WAMC/Albany, NY, Acquires Radio Tower

The Mothership

NORTHEAST PUBLIC RADIO RADIO station WAMC/ALBANY, NY, has acquired the radio tower at the summit of MOUNT GREYLOCK in ADAMS, MA, for just over $1 million, it was reported in the BERKSHIRE (MA) EAGLE. . 

The tower, which had been owned by WTEN, CHANNEL 10, in ALBANY, N.Y., was purchased by WAMC in a deal completed on FRIDAY, said WAMC President/CEO ALAN CHARTOCK.

WTEN recently auctioned its WCDC, Channel 19 relay signal atop the tower to the FCC for $34.5 million, to be used by wireless carriers. 

WCDC  had lost most of its audience since about 97% of BERKSHIRE residents now subscribe to cable or satellite services. The tower itself has been for sale, and Channel 19 went "dark" on DECEMBER 1st.

To pay for the acquisition, WAMC's FEBRUARY fund drive will aim to raise $2 million, instead of the $1 million target since 2011. The station's goal for its first fund drive in 1981 was $125,000.

Funding the purchase of the WTEN tower "took most of our available operating funds out of the bank," CHARTOCK acknowledged. "The only way we'll get the money is if people ante up. We're prepared to go long." 

WAMC's operating budget is about $7 million a year, close to half of it raised from underwriting announcements by supporting businesses and organizations.

"WAMC has never given up in the past, and we will not now," he said. "I can't believe it is happening, but we are going buy the tower! We all are."

WAMC has 28 additional transmitters and low-power translators in GREAT BARRINGTON, MA, in NEW YORK state from WESTCHESTER COUNTY to LAKE PLACID in the ADIRONDACKS, as well as MILFORD, PA..

The mountaintop tower reaches listeners up to 100 miles away in all directions. FM 90.3. WAMC NORTHEAST PUBLIC RADIO has an audience of more than 400,000 individual listeners each month.

"This is an incredible high point for me," CHARTOCK said. "It's an extraordinary moment not only in WAMC's history but mine too. I can't tell you what this means to me; it's incredible. This guarantees the future of WAMC."

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