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| Broadcast area | Pioneer Valley,Western Massachusetts |
| Frequency | 93.1MHz (HD Radio) |
| Branding | Mix 93.1 |
| Programming | |
| Format | Hot adult contemporary |
| Subchannels |
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| Affiliations | Premiere Networks |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
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| WHYN,WRNX | |
| History | |
First air date | December 1, 1947; 77 years ago (1947-12-01) |
Former call signs | WHFM (1985–1987) |
Call sign meaning | Holyoke andNorthampton (communities originally served byWHYN (AM)) |
| Technical information[2] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 55758 |
| Class | B |
| ERP | 8,900 watts |
| HAAT | 305 meters (1,001 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 42°14′28.33″N72°38′54.32″W / 42.2412028°N 72.6484222°W /42.2412028; -72.6484222 |
| Translator(s) |
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| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Webcast | FM/HD1:Listen Live HD2:Listen Live |
| Website | FM/HD1:mix931.iheart.com HD2:973thebeat.iheart.com |
WHYN-FM (93.1MHz "Mix 93.1") is acommercial radio stationlicensed toSpringfield, and serving thePioneer Valley ofWestern Massachusetts. It airs ahot adult contemporaryformat and is owned byiHeartMedia, Inc. It carries severalnationally syndicated shows from co-ownedPremiere Networks, includingOn with Mario Lopez weekday evenings andAmerican Top 40 withRyan Seacrest on Sundays. The studios and offices are in downtown Springfield's "Marketplace" along withsister stations 560WHYN (talk radio), and 100.9WRNX (country music).
WHYN-FM has aneffective radiated power (ERP) of 8,600 watts. Thetransmitter is atopMount Tom inHolyoke, Massachusetts, more than 1,001 feet (305 meters) inheight above average terrain (HAAT).[3] The signal can be heard as far south as South CentralConnecticut and as far north asVermont andNew Hampshire. WHYN-FM broadcasts usingHD Radio technology. Its HD-2digital subchannel airs anurban contemporary format known as "97.3 The Beat." It feeds 250-wattFM translatorW247DL inWestfield at 97.3 MHz.[4]
Aside from a period between 1985 and 1987 when thecall sign was WHFM, the station has had the call letters WHYN-FM since it firstsigned on the air on December 1, 1947. The station's originalcity of license wasHolyoke. It transmitted from atower on Mount Tom shared withWMAS-FM in Springfield andWACE-FM inChicopee.[5] All three stations launched with a joint inaugural program from theHotel Sheraton in Springfield, which wassimulcast on their AM sister stations and on Springfield's incumbent FM station,WBZA-FM.[6]
By 1953, when WHYN-TV (nowWGGB-TV) signed on from Mount Tom, only WHYN-FM was still transmitting from the mountain, as WMAS-FM had moved to the WMAS (nowWHLL) tower in Springfield and WACE-FM had gonedark.[7] That same year, WHYN-AM-FM's city of license was changed to Springfield.[8]
Until the 1960s, WHYN-FM 93.1 and WHYN 560 mostly simulcast the same programming. By the mid-1960s, while WHYN AM was playingTop 40 hits, the FM began airing a separate format. The sound had similarities tobeautiful music but primarily used vocals, was commonly known as "MOR" (middle of the road music) and wassyndicated as "Format 44" around the country. The DJs played several uninterrupted songs followed by a stop-set (commercial break) and then would announce what was heard. Unlike the formats heard on AM stations in that era, the musical introductions of songs were not talked over and there was usually a littledead air between the songs, all to create aneasy listening sound. Thejingles used on the air were mainly lengthy cuts provided byPepper-Tanner (nowTM Studios). In 1974, WHYN-FM was the pilot station for William B. Tanner's "Easy Going" jingle series. WHYN's long-time morning team consisted of Frank Knight and news man Ron Russell (DeMatteo). A number of other radio personalities worked on the station including Dave Mack, Bob Holland (a/k/a Holland Cooke), Rich Roy (later on WHYN). Dan Williams was the longest continual employee of WHYN-AM-FM, having started in the mid-1970s whenGuy Gannett Broadcasting was the owner.
WHYN-FM continued to program an Easy Listening format late into the 1970s. After being purchased by Affiliated Communications, the station's format was switched toadult contemporary music geared towards an 18–54 female demographic. At that point, Frank Knight and Ron Russell exited to be the morning team on Lapin Communications' 1450WMAS for that station's "Music Of Your Life"adult standards format.
In the mid-1980s, WHYN-AM-FM were sold to R&R Broadcasting. The decision was made, by groupprogram director Alan Anderson, to change thecall letters to WHFM and program asoft AC format geared not just to the Springfieldmedia market but also the larger, more lucrativeHartford market. The IDs at the top of the hour quietly stated the Springfieldcity of license and the concept was that the station was "The Giant", a mythological entity broadcasting down to all the people of Southern New England.
After several months, it became obvious this approach was not working. Larry Caringer, hired by Anderson as assistant program director and morning host, was given the reins as PD. With Mary Ferrero as music director, the two fashioned a blend of rock and pop hits. Within one rating period, WHFM was number one in the 18–49 demographic. "Caringer and Friends" was the number one morning show in Springfield.
In late 1987, WHFM was sold to Wilks-Schwartz Broadcasting. The purchase of WHYN and WHFM involved a swap, of sorts.Federal Communications Commission (FCC) rules, at the time, did not allow multiple ownership of stations in a market. So, in order to sell rock-formatted 102.1WAQY, Wilks-Schwartz had to agree to change the format of their new FM (WHFM) to something that did not compete with WAQY. At the same time, WHFM reverted to its original WHYN-FM call sign.
Much of the air staff and other employees were fired. However, Caringer, Ferrero and Casey Palmer remained on-air. Caringer stayed on as PD through the format change, eventually giving up the position when it became obvious he was no longer making management decisions, but simply an order taker from the consultant inSeattle. "Caringer and Friends" newscaster Bill Hess took the PD position. Several weeks later, Hess fired Caringer – and took over the morning show. (Caringer had just been voted "Most Popular Radio Personality" by The Valley Advocate.) Ann Strong did mid-days and Casey Palmer was the afternoon jock. Evening DJ Mary Ferrero, who lost her position to Strong, exited to become the production director at WMAS-AM-FM and Jennifer Fox took her place on WHYN-FM.
WHYN and WHYN-FM were later sold by Wilks-Schwartz to Radio Equity Partners who later sold to Clear Channel Communications (nowiHeartMedia) in 1996. The station hired newscaster Tony Gill, who had worked in the Boston market at radio stations WBZ andWRKO. He served as special assistant to MayorRay Flynn's communications office. While at WHYN, Gill was hired byWTIC-TV as a general assignment reporter.
WHYN-FM for many years was known as "93WHYN" and was an adult contemporary station that also blended oldies from the 1950s and 1960s in itsplaylist. The station also aired "Jukebox Saturday Night", a program DJ Frank Holler started onWDRC-FM, along with an oldies show with Phil D-e-e (Drumheller), which initially aired on Fridays, then moving to Saturdays after the departure of Frank Holler in 1997. The program was moved to WHYN in 1999. The station began evolving into a "hot adult contemporary" format by the late 1990s, and in 2000, WHYN-FM was rebranded as a "Mix" station similar to Clear Channel's other "Mix" stations across the nation.
WHYN-FM was home to the Dan (Williams) and Kim (Zachary) morning show. They were heard on Springfield radio for more than 15 years before the two were let go in late 2011. The Dan and Kim morning show originally began on WHYN in 1995 before switching over to the FM in 1997. Dan had gone through a series of morning co-hosts following some ownership and program director changes. Kim replaced Bo Sullivan as Dan's co-host and the show improved in the ratings almost immediately. Evenings were being "voice tracked" by Jennifer Fox (who was working at Clear Channel in Vermont). Due to budget constraints, the station fired her in late 2006[citation needed] and was replaced by the syndicatedJohn Tesh show at night. Evenings now feature the syndicatedOn with Mario Lopez.
| Call sign | Frequency | City of license | FID | ERP (W) | HAAT | Class | Transmitter coordinates | FCC info | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| W247DL | 97.3 FM | Westfield, Massachusetts | 144790 | 250 | −83 m (−272 ft) | D | 42°5′5″N72°42′12″W / 42.08472°N 72.70333°W /42.08472; -72.70333 (W247DL) | LMS | Relays WHYN-FM HD2 ("97.3 The Beat") |