Frequency 99.7 MHz/Channel 259 | First air date June 1995 | |
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City Wakefield-Peacedale, Rhode Island Broadcast area Providence, Rhode Island Branding News Talk 630 and 99.7 FM WPRO Slogan The Voice of Southern New England | ||
WEAN-FM (99.7 FM, "News Talk 630 WPRO and 99.7 FM") is a radio station licensed to Wakefield-Peacedale, Rhode Island. The station is owned by Cumulus Media, and airs a news-talk format. WEAN-FM is a full-time simulcast of WPRO/630 in Providence, serving as WPRO's satellite in southern Rhode Island. Operations are based at WPRO's studios in East Providence.
Contents
Prior to becoming WEAN-FM on March 11, 2008; 99.7 was modern rock "99.7 The Edge" WUAE, later WDGE; hard rock "99.7X" WXEX; classic rock simulcast "The Hawk"; '80s simulcast "Z100" (as WZRA) & finally "The Score" (WSKO-FM), which broadcast a sports format that simulcast most programming from WSKO/790 (now WPRV).
Programming
As a simulcast on WPRO, much of WEAN-FM's programming is locally produced, with programs hosted by WJAR anchor Gene Vallicenti, Matt Allen, Dan Yorke, and former WLNE-TV reporter Tara Granahan. Syndicated programming includes John Batchelor and Red Eye Radio.
Weekend programming includes locally produced shows as well as syndicated shows such as Bill Cunningham.
WEAN-FM is an affiliate of the New England Patriots Radio Network.
1990s
99.7 was issued its first callsign, WUAE, on April 23, 1992. The station would remain a construction permit until June 1995 when it would come on as modern rock WDGE-"99.7 The Edge." The station was built by local broadcast engineer Randy Place. Starting with the acquisition of former smooth jazz WOTB in 1996 (which became WDGF on June 14, 1996), The Edge advertised itself as "99.7/100.3 The Edge." This simulcast would last a short time as the 100.3 frequency became "100.3 The Beat". Meanwhile, 99.7 The Edge leaned towards hard rock and became WXEX, calling itself "99.7X." This format lasted until New Year's Day 1999, when it returned to simulcasting 100.3 as "100FM The Hawk."
2000s
The 2000s started with 99.7 still simulcasting 100.3 as "The Hawk." Both stations flipped formats again, this time to all-1980s "Z100" (still as a simulcast). In 2002 99.7 turned off its stereo pilot and became sportstalk "99.7 The Score", or most times when simulcasting WSKO/790, "99.7 and 790 The Score". 99.7 carried the Patriots Rock Radio Network (which it still does as a simulcast of WPRO), Pawsox Radio Network until 2006 (those rights went to WHJJ in 2007) as well as the New York Yankees Radio Network until 2007 (the former AM side of The Score, now WPRV, still carries the Yankees). "The Score" ended on March 10, 2008 with the AM side becoming WPRV–"True Oldies 790", and 99.7 becoming WEAN-FM and simulcasting AM 630 WPRO.