WROL
Encyclopedia
WROL is a radio station in the Boston, Massachusetts radio market. The station is currently owned by Salem Communications
, and is located on 950 kHz on the AM
dial. The station airs a variety of formats, primarily religious programming and Spanish
music. In addition, the station is the Spanish flagship for the Boston Red Sox
and features an enormously popular Irish music block including the Irish Hit Parade and A Feast Of Irish Music.
. The station moved to Boston in 1935 after a sale and became WORL. In 1945, the then-owners (Harold Lafount and Arde Bulova) were declared unfit to be licensees, and were forced to divest the station, sending it off the air in 1949. During the 1940s, WORL was the first station in Boston to adopt a popular-music format ("The 920 Club", named after the station's former frequency) with disc jockies spinning the tunes. Although only a daytimer then, WORL built up a following as an entertaining alternative to the daytime programming elsewhere on the Boston radio dial.
Pilgrim Broadcasting purchased the license and returned the station to the air in 1950. Later sales led to the station becoming WRYT. with WORL
being taken by a station near Orlando, Florida
. Carter Broadcasting
took over in 1977, and after failing to be able to return the WORL call letters to Boston, settled on WROL. Carter immediately established a religious network with WROL as its flagship, with relays throughout New England
. While mostly religious, WROL featured two popular programs during the 1970s and 1980s, a weekday cooking show with longtime Boston radio/TV personality Gus Saunders, and a Saturday-afternoon block of Irish music featuring John Latchford and then later Paul Sullivan and Matt O'Donnell which became quite popular among the region's large Irish-American population.
In 2001, as part of Carter dismantling this network and focusing its attention to WCRN
in Worcester
, the station was sold to Salem Communications
.
Salem Communications
Salem Communications is a U.S. radio broadcaster, Internet content provider, and magazine and book publisher specializing in evangelical Christian and conservative political talk radio. It owns 99 commercial radio stations, 65 of which are in the top 25 markets. Salem is the fifth largest U.S....
, and is located on 950 kHz on the AM
AM broadcasting
AM broadcasting is the process of radio broadcasting using amplitude modulation. AM was the first method of impressing sound on a radio signal and is still widely used today. Commercial and public AM broadcasting is carried out in the medium wave band world wide, and on long wave and short wave...
dial. The station airs a variety of formats, primarily religious programming and Spanish
Spanish language
Spanish , also known as Castilian , is a Romance language in the Ibero-Romance group that evolved from several languages and dialects in central-northern Iberia around the 9th century and gradually spread with the expansion of the Kingdom of Castile into central and southern Iberia during the...
music. In addition, the station is the Spanish flagship for the Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
and features an enormously popular Irish music block including the Irish Hit Parade and A Feast Of Irish Music.
History
WROL's history dates back to 1927 and WBSO, owned by Babson CollegeBabson College
Babson College is a private business school located in Wellesley, Massachusetts near Boston.- History :Babson College was founded by Roger Babson on September 3, 1919, as the Babson Institute. It was renamed "Babson College" in 1969...
. The station moved to Boston in 1935 after a sale and became WORL. In 1945, the then-owners (Harold Lafount and Arde Bulova) were declared unfit to be licensees, and were forced to divest the station, sending it off the air in 1949. During the 1940s, WORL was the first station in Boston to adopt a popular-music format ("The 920 Club", named after the station's former frequency) with disc jockies spinning the tunes. Although only a daytimer then, WORL built up a following as an entertaining alternative to the daytime programming elsewhere on the Boston radio dial.
Pilgrim Broadcasting purchased the license and returned the station to the air in 1950. Later sales led to the station becoming WRYT. with WORL
WORL
WORL is a radio station broadcasting a news talk format. Licensed to Altamonte Springs, Florida, USA, it serves the Orlando, Florida area. The station is currently owned by Salem Communications....
being taken by a station near Orlando, Florida
Orlando, Florida
Orlando is a city in the central region of the U.S. state of Florida. It is the county seat of Orange County, and the center of the Greater Orlando metropolitan area. According to the 2010 US Census, the city had a population of 238,300, making Orlando the 79th largest city in the United States...
. Carter Broadcasting
Carter Broadcasting
Carter Broadcasting is a New England based broadcasting group owned by Ken Carberry. Its headquarters are in Braintree, Massachusetts.-Massachusetts :*WACE/730: Chicopee*WCRN/830: Worcester-References:**...
took over in 1977, and after failing to be able to return the WORL call letters to Boston, settled on WROL. Carter immediately established a religious network with WROL as its flagship, with relays throughout New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
. While mostly religious, WROL featured two popular programs during the 1970s and 1980s, a weekday cooking show with longtime Boston radio/TV personality Gus Saunders, and a Saturday-afternoon block of Irish music featuring John Latchford and then later Paul Sullivan and Matt O'Donnell which became quite popular among the region's large Irish-American population.
In 2001, as part of Carter dismantling this network and focusing its attention to WCRN
WCRN
WCRN is an AM radio station in Worcester, Massachusetts, owned by Carter Broadcasting.The station broadcasts at 830 AM at a transmitter power output of 50,000 watts and can be heard from Maine to Providence, Rhode Island, and from Boston to Springfield, Massachusetts...
in Worcester
Worcester, Massachusetts
Worcester is a city and the county seat of Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. Named after Worcester, England, as of the 2010 Census the city's population is 181,045, making it the second largest city in New England after Boston....
, the station was sold to Salem Communications
Salem Communications
Salem Communications is a U.S. radio broadcaster, Internet content provider, and magazine and book publisher specializing in evangelical Christian and conservative political talk radio. It owns 99 commercial radio stations, 65 of which are in the top 25 markets. Salem is the fifth largest U.S....
.