WAPA (AM)
WAPA (1260 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a News Talk Information format as part of the "Borinquen Radio News Network". Licensed to Ponce, Puerto Rico, the station is owned by Grupo AM Puerto Rico, licensed to Wilfredo G. Blanco Pi.[1]
| Broadcast area | Puerto Rico |
|---|---|
| Frequency | 1260 kHz |
| Branding | Borinquen Radio |
| Programming | |
| Format | News Talk Information |
| Affiliations | CNN en Español[citation needed] |
| Ownership | |
| Owner |
|
| WBQN, WMIA, WMTI, WTIL, WVOZ, WXRF | |
| History | |
First air date | September 15, 1953 |
Former call signs | WISO (1953–2022) |
Call sign meaning | Call sign transferred from 680 AM San Juan, which was founded by the Asociación de Productores de Azúcar (Puerto Rico Sugar Growers' Association) |
| Technical information | |
| Facility ID | 61147 |
| Class | B |
| Power | 2,300 watts |
Transmitter coordinates | 17°59′03″N 66°38′12″W / 17.98417°N 66.63667°W |
| Translator(s) | W268DJ (101.5 MHz, Ponce) |
| Links | |
| Website | borinquenradio.com |
Its programming is also carried by FM translator station W268DJ at 101.5 MHz, also in Ponce.
History
The station was first licensed, as WISO, in 1953 to the South Puerto Rico Broadcasting Company.
On May 23, 2022, after WAPA-TV acquired radio stations WKAQ (AM) and FM in San Juan, and in order to avoid confusion between unrelated broadcasting entities, branding for "WAPA Radio" was changed to "Borinquen Radio". The WBQN call letters that had been assigned to a station on 1160 AM in Barceloneta-Manatí were moved to the former WAPA at 680 AM in San Juan on May 27, and several other call sign changes were made around the network.[2] One resulting change occurred on June 14, 2022, when WISO's call sign was changed to WAPA.
Synchronous relay stations
Until 2017, then-WISO's programming was relayed through two experimental synchronous booster stations that also transmitted on 1260 kHz: WI2XSO, originally licensed June 6, 1999 in Mayaguez, and WI3XSO, originally licensed October 22, 2002 in Aguadilla.[3]
On November 7, 2016, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) stated that the licenses for WI2XSO and WI3XSO would only be renewed for six months, after which the stations would be deleted. The reason given was that both stations had far exceeded the six-year maximum permitted for experimental authorizations.[4][5]
Petitions for review of the order to cancel the licenses was submitted on November 23, 2016 and April 24, 2017.[6] However, they were unsuccessful,[7][3] and the licenses for both WI2XSO and WI3XSO were deleted on May 16, 2017.
In 2018, WVOZ changed its community of license from Morovis to Aguadilla, and began broadcasting on 1580 kHz from the former WI3XSO facility.[8]
Translator stations
| Call sign | Frequency (MHz) | City of license | ERP (W) | FCC info |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| W268DJ | 101.5 FM | Ponce, Puerto Rico | 250 | FCC FM Query |
References
- ^ "WAPA Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
- ^ "Wapa Radio anuncia el cambio de nombre a Borinquen Radio" [Wapa Radio announces name change to Borinquen Radio]. El Vocero (in Spanish). 28 May 2022.
- ^ a b In re: WA2XPA, WI2XSO, WI3XSO: Petition for Reconsideration, correspondence from Peter H. Doyle Chief, FCC Audio Division, Media Bureau, April 19, 2017.
- ^ "In re: WI2XSO, Mayaguez, Puerto Rico: Application for Renewal of License", correspondence from the FCC Audio Division, Media Bureau, November 7, 2016.
- ^ "In re: WI3XSO, Aguadilla, Puerto Rico: Application for Renewal of License", correspondence from the FCC Audio Division, Media Bureau, November 7, 2016.
- ^ "Petition for Review" (PDF). Wifredo G. Blanco-Pi. 24 April 2017. Retrieved 23 May 2017.
- ^ Blanco-Pi Loses Experimental Licenses Radio World - April 20, 2017
- ^ "In re: WVOZ-AM, Morovis, Puerto Rico: Informal Objection", correspondence from Nazifa Sawez, FCC Assistant Chief, Audio Division, Media Bureau, December 28, 2017.
External links
- FCC History Cards for WAPA (covering 1951-1980 as WISO)
- WAPA in the FCC AM station database
- WAPA on Radio-Locator
- WAPA in Nielsen Audio's AM station database
- W268DJ in the FCC FM station database
- "Field Trial Results of AM Transmitter Carrier Synchronization" (PDF). Thomas F. King; Stephen F. Smith. 2015. Retrieved 24 May 2017.
- FCC Station Search Details: DWI2XSO (Facility ID: 89243)
- FCC Station Search Details: DWI3XSO (Facility ID: 130173)