WRSI
Encyclopedia
WRSI is a radio station
licensed
to serve Turners Falls, Massachusetts
. The station is owned by Saga Communications
and licensed to Saga Communications of New England, LLC. It airs an Album Adult Alternative music format.
. It was designated for hearing by the FCC when a competing application was filed by Poet's Seat Broadcasting, Inc. for the same vacant FM channel (95.3 MHz in Greenfield). After comparative hearings at the FCC, the FCC Administrative Law Judge decided in August 1979 that Green Valley Broadcasting Co. should be awarded the construction permit. Poet's Seat appealed the decision to a three member FCC judicial panel. They upheld the original decision to award the construction permit to Green Valley Broadcasting Co. Poet's Seat appealed once more to the seven FCC commissioners, who voted 7-0 in Green Valley's favor. This gave Green Valley Broadcasting Co. the authority to begin construction starting in January 1981.
WRSI officially went on the air July 26, 1981 at noon with a very diverse programming line up which included music from the genres of rock, classical, jazz, new age, folk, world, country and anything new and different it could find. A concerted effort was made from the start to showcase local musicians from an area in western Massachusetts that supported its local artists through concert attendance and strong listener loyalty.
WRSI was the first stereo FM station in Franklin County, Massachusetts
, and was unique among its peers in that it used next to no compression of its audio signals. This translated into less "listener fatigue" and longer audience participation. WRSI was also the first station in western Massachusetts beginning, in the end of 1982, to use compact discs as part of its regular programming source in order to broadcast the highest quality audio.
WRSI added a sister station in March 1987. WPOE (AM) Greenfield, MA was purchased from Poet's Seat Broadcasting Inc. The call letters were changed to WGAM (AM).
Green Valley Broadcasting Co., Ltd. (Ed Skutnik, owner) sold WRSI and WGAM to Howard Communications Corp. in October 1988.
Howard Communications went into receivership in January 1992. At that time, Ed Skutnik, former owner of WRSI and WGAM, was asked to manage the stations until a new owner was found.
In November 1992, under the ownership of Ed Skutnik, Radio Skutnik Inc. bought back WRSI and WGAM from the receivership of Howard Communication Corp. Radio Skutnik Inc. (RSI) continued the same original programming diversity which it was known for and which it started when it first signed on.
In October 1996, Radio Skutnik Inc. sold WRSI and WGAM to Watertown Radio Associates.
In October 1996, Dynacom (Jeff Shapiro, owner), acting as Watertown Radio Associates of Claremont, New Hampshire
, reached an agreement to purchase WRSI (95.3 FM) and WGAM (now WIZZ
) from Radio Skutnik, Inc. (Ed Skutnik, owner) for a reported sale price of $650,000. In August 1999, Vox Media Corp. purchased Dynacom and all of its radio assets, including WRSI, for a reported $5.5 million.
In July 2000, Vox Media Corp. (Bruce G. Danziger, president) purchased WPVQ (93.9 FM) from Cardwell Broadcasting Inc., Whately (Glen W. Cardinal, president) for a reported sale price of $2.925 million.
In February 2001, WRSI swapped frequencies with WPVQ
so that WPVQ now broadcasts on 95.3 MHz from Greenfield, Massachusetts
, and WRSI broadcasts on its current 93.9 MHz. The 93.9 FM station was assigned the WRSI call letters by the Federal Communications Commission
on February 1, 2001
.
In December 2003, Saga Communications Inc. (Edward K. Christian, president/CEO) announced that it had reached an agreement to purchase WRSI (93.9 FM) and WPVQ (95.3 FM) plus WRSY
(101.5 FM) from Vox Media Corp. (Jeff Shapiro, COO). The deal was brokered by Richard A. Foreman of Richard A. Foreman Associates Inc. The $7 million deal closed in April 2004.
, host of The Rachel Maddow Show
on MSNBC
and a former Air America Radio
personality, worked for WRSI as host of "The Big Breakfast" after getting her start in radio at nearby WRNX
.
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
City of license
A city of license or community of license, in American and Canadian broadcasting, is the community that a radio station or television station is officially licensed to serve by that country's broadcast regulator....
to serve Turners Falls, Massachusetts
Turners Falls, Massachusetts
Turners Falls is an unincorporated village and census-designated place in the town of Montague in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 4,441 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Springfield, Massachusetts Metropolitan Statistical Area...
. The station is owned by Saga Communications
Saga Communications
Saga Communications is a broadcasting company that owns and operates stations in 26 markets in the United States. The company, which is based in Grosse Pointe Farms, Michigan, primarily operates radio stations , but it also operates 9 television stations Saga Communications is a broadcasting...
and licensed to Saga Communications of New England, LLC. It airs an Album Adult Alternative music format.
History
On July 11, 1977, Ed Skutnik filed an application on behalf of his Company, Green Valley Broadcasting Co., Ltd. for a construction permit to build a new FM station in Greenfield, MassachusettsGreenfield, Massachusetts
Greenfield is a city in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 17,456 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Franklin County. Greenfield is home to Greenfield Community College, the Pioneer Valley Symphony Orchestra, and the Franklin County Fair...
. It was designated for hearing by the FCC when a competing application was filed by Poet's Seat Broadcasting, Inc. for the same vacant FM channel (95.3 MHz in Greenfield). After comparative hearings at the FCC, the FCC Administrative Law Judge decided in August 1979 that Green Valley Broadcasting Co. should be awarded the construction permit. Poet's Seat appealed the decision to a three member FCC judicial panel. They upheld the original decision to award the construction permit to Green Valley Broadcasting Co. Poet's Seat appealed once more to the seven FCC commissioners, who voted 7-0 in Green Valley's favor. This gave Green Valley Broadcasting Co. the authority to begin construction starting in January 1981.
WRSI officially went on the air July 26, 1981 at noon with a very diverse programming line up which included music from the genres of rock, classical, jazz, new age, folk, world, country and anything new and different it could find. A concerted effort was made from the start to showcase local musicians from an area in western Massachusetts that supported its local artists through concert attendance and strong listener loyalty.
WRSI was the first stereo FM station in Franklin County, Massachusetts
Franklin County, Massachusetts
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 71,535 people, 29,466 households, and 18,416 families residing in the county. The population density was 102 people per square mile . There were 31,939 housing units at an average density of 46 per square mile...
, and was unique among its peers in that it used next to no compression of its audio signals. This translated into less "listener fatigue" and longer audience participation. WRSI was also the first station in western Massachusetts beginning, in the end of 1982, to use compact discs as part of its regular programming source in order to broadcast the highest quality audio.
WRSI added a sister station in March 1987. WPOE (AM) Greenfield, MA was purchased from Poet's Seat Broadcasting Inc. The call letters were changed to WGAM (AM).
Green Valley Broadcasting Co., Ltd. (Ed Skutnik, owner) sold WRSI and WGAM to Howard Communications Corp. in October 1988.
Howard Communications went into receivership in January 1992. At that time, Ed Skutnik, former owner of WRSI and WGAM, was asked to manage the stations until a new owner was found.
In November 1992, under the ownership of Ed Skutnik, Radio Skutnik Inc. bought back WRSI and WGAM from the receivership of Howard Communication Corp. Radio Skutnik Inc. (RSI) continued the same original programming diversity which it was known for and which it started when it first signed on.
In October 1996, Radio Skutnik Inc. sold WRSI and WGAM to Watertown Radio Associates.
In October 1996, Dynacom (Jeff Shapiro, owner), acting as Watertown Radio Associates of Claremont, New Hampshire
Claremont, New Hampshire
There were 5,685 households out of which 27.4% had children under the age of 18 living with them, 45.5% were married couples living together, 10.3% had a female householder with no husband present, and 39.7% were non-families. 32.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.7% had...
, reached an agreement to purchase WRSI (95.3 FM) and WGAM (now WIZZ
WIZZ
WIZZ is a radio station licensed to serve Greenfield, Massachusetts, USA. The station is owned by P. & M. Radio, LLC. It airs a Nostalgia radio format.The station verifies signal reports by QSL card....
) from Radio Skutnik, Inc. (Ed Skutnik, owner) for a reported sale price of $650,000. In August 1999, Vox Media Corp. purchased Dynacom and all of its radio assets, including WRSI, for a reported $5.5 million.
In July 2000, Vox Media Corp. (Bruce G. Danziger, president) purchased WPVQ (93.9 FM) from Cardwell Broadcasting Inc., Whately (Glen W. Cardinal, president) for a reported sale price of $2.925 million.
In February 2001, WRSI swapped frequencies with WPVQ
WPVQ
WPVQ is a radio station licensed to serve Greenfield, Massachusetts. The station is owned by Saga Communications and licensed to Saga Communications of New England, LLC. It airs a Country music format.-History:...
so that WPVQ now broadcasts on 95.3 MHz from Greenfield, Massachusetts
Greenfield, Massachusetts
Greenfield is a city in Franklin County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 17,456 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Franklin County. Greenfield is home to Greenfield Community College, the Pioneer Valley Symphony Orchestra, and the Franklin County Fair...
, and WRSI broadcasts on its current 93.9 MHz. The 93.9 FM station was assigned the WRSI call letters by the Federal Communications Commission
Federal Communications Commission
The Federal Communications Commission is an independent agency of the United States government, created, Congressional statute , and with the majority of its commissioners appointed by the current President. The FCC works towards six goals in the areas of broadband, competition, the spectrum, the...
on February 1, 2001
2001 in radio
The year 2001 in radio involved some significant events.-Events:*12 January: Jammin 103.5 becomes Kiss 103.5 in Chicago.*29 January: The 80s Channel WXXY and WWYX becomes Viva! 103.1...
.
In December 2003, Saga Communications Inc. (Edward K. Christian, president/CEO) announced that it had reached an agreement to purchase WRSI (93.9 FM) and WPVQ (95.3 FM) plus WRSY
WRSY
WRSY is a radio station licensed to serve Marlboro, Vermont. The station is owned by Saga Communications. It airs an Adult Album Alternative music format, via a simulcast of WRSI.-History:...
(101.5 FM) from Vox Media Corp. (Jeff Shapiro, COO). The deal was brokered by Richard A. Foreman of Richard A. Foreman Associates Inc. The $7 million deal closed in April 2004.
Alumni
Rachel MaddowRachel Maddow
Rachel Anne Maddow is an American television host and political commentator. Maddow hosts a nightly television show, The Rachel Maddow Show, on MSNBC. Her syndicated talk radio program, The Rachel Maddow Show, aired on Air America Radio...
, host of The Rachel Maddow Show
The Rachel Maddow Show (TV series)
The Rachel Maddow Show is a news and opinion television program that airs weeknights on MSNBC at 9:00 p.m. ET. It is hosted by Rachel Maddow, who gained popularity with her frequent appearances as a liberal pundit on various MSNBC programs. It is based on her former radio show of the same name...
on MSNBC
MSNBC
MSNBC is a cable news channel based in the United States available in the US, Germany , South Africa, the Middle East and Canada...
and a former Air America Radio
Air America Radio
Air America was an American radio network specializing in progressive talk programming...
personality, worked for WRSI as host of "The Big Breakfast" after getting her start in radio at nearby WRNX
WRNX
WRNX is an American radio station licensed to serve Amherst, Massachusetts. The station is owned by Clear Channel Communications and the broadcast license is held by CC Licenses, LLC....
.