UTICA/ROME -- Many of the songs featured on "Beautiful Music" (WUTQ/WADR) may have been big hits when AM Radio was the only choice, but fans of the format don't have to keep listening on AM anymore. Roser Communications Network has turned the simulcast into a trimulcast, with the addition of a new FM translator.
RCN's Dave Silvers tells CNYRadio.com the new station is branded as B95.5 (W238CA). You may recall Roser applied to buy that signal from Northeast Gospel Broadcasting back in February. At the time, the station's city of license was Herkimer and it broadcast under the call sign W292CN at 106.3FM.
RCN President Ken Roser says, "with the Boilermaker Sunday, this is the perfect week to sign on our new station. B95.5 will be teaming with WKTV and simulcasting NewsChannel 2's live Boilermaker coverage on Sunday from 7-10am."
According to FCC records as of Thursday afternoon, W238CA is still licensed to Middleville, with 10 watts of power from a tower 480 meters above average terrain. The FCC contour map shows the signal covering just a small part of Herkimer County, including Middleville and Newport.
The FCC lists a construction permit which would result in W238CA's transmitter moving to a site north of Utica (looks like Smith Hill on the map). The CP calls for city of license to change to Utica, with the signal covering the entire city, along with several neighboring suburbs like New Hartford and Whitesboro.
1550AM WUTQ & 1480AM WADR Beautiful Music are going FM! The Utica area’s newest FM radio station, B95.5FM, is now on the air. The station will continue to highlight community events, as well as soft favorites of the 60s, 70s and 80s. B95.5FM is owned by Roser Communications Network, based in Utica. President Ken Roser said “With the Boilermaker Sunday, this is the perfect week to sign on our new station. B95.5FM will be teaming with WKTV and simulcasting NewsChannel 2’s live Boilermaker coverage Sunday from 7am till 10am.”
“The great thing about the new station is that for years, listeners enjoyed the music, but it was only available on our AM stations—1550 WUTQ and 1480WADR,” said Roser. “But now, B95.5FM will simulcast the programming of those 2 AM stations.”
B95.5FM also airs the Hank Brown Show, weekday mornings 6:00am-9:00am, featuring 50 year area broadcast legend Hank Brown. Weekend programming will remain the same and include the “Saturday Polka Review” with Gary Sroka, “Voice Of The New Italy” and the “Family Rosary.”
Roser Communications Network also includes radio stations 97.9/105.5 KISS-FM, Bug Country 99.7 &101.1, and in Amsterdam, New York, Lite 104.7FM and 1570AM WVTL.
Our thanks to Dave Silvers for sending in this press release. Be sure you do the same whenever your station has some news to share: add cnyradio@cnyradio.com to your email distribution lists or use the handy Contact Form to reach us.
The sound of the stations has change a bit since the FM went on the air. The deep voiced liners of radio veteran Lou Barile have been changed to a female voice who doesn't say much about WADR or WUTQ but plugs B 95-five. Top of the hour liner mentioned WADR/WUTQ but wasn't a legal ID for the two AM stations(?) Maybe the computer played the wrong liner that hour. Word is that the mystery liner gal also does liners for the Amsterdam station. "Beautiful Music" phrase has been changed to "soft favorites".Didn't hear any liner plugs for the Weekend programs or Hank Browns Monday-thru-Friday morning show. Will live local announcers be added to the New B 95-Five? Time will tell. In the meantime, 1150AM grinds on with the same unusual music mix and "Ed", who says he has his own radio station.