 | |
| Frequency | 91.5MHz (HD Radio) |
|---|---|
| Branding | WXXI Classical |
| Programming | |
| Format | Classical music |
| Subchannels | |
| Affiliations | |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | WXXI Public Broadcasting Council |
| History | |
First air date | December 23, 1974; 50 years ago (1974-12-23) |
Former call signs | WXXI-FM (1973–2023) |
Call sign meaning | disambiguation of WXXI |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 74218 |
| Class | B |
| ERP | 45,000watts |
| HAAT | 134 meters (440 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 43°08′06″N77°35′02″W / 43.135°N 77.584°W /43.135; -77.584 |
| Repeater(s) | 90.3 WXXY (Houghton) |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Website | www |
WXXO (91.5FM) is apublic, listener-supportedradio station inRochester, New York, airing aclassical musicradio format. Its programs can also be heard inHoughton onWXXY (90.3 FM) and on the seventhdigital subchannel ofWXXI-TV (channel 21). It's owned by theWXXI Public Broadcasting Council, which also owns WXXI-TV and a two-station news and information service,WXXI (1370 AM) andWXXI-FM (105.9). WXXO holds periodicfundraisers on the air to support the station.
WXXO has aneffective radiated power (ERP) of 45,000watts. Thetransmitter is located on Pinnacle Hill inBrighton.[2] It is co-located with thetowers for several Rochester FM and TV stations.
The station signed on December 23, 1974, as WXXI-FM, the FMsister station to WXXI-TV. Its initial format was a mixture of classical music,folk music,jazz, news andtalk. WXXI-FM switched to mostly classical music after the 1975 format change ofWBFB (92.5 FM) from a commercial classical station toall-news radio. WBFB donated its classical music library to WXXI-FM, and WBFB program director Simon Pontin soon joined WXXI-FM as its morning host.
On July 2, 1984, WXXI-FM shifted most of its news programming, includingNPR'sMorning Edition andAll Things Considered, to its new second service,WXXI (1370 AM). With the exception of some weekend and evening specialty programming, WXXI-FM became a full-time classical music service.
In 2007, WXXI-FM began broadcasting usingHD Radio technology, offering a simulcast of WXXI on its HD2 channel and a third service of news and information on its HD3 channel.
On May 10, 2023, the station changed itscall sign to WXXO with theWXXI-FM call sign moving to the former WJZR (105.9 FM)[3] ahead of 105.9's relaunch as an FM simulcast of WXXI.[4] Despite the change, WXXO continues to brand as "WXXI Classical".[5]
The station that is now WXXY originally signed on in 1979 as WJSL. It was thecollege radio station ofHoughton College.[6] Houghton sold the station to the WXXI Public Broadcasting Council in 1999; the ownership change saw WJSL replace a simulcast ofreligious programming fromWMHR with WXXI-FM's classical programming.[7] In August 2004, WJSL began carrying some of WXXI (AM)'sNPR News programming indrive time, along with the Saturday edition ofWeekend Edition.[8] The call sign was changed to WXXY in September 2009.[9]
WXXO originates broadcasts of theRochester Philharmonic Orchestra, hosted by Brenda Tremblay. WXXO also originates the national programWith Heart and Voice, hosted first by Richard Gladwell and currently by Peter DuBois. It features sacred choral and organ music. Local live music broadcasts includeLive from Hochstein andBackstage Pass. During late night and weekend hours, WXXO carries the national classical music service "Classical 24".
Duringdrive time, WXXY breaks from the simulcast with WXXO to carryMorning Edition andAll Things Considered in a simulcast with WXXI AM-FM.[10]
