Broadcast area Albany, New York HAAT 190 meters (620 ft) Facility ID 23457 City of license Amsterdam Area Albany Sister stations WMHT-FM | ERP 1,600 watts Class A Frequency 97.7 MHz Format Adult album alternative Branding Exit 97.7 | |
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First air date July 16, 1979 (as WMVL) Owner WMHT Educational Telecommunications | ||
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WEXT (97.7 FM) is a radio station broadcasting an adult album alternative format. Licensed to Amsterdam, New York, USA, the station serves Albany, New York. The station is currently owned by WMHT Educational Telecommunications and features programming from American Public Media, National Public Radio and Public Radio International.
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History
WEXT began operations as WCSS-FM in 1975, airing a top 40/oldies format. In 1979, the call letters changed to WMVQ, which now programmed a MOR format. In 1984, WMVQ changed formats to soft rock. In late 1988, the format was changed to oldies with the call letters WKOL-FM, which was known as Cool 97.7. In late 1989, the station flipped to adult contemporary.
On December 26, 1994, the station flipped to classical music as WBKK W-Bach after playing Christmas music under the AC format. As a commercial station, the station originally ran using the KDFC DAT service, switching to the now-defunct SW Classical network and eventually to a service provided by WCRB in Boston, Massachusetts.
On August 4, 2005, the station became a simulcast of WMHT-FM after GEM Associates sold the station to WMHT Educational Telecommunications for $1.5 million. In April 2006, WBKK split off from the simulcast of WMHT-FM with a classical music format carrying shorter pieces than its sister station.
On July 7, 2007, WMHT-FM dropped their classical service on WBKK and launched a new adult album alternative format under the Exit 97.7 branding and the WEXT calls. The station highlights a lot of local music, calling it "Local 518" (in reference to the station's area code). Featured programs include the children's rock and roll program called "The Peanut Butter Jam."