This is a vague recollection of how I remember New York radio in the early 70s. A lot of details may be incorrect or missing...
89.3 – WBGO. As I recall, they have been jazz for years.
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92.3 - WHOM-FM. I seem to remember them as being some sort of AC/Soft Rock in the early 70s. Later they became WKTU. Sister station was 1480 WHOM.
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93.1 – WPAT-FM. They were beautiful music, I believe until the 90s.
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93.9 – WNYC-FM. New York's NPR station. More or less unchanged.
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94.7 – WFME "Family Radio" out of Newark. Christian broadcaster until the station was sold in 2013.
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95.5 – WPLJ. WABC-FM until 1971. AOR in the early 70s, then in the 80s, top-40 and hot AC. Best known in the early 70s for their rivalry with the other AOR station, 102.7 WNEW-FM. Amont their alumni are Jim Kerr and Pat St. John (who is now on 60s Gold on SiriusXM.) Former sister station with 770 WABC. The call letters come from an old song by the Four Deuces (later remade by Frank Zappa) called "White Port Lemon Juice."
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96.3 – WQXR-FM. One of New York's two classical stations. Became Spanish in 2009 and the WQXR programming switched to 105.9. Former sister station was 1560 WQXR.
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97.1 – WNBC-FM. Mostly pop and rock. Adopted an automated format called "The Rock Pile", then experimented with an all-news format as WNWS. Went to AC in the late 70s and WYNY "Y-97." Sister station was 660 WNBC.
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97.9 – WEVD-FM. Ethnic. They were "The Station That Speaks Your Language." Sister station was 1330 WEVD. You have to go way back to the early days of the station's history for the call letters, which stood for "Eugene V. Debs," former publicist for the Socialist Party of American, who originally launched the (AM) station.
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98.7 – WOR-FM. Top-40, rival to WABC. Became WXLO 99X in 1972. Became WRKS Kiss 98.7 in the 80s. Their sister station was 710 WOR.
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99.5 – WBAI. You could do a whole thread on WBAI. Mostly alternative political programming, which they have been doing for years. Owned by the Pacifica Foundation.
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100.3 – WVNJ-FM. They were beautiful music until they switched to WHTZ in the 80s. Sister to 620 WVNJ.
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101.1 – WCBS-FM. An interesting mix of mostly softer AOR, until they went to an all-oldies format in 1972. Sister to 880 WCBS.
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101.9 – WPIX-FM. Another rival to WABC, as they were top-40 until the mid 70s, when they adopted a disco format, and then a variety of formats until the mid 80s when they went to smooth jazz format and became CD101.9 WQCD. Known in the 70s for the Crazy Eddie spots with Dr. Jerry Carroll. (The Crazy Eddie story could have its own thread here.)
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102.7 – WNEW-FM. AOR, rival to 95.5 WPLJ. Pete Fornatale and Scott Muni were notable alumni. Sister to 1130 WNEW.
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103.5 – WTFM. Beautiful music. Switched to soft rock in the late 70s. WAPP in mid 80s.
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104.3 – WNCN. "New York Concert Network." The second of two NYC classical stations, the other being 96.3 WQXR-FM. A brief stint as rock station in 1974 as WQIV, but due to listener demand, went back to classical until 1993 when they became WAXQ.
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105.1 – WRFM. Beautiful music. Started adding vocals, and then became WSNR soft rock in the 80s.
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105.9 – WHBI. Don't remember too much, they may have been ethnic/Spanish. They were Spanish later on, and switched frequencies with WQXR, putting Spanish on 96.3 and classical on 105.9.
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106.7 – WRVR. Owned by Riverside Church and was a mix of classical and jazz before being sold and becoming WLTW.
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107.5 – WBLS. Formerly WLIB-FM, changed to WBLS when the AM was sold. Urban format.
89.3 – WBGO. As I recall, they have been jazz for years.
__________
92.3 - WHOM-FM. I seem to remember them as being some sort of AC/Soft Rock in the early 70s. Later they became WKTU. Sister station was 1480 WHOM.
__________
93.1 – WPAT-FM. They were beautiful music, I believe until the 90s.
__________
93.9 – WNYC-FM. New York's NPR station. More or less unchanged.
__________
94.7 – WFME "Family Radio" out of Newark. Christian broadcaster until the station was sold in 2013.
__________
95.5 – WPLJ. WABC-FM until 1971. AOR in the early 70s, then in the 80s, top-40 and hot AC. Best known in the early 70s for their rivalry with the other AOR station, 102.7 WNEW-FM. Amont their alumni are Jim Kerr and Pat St. John (who is now on 60s Gold on SiriusXM.) Former sister station with 770 WABC. The call letters come from an old song by the Four Deuces (later remade by Frank Zappa) called "White Port Lemon Juice."
__________
96.3 – WQXR-FM. One of New York's two classical stations. Became Spanish in 2009 and the WQXR programming switched to 105.9. Former sister station was 1560 WQXR.
__________
97.1 – WNBC-FM. Mostly pop and rock. Adopted an automated format called "The Rock Pile", then experimented with an all-news format as WNWS. Went to AC in the late 70s and WYNY "Y-97." Sister station was 660 WNBC.
__________
97.9 – WEVD-FM. Ethnic. They were "The Station That Speaks Your Language." Sister station was 1330 WEVD. You have to go way back to the early days of the station's history for the call letters, which stood for "Eugene V. Debs," former publicist for the Socialist Party of American, who originally launched the (AM) station.
__________
98.7 – WOR-FM. Top-40, rival to WABC. Became WXLO 99X in 1972. Became WRKS Kiss 98.7 in the 80s. Their sister station was 710 WOR.
__________
99.5 – WBAI. You could do a whole thread on WBAI. Mostly alternative political programming, which they have been doing for years. Owned by the Pacifica Foundation.
__________
100.3 – WVNJ-FM. They were beautiful music until they switched to WHTZ in the 80s. Sister to 620 WVNJ.
__________
101.1 – WCBS-FM. An interesting mix of mostly softer AOR, until they went to an all-oldies format in 1972. Sister to 880 WCBS.
__________
101.9 – WPIX-FM. Another rival to WABC, as they were top-40 until the mid 70s, when they adopted a disco format, and then a variety of formats until the mid 80s when they went to smooth jazz format and became CD101.9 WQCD. Known in the 70s for the Crazy Eddie spots with Dr. Jerry Carroll. (The Crazy Eddie story could have its own thread here.)
__________
102.7 – WNEW-FM. AOR, rival to 95.5 WPLJ. Pete Fornatale and Scott Muni were notable alumni. Sister to 1130 WNEW.
__________
103.5 – WTFM. Beautiful music. Switched to soft rock in the late 70s. WAPP in mid 80s.
__________
104.3 – WNCN. "New York Concert Network." The second of two NYC classical stations, the other being 96.3 WQXR-FM. A brief stint as rock station in 1974 as WQIV, but due to listener demand, went back to classical until 1993 when they became WAXQ.
__________
105.1 – WRFM. Beautiful music. Started adding vocals, and then became WSNR soft rock in the 80s.
__________
105.9 – WHBI. Don't remember too much, they may have been ethnic/Spanish. They were Spanish later on, and switched frequencies with WQXR, putting Spanish on 96.3 and classical on 105.9.
__________
106.7 – WRVR. Owned by Riverside Church and was a mix of classical and jazz before being sold and becoming WLTW.
__________
107.5 – WBLS. Formerly WLIB-FM, changed to WBLS when the AM was sold. Urban format.
