WBOS
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| WBOS | |
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| City of license | Brookline, Massachusetts |
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| Broadcast area | Greater Boston |
| Branding | Radio 92-9 |
| Frequency | 92.9 MHz FM (Also on HD Radio) |
| First air date | 1958 |
| Format | Modern Rock |
| ERP | 18,500 watts |
| HAAT | 224 meters |
| Class | B |
| Facility ID | 23439 |
| Callsign meaning | BOSton |
| Owner | Greater Media (Greater Boston Radio, Inc.) |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | www.wbos.com |
WBOS is a commercial radio station located in Brookline, Massachusetts, broadcasting to the Greater Boston area on 92.9 FM. The station airs an alternative music format branded as "Radio 92.9". WBOS is owned and operated by Greater Media. It is based in Dorchester, and broadcasts from the top of the Prudential Tower in Back Bay.
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[edit] History
[edit] The early years
WBOS-FM signed-on in 1958, simulcasting most of the programming of WBOS-AM. Most of the AM station's programming was beautiful music, but when the AM broadcast ethnic programming, the FM side continued to broadcast beautiful music, which was branded on both AM and FM as "Boston's Music Theatre". In 1975, WBOS changed to a hodgepodge format which did not gain much of an audience.
[edit] Disco format
In 1978, Boston radio personality Ron Robin, disgusted at the fact that the airtime for his weekly disco music show on WVBF had been cut back, left WVBF and began doing a four-hour Sunday-night disco show for WBOS.
The success of that show led to rapid expansion of the disco programming, first to seven nights a week from 8 p.m. to 12 midnight (April, 1978), and then to 24/7 in September of 1978. For a brief time in late 1978 and early 1979, WBOS was one of Boston's most popular radio stations. But when WXKS-FM came on the scene with a highly-promoted disco format, including big promotions and hiring away some WBOS jocks, WBOS' ratings suffered.
WRKO midday legend J.J. Wright (currently at WODS Boston) was one of the original disco DJ's for WBOS when the station went 24/7 disco in 1978.
[edit] AOR/Adult Contemporary format
In January of 1980, the station flipped to an adult contemporary format which was a little less "adult" and a little more "contemporary", but that format would only run for two years. This was followed by a short-lived (January, 1982–July, 1983) attempt at a rock format, programmed for some of that time by legendary Boston rock personality Maxanne Satori.
But the rock format didn't make any inroads against established rockers WBCN and WAAF, not to mention the fast-rising WLYN-FM. On July 14th, 1983, WBOS' format was abruptly changed to country, and was moderately successful for several years.
[edit] "Adult Album Alternative"
In 1989, WBOS dropped country and adopted a "triple-A" format.
In April 2005, WBOS made changes to play more music and decrease the amount of talk. The station's morning show, hosted by Bill Abbate and Kristin Lessard, was abruptly fired to make way for the jockless "All Music Mornings". "It's putting the station somewhat back to where it started in terms of its ideals. Listener perception is that radio plays too many commercials and that DJs can be boring and irrelevant," said Buzz Knight, operations manager for WBOS. Knight said that WBOS will be "the cool station for people over 30."
In September 2007, George Knight began hosting morning drive on the station, but that would be short lived.
[edit] Alternative Rock Format
On February 1, 2008, the station saw its biggest change since flipping to AAA in 1989, as the format changed to Alternative and the name became "Radio 92-9". While Knight will continue to host his popular "Sunday Morning Over Easy" program, and music director Dana Marshall was promoted to Program Director, the rest of the station's airstaff was released.
[edit] Owners
WBOS was originally owned by Boston businessman Herbert Hoffman. In the 1980's, he sold it to Sconnix, which later sold it to Ackerley Media in 1988. The station was sold to Granum Communications in 1992, which merged with Infinity Broadcasting in 1996. In 1997, the station was traded to Greater Media, which has owned it ever since.
[edit] Demographics
WBOS's new alternative format is projected to reach a younger, more dynamic male-skewing audience in their 20's and 30's. The reach of the station's previous AAA format skewed towards females in their 30's and 40's.
[edit] HD Radio
WBOS is actively broadcasting using the iBiquity HD Radio digital broadcasting system, and currently has an HD secondary channel called Radio You Boston, featuring content programmed by college aged residents of the Boston area.
[edit] Alumni
- Arnie Ginsburg
- J. J. Wright
- Ron Robin
- Neal Robert
- Charles Laquidara
- Bill Abbate
- Kristen Lessard
- Amy Brooks
- Melissa Gaudette
- Gerrie Burke
- John Laurenti
- Joanne Doody
- George Taylor Morris
- Robin Young
- Julie Devereaux
[edit] Trivia
- WBOS was also the name of a shortwave station operated by Westinghouse's WBZ affiliate during the 1940s. (The 92.9 frequency now occupied by WBOS was one of the early frequencies used by WBZ's FM station in the 1950s.)
- Arnie Ginsburg was the nighttime host on WBOS-AM and spent some time on the FM station.
- Charles Laquidara hosted a show from Maui entitled WBOS Backspin during the Spring of 2006. The show aired commercial-free on weekdays, from 9–10 a.m., live.
- Studio 7 is the recording area where common heard artists on the station record and play some of their songs live. Since 1992, John Mellencamp, Sarah McLachlan, John Mayer, Lionel Richie, Barenaked Ladies, Alanis Morissette, and others have performed here while on tour in a major venue in Boston (e.g. Boston Garden, Tweeter Center, etc.).
- Given the station's February, 2008 format adjustment, it is not yet known whether WBOS will continue with their "Studio 7" broadcasts or if they are continued, what artists would appear in the future.
- Mellencamp's Jack and Diane live version has been recorded at Studio 7.[citation needed]
[edit] References
[edit] External links
- Official Website
- Query the FCC's FM station database for WBOS
- Radio Locator information on WBOS
- Query Arbitron's FM station database for WBOS
- Boston.com article on the new format (2005)
- BostonRadioWatch including 2008 format change
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