View source for WPEP

{{Use American English|date=February 2025}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=April 2024}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name                = WPEP
| logo                =
| city                = [[Taunton, Massachusetts]]
| country             = US
| area                = 
| branding            = 
| airdate             = {{start date and age|1949|12|22}}
| last_airdate        = {{end date|2007|10|18}}<br>({{age in years and days|1949|12|22|2007|10|18}})
| frequency           = {{frequency|1570|[[kHz]]}}
| licensing_authority = [[Federal Communications Commission|FCC]]
| power               = {{ubl|{{val|1000|u=[[watt]]s|fmt=commas}} (day)|{{val|227.4|u=watts|fmt=commas}} (night)}}
| haat                = {{convert|60|m|disp=flip}}
| class               = B
| facility_id         = 61601
| coordinates         = {{coord|41|53|0.4|N|71|3|48.2|W|region:US-MA_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}
| callsign_meaning    = 
| former_callsigns    = WTRN (never used on air)
| owner               = Anastos Media Group
| licensee            = 
| sister_stations     = 
| webcast             = 
| website             = {{url|https://web.archive.org/web/20051110094357/http://www.wpep1570.com:80/|wpep1570.com}} via [[Internet Archive]]
| affiliations        = {{ubl|[[Citadel Media|ABC Radio Networks]]|[[Talk Radio Network]]|[[USA Radio Network]]|[[Westwood One (1976–2011)|Westwood One]]|[[Boston Red Sox Radio Network]] (2004–2005)|[[Pawsox Radio Network]] (????-2003)}} 
}}

'''WPEP''' ({{frequency|1570|[[kHz]]}}) was an [[amplitude modulation|AM]] [[radio station]] licensed to [[Taunton, Massachusetts]]. WPEP's format had been full-service, offering local news and talk programming, as well as music and nationally syndicated talk. The station was last owned by the Anastos Media Group.

==History==

===1940s===
In late {{year|1948}}, Silver City Broadcasting Corp., owned by businessman John McGregor, applied for and was granted a construction permit for an AM broadcast station in Taunton. The station's callsign was originally to be WTRN, however the callsign was changed to WPEP before the station officially signed on the air December 22, 1949. When WPEP signed on, its studio was located atop the Roseland Ballroom, north of downtown Taunton. The original format is believed to have been all local programming. WPEP was a {{val|1|u=[[kilowatt]]}} daytime-only station from {{year|1949}} to {{year|1970}}. This meant that WPEP was required to cease transmitting from sunset to sunrise. WPEP's transmitter site was 760 County Street in Taunton, Massachusetts.

===1970s===
On November 27, 1970, WPEP received pre-sunrise authority, allowing it to sign on at {{Format time|6|00|hour_format=g}} with a power of {{val|350|u=watts}}, which could be upped to the full kilowatt at sunrise (during months when sunrise occurs later than {{Format time|6|00|hour_format=g}}).  News Director at the time was John P. Shaw.

===1980s===
Daytime-only status lasted until September 1, 1986, when WPEP was granted nighttime authorization, which allowed WPEP to transmit {{val|227.4|u=watts}} of power.

===1990s===
WPEP was sold in {{year|1997}} by Silver City Broadcasting to J. Keating Willcox's Willow Farm Broadcasting.

===2000s===
This would be the final calendar decade of WPEP's existence. WPEP was sold to Anastos Media Group in {{year|2001}}. Paul Giammarco was named general manager in {{year|2002}} until he left for [[WSAR]] in {{year|2003}}. After Giammarco left, staffer A.J. Nicholson was promoted to general manager.

In {{year|2004}}, WPEP added the [[Boston Red Sox Radio Network]] and carried the team's first [[2004 World Series|World Series]] victory heard on radio. It was an affiliate in {{year|2005}} as well but station management had changed that March and did not air games. A May 5, 2005, article in the ''[[Taunton Daily Gazette]]'' said that the station was in jeopardy because [[WUBG (AM)|WNSH]] in [[Beverly, Massachusetts]], got approval from the [[Federal Communications Commission]] (FCC) to increase their daytime power.<ref name="WPEP_Dark_2005" /> WNSH was owned by former WPEP owner J. Keating Wilcox. When Wilcox sold WPEP to Anastos Media, there was an informal agreement that Anastos Media would turn in the station's license to allow WNSH (on the same frequency) to up their power, contingent on the power increase being granted by the FCC. The city's mayor and U.S. Representative filed objections; however, the station's general manager at the time publicly dismissed the possibility the station may go dark. On December 5, 2005, Anastos Media filed a renewal of the WPEP license. The renewal was granted by the FCC on March 28, 2006. WPEP's license was turned in to the FCC on October 18, 2007.<ref name="WPEP_dark" />

==Auxiliary licenses==
*KRN297: a [[Remote pickup unit]] (RPU) on {{frequency|161.64|MHz}}/{{frequency|161.67|MHz}}.
*WLI832: a [[Studio/transmitter link|Studio-transmitter link]] (STL) on {{frequency|948|MHz}}.

==Status==
Station license deleted.

==See also==
*[[Taunton, Massachusetts]]

==References==
{{reflist|30em|refs=

<ref name="WPEP_dark">{{cite news | date = August 1, 2007 | title = WPEP and the sound of silence | url = https://www.tauntongazette.com/article/20070801/NEWS/308019309 | url-status = live | work = [[Taunton Daily Gazette]] | language = en-us | oclc = 9545291 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20210308202734/https://www.tauntongazette.com/article/20070801/NEWS/308019309 | archive-date = March 8, 2021 | access-date = March 8, 2021 | via = | url-access = | quote = Radio Station WPEP has been a strong voice in the Taunton area for close to for 60 years, but it may be bowing out. The transfer of some of its shows, including Home Town Talk, from 1570 AM on the dial to WBUF, at 1530 AM, was disclosed with the expectation that PEP will be gone for good in September. | df = dmy-all}}</ref>

<ref name="WPEP_Dark_2005">{{cite news | last1 = Winokoor | first1 = Charles| date = May 5, 2005 | title = WPEP faces threat of 'going dark' | url = http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=14472456&BRD=1711&PAG=461&dept_id=24237&rfi=6 | url-status = dead | department = Business | work = [[Taunton Daily Gazette]] | language = en-us |  oclc = 9545291 | archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20070930041131/http://www.zwire.com/site/news.cfm?newsid=14472456&BRD=1711&PAG=461&dept_id=24237&rfi=6 | archive-date = September 30, 2007 | access-date = March 8, 2021 | quote = According to an April 27 letter issued by the FCC, Anastos Media Group (Anastos), Inc. of Malta, N.Y. "proposes to surrender the WPEP license for cancellation, contingent upon grant of the WNSH minor modification application." | df = dmy-all}}</ref>

}}

==External links==
*[https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/public/tv/publicFacilityDetails.html?facilityId=61601 Facility details for Facility ID 61601 (WPEP)] in the FCC Licensing and Management System
*[https://cdbs.recnet.com/corres/?doc=66109 FCC History Cards for WPEP] (covering 1948-1980 as WTRN / WPEP)
*{{official website|https://web.archive.org/web/20051110094357/http://www.wpep1570.com:80/|Official website}} (via [[Internet Archive]])

{{New Bedford-Fall River Radio}}

[[Category:Mass media in Bristol County, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Greater Taunton Area]]
[[Category:Radio stations in Massachusetts|PEP]]
[[Category:Taunton, Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Defunct radio stations in the United States]]
[[Category:Radio stations established in 1949]]
[[Category:Radio stations disestablished in 2007]]
[[Category:Defunct companies based in Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Defunct mass media in Massachusetts|PEP]]
[[Category:1949 establishments in Massachusetts]]
[[Category:2007 disestablishments in Massachusetts]]