WSMN
Broadcast areaMerrimack Valley
Frequency1590 kHz
Programming
FormatTalk radio; brokered programming
AffiliationsUSA Radio News
Radio America
Westwood One
Motor Racing Network
Ownership
Owner
  • Robert Bartis/George Russell
  • (Bartis and Russell Broadcasting, LLC)
WLMW
History
First air date
March 9, 1958 (1958-03-09)
Call sign meaning
"We Serve Manchester and Nashua"
or
Salem, Manchester, and Nashua
Technical information
Facility ID102
ClassD
Power770 watts day
58 watts night
Transmitter coordinates
42°45′34″N 71°28′37″W / 42.75944°N 71.47694°W / 42.75944; -71.47694
Translator(s)95.3 W237FA (Nashua)
Links
WebcastListen live
Websitewww.wsmn.live

WSMN (1590 AM) is a commercial radio station broadcasting a talk radio format. It is licensed to Nashua, New Hampshire, and serves the Merrimack Valley. Its owners since March 2017 are on-air personalities George Russell and Bob Bartis.[1] WSMN has some local talk shows and also features paid brokered programming.

WSMN transmits with 770 watts daytime, 58 watts nighttime.[2] It uses a non-directional antenna at all times. Programming is also heard on 250-watt FM translator W237FA at 95.3 MHz.

History

Early years

WSMN first signed on March 9, 1958.[3] The first voice heard was that of Manchester, New Hampshire, native Frank G. Teas who spent the next 44 years with the station until he retired in December 2002. The original owner was the Merrimack Valley Broadcasting System.[4] It sold the station only one year later, to 1590 Broadcasting Corporation.[5]

For most of its early years, WSMN had a middle-of-the-road format, mixed in with talk.[6] This format remained in place through the decade.[3] The organization also published an advertiser-supported, free tabloid called the 1590 Broadcaster.[7]

Country, adult standards and talk

During the mid-1990s, WSMN attempted a country music format. But country on AM radio became less viable after Boston country station WKLB-FM moved from 96.9 FM (now WBQT) to 99.5 FM (now WCRB). WSMN switched to adult standards in December 1997.[8] This was short lived; in March 1998, the station changed to news/talk, though some timeslots were temporarily filled with adult contemporary music for a time.[9]

Initially locally oriented,[9] in June WSMN began adding nationally-produced programming, including Talk America shows and business news from Bloomberg Radio.[10] Two years later, Tom O'Brien signed a local marketing agreement (LMA) to take over the station's operations.[11]

Time off the air

WSMN was forced off the air February 1, 2005, after losing the lease to its transmitter and studio site on West Hollis Street (Route 111).[12] The license was sold to Absolute Broadcasting, owner of WSNH (900; now WGHM) that July.[13]

WSMN returned to the air in October from the WSNH tower, running a low-power special temporary authority signal.[14] It initially simulcast WSNH's ESPN Radio programming.[14] The station began shifting back to a news/talk format in early 2006.[15] It began featuring programing from Talk Radio Network and Westwood One.

Bartis and Russell Broadcasting

Absolute Broadcasting sold WSMN to Bartis and Russell Broadcasting LLC[1] for $200,000.[16] The sale took effect on March 16, 2017. The proprietors are George Russell and Bob Bartis, who had both hosted shows on WSMN. They promised "more local programming and a refocus on the community."[1]

WSMN formerly held a construction permit from the U.S. Federal Communications Commission to build a new three-tower array west of the old location. Instead of using the same directional pattern full-time, there would be different directional patterns for day and night. In July 2020, the station put an FM translator on the air at 95.3 MHz.

Programming

WSMN airs Nashua This Morning with George Russell during morning drive time, with a mix of talk shows and brokered programming at other times. Bob Bartis continues to host shows on several topics. In timeslots where a talk show is not scheduled, the station airs blocks of music.[17] WSMN is an affiliate of USA Radio News.

Other programing includes:

  • "Asking for a Friend"
  • "Barticus Live"
  • "The Dana Loesch Show"
  • "Latinos En Vivo"
  • "Public Health Hour"
  • "The Rayla Campbell Show Live"
  • "Spouting Off with Host Karen Kataline"
  • "Turning Pages with Elaine Holden" [18]

Former personalities

  • Al Rock (general manager)
  • Ed Lecius Sr. (news director)
  • Frank Teas Sr. (program director)
  • Weldon Haire[19]
  • Maury Parent
  • Jeff Radzik
  • Eric Nuernberg (Eric O’ Neil)
  • Nick Diamond
  • Jim Liversidge
  • Robert "Woody" Woodland
  • Robert "Bob" Bevill
  • Chuck O'Neil
  • Gerry Wood
  • Kevin Farwell
  • John Halpert
  • Dee Dee Leigh
  • Griff Vautier
  • Russ Cooper
  • Dale Lonroth
  • Hal Hillard
  • Tony Broseau
  • Leo Zani
  • Steve Shaw
  • Herb Andrews
  • Ernie Anastos
  • Dianna Ploss

References

  1. 1 2 3 Kimberly Houghton (March 27, 2017). "Gate City radio personalities team up to buy WSMN". Manchester Union-Leader.
  2. ↑ Radio-Locator.com/WSMN
  3. 1 2 Broadcasting Yearbook 1981 (PDF). 1981. p. C-147. Retrieved February 17, 2010.
  4. ↑ Broadcasting Yearbook 1958 (PDF). 1958. p. A-320. Retrieved February 17, 2010.
  5. ↑ Broadcasting Yearbook 1959 (PDF). 1959. p. B-186. Retrieved February 17, 2010.
  6. ↑ Broadcasting Yearbook 1971 (PDF). 1971. p. B-130. Retrieved February 17, 2010.
  7. ↑ "About 1590 broadcaster". Library of Congress. Retrieved November 18, 2018.
  8. ↑ Fybush, Scott (December 18, 1997). "North East RadioWatch". Retrieved February 17, 2010.
  9. 1 2 Fybush, Scott (March 19, 1998). "More Layoffs in N.H." North East RadioWatch. Retrieved February 17, 2010.
  10. ↑ Fybush, Scott (June 4, 1998). "Tornado Topples WIVT". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved February 17, 2010.
  11. ↑ Fybush, Scott (December 4, 2000). "North East RadioWatch: December 4, 2000". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved February 17, 2010.
  12. ↑ Fybush, Scott (February 7, 2005). "Qantum Buys the Cape; Cherry Creek Buys the East End; WSMN Goes Dark". NorthEast Radio Watch. Retrieved February 17, 2010.
  13. ↑ Fybush, Scott (July 4, 2005). "Pop Goes "Cool Pop" in Harrisburg". NorthEast Radio Watch. Retrieved February 17, 2010.
  14. 1 2 Fybush, Scott (October 24, 2005). "A WILD Shift For Radio One/Boston". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved February 19, 2010.
  15. ↑ Fybush, Scott (January 9, 2006). "New Troubles for Maynard's WAVM". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved February 19, 2010.
  16. ↑ "WSMN/Nashua, NH Sold". AllAccess.com. December 5, 2016. Retrieved March 28, 2018.
  17. ↑ "Program Schedule". WSMN. Retrieved March 30, 2018.
  18. ↑ "WSMN1590am WSMN95.3fm Watch! Listen! Stream!".
  19. ↑ "Around the Town". The Telegraph. March 13, 1958. Retrieved December 30, 2011.
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