WPAT-FM

WPAT-FM, known on-air as "93.1 Amor", is a FM radio station with a Bachata & Spanish AC format. Located at 93.1 MHz, the station is owned by the Spanish Broadcasting System along with sister station 97.9 WSKQ-FM which features a Spanish-language Tropical format. WPAT-FM is licensed to Paterson, New Jersey and serves the New York City area. It has studios in Midtown Manhattan, and the transmitter is atop the Empire State Building.

WPAT-FM broadcasts in HD.^[2]

History

WPAT-FM signed on in 1957 with studios in Newark, New Jersey. It eventually moved to studios on Church Street in Paterson, and later moved to studios at the four-tower transmitter site of its AM sister station at that time, 930 WPAT (AM), at 1396 Broad Street in Clifton, New Jersey.

WPAT-AM and FM were purchased by Capital Cities Communications in 1961.^[3] In 1985, Capital Cities announced that it would buy ABC.^[4][5] As a result of Federal Communications Commission regulations at the time, the company decided to sell WPAT-AM-FM because ABC already owned 770 WABC and 95.5 WPLJ in New York City. The WPAT stations were sold to Park Communications.^[6]

For decades, WPAT-AM-FM aired a mostly-instrumental beautiful music format under the slogan "Easy 93". By coincidence, WPAT-AM is at 930 and WPAT-FM is at 93.1, making "Easy 93" a reference for both stations. While both stations enjoyed good ratings and profits, the beautiful music format began to lose popularity. In the late 1980s, both stations began mixing in Smooth Jazz cuts as well as more contemporary but soft vocal hits, while slightly decreasing the instrumental renditions of pop hits the stations had been known for. By the early 1990s, WPAT and WPAT-FM backed off the smooth jazz cuts and in 1992 began adding more AC vocalists, as well as current hits. That year WPAT was half vocal and half instrumental. At the end of 1992, WPAT and WPAT-FM very quietly switched to a down-tempo adult contemporary format. Unlike WLTW, WPAT and WPAT-FM played current hits. The station also had specialty programs such as public affairs shows and the Mass Sunday mornings (carried over from the easy listening days), a Top 30 AC countdown show Sunday evenings, a Broadway Show Saturday evenings, and Sounds of Sinatra with Sid Mark Saturday nights. In October 1994, the stations modified the format to an up-tempo bright AC format and were known as "Today's 93.1". WPAT-FM at that time dropped all the specialty shows previously airing except for the Saturday Frank Sinatra show. WPAT 930, though retained the other specialty shows and also separated from the FM various times for sports programming unable to air on WFAN due to multiple commitments at the same time. Still most of the time the stations continued to simulcast. In November 1995, the Spanish Broadcasting System (SBS) agreed to purchase the 93.1 FM license and transmitter. The Clifton building and intellectual property were excluded from the sale. The building, the AM transmitter, and 930 AM license were sold to Heftel Broadcasting (now Univisión radio), which was another company specializing in Spanish-language programming. The AM station, continued the adult contemporary format, but softer than what had been heard on the stations together from the rest of January until March 26, 1996 at 3 p.m., of at which time that station also changed hands.

On January 19, 1996, at 11:59 pm, WPAT-FM ceased being an English-language station when control was switched over to the new owners. WPAT-FM DJ Karen Carson did the last air shift for the station's adult contemporary format that day, and Operations Director Ken McKenzie gave a farewell speech right before the station signed off from Clifton. Immediately after the station signed off from Clifton, a new Spanish-language adult contemporary format signed on from Manhattan, and the station began calling itself "Suave 93.1" ("Smooth 93.1"). Eventually, on February 4, 1998, the station's name was changed to "Amor 93.1" ("Love 93.1") and in January 2002, reversed to "93.1 Amor" ("93.1 Love").

In the Spanish station's earliest years, its transmitter was located at the top of the Chrysler Building in Manhattan. Later, it was moved to the top of the North Tower of the World Trade Center, but it was destroyed as a result of the September 11 attacks in 2001. Due to this, the station went silent after the attack, until WPAT-FM was able to set up a temporary transmitter. The station's transmitter was eventually moved to the Empire State Building.

In January 2002, WPAT dropped most classic Spanish-language artists such as Gloria Estefan and Julio Iglesias. It shifted to a "'90s to Now" direction. WPAT's music direction changed again on June 13, 2011, by dropping the 1990s tracks and shifted to a "2000's to Now" direction. On July 6, 2011, it shifted to a Spanish-language rhythmic AC format (based on WKTU), and on February 7, 2012, it shifted to Spanish Top 40. During this transition, the station used the "La Nueva 93.1" moniker; this then changed back to "93.1 Amor". In late November 2012, the station shifted back to Spanish AC under the "Romantica y Agresiva" slogan; the station also added back 1980's music. In February 2013, WPAT dropped '80s and '90s music, and shifted to a "2000's to Now" direction under the "Más Música y Menos Comerciales" slogan and in early 2014, WPAT shifted to Bachata and Spanish Pop using the slogan "Emisora Oficial de Bachata y Pop." In January 2015, the slogan was changed to "Con el Amor, no se Juega!" DJ Luis Jimenez made his debut on February 12, 2015. On February 28, 2015, El Rey De La Radio (The King of the Radio) Polito Vega made his debut on the radio. In late April 2015, the slogan was changed to "El Ritmo Latino De New York!". On June 13, 2015, WPAT added Tropical music, and their slogan changed to "#1 Con Hits En New York! Y Luis Jiménez en las Mañanas!" On July 6, 2015, the phrase "Y Luis Jiménez en las Mañanas!" was dropped from the slogan, as Jimenez left the station 11 days later. The morning show's name was changed to "Sin Censura" or "Without Censorship" indicating a free-wheeling program of uncensored humor (even though in reality, it is subject to rules set up by the Federal Communications Commission). In October, the Tropical music was dropped as the station transitioned back to Spanish AC, as well as the inclusion of select English-language hits. The classic English-hits were dropped in January 2016, and the morning show "Sin Censura" as well. After 1 Year with Polito Vega on February 21, 2016, he left the radio. The show of Señor Bolero & Viva Mexico returned only with Douglas Peña except with Francis Mendez on March 6, 2016. Portafolio 93 became a Weekday Program from 10pm-12am, it's mostly similar to Señor Bolero but with newer songs and older songs. On June 2016, Portafolio 93 and Viva Mexico were dropped from the radio, and some DJs left the radio. Tributo A Los Grandes replaced Viva Mexico for Saturday Mornings. On September 10th, WPAT-FM changed their slogan to "Bachata Y Mas!"

Current programming

• Señor Bolero con Douglas Peña (Formerly: Francis Mendez) (1996-2010, 2011-2012, 2016-present)
• Tributo A Los Grandes con Oscar Ramirez (2016-present)

Former programming

• Noche de Concierto con Maria Mercedes (Luisa Martinez) (1996–2000)
• Los Clasicos de Amor (Suave) (1996–2001)
• Mileño: Rock en Español con Maria Mercedes (1999–2001)
• Sin Censura (Without Censorship) (2015-2016)
• Polito Vega "El Rey De La Radio" (The King of the Radio) (2015-2016)
• Portafolio 93 (March 2016-June 2016)
• Viva Mexico con Alberto Otero (Alejandro Cobos, Gabriel Pino) (1997-2010, 2011-2012, 2016)

References

1. ↑ http://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/85293/wgnk-miami-adds-additional-signals/
2. ↑ http://www.hdradio.com/station_guides/widget.php?id=45
3. ↑ "FCC okays $30 million in station sales." Broadcasting, August 7, 1961, pg. 90.
4. ↑ Kleinfield, N.R. "ABC is being sold for $3.5 billion; 1st network sale." The New York Times, March 19, 1985.
5. ↑ "Capcities + ABC." Broadcasting, March 25, 1985, pp. 31-32
6. ↑ "Breaking up and breaking records." Broadcasting, August 12, 1985, pg. 29.

External links

• WPAT Website and WPAT Website
• Query the FCC's FM station database for WPAT
• Radio-Locator information on WPAT
• Query Nielsen Audio's FM station database for WPAT