WCPE

WCPE is a private classical music radio station broadcasting in the United States out of studios near Wake Forest, North Carolina. Broadcasting from Raleigh, North Carolina on 89.7 FM at 100,000 watts, the station went on the air July 17, 1978 and switched to a 24-hour classical music format in 1984. The "sister station", WZPE in Bath, NC, had obtained a construction permit from the FCC for a power increase to 4,500 watts.

WCPE's main signal extends from the South Carolina state line to the suburbs of Richmond, Virginia, and some parts of Charlotte, North Carolina as well.

Overview

Despite its seeming connection to composer Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, WCPE's call letters don't stand for anything in particular; the station simply did not have the money to petition the FCC for a specific set of call letters, but was happy with the result.

WCPE has an extensive network of affiliate radio stations across both central and eastern North Carolina and in ten states in the U.S. It can be also be heard on cable television systems, on free-to-air (open format) "small dish" home satellite systems via the AMC-1 satellites, and around the world via six streaming audio formats on the Internet, including mp3, Ogg Vorbis, QuickTime, RealAudio, iTunes, and WMA. The station also streams via IPv6. Listening options and instructions are at http://theclassicalstation.org/listen.shtml.