View source for Biography:WFME (AM)

{{short description|Clear-channel Family Radio station in New York City}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name               = WFME
| city               = New York, New York
| country            = US
| area               = New York metropolitan area
| logo               = Family Radio 2017 logo.svg
| branding           = ''Family Radio''
| airdate            = {{Start date and age|1929|3|26}}
| frequency          = 1560 kHz
| translator         = {{Radio Relay|106.3|W292FV|New York}}
| format             = Christian radio
| language           = English
| power              = {{val|50000|u=watts|fmt=commas}}
| class              = A
| facility_id        = 29024
| coordinates        = {{coord|40|43|0|N|73|55|4|W|region:US-NY_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| callsign_meaning   = Where Faith (or Family) Means Everything
| former_callsigns   = {{ubl|W2XR (1929–1936)|WQXR (1936–1992)|WQEW (1992–2015)}}
| former_frequencies = {{ubl|2100 kHz (1929–1934)|1550 kHz (1934–1941)}}
| owner              = Family Radio
| licensee           = Family Stations, Inc.
| licensing_authority = FCC
| sister_stations    = {{hlist|WFME-FM|WFRS|WYMK}}
| webcast            = {{listenlive|https://live.mystreamplayer.com/familyradio}}
| website            = {{URL|https://familyradio.org}}
| affiliations       = Family Radio
}}

'''WFME''' (1560 kHz) is a [[Engineering:Non-commercial educational|non-commercial educational]], religious-formatted [[Engineering:AM broadcasting|AM]] radio station licensed to New York City, broadcasting at 1,000 watts, under a [[Engineering:Special temporary authority|special temporary authority]] (STA).<ref>{{cite web|title=Resumption of Operations|url=https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbsmenu.hts?context=25&appn=101828871&formid=910&fac_num=29024|website=licensing.fcc.gov|access-date=October 27, 2021}}</ref> The station is owned and operated by Family Radio, a Christian radio ministry based in Nashville, Tennessee.

On February 15, 2021, at 11:16&nbsp;am, WFME went [[Engineering:Dark (broadcasting)|temporarily silent]] following the sale of the station's Maspeth, Queens transmitter site by Family Radio for future redevelopment.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Prologis Buys WFME Radio Station Site in Queens for $51M|url=https://commercialobserver.com/2020/11/prologis-wfme-queens-site/|access-date=February 13, 2021|website=Commercial Observer|date=November 24, 2020|language=en-US}}</ref>

On October 26, 2021, the station returned to the air from a new tower site, operating at 1,000 watts under an STA.<ref>{{cite web|title=Special Temporary Authority|url=https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/manager/download/db00560f-aee0-6a9f-e6c1-a28be07c4177/43c029d1-015d-49b2-a24b-d353b165e1e4.pdf|website=fcc.gov|access-date=December 30, 2022|date=June 27, 2022}}</ref>

==History==
[[File:WQEW Maspeth Bushw LIRR jeh.JPG|thumb|The former WFME transmitting towers in Maspeth, Queens.]]
WFME began operations as W2XR, an experimental television station, owned by inventor John V. L. Hogan, operating at 2100 [[Hertz#SI multiples|kHz]], which went on the air on March 26, 1929.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.earlytelevision.org/w2xr.html|title=W2XR - Long Island City, NY|publisher=Early Television Museum|access-date=February 26, 2009}}</ref> Hogan was a radio engineer who owned many patents, and wanted a permit for an experimental station. To avoid interference, the frequency granted in 1934 by the Federal Radio Commission was considerably above the normal broadcasting range, which at that time ended at 1500 kilocycles.<ref>{{cite web |url= http://www.fybush.com/sites/2008/site-080321.html|title= WQEW 1560, New York - Tower site of the week |date=March 21, 2008 |website=Fybush.com |publisher=Scott Fybush |access-date=July 29, 2014}}</ref> Hogan's permit was one of four [[Engineering:Planning permission#Broadcasting|construction permits]]; the others, all granted on the same day, were W1XBS Waterbury and W9XBY Kansas City, both on 1530&nbsp;kHz, and W6XAI Bakersfield, which shared 1550&nbsp;kHz with W2XR. W2XR was licensed as an "experimental broadcast station" on June 29, 1934.<ref>{{cite report| publisher = Federal Communications Commission | title = Radio Service Bulletin | number = 222 | date = July 1, 1934}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wqxr.org/#!/story/1533-happy-birthday-wqxr/ |title=Happy Birthday WQXR! |work=New York Public Radio - WQXR-FM |date=December 3, 2009 |access-date=July 29, 2014}}</ref> But Hogan was also a connoisseur of music, and he drew on his own record collection to provide the sound for his experiments, which typically lasted for an hour in the evening. W2XR began to broadcast Classical music recordings on 1550&nbsp;kHz.<ref>{{cite report| publisher = Federal Radio Commission | title = Radio Service Bulletin | number = 219 | date = May 15, 1934}}</ref> His television broadcasts came to naught, but Hogan began to hear from unknown individuals who encouraged him to continue broadcasting music.<ref>Ivan Veit, preface to Howard Taubman, ''The New York Times Guide to Listening Pleasure'' (NY: Macmillan and London: Collier-Macmillan, 1968), pp. ix-x.</ref>

In 1936, Hogan and Elliott Sanger formed the Interstate Broadcasting Company, with the intention of turning W2XR into a commercial station at a time when there were already about twenty-five radio stations in New York. The transmitter, which used a homemade antenna mounted on a wooden pole, was located in a garage in Long Island City, near the Queensborough Bridge, and its 250 watts provided just enough power to reach midtown Manhattan and parts of Queens.<ref>Ivan Veit, preface to Howard Taubman, ''The New York Times Guide to Listening Pleasure'' (NY: Macmillan and London: Collier-Macmillan, 1968), p. x.</ref> On December 3, 1936, W2XR became WQXR since the cursive form of the letter "Q" mimics the number "2". An FM service, W2XQR, was added in 1939. The North American Regional Broadcasting Agreement of 1941 formally extended the AM band to 1600&nbsp;kHz, ending the "high-fidelity" service but keeping all four original stations near their existing frequencies. WQXR was originally slated to move to 1600 as a five-kilowatt class III-A regional station, but was able to persuade the FCC to make it a class I-B station on 1560&nbsp;kHz instead.

==="The radio station of ''The New York Times''" (1944–1998)===
[[File:WQXR CD promotion ad (1986).png|thumb|An advertisement with older logo of WQXR displaying both FM and AM frequencies]]
The ''New York Post'' approached the company in the early 1940s about purchasing the stations. Sanger said publicly that he would have preferred to sell to ''{{wipe|The New York Times}}'', and in early 1944, the ''Times'' agreed to pay just over $1&nbsp;million for ownership of Interstate Broadcasting Company. A transfer application was filed with the FCC on March 1, 1944,<ref>{{cite journal | title=Actions of the Federal Communications Commission | journal=Broadcasting and Broadcast Advertising | date=March 6, 1944 | page=60 | volume=26 | issue=10 | publisher = Broadcasting Publications, Inc. | location=Washington, D.C.}}</ref> including a financial statement showing that the stations had made over $22,000 in profits the previous year, on revenues of $411,000;<ref>{{cite journal | title=N. Y. Times Files Petition for WQXR | journal=Broadcasting and Broadcast Advertising | date=March 6, 1944 | page=18 | volume=26 | issue=10}}</ref> after FCC approval, the sale was completed on July 25, 1944. (The ''Times'' continued to operate its radio stations under the Interstate Broadcasting name for many years, maintaining what its president called "basic good-music policies,"<ref>Ivan Veit, preface to Howard Taubman, ''The New York Times Guide to Listening Pleasure'' (NY: Macmillan and London: Collier-Macmillan, 1968), p. xi. Veit defined ''good music'' as "any music that has lasting value .&nbsp;.&nbsp;. symphonies, concertos, chamber works, opera, of course; but also the best of the lighter forms, including operettas, Broadway show tunes, fold music, and the world of jazz."</ref> but later used the name ''[[Company:The New York Times Company|The New York Times Radio Company]]''.) It broadcast classical music full-time,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nytco.com/who-we-are/culture/our-history/ |title=Our Story |work=[[Company:The New York Times Company|The New York Times Company]] |access-date=July 29, 2014 }}</ref> along with ''New York Times'' news. At 9&nbsp;pm, the newspaper having been "put to bed", the station would broadcast a brief discussion of the news which would appear on the front page of the next day's issue.

WQXR was the first AM station in New York to experiment with broadcasting in stereo, beginning in 1952. During some of its live concerts, it used two microphones positioned six feet apart. The microphone on the right led to its AM feed, and the one on the left to its FM feed, so a listener could position two radios six feet apart, one tuned to 1560 and the other to 96.3, and listen in stereo.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=DAgEAAAAMBAJ "More Air Hats in Stereo Ring"]. ''The Billboard''. November 9, 1959. pp. 16–20. Retrieved February 19, 2015 – via [[Google Books]].</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.wnyc.org/story/zaven-doc-masoomian/ |title=Zaven 'Doc' Masoomian |work=New York Public Radio |date=October 30, 2013 |access-date=February 19, 2015 |last=Lanset |first=Andy }}</ref>

In 1964, there was controversy when its 11&nbsp;pm program "Nightcap" was sponsored by Schenley Liquors.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1964/06/23/advertising-poll-on-liquor-commercials.html |title=Advertising: Poll on Liquor Commercials |work={{wipe|The New York Times}} |date=June 23, 1964 |access-date=February 20, 2015 |last=Nuccio |first=Sal }}</ref> Advertising hard liquor was considered a violation of the voluntary NAB standards.

In 1965, the FCC began requiring commonly owned AM and FM stations in large markets to broadcast separate programming for at least part of the day. WQXR-FM concentrated on longer classical works, while WQXR (AM) aired lighter classical music and talk programs produced in conjunction with ''The New York Times''. While this plan gave classical music fans in the New York area two options, it also increased expenses for the stations.

In 1971, the ''Times'' put WQXR-AM-FM up for sale. Many offers were received for the FM station, but none of the bids for 1560 AM were satisfactory to management. When the FCC agreed to waive rules prohibiting stations from simulcasting if they were broadcasting classical music, the ''Times'' took the WQXR stations off the market.
Simulcasting was also allowed, for example, for WGMS and WGMS-FM in [[Place:Washington, D.C.|Washington]].

====Transition to WQEW====
On December 2, 1992, the AM side broke away from the simulcast for good, changing to an American popular standards format,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/entertainment/wqew-succeeds-upholds-standards-article-1.693584 |title=WQEW Succeeds Upholds its Standards |work=Daily News|location=New York |date=December 4, 1995 |access-date=August 19, 2015 |last=Hinckley |first=David }}</ref> which was inaugurated by a live studio performance by Tony Bennett. The change came a few months after WNEW (1130 AM), New York's heritage popular standards station, announced an impending sale to [[Company:Bloomberg L.P.|Bloomberg L.P.]] and a format switch to business information with the new callsign WBBR. The format change at 1560 to standards happened 10 days before WNEW's transition. To reflect the heritage of both outlets, WQXR (AM) changed its call sign to WQEW. The station focused on a broad range of pop standards–the format's foundation artists including Frank Sinatra, Nat "King" Cole, Ella Fitzgerald, Dean Martin and Perry Como, but also artists from the big band era (such as Tommy Dorsey, Artie Shaw, Glenn Miller, Louis Armstrong and Duke Ellington); and non-rock-and-roll pop hits (by artists like Neil Diamond, Barbra Streisand, Ray Charles, Bobby Darin and Pat Boone, among others). Light rock and roll material such as the Turtles was also occasionally heard.

===Radio Disney (1998–2015)===
[[Image:Radiodisneynewyork.png|thumb|Final Radio Disney logo for WQEW.]]
Although initially successful, the station's advertising revenues were not spectacular, and older audience demographics were deemed undesirable for long-term success. On December 3, 1998, the ''Times'' announced that WQEW would switch to Radio Disney after agreeing to what was initially an eight-year local marketing agreement term with [[Company:The Walt Disney Company|the Walt Disney Company]] and its ABC Radio subsidiary.
The entire WQEW air staff, under orders to not discuss the pending changes on the air, was released on December 21; the station played Christmas music without announcers through the holiday.
Regular programming resumed on December 26 and ended on December 27 at 11:59{{nbsp}}p.m., when a pre-recorded signoff read by program director and air personality Stan Martin was played.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/12/02/nyregion/wqew-am-all-kids-all-the-time.html|title=WQEW-AM: All Kids, All the Time|work={{wipe|The New York Times}}|date=December 2, 1998|access-date=July 28, 2014|last=Blumenthal|first=Ralph}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|first=David|last=Hinckley|work=Daily News|location=New York|title=DISNEY ON THE DIAL NEW STATION WQEW BETS IT CAN WIN PRE-TEENS WITHOUT DRIVING THEIR PARENTS UP THE WALL|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/nydn-features/disney-dial-new-station-wqew-bets-win-pre-teens-driving-parents-wall-article-1.834961|date=January 13, 1999|access-date=July 28, 2014}}</ref> Radio Disney programming launched on WQEW on December 28, 1998.

At the end of the agreement with the ''Times'' in late 2006, Disney had the option to purchase the station or to extend the arrangement with the ''Times'' maintaining ownership. Disney exercised the option to purchase in early January 2007.<ref>{{cite web|title=Northeast Radio Watch|url=http://www.fybush.com/nerw-yir2007.html|website=Fybush.com|publisher=Scott Fybush|access-date=July 28, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/23/business/media/23nytimes.html|title=Times Company Will Increase Dividend on Its Stock by 31%|work={{wipe|The New York Times}}|date=March 23, 2007|access-date=July 28, 2014|last=Thomas, Jr.|first=Landon}}</ref> Disney/ABC officially became the owner of the station on May 24, 2007.<ref>{{cite web|title=Assignment of License|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=1127831|work=United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division|access-date=July 20, 2015|date=March 21, 2007}}</ref>

On August 13, 2014, Disney announced its intention to end terrestrial distribution of the Radio Disney format, to focus on digital distribution. Disney would also sell its remaining Radio Disney broadcast outlets, including WQEW and with the lone exception of KDIS in Los Angeles.<ref name=b&c-radiodisneysell2014>{{cite news|last1=Lafayette|first1=Jon|title=Exclusive: Radio Disney Moving Off Air to Digital|url=http://broadcastingcable.com/news/currency/exclusive-radio-disney-moving-air-digital/133166|access-date=August 13, 2014|date=August 13, 2014}}</ref><ref name=billboard-selling>{{cite magazine|title=Radio Disney to Sell the Majority of Its Stations|url=http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/6214509/radio-disney-to-sell-the-majority-of-its-stations|magazine=Billboard|date=August 13, 2014|access-date=August 13, 2014|ref=August 13, 2014}}</ref> Disney set a deadline of September 26, 2014, to complete the sales or have deals in principle set or the stations in question, including WQEW, would fall [[Engineering:Dark (broadcasting)|silent]].<ref name="Radio Insight">{{cite web|url=http://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/89717/radio-disney-to-sell-all-but-one-station/|title=Radio Disney To Sell All But One Station|date=August 13, 2014|access-date=September 27, 2014|last=Venta|first=Lance|publisher=Radioinsight}}</ref> However, Disney backtracked and the stations would remain on the air, continuing to broadcast Radio Disney programming until each were sold.<ref name=nerw-rd>{{cite web|title=NERW Extra: No Signoffs for Disney AMs|url=http://www.fybush.com/nerw-20140926/|website=Northeast Radio Watch|date=September 26, 2014|access-date=September 27, 2014}} {{Subscription required}}</ref>

===Family Radio (2015–present)===
On November 21, 2014, then-Oakland, California-based Family Stations announced it would purchase WQEW from Disney/ABC for {{wipe|United States dollar}}12.95&nbsp;million.<ref name="Radio Insight Sale">{{cite web|url=http://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/90956/family-radio-acquires-wqew-new-york/|title=Family Radio Returns To New York|date=February 27, 2015|access-date=February 27, 2015|last=Venta|first=Lance|publisher=Radioinsight}}</ref><ref name=fcc-sale>{{cite web|title=Application for Consent to Assignment of Broadcast Station Construction Permit or License|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1657997&Service=AM&Form_id=314&Facility_id=29024|work=CDBS Public Access|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|access-date=November 21, 2014|date=November 21, 2014}}</ref> The transaction had been rumored for at least a month, as it was originally reported by the ''New York Daily News'' on October 14, 2014;<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/radio-disney-sold-family-radio-report-article-1.1973600|title=Radio Disney to be sold to Christian network Family Radio: report|work=Daily News|location=New York|date=October 14, 2014|access-date=November 21, 2014|last=Hinckley|first=David}}</ref> however, Disney had clarified that it had not yet agreed to the sale.<ref name="RBR">{{cite web|url=http://rbr.com/false-alarm-on-radio-disney-ny-sale/|title=False alarm on Radio Disney NY sale|date=October 14, 2014|access-date=November 21, 2014|last=Seyler|first=Dave|publisher=Radio & Television Business Report}}</ref> In January 2013, Family Radio sold the original, Newark, New Jersey-licensed WFME (94.7 FM, which it had owned since 1966 but had been programming since 1963) to Cumulus Media, who converted the station into country music-formatted WNSH.<ref name="RBR"/> In what amounted to a station trade-plus-cash transaction, Family Stations also acquired the license for WDVY (106.3 FM) in Mount Kisco, New York. The 106.3 FM signal, combined in tandem with Family Radio-owned WFRH (91.7 FM) in Kingston, New York mainly serves the Hudson Valley region; another Family Radio outlet, WFRS (88.9 FM) in Smithtown, New York serves Long Island. This left Family Radio programming unavailable over-the-air in New York City proper and northern New Jersey (including Newark) for over two years.

After the FCC approved the sale on February 10, 2015,<ref>{{cite web|title=Application Search Details|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=1667117|work=CDBS Public Access|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|access-date=February 18, 2015}}</ref> 1560 AM went silent on February 17 in preparation of the format change.<ref>{{cite web|title=NERW Extra: Disney Off in NYC|url=http://www.fybush.com/nerw-extra-disney-off-in-nyc/|website=Northeast Radio Watch|date=February 18, 2015|access-date=February 18, 2015}}</ref> The sale was finalized on February 20<ref>{{cite web|title= Consummation Notice - WQEW|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1671488&Service=AM&Form_id=905&Facility_id=29024|work=CDBS Public Access|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|access-date=February 23, 2015|date=February 20, 2015}}</ref> and the call sign was changed to WFME.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=29024&Callsign=WFME|title=WFME Call Sign History|work=United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division}}</ref> The station returned to the air on February 27,<ref name="Radio Insight Sale"/> again giving Family Radio full coverage of the New York City market. Concurrent with the sale, the FCC converted 1560 AM's broadcast license status from commercial to [[Engineering:Non-commercial educational|non-commercial educational]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Modification of License Granted|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/prod/cdbs/pubacc/Auth_Files/1667117.pdf|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|date=February 10, 2015|access-date=August 13, 2015}}</ref>

Since the initial move from 94.7 in 2013, WFME's originating role with the Family Radio network has been reduced; the station previously originated a portion of the network's overnight program ''Nightwatch'', which was hosted by now-retired station manager/chief engineer Charlie Menut.{{Citation needed|date=April 2019}} The entirety of the station's schedule originates from Family Radio headquarters (which in 2016 moved from Oakland to nearby Alameda, California), although WFME does carry local programming to comply with the FCC's [[Engineering:Public affairs (broadcasting)|public affairs]] requirements.

In late November 2020, Family Radio announced the sale of the property surrounding WFME's broadcast towers in Queens, but stipulated that the terms included that Family Radio would still use this site until a suitable alternate location for the station was found.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Family Radio Sells New York City Tower Land For $51 Million|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/201710/family-radio-sells-new-york-city-tower-land-for-51-million/|access-date=December 3, 2020|website=RadioInsight|date=November 25, 2020|language=en-US}}</ref> However, in early 2021 ended regular programming and began broadcasting a recurring announcement that the station would suspend operations "in just a few days".<ref>{{cite web|last1=Fybush|first1=Scott|title=NorthEast Radio Watch 2/1/2021: Clock Runs Down For WFME|url=https://www.fybush.com/nerw-20210201/|website=fybush.com|date=February 2021|access-date=April 15, 2021}}</ref> Although Family Radio officials expressed a desire to eventually return to the New York airwaves, they noted that there were no immediate plans; listeners were directed to access either WFRS in Smithtown and WFME-FM in Mount Kisco, in addition to the Family Radio webstream. In much of central and southern New Jersey, Family Radio programming can also be heard on WKDN (950 AM) in Philadelphia.<ref>{{cite web|last1=Venta|first1=Lance|title=1560 WFME New York To Suspend Operations Friday|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/204891/1560-wfme-new-york-to-suspend-operations-friday/|website=radioinsight.com|date=February 11, 2021|access-date=April 15, 2021}}</ref>

On October 26, 2021, the station returned to air from a new site in West Orange, New Jersey, running at 1,000 watts under an STA. Due to blanketing interference, the station has since reduced power to 500 watts.

==Previous logo==
[[Image:Wqew1560am.jpg|150px]]
[[Image:Radio disney wqew nyc 2002.png|150px]]
[[Image:RadioDisney1560.png|150px]]
[[Image:RD FREQ HORZ AM 1560 - no bling.jpg|150px]]

==See also==
* [[Biography:John Vincent Lawless Hogan|John Vincent Lawless Hogan]]
* Family Radio
* Radio Disney
* ''{{wipe|The New York Times}}''
* [[Biography:W2XCR|W2XCR]]
* WQXR-FM
* [[Biography:List of experimental television stations|List of experimental television stations]]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book
 | last = Jaker
 | first = Bill |author2=Frank Sulek |author3=Peter Kanze
 | title = The Airwaves of New York: Illustrated Histories of 156 AM Stations in the Metropolitan Area, 1921–1996
 | year = 1998
 | publisher = McFarland and Company
 | location = Jefferson, North Carolina
 | pages = 169–172
 | isbn = 0-7864-0343-8
 | id = {{LCC|TK6548.U6J35}}
}}
* {{cite book
 | last = Sanger
 | first= Elliot
 | title = Rebel in Radio: The Story of WQXR
 | year = 1973
 | publisher = Hastings House
 | location = New York City
 | isbn = 0-240-50845-9
 | id = {{LCC|HE8698.S33}}, paperback
}}

==External links==
* [http://familyradio.org Family Radio Website]
{{AM station data|WFME}}
* [https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/getimportletter_exh.cgi?import_letter_id=66242 FCC History Cards for WFME] (covering 1934–1981 as W2XR / WQXR)
* [http://www.nyradionews.com/wqxr/ WQXR News Department Profile & Interviews (1978)]


[[Category:Television pioneers]]

{{Sourceattribution|WFME (AM)}}