WFCR provides a full-time NPR news and information service on the
NEPR News Network, which consists of four radio stations in Western Massachusetts owned by its nonprofit fundraising arm, the New England Public Radio Foundation, along with two additional stations owned by area colleges. The network carries programming from NPR,
Public Radio Exchange, the
BBC and
CBC Radio. Programs include
Morning Edition,
All Things Considered,
Fresh Air,
The Takeaway,
Here and Now,
Q and
BBC World Service.
WNNZ The
flagship station of the NEPR News Network is WNNZ, 640
kHz AM, licensed to
Westfield, Massachusetts, which was once owned by Clear Channel Communications (now
iHeartMedia). WNNZ's power output is 50,000 watts in the daytime, the maximum permitted for AM stations by the
Federal Communications Commission. But because 640 kHz is a
clear channel frequency for
CBN in
St. John's, Newfoundland and Labrador, WNNZ must reduce power to 1,000 watts at night. The antenna is a three-tower array, using differing
directional patterns day and night. During the day, it provides at least secondary coverage to all of western Massachusetts, as well as New York's
Capital District and the Hartford area. At night, the signal is cut back to concentrate the signal northward around the Springfield and Hartford areas. Until 2010, WFCR provided WNNZ's programming, while Clear Channel sold underwriting advertisements. However, in July 2010, WFCR purchased WNNZ from Clear Channel for $525,000. The sale does not include the transmission towers, but rather has a lease clause in the sale agreement in which Clear Channel will own them and lease them to WFCR. WFCR purchased the license from Clear Channel under the name of "WFCR Foundation Inc." The FCC approved the sale August 25, 2010. Prior to 2007, the programming heard on WNNZ was heard on
WPNI, 1430 kHz, in Amherst, which was owned by
Pamal Broadcasting.
WNNZ-FM (formerly WGAJ) WFCR, again, under the licensee name of "WFCR Foundation Inc.", acquired the license of
WGAJ 91.7 MHz in Deerfield, Massachusetts from
Deerfield Academy. The license transfer was granted on August 19, 2010. WFCR paid Deerfield Academy $10,000 for the signal. The call letters of the station were changed to WNNZ-FM as of September 1, 2010.
WNNI WFCR won the allocation of 98.9 in
Adams, Massachusetts, in FCC Auction #91 (under the applicant name, WFCR Foundation Inc.). WFCR won it for $189,750. WFCR filed the application for a new station with the FCC, to transmit the new signal from the top of West Summit, in
North Adams, Massachusetts, where the current
WUPE-FM transmitter site is located. WFCR already has a translator, W266AW, located there.
WNNU WNNU was launched in 2013; it broadcasts on 89.5 and serves the southern portion of Berkshire County and part of
Columbia County in neighboring New York state.
Other stations In addition to WNNZ-AM-FM, WNNI, and WNNU, the NEPR News Network is heard on 89.3
WAMH Amherst, serving
Hampshire County, and 91.9
WAIC Springfield, serving
Hampden County. WAIC joined the network on July 1, 2016, after switching its programming source from
Connecticut Public Radio. It is owned by
American International College in Springfield, but programmed by WFCR. WAMH simulcasts WNNZ from 2 a.m. to 4 p.m. with student
free form programming the other hours of the day (when Amherst College is in session). ==See also==