WSAR
Encyclopedia
WSAR is an AM radio station in Somerset, Massachusetts
broadcasting on 1480 kHz. WSAR is the second oldest radio station in Massachusetts
and the fifth oldest station in the United States.
& changed frequency to 1190kc. still with 100 watts by June 30, 1927. WSAR moved back to Fall River & changed frequency again to 1410kc. in 1928. During the late 1920s the power was increased to 1,000 watts. An early slogan (sometime between 1926–1932) used by WSAR was "Fall River Looms Up."
, WSAR's frequency shifted from 1450 to 1480kc. effective @ 03:00 Eastern Time on March 29, 1941. In 1941-1942 WSAR was an affiliate of both the Boston Red Sox & Boston Braves networks. This has been noted by a history book on-site at WSAR detailing weekly programming schedules. In 1945 the Doughty & Welch Electric Company finally sold WSAR to K&M Publishing. In 1948, WSAR was a Mutual affiliate with 5,000 watts of power & had a license for WSAR-FM/103.7 (Channel 279); however by 1950 WSAR-FM had been deleted. It is unknown if WSAR-FM ever made it to air.
with Keri Rodrigues taking his position until her tenure ended in controversy in August 2008. Rodrigues' afternoon drive seat was filled by then Production Director "Fast" Eddie Garcia and sports-talk personality "The Hurricane" Mike Herren. Meanwhile, the role of Program Director was never officially replaced.
After several contentious, on-air confrontations, "Fast Eddie and the Hurricane" was disbanded, with Herren remaining as the afternoon drive host, and Garcia returning full-time to producing. The new program was dubbed "The Hurricane's Highway Home," with Herren adding new co-host Ryan Phelan into the studio.
Phelan left the station in the spring of 2010 after accepting a position with Bristol Eighth District Mike Rodrigues' State Senate Campaign to replace the retiring Joan Menard.
Herren's program was cancelled soon afterwards.
Late in the Summer of 2008, WSAR remodeled its webpage http://www.wsar.com, adding streaming audio, mobile streaming, and podcasts of interviews, newscasts and special programming
Kim Tunnicliffe - former News Director, Reporter for WBZ
in Boston, MA
Sam Bromley - former afternoon News Anchor, Iraq War veteran
Jim Harrington - former afternoon drive talent[1969] - later at WDRC AM & FM, WBZ-AM, WCBS-FM, KDKA-AM, worked in the movie JAWS.
Tommy Cooper - former afternoon co-host
Rick Edwards (Perlman) - former Program Director, hosted The Bus Ride Home with Rick Edwards
Jay Elliott - former Operations Manager, Assistant Chief Operator, on air talent (1992–1998)
Somerset, Massachusetts
Somerset is a town in Bristol County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 18,234 at the 2000 census. It is the birthplace and hometown of Clifford Milburn Holland , the chief engineer and namesake of the Holland Tunnel in New York City....
broadcasting on 1480 kHz. WSAR is the second oldest radio station in 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...
and the fifth oldest station in the United States.
Format
WSAR's format is currently news/talk and sports although in earlier decades it was a full service music station playing top 40 music. Currently, the radio station's flagship programs are The Bristol County Breakfast Club with Hector "Happy Hec" Gautheir and Dr. Nancy Duncan in the Morning, "Underreported" with Ric Oliveira, George Colajezzi in middays, "The WSAR Newsroom" with journalist Barry Richard at the anchor desk during the Noon Hour with Allan Zarek. WSAR also carries live game coverage for the Boston Red Sox, New England Patriots and the Boston Celtics.1920s
WSAR began broadcasting in June 1923 (although in one 1940s station publication, the station claimed September 21, 1921) with the sequentially-issued callsign of WSAR. WSAR's original owner was the Doughty & Welch Electric Company. WSAR first operated on 1180kc. with 10 watts. WSAR would stay on 1180 through 1926. Power in 1926 was 100 watts. WSAR then moved to Portsmouth, Rhode IslandPortsmouth, Rhode Island
Portsmouth is a town in Newport County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 17,389 at the 2010 U.S. Census.-Geography:According to the United States Census Bureau, the town has a total area of , of which, of it is land and of it is water. Most of its land area lies on Aquidneck...
& changed frequency to 1190kc. still with 100 watts by June 30, 1927. WSAR moved back to Fall River & changed frequency again to 1410kc. in 1928. During the late 1920s the power was increased to 1,000 watts. An early slogan (sometime between 1926–1932) used by WSAR was "Fall River Looms Up."
1930s
WSAR was on 1450kc. with 250 watts of power by June 30, 1930. The owner was still the Doughty & Welch Electric Company.1940s
With the adaptation of the North American Radio Broadcasting AgreementNorth American Radio Broadcasting Agreement
The North American Radio Broadcasting Agreement, usually referred to as NARBA, is a treaty that took effect in March 1941 and set out the bandplan and interference rules for mediumwave AM broadcasting in North America. Although mostly replaced by other agreements in the 1980s, the basic bandplan...
, WSAR's frequency shifted from 1450 to 1480kc. effective @ 03:00 Eastern Time on March 29, 1941. In 1941-1942 WSAR was an affiliate of both the Boston Red Sox & Boston Braves networks. This has been noted by a history book on-site at WSAR detailing weekly programming schedules. In 1945 the Doughty & Welch Electric Company finally sold WSAR to K&M Publishing. In 1948, WSAR was a Mutual affiliate with 5,000 watts of power & had a license for WSAR-FM/103.7 (Channel 279); however by 1950 WSAR-FM had been deleted. It is unknown if WSAR-FM ever made it to air.
2000s
Paul Giammarco took over as program director & afternoon host in 2003. In 2005 he left for WPROWPRO (AM)
WPRO is a radio station located in Providence, Rhode Island. The station is owned by Cumulus Media, and airs a talk format. WPRO's studio and transmitter are located in East Providence, at the Salty Brine Broadcast Center, named after WPRO's longtime morning host...
with Keri Rodrigues taking his position until her tenure ended in controversy in August 2008. Rodrigues' afternoon drive seat was filled by then Production Director "Fast" Eddie Garcia and sports-talk personality "The Hurricane" Mike Herren. Meanwhile, the role of Program Director was never officially replaced.
After several contentious, on-air confrontations, "Fast Eddie and the Hurricane" was disbanded, with Herren remaining as the afternoon drive host, and Garcia returning full-time to producing. The new program was dubbed "The Hurricane's Highway Home," with Herren adding new co-host Ryan Phelan into the studio.
Phelan left the station in the spring of 2010 after accepting a position with Bristol Eighth District Mike Rodrigues' State Senate Campaign to replace the retiring Joan Menard.
Herren's program was cancelled soon afterwards.
Late in the Summer of 2008, WSAR remodeled its webpage http://www.wsar.com, adding streaming audio, mobile streaming, and podcasts of interviews, newscasts and special programming
Notable alumni
John Greenwood - former Providence, RI television News AnchorKim Tunnicliffe - former News Director, Reporter for WBZ
WBZ (AM)
WBZ is the call sign for an AM radio station in Boston, Massachusetts owned by CBS Radio, itself owned by the CBS Corporation. Originally based in and broadcast from Springfield, Massachusetts, WBZ was the first commercial radio station in the United States...
in Boston, MA
Sam Bromley - former afternoon News Anchor, Iraq War veteran
Jim Harrington - former afternoon drive talent[1969] - later at WDRC AM & FM, WBZ-AM, WCBS-FM, KDKA-AM, worked in the movie JAWS.
Tommy Cooper - former afternoon co-host
Rick Edwards (Perlman) - former Program Director, hosted The Bus Ride Home with Rick Edwards
Jay Elliott - former Operations Manager, Assistant Chief Operator, on air talent (1992–1998)