 | |
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|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Greater Boston |
| Frequency | 1330kHz |
| Branding | Rock 92.9 HD2 |
| Programming | |
| Format | Classic rock |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| WBOS,WBQT,WBZ-FM,WKLB-FM,WROR-FM | |
| History | |
First air date | January 30, 1948; 77 years ago (1948-01-30)[1] |
Former call signs |
|
Call sign meaning | "Radio Comedy and the Arts" (previous format) |
| Technical information[2] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 60695 |
| Class | B |
| Power |
|
Transmitter coordinates | 42°17′20.35″N71°11′19.2″W / 42.2889861°N 71.188667°W /42.2889861; -71.188667 (WRCA) |
| Translator(s) | 106.1 W291CZ (Boston) |
| Repeater(s) | 92.9 WBOS-HD2 (Brookline) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | Listen live (viaTuneIn) |
| Website | rock929rocks |
WRCA (1330kHz) is acommercial AM radio stationlicensed toWatertown, Massachusetts, and serving theGreater Boston area. The license is held by the Beasley Media Group, LLC, part of theBeasley Broadcast Group, Inc.[3] WRCA airs theclassic rock format formerly carried on sister stationWBOS.
WRCA transmits with 25,000 watts daytime, and 17,000 watts at night. It uses adirectional antenna with a five-tower array off Saw Mill River Parkway inNewton, near theCharles River. WRCA's programming is also heard onFM translator W291CZ at 106.1MHz in Boston. It is also broadcast on the HD2digital subchannel of WBOS.
The station began operating as WCRB on January 30, 1948, owned by Theodore Jones'sCharles River Broadcasting (hence the WCRBcall letters). WCRB was originally a community radio station forWaltham, Massachusetts, before switching to a classical music format a few years later. An FMsimulcast was added in 1954,WCRB-FM. As FM broadcasting became more popular for music listening, the AM station ceased simulcasting WCRB-FM's classical format in 1975 and became WHET, programming abig band/adult standards format from 1975 until 1978, and then a short run as abeautiful music outlet. Sales of the station to various owners led to formats such ascountry music WDLW for most of the 1980s, and then"Showbiz Radio" WRCA (standing for "Radio, Comedy, and Arts") in 1990 before the station beganleasing time to ethnic broadcasters in 1991 with the WRCAcall sign retained. The current owners, theBeasley Broadcast Group, took over in 2000 from the ADD Radio Group.
The station's long timetransmitter site in Waltham was discontinued in 2007 when WRCA became one of three AM stations to share a rebuilt transmitter facility at the site ofWUNR on Sawmill Brook Parkway inNewton. This site is now used by stations on 1200, 1330 and 1600 kHz.
WRCA'scity of license changed from Waltham to Watertown in 2007, and the power increased to 25,000 watts daytime, 17,000 watts nighttime. In addition to ethnic programming, WRCA broadcastNortheastern Huskies men's ice hockey games.
Following Beasley's acquisition ofGreater Media, WRCA wentsilent on November 15, 2016, as it moved to new studios; it returned in May 2017 with a simulcast of "Boston's Irish Channel", the HD2 channel of sister stationWBQT, as it was believed that WRCA was in the process of signal testing. The station was also paired with anFMtranslator, W291CZ (licensed toBoston) at 106.1MHz.
On July 3, 2017,Bloomberg L.P. and Beasley announced that WRCA/W291CZ would begin carryingBloomberg Radio programming (which moved over fromWXKS) beginning the following day. Concurrently, the HD2 channel ofWBOS began to simulcast WRCA's programming.[4]
On August 20, 2024, Beasley announced that Bloomberg programming would move to WBOS's primary channel on September 3 at 12 p.m.; WRCA, W291CZ, and WBOS-HD2, in turn, inherited the "Rock 92.9"classic rock programming that had been airing on WBOS.[5]
| Call sign | Frequency | City of license | FID | ERP (W) | Class | Transmitter coordinates | FCC info |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W291CZ | 106.1 FM | Boston, Massachusetts | 144592 | 96 | D | 42°20′57″N71°4′29″W / 42.34917°N 71.07472°W /42.34917; -71.07472 (W291CZ) | LMS |