WFCC-FM
Encyclopedia
WFCC-FM is a 50-kilowatt radio station
licensed to Chatham
, Massachusetts
on Cape Cod
, with studios and offices in Hyannis
and transmitter facilities in Brewster
. It broadcasts on 107.5 MHz with a classical format.
Current hosts on WFCC include Steve Murphy (mornings), Don Spencer (afternoons), and Larry King (evenings).
as a writer for Today during Dave Garroway
's tenure, then at WCVB-TV
(channel 5) in Boston, hired WCVB personalities to be on his staff at WFCC, including newsman Jack Hynes, meteorologists Bob Copeland (a Chatham resident) and Bill Hovey, and sportscaster Bill O'Connell, complemented by local classical announcers Janice Gray, Dick Eressy, Paul Jimerson, Paul Nossiter, Steve Murphy, Don Lawrence, Pierre Paquin, Don Merna, and Dick O'Connor. The station played mostly classical music weekdays, with the afternoon drive show being big band
, hosted by Lou Dumont. On the weekends, classical was complemented by the Metropolitan Opera radio broadcasts
and other syndicated classical shows, as well as local specialty shows Jazz on the Half-Shell and Folk
Roots and Branches with Paul Jimerson, and a program devoted to classical piano, Klavier, produced by Jimerson and hosted by his wife, pianist and teacher Melinda Isaacson.
The stock market crash of 1987
had a devastating effect on the Cape's economy, and WFCC lost significant advertising revenue. As a result, stronger rated classical music programming replaced the evening folk and jazz shows. Pierre Paquin, a well-known southern New England classical music recording engineer and broadcaster, was hired in 1989 to help bring up the ratings. His Sunday morning broadcasts earned the highest ratings for the station and his special programs garnished several Massachusetts Broadcasters Association
awards. Don Merna was also hired in 1989 to host weekdays as well as weekend evenings. Both Paquin and Merna broadcast for WFCC until 1995 and 1996 respectively and are still Cape Cod residents.
In 1991, the station's offices and studios were moved to new facilities on Route 6A in Brewster. WFCC was subsequently sold in 1992 to Dolphin Communications, owned by Allan Stanley.
WFCC was purchased by Charles River Broadcasting
(then owners of Boston's WCRB
) in 1996, with its studios and offices moving to a former bank building on Route 28 in West Yarmouth
. WFCC's programming became automated full-time as a result.
WFCC has been the flagship station of the World Classical Network
syndicated service (started by Charles River Broadcasting) since 1998. The station and the network were sold in 2007 to Sandab Communications (doing business as Cape Cod Broadcasting), owners of Cape Cod radio stations WQRC
, WOCN-FM
, and WKPE-FM
), and now broadcast from studios and offices in Hyannis
.
Original WFCC staff member Steve Murphy returned to the station's airwaves as morning host on September 16, 2008 after an 18-year absence.
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
licensed to Chatham
Chatham, Massachusetts
Chatham is a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States, Barnstable County being coextensive with Cape Cod. The population was 6,625 at the 2000 census...
, Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
on Cape Cod
Cape Cod
Cape Cod, often referred to locally as simply the Cape, is a cape in the easternmost portion of the state of Massachusetts, in the Northeastern United States...
, with studios and offices in Hyannis
Hyannis, Massachusetts
Hyannis is the largest of seven villages in Barnstable, Massachusetts. Also it is the commercial and transportation hub of Cape Cod and was designated an urban area as a result of the 1990 census. Because of this, many refer to Hyannis as the "Capital of the Cape"...
and transmitter facilities in Brewster
Brewster, Massachusetts
Brewster is a town in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States, Barnstable County being coextensive with Cape Cod. The population of Brewster was 9,820 at the 2010 census.Brewster is twinned with the town of Budleigh Salterton in the United Kingdom....
. It broadcasts on 107.5 MHz with a classical format.
Current hosts on WFCC include Steve Murphy (mornings), Don Spencer (afternoons), and Larry King (evenings).
History
The station started broadcasting on March 24, 1987 from state-of-the-art facilities on Route 28 in West Chatham. It was owned at the time by First Class Communications, run by Joseph A. Ryan and his family, who all worked at the station, including wife Pauline (receptionist), son Kevin (sales manager), and daughter Justine (sales). Joe Ryan, who worked at NBCNBC
The National Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network and former radio network headquartered in the GE Building in New York City's Rockefeller Center with additional major offices near Los Angeles and in Chicago...
as a writer for Today during Dave Garroway
Dave Garroway
David Cunningham "Dave" Garroway was the founding host of NBC's Today from 1952 to 1961. His easygoing, relaxed, and relaxing style belied a battle with depression that may have contributed to the end of his days as a leading television personality—and, eventually, his life...
's tenure, then at WCVB-TV
WCVB-TV
WCVB-TV, channel 5, is a television station located in Boston, Massachusetts, owned by Hearst Television and affiliated with the ABC Television Network. WCVB-TV's studios and transmitter are co-located in Needham, Massachusetts. WCVB is also one of six Boston television stations seen in Canada by...
(channel 5) in Boston, hired WCVB personalities to be on his staff at WFCC, including newsman Jack Hynes, meteorologists Bob Copeland (a Chatham resident) and Bill Hovey, and sportscaster Bill O'Connell, complemented by local classical announcers Janice Gray, Dick Eressy, Paul Jimerson, Paul Nossiter, Steve Murphy, Don Lawrence, Pierre Paquin, Don Merna, and Dick O'Connor. The station played mostly classical music weekdays, with the afternoon drive show being big band
Big band
A big band is a type of musical ensemble associated with jazz and the Swing Era typically consisting of rhythm, brass, and woodwind instruments totaling approximately twelve to twenty-five musicians...
, hosted by Lou Dumont. On the weekends, classical was complemented by the Metropolitan Opera radio broadcasts
Metropolitan Opera radio broadcasts
The Metropolitan Opera radio broadcasts are a regular series of weekly broadcasts on network radio of full-length opera performances. They are transmitted live from the stage of the Metropolitan Opera in New York City...
and other syndicated classical shows, as well as local specialty shows Jazz on the Half-Shell and Folk
Folk music
Folk music is an English term encompassing both traditional folk music and contemporary folk music. The term originated in the 19th century. Traditional folk music has been defined in several ways: as music transmitted by mouth, as music of the lower classes, and as music with unknown composers....
Roots and Branches with Paul Jimerson, and a program devoted to classical piano, Klavier, produced by Jimerson and hosted by his wife, pianist and teacher Melinda Isaacson.
The stock market crash of 1987
Black Monday (1987)
In finance, Black Monday refers to Monday October 19, 1987, when stock markets around the world crashed, shedding a huge value in a very short time. The crash began in Hong Kong and spread west to Europe, hitting the United States after other markets had already declined by a significant margin...
had a devastating effect on the Cape's economy, and WFCC lost significant advertising revenue. As a result, stronger rated classical music programming replaced the evening folk and jazz shows. Pierre Paquin, a well-known southern New England classical music recording engineer and broadcaster, was hired in 1989 to help bring up the ratings. His Sunday morning broadcasts earned the highest ratings for the station and his special programs garnished several Massachusetts Broadcasters Association
Massachusetts Broadcasters Association
The Massachusetts Broadcasters Association is a trade association for radio and television broadcast stations in the U.S. state of Massachusetts...
awards. Don Merna was also hired in 1989 to host weekdays as well as weekend evenings. Both Paquin and Merna broadcast for WFCC until 1995 and 1996 respectively and are still Cape Cod residents.
In 1991, the station's offices and studios were moved to new facilities on Route 6A in Brewster. WFCC was subsequently sold in 1992 to Dolphin Communications, owned by Allan Stanley.
WFCC was purchased by Charles River Broadcasting
Charles River Broadcasting
Charles River Broadcasting was the owner of three classical music stations, one classic rock station, one CNN Headline News relay in Rhode Island, and a syndicated classical satellite delivery program service.- History :...
(then owners of Boston's WCRB
WCRB
WCRB is a non-commercial radio station licensed to Lowell, Massachusetts and based in the Brighton area of Boston, which serves the Greater Boston area. It broadcasts a classical music format; it existed as a commercial station from the early 1950s until December 2009, and as a listener-supported...
) in 1996, with its studios and offices moving to a former bank building on Route 28 in West Yarmouth
West Yarmouth, Massachusetts
West Yarmouth is a census-designated place in the town of Yarmouth in Barnstable County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 6,460 at the 2000 census.- Geography :West Yarmouth is located at ....
. WFCC's programming became automated full-time as a result.
WFCC has been the flagship station of the World Classical Network
World Classical Network
The World Classical Network is an internet-delivery classical radio broadcasting service owned by Cape Cod Broadcasting in Hyannis, Massachusetts. The service has been in existence since February 1998, when it was owned and operated by Charles River Broadcasting. It filled a void left by the...
syndicated service (started by Charles River Broadcasting) since 1998. The station and the network were sold in 2007 to Sandab Communications (doing business as Cape Cod Broadcasting), owners of Cape Cod radio stations WQRC
WQRC
WQRC is a radio station broadcasting a Hot Adult Contemporary format. Licensed to Barnstable, Massachusetts, USA, the station serves the Cape Cod area...
, WOCN-FM
WOCN-FM
WOCN-FM is a soft Adult Contemporary radio station licensed to Orleans, Massachusetts. The station is licensed to Sandab Communications and operated locally...
, and WKPE-FM
WKPE-FM
WKPE-FM , known as "Cape Country 104", is a Country radio station licensed to South Yarmouth, Massachusetts, with its main studio in Hyannis, Massachusetts, shared with WFCC-FM, WQRC, and WOCN-FM...
), and now broadcast from studios and offices in Hyannis
Hyannis, Massachusetts
Hyannis is the largest of seven villages in Barnstable, Massachusetts. Also it is the commercial and transportation hub of Cape Cod and was designated an urban area as a result of the 1990 census. Because of this, many refer to Hyannis as the "Capital of the Cape"...
.
Original WFCC staff member Steve Murphy returned to the station's airwaves as morning host on September 16, 2008 after an 18-year absence.