What's New

WAMC Northeast Public Radio is pleased to announce the start of expanded service to listeners in the Oneonta area on 99.3 FM. Through an agreement with Hartwick College and the cooperation of listeners in the Oneonta area, this new transmitter substantially boosts the power and coverage of the WAMC signal in the area. The existing WAMC service to Oneonta on 88.9 FM will continue alongside the new 99.3 FM signal. WAMC recently acquired the signal on 99.3 FM as part of a signal improvement project that is taking place in the Capital Region, Hudson Valley and Southern Catskills.

According to WAMC President and CEO Alan Chartock, “We have heard from listeners in Oneonta for several years that they wanted a stronger signal. When the opportunity arose to acquire a new signal some 250 times stronger than our existing single watt station, we jumped at it. We know that area listeners will help us to defray the substantial investment we have made in improving our service in the area.”

A well attended meeting describing the project was held in Oneonta on March 15. Area listeners asked questions and gave support to the project which has cost approximately $80,000. Funds are still being collected to assist in covering the costs of the project. To make a contribution to this project, contact Jane Palmer at WAMC, 318 Central Ave., Albany NY 12206 or 1-800-323-9262 extension 133.

WAMC is also pleased to announce the start of improved signal coverage for listeners in portions of southern Orange County on 107.1 FM. The existing service from WOSR-FM, 91.7 FM, Middletown has now been augmented by the addition of a new signal from Warwick, New York on 107.1 FM. The Federal Communications Commission recently approved the transfer of the ownership of this new translator station which has now been constructed and placed on the air. WAMC has taken this action as part of a signal improvement project that is taking place in the Southern Catskills, Hudson Valley and Capital Region.

According to WAMC President and CEO Alan Chartock, “The opportunity to improve service by providing a stronger signal to more of Orange County and adjacent areas of New Jersey recently became available so we jumped at it. Historically these areas have been shadowed by terrain that makes reception of 91.7 FM sometimes difficult. This change will make it easier for a large number of listeners in these areas better able to hear our programming on 107.1 FM.”

WAMC Northeast Public Radio broadcasts 24 hours a day with information and cultural programming from stations reaching parts of seven northeastern states. WAMC is an award winning producer of regionally based programming. WAMC is also a member station of National Public Radio and is affiliated with Public Radio International and American Public Media.

Back to the Top

“WOW!  Another record breaking fund drive due to the incredible understanding and generosity of the WAMC community,” says Alan Chartock, WAMC Northeast Public Radio's President.  “If we saw anything, we saw soul.”

WAMC/Northeast Public Radio finished its record breaking fund drive just before 6:00 p.m. on Friday, February 15.  A total of $802,522 was raised, more money than any winter fund drive has raised to date.

WAMC’s on-air fund drive began early on Monday, February 11, 2008 and ended in just five days.  6002 pledgers helped the station meet its goal.  Dedicated WAMC listeners locally and nationally called and pledged on-line all day and into the night from as far away as Germany saying that, “Even from here, WAMC is the only place we get our news.” “From all over, Pennsylvania to the Canadian border, to Boston, Pioneer Valley, Hudson Valley, Connecticut, Vermont, New Hampshire, Adirondacks and beyond, listeners  are supporting WAMC,”  says Chartock.

In addition to all the people who pledged during the on-air drive, hundreds of dedicated volunteers from all over the WAMC listening area answered phones, donating their time at the station’s Albany studios from 5am to midnight everyday. Also, hundreds of regional businesses and organizations donated items, services, and food to the drive, wanting to be a part of the WAMC community. WAMC’s fund drive could not have been possible without the combined efforts of all the contributing sponsors and supporters. For a listing of supporters, visit online at www.wamc.org.

“In the end, however, our incredible gratitude to Pete Seeger for his ongoing generosity. He does so much for WAMC each and every fund drive …,” added Chartock. 



WAMC’s three annual fund drives help support the station’s award-winning local and regional reporting and programming as well as all of the station’s other day-to-day operations.

Back to the Top

Back to the Top

Back to the Top

Back to the Top

(ALBANY, N.Y., April 5, 2006) The Radio-Television News Directors Association, based in Washington, D.C., has announced that WAMC Northeast Public Radio is a regional winner of the prestigious 2006 Edward R. Murrow Awards for excellence in electronic journalism.

WAMC's Northeast Report, anchored by Senior Correspondent Brian Shields and airing weekdays at 3:30 and 6 p.m., was cited as Best Newscast. WAMC competes in a regional category comprising all "small market" radio stations in New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. The association divides the competition into large markets, such as New York City and Philadelphia, and others such as Albany, Rochester, Syracuse, and Harrisburg, Pa.

WAMC's 14-station regional network serves an estimated monthly audience of more than a third of a million in portions of seven states.

Regional winners, including WAMC, are eligible for the national awards competition, to be judged in early June. The national Edward R. Murrow Awards will be presented Oct. 16 at a dinner in New York City.

Alan Chartock, President and CEO of WAMC, Northeast Public Radio, said: "This award is very gratifying. WAMC's members have supported the station in record amounts and their commitment is paying off. This is really their award."

"This much sought-after award is a wonderful tribute to the professionalism and dedication of the WAMC News team," said Vice-President of News and Cultural Affairs Clarence Fanto. "All of our news anchors, bureau chiefs, correspondents and producers have much to be proud of. At a time when most news operations are being downsized with dwindling budgets, it is a privilege to be associated with forward-thinking management that has committed increasing resources to expanding and improving WAMC's already formidable news division."

 Brian Shields, a 16-year veteran of WAMC News, anchored the local portion of NPR's "Morning Edition" for 10 years. He currently anchors "Midday Magazine" in addition to the two daily Northeast Reports and other newscasts during local segments of "All Things Considered." Shields has been a broadcast journalist for 28 years, having worked previously at Albany area stations WGY, WQBK and WGNA. He is a graduate of Empire State College and attended Syracuse University,.

Shields cites legendary NBC Nightly News anchors Chet Huntley and David Brinkley as his role models. He lives in Delmar, N.Y., with his wife, Marjorie, and his beloved cat, Buddy.

Producer of the WAMC Northeast Report and other local news programming at the station is Katie Britton, who has been with WAMC for three years.

WAMC News originates more than three hours a day of live, local news programming, not including the daily news and information program "The Roundtable," airing weekdays from 9 to noon.

Back to the Top

Back to the Top

Back to the Top

Albany, NY- December 9, 2004   -   Radio broadcasting has taken a giant leap into the 21st century. WAMC Northeast Public Radio has begun HD (for High Definition) Radio digital broadcasts from stations WAMC-FM, 90.3, Albany, WOSR(FM), 91.7, Middletown and WANC(FM), 103.9, Ticonderoga NY. These three are the first FM stations in the Capital Region, Hudson Valley and North Country to adopt the new technology.

The noise and interference that cause the static, hiss, pops and fades heard on today's analog radios is virtually eliminated with HD Radio digital broadcasting. In addition to crystal clear reception, HD Radio technology will dramatically enhance sound fidelity - AM will have the clarity of FM, and FM will have the clarity of compact discs. Equally impressive to the digital sound quality is that HD Radio technology allows for new wireless data services to be delivered from AM and FM radio stations. Pending Federal approval, this technology will also make possible additional programming on the same FM channel.

According to Alan Chartock, President & CEO of WAMC, "We're proud and excited to be in the forefront of bringing this new technology to our listeners. It will allow us to provide even better service and a stronger commitment to listeners - not to mention significantly improved sound."

After 80 years of analog transmissions, radio is poised for its digital migration to HD Radio technology. Soon, home audio receivers and after market auto receivers will be widely available to consumers through consumer electronics retailers. Some auto receivers are now sold as HD Radio ready.

Conversion of WAMC-FM and WOSR(FM) to HD Radio was made possible by grants from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting (CPB) which is assisting public radio stations across the country to use this new technology. The Albany and Middletown stations commenced broadcasts in HD in the past week. WANC(FM), Ticonderoga was equipped with HD Radio during the Spring under a grant from the National Telecommunications and Information Administration (NTIA). WAMC Northeast Public Radio is pursuing additional grants to fund the "phase two" conversion of its remaining FM and AM stations in eastern New York and Western New England.

HD Radio technology was developed by iBiquity Digital and approved in October 2002 by the Federal Communications Commission. HD Radio allows AM/FM broadcasters to seamlessly transmit digital quality audio alongside today's analog-based broadcasts. Little or no change in listener behavior will be required since all local radio station dial positions will remain the same. Listeners will simply tune to their favorite programs and stations and receive them in either a digital or analog format depending on their radio. Because stations will begin digital broadcasting using a "hybrid mode," transmitting digital and analog signals simultaneously, listeners with analog receivers will still be able to pick up the broadcast and will be able to seamlessly upgrade to digital at their own pace.

WAMC Northeast Public Radio transmits over the following stations: WAMC 90.3 FM, Albany*; WAMC 1400 AM, Albany, WAMK 90.9 FM, Kingston; WOSR 91.7 FM, Middletown*; WCEL 91.9 FM, Plattsburgh; WCAN 93.3 FM, Canajoharie; WANC 103.9 FM, Ticonderoga*; WAMQ 105.1 FM, Great Barrington, MA; 93.1 FM, Troy; 88.9 FM, Oneonta; 107.7 FM, Newburgh, NY; and 91.9 Southington, CT. It can be heard on-line at www.wamc.org. (* now in HD Radio)

Back to the Top

The fund drive is almost upon us. It'll be here in just a short month and I am scared to death, but then again, I am always scared to death about fund drives.

Obviously, the perfect storm is shaping up. First, we know that the economic situation is up in the air. We know that the President (with the lowest popularity of anyone ever) has blood in his eye when it comes to public broadcasting. If he gets his way on budget cuts, it won't be pretty, even though we get less than ten per cent of our budget from the federal government. People are scared, houses aren't selling and we are squeezing the nickel so hard that it is screaming. On the other hand, people love the station. They stop me all the time and say that they wouldn't know what to do if they didn't have WAMC as an integral part of their lives. In the past when times were tough, we have always found that people just prioritized and dug down a little deeper to make it happen. Sometimes, during the hard times, we do better than ever. In the end, people just decide how important things are in their lives. Just think about it. There are always choices to be made. One cappuccino (easy in, easy out) for about four bucks or WAMC all day long, all night long, every weekend for the same amount, about a thousand bucks.

It's sort of like my relationship with Murray the dog. I love my wife, I love my kids, I love the people I work with at WAMC and I love Murray. He is always there for me and I am always there for him. That's the way it is with Murray and I suspect, that's the way it is for so many people in their love affair with this station. We have to take care of each other. We have to be good to each other. There are days at WAMC when I am doing three things at once. Things are backed up and people are screaming at me to get something done (like the column I am writing now). Then I look at Murray and realize that his water dish is empty. No matter what, I drop everything and fill up that water dish.

Sometimes I realize that it's been a few hours since Murray has had his walk. Now and then I'll say to someone, "If you want to speak to me, you have to come on Murray's walk." Of course, Murray is pretty low to the ground and you have to make sure that he's doing what he's supposed to do. If you are busy talking to Katie Britton, our wonderful news director about this or that problem and don't catch Murray doing what he's supposed to be doing, you might have to be outside a lot longer than you anticipated.

But, I digress. We all have to pull together. I have always said this is a fragile experiment in community building and it is. It is a miracle that we have made it this far. But, if we all pull together this time we will have succeeded - until the next time, four months from now. That's all we can do. Appreciate what we love and do what we need to do to keep it going, just as you would do with your family.

With great love and anticipation I await the fund drive and look forward to hearing from you on June 2nd.

Back to the Top

May 2008 Programming Notes by David Galletly

It's hard to believe, but Willie Nelson recently celebrated his 75th birthday. This American icon is celebrated on a two hour special airing at 9:00 a.m. on Memorial Day, Monday, May 26 on Northeast Public Radio. The first hour "My Own Peculiar Way - The Songs of Willie Nelson" focuses on the stories behind Willie's career and his songs. "True Outlaw Stories - On the Road with Willie Nelson" follows with Willie's band, crew and close friends reminiscing about 40 years of touring. Plan to be with us on Memorial Day at 9:00 a.m. for this very special tribute.

Speaking of tributes, our own Paul Elisha will present his own Memorial Day musical remembrance at 11:00 a.m. with a special Performance Place. Paul's tuneful Memorial Day program has become a regular staple of the holiday.

Renowned author E. L. Doctorow recently spoke at Western New England College in Springfield, Massachusetts. We are pleased to be able to bring you that lecture as part of our Memorial Day lineup. Tune in at 2:00 p.m. on Monday, May 26.

It's another stellar month of programs on Wednesday nights' "Live at the Linda" in May. Starting things off on May 7th is the October 2007 performance of Wanda Jackson and the Lustre Kings. This month's Dancing on the Air airs live on May 14th with "a special surprise guest." I don't even know who it is at this writing, but it has to be good. Robbie Fulks October 2007 appearance airs on May 21st. The Albany Symphony Orchestra closes the month and their season with a concert performance airing May 28th. All these fine offerings air starting at 8:00 p.m. on Wednesdays.

Until Next Month,

Good Listening!

Back to the Top