WKXL

WKXL (1450 AM and 103.9 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a talk radio format. Licensed to Concord, New Hampshire, United States, the station serves the Concord area. The station is currently owned by New Hampshire Family Radio LLC, itself owned by former Senator Gordon J. Humphrey, and features programming from AP Radio.[1]

WKXL
CityConcord, New Hampshire
Broadcast areaConcord and vicinity
Frequency1450 kHz
BrandingNew Hampshire Talk Radio 103.9 – 1450
SloganConcord's News, Talk, Sports
Programming
FormatNews/talk
AffiliationsAP Radio
Ownership
OwnerNew Hampshire Family Radio LLC
History
First air date
June 15, 1946 (1946-06-15)
Technical information
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID8694
ClassC
Power1,000 watts unlimited
Transmitter coordinates
43°11′39″N 71°33′17″W
Translator(s)W280EC (103.9 FM) Concord
Links
Public license information
Profile
LMS
WebcastListen Live
Websiteconcordnewsradio.com

History

Early years
The historic Eagle Hotel housed WKXL's first studios and offices

On December 6, 1945, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) issued a construction permit to Charles M. Dale, then the sitting Governor of New Hampshire,[2] for a new 250-watt radio station on 1450 kHz in Concord.[3] The station signed on June 15,[4] with studios in the historic Eagle Hotel and an adjoining building.[5]

After five years, Dale sold WKXL to Capitol Broadcasting Corporation, a consortium formed by part-owners of WFEA at Manchester, for $50,000 in 1951.[6] Under Capitol ownership, the station became a CBS Radio affiliate from 1951 to 1959 and again beginning in December 1962.[7] The original principals in Capitol sold the company to H. Scott Killgore, a 20-year radio veteran, for $75,000 in 1954.[8] That same year, Tom Shovan, who would be instrumental in shaping the careers of Rick Dees and Laura Schlesinger, started his radio career as a disc jockey at WKXL;[9] he was just 12 years old.[10]

Another sale followed three years later to Patrick Estes and Joseph Close, owners of WKNE (1290 kHz) in Keene and WKNY in Kingston, New York.[11] A power increase followed to 1,000 watts during the day, approved in 1961.[3] The station expanded its service to FM when WKXL-FM 102.3, an 80 percent simulcast of the AM frequency and its middle of the road format, began broadcasting on March 7, 1972.[4]

In 1980, Estes, who had bought out Close, sold the WKXL stations to a consortium of seven station employees, led by the Osborn, Shapiro and Chaloux families, in a transaction valued at $1.5 million.[12]

Vox cutbacks and restoration under Bailey and Humphrey
The WKXL street-front studio at Concord Camera in downtown Concord, seen in 2019.

In 1999, WKXL and its sister stations were sold by their employee-owners to Vox Media Group. Major cutbacks in programming followed, including the cancellation of the station's "Party Line" program and live broadcasts of the city council; ratings fell as a result.[13] After three years, Vox sold the station to Warren Bailey, operations manager of WLNH-FM in Laconia; under his ownership, more local programs were restored to the WKXL lineup,[13] including a talk show hosted by Arnie Arnesen and New Hampshire Fisher Cats minor league baseball.[14]

The station was acquired by former New Hampshire senator Gordon J. Humphrey, alongside business partner George Stevens, for $830,000 in 2004; former owner Bailey cited the sale as a "golden opportunity" even though he had owned the station just 18 months.[14][13] The transaction separated WKXL from operational control of the 102.3 frequency,[14] which consequently dropped its simulcast.[15]

WKXL began airing on FM translator W280EC (103.9 FM) in the early 2010s. In 2014, the station acquired it outright from New Hampshire Gospel Radio for $5,000.[16]

References
  1. "WKXL Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  2. "Construction of WKXL..." (PDF). Broadcasting. March 18, 1946. p. 36. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  3. FCC History Cards for WKXL
  4. "WKXL(AM)" (PDF). Broadcasting Yearbook. 1975. p. C-118 (366). Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  5. "Dale Gets Tower Permit". Portsmouth Herald. Associated Press. February 21, 1946. p. 9. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  6. "FCC Roundup" (PDF). Broadcasting. July 9, 1951. p. 87. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  7. "Two more stations join CBS Radio on Dec. 30" (PDF). Broadcasting. December 24, 1962. p. 34. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  8. "WKXL Concord Sold" (PDF). Broadcasting. February 15, 1954. p. 11. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  9. Yorke, Jeffrey (April 16, 1999). "Radio Promotion Vet Tom Shovan Dies" (PDF). Radio & Records. pp. 3, 35. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  10. West, Randy (April 16, 1999). "Shovan Remembered By Colleague, Friend" (PDF). Radio & Records. pp. 18, 20. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  11. "Close, Estes Buy WKXL Concord" (PDF). Broadcasting. January 21, 1957. p. 9. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  12. "Changing Hands" (PDF). Broadcasting. April 18, 1980. p. 60. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  13. Leavens, Sydney B. (April 9, 2004). "Humphrey to co-own WKXL-AM". Concord Monitor. Archived from the original on March 13, 2006. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  14. "Bailey & WKXL". Laconia Daily Sun. April 11, 2004. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  15. "Concord, NH" (PDF). M Street Journal. July 10, 2002. p. 15. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
  16. Venta, Lance (October 25, 2014). "Station Sales: Week Of 10/3". RadioInsight. Retrieved August 18, 2020.
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