WSMN

WSMN (1590 AM) is an American radio station broadcasting a news/talk format. The station is licensed to Nashua, New Hampshire, United States, and serves the Nashua area. Its owners since March 2017 are on-air personalities George Russell and Bob Bartis.[1]

WSMN
CityNashua, New Hampshire
Broadcast areaMerrimack Valley
Frequency1590 kHz
Branding1590 WSMN
SloganNashua's News & Talk
Programming
FormatNews/talk
AffiliationsUSA Radio News
Biz Talk Radio
Talk Radio Network
Westwood One
Ownership
OwnerRobert Bartis
(Bartis Broadcasting, LLC)
History
First air date
March 9, 1958
Call sign meaning
We Serve Manchester and Nashua
or
Salem, Manchester, and Nashua
or
Weather, Sports, Music, and News
Technical information
Facility ID102
ClassD
Power770 watts daytime
58 watts nighttime
Transmitter coordinates
42°45′34″N 71°28′37″W
Translator(s)W237FA (93.5 FM) Nashua
Links
WebcastListen live (via TuneIn)
Websitewww.wsmn1590.com

History

WSMN signed on March 9, 1958. The first voice heard was that of Manchester, New Hampshire native Frank G. Teas who spent the next 44 years with the organization until he retired in December 2002.[2] Original owner Merrimack Valley Broadcasting System[3] sold the station only one year later, to 1590 Broadcasting Corporation.[4] By 1971, WSMN had a middle-of-the-road format, mixed in with talk;[5] this format remained in place through the decade.[2] The organization also published an advertiser-supported, free tabloid called the 1590 Broadcaster.[6]

During the mid-1990s, WSMN attempted a country music format; however, this format became less viable for the station after Boston country station WKLB-FM moved from 96.9 FM (now WBQT) to 99.5 FM (now WCRB), and it reverted to adult standards in December 1997.[7] This was short lived; in March 1998, the station changed to news/talk, though some timeslots were temporarily filled with adult contemporary music for a time.[8] Initially locally oriented,[8] in June WSMN began adding nationally-produced programming, including Talk America shows and business news from Bloomberg Radio.[9] Two years later, Tom O'Brien signed a local marketing agreement to take over the station's operations.[10]

WSMN was forced off the air February 1, 2005 after losing the lease to its transmitter and studio site on West Hollis Street (Route 111).[11] The license was sold to Absolute Broadcasting, owner of WSNH (900; now WGHM) that July,[12] and the station returned to the air in October from the WSNH tower, running a low-power special temporary authority signal.[13] Initially simulcasting WSNH's ESPN Radio programming,[13] the station began shifting back to a news/talk format in early 2006,[14] featuring programing from Talk Radio Network and Westwood One.

Sale to current owners

Absolute Broadcasting sold WSMN to Bartis Broadcasting LLC[1] for $200,000.[15] The sale took effect on March 16, 2017. The proprietors are George Russell and Bob Bartis, two men who had done shows on WSMN. They promised "more local programming and a refocus on the community."[1]

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

Programming

WSMN airs Nashua This Morning with George Russell during morning drive, and various local programming at other times. Bartis continues to host shows on several topics. In timeslots where a talk show is not scheduled, the station airs blocks of music.[16] WSMN is an affiliate of USA Radio News.

Former personalities
  • Al Rock (General Manager)
  • Ed Lecius, Sr. (News Director)
  • Frank Teas, Sr. (Program Director)
  • Weldon Haire[17]
  • Maury Parent
  • Jeff Radzik
  • Eric Nuernberg (Eric O’ Neil)
  • Nick Diamond
  • Jim Liversidge
  • Robert "Woody" Woodland
  • Robert "Bob" Bevill
  • Chuck O'Neil
  • Gerry Wood
  • Kevin Farwell
  • John Halpert
  • Dee Dee Leigh
  • Griff Vautier
  • Russ Cooper
  • Dale Lonroth
  • Hal Hillard
  • Tony Broseau
  • Leo Zani
  • Steve Shaw
  • Herb Andrews
  • Ernie Anastos
  • Dianna Ploss

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