Hall Communications, Inc. is a broadcasting company based in
Lakeland, Florida
Lakeland is the most populous city in Polk County, Florida, part of the Tampa Bay Area, located along Interstate 4 east of Tampa. According to the 2020 U.S. Census Bureau release, the city had a population of 112,641. Lakeland is a principal c ...
. The company currently owns 17 radio stations in
Polk County, Florida
Polk County is located in the central portion of the U.S. state of Florida. The county population was 725,046, as of the 2020 census. Its county seat is Bartow, and its largest city is Lakeland.
Polk County comprises the Lakeland–Winter Ha ...
; eastern
Connecticut
Connecticut () is the southernmost state in the New England region of the Northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, New York to the west, and Long Island Sound to the south. Its cap ...
;
New Bedford, Massachusetts
New Bedford (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ) is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, Bristol County, Massachusetts. It is located on the Acushnet River in what is known as the South Coast (Massachusetts), South Coast region. Up throug ...
WICH
A "-''wich'' town" is a settlement in Anglo-Saxon England characterised by extensive artisanal activity and tradean " emporium".
The name is derived from the Anglo-Saxon suffix , signifying "a dwelling or fortified place".
Such settlements were u ...
, his first radio station in Connecticut. In 1967, Hall would sell off his syndication company to
Field Enterprises
Field Enterprises, Inc. was a private holding company that operated from the 1940s to the 1980s, founded by Marshall Field III and others, whose main assets were the ''Chicago Sun'' and ''Parade'' magazine. For various periods of time, Field Enter ...
, in order to concentrate more on broadcasting.
By 1971, Hall Communications, Inc. had grown to include WICH and WICH-FM in Norwich, Connecticut;
WNBH
WNBH (1340 AM) is a New Bedford, Massachusetts radio station, owned by Hall Communications and currently broadcasting a classic hits format. The station's branding refers to its FM translator station, W267CY. The station is also carried on the H ...
New Bedford, Massachusetts
New Bedford (Massachusett language, Massachusett: ) is a city in Bristol County, Massachusetts, Bristol County, Massachusetts. It is located on the Acushnet River in what is known as the South Coast (Massachusetts), South Coast region. Up throug ...
Meriden, Connecticut
Meriden is a city in New Haven County, Connecticut, United States, located halfway between the regional cities of New Haven, Connecticut, New Haven and Hartford, Connecticut, Hartford. In 2020, the population of the city was 60,850.WETE in
Knoxville, Tennessee
Knoxville is a city in and the county seat of Knox County, Tennessee, Knox County in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of the 2020 United States census, Knoxville's population was 190,740, making it the largest city in the East Tennessee Grand Di ...
Lockport, New York
Lockport is both a city and the Lockport (town), New York, town that surrounds it in Niagara County, New York, Niagara County, New York (state), New York. The city is the Niagara county seat, with a population of 21,165 according to 2010 census ...
; and
WBVP
WBVP (1230 AM) and WMBA (1460 AM) are commercial radio stations based in Beaver County, Pennsylvania. The stations simulcast a news/talk radio format. The stations are owned by St. Barnabas Broadcasting, a division of the Saint Barnabas Hea ...
Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania
Beaver Falls is a city in Beaver County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 9,005 at the 2020 census. Located 31 miles (50 km) northwest of Pittsburgh, the city lies along the Beaver River, six miles (9 km) north of its co ...
.
WMMW was sold at some point in the early 1970s. WETE was sold in 1976 to Basic Media, Inc. That same year, Hall purchased
WGAL
WGAL (channel 8) is a television station licensed to Lancaster, Pennsylvania, United States, serving the Susquehanna Valley region as an affiliate of NBC. Owned by Hearst Television, the station maintains studios on Columbia Avenue ( PA 462) in ...
Lancaster, Pennsylvania
Lancaster, ( ; pdc, Lengeschder) is a city in and the county seat of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. It is one of the oldest inland cities in the United States. With a population at the 2020 census of 58,039, it ranks 11th in population amon ...
.
WLVL Lockport was sold in 1981. Also in 1981, Hall relocated to
Lakeland, Florida
Lakeland is the most populous city in Polk County, Florida, part of the Tampa Bay Area, located along Interstate 4 east of Tampa. According to the 2020 U.S. Census Bureau release, the city had a population of 112,641. Lakeland is a principal c ...
, following the acquisition of its first two Florida properties,
WONN
WONN (1230 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station broadcasting a soft oldies and adult standards radio format. Licensed to Lakeland, Florida, the station is owned by Hall Communications, Inc. WONN is also heard on an FM translator, 107.1 MHz W ...
and
WPCV
WPCV (97.5 MHz) is a commercial FM radio station, licensed to Winter Haven and serving Central Florida. It has a country music radio format and is owned and operated by Hall Communications. The radio studios and offices are in Lakeland.
Whi ...
, in 1981.
In 1983,
WJOY
WJOY (1230 kHz) is a commercial AM radio station broadcasting an adult standards/soft adult contemporary format. Licensed to Burlington, Vermont, the station is owned by Hall Communications, Inc. WJOY carries the nationally syndicated music ...
Burlington, Vermont
Burlington is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Vermont and the seat of Chittenden County. It is located south of the Canada–United States border and south of Montreal. As of the 2020 U.S. census, the population was 44,743. It ...
were purchased for $2.2 million.
WBVP and WWKS, Beaver Falls, Pennsylvania were sold to M.T. Communications in 1985.
In 1995, Hall purchased now-silent
WNLC
WNLC (98.7 FM broadcasting, FM) is an American radio station licensed to serve the city of license, community of East Lyme, Connecticut. The station is owned by Hall Communications, Inc., which owns a number of stations in medium-sized markets alo ...
and
WTYD
WTYD (92.3 FM) is an adult album alternative formatted broadcast radio station licensed to Deltaville, Virginia, serving the Northern Neck
The Northern Neck is the northernmost of three peninsulas (traditionally called "necks" in Virginia) o ...
in
New London, Connecticut
New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States, located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, Connecticut. It was one of the world's three busiest whaling ports for several decades ...
East Lyme, Connecticut
East Lyme is a town in New London County, Connecticut, United States. The population was 18,693 at the 2020 census. The villages of Niantic and Flanders are located in the town.
Geography
East Lyme is located in southern New London County, west ...
was purchased in 1998 to replace WNLC. Also in 1995, stations
WWRZ
WWRZ (98.3 MHz) is a commercial FM radio station in Fort Meade, Florida, broadcasting to the Lakeland- Winter Haven area of Central Florida. It broadcasts an adult hits radio format and is owned by Hall Communications.
Programming
Prior to Ja ...
Fort Meade, Florida
Fort Meade is a city in Polk County, Florida, Polk County, Florida, United States. , the population recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau is 6,203. It is part of the Lakeland, Florida, Lakeland–Winter Haven, Florida, Winter Haven Lakeland-Winte ...
and
WLKF
WLKF (1430 AM) is a commercial radio station licensed to Lakeland, Florida, and serving Central Florida. It broadcasts a talk radio format and is owned by Hall Communications, Inc.
By day, WLKF transmits with 5,000 watts, but to avoid interfe ...
Lakeland, Florida
Lakeland is the most populous city in Polk County, Florida, part of the Tampa Bay Area, located along Interstate 4 east of Tampa. According to the 2020 U.S. Census Bureau release, the city had a population of 112,641. Lakeland is a principal c ...
were added to the company's Lakeland cluster and
WKOL
WKOL (105.1 FM; "Kool 105") is a radio station broadcasting a classic hits format. The station, which signed on in 1994 as WEXP-FM, is licensed to Plattsburgh, New York, United States, and serves the Burlington / Plattsburgh area. WKOL is owne ...
Plattsburgh, New York
Plattsburgh ( moh, Tsi ietsénhtha) is a city in, and the seat of, Clinton County, New York, United States, situated on the north-western shore of Lake Champlain. The population was 19,841 at the 2020 census. The population of the surrounding ...
was added to the Burlington, Vermont cluster.
In 2001,
WHRC WHRC may refer to:
* Windsor and Hantsport Railway (reporting mark WHRC)
* WHRC-LP, a low-power radio station (97.3 FM) licensed to Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, United States
* WHRC, the student radio program of Haverford College and Bryn Mawr Coll ...
in
West Warwick, Rhode Island
West Warwick is a town in Kent County, Rhode Island, United States. The population was 31,012 at the 2020 census.
West Warwick was incorporated in 1913, making it the youngest town in the state. Prior to 1913, the town, situated on the wester ...
was added to the station's New Bedford/Providence cluster.
In 2005,
WIZN
WIZN (106.7 MHz) is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Vergennes, Vermont, serving the Champlain Valley and Burlington- Plattsburgh radio market. The station broadcasts a classic rock radio format branded as ''The Wizard''. It is own ...
and
WBTZ
WBTZ (99.9 MHz "99.9 The Buzz") is a commercial FM radio station in Plattsburgh, New York, broadcasting to the Burlington, Vermont–Plattsburgh radio market, heard around the Champlain Valley and into Montreal. The station is owned by Hall Co ...
were purchased and added to the company's Vermont holdings.
Hall resigned as President in 1991 and Chair in 1998, turning the company over to his daughter Bonnie Hall Rowbotham and her husband Art.
Hall Communications, Inc. operates a wholly owned subsidiary: Nutmeg Broadcasting Company, licensee of WILI and
WILI-FM
WILI-FM (98.3 FM, "Hit Music i-98.3") is a radio station broadcasting a Top 40 (CHR) format. Licensed to the village of Willimantic, Connecticut, it serves eastern Connecticut. Willimantic is a village within the town of Windham, Connecticut. I ...
, which was purchased from the Rice family in 2005.
In addition to their 21 radio stations, Hall Communications is also the 60% majority owner of Cross Country Communications, formerly licensee of
WKZA
WKZA (106.9 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a Top 40 (CHR) format. Licensed to Lakewood, New York, United States, the station serves the Jamestown, New York area. The station is currently owned by MediaOne Radio Group.
History
The stati ...
,
Lakewood, New York
Lakewood is a village in Chautauqua County, New York, United States. The population was 2,993 at the 2020 census. The village is in the northern part of the town of Busti.
Geography
Lakewood is located at (42.100929, -79.321919), at the south ...
Celoron, New York
Celoron ( ) is a village in Chautauqua County, New York, United States. It is part of the town of Ellicott and sits on the west boundary of the city of Jamestown. The population of Celoron was 1,082 at the 2020 census.
History
Celoron Park ...
. Hall Communications sold WKZA to Media One Group (owners of all of the other commercial stations in the area) and WLKW to
Educational Media Foundation
Educational Media Foundation (formerly EMF Broadcasting, abbreviated EMF) is an American nonprofit Christian media ministry based in Franklin, Tennessee, a suburb of Nashville.
EMF is the parent company of K-LOVE and Air1—the world's largest ...
in August 2018.
Hall sold WROZ, Lancaster, Pennsylvania to the Educational Media Foundation on July 13, 2021 for $1.725 million. Hall Communications has sold the rest of its Central Pennsylvania cluster to Forever Media. Forever purchased the Sports simulcast “ESPN 92.7” WONN-FM Starview and 1490 WLPA/92.5 W223CH Lancaster for $400,000.