# WNPE

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Radio station in Narragansett Pier, Rhode Island

For the television station in Watertown, New York, that held the call sign WNPE-TV from 1971 to 1998, see [WPBS-TV](/source/WPBS-TV).

WNPE Narragansett Pier, Rhode Island United States Broadcast area Southern Rhode Island Frequency 102.7 MHz (HD Radio) Branding Ocean State Media Programming Format News/talk Network Ocean State Media Affiliations NPR PRX APM Ownership Owner Ocean State Media Group Sister stations WNPH WNPN WPVD WPVD-FM WSBE-TV History First air date July 15, 1990 (1990-07-15) (as WPJB)[1] Former call signs WPJB (1990–1997) WAKX (1997–2007) WRNI-FM (2007–2018) WRNI (March 9–July 29, 2018) Technical information[2] Licensing authority FCC Facility ID 22874 Class B ERP 1,950 watts HAAT 69 meters (226 ft) Transmitter coordinates 41°25′26″N 71°28′32.1″W / 41.42389°N 71.475583°W / 41.42389; -71.475583 Repeaters WNPN WPVD Links Public license information Public file LMS Webcast Listen live Website www.oceanstatemedia.org

**WNPE** (102.7 [FM](/source/FM_broadcasting)) is a [public radio](/source/Public_radio) station, providing programming from [Ocean State Media](/source/Ocean_State_Media) to southern Rhode Island from its transmitter at [Narragansett Pier](/source/Narragansett_Pier%2C_Rhode_Island). It was the first FM transmitter in the network. Prior to operating noncommercially, the 102.7 facility was a commercial radio station from its sign-on in 1990 to 2007.

## History

### As a commercial radio station

On July 15, 1990,[1] WPJB signed on. Reviving a historic call sign that had been abandoned at 105.1 FM in Providence when it became [WWLI](/source/WWLI) in 1985, WPJB broadcast an [adult contemporary](/source/Adult_contemporary) format and was owned and operated by Full Power Radio of Narragansett, Inc.[1]

Full Power Radio of Narragansett sold WPJB to Back Bay Broadcasters for $1.05 million in 1997;[3] the station became a simulcast of Back Bay's rhythmic CHR outlet [WWKX](/source/WWKX) "Kix 106" and changed its call letters to WAKX to reflect the new programming.[4] Back Bay became AAA Entertainment in 1999; the two companies were commonly owned.[5]

WWKX-WAKX added [Howard Stern](/source/Howard_Stern) to its program lineup in 1998.[6] The stations carried Stern through the end of his terrestrial radio run, though, alongside some other Citadel stations, "Hot 106" began cutting his show short because Stern was excessively promoting his soon-to-be-new home at [Sirius Satellite Radio](/source/Sirius_Satellite_Radio).[7]

[Citadel Broadcasting](/source/Citadel_Broadcasting) acquired WWKX, WAKX, and a station in [Montauk, New York](/source/Montauk%2C_New_York), from AAA Entertainment for $16.5 million in 2003;[8] the sale of WAKX was not finished until 2005. Citadel immediately optioned WAKX, along with [WKKB](/source/WKKB) in [Middletown](/source/Middletown%2C_Rhode_Island), to [Davidson Media Group](/source/Davidson_Media_Group) in a $7.5 million sale, breaking the simulcast.[9] By 2007, WAKX was running a [smooth jazz](/source/Smooth_jazz) format, leased out to Craig Rapoza.[10]

### Sale to Rhode Island Public Radio

On March 23, 2007, the former Foundation for Ocean State Public Radio, renamed Rhode Island Public Radio, announced its acquisition of [WRNI](/source/WPVD_(AM)) (1290 AM), a [National Public Radio](/source/National_Public_Radio) member station run by [WBUR-FM](/source/WBUR-FM) in Boston. At the same time, the foundation announced that it was buying WAKX from Davidson for $2.65 million, funded by the Rhode Island Foundation.[10] The acquisition brought NPR service for the first time to southern Rhode Island communities that were outside of WRNI's coverage area,[10] beginning May 17, 2007, when WAKX became WRNI-FM and began carrying WRNI's programming full-time.[11] WAKX's former jazz programming moved to [WALE](/source/WALE_(Rhode_Island)) (990 AM).[10]

In 2018, concurrent with RIPR's relaunch as [The Public's Radio](/source/The_Public's_Radio), the call letters were changed to WNPE.[12]

## HD Radio multicast

From March 2013 until February 2018, MVYradio leased the HD2 multicast channel of WRNI-FM to broadcast a modified content stream of [WMVY](/source/WMVY) (88.7 FM) on Martha's Vineyard; this fed translator W243AI 96.5 FM, which broadcast from the roof of Newport Hospital. This allowed WMVY programming to continue being heard on the translator after the original WMVY (92.7 FM) was sold to [Boston University](/source/Boston_University) and became [WBUA](/source/WBUA).[13]

## References

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-bcyb94_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-bcyb94_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-bcyb94_1-2) ["WPJB(FM)"](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1994/B-All-Radio-BC-YB-1994-B&W.pdf) (PDF). *1994 Broadcasting Yearbook*. 1994. p. B-325–26. Retrieved October 8, 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-FCC-LMS-22874_2-0)** ["Facility Technical Data for WNPE"](https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/public/tv/publicFacilityTechDetails.html?facilityId=22874). *Licensing and Management System*. [Federal Communications Commission](/source/Federal_Communications_Commission).

1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** ["Changing Hands"](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1997/BC-1997-04-07.pdf) (PDF). *Broadcasting & Cable*. April 7, 1997. p. 76. Retrieved October 8, 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-4)** ["Executive Turntable"](https://books.google.com/books?id=pA8EAAAAMBAJ&q=%22102.7%22+%22WPJB%22&pg=PA72). *Billboard*. May 17, 1997. p. 72. Retrieved October 8, 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-5)** Fybush, Scott (December 3, 1999). ["The CRTC Gets Busy"](https://www.bostonradio.org/nerw//nerw-991203.html). *North East RadioWatch*. Retrieved October 8, 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** ["Format Changes & Updates"](https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-M-Street/M-Street-Journal/M-Street-1998-02.pdf) (PDF). *M Street Journal*. February 25, 1998. p. 2 (38). Retrieved October 8, 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Fybush, Scott (December 6, 2004). ["WAQX-Stern Feud Escalates"](https://www.fybush.com/NERW/2004/041206/nerw.html). *North East RadioWatch*. Retrieved October 8, 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-8)** ["Citadel Buys 3 From AAA"](https://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/citadel-buys-3-from-aaa). *RadioWorld*. January 9, 2003. Retrieved October 8, 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-9)** ["Deals"](https://www.broadcastingcable.com/news/deals-105556). *Broadcasting & Cable*. January 9, 2005. Retrieved October 8, 2019.

1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-tmc_10-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-tmc_10-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-tmc_10-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-tmc_10-3) ["R.I. group to buy WRNI"](https://www.tmcnet.com/usubmit/2007/03/23/2439642.htm). *Providence Journal*. March 23, 2007. Retrieved October 8, 2019 – via TMC.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-11)** ["NPR available to Jamestown listeners starting today"](https://www.jamestownpress.com/articles/npr-available-to-jamestown-listeners-starting-today-2/). *Jamestown Press*. May 17, 2007. Retrieved October 8, 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-12)** Venta, Lance (October 12, 2018). ["Rhode Island Public Radio Rebrands As The Public's Radio"](https://radioinsight.com/headlines/171118/rhode-island-public-radio-rebrands-as-the-publics-radio/). *RadioInsight*. Retrieved October 8, 2019.

1. **[^](#cite_ref-13)** Read, Aaron (March 11, 2013). ["RIPR & MVYradio Leverage HD Radio for FM Translators"](https://web.archive.org/web/20170317144025/http://ripr.org/post/theec-ripr-mvyradio-leverage-hd-radio-fm-translators). Archived from [the original](http://ripr.org/post/theec-ripr-mvyradio-leverage-hd-radio-fm-translators) on March 17, 2017. Retrieved October 8, 2019.

## External links

- [Facility details for Facility ID 22874 (WNPE)](https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/public/tv/publicFacilityDetails.html?facilityId=22874) in the [FCC](/source/Federal_Communications_Commission) Licensing and Management System

- [WNPE](https://www1.arbitron.com/sip/displaySip.do?surveyID=SP26&band=fm&callLetter=WNPE) in [Nielsen Audio](/source/Nielsen_Audio)'s FM station database

v t e Radio stations in the Newport, Rhode Island area By AM frequency 1540 1630 By FM frequency 88.3 89.3 90.3 90.7 95.9 99.3 99.7 100.3 102.7 103.7 LPFM 105.9 Translators 96.5 101.1 Via FM subcarrier 67 kHz Talking Information Center (radio reading service) Digital radio by frequency & subchannel 89.3-1 89.3-2 102.7-1 103.7-1 By call sign W243AI WADK WCRI-FM WEAN-FM WKKB WMNP WNPE WNPH WNPN HD2 WPVD-FM WPWL406 WQCP849 WQFL674 WQRI WRIU WXHQ-LP Defunct WKFD (1370 AM) Radio stations in the Providence metropolitan area Providence New Bedford-Fall River Newport Other nearby regions Boston Cape Cod and Martha's Vineyard New London/Westerly See also List of radio stations in Rhode Island

v t e NPR member stations in the state of Rhode Island By callsign WJMF WNPE WNPH WNPN WPVD WPVD-FM By frequency 1290 88.7 89.3 90.7 102.7 103.7 By community of license Narragansett Pier Newport Portsmouth Providence Smithfield Westerly See also: PBS Rhode Island and List of NPR stations See also adult contemporary classic hits college country news/talk NPR oldies religious rock sports top 40 urban other radio stations in Rhode Island

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [WNPE](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WNPE) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WNPE?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.