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 Studio and transmitter inLake Como | |
| Broadcast area | Ocean County–Monmouth County, New Jersey |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 95.9MHz (HD Radio) |
| Branding | 95.9 The Rat |
| Programming | |
| Format | Mainstream rock |
| Subchannels |
|
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| History | |
First air date | October 4, 1968; 57 years ago (1968-10-04) |
Former call signs | WADB (1968–1996) |
Call sign meaning | Rat (station uses a rat as its mascot.) |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 59530 |
| Class | A |
| ERP |
|
| HAAT | 73 meters (240 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 40°10′15.4″N74°01′40.5″W / 40.170944°N 74.027917°W /40.170944; -74.027917 (WRAT) |
| Translators | 107.9 W300AO (Manahawkin, relaysWJRZ-HD2) |
| Repeater | 100.1-2 WJRZ-HD2 (Manahawkin) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live |
| Website | wrat |
WRAT (95.9FM, "95.9 The Rat") is acommercial radio stationlicensed to servePoint Pleasant, New Jersey. The station is owned byBeasley Broadcast Group through licensee Beasley Media Group Licenses, LLC. It airs amainstream rockradio format. The station's studios, offices and transmitter are located on Main Street at 18th Avenue in the Borough ofLake Como, New Jersey.[2]
WRAT has aneffective radiated power (ERP) of 4,000 watts analog and 400 watts digital.[3] It broadcasts usingHD Radio. The station's programming issimulcast on the HD2 subchannel ofsister stationWJRZ-FM, which feedsFM translator W300AO inManahawkin, New Jersey, on 107.9 MHz.
On October 4, 1968, the station firstsigned on the air as WADB.[4] It was abeautiful music station, owned by Pleasant Broadcasters, named after thecity of license,Point Pleasant, New Jersey. The station played quarter-hour sweeps of instrumentalcover versions of popular songs andBroadway showtunes. The studios were on F Street inSouth Belmar. (The neighborhood is now known asLake Como.) The station'scall sign used the initials of its founder, Adamant Brown and his wife Dorothy.
WADB made use of earlyautomation equipment for radio stations. Large carousels loaded with broadcast-spec tape cartridges were used for the majority of advertising messages. Large reels of taped music with cues to play the commercials allowed the station to run with minimal involvement from the staff. An SMC digital programmer controlled the operation. The station'seasy listening format was broadcast in SouthernMonmouth and NorthernOcean Counties.
A group of investors, known as the New Jersey Broadcast Partners, acquired the station in 1996.[5] After a Labor Day Weekendstunt during which the song "Rat in Mi Kitchen" byUB40 was aired continuously, WADB flipped to anactive rock format on Labor Day Monday, 1996. The call sign switched to WRAT. The first song wasAC/DC's "For Those About To Rock (We Salute You)".[6]
In 2001, the station was acquired byGreater Media, a large national owner with its headquarters in Massachusetts.[7]
WRAT was among the first radio stations in the market to carry its radio broadcasts over its internet website. The station started streaming to allow listeners in fringe areas to get the station online.
On March 9, 2014, WRAT extended its coverage to include southern and centralOcean County by adding a 250-wattFM translator at 107.9 FM.[8] W300AO transmits from a 300-foot tower on Beach Avenue inManahawkin, New Jersey. The 107.9 signal coversLong Beach Island,Tuckerton,Beach Haven,Barnegat and Manahawkin. Its coverage is limited to the west by co-channel 107.9WPPZ inPennsauken, New Jersey.
On July 19, 2016,Beasley Media Group announced it would acquire Greater Media and its 21 stations (including WRAT) for $240 million. It was also at this time WRAT joined theiHeartRadio streaming service.[9]
TheFederal Communications Commission approved the sale on October 6, and the sale closed on November 1.[10]