WBPM

WBPM (92.9 FM) is a classic hits music formatted radio station licensed to Saugerties, New York, serving the Mid-Hudson Valley and Catskills. The station is owned by Pamal Broadcasting and broadcasts at 6,000 watts ERP from the a tower in the Town of Kingston, New York.

The WBPM calls were previously on 94.3 MHz from 1975 to 2003, that station is today known as WKXP.

History

92.9 MHz, Saugerties, New York was added to the FCC's Table of Allotments in June 1998. The allotment was applied for and won by then-WRNQ/WKIP/WTND owner Eric Straus. In its preparation to reach the air, its tower site changed from WDST's original tower in Lake Katrine to a defunct AT&T microwave relay tower site in the Town of Kingson, given that a feasibility study showed that from the former very little signal would reach the main target market of Poughkeepsie.

On September 15, 1999, the allotment was assigned the call letters WRKW, signed on for testing that October 23, and made a full launch on November 1, 1999. WRKW's launch format was a "Rock Adult Contemporary" format called Quality Rock which was automated and jockless outside of the syndicated Bob & Tom morning show. Later a voicetracked PM drive jock and the syndicated weekend show The Beatle Years was added. Considering that the same music was available on the far stronger WPDH, the station struggled to make a showing.