WEXT
| |
City | Amsterdam, New York |
---|---|
Broadcast area | Albany, New York |
Branding | Exit 97.7 |
Frequency | 97.7 MHz |
First air date | July 16, 1979 (as WMVL) |
Format | Adult album alternative |
ERP | 1,600 watts |
HAAT | 190 meters (620 ft) |
Class | A |
Facility ID | 23457 |
Transmitter coordinates | 42°59′5.00″N 74°10′49.00″W / 42.9847222°N 74.1802778°W |
Callsign meaning | EXiT 97.7 |
Former callsigns |
WCSS-FM (1975-1979) WMVQ (1979-1988) WKOL-FM (1988-1994) WBKK (1994-2007) |
Affiliations | National Public Radio, Public Radio International |
Owner | WMHT Educational Telecommunications |
Sister stations | WMHT-FM |
Website | exit977.org |
WEXT (97.7 FM) is a radio station broadcasting an adult album alternative format.[1] Licensed to Amsterdam, New York, USA, the station serves Albany, New York.[2] The station is currently owned by WMHT Educational Telecommunications and features programming from American Public Media, National Public Radio and Public Radio International.
History
WEXT began operations as WCSS-FM in 1975, airing a top 40/oldies format. In 1979, the call letters changed to WMVQ, which now programmed a MOR format. In 1984, WMVQ changed formats to soft rock. In late 1988, the format was changed to oldies with the call letters WKOL-FM, which was known as Cool 97.7. In late 1989, the station flipped to adult contemporary.
On December 26, 1994, the station flipped to classical music as WBKK W-Bach after playing Christmas music under the AC format. As a commercial station, the station originally ran using the KDFC DAT service, switching to the now-defunct SW Classical network and eventually to a service provided by WCRB in Boston, Massachusetts.
On August 4, 2005, the station became a simulcast of WMHT-FM after GEM Associates sold the station to WMHT Educational Telecommunications for $1.5 million. In April 2006, WBKK split off from the simulcast of WMHT-FM with a classical music format carrying shorter pieces than its sister station.
On July 7, 2007, WMHT-FM dropped their classical service on WBKK and launched a new adult album alternative format under the Exit 97.7 branding and the WEXT calls. The station highlights a lot of local music, calling it "Local 518" (in reference to the station's area code). Featured programs include the children's rock and roll program called "The Peanut Butter Jam."[3]
References
- ↑ "Station Information Profile". Arbitron.
- ↑ Furfaro, Danielle (2007-07-06). "'The Exit,' a new format for radio, emerges". Albany Times Union.
- ↑ "WEXT Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
External links
- Query the FCC's FM station database for WEXT
- Radio-Locator information on WEXT
- Query Nielsen Audio's FM station database for WEXT