WBZ-FM

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WBZ-FM is a sports radio station known as "98.5 The Sports Hub" and broadcasting on 98.5 MHz in Boston, Massachusetts. Owned by CBS Radio, the current WBZ-FM began on August 13, 2009 and competes with AM sports talk stations WEEI and competed with the ESPN Radio pair of WAMG and WLLH before their sign off in September 2009. WBZ-FM is home to the Boston Bruins, New England Revolution and New England Patriots radio networks.

WBZ-FM has been the callsign of three broadcast stations in Boston, Massachusetts since 1943, all associated with Westinghouse Broadcasting/CBS Radio: one from 1943 to 1952; one from 1956 to 1981 (which became WMJX); and the new format from August 2009, which uses the frequency of the old WROR/WBMX (FM).

Callsign timeline

• 1943: W67B at 46.7 MHz becomes the first WBZ-FM
• 1946: WBZ-FM moves to 100.7 MHz
• 1947: WBZ-FM moves to 92.9 MHz
• 1952: First WBZ-FM goes off the air
• 1957: 106.7 goes on the air as the second WBZ-FM
• 1981: 106.7 sold; 106.7 drops WBZ-FM callsign to become WMJX
• 2009: 98.5 drops WBMX-FM callsign to become third WBZ-FM

First WBZ-FM

Westinghouse Electric & Manufacturing Company, one of the pioneers of radio in America, established experimental shortwave FM station W1XK. By 1936 it was operating as a "relay broadcasting station" on 9.57 MHz (31.33 meters wavelength) at 10 kilowatts.^[1] Westinghouse received the station's commercial license, W67B, on 25 February 1942; on March 29, the station began broadcasting with 10 kilowatts at 46.7 MHz in the original FM band. When the FCC modified FM callsigns to the modern format on 1 November 1943, W67B became WBZ-FM.^[2] The frequency first changed to 100.7 MHz when FM broadcasting in the U.S. was moved to its current frequency band in 1946, then changed to 92.9 MHz in 1947. This WBZ-FM was a simulcast of WBZ (AM).^[3] The vacated 100.7 MHz allocation was assigned to WCOP-FM, a simulcast of WCOP (AM) (now WWDJ), in 1948; that station eventually became WZLX.^[4] Westinghouse got out of FM broadcasting for a period starting in 1952.^[3]

Second WBZ-FM: 106.7

The 106.7 frequency in Boston, Massachusetts was first used as WBZ-FM, and was owned by Westinghouse Broadcasting. The station's earliest format was a classical music format, and later evolved into a combination simulcast of WBZ (AM) during the morning, with the classical music at other times.

On December 31, 1971, when the station changed to a rock format, as “WBZ-FM, Stereo 106.7... All Hits, all the time!”^[3]

On December 31, 1971, WBZ-FM became a rock music station as "Rockin' Stereo 106.7"^[5] programming mostly Top-40 with some album cuts. Although automated, it featured voice-tracked announcing from Clark Smidt (who also programmed the station) and Ken Shelton. For a time in the mid-1970s, WBZ-FM was Boston's second most popular Top-40 station, only trailing WRKO in popularity. In 1975, both Smidt and Shelton left to join WCOZ, which was changing formats from beautiful-music to album-oriented rock. By 1979, WBZ-FM had drifted into an automated album oriented rock format itself, which remained in place through 1981.

During the years as a rock station, WBZ-FM also simulcast the hourly newscasts from sister station WBZ (AM), the commercial spots on which were the only commercials heard on the FM side.

In 1981, WBZ-FM was sold to Greater Media, becoming that company's first Boston station. Under the new ownership, the station signed off for a couple of weeks at the very end of 1981. Before signing back on as "Magic" in January 1982 with the call letters WMJX, the station installed a new transmitter and raised the height of the antenna on the WBZ tower. A few years later the transmission equipment was relocated to the Prudential Tower, giving 106.7 a great signal in downtown Boston.

Third WBZ-FM: 98.5

In July 2009, CBS Radio announced that it would re-introduce WBZ-FM as a sports radio station named "98.5 The Sports Hub" at 1 p.m. on August 13,^[6] moving the existing Hot AC "Mix 98.5" WBMX-FM to 104.1 as "Mix 104.1" on August 12,^[7] and the existing active rock 104.1 WBCN to HD Radio subchannel 2 on the new 98.5, removing it from analog. "98.5 The Sports Hub" was created to go head to head aganist the WEEI-AM Sports Radio Network which at the time was the top rated sports radio station in the Boston market.

The callsign WBZ-FM was assigned to the station on August 5, 2009.

Shows

Boston Bruins games moved to WBZ-FM from WBZ/1030.^[7] The Toucher and Rich Show and New England Patriots games came from WBCN.

Weekdays

The Toucher and Rich Show

This show airs from 6–10 a.m. The hosts are Fred Toucher, and Rich Shertenlieb. Sports headlines are read by Jon Wallach.

Gresh and Zolak

Andy Gresh and former New England Patriots quarterback Scott Zolak are the hosts. The show airs from 10 a.m.–2 p.m. Sports headlines are read by "Hardy" (Rob Poole).

Felger and Massarotti

Michael Felger and Tony Massarotti host in the afternoon from 2–6 p.m. Sports headlines are read by Marc Bertrand. Chris Gasper of the Boston Globe and former New England Patriots tight end Jermaine Wiggins make weekly appearences as a third co-host.

The D.A. Show

Damon Amendolara hosts the evening show from 7 p.m.–12 a.m.

During the baseball season Massarotti hosts "The Baseball Reporters" from 6–7 p.m., with Amendolara following from 7 p.m. until midnight.

Weekends

Bertrand and Gasper

Marc Bertrand and Christopher Gasper host from 8–11 a.m. on Saturday.

Hardy and Trupiano

Airs at various times on weekends.

Ted Nation Show

Ted Sarandis hosts a solo show on Sunday from 7–10 p.m.^[8]

New England Patriots coverage

The New England Patriots pregame and postgame shows are hosted by Gary Tanguay, Scott Zolak, and Andy Gresh. Gil Santos and Gino Cappelletti continue to handle the play-by-play duties.

Boston Bruins coverage

Boston Bruins coverage features Dave Goucher as the play-by-play man and Bob Beers handling the color commentary.

References

External links

• Official website
• WBZ-FM in the FCC FM station database
• Template:FML
• WBZ in Nielsen Audio's FM station database