View source for WKVB (FM)

{{short description|Radio station in Westborough, Massachusetts}}
{{hatnote group|
{{For|the station that used the WKVB call sign from 2005 to 2020|WKPA (FM)}}
{{Distinguish|WKLB-FM|WKLB (AM)|WKBV}}
}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{good article}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2024}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name = WKVB
| city = [[Westborough, Massachusetts]]
| country = US
| logo = K-Love 107.3 logo.png
| logo_upright = .75
| area = {{ubl|[[Greater Boston]]|[[Worcester, Massachusetts]]}}
| frequency = {{Frequency|107.3|[[Hertz#SI multiples|MHz]]}} {{HD Radio}}
| branding = K-Love
| format = [[Contemporary Christian]]
| subchannels = {{ubl|HD2: [[Air1]]|HD3: K-Love 2000s}}
| network = [[K-Love]]
| owner = [[Educational Media Foundation]]
| sister_stations = {{hlist|[[WCCC (FM)|WCCC]]|[[WKMY (FM)|WKMY]]|[[WLVO (FM)|WLVO]]|[[WNKC]]}}
| airdate = {{start date and age|1961|06|15|p=y|br=yes}}<ref name="airdate">{{Cite web |date=1963 |title=WAAB-FM |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1963/1963-BC-YB.pdf |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313200017/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1963/1963-BC-YB.pdf |archive-date=March 13, 2021 |access-date=February 19, 2020 |website=Broadcasting Yearbook |page=B-89 (291)}}</ref>
| former_callsigns = {{ubl|WAAB-FM (1961–1968)|WAAF (1968–2020)|WBZU (2020)}}
| callsign_meaning = "K-Love Boston"
| licensing_authority = [[Federal Communications Commission|FCC]]
| facility_id = 74467
| class = B1
| erp = 2,100 [[watt]]s
| haat = {{Convert|321|m|ft|sp=us}}
| coordinates = {{Coord|42|23|2.7|N|71|29|35.3|W|region:US-MA_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| webcast = {{listenlive|http://www.klove.com/listen/player}}
| website = {{URL|klove.com}}
}}

'''WKVB''' (107.3&nbsp;[[FM broadcasting|FM]]) is a [[Non-commercial educational station|non-commercial]] [[radio station]] licensed to serve [[Westborough, Massachusetts]], United States, carrying a [[contemporary Christian]] format known as "K-Love". Owned by the [[Educational Media Foundation]] (EMF), WKVB does not broadcast any local programming but functions as the [[network affiliate]] for [[K-Love]] in [[Greater Boston]] and [[Worcester, Massachusetts|Worcester]]. With its transmitter located in [[Hudson, Massachusetts|Hudson]], 20 miles west of Boston, its signal is supplemented by [[WNKC]] (104.9 FM) in [[Gloucester, Massachusetts|Gloucester]], which serves the [[North Shore (Massachusetts)|North Shore]] and [[Merrimack Valley]], and [[WLVO (FM)|WLVO]] (95.5 FM) from [[Providence, Rhode Island]], which covers [[Southeastern Massachusetts]]. The station also has [[Booster station|boosters]] in [[Boston]], [[Lexington, Massachusetts|Lexington]], and [[Waltham, Massachusetts|Waltham]]. In addition to a standard [[analog transmission]], WKVB broadcasts in [[HD Radio]] and is available online.

Historically, this station is perhaps best known as '''WAAF''', which carried a [[Commercial broadcasting|commercial]] [[rock music]] format for nearly 50 years in various forms of the genre, with an [[active rock]] orientation between 1989 and 2020. The station also featured personalities including [[Bob Rivers]], [[Liz Wilde]] and [[Greg Hill (radio)|Greg Hill]], and was the first high-profile radio home for ''[[Opie and Anthony]]'' in the mid-1990s. The station was sold by Entercom (now known as [[Audacy, Inc.]]) to the Educational Media Foundation on February 18, 2020.  WAAF's former programming continues on HD Radio subchannels of [[WWBX]] and [[WEEI-FM]] and on the [[Audacy]] platform.<ref name="ri-saletoemf">{{Cite news |last=Venta |first=Lance |date=February 18, 2020 |title=Entercom Sells WAAF Boston To Educational Media Foundation |work=RadioInsight |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/184545/entercom-sells-waaf-boston-to-educational-media-foundation/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200218224743/https://radioinsight.com/headlines/184545/entercom-sells-waaf-boston-to-educational-media-foundation/ |archive-date=February 18, 2020}}</ref>

==History==
===Early years===
{{Distinguish||text=[[WGTR (Massachusetts)|W1XOJ/W43B/WGTR]], an experimental FM station of the [[Yankee Network]]}}{{Further|WVEI (AM)}}
On October 5, 1960,<ref name="hc">{{Cite web|url=https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/api/download/attachment/1351fd2c-72a1-df1e-e7e5-ddcc92ac0076|title=History Cards for WKVB|publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]]}}</ref> the [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC) awarded the Waterman Broadcasting Corporation, owner of [[WVEI (AM)|WAAB (1440 AM)]], a [[construction permit]] to build a new FM radio station licensed to Worcester on 107.3&nbsp;MHz, to transmit from Asnebumskit Hill in Paxton.<ref name=":15">{{Cite web |last=Fybush |first=Scott |date=March 13, 2003 |title=Tower Site of the Week: Asnebumskit Hill (and Little Asnebumskit), Paxton, Mass. |url=https://www.fybush.com/site-030313.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200804054651/https://www.fybush.com/site-030313.html |archive-date=August 4, 2020 |access-date=February 27, 2020 |website=www.fybush.com}}</ref> WAAB-FM went on the air on June 15, 1961.{{r|airdate}} In its early years, WAAB-FM simulcast the [[full service (radio format)|full service]] programming of its AM sister station; in 1967, it broke away from the simulcast and launched a stereo [[beautiful music]] format.<ref name="bostonradio-history">{{Cite web |date=February 25, 2007 |title=The Boston Radio Dial: WAAF(FM) |url=https://www.bostonradio.org/stations/74467 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190730041531/https://www.bostonradio.org/stations/74467 |archive-date=July 30, 2019 |access-date=February 20, 2020 |website=The Archives @ BostonRadio.org}}</ref>

WAAB-AM-FM was sold to WAAB, Inc., in 1968 for $675,000. WAAB, Inc., was owned by [[Ahmet Ertegun]] and his brother [[Nesuhi Ertegun]], as well as record executive [[Jerry Wexler]]; all had just recently sold [[Atlantic Records]] to [[Warner Bros.-Seven Arts]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=April 1, 1968 |title=LIN group gets New York outlet|id={{ProQuest|1014513717}} |pages=70, 72 |work=Broadcasting |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1968/1968-04-01-BC.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=February 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313200018/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1968/1968-04-01-BC.pdf |archive-date=March 13, 2021}}</ref> The FM station took on new WAAF call letters on May 28, 1968;<ref name="hc" /> the call sign had been dropped the previous year by [[WNTD|a station]] in [[Chicago]].<ref name="Chic670703">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/109441709/tower-ticker/|date=July 3, 1967|page=I:12|first=Herb|last=Lyon|title=Tower Ticker|newspaper=Chicago Tribune|location=Chicago, Illinois|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=September 12, 2022}}</ref><!-- Mon -->

In later years, WAAF ownership would erroneously claim a longer history than that of its own license, stretching back to experimental FM station W1XOJ in the late 1930s.{{r|raunchy}} W1XOJ—later given the normal call letters WGTR—was part of the first FM network, put together by the [[Yankee Network]] and its principal, John Shepard, who at the time also owned WAAB. While WAAB-FM/WAAF initially utilized the same transmission tower as this previous station,<ref name=":15" /> there is no connection, as the license for WGTR was deleted at the request of [[General Teleradio]] on July 24, 1953.<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 3, 1953 |title=FM Station Deleted|id={{ProQuest|1401203140}} |page=102 |work=Broadcasting |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1953/BC-1953-08-03.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=February 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313200018/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1953/BC-1953-08-03.pdf |archive-date=March 13, 2021}}</ref>

===Freeform era===
WAAF ended its automated [[Middle of the road (music)|middle-of-the-road]] programming on March 16, 1970, and introduced a live [[progressive rock]] format,<ref name="b-waafmortorock">{{Cite news |date=March 30, 1970 |title=Changing Formats |id={{ProQuest|1014528965}} |page=69 |work=[[Broadcasting & Cable|Broadcasting]] |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1970/1970-03-30-BC.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=February 20, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313200019/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1970/1970-03-30-BC.pdf |archive-date=March 13, 2021}}</ref> which emphasized [[Folk music|folk]] and [[folk-rock]] during the day and harder rock at night.<ref name="bb-waafmortorock">{{Cite magazine |date=March 21, 1970 |title=WAAF-FM Shifts to Progressive Rock|id={{ProQuest|1040573877}} |page=32 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/70s/1970/BB-1970-03-21.pdf |access-date=February 20, 2020}}</ref> It ran as a [[Freeform (radio format)|freeform]] station known as "WAAF, The Rock of New England", where the air talent was given total control over what music to play. The station was sold in 1971 to Southern Massachusetts Broadcasters, owned by George Gray, in an $800,000 acquisition.<ref>{{Cite news |date=September 6, 1971 |title=For the Record |page=69 |work=Broadcasting |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1971/1971-09-06-BC.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=February 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313200019/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1971/1971-09-06-BC.pdf |archive-date=March 13, 2021}}</ref>

On November 7, 1971, WAAF was in the middle of an all-[[Beatles]] weekend when its transmitting building was damaged by a homemade pipe bomb, knocking it off the air temporarily and causing $4,000 in damage.<ref>{{Cite news |date=November 8, 1971 |title=FBI probes bombing of radio station |language=en |work=Boston Globe |url=http://www.newspapers.com/clip/31286670/fbi_probes_bombing_of_radio_station/ |url-status=live |access-date=May 6, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190607003147/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/31286670/fbi_probes_bombing_of_radio_station/ |archive-date=June 7, 2019}}</ref> A group demanding the end of capital punishment and "parole law" in Massachusetts claimed it had orchestrated the bombing.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Cowan |first=Peter |date=November 9, 1971 |title=Officials seek link to convicts, blast |language=en |work=Boston Globe |url=http://www.newspapers.com/clip/31286702/officials_seek_link_to_convicts_blast/ |url-status=live |access-date=May 6, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190607003147/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/31286702/officials_seek_link_to_convicts_blast/ |archive-date=June 7, 2019}}</ref> The station was forced to temporarily operate on a limited schedule from the transmitter site, as the blast put its studio-transmitter link out of service.<ref>{{Cite news |date=November 15, 1971 |title=Bomb blasts WAAF-FM off air temporarily |page=40 |work=Broadcasting |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1971/1971-11-15-BC.pdf |access-date=February 19, 2020}}</ref> Gray sold his Worcester stations to the Robert L. Williams Broadcasting Company of Massachusetts in 1976 for $1.465 million; he had previously sold his other radio stations in [[New Bedford]] and [[Binghamton, New York]], the year before.<ref>{{Cite news |date=February 2, 1976 |title=Changing Hands |page=27 |work=Broadcasting |id={{ProQuest|1014676545}}|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1976/1976-02-02-BC.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=February 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313200025/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1976/1976-02-02-BC.pdf |archive-date=March 13, 2021}}</ref> Robert L. Williams also owned [[WEZN-FM|WEZN]] radio in [[Bridgeport, Connecticut]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=July 23, 1976 |title=Broadcaster Receives Aid in Purchase |page=56 |work=Hartford Courant |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/31286722/ |url-status=live |access-date=May 5, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313200047/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/31286722/broadcaster-receives-aid-in-purchase/ |archive-date=March 13, 2021}}</ref>

===Album rocker===
{{Quote box
| quote = [[Lee Abrams|(Lee) Abrams]] is sitting down in Atlanta coming up with research that shows [[New wave music|new wave]] isn't the coming thing, it's lost its chance. Not enough airplay, not enough record company support.
| author = Steve Stockman
| source = then-WAAF program director, November 1980<ref name=":6" />
| align = left
| width = 250px
| qalign = left
| salign = left
}}
By the mid-1970s, WAAF had settled in as an [[album-oriented rock]] outlet. The station was one of the first clients of the "Superstars" format, developed by consultants [[Lee Abrams]] and Kent Burkhart;<ref name=":6">{{Cite news |last=McLaughlin |first=Jeff |date=November 6, 1980 |title=Airplay for Success |pages=6, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45251826/airplay_for_success/ 21] |work=[[The Boston Globe]] Calendar |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/31286756/ |url-status=live |access-date=May 5, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313200028/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/31286756/airplay-for-success/ |archive-date=March 13, 2021}}</ref> WAAF would continue to use their services until January 1984.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Feinstein |first=Steve |date=December 14, 1984 |title=AOR: '84 In Review |page=70 |work=Radio & Records |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1980s/1984/RR-1984-12-14.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=February 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313200026/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1980s/1984/RR-1984-12-14.pdf |archive-date=March 13, 2021}}</ref> Promotional slogans of the period played off the call letters, including "The WAAF Air Force" and a giraffe mascot known as the "WAAF GirAAF".<ref name="br">{{Cite web |date=February 25, 2007 |title=The Boston Radio Dial: WAAF(FM) |url=https://www.bostonradio.org/stations/74467 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190730041531/https://www.bostonradio.org/stations/74467 |archive-date=July 30, 2019 |access-date=February 25, 2020 |website=Boston Radio}}</ref>

WAAF had completed the first of several technical improvements to reach listeners in Boston in 1972 when it increased its effective radiated power to 16,500 watts; it had operated with less than 2,000 ever since signing on.{{r|hc}} However, it was not until 1978 when the ''[[Boston Globe]]'' heralded WAAF's entry into the Boston market and its "rock radio battle".<ref>{{Cite news |last=McLaughlin |first=Jeff |date=April 6, 1978 |title=Power Plays |page=Calendar 4, 32 |work=Boston Globe |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45248169/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313200029/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45248169/power-plays/ |archive-date=March 13, 2021}}</ref> In 1977, the station managed to outrate talk outlet [[WMEX (AM)|WMEX]].<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Hall |first=Claude |date=February 26, 1977 |title=Vox Jox |page=23 |magazine=Billboard|id={{ProQuest|1286389835}} |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/70s/1977/Billboard%201977-02-26.pdf |access-date=February 25, 2020}}</ref> WAAF's third sale of the decade would come in 1978: the station, its AM counterpart WFTQ, and WEZN were sold to a group of employees, known as Park City Communications, for $3.2 million.<ref>{{Cite news |date=February 20, 1978 |title=For the Record |page=68 |work=Broadcasting |id={{ProQuest|1014687851}}|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1978/1978-02-20-BC.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=February 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210331004901/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1978/1978-02-20-BC.pdf |archive-date=March 31, 2021}}</ref> Park City sold all of its stations to Katz Broadcasting, a subsidiary of Katz Media Group, for $16 million in November 1981.<ref>{{Cite news |date=November 9, 1981 |title=Changing Hands: Approved |page=67 |work=[[Broadcasting & Cable|Broadcasting]]|id={{ProQuest|962737700}} |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1981/BC-1981-11-09.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=February 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210331004904/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1981/BC-1981-11-09.pdf |archive-date=March 31, 2021}}</ref>

WAAF encountered ratings success in the Worcester market to start the 1980s; despite newfound competition from [[WJMN (FM)|WCOZ (94.5 FM)]] in Boston, the station attributed its success to extensive marketing, promotion, and contests.<ref name=":7">{{Cite magazine |last=Keller |first=Jon |date=March 21, 1981 |title=WAAF-FM Thrives, AM Sister Troubled |page=23 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |id={{ProQuest|1286257732}}|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/80s/1981/BB-1981-03-21.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=February 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210331004903/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/80s/1981/BB-1981-03-21.pdf |archive-date=March 31, 2021}}</ref> WAAF appeared in ratings surveys not only in Worcester and Boston but in Providence and [[Springfield, Massachusetts|Springfield]]; WAAF listening was even measured as far away as [[Peterborough, New Hampshire]].<ref name="duncanfall81">{{Cite book |last=Duncan |first=James |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Duncan-American-Radio/Duncan-1981-Fall.pdf |title=Duncan's American Radio Fall 1981 |date=1981|pages=95, 141, 203, 203, 243 |access-date=February 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210331004906/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-Duncan-American-Radio/Duncan-1981-Fall.pdf |archive-date=March 31, 2021 |url-status=live}}</ref> Remaining a "Superstars" client, WAAF relied on Abrams' playlist input and received criticism for not taking chances to play other music genres; Abrams notably told WAAF's program director in 1980 that [[New wave music|new wave]] "isn't the coming thing".<ref name=":6" /> Music heard on the station tended to lean toward a harder rock focus from artists like [[Led Zeppelin]], [[Ted Nugent]], [[Van Halen]], and [[Pat Benatar]].<ref name=":7" />

{{Quote box
| quote = As far as we're concerned, it's the biggest promotion ever to hit AOR radio, certainly at least here in New England... we left the competition, [[WWBX|WBCN]] and [[WJMN (FM)|WCOZ]], hemming and hawing.
| author = Steve Marx
| source = then-WAAF general manager, over the station's 1981 Rolling Stones ticket giveaway<ref name=":5" />
| align = right
| width = 250px
| qalign = left
| salign = left
}}

It was during this time, in September 1981, that [[the Rolling Stones]] played a warmup show for a group of WAAF listeners at Sir Morgans Cove, a Worcester nightclub. WAAF connected with the band while they rehearsed at Long View Farm in North Brookfield and gave away all 300 tickets for the free show as a reward for locals respecting their privacy; demand exceeded 4,000 in what ''[[Radio & Records]]'' termed "an unprecedented radio concert promotion coup".<ref name=":5">{{Cite news |date=September 25, 1981 |title=WAAF Pulls Off Stones Club Date Coup |pages=1, 14 |work=Radio & Records |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1980s/1981/RR-1981-09-25.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=February 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210331004907/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1980s/1981/RR-1981-09-25.pdf |archive-date=March 31, 2021}}</ref> All day, station staffers drove around Worcester in unmarked cars handing out tickets to locals who had station stickers or T-shirts. While WAAF refused to announce the name of the location, [[WWBX|WBCN]] obtained the information from a Worcester police officer, causing a large crowd of 4,000 to form outside of the 300-seat venue; 10 people were arrested.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Simon |first=James |date=September 15, 1981 |title='Secret' Stones concert in Worcester |page=30 |work=[[Lowell Sun]] |url=https://newspaperarchive.com/entertainment-clipping-sep-15-1981-1563301/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200222225617/https://newspaperarchive.com/entertainment-clipping-sep-15-1981-1563301/ |archive-date=February 22, 2020}}</ref> WAAF promotion director Steve Stockman blamed WBCN for announcing the venue on-air, declaring his competitor's actions "reckless and irresponsible".<ref name=":5" />

A few months later, [[Bob and Doug McKenzie]] ([[Rick Moranis]] and [[Dave Thomas (actor)|Dave Thomas]]) teamed up with WAAF for a contest to promote their ''[[The Great White North (album)|The Great White North]]'' comedy album, where the winner received an afternoon trip for two to [[Tewksbury, Massachusetts|Tewksbury]], while the runner-up won a weekend trip for two to the [[Lowell, Massachusetts|Lowell]] suburb.<ref>{{Cite news |last=McCafferty |first=Patricia |date=March 14, 1982 |title=All-expense paid trip to Tewksbury |page=B1 |work=[[Lowell Sun]] |url=https://newspaperarchive.com/entertainment-clipping-mar-14-1982-1563450/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200223192535/https://newspaperarchive.com/entertainment-clipping-mar-14-1982-1563450/ |archive-date=February 23, 2020}}</ref> WAAF staffers came up with the contest idea after noticing a sign in Tewksbury that reminded them of [[toque]] knit hats referred to in the album. The station had also asked the town's fire chief to give the winner [[Freedom of the City|keys to the city]]; he declined, believing the initial offer to be a prank phone call.<ref>{{Cite news |last=McCafferty |first=Patricia |date=February 14, 1982 |title=Grand prize: weekend in Tewksbury |page=B1 |work=[[Lowell Sun]] |url=https://newspaperarchive.com/entertainment-clipping-feb-14-1982-1563354/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200222225618/https://newspaperarchive.com/entertainment-clipping-feb-14-1982-1563354/ |archive-date=February 22, 2020}}</ref>

[[Bob Rivers]] co-hosted morning drive on WAAF between 1982 and 1987 with Peter "Zip" Zipfel. Titled ''Bob and Zip'', the program became known for parody and [[novelty song]]s produced by Rivers; the most memorable one being "Breakin' Up Is Hard on You" ("[[Breaking Up Is Hard to Do]]" by [[Neil Sedaka]]) regarding the [[Bell System divestiture]], and charted at #70 on the [[Billboard Hot 100|''Billboard'' Hot 100]].<ref>{{Cite book |last=Whitburn |first=Joel |title=Joel Whitburn's Top Pop Singles |publisher=Record Research Inc |year=1997 |isbn=0-89820-122-5 |location=Menomonee Falls, WI |page=13}}</ref> Rivers also performed "Just a Big Ego" ("[[Just a Gigolo (song)|Just a Gigolo]]" by [[David Lee Roth]]) which debuted as Roth announced his departure from [[Van Halen]],<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 9, 1985 |title=Street Talk |page=28 |work=[[Radio & Records]] |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1980s/1985/RR-1985-08-09.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=February 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210331004906/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1980s/1985/RR-1985-08-09.pdf |archive-date=March 31, 2021}}</ref> and was included in ''[[The Rhino Brothers Present the World's Worst Records]].''<ref>{{Cite web |title=The Rhino Brothers Present the World's Worst Records |url=https://www.amazon.com/Rhino-Brothers-Present-Worlds-Records/dp/B0016N3BZ6 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160303235313/http://www.amazon.com/Rhino-Brothers-Present-Worlds-Records/dp/B0016N3BZ6 |archive-date=March 3, 2016 |access-date=February 23, 2020 |website=[[amazon.com]]}}</ref> Rivers and Zipfel attracted attention on the day of the [[1984 United States presidential election]] by instructing their listeners who planned to vote for [[Ronald Reagan]] to simultaneously flush their toilets at 7:00&nbsp;a.m., and listeners voting for [[Walter Mondale]] to flush their toilets at 7:30&nbsp;a.m.; the station then contacted the various [[regional water authorities]] and based their [[exit poll]] off of the drops in water pressure.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Johnson |first=Dean |date=November 8, 1984 |title=On flush polls and camera wars |page=53 |work=[[Lowell Sun]] |url=https://newspaperarchive.com/entertainment-clipping-nov-08-1984-1563421/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200223192539/https://newspaperarchive.com/entertainment-clipping-nov-08-1984-1563421/ |archive-date=February 23, 2020}}</ref> Rivers left WAAF to take over as morning-drive host at [[WIYY]] in [[Baltimore]];<ref>{{Cite news |date=June 12, 1987 |title=Street Talk |pages=18, 21 |work=[[Radio & Records]] |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1980s/1987/RR-1987-06-12.pdf |access-date=February 23, 2020}}</ref> Drew Lane replaced him and was later teamed up with Zipfel.<ref>{{Cite news |date=September 4, 1987 |title=AOR: Segues |page=62 |work=[[Radio & Records]] |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1980s/1987/RR-1987-09-04.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=February 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313200709/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1980s/1987/RR-1987-09-04.pdf |archive-date=March 13, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=February 24, 1989 |title=Street Talk|id={{ProQuest|1040357653}} |pages=26, 29 |work=[[Radio & Records]] |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1980s/1989/RR-1989-02-24.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=February 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313200709/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1980s/1989/RR-1989-02-24.pdf |archive-date=March 13, 2021}}</ref>

WAAF attempted another unusual promotion where the station was to have dropped 100,000 [[one-dollar bills]] from a helicopter onto downtown Lowell on November 26, 1988, at 1:07&nbsp;p.m. This event was abruptly canceled at the last minute by Lowell city officials concerned about the safety of people who would have participated, while station management had intended for it to promote Lowell's revitalization.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ward |first=Peter |date=November 25, 1988 |title=City cancels rock station's dollar drop promo |pages=1, [https://newspaperarchive.com/entertainment-clipping-nov-25-1988-1563424/ 4] |work=[[Lowell Sun]] |url=https://newspaperarchive.com/entertainment-clipping-nov-25-1988-1563447/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200223004125/https://newspaperarchive.com/entertainment-clipping-nov-25-1988-1563447/ |archive-date=February 23, 2020}}</ref>

==="Untamed Radio"===
{{Quote box
| quote = It's important to remember that WAAF has a 20-year heritage as a New England rock station, I don't want any mixed signals from this thing... it's not that dramatic a change.
| author = [[John Gorman (radio executive)|John Gorman]]
| source = on consulting WAAF's 1989 switch to "Rock 40", an antecedent of their future [[active rock]] format<ref name=":3"/>
| align = right
| width = 250px
| qalign = left
| salign = left
}}

On March 10, 1989, NewCity Broadcasting traded WAAF and WFTQ to Zapis Communications in exchange for [[WALR-FM|WEKS-FM (104.1)]] in Atlanta in what was a tax-free asset swap; each half of the transaction was valued at $15 million.<ref>{{Cite news |date=March 17, 1989 |title=NewCity/Zapis Swap Could Spell Simulcast Superstation For Atlanta |pages=1, 34 |work=[[Radio & Records]] |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1980s/1989/RR-1989-03-17.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=February 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313200709/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1980s/1989/RR-1989-03-17.pdf |archive-date=March 13, 2021}}</ref> Zapis Communications was headed by Xenophon Zapis and his son Lee Zapis, who also owned [[WZAK]] in [[Cleveland]].<ref>{{Cite news |date=March 17, 1989 |title=NewCity, Zapis Score Big In $30 Million Tax-Free Swap |page=9 |work=[[Radio & Records]] |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1980s/1989/RR-1989-03-17.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=February 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313200709/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1980s/1989/RR-1989-03-17.pdf |archive-date=March 13, 2021}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Niesel |first=Jeff |date=June 19, 2019 |title=93.1 FM's Former Owner Lee Zapis Tells the Story of How WZAK Went to No. 1 |url=https://www.clevescene.com/cleveland/931-fms-former-owner-lee-zapis-tells-the-story-of-how-wzak-went-to-no-1/Content?oid=30730153 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190716113037/https://www.clevescene.com/cleveland/931-fms-former-owner-lee-zapis-tells-the-story-of-how-wzak-went-to-no-1/Content?oid=30730153 |archive-date=July 16, 2019 |access-date=February 21, 2020 |website=Cleveland Scene |language=en}}</ref> NewCity already owned [[WAKL (FM)|WYAY (106.7 FM)]], and agreed to keep it in the [[Gainesville, Georgia]], market as a condition of the asset swap.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=March 25, 1989 |title=newsline...|id={{ProQuest|1438690851}} |page=15 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/80s/1989/BB-1989-03-25.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=February 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313200714/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/80s/1989/BB-1989-03-25.pdf |archive-date=March 13, 2021}}</ref>

When Zapis took over operations in the summer, John Sutherland took over as general manager, promotions director Ron Valeri was promoted to operations manager, Nance Grimes was promoted to acting program director (Grimes left that October, with Valeri assuming the programming role outright)<ref>{{Cite magazine |last=Ross |first=Sean |date=October 21, 1989 |title=Vox Jox |page=12 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]]|id={{ProQuest|1438696052}} |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/80s/1989/BB-1989-10-21.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=February 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313200722/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/80s/1989/BB-1989-10-21.pdf |archive-date=March 13, 2021}}</ref> and [[John Gorman (radio executive)|John Gorman]]—a Boston native best known for programming [[WMMS]] in Cleveland from 1973 to 1986—was hired as a consultant.<ref name=":3">{{Cite news |date=September 8, 1989 |title=Valeri Upped To OM As WAAF Goes Rock 40 |pages=3, 48 |work=[[Radio & Records]] |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1980s/1989/RR-1989-09-08.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=February 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313200721/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1980s/1989/RR-1989-09-08.pdf |archive-date=March 13, 2021}}</ref> As a sign of things to come, [[Aerosmith]] was in-studio to play their upcoming album [[Pump (album)|''Pump'']] two weeks in advance of the album's release.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Perry |first=Dave |date=September 1, 1989 |title=Maria McKee's doing just fine on her own |page=26 |work=[[Lowell Sun]] |url=https://newspaperarchive.com/entertainment-clipping-sep-01-1989-1563444/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200223192535/https://newspaperarchive.com/entertainment-clipping-sep-01-1989-1563444/ |archive-date=February 23, 2020}}</ref>

Owing in part to Gorman's consultancy, WAAF hired Ruby Cheeks for morning drive that October.<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=October 28, 1989 |title=Vox Jox |pages=12–13, 112 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |id={{ProQuest|1438695688}}|url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/80s/1989/BB-1989-10-28.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=February 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210331004908/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/80s/1989/BB-1989-10-28.pdf |archive-date=March 31, 2021}}</ref> Cheeks was formerly a part of WMMS's morning show and had also hosted evenings and afternoons, and had left the station in a contract dispute.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Olszewski |first=Mike |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=jlozhlCZFGIC |title=Radio Daze: Stories from the Front in Cleveland's FM Air Wars |publisher=Kent State University Press |year=2003 |isbn=9780873387736 |location=Kent, Ohio |pages=347 |ref=Olszewski |access-date=February 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161209111044/https://books.google.com/books?id=jlozhlCZFGIC |archive-date=December 9, 2016 |url-status=live}}</ref> WAAF's musical direction was shifted to what was called "[[Rock 40]]", featuring harder songs by core artists while increasing the amount of new and current music played. Gorman publicly called it a "fine-tuning" of the playlist instead of a format shift, while the move was also made to improve WAAF's ratings in Boston as opposed to Worcester.<ref name=":3" /> With the relaunch, the station was re-branded as "Untamed Radio", a slogan also used on [[WRQK-FM]] in [[Canton, Ohio]], another station Gorman oversaw.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Mire |first=Beverly |date=July 14, 1989 |title=News |pages=2, 4 |work=The Gavin Report |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Gavin-Report/80/89/Gavin-Report-1989-07-14.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=February 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313200745/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Gavin-Report/80/89/Gavin-Report-1989-07-14.pdf |archive-date=March 13, 2021}}</ref>

[[Greg Hill (radio)|Greg Hill]], who had joined the station's promotions department in 1986,<ref>{{Cite news |date=April 11, 1986 |title=AOR: Segues |page=84 |work=[[Radio & Records]] |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1980s/1986/RR-1986-04-11.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=February 21, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313200745/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1980s/1986/RR-1986-04-11.pdf |archive-date=March 13, 2021}}</ref> was promoted to overnights in June,<ref>{{Cite news |date=June 16, 1989 |title=AOR: Segues |page=52 |work=[[Radio & Records]]|id={{ProQuest|1017222859}} |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1980s/1989/RR-1989-06-16.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=February 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313200745/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1980s/1989/RR-1989-06-16.pdf |archive-date=March 13, 2021}}</ref> then named as Ruby Cheeks's co-host that November. While John Gorman's consultancy over WAAF eventually ended after he took over as program director for [[WMJI]] in Cleveland<ref>{{Cite news |date=January 25, 1991|id={{ProQuest|1017239324}} |title=WMJI Names New Execs: Legacy Takes Over, Appoints Thacker GM; Gorman OM/PD; Feighan GSM |page=3 |work=[[Radio & Records]] |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1991/RR-1991-01-25.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=December 19, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313200747/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1991/RR-1991-01-25.pdf |archive-date=March 13, 2021}}</ref> and subsequently returned to WMMS and [[WHK (AM)|WHK (1420 AM)]] in 1994,<ref>{{Cite news |last=Alexander |first=Shawn |date=December 2, 1994|id={{ProQuest|1017269477}} |title=WMMS Becomes 'The Hext Generation': Heritage Rocker's step-by-step evolution to Alternative |page=20 |work=[[Radio & Records]] |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1994/RR-1994-12-02.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=December 19, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313200746/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1994/RR-1994-12-02.pdf |archive-date=March 13, 2021}}</ref> Gorman held high praise for Valeri's work as programmer for WAAF, telling ''Hitmakers'' magazine, "could you imagine what (Ron) would do with a full Boston Metro signal?"<ref>{{Cite news |last=Carter |first=Kevin |date=January 13, 1995 |title=An exclusive interview with John Gorman: OM/PD, WMMS-WMJI; OM, WHK/Cleveland |pages=21–24 |work=Hitmakers |issue=871 |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Hitmakers/95/Hitmakers-1995-01-13.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=February 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313200812/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Hitmaker/95/Hitmakers-1995-01-13.pdf |archive-date=March 13, 2021}}</ref>

Starting on January 9, 1991, WAAF's programming was simulcast over WFTQ due to what John Sutherland called "substantial losses" for the AM station's prior format;<ref>{{Cite news |date=January 4, 1991 |title=Station to cut staff, format; WFTQ-AM plagued by 'losses' |work=[[Worcester Telegram & Gazette]]}}
*{{Cite news|title=Celtics and HC may be seeking new stations|date=January 10, 1991|work=[[Worcester Telegram & Gazette]]}}</ref> among the people dismissed was Steve LeVeille.<ref>{{Cite web |last=LeVeille |first=Steve |date=August 15, 2014 |title=Chronology of My So-Called Career |url=https://radiofreesteve.wordpress.com/more-stuff/chronology-of-my-so-called-career/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200226212957/https://radiofreesteve.wordpress.com/more-stuff/chronology-of-my-so-called-career/ |archive-date=February 26, 2020 |access-date=February 26, 2020 |website=Radio Free Steve |language=en}}</ref> This simulcast ended on September 8 when Zapis Communications entered into an agreement with the [[Boston Celtics]], then the owners of [[WEZE|WEEI (590 AM)]], to simulcast the newly converted [[sports radio]] outlet under the WVEI call sign.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bickelhaupt |first=Susan |date=August 6, 1991 |title=McKenna, Peruzzi leave KISS-108 |page=24 |work=[[Boston Globe]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45681806/mckenna-peruzzi-leave-kiss-108/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200226212955/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45681806/mckenna-peruzzi-leave-kiss-108/ |archive-date=February 26, 2020}}
*{{Cite news|title=A Sporting Change: WFTQ to pick up WEEI programming|date=August 6, 1991|work=[[Worcester Telegram & Gazette]]}}
*{{Cite news|title=WVEI gets the new call: name change for station WFTQ|date=August 31, 1991|work=[[Worcester Telegram & Gazette]]}}</ref>

===Alternative and "raunchy" lean===
{{Quote box
| quote = I'm into reality and sarcasm, and I call myself a humorist. Some people are shocked, but to me it's rote, I'm just being myself.
| author = [[Liz Wilde]]
| source = WAAF afternoon host<ref name=":11" />
| align = left
| width = 225px
| qalign = left
| salign = left
}}

As the station continued to evolve under the "Untamed Radio" brand, [[Liz Wilde]] was hired initially for evenings in 1990, then promoted to afternoon drive in early 1992.<ref>{{Cite news |date=April 3, 1992 |title=Street Talk |page=20 |work=Radio & Records|id={{ProQuest|1017246380}} |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1992/RR-1992-04-03.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=February 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313200812/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1992/RR-1992-04-03.pdf |archive-date=March 13, 2021}}</ref> Following Ruby Cheeks' departure from WAAF to return to Cleveland at [[WNCX]],<ref>{{Cite magazine |date=June 8, 1991 |title=People: Lineups for new stations CIMX, WKSV |id={{ProQuest|1505936432}}|page=11 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-Billboard/90s/1991/BB-1991-06-08.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=February 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210331004910/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/90s/1991/BB-1991-06-08.pdf |archive-date=March 31, 2021}}</ref> Greg Hill assumed sole hosting duties for what would be called ''The Hill-Man Morning Show''. Both Wilde and Hill's on-air presentations, in addition to billboards and television commercials suggestively promoting the station, netted attention in the local press for what was deemed as "raunchy" content.<ref name=":11">{{Cite news |last=Bickelhaupt |first=Susan |date=March 16, 1992 |title=Rock radio goes raunchy |pages=1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45651249/rock-radio-goes-raunchy-pt-2/ 16] |work=[[Boston Globe]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45651238/rock-radio-goes-raunchy/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200226081230/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45651238/rock-radio-goes-raunchy/ |archive-date=February 26, 2020}}</ref> General manager Bruce Mittman and program director Ron Valeri defended their content to the Boston Globe as appealing to the 18-34 male demographic,<ref name="raunchy">{{Cite news |last=Kauppi |first=Jason |date=April 26, 1992 |title=On WAAF, if it's raunchy it goes on the air |pages=17, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45273047/on_waaffm_if_its_raunchy_it_goes_on/ 19] |work=Boston Globe |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45273007/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 22, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313200818/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45273007/on-waaf-if-its-raunchy-it-goes-on-the/ |archive-date=March 13, 2021}}</ref> Mittman, in particular, praised Wilde for her creativity. Hill also defended his show by saying, "If something annoys you, turn the knob. Shut it off."<ref name="raunchy" /> Following Wilde's promotion to afternoons, [[Rebecca Pratt]]{{Efn|Until late 2021, Rebecca publicly presented as male and was known as John Osterlind.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Sledge |first=Matt |date=January 2, 2023 |title=Rebecca Pratt, former New Orleans radio personality, dies at 55 |url=https://www.nola.com/entertainment_life/former-john-osterlind-new-orleans-radio-personality-dies/article_d2401346-8add-11ed-87c9-977aafb07019.html |access-date=February 13, 2023 |website=[[The Times-Picayune/The New Orleans Advocate]] |language=en}}</ref>|name=PrattOsterlind}} took over as evening host.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bickelhaupt |first=Susan |date=June 26, 1992 |title=The folks behind that NPR music |page=42 |work=[[Boston Globe]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45651648/the-folks-behind-that-npr-music/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200226081235/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45651648/the-folks-behind-that-npr-music/ |archive-date=February 26, 2020}}</ref>

Much of the station's change to an aggressive presentation came with WAAF's further orientation to the Boston market, having opened a sales office in [[Newton, Massachusetts|Newton]] in 1991. In the Arbitron ratings in that period, WAAF ranked number one in Worcester, number four in Springfield, in the top five stations in [[Manchester, New Hampshire|Manchester]] and in the top ten in Boston and [[Providence, Rhode Island|Providence]], all in the 18-34 male demo; management viewed WAAF as speaking to an audience rather than speaking to a geographical location.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bickelhaupt |first=Susan |date=April 12, 1991 |title=WCGY, WAAF: stalking the rock audience |page=80 |work=[[Boston Globe]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45272855/wcgy_waaf_stalking_the_rock_audience/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200223204001/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45272855/wcgy_waaf_stalking_the_rock_audience/ |archive-date=February 23, 2020}}</ref> WAAF also championed local band [[Extreme (band)|Extreme]] upon the release of their album ''[[Pornograffitti]]'' and single "[[More Than Words]]", hosting a softball duel between the band and station staffers at Lampson Field in [[Billerica]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Collinge |first=John |date=July 2, 1991 |title=Extreme shows hard-rock band can play softball |pages=5, [https://newspaperarchive.com/entertainment-clipping-jul-02-1991-1563707/ 7] |work=[[Lowell Sun]] |url=https://newspaperarchive.com/entertainment-clipping-jul-02-1991-1563705/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200223204003/https://newspaperarchive.com/entertainment-clipping-jul-02-1991-1563705/ |archive-date=February 23, 2020}}</ref>

Every November, starting in 1993, WAAF held a popular annual charity event "Walk and Rock for Change", raising money for food banks in Massachusetts and New Hampshire.<ref>{{Cite news|last=Vanni|first=Olivia|url=https://www.bostonherald.com/2010/12/19/waaf-walks-the-walk/|title=WAAF walks the walk|work=[[Boston Herald]]|date= December 19, 2010|access-date= February 19, 2020}}</ref> During this event, the DJs from the station walked across Massachusetts, asking for change from the people as they stopped in each town and airing interviews along the way. Starting in 2003, during this event, WAAF DJs played requested songs not normally heard on the station for a donation.<ref>{{cite web|first=Jeff|last=Malachowski|url=https://shrewsbury.wickedlocal.com/x852313582|title=WAAF walk helps local food bank|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200219213138/https://shrewsbury.wickedlocal.com/x852313582 |archive-date=February 19, 2020 |work=[[Wicked Local]] Shrewsbury|date=November 21, 2007|access-date= February 19, 2020}}</ref> For the first two weeks of December 1993, Greg Hill engaged in an elaborate stunt dressed up as a "Mystery [[Santa]]", handing out $50 bills to random people and even to [[Boston Mayor]] [[Thomas Menino]], who declined the money offer.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Coakley |first1=Tom |last2=Carroll |first2=Tom |date=December 11, 1993 |title=Generous Santa thrills all buy mayor |pages=15, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45651556/generous-santa-thrills-all-buy-mayor/ 18] |work=[[Boston Globe]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45651552/generous-santa-thrills-all-buy-mayor/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200226081231/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45651552/generous-santa-thrills-all-buy-mayor/ |archive-date=February 26, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last1=McGrory |first1=Brian |last2=Armstrong |first2=David |date=December 12, 1993 |title=Beard may hide a famous Santa |pages=1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45651598/beard-may-hide-a-famous-santa-pt-2/ 40] |work=[[Boston Globe]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45651584/beard-may-hide-a-famous-santa/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200226081234/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45651584/beard-may-hide-a-famous-santa/ |archive-date=February 26, 2020}}</ref> Hill's reveal took place in a news conference after several days of $10,000 giveaways, including several hundred dollars to a homeless shelter, saying he was aiming to capture "the curiosity of the people".<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Hohler |first1=Bob |last2=Coakley |first2=Tom |date=December 14, 1993 |title=Mystery Santa's beard hid a DJ |page=38 |work=[[Boston Globe]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/44110515/hill-santa-scandal-1993/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200226081232/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/44110515/hill-santa-scandal-1993/ |archive-date=February 26, 2020}}</ref>

Liz Wilde would leave WAAF for the evening slot on [[WCKL (FM)|WLUP-FM (97.9)]] in Chicago in March 1995.<ref>{{Cite news |date=March 3, 1995 |title=Street Talk |pages=24, 27 |work=[[Radio & Records]] |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1995/RR-1995-03-03.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=February 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313200816/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1995/RR-1995-03-03.pdf |archive-date=March 13, 2021}}</ref> It was her replacements in the afternoon time slot, however, that would garner the station ample amounts of attention and infamy.

===Opie and Anthony===
{{Further|Opie and Anthony}}
[[File:Opie and Anthony.jpg|thumb|[[Gregg Hughes]] and [[Anthony Cumia]] hosted afternoon drive on WAAF from March 1995 to April 1998.]]
In early 1995, [[Gregg "Opie" Hughes]] and [[Anthony Cumia]] were a newly established duo hosting a late-night program over [[WBAB]] in [[Babylon, New York]].<ref name=":2">{{Cite web |last=Savino |first=Michael |date=June 28, 2007 |title=Opie and Anthony bring their tour to Mohegan Sun |url=https://www.redwoodfallsgazette.com/article/20070628/NEWS/306289936 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313200819/https://www.redwoodfallsgazette.com/article/20070628/NEWS/306289936 |archive-date=March 13, 2021 |access-date=February 20, 2020 |website=Redwood Falls Gazette |language=en}}</ref> WAAF program director Ron Valeri tuned into WBAB while visiting family in [[Long Island]] and called Hughes to offer them a job.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Urstadt |first=Bryant |date=August 6, 2006 |title=Loudmouths |url=http://archive.boston.com/news/globe/magazine/articles/2006/08/06/loudmouths/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161107011437/http://archive.boston.com/news/globe/magazine/articles/2006/08/06/loudmouths/ |archive-date=November 7, 2016 |access-date=November 6, 2016 |website=The Boston Globe}}</ref> General manager Bruce Mittman later recounted he "almost drove off the road laughing" from listening to an [[aircheck]] assembled by Hughes,<ref name=":14">{{Cite news |last=Jurkowitz |first=Mark |date=August 10, 2001 |title=Radio guru gets 'in your face': Mittman tries WAAF formula on WFNX stations |pages=D1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45667589/radio-guru-gets-in-your-face-mittman/ D8]-[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45667686/radio-guru-gets-in-your-face-mittman/ D9] |work=[[Boston Globe]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45667546/radio-guru-gets-in-your-face-mittman/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200226180357/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45667546/radio-guru-gets-in-your-face-mittman/ |archive-date=February 26, 2020}}</ref> and after a competing offer from a Dallas station, Hughes and Cumia were hired by WAAF in afternoon drive in March 1995, officially replacing Liz Wilde.<ref name="2002interview3">{{Cite web |date=February 2002 |title=Straight From The Mouth: The Morning Mouth's February Interview with Opie & Anthony |url=http://prepnet.radio-online.com/cgi-bin/rol.exe/mouth_0202 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160915153722/http://prepnet.radio-online.com/cgi-bin/rol.exe/mouth_0202 |archive-date=September 15, 2016 |access-date=September 10, 2016 |website=The Morning Mouth |publisher=Radio Online}}</ref> Shortly after the debut of ''Opie and Anthony'', Valeri left the station and was replaced by Dave Douglas; Cumia ignored directives from Douglas and dropped most of the music from their program. Despite this, Douglas cited their show as part of a high-profile airstaff where every daypart could easily be a well-performing morning show on another station.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Maxwell |first=Cyndee |date=August 29, 1997 |title=30 Years of Rock Radio: Pure Personality |pages=46, 74 |work=[[Radio & Records]] |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1997/RR-1997-08-29.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=February 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313200820/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1997/RR-1997-08-29.pdf |archive-date=March 13, 2021}}</ref>

The duo had several publicity stunts throughout their tenure at WAAF, the most infamous one being "100 Grand" where after weeks of on-air promotions implying otherwise, the winning caller to a contest giveaway won a [[100 Grand Bar]] instead of $100,000.<ref name="autogenerated1">{{Cite news |last=Deitz |first=Corey |title=Radio Bloopers, Screwups, Outtakes and Embarrassments – Series 2 |work=Your Guide to Radio |publisher=[[About.com]] |url=http://radio.about.com/od/radiobloopersandouttakes/ss/blbloopers2_4.htm |url-status=dead |access-date=April 14, 2007 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20070715081350/http://radio.about.com/od/radiobloopersandouttakes/ss/blbloopers2_4.htm |archive-date=July 15, 2007}}</ref> In May 1997, Hughes and Cumia started one of their most notorious promotions: "Whip 'em Out Wednesday", where women engaged in "flashing" to any oncoming drivers that had a "WOW" sticker on their car.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Eileen |first=McNamera |date=June 21, 1997 |title=Like wow? No, not a bit |page=B1 |work=[[Boston Globe]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45272955/like-wow-no-not-a-bit/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200226180401/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45272955/like-wow-no-not-a-bit/ |archive-date=February 26, 2020}}</ref> The show was suspended for two weeks after a confidential memo from management was read aloud by the duo, while Bruce Mittman canceled the promotion after nine weeks when police contacted station management; Mittman denied the suspension was related.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Blowen |first=Michael |date=June 26, 1997 |title=WAAF suspends drive-time deejays |page=E8 |work=[[Boston Globe]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45667154/waaf-suspends-drive-time-deejays/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200226180353/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45667154/waaf-suspends-drive-time-deejays/ |archive-date=February 26, 2020}}</ref> A compilation album of their material from WAAF, ''[[Demented World]]'', was released in October 1997.<ref name=":10" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Opie & Anthony's Demented World |url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/opie-anthonys-demented-world-mw0000031334 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161012014858/http://www.allmusic.com/album/opie-anthonys-demented-world-mw0000031334 |archive-date=October 12, 2016 |access-date=September 11, 2016 |website=AllMusic}}</ref>

{{Quote box
| quote = You can't really feel guilty about it. I don't know, you live by the sword, you die by the sword. I was picked on... because I was 5 foot 2, 91 pounds, in 10th grade, and I never minded it. I always liked the attention, good or bad. I don't care what people think about me. So negative, positive attention, who cares?
| author = [[Gregg Hughes]]
| source = on any possible regrets with his ''[[Opie and Anthony]]'' routines<ref name=":10" />
| align = left
| width = 250px
| qalign = left
| salign = left
}}

Hughes and Cumia further accelerated the rivalry between WAAF and WBCN, especially after Nik Carter replaced Mark Parenteau against their show on WBCN.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Bickelhaupt |first1=Susan |last2=Dezell |first2=Maureen |date=November 7, 1997 |title=Names & Faces: DJs duke it out on the air |page=D2 |work=[[Boston Globe]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45644647/names-faces-djs-duke-it-out-on-the/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200226173657/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45644647/names-faces-djs-duke-it-out-on-the/ |archive-date=February 26, 2020}}</ref> Carter, who was African-American, was targeted not only by Hughes and Cumia, but by nighttime host "Rocko" for his ethnicity; a rant on ''Opie and Anthony'' on November 17, 1997, also contained what were construed as threats of physical violence towards Carter, labeled with the pejorative "Disco Boy" by the duo.<ref name=":9">{{Cite news |last=Sullivan |first=Jim |date=November 28, 1997 |title=WBCN's Nik Carter finds himself in a radio ruckus |pages=C1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45513825/ratings_rivals_in_a_war_of_insults/ C14]-[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45513853/nik_carters_raucous_drivetime_radio/ C15] |work=[[Boston Globe]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45513803/wbcns_nik_carter_finds_himself_in_a/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 24, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200224160329/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45513803/wbcns_nik_carter_finds_himself_in_a/ |archive-date=February 24, 2020}}</ref> Carter responded in kind by calling WAAF "the hate station in Worcester" and "We Are All Fonies", in addition to in-kind pejoratives against Hughes, Cumia and Rocko, both on-air and on the station's website.<ref name=":9" /> Hughes responded by telling the ''Boston Globe'', "Eventually it's gonna come down to talent and, not to sound cocky, (Carter's) not in our league... (WBCN is) trying to create talk for their guy, a [[Howard Stern]] wannabe with no talent to back what he does."<ref name=":10">{{Cite news |last=Anderman |first=Joan |date=December 5, 1997 |title=Comfortably dumb |page=C18 |work=[[Boston Globe]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45535459/comfortably_dumb/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 24, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200224161901/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45535459/comfortably_dumb/ |archive-date=February 24, 2020}}</ref>

WAAF would become the subject of unwanted national and international attention in April 1998 after an [[April Fools' Day]] prank by Hughes and Cumia claimed that Boston mayor [[Thomas Menino]] was killed in a car accident in Florida, accompanied by a [[Haiti]]an prostitute.<ref name=":2" /> This included staged phone-in reports from two people claiming to be a policeman and news reporter, respectively.<ref name="nytimes1998">{{Cite web |last=Adelson |first=Andrea |date=July 13, 1998 |title=On-Air Prank Earns Pair A Shot at Radio Big Time |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/07/13/business/on-air-prank-earns-pair-a-shot-at-radio-big-time.html |url-access=limited |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160713100211/http://www.nytimes.com/1998/07/13/business/on-air-prank-earns-pair-a-shot-at-radio-big-time.html |archive-date=July 13, 2016 |access-date=September 11, 2016 |website=The New York Times}}</ref> In reality, Menino was on a flight as the prank unfolded; when notified, he joked about "being back from the dead" but filed a complaint with the FCC over the hoax, saying WAAF "blatantly disregarded the personal and public turmoil they were causing my family and the city" after Hughes and Cumia jokingly offered on-air to allow themselves to be stockaded at [[Boston City Hall Plaza]] and [[Pieing|pied]] by Menino.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=April 9, 1998 |title=WAAF fire pranksters |url=http://www.southcoasttoday.com/article/19980409/News/304099957 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161107013137/http://www.southcoasttoday.com/article/19980409/News/304099957 |archive-date=November 7, 2016 |access-date=November 6, 2016 |publisher=South Coast Today}}</ref> While the FCC took no action,<ref name="nytimes1998" /> the negative reaction caused [[American Radio Systems]] (which had purchased the station, along with its AM counterpart, for $24.8 million on August 1, 1996)<ref>{{Cite news |date=August 1, 1996 |title=American Radio to buy two more Mass. stations |page=C7 |work=[[Boston Globe]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45683867/american-radio-to-buy-two-more-mass/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200226214206/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45683867/american-radio-to-buy-two-more-mass/ |archive-date=February 26, 2020}}</ref> to fire the duo and suspend Mittman for one month and Douglas for a week.<ref name=":0" /> Mittman later claimed he had no advance knowledge of the prank, having taken the day off to celebrate his 20th wedding anniversary.<ref name=":14" />

Both Hughes and Cumia signed a deal to host afternoons at [[WNEW-FM]] in [[New York City]] several weeks after the firing.<ref name="nytimes1998" /> As part of the deal, Hughes and Cumia frequently appeared on Nik Carter's afternoon program through phone-in appearances on co-owned WBCN,<ref name=":12">{{Cite news |last=Simon |first=Clea |date=June 1, 2000 |title=New-rock 'BCN reverts to old ways of recruiting males |pages=F1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45273786/loud-crude-fm-rivals-airing-sounds-of-s/ F9] |work=[[Boston Globe]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45273833/new-rock-bcn-reverts-to-old-ways-of/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200226171125/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45273833/new-rock-bcn-reverts-to-old-ways-of/ |archive-date=February 26, 2020}}</ref> which later simulcast their WNEW-FM program beginning in August 2001.<ref name=":14" />

===The Boston rock radio war===
{{Quote box
| quote = Competitors who get locked into one-on-one format battles often wind up resembling each other consciously and subconsciously... it was true in the Cold War, and it's true in the rock wars in Boston.
| author = Tom Taylor
| source = industry analyst<ref name=":12" />
| align = right
| width = 250px
| qalign = left
| salign = left
}}

WAAF's rivalry with WBCN continued to escalate throughout the late 1990s. In February 1997, both stations engaged in a war of words over who had an advance copy of the [[Aerosmith]] album [[Nine Lives (Aerosmith album)|''Nine Lives'']] first; WAAF offered to play it over the phone to anyone who would call in, while during a listening party for the CD, WBCN announcer Mark Parenteau ripped WAAF as "juvenile" and "trailer park trash bottom feeders".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sullivan |first=Jim |date=February 8, 1997 |title=Deejays at WAAF and WBCN take aim at each other |page=C2 |work=[[Boston Globe]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45650876/deejays-at-waaf-and-wbcn-take-aim-at/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200226081236/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45650876/deejays-at-waaf-and-wbcn-take-aim-at/ |archive-date=February 26, 2020}}</ref> [[WZLX]], co-owned with WBCN, wound up playing the album first over the air and received a [[cease and desist]] order.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Bickelhaupt |first1=Susan |last2=Dezell |first2=Maureen |date=February 11, 1997 |title=Laquidara jockeys for position |page=E2 |work=[[Boston Globe]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45651019/laquidara-jockeys-for-position/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200226081232/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45651019/laquidara-jockeys-for-position/ |archive-date=February 26, 2020}}</ref> That May, WAAF and WFNX management both accused WBCN and program director Oedipus of directing local bands away from functions hosted by either station. In a ''Radio & Records'' op-ed, WAAF program director Dave Douglas saw WBCN's booking of [[Primus (band)|Primus]]—a band WAAF had played more than any other station in the Boston market—for a festival as insulting, along with a concert performed by [[Tonic (band)|Tonic]] not sponsored by any station but co-opted by WBCN.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Sullivan |first=Jim |date=May 30, 1997 |title=Static on rock radio: Rivals accuse 'BCN's Oedipus of unfair play |pages=D1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45644569/static-on-rock-radio-rivals-accuse/ D8]-[https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45644583/static-on-rock-radio-rivals-accuse/ D9] |work=[[Boston Globe]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45644509/static-on-rock-radio-rivals-accuse/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200226081234/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45644509/static-on-rock-radio-rivals-accuse/ |archive-date=February 26, 2020}}</ref>

The rivalry was justified. WBCN reported to industry trades as both an active rock and alternative hybrid at this period; WAAF shared as much as 59% of its audience with WBCN in the local ratings, while WBCN shared 32% of its audience with WAAF.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Kerr |first=Jim |date=February 12, 1999 |title=Who Is The Enemy? Is it Active Rock or Pop/Alternative? The answer may be both |page=92 |work=[[Radio & Records]]|id={{ProQuest|1017325120}} |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1999/RR-1999-02-12.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=February 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313200828/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1999/RR-1999-02-12.pdf |archive-date=March 13, 2021}}</ref> The overlap between the two stations became so pronounced that a ''Boston Globe'' story in 2000 pointed out directly how much WAAF and WBCN "sounded alike", with nearly identical music playlists and equally provocative air personalities, in what industry analyst Tom Taylor called "the rock wars in Boston". The competitiveness was especially notable as WBCN had several distinct advantages over WAAF: a signal centered in [[Greater Boston]], the local rights to ''[[The Howard Stern Show]]'', and the [[Flagship (broadcasting)|flagship]] station designation for the [[New England Patriots Radio Network]].<ref name=":12" />

Another unseen factor took place on September 20, 1997, when WAAF owner American Radio Systems was purchased by WBCN owner [[Infinity Broadcasting Corporation]]'s parent company, [[Westinghouse Electric Corporation]], for $1.6 billion.<ref>{{Cite news |date=September 20, 1997 |title=Boston radio under one roof |page=9 |work=[[Lowell Sun]] |url=https://newspaperarchive.com/entertainment-clipping-sep-20-1997-1563443/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 23, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200223192537/https://newspaperarchive.com/entertainment-clipping-sep-20-1997-1563443/ |archive-date=February 23, 2020}}
*{{Cite news|last=Jacobson|first=Adam|url=https://www.rbr.com/steve-dodge-dies-ars-amtower/|title=Remembering Steve Dodge: CATV, Radio and Tower Pioneer|date=January 18, 2019|work=Radio & Television Business Report|access-date=December 9, 2019|archive-date=December 10, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191210051559/https://www.rbr.com/steve-dodge-dies-ars-amtower/|url-status=live}}</ref> Due to both American Radio and Infinity having multiple station holdings in the Boston market, [[Entercom]] purchased WAAF and WWTM, along with [[WEEI (AM)|WEEI (850 AM)]], [[WRKO]], and [[WEEI-FM|WEGQ]], from the combined entity for $140 million on August 14, 1998.<ref name="nyt-saletoentercom">{{Cite news |date=August 14, 1998 |title=CBS to Sell 5 Boston-Area Radio Stations |work=[[The New York Times]] |url=https://www.nytimes.com/1998/08/14/business/the-media-business-cbs-to-sell-5-boston-area-radio-stations.html |url-status=live |url-access=limited |access-date=October 13, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121104005110/http://www.nytimes.com/1998/08/14/business/the-media-business-cbs-to-sell-5-boston-area-radio-stations.html |archive-date=November 4, 2012}}</ref> After the sale, WAAF moved its studios from Worcester to Boston at a combined facility with the other Entercom acquisitions; the city of license remained Worcester.<ref name=":13">{{Cite news |last=Morse |first=Steve |date=November 5, 1999 |title=Bush blossoms with 'Science': WAAF moves to Boston |page=D16 |work=[[Boston Globe]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45650602/waaf-moves-to-boston/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200226081233/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45650602/waaf-moves-to-boston/ |archive-date=February 26, 2020}}</ref> Prior to the merger and divestiture, WAAF was briefly simulcast on the AM dial again, this time over [[WWDJ|WNFT (1150 AM)]] starting in June 1997, replacing a previous simulcast of [[WBQT (FM)|WKLB (96.9 FM)]] as a placeholder until ARS could determine a new format for WNFT.<ref>{{Cite news |last1=Bickelhaupt |first1=Susan |last2=Dezell |first2=Maureen |date=June 4, 1997 |title=Rock falls on country |page=F2 |work=[[Boston Globe]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45644419/rock-falls-on-country/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200226212952/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45644419/rock-falls-on-country/ |archive-date=February 26, 2020}}</ref>

WAAF took credit for being the first radio station to play [[Godsmack]] in 1999, giving the band extensive airplay before landing a music deal.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Morse |first=Steve |date=June 16, 1999 |title=For Godsmack, being banned is good for the band |page=E5 |work=[[Boston Globe]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45650732/for-godsmack-being-banned-is-good-for/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200226081233/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45650732/for-godsmack-being-banned-is-good-for/ |archive-date=February 26, 2020}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |date=March 26, 1999 |title=MTV Adds Godsmack Into Regular Rotation (Advertisement) |id={{ProQuest|1017329219}} |page=110 |work=[[Radio & Records]] |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1999/RR-1999-03-26.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=February 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313200828/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1999/RR-1999-03-26.pdf |archive-date=March 13, 2021}}</ref> In fact, WAAF had booked the band as a warm-up act for a [[Days of the New]] concert in December 1997, where they reportedly "stole the show" in a ''Globe'' concert review.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Morse |first=Steve |date=December 19, 1997 |title=Orbit hits the fast track with new 'Libido Speedway' |page=E18 |work=[[Boston Globe]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45644713/orbit-hits-the-fast-track-with-new/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 25, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200226081231/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45644713/orbit-hits-the-fast-track-with-new/ |archive-date=February 26, 2020}}</ref> On June 13, 1999, the station also hosted an impromptu concert headlined by [[Limp Bizkit]] on a parking garage rooftop across the street from [[Fenway Park]]; the start time was moved up by an hour after WBCN announced the location on-air 15 minutes before WAAF did, and the performance only lasted for 25 minutes before police ordered it to end.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Morse |first=Steve |date=June 14, 1999 |title=Band rocks around the block |pages=B1, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45650515/band-rocks-around-the-block-pt-2/ B4] |work=[[Boston Globe]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45650479/band-rocks-around-the-block/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200226081231/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45650479/band-rocks-around-the-block/ |archive-date=February 26, 2020}}</ref>

During the production of a WAAF compilation CD, an audio track by evening host Mistress Carrie that gave out a phone number to someone named "Mike" was inserted as an inside joke; the phone number given was the inside studio line to WBCN, forcing WBCN to change their hotline.<ref>{{Cite news |date=January 19, 2001 |title=Street Talk |pages=30, 33–34 |work=[[Radio & Records]] |url=https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/2000s/2001/RR-2001-01-19.pdf |url-status=live |access-date=February 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210331004910/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/2000s/2001/RR-2001-01-19.pdf |archive-date=March 31, 2021}}</ref> Mistress Carrie, who has never publicly disclosed her [[surname]], applied to be a producer for ''Opie and Anthony'' right before their dismissal in 1998, but was still hired full-time to the evening shift;<ref name=":16">{{Cite web |last=Heslam |first=Jessica |date=February 24, 2020 |title=Demise of rock 'n roll at WAAF leaves DJ spinning |url=https://www.bostonherald.com/2020/02/24/demise-of-rock-n-roll-at-waaf-leaves-dj-spinning/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313200916/https://www.bostonherald.com/2020/02/24/demise-of-rock-n-roll-at-waaf-leaves-dj-spinning/ |archive-date=March 13, 2021 |access-date=February 28, 2020 |website=[[Boston Herald]] |language=en-US}}</ref> her involvement at the station dated back to a college internship seven years earlier.<ref name="Mistress Carrie goodbye">{{Cite news |last=Berg |first=Matt |date=February 25, 2020 |title=Longtime WAAF host Mistress Carrie says goodbye to radio station |work=[[Boston Globe]] |url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/02/25/lifestyle/longtime-waaf-host-mistress-carrie-says-goodbye-radio-station/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 28, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200227233928/https://www.bostonglobe.com/2020/02/25/lifestyle/longtime-waaf-host-mistress-carrie-says-goodbye-radio-station/ |archive-date=February 27, 2020}}</ref> Carrie eventually hosted both afternoon drive and middays.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Venta |first=Lance |date=December 22, 2016 |title=WAAF Revamps On-Air Lineup For 2017 |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/109880/waaf-revamps-on-air-lineup-for-2017/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200228050434/https://radioinsight.com/headlines/109880/waaf-revamps-on-air-lineup-for-2017/ |archive-date=February 28, 2020 |access-date=February 28, 2020 |website=RadioInsight |language=en-US}}</ref>

===Signal adjustments===
[[File:WUNI TV tower.jpg|thumb|233x233px|The former [[WUTF-TV|WUNI]] tower in [[Boylston, Massachusetts|Boylston]], home to {{Frequency|107.3|FM}}'s transmitter from 2005 to 2021.]]
While it had been teased as early as 1999 when their studio was moved to downtown Boston,<ref name=":13" /> WAAF was finally able to commence testing at a new transmission site at the [[WUTF-TV|WUNI (channel 27)]] tower on Stiles Hill in [[Boylston, Massachusetts|Boylston]] between October 31 and November 22, 2005, on [[program test authority]] from the FCC; along with this relocation, WAAF's [[city of license]] designation was reassigned from Worcester to [[Westborough, Massachusetts]]. While the station's signal strength decreased in most parts of Connecticut and western Massachusetts, the move was an attempt to concentrate the signal into Greater Boston.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Fybush |first=Scott |date=November 7, 2005 |title=Susquehanna sells - and holiday radio's here |work=NorthEast Radio Watch |url=https://www.fybush.com/NERW/2005/051107/nerw.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051206025733/https://www.fybush.com/NERW/2005/051107/nerw.html |archive-date=December 6, 2005 |access-date=May 17, 2021}}</ref>

WAAF resumed broadcasting at the Paxton site to address alleged [[Multipath interference|multipath]] issues, which were blamed on a faulty [[T1 line]] between the Brighton studios and the transmitter site.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=174|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20241224234330/https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/getimportletter_exh.cgi?import_letter_id=174|archive-date=December 24, 2024|date=November 22, 2005|first=Brian M.|last=Madden|url-status=live|title=In re: WAAF (FM); Westborough, MA}}</ref> These issues were resolved by the spring and summer of 2006, when WAAF resumed operations at the Boylston site.<ref>{{Cite web |last=FCC Internet Services Staff |title=Application Search Details |url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=1093620 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021165017/http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=1093620 |archive-date=October 21, 2012 |access-date=October 22, 2012 |publisher=Licensing.fcc.gov}}</ref> The original program test authority lasted until May 26, 2011, when the FCC officially issued a license for the site.<ref>{{Cite web |last=FCC Internet Services Staff |title=Application Search Details |url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=1092815 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121026080408/http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/app_det.pl?Application_id=1092815 |archive-date=October 26, 2012 |access-date=October 22, 2012 |publisher=Licensing.fcc.gov}}</ref>

===Simulcast with WKAF===
{{See also|WZRM}}
[[Urban One|Radio One]] announced the sale of [[Brockton, Massachusetts|Brockton]]-licensed WILD-FM (97.7) to Entercom for $30 million on August 21, 2006, in what Radio One President Alfred C. Liggins called "a very good start to our asset disposition process".<ref>{{Cite press release |title=Radio One Agrees to Sell WILD-FM In Boston |date=August 21, 2006 |publisher=[[Urban One|Radio One]] |location=Washington, D.C. |url=https://radioone.gcs-web.com/news-releases/news-release-details/radio-one-agrees-sell-wild-fm-boston |language=en |access-date=February 20, 2020 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200220042612/https://radioone.gcs-web.com/news-releases/news-release-details/radio-one-agrees-sell-wild-fm-boston |archive-date=February 20, 2020}}</ref> Entercom's purchase came after their purchase of 15 small-market stations from [[CBS Radio]] earlier in the day; those stations and WILD-FM totaled $250 million.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Wilkerson |first=David B. |date=August 21, 2006 |title=Entercom to buy 16 stations for $292 million |url=https://www.marketwatch.com/story/entercom-to-buy-16-radio-stations-for-292-million |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200220042604/https://www.marketwatch.com/story/entercom-to-buy-16-radio-stations-for-292-million |archive-date=February 20, 2020 |access-date=February 20, 2020 |website=[[MarketWatch]] |language=en-US}}</ref> Entercom entered into a [[Local marketing agreement|time brokerage agreement]] several hours after the announcement, and switched WILD-FM to a simulcast of WAAF, enabling full-market coverage of WAAF's programming in [[Downtown Boston]] and other parts of the metro area.<ref>{{Cite web |date=August 21, 2006 |title=Entercom Also Buys WILD(FM) from Radio One |url=https://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/entercom-also-buys-wildfm-from-radio-one |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200220042610/https://www.radioworld.com/news-and-business/entercom-also-buys-wildfm-from-radio-one |archive-date=February 20, 2020 |access-date=February 20, 2020 |website=Radio World |language=en-US}}</ref> After [[Stunting (broadcasting)|stunting]] with a computerized countdown sequence, the simulcast began at 5:30&nbsp;p.m. the next day with [[AC/DC]]'s "[[For Those About to Rock (We Salute You)]]".<ref>{{Cite web |last1=Venta |first1=Lance |last2=Nelson |first2=Bob |date=August 22, 2006 |title=97.7 WILD-FM becomes WAAF Simulcast |url=https://formatchange.com/977-wild-fm-becomes-waaf-simulcast/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313200902/https://formatchange.com/977-wild-fm-becomes-waaf-simulcast/ |archive-date=March 13, 2021 |access-date=February 20, 2020 |website=Format Change Archive |language=en-US}}</ref> WILD-FM's call sign was changed to [[WZRM|WKAF]] on August 30, 2006.<ref>{{Cite web |last=FCC Internet Services Staff |title=Call Sign History |url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=19633&Callsign=WKAF |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121021164958/http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=19633&Callsign=WKAF |archive-date=October 21, 2012 |access-date=October 22, 2012 |publisher=Licensing.fcc.gov}}</ref> The addition of WKAF was seen by industry analyst Scott Fybush as a way for WAAF to finally achieve signal parity with WBCN; Fybush considered the combination of WAAF's new Boylston signal and WKAF's signal as "the biggest FM coverage of any single Boston facility".<ref>{{Cite news |last=Simon |first=Clea |date=August 31, 2006 |title=WAAF's increased signal may change FM balance of power |page=H9 |work=[[Boston Globe]] |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45273886/waafs-increased-signal-may-change-fm/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200226173700/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45273886/waafs-increased-signal-may-change-fm/ |archive-date=February 26, 2020}}</ref>

In 2007, the station was nominated for the ''[[Radio & Records]]'' magazine active rock station of the year in a top 25 market award; other nominees included [[WIYY]] in Baltimore, [[KBPI]] in Denver, [[WRIF]] in Detroit, [[WMMR]] in Philadelphia, and [[KISW]] in Seattle.<ref name="randrawards">{{Cite news |date=September 28, 2008 |title=2007 Industry Achievement Awards |work=Radio and Records |url=http://www.radioandrecords.com/Conventions/con2007/awards/rockFinal.asp |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080517165802/http://www.radioandrecords.com/Conventions/con2007/awards/rockFinal.asp |archive-date=May 17, 2008}}</ref> WAAF became the longest-running rock radio station in the Boston market on August 12, 2009, after a complicated series of simultaneous format changes by CBS Radio, where WBCN's call sign changed to [[WWBX|WBMX]] and format from rock to [[hot adult contemporary]]; WBMX's call sign changed to [[WBZ-FM]] and format from hot AC to [[sports radio]] as "The Sports Hub";<ref>{{Cite web |title=CBS Radio Steps up to the Plate and Launches FM Sports Stations in Boston & Washington, D.C. Company's Leading All-Sports Stations Show More Than 20% Increase in Audience Share Year to Date; Advertisers Capitalizing on Opportunity to Reach Captive Upscale – CBS Corporation |url=https://www.cbscorporation.com/cbs-radio-steps-up-to-the-plate-and-launches-fm-sports-stations-in-boston-washington-d-c-companys-leading-all-sports-stations-show-more-than-20-increase-in-audience-share-year-to-date-adver/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190929144638/https://www.cbscorporation.com/cbs-radio-steps-up-to-the-plate-and-launches-fm-sports-stations-in-boston-washington-d-c-companys-leading-all-sports-stations-show-more-than-20-increase-in-audience-share-year-to-date-adver/ |archive-date=September 29, 2019 |access-date=September 29, 2019 |language=en-US}}</ref><ref name="cbs-wbzfm-pr">{{Cite web |last=[[CBS Radio]] |title=CBS Radio to Launch Boston's Newest and Only FM Sports Station, 98.5 The Sports Hub, on Thursday, August 13 |url=http://thephoenix.com/BLOGS/dontquoteme/archive/2009/07/14/cbs-s-wbcn-press-release.aspx |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090717104720/http://thephoenix.com/BLOGS/dontquoteme/archive/2009/07/14/cbs-s-wbcn-press-release.aspx |archive-date=July 17, 2009 |access-date=August 1, 2009}}</ref> and WBCN's rock format was moved to the "new" WBZ-FM's second [[digital subchannel]].<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Wien |first=Dick |date=January 4, 2010 |title=2009: Our Year In Review |url=https://www.cbscorporation.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/CBS-Update-year-in-review_1.pdf |url-status=live |journal=CBS Corporation Update |volume=12 |issue=615 |pages=1–17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170205021050/http://www.cbscorporation.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/CBS-Update-year-in-review_1.pdf |archive-date=February 5, 2017 |access-date=February 27, 2020}}</ref>

WKAF broke away from the WAAF simulcast on January 5, 2017, when Entercom debuted a separate [[urban adult contemporary]] format; a press release sent out by Entercom stated that WKAF "delivered little appreciable audience beyond (WAAF's) booming signal".<ref>{{Cite news |date=December 22, 2016 |title=WAAF sets new lineup in 2017 |work=Boston RadioWatch |url=http://bostonradiowatch.blogspot.com/2016/12/waaf-sets-new-line-up-in-2017-entercoms.html?m=1 |url-status=live |access-date=February 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190420163226/http://bostonradiowatch.blogspot.com/2016/12/waaf-sets-new-line-up-in-2017-entercoms.html?m=1 |archive-date=April 20, 2019}}</ref><ref name=":4">{{Cite web |last=Venta |first=Lance |date=January 5, 2017 |title=Entercom Debuts Urban AC "The New 97.7" Boston |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/110124/entercom-debuts-urban-ac-the-new-97-7-boston/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200219211519/https://radioinsight.com/headlines/110124/entercom-debuts-urban-ac-the-new-97-7-boston/ |archive-date=February 19, 2020 |access-date=February 20, 2020 |website=RadioInsight |language=en-US}}</ref> With the switch, WAAF added simulcasts on the second digital subchannel of WKAF and the third digital subchannel of WEEI-FM.<ref name=":4" /> One month later, Entercom entered into an agreement to merge with CBS Radio via a [[Reverse Morris Trust]].<ref>{{Cite web |last=Venta |first=Lance |date=February 2, 2017 |title=CBS Radio To Merge With Entercom |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/116299/cbs-radio-to-merge-with-entercom/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170826120259/http://radioinsight.com/headlines/116299/cbs-radio-to-merge-with-entercom/ |archive-date=August 26, 2017 |access-date=February 22, 2020 |website=RadioInsight |language=en-US}}</ref> Entercom, the surviving entity, retained WAAF and divested WKAF (along with several other stations) to [[iHeartMedia, Inc.]]<ref>{{Cite web |last=Venta |first=Lance |date=November 1, 2017 |title=Entercom Trades Boston & Seattle Spin-Offs To iHeartMedia For Richmond & Chattanooga |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/120711/entercom-trades-boston-seattle-spin-offs-iheartmedia-richmond-chattanooga-2/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191228053826/https://radioinsight.com/headlines/120711/entercom-trades-boston-seattle-spin-offs-iheartmedia-richmond-chattanooga-2/ |archive-date=December 28, 2019 |access-date=February 22, 2020 |website=RadioInsight |language=en-US}}</ref>

===Departure of Greg Hill===
The final ''Hill-man Morning Show'' aired on WAAF on July 19, 2019.<ref>{{Cite web |date=May 8, 2019 |title=Hill-Man Morning Show Audio |url=https://waaf.radio.com/media/podcast/hill-man-morning-show-audio |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200222234050/https://waaf.radio.com/media/podcast/hill-man-morning-show-audio |archive-date=February 22, 2020 |access-date=February 20, 2020 |website=WAAF 107.3 FM |publisher=[[Radio.com]] |language=en}}</ref> Greg Hill and co-host Danielle Murr were transferred from WAAF to the morning-drive timeslot on WEEI-FM (and by extension, WVEI, due to it being a full-time affiliate of [[WEEI-FM#Simulcast network|WEEI-FM's regional network]]) in the wake of [[Gerry Callahan]]'s dismissal from WEEI-FM over declining ratings.<ref>{{Cite web |date=July 12, 2019 |title=Gerry Callahan Ousted at WEEI Boston, Replaced By WAAF's Greg Hill. |url=http://www.insideradio.com/gerry-callahan-ousted-at-weei-boston-replaced-by-waaf-s/article_47ec7d74-a4e5-11e9-acb1-9be72fff0741.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200220033913/http://www.insideradio.com/gerry-callahan-ousted-at-weei-boston-replaced-by-waaf-s/article_47ec7d74-a4e5-11e9-acb1-9be72fff0741.html |archive-date=February 20, 2020 |access-date=February 20, 2020 |website=Insideradio.com |language=en}}
*{{Cite web|url=https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/gerry-callahan-says-hes-out-at-weei/107187/|title=Gerry Callahan Out at WEEI, Being Replaced by WAAF's Greg Hill|date=July 12, 2019|website=NBC Boston|language=en-US|access-date=February 20, 2020|archive-date=February 20, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200220033915/https://www.nbcboston.com/news/local/gerry-callahan-says-hes-out-at-weei/107187/|url-status=live}}
*{{Cite web|url=https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2019/07/11/media/OW323DeVeKep3KABugAz7I/story.html|title=It's another ratings rout for the Sports Hub|last=Finn|first=Chad|date=July 11, 2019|website=BostonGlobe.com|publisher=[[The Boston Globe]]|language=en-US|access-date=February 20, 2020|archive-date=December 5, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191205234058/https://www.bostonglobe.com/sports/2019/07/11/media/OW323DeVeKep3KABugAz7I/story.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Callahan's co-host, Mike Mutnansky, was reassigned to weeknights on WEEI-FM,<ref name=":1">{{Cite web |last=Venta |first=Lance |date=July 12, 2019 |title=Greg Hill Moves From WAAF To WEEI Boston Mornings As Gerry Callahan Exits |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/178886/greg-hill-moves-from-waaf-to-weei-boston-mornings-as-gerry-callahan-exits/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190713022228/https://radioinsight.com/headlines/178886/greg-hill-moves-from-waaf-to-weei-boston-mornings-as-gerry-callahan-exits/ |archive-date=July 13, 2019 |access-date=February 20, 2020 |website=RadioInsight |language=en-US}}</ref> while Hill's other co-host [[Lyndon Byers]] and producer Mike Hsu were moved to afternoon drive on WAAF.<ref name=":1" /> Byers abruptly quit on air in the middle of a show less than two months later. This left Hsu and Mistress Carrie as the lone remaining on air personalities on the station, along with [[The Mens Room (radio show)|''The Mens Room'']] in evenings,<ref>{{Cite web |last=Venta |first=Lance |date=May 31, 2017 |title=KISW's The Men's Room Sets First Syndication Affilliates &#91;sic&#93; |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/117725/kisws-mens-room-syndicated/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191010224658/https://radioinsight.com/headlines/117725/kisws-mens-room-syndicated/ |archive-date=October 10, 2019 |access-date=February 28, 2020 |website=RadioInsight |language=en-US}}
*{{Cite web|url=https://www.mensroomlive.com/where-listen-mens-room|title=Where to Listen to the Mens Room=|website=Radio.com|access-date=October 10, 2019|archive-date=October 10, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191010224726/https://www.mensroomlive.com/where-listen-mens-room|url-status=live}}</ref> despite a "national search" for Hill's replacement announced by WAAF management when he left.<ref>{{Cite web |last=O'Malley |first=Nick |date=July 12, 2019 |title=Greg Hill of WAAF's 'Hill-Man Morning Show' eyed to replace Gerry Callahan at WEEI (report) |url=https://www.masslive.com/sports/2019/07/waafs-greg-hill-moves-to-weei-to-host-the-greg-hill-morning-show-replacing-gerry-callahan.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200220033915/https://www.masslive.com/sports/2019/07/waafs-greg-hill-moves-to-weei-to-host-the-greg-hill-morning-show-replacing-gerry-callahan.html |archive-date=February 20, 2020 |access-date=February 20, 2020 |website=masslive |language=en}}</ref>

In November 2019, the station announced a 50th anniversary concert for early April 2020 headlined by [[Godsmack]], a band WAAF had championed 20 years earlier.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 4, 2019 |title=WAAF Big Gig featuring Godsmack |url=https://waaf.radio.com/events/waaf-big-gig-featuring-godsmack |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200218224758/https://waaf.radio.com/events/waaf-big-gig-featuring-godsmack |archive-date=February 18, 2020 |access-date=February 20, 2020 |website=WAAF 107.3 FM |publisher=[[Radio.com]] |language=en}}</ref> Intended as part of a year-long celebration, no other events were ever announced or scheduled.<ref name="ri-saletoemf" />

===Sale to EMF===
{{See also|WEEI-FM|WWBX}}[[File:Waaf.png|thumb|left|WAAF logo from 2017 to 2020, reflecting its simulcasts on the HD2 channels of WEEI-FM and WWBX]]{{Quote box
| quote = I found out, when Mike (Hsu) found out, after my show on Tuesday. We did our crossover break, and Joe asked us to come into his office. I cracked a smartass joke and said "I didn't do it" and when Joe didn't laugh, I knew something was wrong. Then I turned the corner and saw Mark Hannon&mdash;our GM&mdash;sitting there, and I got a pit in my stomach. Mark told us straight up what happened.
| author = Mistress Carrie
| source = on when she learned about the sale of WAAF<ref name="WAAF 10 Questions" />
| align = right
| width = 250px
| qalign = left
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}}
On February 18, 2020, Entercom announced that WAAF would be sold to the [[Educational Media Foundation]] for $10.75 million. Under a network affiliation agreement signed on February 14, the station would join EMF's [[K-Love]] network on February 22.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Application for Consent to Assignment of Broadcast Station Construction Permit or License: BALH - 20200226AAA |url=https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/cdbsmenu.hts?context=25&appn=101815571&formid=314&fac_num=74467 |access-date=February 27, 2020 |website=licensing.fcc.gov}}</ref> Entercom would still provide two hours of programming for the station on Sunday mornings, so as to satisfy [[U.S. Federal Communications Commission]]-mandated [[Public affairs (broadcasting)|public affairs]] requirements.<ref name=":17">{{Cite web |date=February 14, 2020 |title=Network Affiliation Agreement |url=https://licensing.fcc.gov/cdbs/CDBS_Attachment/getattachment.jsp?appn=101815571&qnum=5040&copynum=1&exhcnum=2 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200227171217/https://licensing.fcc.gov/cdbs/CDBS_Attachment/getattachment.jsp?appn=101815571&qnum=5040&copynum=1&exhcnum=2 |archive-date=February 27, 2020 |access-date=February 27, 2020 |website=FCC.gov}}</ref> This agreement ended WAAF's 50-year run as a rock station; Entercom's [[press release]] regarding the sale stated that "WAAF"-branded rock programming would continue to air on the second [[HD Radio]] channels of [[WWBX]] and WEEI-FM (both channels had been simulcasting WAAF), as well as on Entercom's [[Radio.com]] platform.<ref name="ri-saletoemf" /> Despite the K-Love network affiliation agreement having been officially signed four days earlier, on a Friday, Mistress Carrie and Mike Hsu were not informed of the transaction until two hours before the press release was issued, in between both of their respective airshifts.<ref name="WAAF 10 Questions">{{Cite web |date=March 3, 2020 |title=10 Questions with ... Mistress Carrie & Mike Hsu, Ex APD/MD/Midday & PM Drive Host |url=https://www.allaccess.com/rock/10-questions/archive/31267/10-questions-with-mistress-carrie-mike-hsu |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200815084220/https://www.allaccess.com/rock/10-questions/archive/31267/10-questions-with-mistress-carrie-mike-hsu |archive-date=August 15, 2020 |access-date=March 5, 2020 |website=All Access |language=en |ref=WAAF 10 Questions}}</ref>

While still a Worcester-market station, the sale also effectively marked EMF's entry into the Boston market,<ref name="ri-saletoemf" /> which had previously received K-Love programming via a lease of [[Methuen, Massachusetts|Methuen]]-licensed [[WUBG (AM)|WUBG]] (1570 AM),<ref name="nerw-saletoemf">{{Cite news |last=Fybush |first=Scott |date=February 18, 2020 |title=NERW Extra: EMF Enters Boston with WAAF Purchase |work=North East RadioWatch |url=https://www.fybush.com/nerw-extra-20200218/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200219220702/https://www.fybush.com/nerw-extra-20200218/ |archive-date=February 19, 2020}}</ref> along with two [[Broadcast relay station|FM translators]] in Boston's northern suburbs<ref name="ir-saletoemf">{{Cite news |date=February 18, 2020 |title=Entercom Sells WAAF Boston To EMF For $10.75 Million. |language=en |work=Inside Radio |url=http://www.insideradio.com/free/entercom-sells-waaf-boston-to-emf-for-million/article_b745a8b2-529b-11ea-b310-df33a8c3c272.html |url-status=live |access-date=February 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200219220657/http://www.insideradio.com/free/entercom-sells-waaf-boston-to-emf-for-million/article_b745a8b2-529b-11ea-b310-df33a8c3c272.html |archive-date=February 19, 2020}}</ref> and reception in the southern end of the market of the network's station in [[Providence, Rhode Island]], [[WLVO (FM)|WLVO]] (95.5 FM).<ref name="nerw-saletoemf" /> EMF vice president of signal development Joe Miller said that Boston was "one of the last major markets we haven't been able to get a major signal into until now".<ref name="bh-saletoemf">{{Cite news |last=Szaniszlo |first=Marie |date=February 19, 2020 |title=From rock, to rock of ages: WAAF sold, will convert to 'contemporary Christian' programming |work=[[Boston Herald]] |url=https://www.bostonherald.com/2020/02/18/from-rock-to-rock-of-ages-waaf-sold-will-convert-to-contemporary-christian-programming/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 19, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200219125443/https://www.bostonherald.com/2020/02/18/from-rock-to-rock-of-ages-waaf-sold-will-convert-to-contemporary-christian-programming/ |archive-date=February 19, 2020}}</ref>

The final day of WAAF's rock format consisted of a 14-hour farewell program co-hosted by program director Joe Calgaro, Mistress Carrie, and Mike Hsu. Among the in-studio guests was Aerosmith bass player [[Tom Hamilton (musician)|Tom Hamilton]], who personally reminisced about the first time he heard ''[[Dream On (Aerosmith song)|Dream On]]'' played anywhere on radio while driving in his car, listening to WAAF.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Eagan |first=Jennifer |date=February 21, 2020 |title=Inside rock station WAAF's final day on the Boston airwaves |url=https://www.wcvb.com/article/inside-rock-station-waaf-s-final-day-on-the-boston-airwaves/31049854 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200225043745/https://www.wcvb.com/article/inside-rock-station-waaf-s-final-day-on-the-boston-airwaves/31049854 |archive-date=February 25, 2020 |access-date=February 25, 2020 |website=wcvb.com |publisher=[[Hearst Television]] |language=en}}</ref> Other guests on the program included [[Bob Rivers]], Peter Zipfel, Greg Hill, Gregg "Opie" Hughes, Anthony Cumia, and Rebecca Pratt.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Carter |first=Kevin |date=February 23, 2020 |title=WAAF Rocks Off After 50 Years |url=https://ramp247.com/formats/waaf-rocks-off-after-50-years/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200225043746/https://ramp247.com/formats/waaf-rocks-off-after-50-years/ |archive-date=February 25, 2020 |access-date=February 25, 2020 |website=RAMP - Radio and Music Pros |language=en-US}}</ref>{{Efn|name=PrattOsterlind}} Mistress Carrie would later say of the offer by Entercom to do such a long farewell program, "that is a gift that we were given that we will never be able to repay. It's like being awake and attending your own wake and funeral... that you are there to hear all the nice things people would say about you if you were dead, it was overwhelming."<ref name=":16" />

{{Quote box
| quote = We worked so hard to build the WAAF that everyone told us they wanted us to be. The listeners, we heard you. We got all your criticisms and your suggestions, and trust us when we tell you, we built that station for you, and it's in a computer right now. We were so close.
| author = Mistress Carrie
| source = on a possible re-launch of WAAF aborted by the sale to EMF<ref name=":8" />
| align = left
| width = 250px
| qalign = left
| salign = left
}}
During the final hour, all three hosts stated on-air that internal plans had been in place to "relaunch the station" on March 2. These plans were to have included re-hiring station veteran Mike Brangiforte as the new morning show host, canceling ''The Mens Room'' for a local night host, teaming up Hsu with Calgaro, and a revamped music playlist curated by Mistress Carrie. All of these purported plans were immediately aborted once the sale to EMF was announced, with the ensuing "WAAF"-branded rock programming operating without any air personalities.<ref name=":8">{{Cite web |last=Venta |first=Lance |date=February 24, 2020 |title=Did WAAF Have One More Life To Live? |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/184670/did-waaf-have-one-more-life-to-live/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200224154055/https://radioinsight.com/headlines/184670/did-waaf-have-one-more-life-to-live/ |archive-date=February 24, 2020 |access-date=February 24, 2020 |website=RadioInsight |language=en-US}}

*{{Cite tweet|number=1231313783131459585|url=https://twitter.com/radioinsight/status/1231313783131459585|user=radioinsight|title=In the final hour it was noted that WAAF was preparing for a major relaunch on March 2. A new morning show hosted by Mike Brangiforte was to debut as was a new local night show, while PD Joe Calgaro was to join Mike Hsu in afternoons while the music was "to take more chances".|author=RadioInsight.com|date=February 22, 2020}}</ref> Mistress Carrie and Mike Hsu exhorted listeners to "keep their heads high, shoulders back, and horns up" and declared that "we're goin' out proud, because we were all part of something special"<ref>{{Cite magazine|first=Katie|last=Thornton|url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-features/christian-radio-educational-media-foundation-1234946121/|title=Why Is the Radio Full of Christian Rock? Thank This Nonprofit|magazine=Rolling Stone|date=January 21, 2024}}</ref> before playing the last song on WAAF prior to joining the K-Love network, "[[Black Sabbath (song)|Black Sabbath]]", from [[Black Sabbath]]'s [[Black Sabbath (album)|self-titled debut album]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=February 22, 2020 |title=The End Of WAAF Boston |url=https://formatchange.com/the-end-of-waaf-boston/ |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200223045057/https://formatchange.com/the-end-of-waaf-boston/ |archive-date=February 23, 2020 |access-date=February 23, 2020 |website=Format Change Archive |language=en-US}}
*{{cite tweet|user=BostonsBlackie|number=1231119012316184578|title=The last song played was "Black Sabbath" by Black Sabbath|date=February 22, 2020|access-date=February 22, 2020}}</ref> The selection was intentional, as Mistress Carrie explained, "the album came out weeks before we signed on the air, and Ozzy released a new album ([[Ordinary Man (Ozzy Osbourne album)|''Ordinary Man'']]) the day we signed off, and is the only artist to stay current for all 50 years of our history, and well... SATAN. If EMF was going to take our beloved signal, they were going to have to endure Satan first." Hsu also quipped, "I was hoping they (EMF) had to throw some [[holy water]] on the stick when (the clock) turned."<ref name="WAAF 10 Questions" />  Following the switchover, around 150 fans, former employees and staff members celebrated the station's legacy outside of the Brighton studios with an outdoor [[champagne]] [[Toast (honor)|toast]] in the parking lot.<ref name=":16" /><ref name="Mistress Carrie goodbye" />

Upon the takeover, Entercom "[[Domain parking|parked]]" the WAAF call sign on [[WAAF (AM)|a station in Scranton, Pennsylvania]];<ref name=":8" /> that station's previous WBZU calls were transferred to WAAF in a temporary move, effective February 26, 2020.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Fybush |first=Scott |date=February 24, 2020 |title=NorthEast Radio Watch 2/24/2020: The WAAF-termath |work=Fybush.com |url=https://www.fybush.com/site-20200224/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200225135430/https://www.fybush.com/site-20200224/ |archive-date=February 25, 2020}}</ref>{{efn|WBZU was only used for the station's top of the hour [[station identification]]; despite the similar call sign, there was no connection between WBZU and [[WBZ (AM)|WBZ]], WBZ-FM, or [[WBZ-TV]]. [[Paramount Global]], which owns WBZ-TV, holds the trademark for "WBZ"<ref>{{Cite web |title=WBZ Trademark of CBS Mass Media Corp. - Registration Number 2463746 - Serial Number 76033841 |url=http://trademarks.justia.com/760/33/wbz-76033841.html |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313200923/https://trademarks.justia.com/760/33/wbz-76033841.html |archive-date=March 13, 2021 |access-date=February 28, 2020 |website=trademarks.justia.com |publisher=Justia Trademarks |language=en}}</ref> and has [[brand licensing|licensed]] the rights to the WBZ call letters under long-term agreements with iHeartMedia and [[Beasley Broadcast Group]] following [[CBS Corporation]]'s divestiture of CBS Radio to Entercom.<ref>{{Cite web |date=November 16, 2017 |title=Exhibit 2.8 - Execution Version: Trademark License Agreement (TV Station Brands) by and between CBS Broadcasting Inc. CBS Mass Media Corporation and CBS Radio Inc., and certain subsidiaries of CBS Radio Inc. |url=https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1067837/000119312517347026/d683081dex28.htm |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200228030140/https://www.sec.gov/Archives/edgar/data/1067837/000119312517347026/d683081dex28.htm |archive-date=February 28, 2020 |access-date=February 27, 2020 |website=www.sec.gov}}</ref>}} The WBZU call letters had themselves been parked in Scranton 15 years earlier when another [[WMHX|Entercom-owned station]] in [[Madison, Wisconsin]], changed formats and call letters.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Ondrako |first=Mary |date=June 4, 2005 |title=Jack airs his eclectic tastes on growing range of stations |page=B3 |work=Times-Tribune |url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45534964/ |url-status=live |access-date=February 24, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210313200959/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/45534964/jack-airs-his-eclectic-tastes-on/ |archive-date=March 13, 2021}}</ref> Entercom then changed the station's call sign to WKVB on March 6;<ref>{{Cite web |last=Federal Communications Commission |title=Call Sign Desk - Query: WKVB |url=https://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/callsign/query.hts?Form_Level=callsign&Call_Sign=WKVB |access-date=March 9, 2020}}</ref> EMF had previously used the WKVB call sign on [[WKPA (FM)|the K-Love station]] at [[Port Matilda, Pennsylvania]]. EMF's purchase of WKVB was completed on April 21, 2020.<ref name="fcc-saletoemfcomplete">{{Cite web |date=April 21, 2020 |title=Consummation Notice |url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1817210&Service=FM&Form_id=905&Facility_id=74467 |access-date=May 5, 2020 |website=CDBS Public Access |publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]]}}</ref>

Despite the sale, WAAF's planned "Big Gig" concert was still scheduled to be held on April 25, 2020; however, on March 27, Entercom announced that it would be postponed to April 24, 2021, due to the [[COVID-19 pandemic]].<ref>{{Cite news |last=Bonner |first=Michael |date=March 27, 2020 |title=WAAF's Big Gig concert postponed at Worcester's DCU Center until April 2021 |language=en |work=[[MassLive]] |url=https://www.masslive.com/worcester/2020/03/coronavirus-postpones-waafs-big-gig-headlined-by-godsmack-until-april-2021-at-worcesters-dcu-center.html |url-status=live |access-date=March 27, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200327195623/https://www.masslive.com/worcester/2020/03/coronavirus-postpones-waafs-big-gig-headlined-by-godsmack-until-april-2021-at-worcesters-dcu-center.html |archive-date=March 27, 2020}}</ref>

After taking over, EMF applied to move the WKVB transmitter to the [[WUNI]] (channel 66) tower in [[Hudson, Massachusetts|Hudson]];<ref name="ri-wkvbhudsonboosters">{{cite news |last1=Venta |first1=Lance |title=FCC Report 5/3: WKVB Moves Closer To Boston |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/186773/fcc-report-5-3-wkvb-moves-closer-to-boston/ |access-date=April 6, 2024 |work=RadioInsight |date=May 3, 2020}}</ref><ref name="nerw-wkvbhudsonboosters">{{cite news |last1=Fybush |first1=Scott |title=NorthEast Radio Watch 5/4/2020: K-Love Reworks Boston Signals |url=https://www.fybush.com/nerw-20200504/ |access-date=April 6, 2024 |work=Fybush.com |date=May 4, 2020}}</ref>{{efn|The WUNI call sign had moved from channel 27 to channel 66 in 2017, in a programming and call sign swap with [[WUTF-TV]].<ref name="nerw-wuniwutfswap">{{cite news |last1=Fybush |first1=Scott |title=NERW 12/4/2017: WNY Tower’s “Goodbye Kiss” |url=https://www.fybush.com/nerw-20171204/ |access-date=April 6, 2024 |work=Fybush.com |date=December 4, 2024}}</ref>}} while the move would further reduce the station's coverage of [[Worcester County, Massachusetts|Worcester County]], the affected areas could still receive K-Love programming via [[WCCC (FM)|WCCC (106.9 FM)]] in [[Hartford, Connecticut]], or [[WKMY (FM)|WKMY (99.9 FM)]] in [[Athol, Massachusetts|Athol]].<ref name="nerw-wkvbhudsonboosters"/> WKVB also was authorized to construct [[booster station]]s in Boston, [[Lexington, Massachusetts|Lexington]], and [[Waltham, Massachusetts|Waltham]]—all at locations where two other area stations, [[WXRV]] and [[WXLO]], had earlier established boosters.<ref name="ri-wkvbhudsonboosters"/> In July 2022, EMF purchased a second Boston-area station, [[WNKC|WBOQ]] (104.9 FM) in [[Gloucester, Massachusetts|Gloucester]], to bring K-Love programming to portions of Boston's northeast suburbs not served by WKVB.<ref name="ri-wboqklove">{{cite news |last1=Venta |first1=Lance |title=More Details On EMF’s WBOQ Acquisition |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/230736/wboq-drops-ac-as-emf-begins-lma/ |access-date=April 6, 2024 |work=RadioInsight |date=July 13, 2022}}</ref>

== Current programming ==
WKVB does not air local programming; all content is transmitted via satellite by the Educational Media Foundation's K-Love network based out of [[Rocklin, California]]. This excludes one hour of public affairs programming produced for the station by EMF on Sunday nights.<ref name=":17" />

== Boosters ==
{{RadioTranslators
| call1    = WKVB-FM1
| freq1    = 107.3
| city1    = Boston, Massachusetts
| fid1     = 755567
| watts1   = 13
| class1   = D
| coord1   = {{coord|42|20|57|N|71|4|29|W|region:US-MA_type:landmark|name=WKVB-FM1}}

| call2    = WKVB-FM2
| freq2    = 107.3
| city2    = Lexington, Massachusetts
| fid2     = 755568
| watts2   = 630
| class2   = D
| coord2   = {{coord|42|24|51.1|N|71|12|37.2|W|region:US-MA_type:landmark|name=WKVB-FM2}}

| call3    = WKVB-FM3
| freq3    = 107.3
| city3    = Waltham, Massachusetts
| fid3     = 755569
| watts3   = 1,400
| class3   = D
| coord3   = {{coord|42|22|42.4|N|71|16|3.1|W|region:US-MA_type:landmark|name=WKVB-FM3}}
}}

== Notes ==
{{notelist}}

== References ==
{{Reflist}}

== External links ==
*{{Official website|http://www.klove.com/}}
{{FM station data|74467|WKVB}}

{{Worcester Radio}}
{{Boston Radio}}
{{Religious Radio Stations in Massachusetts}}
{{K-LOVE}}

[[Category:Radio stations in Worcester, Massachusetts|KVB (FM)]]
[[Category:Westborough, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Radio stations established in 1961]]
[[Category:1961 establishments in Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Educational Media Foundation radio stations]]
[[Category:K-Love radio stations]]
[[Category:Christian radio stations in Massachusetts|KVB (FM)]]
[[Category:Contemporary Christian radio stations in the United States]]