WPXY-FM
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WPXY-FM (97.9 FM, "98PXY") is a heritage
contemporary hit radio Contemporary hit radio (CHR, also known as contemporary hits, hit list, current hits, hit music, top 40, or pop radio) is a radio format common in many countries that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top ...
station licensed to
Rochester, New York Rochester is a city in and the county seat, seat of government of Monroe County, New York, United States. It is the List of municipalities in New York, fourth-most populous city and 10th most-populated municipality in New York, with a populati ...
. Its transmitter is located on Pinnacle Hill in
Brighton Brighton ( ) is a seaside resort in the city status in the United Kingdom, city of Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, England, south of London. Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze Age Britain, Bronze Age, R ...
, and its studios are located at High Falls Studios in
Downtown Rochester Downtown Rochester is the economic center of Rochester, New York, and the 2nd largest in Upstate New York, employing more than 50,000 people, and housing more than 6,000. History Rochesterville, as it was once called, was founded in present day ...
. WPXY also broadcasts on
HD Radio HD Radio (HDR) is a trademark for in-band on-channel (IBOC) digital radio broadcast technology. HD radio generally simulcast, simulcasts an existing analog radio station in digital format with less noise and with additional text information. HD R ...
, and includes a secondary subchannel, known as "
Channel Q Channel Q (stylized as CHANNEL Q) is an LGBT community, LGBT lifestyle talk radio, talk and electronic dance music, EDM top 40 radio network created, owned, and operated by Audacy, Inc. The network airs on the Audacy internet radio service, as ...
", which carries an
LGBTQ+ LGBTQ people are individuals who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning. Many variants of the initialism are used; LGBTQIA+ people incorporates intersex, asexual, aromantic, agender, and other individuals. The group i ...
–oriented talk/ EDM format.


History

WPXY-FM signed on the air on September 14, 1959, as WVET-FM, the FM sister to WVET (1280 AM). It first aired classical music, before flipping to an automated beautiful music format. In addition to being an FM sister, WVET-FM was also a sister station to WVET-TV, and was originally under the ownership of Veterans Broadcasting. Veterans changed the station's call sign to WROC-FM in 1961, and sold the WROC stations (which included
WROC-TV WROC-TV (channel 8) is a television station in Rochester, New York, United States, affiliated with CBS and owned by Nexstar Media Group. The station's studios are located on Humboldt Street in downtown Rochester, and its transmitter is located ...
) to Rust Craft Broadcasting in 1964, before being sold to Associated Broadcasters, which later became part of Pyramid Broadcasting. Due to the ownership split, in 1975, WROC-FM became WPXY, and was known as "Pixie" (hence the "PXY" call letters). (WROC would become WPXN). The station began broadcasting
Rick Dees Weekly Top 40 ''Rick Dees Weekly Top 40'' (sometimes known as ''The Weekly Top 40'') is an internationally syndicated radio program created and hosted by American radio personality Rick Dees. It is currently heard on over 200 radio stations worldwide. It is ...
in November 1983 (until late 1988) and
American Top 40 ''American Top 40'' (abbreviated to ''AT40'') is an internationally radio syndication, syndicated, independent song countdown radio programming, radio program created by Casey Kasem, Don Bustany, Tom Rounds, and Ron Jacobs (broadcaster), Ron Jaco ...
with
Casey Kasem Kemal Amin "Casey" Kasem (April 27, 1932 – June 15, 2014) was an American disc jockey, actor, and radio presenter who created and hosted several radio countdown programs, notably ''American Top 40'', as well as the weekly syndicated televi ...
in March 1987. WPXY would begin simulcasting on its AM sister station in September 1983, with the simulcast running until 1991, when the AM would flip to standards, and then oldies, before returning to a simulcast in 1992, and then splitting again a year later. (The AM changed its call sign to WHTK, and would be sold off to
Jacor Jacor Communications was a media corporation, existing between 1987 and 1999, which owned many radio stations in the United States. In 1998, Jacor was purchased by Clear Channel Communications, now iHeartMedia, for $2.8 billion. Jacor Communicat ...
in 1996). The Lincoln Group would purchase the station from Pyramid in late 1993. Lincoln would then merge with American Radio Systems in February 1996, with ARS merging with Infinity Broadcasting in September 1997. (Infinity would be renamed CBS Radio in December 2005). CBS sold WPXY-FM to Entercom Communications on November 30, 2007.


98 PXY

Scott Spezzano was the morning voice of 98 PXY for over 25 years & is one of the most recognized celebrities in the Rochester Community. For years, Spezzano would climb atop the roof of Marketplace Mall the weekend after Thanksgiving and broadcast live, living on the roof for 57 hours to raise money for the Salvation Army Homeless Holiday Campaign. This "stunt" for years was called the 98 PXY Help the Homeless Weekend or just simply "The Roof-Sit". Community members and business owners every year pledged their support of Spezzano, the only brave celebrity locally to attempt stunts like this for the community. Spezzano, in his over 30 years on Rochester radio, has been honored many times for his charitable contributions and always giving back to the community, and remains a household name in the Rochester Community. On September 7, 2014, it was announced that Spezzano and Sandy Waters would be moving to sister station WBZA. Megan Carter, along with Corey James (former PXY alumni Corey Kincaid), took over the PXY morning show beginning on Friday, September 12, 2014, with a special duel simulcast including Spezzano and Sandy with special guests on both WPXY and WBZA. Their show was called #TeamPXY with Carter + Corey. Carter + Corey continued until early 2018, when Megan Carter exited the station. Whitney Young (who had been doing the midday shift) was promoted to co-host with Corey. However, Young's time at PXY did not last long, departing before the end of her first contract. Young was replaced by Brianna 'Breezy' Sloth. Another popular personality on 98PXY is Chris Debbins, known simply as 'Debbins'. Debbins has been with the station since 2014, and currently hosts the afternoon drive show from 3 pm - 7pm. Throughout the years, 98PXY has put on many fun events including the High School Challenge, a penny drive where Rochester area High Schools competed to collect the most pennies. The winner got a free concert at their school by a national recording artist. The proceeds benefited various Hillside agencies. Artists that performed include Donnie Klang, Boys Like Girls, O-Town, and more...with
Justin Bieber Justin Drew Bieber ( ; born March 1, 1994) is a Canadian singer. Regarded as a pop icon, he is recognized for his multi-genre musical performances. He was discovered by record executive Scooter Braun in 2008 and subsequently brought to the U ...
being the draw in 2009. WPXY was the first station to air Rochester native Teddy Geiger's single " For You I Will (Confidence)". Teddy mentions the station inside the cover of her (then his) hit album '' Underage Thinking''. WPXY began streaming worldwide online at 98pxy.com on April 1, 2008.


References


External links

* * * ( Guide to reading History Cards) {{Entercom 1959 establishments in New York (state) Audacy, Inc. radio stations Contemporary hit radio stations in the United States Radio stations established in 1959 PXY-FM