WSRS
Encyclopedia
WSRS is an American commercial radio station
broadcasting on 96.1 FM
. The station is licensed to Worcester, Massachusetts
, and is owned by Clear Channel Communications
. WSRS offers an adult contemporary music format focusing on the hits of the 1980s and 1990s. The station also mixes in occasional 1970s and 1960s big hits. The station also employs a moderate amount of current product.
, later moving to 102.7 FM, then to its current dial location of 96.1 FM http://www.fybush.com/site-030313.html, as WTAG-FM. By the late 1950s, the station offered a Beautiful Music
format, playing mostly instrumental easy listening renditions of popular songs. It also would play an occasional vocal selection (often sung by a chorus).
With the advent of FM stereo broadcasting, the station's call letters were changed to WSRS-FM, meaning "Worcester's Stereo Radio Station". Knight Quality Stations purchased WSRS from the Worcester Telegram & Gazette
newspaper in 1963. Knight later purchased WSRS sister-station WTAG
-AM 580 in 1987.
The station continued to offer an instrumental based easy listening format well into the 1980s. By then, though, WSRS began mixing in softer adult contemporary songs into the format. By 1982, WSRS was playing about one vocalist per quarter hour. Half were adult contemporary/baby boomer oldies artists, and half were standards artists. By 1984, the station was about half vocal and half instrumental. By 1985, WSRS evolved into more of a vocal-based easy-listening format with the instrumentals eliminated, except for hits such as "Music Box Dancer
," "Chariots of Fire
," "Rise
" and "Summer Place."
In 1986, WSRS cut back on standards artists and evolved into more of a soft adult-contemporary format. By 1989, the station began mixing in a lot of soft songs by what were then Hot AC artists. It also added Motown '60s hits and more uptempo songs by that time period. It still played almost no current product.
By 1994, WSRS would evolve into a mainstream adult contemporary station. In 1998, WSRS and WTAG were sold to Capstar Broadcasting. In 1999, as a result of a merger with Chancellor Media, WSRS' owner became AMFM Broadcasting. In a 2001 merger, Clear Channel assumed ownership of the station.
The day begins right at midnight with Joel Palmer on air from 12 AM-5 AM.
WSRS's Morning Show kicks off right at 5 AM with Jackie Brush and Greg Byrne as the hosts on air from 5 AM-10 AM.
From 10 AM-4 PM, Donna Mac takes the seat to continue the No Repeat Workday.
At 4 PM, Tom Holt hops on and runs the Drive at 5 and the air from 4 PM-7-PM.
The day ends with Delilah taking in calls for dedications.
, adding in 2007 the Pride Radio
dance music format on its HD2 subchannel. In 2009, Pride Radio was temporarily replaced by a classic hits type format for a couple of months, but has since returned.
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...
broadcasting on 96.1 FM
FM broadcasting
FM broadcasting is a broadcasting technology pioneered by Edwin Howard Armstrong which uses frequency modulation to provide high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. The term "FM band" describes the "frequency band in which FM is used for broadcasting"...
. The station is licensed to Worcester, Massachusetts
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....
, and is owned by Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications
Clear Channel Communications, Inc. is an American media conglomerate company headquartered in San Antonio, Texas. It was founded in 1972 by Lowry Mays and Red McCombs, and was taken private by Bain Capital LLC and Thomas H. Lee Partners LP in a leveraged buyout in 2008...
. WSRS offers an adult contemporary music format focusing on the hits of the 1980s and 1990s. The station also mixes in occasional 1970s and 1960s big hits. The station also employs a moderate amount of current product.
History
WSRS began operation as W1XTG in 1940 from Mount Asnebumskit in Paxton, MassachusettsPaxton, Massachusetts
Paxton is a town in Worcester County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 4,806 at the 2010 census.-History:Paxton was first settled in 1749 and was officially incorporated in 1765....
, later moving to 102.7 FM, then to its current dial location of 96.1 FM http://www.fybush.com/site-030313.html, as WTAG-FM. By the late 1950s, the station offered a Beautiful Music
Beautiful music
Beautiful music is a mostly instrumental music format that was prominent in American radio from the 1960s through the 1980s...
format, playing mostly instrumental easy listening renditions of popular songs. It also would play an occasional vocal selection (often sung by a chorus).
With the advent of FM stereo broadcasting, the station's call letters were changed to WSRS-FM, meaning "Worcester's Stereo Radio Station". Knight Quality Stations purchased WSRS from the Worcester Telegram & Gazette
Worcester Telegram & Gazette
The Telegram & Gazette is Worcester, Massachusetts's only daily newspaper. The paper, known locally as the Telegram or the T & G is owned by the Worcester Telegram & Gazette Corp., a wholly owned subsidiary of The New York Times Company .It offers coverage of all of...
newspaper in 1963. Knight later purchased WSRS sister-station WTAG
WTAG
WTAG is an AM radio station broadcasting on 580 kHz in Paxton, Massachusetts. WTAG programming is also simulcast on FM translator W235AV at 94.9 MHz, licensed to Tatnuck, Massachusetts...
-AM 580 in 1987.
The station continued to offer an instrumental based easy listening format well into the 1980s. By then, though, WSRS began mixing in softer adult contemporary songs into the format. By 1982, WSRS was playing about one vocalist per quarter hour. Half were adult contemporary/baby boomer oldies artists, and half were standards artists. By 1984, the station was about half vocal and half instrumental. By 1985, WSRS evolved into more of a vocal-based easy-listening format with the instrumentals eliminated, except for hits such as "Music Box Dancer
Music Box Dancer
"Music Box Dancer" is an instrumental piece by Canadian musician Frank Mills that was an international hit in the late 1970s. It features a piano theme that is accompanied by other instrumentation, designed to resemble a music box....
," "Chariots of Fire
Chariots of Fire
Chariots of Fire is a 1981 British film. It tells the fact-based story of two athletes in the 1924 Olympics: Eric Liddell, a devout Scottish Christian who runs for the glory of God, and Harold Abrahams, an English Jew who runs to overcome prejudice....
," "Rise
Rise
Rise or RISE may refer to:* Moving up-Music:* A type of melodic motion* Rise Records, a record label* Rise, an alias used by Paul Oakenfold and Steve Osborne-Albums:...
" and "Summer Place."
In 1986, WSRS cut back on standards artists and evolved into more of a soft adult-contemporary format. By 1989, the station began mixing in a lot of soft songs by what were then Hot AC artists. It also added Motown '60s hits and more uptempo songs by that time period. It still played almost no current product.
By 1994, WSRS would evolve into a mainstream adult contemporary station. In 1998, WSRS and WTAG were sold to Capstar Broadcasting. In 1999, as a result of a merger with Chancellor Media, WSRS' owner became AMFM Broadcasting. In a 2001 merger, Clear Channel assumed ownership of the station.
Personalities & Schedule
Monday-FridayThe day begins right at midnight with Joel Palmer on air from 12 AM-5 AM.
WSRS's Morning Show kicks off right at 5 AM with Jackie Brush and Greg Byrne as the hosts on air from 5 AM-10 AM.
From 10 AM-4 PM, Donna Mac takes the seat to continue the No Repeat Workday.
At 4 PM, Tom Holt hops on and runs the Drive at 5 and the air from 4 PM-7-PM.
The day ends with Delilah taking in calls for dedications.
HD Radio
In 2004, WSRS began broadcasting in HD RadioHD Radio
HD Radio, which originally stood for "Hybrid Digital", is the trademark for iBiquity's in-band on-channel digital radio technology used by AM and FM radio stations to transmit audio and data via a digital signal in conjunction with their analog signals...
, adding in 2007 the Pride Radio
Pride Radio (HD)
Pride Radio is a dance top 40 radio network launched by Clear Channel Communications and their online division, CCRD in 2006. This service targets listeners in the LGBT community...
dance music format on its HD2 subchannel. In 2009, Pride Radio was temporarily replaced by a classic hits type format for a couple of months, but has since returned.