| Simulcast ofWPRO (AM),Providence | |
|---|---|
 | |
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| Broadcast area | Washington County, Rhode Island |
| Frequency | 99.7MHz |
| Branding | News Talk 99.7FM and 630AM WPRO |
| Programming | |
| Format | News/talk |
| Affiliations | |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
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| History | |
First air date | June 1995; 30 years ago (1995-06) |
Former call signs |
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Call sign meaning | Former callsign forWPRV, which was a longtime all-news station as "79 WEAN" |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 4376 |
| Class | A |
| ERP | 2,300 watts |
| HAAT | 163 meters (535 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 41°34′23″N71°37′56″W / 41.57308°N 71.63216°W /41.57308; -71.63216 |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live |
| Website | www |
WEAN-FM (99.7MHz, "News Talk 99.7 FM & AM 630 WPRO") is a radio station licensed toWakefield-Peacedale, Rhode Island, United States. The station is owned byCumulus Media, and airs anews/talk format. WEAN-FM is a full-time simulcast ofWPRO (630 AM) inProvidence, serving as WPRO's satellite in southern Rhode Island. Operations are based at WPRO's studios inEast Providence.
Prior to becoming WEAN-FM on March 11, 2008, 99.7 was modern rock "99.7 The Edge" WUAE, later WDGE; hard rock "99.7X" WXEX; classic rock simulcast "The Hawk"; 1980s music simulcast "Z100" (as WZRA) and finally "The Score" (WSKO-FM), which broadcast asports radio format that simulcast most programming from WSKO (nowWPRV).[citation needed]
As a simulcast of WPRO, much of WEAN-FM's programming is locally produced, with programs hosted byWJAR anchor Gene Vallicenti, Matt Allen, Dan Yorke, and formerWLNE-TV reporter Tara Granahan.Syndicated programming includesJohn Batchelor andRed Eye Radio.
Weekend programming includes theJohn Loughlin Show,Steve Klamkin and the WPRO Saturday Morning News, locally produced brokered shows as well as syndicated shows such asBill Cunningham.
WEAN-FM is an affiliate of theNew England Patriots Radio Network.
The station was issued its first call sign, WUAE, on April 23, 1992. It would remain aconstruction permit until June 1995, when it would sign on asmodern rock WDGE "99.7 The Edge". The station was built by local broadcast engineer Randy Place. Starting with the acquisition of formersmooth jazz stationWOTB in 1996 (which became WDGF on June 14, 1996),[2] The Edge advertised itself as "99.7/100.3 The Edge." This simulcast would last a short time as the 100.3 frequency became "100.3 The Beat". Meanwhile, WDGE began leaning towardshard rock and became WXEX, calling itself "99.7X", in November 1997. This format lasted until January 1, 1999, when it returned to simulcasting 100.3 as "100FM The Hawk".[3]
The 2000s started with 99.7 still simulcasting 100.3 as "The Hawk". Both stations would flip formats again, this time toall-1980s "Z100" (still as a simulcast). In 2002, 99.7 turned off its stereo pilot and becamesports talk "99.7 The Score", or most times when simulcasting WSKO, "99.7 and 790 The Score". WSKO-FM carried thePatriots Rock Radio Network (which it still does as a simulcast ofWPRO),Pawsox Radio Network until 2006 (those rights went toWHJJ in 2007) as well as theNew York Yankees Radio Network until 2007 (the former AM side of The Score, nowWPRV, still carries the Yankees). "The Score" ended on March 10, 2008, with the AM side becoming WPRV "True Oldies 790", and 99.7 becoming WEAN-FM and simulcasting WPRO (AM).