View source for WFME (AM)

{{short description|Family Radio station licensed to New York City}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=November 2024}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name = WFME
| city = [[New York, New York]]
| country = US
| area = [[New York metropolitan area]]
| frequency = {{Frequency|1560|[[kHz]]}}
| language = [[American English|English]]
| format = [[Christian radio]]
| network = [[Family Radio]]
| owner = Family Radio
| licensee = Family Stations, Inc.
| sister_stations = {{hlist|[[WFME-FM]]|[[WFRS]]|[[WYMK]]}}
| airdate = {{start date and age|1929|3|26|p=y|br=yes}}
| former_callsigns = {{ubl|W2XR (1929–1936)|WQXR (1936–1992)|WQEW (1992–2015)}}
| former_frequencies = {{ubl|2100 kHz (1929–1934)|1550 kHz (1934–1941)}}
| callsign_meaning = Where Faith (or Family) Means Everything
| licensing_authority = [[FCC]]
| facility_id = 29024
| class = A
| power = {{val|50000|u=watts|fmt=commas}}
| coordinates = {{coord|40|43|0.37|N|73|55|2.49|W|region:US-NY_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| translator = {{Radio Relay|106.3&nbsp;MHz|W292FV|New York}}
}}
'''WFME''' (1560 [[kHz]]) is a non-commercial AM radio station licensed to [[New York, New York]]. The station is owned by [[Family Radio]], a [[Christian radio]] network based in [[Franklin, Tennessee]].

==History==
{{See also|WQXR-FM#History}}
WFME traces its origin to an experimental mechanical television station with the [[call sign]] W2XR, which was established by inventor [[John V. L. Hogan]], and initially licensed as a "visual broadcasting and experimental" station at 140 Nassau Street in New York City.<ref>[https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=osu.32435066938382&seq=375 "New stations: Special stations"], ''Radio Service Bulletin'', March 30, 1929, page 5.</ref> The station went on the air on March 26, 1929, and broadcast from the Long Island City neighborhood of Queens.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.earlytelevision.org/w2xr.html|title=W2XR - Long Island City, NY|publisher=Early Television Museum|access-date=February 26, 2009}}</ref>

W2XR initially transmitted a video-only signal on 2100&nbsp;kHz.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/265686/1560-wfme-new-york-ceases-operations/|title=1560 WFME New York Ceases Operations - RadioInsight|date=March 4, 2024}}</ref> It later added a companion audio signal, transmitted on 1550&nbsp;kHz. At the time, the AM broadcast band ended at 1500&nbsp;kHz, however, some receivers were capable of tuning to the higher frequency being used by W2XR. Hogan was a musical connoisseur, and drew on his record collection to provide the sound for his experiments, which typically lasted for an hour in the evening.<ref>{{cite report| publisher = [[Federal Radio Commission]] | title = Radio Service Bulletin | number = 219 | date = May 15, 1934}}</ref> Hogan's television broadcasts came to naught, but he began to hear from classical music fans who encouraged him to continue broadcasting music.<ref>Ivan Veit, preface to Howard Taubman, ''The New York Times Guide to Listening Pleasure'' (NY: Macmillan and London: Collier-Macmillan, 1968), pp. ix-x.</ref>

On December 19, 1933, the [[Federal Radio Commission]] (FRC) authorized three new broadcasting frequencies, between 1500 and 1600&nbsp;kHz, for high-fidelity operation. These new 20&nbsp;kHz-wide channels were twice as wide as the standard AM broadcasting channels. Six applications were submitted to the FRC, including one for 1550&nbsp;kHz in Long Island City from Hogan.<ref>"Six 1500–1600 Kc. Applicants Heard by Commission en Banc", ''Broadcasting'', April 15, 1934, [https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1934/1934-04-15-BC.pdf#page=9 page 14] & [https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1934/1934-04-15-BC.pdf#page=22 page 40].</ref> Hogan's application was one of the four approved in April–the other stations, granted on the same day, were [[WQQW (Connecticut)|W1XBS]] in Waterbury, Connecticut, and [[KITE (Kansas City)|W9XBY]] in Kansas City, Missouri, both on 1530&nbsp;kHz, and [[KNZR (AM)|W6XAI]] in Bakersfield, California, which shared 1550&nbsp;kHz with W2XR. Although licensed as experimental stations, they were authorized to conduct commercial operations.<ref>[https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1934/1934-05The-01-BC.pdf#page=7 "Four Get Permits On New Channels], ''Broadcasting'', May 1, 1934, page 13.</ref> Hogan's station, retaining the W2XR call sign, was licensed as an "experimental broadcast station" on June 29, 1934.<ref>{{cite report| publisher = [[Federal Communications Commission]] | title = Radio Service Bulletin | number = 222 | date = July 1, 1934}}</ref><ref>{{cite web|url=http://www.wqxr.org/#!/story/1533-happy-birthday-wqxr/ |title=Happy Birthday WQXR! |work=[[New York Public Radio]] - [[WQXR-FM]] |date=December 3, 2009 |access-date=July 29, 2014}}</ref>

In 1936, Elliott Sanger joined Hogan and formed the Interstate Broadcasting Company, with the intention of operating commercially, at a time when there were already about 25 radio stations in New York. The station was branded as the "Good Music" station, and primarily broadcast classical music. The transmitter, which used a homemade antenna mounted on a wooden pole, was located in a garage in [[Long Island City]], near the [[Queensborough Bridge]]. Its 250 watts provided just enough power to reach [[Midtown Manhattan]] and parts of [[Queens]].<ref>Ivan Veit, preface to Howard Taubman, ''The New York Times Guide to Listening Pleasure'' (NY: Macmillan and London: Collier-Macmillan, 1968), p. x.</ref> In November 1936 the FCC ruled that the high-fidelity stations could adopt conventional call letters, and W2XR became WQXR, which was chosen because "Q" was phonetically similar to "2", and, when written in script, capital "Q" and "2" have a similar appearance.

An FM service, [[W2XQR]], later 96.3 [[WXNY-FM|WQXR-FM]], was added in 1939. The [[North American Regional Broadcasting Agreement]] (NARBA) in March 1941 formally extended the [[AM band]] to 1600&nbsp;kHz. That ended the experimental AM "high-fidelity" service, but all four original stations were kept near their existing frequencies. WQXR was originally slated to move to 1600&nbsp;kHz as a 5,000-watt [[List of broadcast station classes|Class III-A]] regional station, but management was able to persuade the FCC to make it a class I-B station on 1560&nbsp;kHz instead, eventually transmitting with the maximum for AM stations: 50,000 watts.

==="The radio station of ''The New York Times''" (1944–1998)===
[[File:WQXR CD promotion ad (1986).png|thumb|A 1986 advertisement with older logo of WQXR displaying both FM and AM frequencies]]
The ''[[New York Post]]'' approached the company in the early 1940s about purchasing the stations. Sanger said publicly that he would have preferred to sell to ''[[The New York Times]]'', and in early 1944, the ''Times'' agreed to pay just over $1&nbsp;million for ownership of Interstate Broadcasting Company. A transfer application was filed with the FCC on March 1, 1944,<ref>{{cite journal | title=Actions of the Federal Communications Commission | journal=[[Broadcasting & Cable|Broadcasting and Broadcast Advertising]] | date=March 6, 1944 | page=60 | volume=26 | issue=10 | publisher = Broadcasting Publications, Inc. | location=Washington, D.C.}}</ref> including a financial statement showing that the stations had made over $22,000 in profits the previous year, on revenues of $411,000;<ref>{{cite journal | title=N. Y. Times Files Petition for WQXR | journal=Broadcasting and Broadcast Advertising | date=March 6, 1944 | page=18 | volume=26 | issue=10}}</ref> after FCC approval, the sale was completed on July 25, 1944. (The ''Times'' continued to operate its radio stations under the Interstate Broadcasting name for many years, maintaining what its president called "basic good-music policies,"<ref>Ivan Veit, preface to Howard Taubman, ''The New York Times Guide to Listening Pleasure'' (NY: Macmillan and London: Collier-Macmillan, 1968), p. xi. Veit defined ''good music'' as "any music that has lasting value .&nbsp;.&nbsp;. symphonies, concertos, chamber works, opera, of course; but also the best of the lighter forms, including operettas, Broadway show tunes, fold music, and the world of jazz."</ref> but later used the name ''[[The New York Times Company|The New York Times Radio Company]]''.) It broadcast classical music full-time,<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nytco.com/who-we-are/culture/our-history/ |title=Our Story |work=[[The New York Times Company]] |access-date=July 29, 2014 }}</ref> along with ''New York Times'' news. At 9&nbsp;pm, the newspaper having been "put to bed", the station would broadcast a brief discussion of the news which would appear on the front page of the next day's issue.

WQXR was the first AM station in New York to experiment with broadcasting in stereo, beginning in 1952. During some of its live concerts, it used two microphones positioned six feet apart. The microphone on the right led to its AM feed, and the one on the left to its FM feed, so a listener could position two radios six feet apart, one tuned to 1560 and the other to 96.3, and listen in stereo.<ref>[https://books.google.com/books?id=DAgEAAAAMBAJ "More Air Hats in Stereo Ring"]. ''[[Billboard (magazine)|The Billboard]]''. November 9, 1959. pp. 16–20. Retrieved February 19, 2015 – via [[Google Books]].</ref><ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.wnyc.org/story/zaven-doc-masoomian/ |title=Zaven 'Doc' Masoomian |work=[[New York Public Radio]] |date=October 30, 2013 |access-date=February 19, 2015 |last=Lanset |first=Andy }}</ref>

In 1964, there was controversy when its 11&nbsp;p.m. program "Nightcap" was sponsored by Schenley Liquors.<ref>{{cite news |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1964/06/23/advertising-poll-on-liquor-commercials.html |title=Advertising: Poll on Liquor Commercials |work=[[The New York Times]] |date=June 23, 1964 |access-date=February 20, 2015 |last=Nuccio |first=Sal }}</ref> Advertising hard liquor was considered a violation of the voluntary NAB standards.

In 1965, the FCC began requiring commonly owned AM and FM stations in large markets to broadcast separate programming for at least part of the day. WQXR-FM concentrated on longer classical works, while WQXR (AM) aired lighter classical music and talk programs produced in conjunction with ''The New York Times''. While this plan gave classical music fans in the New York area two options, it also increased expenses for the stations.

In 1971, the ''Times'' put WQXR-AM-FM up for sale. Many offers were received for the FM station, but none of the bids for 1560 AM were satisfactory to management. When the FCC agreed to waive rules prohibiting stations from simulcasting if they were broadcasting classical music, the ''Times'' took the WQXR stations off the market.
Simulcasting was also allowed, for example, for [[WWRC|WGMS]] and [[WTOP-FM|WGMS-FM]] in [[Washington, D.C.|Washington]].

====Transition to WQEW====
On December 2, 1992, the AM side broke away from the simulcast for good, changing to an [[traditional pop|American popular standards]] format, and the station began broadcasting in [[AM stereo]] using the [[C-QUAM]] system.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/entertainment/wqew-succeeds-upholds-standards-article-1.693584 |title=WQEW Succeeds Upholds its Standards |work=[[Daily News (New York)|Daily News]]|location=New York |date=December 4, 1995 |access-date=August 19, 2015 |last=Hinckley |first=David }}</ref><ref>[https://web.archive.org/web/20191019201101/http://users.hfx.eastlink.ca:80/~amstereo/offenders.htm Offenders of The Faith -  The AM STEREO Page]. Archived from [http://users.hfx.eastlink.ca/~amstereo/offenders.htm the original] that has since been removed.</ref> which was inaugurated by a live studio performance by [[Tony Bennett]]. The change came a few months after WNEW (1130 AM), New York's heritage popular standards station, announced an impending sale to [[Bloomberg L.P.]] and a format switch to business information with the new callsign [[WBBR]]. The format change at 1560 to standards happened 10 days before WNEW's transition. To reflect the heritage of both outlets, WQXR (AM) changed its call sign to WQEW. The station focused on a broad range of pop standards–the format's foundation artists including [[Frank Sinatra]], [[Nat "King" Cole]], [[Ella Fitzgerald]], [[Dean Martin]] and [[Perry Como]], but also artists from the [[big band]] era (such as [[Tommy Dorsey]], [[Artie Shaw]], [[Glenn Miller]], [[Louis Armstrong]] and [[Duke Ellington]]); and non-[[rock-and-roll]] pop hits (by artists like [[Neil Diamond]], [[Barbra Streisand]], [[Ray Charles]], [[Bobby Darin]] and [[Pat Boone]], among others). Light rock and roll material such as the Turtles was also occasionally heard.

===Radio Disney (1998–2015)===
[[Image:Radio disney wqew nyc 2002.png|thumb|WQEW former logo used from 2002 until 2007.]]
Although initially successful, the station's advertising revenues were not spectacular, and older audience demographics were deemed undesirable for long-term success. On December 1, 1998, the ''Times'' announced that WQEW would switch to [[Radio Disney]] after agreeing to what was initially an eight-year [[local marketing agreement]] term with [[the Walt Disney Company]] and its [[Cumulus Media Networks|ABC Radio]] subsidiary.
The entire WQEW air staff, under orders to not discuss the pending changes on the air, was released on December 21; the station played [[Christmas music]] without announcers through the holiday.
Regular programming resumed on December 26, and ended on December 27, at 11:59&nbsp;pm, when a pre-recorded signoff read by program director and air personality Stan Martin was played.<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/12/02/nyregion/wqew-am-all-kids-all-the-time.html|title=WQEW-AM: All Kids, All the Time|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=December 2, 1998|access-date=July 28, 2014|last=Blumenthal|first=Ralph}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|title=Radio Disney Finds NY Home at WQEW|url=https://americanradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Archive-RandR/1990s/1998/RR-1998-12-04.pdf|magazine=[[Radio & Records]]|date=December 4, 1998|pages=2, 30|access-date=February 13, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine|title=Mickey Takes Manhattan|url=https://americanradiohistory.com/Archive-M-Street/M-Street-Journal/M-Street-1998-12.pdf|magazine=The M Street Journal|date=December 2, 1998|page=1}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Hinckley |first1=David |title=Disney On The Dial New Station WQEW Bets It Can Win Pre-teens Without Driving Their Parents Up The Wall |url=http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/nydn-features/disney-dial-new-station-wqew-bets-win-pre-teens-driving-parents-wall-article-1.834961 |access-date=July 28, 2014 |work=Daily News |date=January 13, 1999 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140729020803/http://www.nydailynews.com/archives/nydn-features/disney-dial-new-station-wqew-bets-win-pre-teens-driving-parents-wall-article-1.834961 |archive-date=July 29, 2014 |location=New York}}</ref> Radio Disney programming launched on WQEW on December 28, at midnight,<ref>{{cite magazine|title=Format Changes & Updates|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-M-Street/M-Street-Journal/M-Street-1999-01.pdf|magazine=The M Street Journal|date=January 6, 1999|page=2}}</ref> and the station stopped broadcasting in AM stereo.

At the end of the agreement with the ''Times'' in late 2006, Disney had the option to purchase the station or to extend the arrangement with the ''Times'' maintaining ownership. Disney exercised the option to purchase in early January 2007.<ref>{{cite web|title=Northeast Radio Watch|url=http://www.fybush.com/nerw-yir2007.html|website=Fybush.com|publisher=Scott Fybush|access-date=July 28, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/03/23/business/media/23nytimes.html|title=Times Company Will Increase Dividend on Its Stock by 31%|work=[[The New York Times]]|date=March 23, 2007|access-date=July 28, 2014|last=Thomas, Jr.|first=Landon}}</ref> Disney/ABC officially became the owner of the station on May 24.<ref>{{cite web|title=Assignment of License|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=1127831|work=United States [[Federal Communications Commission]], audio division|access-date=July 20, 2015|date=March 21, 2007}}</ref>

[[Image:Radio Disney New York.png|thumb|Final Radio Disney logo for WQEW.]]

On August 13, 2014, Disney announced its intention to end terrestrial distribution of the Radio Disney format, to focus on digital distribution. Disney would also sell its remaining Radio Disney broadcast outlets, including WQEW and with the lone exception of [[KWVE (AM)|KDIS]] in Los Angeles.<ref name=b&c-radiodisneysell2014>{{cite news|last1=Lafayette|first1=Jon|title=Exclusive: Radio Disney Moving Off Air to Digital|url=http://broadcastingcable.com/news/currency/exclusive-radio-disney-moving-air-digital/133166|access-date=August 13, 2014|date=August 13, 2014}}</ref><ref name=billboard-selling>{{cite magazine|title=Radio Disney to Sell the Majority of Its Stations|url=http://www.billboard.com/biz/articles/6214509/radio-disney-to-sell-the-majority-of-its-stations|magazine=Billboard|date=August 13, 2014|access-date=August 13, 2014|ref=August 13, 2014}}</ref> Disney set a deadline of September 26, to complete the sales or have deals in principle set or the stations in question, including WQEW, would fall silent.<ref name="Radio Insight">{{cite web|url=http://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/89717/radio-disney-to-sell-all-but-one-station/|title=Radio Disney To Sell All But One Station|date=August 13, 2014|access-date=September 27, 2014|last=Venta|first=Lance|publisher=Radioinsight}}</ref> However, Disney backtracked and the stations would remain on the air, continuing to broadcast Radio Disney programming until each were sold.<ref name=nerw-rd>{{cite web|title=NERW Extra: No Signoffs for Disney AMs|url=http://www.fybush.com/nerw-20140926/|website=Northeast Radio Watch|date=September 26, 2014|access-date=September 27, 2014}} {{Subscription required}}</ref>

===Family Radio (2015–present)===
[[File:WQEW Maspeth Bushw LIRR jeh.JPG|thumb|The former WFME transmitting towers in [[Maspeth, Queens]].]]
On November 21, then-[[Oakland, California]]-based Family Stations announced it would purchase WQEW from Disney/ABC for $12.95&nbsp;million.<ref name="Radio Insight Sale">{{cite web|url=http://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/90956/family-radio-acquires-wqew-new-york/|title=Family Radio Returns To New York|date=February 27, 2015|access-date=February 27, 2015|last=Venta|first=Lance|publisher=Radioinsight}}</ref><ref name=fcc-sale>{{cite web|title=Application for Consent to Assignment of Broadcast Station Construction Permit or License|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1657997&Service=AM&Form_id=314&Facility_id=29024|work=CDBS Public Access|publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]]|access-date=November 21, 2014|date=November 21, 2014}}</ref> The transaction had been rumored for at least a month, as it was originally reported by the ''[[New York Daily News]]'' on October 14;<ref>{{cite news|url=http://www.nydailynews.com/entertainment/tv/radio-disney-sold-family-radio-report-article-1.1973600|title=Radio Disney to be sold to Christian network Family Radio: report|work=[[Daily News (New York)|Daily News]]|location=New York|date=October 14, 2014|access-date=November 21, 2014|last=Hinckley|first=David}}</ref> however, Disney had clarified that it had not yet agreed to the sale.<ref name="RBR">{{cite web|url=http://rbr.com/false-alarm-on-radio-disney-ny-sale/|title=False alarm on Radio Disney NY sale|date=October 14, 2014|access-date=November 21, 2014|last=Seyler|first=Dave|publisher=Radio & Television Business Report}}</ref> In January 2013, Family Radio sold the original, [[Newark, New Jersey]]-licensed WFME (94.7 FM, which it had owned since 1966, but had been programming since 1963) to [[Cumulus Media]], who converted the station into [[country music]]-formatted [[WNSH]].<ref name="RBR"/> In what amounted to a station trade-plus-cash transaction, Family Stations also acquired the license for [[WDVY]] (106.3 FM) in [[Mount Kisco, New York]]. The 106.3 FM signal, combined in tandem with Family Radio-owned [[WAIV (FM)|WFRH]] (91.7 FM) in [[Kingston, New York]] mainly serves the [[Hudson Valley]] region; another Family Radio outlet, [[WFRS]] (88.9 FM) in [[Smithtown, New York]] serves [[Long Island]]. This left Family Radio programming unavailable over-the-air in New York City proper and northern New Jersey (including Newark) for over two years.

After the FCC approved the sale on February 10, 2015,<ref>{{cite web|title=Application Search Details|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=1667117|work=CDBS Public Access|publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]]|access-date=February 18, 2015}}</ref> 1560 AM went silent on February 17, in preparation of the format change.<ref>{{cite web|title=NERW Extra: Disney Off in NYC|url=http://www.fybush.com/nerw-extra-disney-off-in-nyc/|website=Northeast Radio Watch|date=February 18, 2015|access-date=February 18, 2015}}</ref> The sale was finalized on February 20,<ref>{{cite web|title= Consummation Notice - WQEW|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1671488&Service=AM&Form_id=905&Facility_id=29024|work=CDBS Public Access|publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]]|access-date=February 23, 2015|date=February 20, 2015}}</ref> and the call sign was changed to WFME.<ref>{{cite web|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=29024&Callsign=WFME|title=WFME Call Sign History|work=United States [[Federal Communications Commission]], audio division}}</ref> The station returned to the air on February 27,<ref name="Radio Insight Sale"/> again giving Family Radio full coverage of the New York City market. Concurrent with the sale, the FCC converted 1560 AM's [[broadcast license]] status from commercial to [[non-commercial educational]].<ref>{{cite web|title=Modification of License Granted|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/prod/cdbs/pubacc/Auth_Files/1667117.pdf|publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]]|date=February 10, 2015|access-date=August 13, 2015}}</ref>

The entirety of the station's schedule originated from Family Radio headquarters (which in 2016 moved from Oakland to nearby [[Alameda, California]]), although WFME did carry local programming to comply with the FCC's [[public affairs (broadcasting)|public affairs]] requirements.

In late November 2020, Family Radio announced the sale of the property surrounding WFME's broadcast towers in Queens, but stipulated that the terms included that Family Radio would still use this site until a suitable alternate location for the transmitter was found.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Family Radio Sells New York City Tower Land For $51 Million|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/201710/family-radio-sells-new-york-city-tower-land-for-51-million/|access-date=December 3, 2020|website=RadioInsight|date=November 25, 2020|language=en-US}}</ref> However, in early 2021, ended regular programming and began broadcasting a recurring announcement that the station would suspend operations "in just a few days".<ref>{{cite web|last1=Fybush|first1=Scott|title=NorthEast Radio Watch 2/1/2021: Clock Runs Down For WFME|url=https://www.fybush.com/nerw-20210201/|website=fybush.com|date=February 2021|access-date=April 15, 2021}}</ref> Although Family Radio officials expressed a desire to eventually return to the New York airwaves, they noted that there were no immediate plans; listeners were directed to access either WFRS in Smithtown and WFME-FM in Mount Kisco, in addition to the Family Radio webstream. In much of central and southern New Jersey, Family Radio programming could also be heard on WKDN (950 AM) in [[Philadelphia]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Venta|first1=Lance|title=1560 WFME New York To Suspend Operations Friday|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/204891/1560-wfme-new-york-to-suspend-operations-friday/|website=radioinsight.com|date=February 11, 2021|access-date=April 15, 2021}}</ref>

WFME went [[Dark (broadcasting)|temporarily silent]] on the morning of February 15, 2021.<ref>{{Cite web|title=Prologis Buys WFME Radio Station Site in Queens for $51M|url=https://commercialobserver.com/2020/11/prologis-wfme-queens-site/|access-date=February 13, 2021|website=Commercial Observer|date=November 24, 2020|language=en-US}}</ref> On October 26, 2021, the station returned to the air from a new transmitter site in [[West Orange, New Jersey]], operating with 1,000 watts under [[special temporary authority]] (STA),<ref>{{cite web|title=Resumption of Operations|url=https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbsmenu.hts?context=25&appn=101828871&formid=910&fac_num=29024|website=licensing.fcc.gov|access-date=October 27, 2021}}</ref> granted by the [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC).<ref>{{cite web|title=Special Temporary Authority|url=https://publicfiles.fcc.gov/api/manager/download/db00560f-aee0-6a9f-e6c1-a28be07c4177/43c029d1-015d-49b2-a24b-d353b165e1e4.pdf|website=fcc.gov|access-date=December 30, 2022|date=June 27, 2022}}</ref> Due to blanketing interference, the station later reduced power to 500 watts.

On March 4, 2024, WFME ceased operations and went silent following interference complaints from the nearby [[Goddard School]] and the sale to Goddard School of the building housing their transmitter and tower.<ref name="IR31524">"[https://www.insideradio.com/free/family-stations-takes-new-york-am-dark-but-wfme-is-not-dead-yet/article_80a9a5fc-e30f-11ee-8d6f-074e2be01b4a.html Family Stations Takes New York AM Dark, But WFME Is Not Dead Yet]", insideradio.com. March 15, 2024. Retrieved March 23, 2024.</ref> On September 16, 2024, the FCC approved an STA to resume operations with 10 kW non-directional, from a New Jersey site located approximately 25 km [15 miles] away, shared with stations [[WPAT (AM)|WPAT]] and [[WNSW]].<ref>[https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/views/public/amDraftCopy?displayType=html&appKey=25076ff3914ddaef0191523c41640371&id=25076ff3914ddaef0191523c41640371&goBack=NAM "Engineering STA Application"], File Number: 0000251607, submitted August 15, 2024, granted September 16, 2024.</ref> It resumed broadcasting from this site, initially with 1 kW, on October 18, 2024.<ref>[https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/views/public/amDraftCopy?displayType=html&appKey=25076f91929de41c0192a12188fe039e&id=25076f91929de41c0192a12188fe039e&goBack=N "Resumption of Operations of an AM Station Application"], File Number: 0000256037, submitted October 21, 2024, granted October 22, 2024.</ref> On March 17, 2025, the FCC granted an extension to the STA, until September 16, 2025.<ref>[https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/api/download/lm/authorization/25076ff3958c419601959b9797120720Special Temporary Authority (STA), LMS File No.: 0000267973], correspondence from Joseph Szczesny, Engineer, Audio Division, FCC Media Bureau, March 17, 2025.</ref>

==See also==
* [[W2XCR]]
* [[WQXR-FM]]
* [[List of experimental television stations]]

==References==
{{reflist|2}}

==Bibliography==
* {{cite book
 | last = Jaker
 | first = Bill |author2=Frank Sulek |author3=Peter Kanze
 | title = The Airwaves of New York: Illustrated Histories of 156 AM Stations in the Metropolitan Area, 1921–1996
 | year = 1998
 | publisher = [[McFarland and Company]]
 | location = [[Jefferson, North Carolina]]
 | pages = 169–172
 | isbn = 0-7864-0343-8
 | id = {{LCC|TK6548.U6J35}}
}}
* {{cite book
 | last = Sanger
 | first= Elliot
 | title = Rebel in Radio: The Story of WQXR
 | year = 1973
 | publisher = Hastings House
 | location = New York City
 | isbn = 0-240-50845-9
 | id = {{LCC|HE8698.S33}}, paperback
}}

==External links==
{{AM station data|29024|WFME}}
* {{Cite web|url= https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=66242 |title= History Cards for WFME|publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]]}} ([[Wikipedia:WikiProject Radio Stations/History Cards|Guide to reading History Cards]])<!--Converted from {{FCC letter}}--> (covering 1934–1981 as W2XR / WQXR)
;FM translator
* {{FCC-LMS-Facility|202971|W292FV}}
* {{FXL|W292FV}}

==Further reading==
* {{URL|www.nyradionews.com/wqxr/|WQXR News Department Profile & Interviews (1978)}}

{{Radio in New York City}}
{{Family Radio}}
{{Religious Radio Stations in New York}}
{{Clear Channel AM}}

[[Category:1929 establishments in New York City]]
[[Category:Clear-channel radio stations]]
[[Category:Experimental television stations]]
[[Category:Family Radio stations]]
[[Category:History of television in the United States]]
[[Category:Radio stations established in 1934]]
[[Category:Television pioneers]]