WARM (AM)

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Coordinates: 41°28′43″N 75°52′35″W / 41.478554°N 75.876442°W / 41.478554; -75.876442
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WARM
Simulcasting WLGD, Dallas
Broadcast areaScranton - Wilkes-Barre - Hazleton
Frequency590 kHz
BrandingBigfoot Legends 101.7 & 107.7
Programming
FormatClassic country
AffiliationsCompass Media Networks
Ownership
Owner
  • Seven Mountains Media
  • (Southern Belle, LLC)
WLGD
History
First air date
1940; 84 years ago (1940)
Technical information[1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID70504
ClassB
Power
  • 1,800 watts day
  • 430 watts night
Transmitter coordinates
41°28′43″N 75°52′35″W / 41.478554°N 75.876442°W / 41.478554; -75.876442
Translator(s)101.7 W269CF (Scranton)
Links
Public license information
WebcastListen live
Websitemybigfootlegends.com

WARM (590 kHz) is an AM radio station licensed to the city of Scranton, Pennsylvania, and serving the Scranton - Wilkes-Barre - Hazleton radio market. The station is currently owned by Seven Mountains Media, through licensee Southern Belle, LLC. It simulcasts a classic country radio format with sister station WLGD 107.7 FM. The studios and offices are on Baltimore Drive in Wilkes-Barre.

WARM is a Class B station. It is powered at 1,800 watts during the daytime and 430 watts at night. It has two different directional antenna signal patterns, primarily aimed towards the southeast with some signal aimed towards the northwest. Its transmitter is on Hugo Lane, 15 miles (24 km) northwest of Scranton in West Falls, Pennsylvania.[2] WARM uses a three-tower array. Each tower is 495 feet (151 meters) high. Programming is also heard on FM translator 101.7 W269CF in Scranton.

History[edit]

Early years[edit]

WARM has a long and distinguished history in Northeastern Pennsylvania broadcasting. It has held its original call letters since it signed on the air in 1940; 84 years ago (1940).[3] It began broadcasting on 1370 kilocycles, powered at 250 watts. But a year later, with the enactment of the North American Regional Broadcasting Agreement (NARBA), it switched to 1400 kHz.[4]

It was originally a network affiliate of the Mutual Broadcasting System. It was owned by the Union Broadcasting Company and had its studios in the Select Building in Scranton.[5]

The Mighty 590[edit]

In the 1960s and 70s, WARM was the predominant Top 40 station in the area, playing the hits for a generation of young listeners. It was known as "The Mighty 590".[6] The station became an affiliate of the ABC Contemporary Radio Network.

In the 1980s, the station transitioned to a more adult sound as younger listeners were tuning to FM stations for their music. It spent time as an oldies station and also tried country music. In the early 2000s, it was owned by Citadel Broadcasting.

After Citadel bought the ABC Radio Networks in 2007, WARM became an ABC Radio owned-and-operated station. Citadel merged with Cumulus Media on September 16, 2011.[7] Part of the station's broadcast day came from Scott Shannon's "The True Oldies Channel."[8]

Off the air[edit]

For a time in April 2009, WARM went dark due to transmitter problems. Some of its equipment dated back 70 years. The station announced that, due to the high cost of replacing its transmitter, it had no plans to return.[9] The host of WARM's weekly polka music show told a reporter, "Unless there's a miracle, they ain't coming back."[10] However, on April 23, with an effort by its engineers to get it working again, WARM returned to the air. It was still airing its oldies format and weekly polka program.[11]

On September 15, 2014, WARM went silent again, due to a transmitter failure.[12] On November 24, 2014, an application was filed with the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to lower power from 5,000 watts during day and night to 1,800 watts daytime and 430 watts nights. It would use only three of its five towers.[13] The station resumed broadcasting in December 2014. At this point, it switched to a sports radio format, as an affiliate of CBS Sports Radio. Cumulus Media has a financial interest in that network.

Bigfoot Legends[edit]

Cumulus sold WARM to Major Keystone on September 24, 2021.[14] On January 19, 2022, after completing the purchase, Major Keystone resold WARM to Seven Mountains Media. Seven Mountains replaced the sports programming with a simulcast of co-owned classic country station WLGD 107.7 FM. The stations are branded as "Bigfoot Legends".[15]

In 2024, ten of WARM's early radio personalities were inducted into the Luzerne County Arts & Entertainment Hall of Fame under the collective moniker "Legends of WARMland."[16]

Translator[edit]

Call sign Frequency City of license FID ERP (W) HAAT Class Transmitter coordinates FCC info
W269CF 101.7 FM Scranton, Pennsylvania 157680 57 224.5 m (737 ft) D 41°25′36″N 75°44′51″W / 41.42667°N 75.74750°W / 41.42667; -75.74750 (W269CF) LMS

References[edit]

  1. ^ "Facility Technical Data for WARM". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ^ Radio-Locator.com/WARM-AM
  3. ^ AOL. "News, Sports, Weather, Entertainment, Local & Lifestyle - AOL". AOL.com.
  4. ^ AOL. "News, Sports, Weather, Entertainment, Local & Lifestyle - AOL". AOL.com.
  5. ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1941 page 156. Retrieved May 29, 2024.
  6. ^ "IAP: Information Age Publishing". infoagepub.com.
  7. ^ "Cumulus now owns Citadel Broadcasting". Atlanta Business Journal. September 16, 2011. Retrieved September 16, 2011.
  8. ^ "Radio Stations". Scott Shannon's True Oldies Channel. Archived from the original on July 28, 2008. Retrieved December 19, 2008.
  9. ^ "WARM Radio Ceases Broadcasting". WNEP. Retrieved April 16, 2009.
  10. ^ "WARM, once-hot station, goes cold". The Times-Leader. Archived from the original on April 19, 2009.
  11. ^ "WARM Is Back". WNEP. April 23, 2009. Retrieved April 23, 2009.
  12. ^ Jim Lockwood (October 22, 2014). "The sound of radio silence: WARM transmitter fails, station off air". Scranton Times-Tribune. Retrieved October 23, 2014.
  13. ^ FCC Document
  14. ^ "Major Keystone Acquires Four Pennsylvania Stations From Cumulus". RadioInsight. Retrieved January 17, 2022.
  15. ^ Bigfoot Legends Expands In Scranton With WARM Purchase Radioinsight - January 19, 2022
  16. ^ https://www.timesleader.com/news/1651433/luzerne-county-arts-entertainment-hall-of-fame-announces-2024-induction-class

External links[edit]

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