WBQN

WBQN (680 AM) is a radio station licensed to San Juan, Puerto Rico, broadcasting a news-talk format. The station serves as the flagship station of the Borinquen Radio News Network and is owned by Wifredo G. Blanco-Pi (d/b/a Grupo AM Puerto Rico). It is an affiliate of CNN en Español radio news network. The station is rebroadcast by translator station W237FF 95.3 FM also located in San Juan.

The station was relayed through an experimental synchronous station, WA2XPA Arecibo, which also broadcasts on 680 kHz. On April 19, 2017 the Federal Communications Commission ruled that WA2XPA's license will not be renewed. The ruling stated that it must discontinue operation on May 7, 2017 and the license would be cancelled on May 8, 2017.

A petition for review of the order to cancel WA2XPA's license was submitted on April 24, 2017. The petition was withdrawn on September 5, 2017, and the license was cancelled on April 24, 2018.

History

The station's original call sign, WAPA, are a partial abbreviation of the station's original owners, the now-defunct Asociación de Productores de Azúcar, or Puerto Rico Sugar Grower's Association. In the late 1960s, it was acquired by Hearst Corporation. In 1991 it was acquired by NotiRadio Broadcasting (Eng. Wifredo G. Blanco-Pi, owner & his son Eng. Jorge Blanco, news director).

WAPA was the only radio station to remain on the air throughout the passage of Hurricane Maria on September 20, 2017. The station helped family members contact each other by relaying messages of safety. WAPA's programming will be reduced to 17 and a half hours from 4:45AM until 9PM, operating with a diesel generator, that some areas of the transmitters don't have electrical grid. As of 2018, WAPA's programming is heard on weekdays from 4:45AM to 10PM, Saturdays from 5AM to 10PM and Sundays from 6AM to 10PM.

WAPA Radio over the years

In 1996, NotiRadio Broadcasting acquires radio station WISO 1260 in Ponce from South Puerto Rico Broadcasting Corporation (founded by Luis Freyre in 1953), this would become the second radio station of the WAPA Radio News Network. In 2014, after 66 years of local operation, WXRF 1590 AM in Guayama (originally founded by Jose Fuster) finally acquires from International Broadcasting Corporation to NotiRadio Broadcasting for $100,000, this become the third radio station of WAPA Radio. Then on March 24, the station changed its call letters to WGYA. On March 14, 2017, after a year off the air due to transmitter problems, NotiRadio Broadcasting resumes operations WVOZ 1580 AM in Morovis- Manatí, rejoining the WAPA Radio News Network, since its establishment, 35 years ago in 1981. That station acquires from International Broadcasting Corporation for $150,000, this leaves WVOZ became silent due to technical maintenance and financial reasons in April 2016. The Network consists of 7 radio stations all across Puerto Rico. On May 7, 2017, WAPA will cease operations on experimental synchronized stations in WA2XPA Arecibo, WI2XSO Mayagüez and WI3XSO Aguadilla. All 3 stations cancelled the licenses the next day, on May 8, 2017. On March 2, 2017, WAPA Radio is acquiring WMIA 1070 AM in Arecibo (originally owned by Abacoa Radio Corporation) for over $250,000, and the sale was completed on April 14, 2017. On May 1, WMIA became the new WAPA Radio News Network station, serving the northern area. Also, WVOZ will changed its city of license from Morovis to Aguadilla, currently occupied by WI3XSO, which its license is cancelled on May 8. The move of the city of license was granted on December 28, 2017. Now, WAPA Radio will provide a network of five radio stations across the island. On June 21, 2017, WTIL 1300 AM in Mayaguez buys for a three-way swap from La Mas Z Radio, Inc., when awaiting the transaction completes, this becomes the sixth radio station of the WAPA Radio News Network on August 1. On August 3, WGYA changed back to the original WXRF call letters. On August 15, the sale of WTIL to Blanco Pi was completed.

On May 23, 2022, the station's branding changed to Borinquen Radio. The change was made after WAPA-TV acquired the WKAQ radio stations in San Juan to avoid potential confusion between the unrelated broadcasting entities. The WBQN call letters in use on the Barceloneta/Manatí station were then swapped with WAPA.

Affiliates

WBQN's programming is heard on over seven AM radio stations across the island.

Translator stations

WBQN's programming can also heard on seven FM translators.

References

External links

FCC History Cards for WBQN

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{{Puerto Rico Radio

BQN (AM)
BQN (AM)
Radio stations established in 1947
1947 establishments in Puerto Rico