on May 26, 2000.[9] Citadel merged with Cumulus Media on September 16, 2011.[10]
On October 31, 2014 at 10:00 a.m., WORC-FM changed their format to country, branded as "Nash Icon".[11]
In March 2020, WORC-FM was named as the flagship radio station for the inaugural season of the Worcester Red Sox in 2021.[12]
Programming
WORC-FM used to broadcast American Top 40: The 70s with Casey Kasem on Saturdays at 7 a.m. and Sundays at 7 p.m.[13] On July 7, 2017, the Worcester Railers hockey team announced that WORC-FM would broadcast its games.[14]
Previous logo
References
- Fybush, Scott D. (April 12, 1994). "New England Radio Watch". rec.radio.broadcasting/Google Groups. Retrieved January 3, 2010.
- Fybush, Scott (January 8, 1997). "WRKO Shakeup". New England RadioWatch. Retrieved January 3, 2010.
- Fybush, Scott (July 24, 1997). "Remembering Walt Dibble". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved January 3, 2010.
- Fybush, Scott (March 5, 1998). "Loss of Two Legends". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved January 3, 2010.
- Fybush, Scott (May 20, 1998). "North Country Changes". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved January 3, 2010.
- Fybush, Scott (September 4, 1998). "One Shoe Drops in Maine..." North East RadioWatch. Retrieved January 3, 2010.
- Fybush, Scott (April 30, 1999). "Fuller-Jeffrey Sells Out". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved January 3, 2010.
- Fybush, Scott (December 10, 1999). "John Otto Dies at 70". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved January 3, 2010.
- Fybush, Scott (June 9, 2000). "Laquidara Says "Aloha!"". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved January 3, 2010.
- "Cumulus now owns Citadel Broadcasting". Atlanta Business Journal. September 16, 2011. Retrieved September 16, 2011.
- Nash Icon Enters Worcester
- Sargent, Patrick (March 9, 2020). "Nash Icon 98.9 to Carry all Worcester Red Sox Games in 2021". This Week in Worcester. Retrieved November 13, 2020.
- http://www.oldies989.com/showdj.asp?DJID=50004
- "Railers games to be broadcast on 98.9 FM". Worcester Business Journal. July 7, 2017. Retrieved July 8, 2017.
External links
- WORC in the FCC's FM station database
- WORC on Radio-Locator
- WORC in Nielsen Audio's FM station database