Cherry & Webb Broadcasting Company, owners of WPRO (AM 630), applied for a construction permit for a new high frequency broadcasting station on 47.5 MHz on October 29, 1940. An amended application was filed January 15, 1941, and was finally granted by the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) on June 12, 1947, with its new frequency of 92.3 MHz in the new FM band.[3] WPRO-FM began broadcasting on April 17, 1948.[4] The Cherry & Webb Broadcasting Company,[5] in turn, was owned by the Cherry & Webb Department Store. (In the early days of broadcasting, it was common for department stores to own radio stations, to provide programming for customers who bought receivers.) At first, WPRO-FM simulcast its AMsister station, WPRO. In 1959, Capital Cities Communications acquired both WPRO and WPRO-FM. Through the 1960s and early 1970s, WPRO-FM aired a beautiful music format, while WPRO AM enjoyed high ratings with a top 40 format.
Switch to Top 40
On April 29, 1974, at 3:00 pm, WPRO-FM changed formats from easy listening, joining its AM counterpart as a top 40 outlet.[6] The influential sound and feel of the station's new format was crafted by WPRO-FM's first program director Gary Berkowitz. The initial on-air staff included up-and-coming radio luminaries including Big John Bina, Tony Bristol, Tom Cuddy, Daniel 'Giovanni' Centofanti (who celebrated 50 years on the air in April 2024), and Jimmy Gray, in addition to future music industry executives and radio broadcasters including Al Gomes, Vic Michaels, and John Leahy. Howard Hoffman, Rocky Allen, and Bruce Diamond would later join the station as its popularity surged.
Over time, the AM moved toward an adult top 40 direction, adding more information and service features, while WPRO-FM continued as a music-intensive top 40 outlet. Capital Cities and ABC merged in 1985, and WPRO-AM-FM were then under the ownership of one of America's biggest broadcasting companies.
Cap Cities sells WPRO-AM-FM
In December 1992, Capital Cities/ABC announced that the stations would be sold to Tele-Media, with the sale being consummated the following April.[7] This put the station under common ownership with WLKW (the former WEAN) and WWLI. Tele-Media, in turn, sold its stations to Citadel Broadcasting in 1997.[8] Citadel merged with Cumulus Media on September 16, 2011.[9]
