WCHR (AM)
| City of license | Trenton, New Jersey |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area |
Trenton, New Jersey Bucks County, Pennsylvania |
| Branding | 920 The Voice |
| Slogan | "The Voice of Mercer, Bucks & Burlington" |
| Frequency | 920 (kHz) |
| Format | Talk radio |
| Power |
1,400 watts (day) 1,000 watts (night) |
| Class | B |
| Facility ID | 25011 |
| Callsign meaning | CHRist |
| Owner |
Connoisseur Media (Connoisseur Media Licenses, LLC) |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | 920thevoice.com |
WCHR (920 AM) is a Talk radio station in Trenton, New Jersey. The station is owned by Connoisseur Media, through Connoisseur Media Licenses, LLC.
History
WCHR was previously called WPHY, "ESPN Radio 920", which it became when WTTM, ESPN's previous affiliate in the area, changed to an Asian format in 2002 (prior to that, it was a former home of WCHR, while the ESPN format had temporarily moved to WJHR (1040)[1]). ESPN Radio programming was supplemented by local shows, such as Philly Sports Live hosted by Dan Schwartzman and the Reggie Brown (NFL wide receiver) Show. Local sports coverage included covering the Philadelphia Eagles, Philadelphia Flyers, Philadelphia Phillies, Philadelphia 76ers, and college sports of Drexel University, Lasalle University, University of Pennsylvania, Saint Joseph's University (Hawks), Temple University Owls, and Villanova University.
On January 7, 2008, WPHY dropped the ESPN format and returned to WCHR's religious programming, which was done to preserve the format (as 1040, WCHR's then-home, was subsequently converted into WNJE, a simulcast of ESPN Radio's New York City affiliate, WEPN).[2]
The WCHR call letters and religious format originated on 94.5 FM in Trenton in 1965. After Nassau Broadcasting Partners acquired WCHR, it decided that the powerful FM station had more profit potential as a secular broadcaster, and moved the WCHR call sign and programming to the former WTTM on 920 AM. The switch began with a period of simulcasting that started in November 1997; by the end of February 1998 WCHR was heard on AM only. The call sign and programs moved again in 2002 to 1040 AM in Flemington, where they remained until their 2008 return to 920.
The station, along with nine other Nassau stations in New Jersey and Pennsylvania, was purchased at bankruptcy auction by NB Broadcasting in May 2012. NB Broadcasting is controlled by Nassau's creditors — Goldman Sachs, Pluss Enterprises, and P.E. Capital.[3][4] In November, NB Broadcasting filed a motion to assign its rights to the stations to Connoisseur Media.[5]
On December 3, 2012 WCHR entered into a simulcast with sister station WNJE Flemington, New Jersey, broadcasting the religious format of WCHR.
The sale to Connoisseur Media, at a price of $38.7 million, was consummated on May 29, 2013.
On November 1, 2013 the format was changed to talk radio as "920 The Voice," featuring Premiere Radio Network's Glenn Beck, the syndicated Dave Ramsey show, America Now with Andy Dean and programming from Fox Sports Radio. Sister station WNJE continued to air Christian teaching programming.
References
- ↑ Fybush, Scott (2002-04-02). "Labor Day Follies". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved 2008-01-11.
- ↑ Wielgus, Jennifer (2008-01-08). "ESPN pulls plug on local station". Bucks County Courier Times. Retrieved 2008-01-11.
- ↑ "10 Nassau Stations Go To NB Broadcasting LLC". All Access. May 30, 2012. Retrieved November 10, 2012.
- ↑ Pierce, David (June 12, 2012). "Pocono radio stations now in the hands of creditors". Pocono Record. Retrieved November 10, 2012.
- ↑ "Connoisseur Moves To Assume Debtor's Bid To Buy 10 Nassau Stations, Including WPST". All Access. November 21, 2012. Retrieved November 21, 2012.
External links
- Query the FCC's AM station database for WCHR
- Radio-Locator Information on WCHR
- Query Nielsen Audio's AM station database for WCHR
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Coordinates: 40°15′19″N 74°51′44″W / 40.25528°N 74.86222°W