View source for WMAS-FM

{{short description|Adult contemporary radio station in Enfield, Connecticut}}
{{Use American English|date=February 2026}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{More citations needed|date=December 2019}}{{Infobox radio station
| name = WMAS-FM
| logo = WMAS-FM 94.7 logo.png
| city = [[Enfield, Connecticut]]
| country = US
| area = [[Springfield metropolitan area, Massachusetts|Springfield metropolitan area]]; [[Pioneer Valley]]
| branding = 94.7 WMAS
| frequency = {{frequency|94.7|[[MHz]]}} {{HD Radio}}
| subchannels = HD2: [[Latin pop]] ([[WHLL]])
| airdate = {{start date|1947}}
| language = [[American English|English]]
| format = [[Adult contemporary]]
| erp = {{val|50000|u=watts|fmt=commas}}
| haat = {{convert|55|m|ft|sp=us}}
| coordinates = {{coord|42.109|N|72.611|W|type:landmark_region:US-MA_source:FCC}}
| class = B
| licensing_authority = [[Federal Communications Commission|FCC]]
| facility_id = 36543
| callsign_meaning = [[WHLL|WMAS (1450 AM)]] founder Alfred S. Moffat
| former_callsigns = {{ubl|WMAS-FM (1947–1971)|WHVY (1971–1973)}}
| owner = [[Audacy, Inc.]]
| licensee = Audacy License, LLC
| affiliations = [[Compass Media Networks]]
| sister_stations = {{hlist|[[WHLL]]|[[WWEI]]}}
| webcast = {{Audacy.com|947wmas}}
| website = {{URL|https://www.audacy.com/947wmas}}
}}

'''WMAS-FM''' (94.7 [[FM broadcasting|FM]]) is a commercial [[radio station]] licensed to [[Enfield, Connecticut]], and serving the [[Springfield metropolitan area, Massachusetts|Springfield metropolitan area]] and [[Pioneer Valley]] of [[Western Massachusetts]].  It broadcasts an [[adult contemporary]] format and is owned by [[Audacy, Inc.]] The studios are at the [[Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame]] in Springfield.

WMAS-FM uses a [[directional antenna]] and broadcasts from a shorter tower than most Springfield FM outlets to avoid interference with co-owned [[WXBK]], also on 94.7 FM, in the New York City market.  WMAS-FM's transmitter is in Springfield's Brightwood neighborhood, off Plainfield Avenue ([[U.S. Route 20 in Massachusetts|U.S. Route 20]]) and near the [[Connecticut River]].

==History==
===Early years===
WMAS-FM signed on the air in 1947 as the FM counterpart of [[WHLL|WMAS (1450 AM)]]. Both stations were owned by WMAS, Inc. and mostly simulcast their programming.<ref>[https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1951/Radio%20AL%20MT%20BC%20YB%201951%20B&W-9.pdf Broadcasting Yearbook 1951 page 169]{{dead link|date=May 2026|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}</ref>

WMAS-FM was one of the first FM stations in Western Massachusetts.  The studios were in the Hotel Stonehaven and the stations' city of license was Springfield.

===Progressive rock and disco===
The simulcast ended in the late 1960s. WMAS-FM became a "[[freeform radio|freeform]]" radio station, playing a [[progressive rock]] format. The programs were hosted by youthful disc jockeys (DJs) who could choose whatever they wanted to play. The progressive format was initiated by Hamilton K. Agnew, with an air name of "The Doktor".  Brian Kreizenbeck joined the staff several months later.  When Roy Cohn bought the station, Ham Agnew quit.  He and Roy did not get along from the start.  Advertising revenue came from the [[hippie]] boutiques, head shops, concert venues, and music stores that catered to the counter-cultural youth of the day.{{citation needed|date=December 2019}}

This freeform radio format ended in September 1969 after complaints were made about expletives in a [[Wild Man Fischer]] song. A protest movement, in part organized by the DJs, failed to save the format. From 1971 to 1973, the station programmed a tamer [[album rock]] sound, using the [[call sign]] WHVY.{{citation needed|date=December 2019}}  Another reason for the impending failure was that Tony Gazzana wanted to change the format to milque-toast "Top Forty" format in addition to the stations call sign WHVY.  Ham Agnew was also the licensed Chief Engineer of the station in addition to being the architect of the "Progressive-Free Form" format, and resigned shortly after a meeting with Roy Cohn and Tony Gazzana.

In the mid 1970s, the WMAS-FM call letters returned. Both the AM and FM stations were mostly simulcast once again, with a [[full service radio|full service]], [[middle of the road (music)|middle of the road]] music format. In 1978, WMAS-FM hopped on the bandwagon of the [[disco music]] sound, although it was short-lived.{{citation needed|date=December 2019}}

===Adult contemporary===
In 1979, WMAS-FM began airing a [[soft adult contemporary]] format, a forerunner of what the station is today.
[[File:WMAS-FM logo.png|250px|thumb|left|Logo until August 2021]]In June 2004, WMAS-AM-FM were sold to [[Citadel Broadcasting]] for $22 million;<ref>[https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/2006/Radio-AL-MT-%20BC-YB-2006.pdf Broadcasting & Cable Yearbrook 2006 page D-254]</ref> In January 2011, WMAS-FM agreed to change its city of license from Springfield to [[Enfield, Connecticut]], to facilitate the relocation of [[WUCS|WPKX]] (97.9) from Enfield to [[Windsor Locks, Connecticut|Windsor Locks]]; the deal, which allowed Citadel to use a generator owned by WPKX owner [[iHeartMedia|Clear Channel Communications]] in [[Albuquerque, New Mexico]], did not require any changes to WMAS-FM's physical and studio facilities.<ref name="nerw-wmasenfield">{{cite news |last1=Fybush |first1=Scott |title=CC Shuffles Mass., Connecticut Signals |url=https://www.fybush.com/NERW/2011/110110/nerw.html |access-date=June 30, 2020 |work=NorthEast Radio Watch |date=January 10, 2011}}</ref> Citadel merged with [[Cumulus Media]] on September 16, 2011.<ref name="abj-citadelcumulus">{{cite news|title=Cumulus now owns Citadel Broadcasting|url=http://www.bizjournals.com/atlanta/news/2011/09/16/cumulus-now-owns-citadel-broadcasting.html|access-date=September 16, 2011|newspaper=Atlanta Business Journal|date=September 16, 2011}}</ref>

The station won the [[Massachusetts Broadcasters Association]] Award for "Station of the Year" in 2012 and 2014. The Kellogg Krew Morning Show won the Massachusetts Broadcasters Association "Air Talent of the Year" award in 2013.{{citation needed|date=December 2019}}

On February 13, 2019, Cumulus and [[Audacy, Inc.|Entercom]] announced an agreement in which WMAS-FM and WHLL, as well as [[WXBK|WNSH]] in New York City, would be swapped to Entercom in exchange for Entercom's Indianapolis stations. Under the terms of the deal, Entercom began operating WMAS-FM under a [[local marketing agreement]] on March 1, 2019.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/174511/cumulus-sells-six-to-emf-swaps-with-entercom-in-new-york-indianapolis/|title=Cumulus Sells Six To EMF & Swaps With Entercom In New York & Indianapolis|date=2019-02-13|website=RadioInsight|language=en-US|access-date=2019-02-13}}</ref> The station's web presence moved to [[Audacy|Radio.com]] a month later, along with its streaming. The swap was completed on May 9, 2019.<ref name="ir-swapcomplete">{{cite news |title=Cumulus, Entercom Close Six-Station Swap. |url=http://www.insideradio.com/free/cumulus-entercom-close-six-station-swap/article_15ba7c62-75c3-11e9-b6ac-6b5d9421f738.html |access-date=May 16, 2019 |work=Inside Radio |language=en}}</ref> Both Entercom and Radio.com changed their names to Audacy in 2021.

==References==
<references />

==External links==
*{{Official website|https://www.audacy.com/947wmas}}
{{FM station data|36543|WMAS}}

{{Springfield MA Radio}}
{{Adult Contemporary Radio Stations in Connecticut}}
{{Audacy}}

[[Category:Radio stations in Connecticut|MAS-FM]]
[[Category:Mainstream adult contemporary radio stations in the United States]]
[[Category:Audacy, Inc. radio stations]]
[[Category:Radio stations established in 1947]]
[[Category:1947 establishments in Massachusetts]]
[[Category:Enfield, Connecticut]]