WMRC

WMRC
City Milford, Massachusetts
Broadcast area Worcester, Massachusetts
Branding First Class Radio
Frequency 1490 kHz
First air date 1956
Format Adult Contemporary
Power 1,000 watts (unlimited)
Class C
Facility ID 21584
Transmitter coordinates 42°08′12″N 71°30′50″W / 42.13667°N 71.51389°W / 42.13667; -71.51389
Callsign meaning Milford Radio Corporation (former owners)
Affiliations ABC Radio
Owner First Class Radio Corp.
Website wmrcdailynews.com

WMRC (1490 AM, "First Class Radio") is a radio station licensed to serve Milford, Massachusetts, USA. The station is owned by the First Class Radio Corporation. It airs a full-service Adult Contemporary music format.[1] In addition to its usual music programming, WMRC broadcasts local high school and American Legion sports play-by-play.[2] WMRC is an affiliate of the Boston Red Sox radio network.[3]

The station was assigned the WMRC call letters by the U.S. Federal Communications Commission (FCC).[4]

Notable on-air personalities include news director Ed Thompson who joined the station in 1974.[5] In 1993 the Milford Highlanders Brothers and Belles organization honored Thompson at their 10th annual Outstanding Citizens Ball for his service to the community.[6]

Awards and honors

WMRC is the only radio station to win the "Station of the Year" award from the Massachusetts Broadcasters Association on three separate occasions,[7] including a split win with WBOQ in 1993[8] and a solo award in 1995.[9]

In 2003, Thomas M. McAuliffe II was elected chairman of the board of the Massachusetts Broadcasters Association.[10] At the time of his election, he was also vice president and general manager of WMRC.

In 2008, WMRC received the Cary Simpson Award for Community Service from the International Broadcasters Idea Bank for the station's dedication to public service.[11] The station was cited for "overall excellence in all facets of operation including growth of audience, client base, and service to the community."[12]

Ownership

Former logo of the radio station (Used Until March 20, 2015)

In March 1983, WMRC was acquired by Loren F. Ghiglione from the Milford Radio Corporation.[13] In August 1983, Ghiglione transferred the license to the Milford Media Corporation.[14] In July 1984, Milford Media Corporation transferred the license to Nanlo Inc.[15] Nanlo Inc. was owned by Worcester County Newspapers, a media holding corporation for which Loren F. Ghiglione served as president.[16]

In May 1990, Thomas M. McAuliffe, president of First Class Radio Corp., reached an agreement to purchased WMRC from Nanlo Inc.[13] The sale was approved by the FCC in August 1990 and the deal was completed in September 1990.[17] The sale price was not disclosed.

In December 2006, Thomas M. McAuliffe II acquired the station from his father.[12][18]

References

  1. ↑ "Station Information Profile". Arbitron. Archived from the original on March 1, 2010.
  2. ↑ Reiss, Mike (2006-07-06). "The drive is back to do play-by-play". The Boston Globe.
  3. ↑ "Ryder calls shots for arena action". Worcester Telegram & Gazette. 2007-03-01. WMRC (1490 AM) in Milford has signed with Entercom Radio to remain a Red Sox radio affiliate through 2009.
  4. ↑ "Call Sign History". FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database.
  5. ↑ "Morning News, With Static". The Boston Globe. 2004-04-11. Ed Thompson may be the most powerful man in Milford. [...] Throughout his three decades on the Milford airwaves for WMRC-AM, criticism has often trailed the 55-year-old newscaster with the striking long, gray hair.
  6. ↑ "Milford to honor citizens". Worcester Telegram & Gazette. 1993-04-09. One award will go to Ed Thompson of Hopkinton, the news director of WMRC radio in Milford for serving the community for 26 years.
  7. ↑ "Station Profile brochure" (PDF). WMRC.
  8. ↑ Bickelhaupt, Susan (1993-10-15). "Local stations get their rewards". The Boston Globe. Classical radio station WBOQ-FM once again shared top honors as Station of the Year, this time with WMRC-AM in Milford.
  9. ↑ Bickelhaupt, Susan (1995-10-26). "Spinning the dial". The Boston Globe. Milford's WMRC-AM (1490), an adult music station, was named Station of the Year.
  10. ↑ "People: New chairman". Worcester Telegram & Gazette. 2003-02-11.
  11. ↑ Elliott, Deanna (2008-06-13). "No such thing as local radio?". Massachusetts Broadcasters Association.
  12. 1 2 "WMRC 1490AM Wins International Public Service Award". Blackstone Valley Daily. Retrieved 2008-06-25.
  13. 1 2 "McAuliffe is new owner of WMRC-AM". Worcester Telegram & Gazette. 1990-05-09. WMRC, the town's only radio station, has been purchased by a veteran Marlboro radio station manager from Worcester County Newspapers. Thomas M. McAuliffe, 55, of Hudson, finalized arrangements this week, and will begin working at the station while the Federal Communications Commission reviews the sale.
  14. ↑ "Public Notice Comment". FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access. 1983-08-12.
  15. ↑ "Public Notice Comment". FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access. 1984-07-06.
  16. ↑ "Mass. man buys Conn. newspapers". The Boston Globe. 1985-01-30. Loren F. Ghiglione is president of Worcester County Newspapers, a company that owns, in addition to The News, 11 weeklies, two tourist publications, a commercial printing operation and WMRC, a radio station in Milford, Massachusetts.
  17. ↑ "WMRC in Milford is sold". Worcester Telegram & Gazette. 1990-09-12.
  18. ↑ "Application Search Details BTC-2060918AAW". FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access. 2006-12-28.
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