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| Broadcast area | Greater Hartford–Greater New Haven |
| Frequency | 104.1MHz (HD Radio) |
| Branding | Radio 104.1 WMRQ |
| Programming | |
| Format | Alternative rock |
| Subchannels |
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| Ownership | |
| Owner |
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| WBOM,WDRC,WDRC-FM,WNTY,WSNG | |
| History | |
First air date | December 25, 1967; 57 years ago (1967-12-25) |
Former call signs | |
Call sign meaning | "Modern rock" |
| Technical information[3] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 74279 |
| Class | B |
| ERP | 14,000 watts |
| HAAT | 255 meters (837 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 41°33′40″N72°50′38″W / 41.561°N 72.844°W /41.561; -72.844 (WMRQ-FM) |
| Translator(s) | HD2, and HD3: See§ Translators |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast |
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| Website | |
WMRQ-FM (104.1 MHz) is analternative rock radio station licensed toWaterbury, Connecticut, and servingGreater Hartford andNew Haven. WMRQ-FM is owned by Full Power Radio and has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 14,000 watts. Its transmitter is onWest Peak inMeriden, Connecticut. Its tower is shared with former sister station 95.7WKSS. WMRQ-FM's studios and offices are located on Blue Hills Avenue (Connecticut Route 187) inBloomfield, Connecticut, with its other co-owned radio stations.
The station broadcasts using HD Radio technology. Its HD2 digital subchannel carries a Spanishtropical music andcontemporary hit radio format known as "Bomba FM", also heard on translator stations 97.1 W246CC inBolton, 99.5 W258AL inClinton and 104.5 W283BS inBridgeport. Much of the programming is also broadcast onWSPR (1490 AM) and W283CK (104.5 FM) inWest Springfield, Massachusetts, as well as 98.5 W253BQ inMeriden, and 104.5 W283BW inNew London. At times, Bomba FM has higher ratings than its originating station, WMRQ-FM. Its HD3 subchannel carries a simulcast ofWFAR, an ethnic andChristian radio station inDanbury; the subchannel also feeds WFAR's programming to translator station 92.1 W221CQ inNaugatuck and the HD2 subchannel of W283BS in Bridgeport.
On December 25, 1967, the stationsigned on as WWCO-FM. It was thesister station toWWCO (1240 AM), and carried acountry music format.[4] Most radios at the time did not receive FM signals, so the station was largelyautomated, with pre-recorded announcements.
It was acquired by entertainer and TV hostMerv Griffin in 1972, changing itscall letters to WIOF (standing for "1-0-Four", its dial position). The country music sound was branded as "NashvilleConnecticut, W-104".
In 1978, the station dropped country to becomesoft adult contemporary-formatted "Magic 104" using the syndicated "TM Beautiful Rock" service. During the switch to "Magic", WIOF upgraded its signal by moving its transmitter from near its studios inProspect to West Peak inMeriden.
Lou Terri was the program director and midday host until his death in an automobile accident in 1989. Steve Wiersman later became Program Director until 1994. Morning announcers included Bill Cleveland, Greg O'Brien and Ray Petraca. Jack Carney, who was also the voice ofWVIT at the time, hosted the afternoon show. Jim Scott did nights, followed by Joe Dufrat who did the Mid-6 am shift. Rick O'Connor did middays, later replaced by Ron O'Brien (also known as Ron O, who later went toWZMX). Weekend DJs included Greg LaPorta and Don Clark.
In 1992, the station rebranded as "Star 104.1", WYSR, with a more uptempoadult contemporary sound. DJs on "Star" included Brett Provo in mornings, then afternoons (later becoming afternoon drive/production director atWMAS inSpringfield); Paul DeFrancisco in afternoons; Jay Hanson (later atWFMX inSkowhegan, Maine) and Long John on weekends; Jim Severine; Rich Kilbourne (also known as Big Rich Baker) on news; Cathy Foxx in middays; Neil Jackson in mornings; Lee Gordon as Production Director; and Race Bannon, who later stayed on the station after the flip tomodern rock. Ron O became WYSR's PD after Steve Wiersman departed.
Star 104.1 was competing with other AC stations in the Hartfordradio market and was unable to capture a sizable audience. In October 1994, all programming staff and disc jockeys were released.
On October 31, 1994, at midnight, the format flipped tomodern rock as WMRQ "Radio104".[5] Personalities such as "Jake & Beth", "Nick the Intern", "Mudbone",Dee Snider andBubba the Love Sponge were on the station in the mornings at various points during the station's history, withWilcow, Chaz, "Darkside Dave", The Carlito Show, and Logan following after the mornings.
The station also hosted popular annual events such as "The Big Day Off" and "104fest". Lee Gordon remained as production director, and Bud Fisher became WMRQ's first sales manager. (Bud had appeared on "Magic 104" as "Gary Hunter".)
Due to struggling ratings, the station flipped to WPHH, "Power 104.1", at 5:00 p.m. on September 15, 2003.[6] As a station playinghip hop music andrhythmic contemporary hits, WPHH solidified its position as the only mainstream urban station in the Hartford and New Haven market. Its main competitor was urban-leaningrhythmic CHRWZMX.
Nicole Siedman served as program director for a short period until 2004. Mychal Maguire assumed the Program Director position thereafter. Spank Buda served as Assistant Program Director and night host for the entire duration of WPHH. Popular events included the "Hoop It Up" basketball tournament and the "Legends of Hip Hop" concert. Other DJs on "Power" were Mia Mendez, DJ Showtime, TT Torrez, DJ Londonn, and PJ.
On October 25, 2007, at 10:00 am, WPHH flipped back tomodern rock. The station was programmed similar toWRFF inPhiladelphia.[7] On December 20, 2007, WPHH changed its call letters to WURH.[2] In May 2008, almost six months afterClear Channel launched "FM 104-One", the station named a program director, Becky Pohotsky, who had been the station's APD/MD and de facto PD for most of its existence.
On August 4, 2008, Clear Channel placed the station's assets into an entity called theAloha Station Trust to sell off the station. This was due to Clear Channel being above the ownership limits set by theFederal Communications Commission. These limits were imposed when Clear Channel was officially taken private byBain Capital Partners on July 30, 2008.
On February 19, 2009,Ledyard-based Red Wolf Broadcasting Corp. (doing business as Full Power Radio) who ownsWBMW andWWRX in theNew London area, announced that it had agreed to buy WURH for $8,000,000. On May 14, 2009, Red Wolf Broadcasting took over control of the station. The first action was to change the station's callsign to WMRQ-FM, and restore the "Radio 104.1" moniker.
In November 2009, a Spanish-languagetropical music format, "Bomba 97.5" ("The Bomb") was launched on WMRQ-FM HD2. The format was initially simulcast on 60-wattBolton-licensed FM translator W248AB at 97.5 FM. Red Wolf later moved the translator to 97.1 FM (which forced a change of call letters to W246CC) to provide more coverage and increase signal strength. "Bomba 97.1" is now licensed for 100 watts, reaching as far asSpringfield. In addition, the station added translators inClinton andBridgeport.
W272DO was sold to Red Wolf Broadcasting fromConnoisseur Media in January 2018. On January 15, the translator immediately ceased simulcastingWPLR-HD2, the alternative format known as "Mod", and began carrying "Bomba".[8]
| Call sign | Frequency | City of license | FID | ERP (W) | HAAT | Class | Transmitter coordinates | FCC info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W246CC | 97.1 FM | Bolton, Connecticut | 82412 | 100 | 189 m (620 ft) | D | 41°48′10.4″N72°26′28.3″W / 41.802889°N 72.441194°W /41.802889; -72.441194 (W246CC) | LMS |
| W283BS | 104.5 FM | Bridgeport, Connecticut | 15398 | 250 | 81.4 m (267 ft) | D | 41°13′10.3″N73°12′4.4″W / 41.219528°N 73.201222°W /41.219528; -73.201222 (W283BS) | LMS |
| W258AL | 99.5 FM | Clinton, Connecticut | 139348 | 200 | 159 m (522 ft) | D | 41°34′11.3″N73°12′4.4″W / 41.569806°N 73.201222°W /41.569806; -73.201222 (W258AL) | LMS |
| W272DO | 102.3 FM | New Haven, Connecticut | 138034 | 250 | 112 m (367 ft) | D | 41°20′58.3″N72°58′20.4″W / 41.349528°N 72.972333°W /41.349528; -72.972333 (W272DO) | LMS |
| Call sign | Frequency | City of license | FID | ERP (W) | HAAT | Class | Transmitter coordinates | FCC info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W221CQ | 92.1 FM | Naugatuck, Etc., Connecticut | 15397 | 125 | 17 m (56 ft) | D | 41°29′45.3″N73°2′33.3″W / 41.495917°N 73.042583°W /41.495917; -73.042583 (W221CQ) | LMS |
