WILD (AM)

Infobox Radio Station


name = WILD
airdate = May 1946 as WBMS
frequency = 1090 (kHz) HD Radio
area = Boston
format = Classic Soul
owner = Radio One
erp = 4800 watts (Daytime)
1900 watts (Critical)
branding = "1090 WILD"
slogan = Boston's Classic Soul
class = D
website =
callsign_meaning = WILD about Boston

WILD-AM is a radio station licensed to Boston, Massachusetts. It broadcasts on 1090 kHz with a classic soul format.

History

WILD first went on the air in 1946 as WBMS, with a classical-music format. Eventually, the station went to a "popular music" format, briefly adopted the call letters WHEE, then went back to being WBMS. By the end of the fifties, the call letters were changed to WILD under then owner Bartell, who tried a personality DJ and music format.

However, the station's history is best known for a long-lasting urban contemporary format which began in 1973. WILD became the respected voice of Boston's black community for many years. Until 1999, the station was locally owned and operated by Kendall Nash and his Nash Communications. When Nash died, his wife, Bernardine, took the helm of the station's operations.

WILD first saw competition when 94.5 WZOU flipped to a Rhythmic Contemporary Hits format as WJMN ("Jam'n 94.5") in 1993. However, it was not until 1999, when African American-owned Radio One entered the market with WBOT, that WILD saw real competition for Boston's African American population.

In 2000, Radio One took control of WILD through an local marketing agreement, which became an outright purchase later that year. After purchasing the station, Radio One slowly evolved WILD from a rather mainstream Urban Adult Contemporary format to a station that focused more on classic soul music. In addition, the syndicated Tom Joyner morning show was added to the lineup, with the former morning host ("Coach" Willie Maye) relocated to giving local updates on the show.

In 2005, Radio One brought about the biggest changes to the station in many years. The 1090 signal was plagued with some problems, as while the signal covered the areas of Boston with large African American populations, the station was forced to sign-off every night as a result of former-clear channel station, WBAL in Baltimore. In addition, the strong Arbitron ratings of WILD had warranted a better and more-powerful frequency. However, Radio One had come up with a solution.

On October 20, 2005 Radio One moved the Urban Adult Contemporary format to the dial position of WBOT. The move replaced the "Hot 97.7" format for most of the day, but it remained from 4:00PM until 10:00PM. WBOT subsequently picked up the call letters of WILD-FM.

The move cleared the 1090 frequency for a new format, so when WILD signed on at sunrise on October 20, it was reborn as a new urban contemporary gospel formatted station, "Praise 1090", based on the success of WPZE-FM in Atlanta and WPPZ in Philadelphia.

But Praise 1090 was not to last. On January 30, 2006, the 1090 frequency changed formats again. WILD became the Boston affiliate for the company's African American-targeted news/talk network, featuring hosts including Michael Eric Dyson, Al Sharpton, and 2 Live Stews. A local morning program was also added, featuring Jimmy Myers, taking the longtime Boston radio host out of his retirement. The station retained the Black gospel format for weekend programming. While other affiliates of the network adopted the slogan, "The People's Station", WILD was unable to do so, as that was the slogan of WILD-FM. Instead, WILD used "Where Information is Power", the slogan of Radio One's longtime urban news/talk station WOL in Washington, D.C.. In the summer of 2008 after changing formats to Classic Soul, they changed their slogan to "Boston's Classic Soul".

On August 21, 2006, AllAccess.com reported that Entercom Communications bought WILD-FM and changed the format (after a "stunt") to rock (a simulcast of WAAF 107.3), a move designed to expand WAAF's signal reach. WILD-FM flipped to the simulcast at 5:30 p.m. August 22.

The sale of WILD-FM meant that the Tom Joyner morning show would return to AM 1090, and WILD would revert to contemporary inspirational and gospel music [http://business.bostonherald.com/businessNews/view.bg?articleid=153862] , ending the news/talk format. The news/talk format subsequently returned that December, [cite news |first=Clea |last=Simon |title=WBZ's new morning anchor says the job is 'a homecoming' |url=http://www.boston.com/news/globe/living/articles/2006/12/15/wbzs_new_morning_anchor_says_the_job_is_a_homecoming/ |publisher="The Boston Globe" |date=2006-12-15 |accessdate=2007-10-08 ] . In summer 2008 the Tom Joyner Morning Show returned and the News/talk format got replaced by Classic Soul. The website went down for the format change and has not been brought back up yet. The WILD callsign has been grandfathered years before Clear Channel trademarked The "Wild" branding (used on Rhythmic formatted Hip Hop stations) sometime in the 1990s or early 200's. The WILD callsign on 1090 mean "Wild about boston". That was also what the call letters on their former sister station meant.

References

External links

* [http://www.wild1090.com WILD Website]
*amq|WILD
*aml|WILD