From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia WVMT
WVMT
WVMT patterns in order to protect various other stations on
that frequency.
The station has a news/talk format. Most of its pro-
gramming consists of carrying syndicated politically-
conservative talk shows, like those of Howie Carr and
Laura Ingraham, and sports broadcasts, including New
City of Burlington, Vermont York Yankees baseball, University of Vermont hockey
license and women’s basketball, and Syracuse University basket-
Broadcast Champlain Valley ball and football. The morning show, hosted by Charlie
area Papillo, Ernie Farrar and Lisa Nagle, is produced locally.
WVMT’s easily identifiable triple towers are shown
Branding News/Talk 620 WVMT
on Lake Champlain navigation charts.
Slogan Burlington’s #1 for News & Talk
Frequency 620 kHz History
First air date May 20, 1922 WVMT is the oldest radio station in Vermont[2], going on
the air May 20, 1922[3] as WCAX under the ownership of
Format News/talk
the University of Vermont.[4] In its early years, the bulk
Power 5,000 watts of WCAX’s programming consisted of farming informa-
Class B tion from the University’s Extension Service[5]; although
the call letters have been claimed to stand for College
Facility ID 29923 of Agriculture Extension in recognition of this service[5],
x
Transmitter 44°32′4.00″N 73°13′15.00″W / 44.53444°N the station’s license was granted, and the call letters as-
coordinates 73.22083°W / 44.53444; -73.22083 signed, in close proximity to stations such as WCAU (now
WPHT) in Philadelphia and WCAY (now WTMJ) in Mil-
Callsign m t
Vermont[1]
meaning waukee.[6] Initially operating at 833 kHz (as most stations
did at that time)[4], it had moved to 1200 kHz by 1925[7],
Former WCAX (1922-1963) to 1190 kHz in 1926[8], to 1180 kHz in 1927[9], and then
callsigns
back to 1200 in November 1928.[10]
Affiliations ABC News Radio The University of Vermont sold WCAX to the Burling-
Fox News Radio ton Daily News in 1931[11]; at that time, it was controlled
Westwood One by Dr. Horatio Nelson Jackson, the first person to drive
Premiere Radio Networks
Talk Radio Network
across the country in a motor car.[12] The Daily News re-
Genesis Communications Network launched WCAX as a commercial station[12] on November
Sporting News Radio 4.[11] Charles Hasbrook bought WCAX and the Daily News
in 1939; the following year, the station joined the CBS Ra-
Owner Sison Broadcasting
dio Network.[12] The North American Radio Broadcast-
Sister WXXX ing Agreement moved the station to 1230 kHz in 1941[13];
stations the following year, WCAX moved to its current position
Webcast Listen Live at 620 kHz[14], and the Daily News was sold off[15], with
Hasbrook retaining the station through the WCAX Broad-
Website newstalk620wvmt.com
casting Corporation.[14] (The 1230 frequency is now occu-
pied by WJOY.) A television station, WMVT, was launched
WVMT is an English-language American radio station lo-
on September 26, 1954; it would be renamed WCAX-TV
cated in Burlington, Vermont.
two years later.[15] By 1960, WCAX had switched from
Owned and operated by local businessman Paul S.
CBS to NBC Radio.[16]
Goldman, it broadcasts on 620 kHz with a power of 5,000
Hasbrook sold WCAX to James Broadcasting, a com-
watts as a class B station, using a directional antenna
pany controlled by Simon Goldman that also owned
with slightly different daytime and nighttime directional
WJTN in Jamestown, New York, in 1963, and the call let-
ters were changed to WVMT.[17] (The previous call letters
1
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia WVMT
remain on WCAX-TV, which is still owned by the family [9] "U. S. Radio Stations as of June 30, 1927". History of
of Hasbrook’s stepson, Stuart T. Martin Jr.)[15] By 1971, American Broadcasting. http://jeff560.tripod.com/
WVMT had a middle-of-the-road music format.[18] The 1927am.html. Retrieved November 8, 2010.
station had placed more of an emphasis on oldies by 1980, [10] Radex (Cleveland, Ohio: The Radex Press): 18; 54.
but largely remained middle-of-the-road[19]; by 1984, the October 1928. http://www.davidgleason.com/
station had shifted to an adult contemporary format[20], Archive%20Radex/Radex%2024%2028%2010.pdf.
which, by 1986, also emphasized oldies.[21] WVMT gained Retrieved November 8, 2010.
an FM sister station in 1990, when James Broadcasting [11] ^ "A Chronology of AM Radio Broadcasting
purchased WXXX from Atlantic Ventures.[22] 1900-1960". History of American Broadcasting.
By 1994, WVMT had shifted its music programming http://jeff560.tripod.com/chrono1.html. Retrieved
entirely to oldies, and had also incorporated some talk November 8, 2010.
shows[23]; by 1999, the station had formally moved to a [12] ^ Duffy, John J.; Samuel B. Hand, Ralph H. Orth
talk format.[24] Paul Goldman’s company, Sison Broad- (2003). The Vermont Encyclopedia. University Press of
casting, purchased WVMT and WXXX in 1997.[22][25] New England. p. 313. ISBN 1584650869.
http://books.google.com/
Programming books?id=uTBCXqOou0YC&pg=PA313&lpg=PA313&dq=WVMT+WC
JznCA&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CBMQ6A
Current programs and hosts include Jim Bohannon, Char- Retrieved November 8, 2010.
lie & Ernie in the Morning, Dennis Miller, Rush Limbaugh, [13] Radex (Emerson, New Jersey: The Radex Publishing
Laura Ingraham, Howie Carr, Jerry Doyle, Clark Howard, Company): 68. September–October 1941.
Dennis Prager, and Michael Medved. http://www.davidgleason.com/Archive%20Radex/
Radex%20145%2041%2009-10.pdf. Retrieved
References [14]
November 8, 2010.
^ (PDF) Broadcasting Yearbook 1943. 1943. p. 148.
[1] "Call Letter Origins". Radio History on the Web. http://www.davidgleason.com/Archive%20BC-YB/
http://nelson.oldradio.com/origins.call-list.html. 1943/
[2] Mishkind, Barry (October 15, 2008). "The Oldest Radio%20-%20%20Broadcasting%20Yearbook%201943%20BW.pdf.
Stations in the United States by State". The Retrieved November 8, 2010.
Broadcast Archive. http://www.oldradio.com/ [15] ^ Dispirito Wales, Mary Ann (February 25, 2008).
archives/general/1st.html. Retrieved November 1, "Vermont’s Early Pioneers Of Radio, Television
2010. Broadcasting Centered Around Burlington".
[3] (PDF) Broadcasting/Cable Yearbook 1989. 1989. Champlain Business Journal.
p. B-214. http://www.davidgleason.com/ http://vermonttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/
Archive%20BC-YB/1989/ article?AID=/20080225/CBJ/108188644/-1/CBJ02.
B-2%20Radio%20Neb%20to%20Terr%201989-5.pdf. Retrieved November 8, 2010.
Retrieved November 1, 2010. [16] (PDF) Broadcasting Yearbook 1960. 1960. p. A-241.
[4] ^ "U. S. Radio Stations as of June 30, 1922". History http://www.davidgleason.com/Archive%20BC-YB/
of American Broadcasting. http://jeff560.tripod.com/ 1960/B%202%20Radio%20Yearbook%201960.pdf.
1922am.html. Retrieved November 7, 2010. Retrieved November 8, 2010.
[5] ^ "All About WCAX-TV". WCAX.com. [17] (PDF) Broadcasting Yearbook 1964. 1964. p. B-162.
http://www.wcax.com/global/story.asp?s=451085. http://www.davidgleason.com/Archive%20BC-YB/
Retrieved November 7, 2010. 1964/
[6] "The One Hundred Oldest Stations in the United Section%20B2%20N%20Z%20Broadcasting%20Yearbook%201964.p
States". The Broadcast Archive. November 20, 2001. Retrieved November 9, 2010.
http://www.oldradio.com/archives/general/ [18] (PDF) Broadcasting Yearbook 1972. 1972. p. B-130.
100oldest.html. Retrieved November 7, 2010. http://www.davidgleason.com/Archive%20BC-YB/
[7] "U. S. Radio Stations as of June 30, 1925". History of 1972/B-2%20YB%201972%20All-12.pdf. Retrieved
American Broadcasting. http://jeff560.tripod.com/ November 9, 2010.
1925am.html. Retrieved November 7, 2010. [19] (PDF) Broadcasting Yearbook 1981. 1981. p. C-240.
[8] Radex (Cleveland, Ohio: The Radex Press) 3 (1): http://www.davidgleason.com/Archive%20BC-YB/
11–12. October 1926. 1981/
http://www.davidgleason.com/Archive%20Radex/ Cb%20Facilities%20of%20Radio%201981%20N-
Radex%203-1%2026%2010.pdf. Retrieved November Z.pdf. Retrieved November 9, 2010.
8, 2010. [20] (PDF) Broadcasting/Cablecasting Yearbook 1985. 1985.
p. B-278. http://www.davidgleason.com/
Archive%20BC-YB/1985/
2
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia WVMT
[24] Fybush, Scott (April 23, 1999).
B%20Radio%20NE%20to%20Ter%20B%20Radio%20All%20BC%20YB%201985%20All-2.pdf. "WABY Goes All-
Retrieved November 9, 2010. News". North East RadioWatch.
[21] (PDF) Broadcasting/Cablecasting Yearbook 1987. 1987. http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/
p. B-293. http://www.davidgleason.com/ nerw-990423.html. Retrieved November 10, 2010.
Archive%20BC-YB/1985/ [25] Fybush, Scott (February 1, 1997). "Tower For Sale,
WFCR on WTTT". North East
B%20Radio%20NE%20to%20Ter%20B%20Radio%20All%20BC%20YB%201985%20All-2.pdf. RadioWatch.
Retrieved November 10, 2010. http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/
[22] ^ "Mergers & Acquisitions: 1997". Business nerw-970201.html. Retrieved November 10, 2010.
People—Vermont. http://www.vermontguides.com/
nbmerge/m&a97.htm. Retrieved November 10,
2010.
External links
[23] Tymecki, Joe (August 20, 1994). "Burlington VT • Official website
Plattsburgh NY RADIO - WEXP". • Query the FCC’s AM station database for WVMT
rec.radio.broadcasting. Google Groups. • Radio-Locator Information on WVMT
http://groups.google.com/group/ • Query Arbitron’s AM station database for WVMT
rec.radio.broadcasting/msg/ • Bing Bird’s Eye View of Towers
3b048953f1a4f594?hl=en. Retrieved November 10,
2010.
Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WVMT"
Categories: Radio stations in Vermont, Radio stations established in 1922, News and talk radio stations in the United
States
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