WXMT-HD2
The HD Radio digital subchannel of radio station WXMT is used as an experimental station. The station, based in Smethport, Pennsylvania, is owned by Jeff Andrulonis's Colonial Radio Group, making it a sister station to WXMT, WBYB and WVTT. Due in part to a relative lack of HD Radios in the Twin Tiers region, the station uses a digital-to-analog broadcast translator to broadcast to the more widely available analog radios.
Format History
Kane Community Radio
Colonial Radio Group first began a spoken word programming service with an Internet-only channel entitled "Kane Community Radio," kaneradio.net. The station was programmed as an all-news radio station. The station ran an assortment of national news from ABC News Radio, Fox News Radio, local news, business reports, and sports on a tape loop. On nights and weekends, KaneRadio.net ran a relay of ESPN Radio. A full launch was expected in December 2007, with programming from BBC World Service and late-night and entertainment features from Westwood One later added to the schedule. The kaneradio.net domain expired in November 2008 and as such that station ceased to exist.
FM Talk Radio 95.3
In early 2009, Androlunis announced his intentions to create a new politically oriented syndicated talk station. The station, unlike its predecessor, would air terrestrially through HD Radio as well as through translator W237CS, located in Smethport; Colonial purchased the translator from the Family Life Network in 2008.
Programming that had been listed on W237CS included Mancow's Morning Madhouse, The Laura Ingraham Show, Glenn Beck Program, The Dave Ramsey Show, and The Savage Nation. The station listed no programming in the 5-7 p.m. drive time slot (though it was believed to be set aside for Jed Donahue's regionally syndicated "Pennsylvania SportsTalk"), nor any programming after 10 p.m. Early drafts of the potential schedule had Michael Smerconish and The Schnitt Show in the afternoon instead of Ingraham and Ramsey, and Sporting News Radio in all open slots. The station listings for most of these shows did not include W237CS and it is unclear if this station ever made it to air as a standalone station. As of 2010, the station Web site domain has expired.
The talk radio format later emerged on WVTT.
93.9 The Sports Animal
When sister station WLMI flipped formats from its longtime country music format to the AAA format WUMT (now WVTT), Colonial pulled "FM Talk Radio 95.3" from its Web site, and in its place was an icon for "93.9 The Sports Animal." While continuing on WXMT-HD2, the new sports radio station, which is affiliated with Fox Sports Radio, now simulcasts on W230BO in Olean, New York.
In 2012, it tweaked its format to add Imus in the Morning during morning drive (while WVTT carried its local morning newscast) and a local program "The Cage" co-hosted by longtime channel 25 sports personality Blaise O'Connor. The station was rebranded as "93.9 WVTT" at the same time; O'Connor was eventually replaced by Gary Ayd.
Changes in the 2010's
On September 22, 2012, the 93.9 channel switched to classic country, then a few weeks later (after a format tweak at longtime adult contemporary station WMXO) switched to hot adult contemporary as "Bright 93.9" using Cumulus Media Networks's Hits & Favorites network. W237CS (95.3) is slated to pick up a similar format in late 2014.
93.9 returned to sports radio in August 2013, this time with CBS Sports Radio.
On October 21, 2014, 93.9 flipped to classic country, branded as "93.9 The Brand"; this format, later rebranded to "Eagle 99.1," moved to another Olean-based translator, with the WXMT-HD2 simulcast continuing. 93.9 then returned to talk radio, absorbing WVTT's previous talk format as that station moved to top-40.
Ultiately, W237CS would settle on a Hot AC format as "Hot FM 95.3 and 99.3" (adding Bradford, Pennsylvania W257CW on 99.3 as a repeater), while W230BT branded itself as "NewsRadio WVTT", with the actual WVTT-FM becoming "V96.7". WXMT-HD2 would end up repeating WVTT, with W237CS/W257CW being bumpe to WXMT-HD3.
The 93.9 translator was sold and moved to Pennsylvania, effectively leaving the talk shows on that station without a broadcast outlet in Cattaraugus County.
External links
- Colonial Media and Entertainment Web site
- WXMT-HD2 live stream
- Query the FCC's FM station database for W256BQ
- Radio-Locator information on W256BQ
- Query Nielsen Audio's FM station database for W256BQ