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Providence CHR Wars History

A

AM-FM-DXer

Trying to dig into the history of Providence CHR wars, I have a couple of questions for the experts. Thank you in advance.
1. When did 92 PRO-FM and JB-105 overlap? I know it was in the 1970s, but I am not sure exactly when in the '70s.
2. Was RI 104 ever on the air, as a CHR, at the same time as JB-105? I know RI 104 came along later than JB-105.
3. There was a brief period when Kix 106 went CHR/Pop, dropping some rhythmic songs and adding some pop and rock cuts. That period covered most of 1992. By early 1993, Kix transitioned back to a rhythmic format. Despite its signal limitations, did Kix, as a CHR/pop station, ever impact PRO-FM at all? Was Kix the last CHR to challenge PRO-FM?
 
The internet station tribute to JB-105 has a great history of the years against 92-PRO-FM. WPJB (JB 105) History
I remember RI-104 from high school years in the mid-80s, but I can't remember when they became top 40 after boosting the signal to cover Providence. Red Decker in the Morning was my fav. They lasted until March 1987 according to wiki before changing to classic rock WWRX. I also remember WWON-FM in Woonsocket becoming Wink 106 as WNCK around 86. I remember hearing "Hunting High and Low" by A-ha as the only station to play it. They had a good jock named "KIckin' Al" Snape. They became WWKX (Kix 106) in 1988 and leaned dance/top 40 making the singer Stevie B huge in Rhode Island. I can also remember Fun 107 in New Bedford debuting sometime in the late 80s being a good top 40 station reaching Providence ok.
 
Superdave2351 said:
The internet station tribute to JB-105 has a great history of the years against 92-PRO-FM. WPJB (JB 105) History
I remember RI-104 from high school years in the mid-80s, but I can't remember when they became top 40 after boosting the signal to cover Providence. Red Decker in the Morning was my fav. They lasted until March 1987 according to wiki before changing to classic rock WWRX. I also remember WWON-FM in Woonsocket becoming Wink 106 as WNCK around 86. I remember hearing "Hunting High and Low" by A-ha as the only station to play it. They had a good jock named "KIckin' Al" Snape. They became WWKX (Kix 106) in 1988 and leaned dance/top 40 making the singer Stevie B huge in Rhode Island. I can also remember Fun 107 in New Bedford debuting sometime in the late 80s being a good top 40 station reaching Providence ok.
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Thanks for the info. I did not know that there was Internet tribute station for JB-105. I am guessing, then, that JB-105 and RI 104 did not overlap as CHRs?
I think Fun 107 debuted in 1989, but I might be off on that date. Fun also was big on Stevie B, I remember. Fun's signal was never great in Providence proper, but stronger in surrounding areas. It is pretty good in Warwick, for example. For a period in the 2000s and 2010s, Fun and 92 PRO-FM were both owned by Cumulus. That was until Fun was sold to Townsquare.
 
AM-FM-DXer said:
Trying to dig into the history of Providence CHR wars, I have a couple of questions for the experts. Thank you in advance.
1. When did 92 PRO-FM and JB-105 overlap? I know it was in the 1970s, but I am not sure exactly when in the '70s.
2. Was RI 104 ever on the air, as a CHR, at the same time as JB-105? I know RI 104 came along later than JB-105.
3. There was a brief period when Kix 106 went CHR/Pop, dropping some rhythmic songs and adding some pop and rock cuts. That period covered most of 1992. By early 1993, Kix transitioned back to a rhythmic format. Despite its signal limitations, did Kix, as a CHR/pop station, ever impact PRO-FM at all? Was Kix the last CHR to challenge PRO-FM?
Click to expand...

The incomplete surveys on the ARSA site don't show anything from 104.7 and only a couple of R&B surveys from the 106.5 station, but they do show that WPJB-FM had weekly surveys (a top 50, no less) going back to the week of August 3, 1975, and ending (as a top 20, making me guess that it was AC by this point) with March 4, 1983. The site also has a year-end survey for WPRO-FM for 1975 (and one for 1980 as well) but no weekly surveys until March of 1980. WPRO-FM is an interesting case for while there is only a 1975 year-end survey for that station, its AM sister has weekly top 40 surveys for weeks through early March of 1975.

Providence (and surrounding communities) appears to have been an early hot bed for top 40 radio with quite a few of the city's stations trying (and apparently failing) to knock off the leaders in that format during the 1950s, 1960s, and early 1970s, WPRO-AM and WICE.
 
ted chittenden said:
The incomplete surveys on the ARSA site don't show anything from 104.7 and only a couple of R&B surveys from the 106.5 station, but they do show that WPJB-FM had weekly surveys (a top 50, no less) going back to the week of August 3, 1975, and ending (as a top 20, making me guess that it was AC by this point) with March 4, 1983. The site also has a year-end survey for WPRO-FM for 1975 (and one for 1980 as well) but no weekly surveys until March of 1980. WPRO-FM is an interesting case for while there is only a 1975 year-end survey for that station, its AM sister has weekly top 40 surveys for weeks through early March of 1975.

Providence (and surrounding communities) appears to have been an early hot bed for top 40 radio with quite a few of the city's stations trying (and apparently failing) to knock off the leaders in that format during the 1950s, 1960s, and early 1970s, WPRO-AM and WICE.
Click to expand...
Thank you. I believe that there was a period in the '70s, after PRO-FM went CHR, that there was a WPRO-FM and AM simulcast.
 
AM-FM-DXer said:
Thank you. I believe that there was a period in the '70s, after PRO-FM went CHR, that there was a WPRO-FM and AM simulcast.
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I don't think they were allowed to simulcast much since each was licensed to a large city, Providence. I would guess morning drive time was simulcast with Salty Brine, since AM-FM combos were allowed to do some simulcasting. Brine was a legendary broadcaster in Rhode Island, both on WPRO and hosting a kids show as a sea captain on Channel 12 WPRO-TV.

I remember that there was a brief time when both 630 AM and 92.3 FM were Top 40. But the AM had more personality, more service elements and more commercials. WPRO-FM was the more-music station of the two. Eventually 630 moved to a full-service adult contemporary sound, as many AM Top 40s of the day.
 


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