WBPE (FM)
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WBPE (95.3 FM, "95.3 BOB FM") is a
radio station Radio broadcasting is transmission of audio (sound), sometimes with related metadata, by radio waves to radio receivers belonging to a public audience. In terrestrial radio broadcasting the radio waves are broadcast by a land-based radio ...
in
Lafayette, Indiana Lafayette ( , ) is a city in and the county seat of Tippecanoe County, Indiana, United States, located northwest of Indianapolis and southeast of Chicago. West Lafayette, on the other side of the Wabash River, is home to Purdue University, whi ...
, owned by Star City Broadcasting (a joint venture between
Waypoint Media Waypoint Media is a confederation of holding companies that own and operate radio and television stations mostly in small cities in the United States. Primary owners of the various companies include Mike Reed, William Christian and Paige Christian ...
and Vision Communications) as part of a cluster with
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/
NBC The National Broadcasting Company (NBC) is an Television in the United States, American English-language Commercial broadcasting, commercial television network, broadcast television and radio network. The flagship property of the NBC Enterta ...
affiliate
WPBI-LD WPBI-LD (channel 16) is a low-power television station in Lafayette, Indiana, United States, affiliated with Fox and NBC. It is owned by Coastal Television Broadcasting Company LLC alongside ABC affiliate WPBY-LD (channel 35). Both stations s ...
,
ABC ABC are the first three letters of the Latin script known as the alphabet. ABC or abc may also refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media Broadcasting * American Broadcasting Company, a commercial U.S. TV broadcaster ** Disney–ABC Television ...
affiliate
WPBY-LD WPBY-LD (channel 35) is a low-power television station in Lafayette, Indiana, United States, affiliated with ABC. It is owned by Coastal Television Broadcasting Company LLC alongside dual Fox/NBC affiliate WPBI-LD (channel 16). Both stations s ...
, and sister radio stations
WSHY WSHY (1410 AM) is a commercial radio station in Lafayette, Indiana. It broadcasts a conservative talk radio format. WSHY is owned by Star City Broadcasting (a joint venture between Waypoint Media and Vision Communications) as part of a cl ...
,
WYCM WYCM (95.7 FM "Y95") is a radio station in Lafayette, Indiana, owned by Star City Broadcasting (a joint venture between Waypoint Media and Vision Communications) as part of a cluster with Fox/ NBC affiliate WPBI-LD, ABC affiliate WPBY-L ...
and
WAZY-FM WAZY-FM (96.5 MHz "Z96-5") is a radio station in Lafayette, Indiana, owned by Star City Broadcasting (a joint venture between Waypoint Media and Vision Communications) as part of a cluster with Fox/NBC affiliate WPBI-LD, ABC affiliate WPBY-LD, ...
. The station's studios are located at 3824 South 18th Street in Lafayette.


History

The station signed on the air on January 1, 1985 as WLZR "LAZER 95 - Lafayette's Only New Rock". When the station signed on, it became the highest rated station in the market. The new owner was a banker and former lawyer in Lafayette who realized the potential of a rock format. However, just a year later, the new station was sold to Karson Jacobs Media who also owned an AM radio station in
Bloomington, Illinois Bloomington is a city and the county seat of McLean County, Illinois, United States. It is adjacent to the town of Normal, and is the more populous of the two principal municipalities of the Bloomington–Normal metropolitan area. Bloomington ...
and another FM in
Decatur, Illinois Decatur ( ) is the largest city and the county seat of Macon County in the U.S. state of Illinois, with a population of 70,522 as of the 2020 Census. The city was founded in 1829 and is situated along the Sangamon River and Lake Decatur in Ce ...
. The radio station had high ratings, but not making enough money to keep it in operation. He took his successful Adult Contemporary format on the station in Decatur and displaced the rock format as LITE ROCK, MAGIC 95 WKJM. The station's ratings struggled to make it in the top five; however, billing increased due to the new format. The station would then try to compete with WAZY in the late 80s by flipping to CHR as POWER 95, retaining the WKJM calls. The stint as a CHR didn't last long since the station was purchased in June 1991 by
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-based Bomar Broadcasting and re-launched the station with a more mainstream AC approach and gave it new call letters as WEZV. The station then became known as EZ 95.3. Shortly thereafter, Bomar flipped WEZV to Beautiful Music (Easy Listening), simulcasting of
WMRI WMRI (860 AM) is a radio station broadcasting a sports format. Licensed to Marion, Indiana, United States, the station serves the Muncie-Marion area. The station is currently owned by Hoosier AM/FM LLC and features programming from ESPN Radio ...
/Marion (now
WXXC WXXC (106.9 FM "Star 106.9") is a 50,000 watt Class B radio station licensed to Marion, Indiana and serving the Muncie-Marion Arbitron market. Studios and offices are located at 820 S. Pennsylvania St. in Marion, IN. The station features a hot ...
) with local break inserts. WEZV would be one of two other Indiana stations "networked" to WMRI's beautiful music format; the other stations were WLEZ in
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(now WBOW) and WYEZ (now WHPZ) in Bremen (South Bend). During this period, WEZV referred to itself as "The EASY One--WEZV, 95.3 FM." Toward the end of Bomar's ownership of WEZV, the network began to skew away from instrumentals and lean more toward those from smooth jazz artists. In August 1998, University Broadcasting (now
Artistic Media Partners {{Infobox company , name = Artistic Media Partners , logo = , industry = Entertainment , location = Indianapolis, IN, key_people = Arthur A. Angotti, CEO & President, products = radio , homepage www.a ...
) purchased the radio station and moved it to its current location in Lafayette. It joined Alternative Rock WGBD (now
WYCM WYCM (95.7 FM "Y95") is a radio station in Lafayette, Indiana, owned by Star City Broadcasting (a joint venture between Waypoint Media and Vision Communications) as part of a cluster with Fox/ NBC affiliate WPBI-LD, ABC affiliate WPBY-L ...
) and Hot Adult Contemporary
WAZY WAZY-FM (96.5 MHz "Z96-5") is a radio station in Lafayette, Indiana, owned by Star City Broadcasting (a joint venture between Waypoint Media and Vision Communications) as part of a cluster with Fox/NBC affiliate WPBI-LD, ABC affiliate WPBY-LD, ...
and, in September 1998, changed formats to Hot Country as 95.3 The Wolf. Call letters were changed a few days after the format change to WLFF. During its inception as The Wolf, the station tried to find its niche within the Lafayette market. While maintaining a primarily mainstream country sound, the station leaned anywhere from gold-based to modern in order to lure listeners away from cross-town country leader, WKOA. Subtle name changes have also occurred over the years as well as a stint with satellite-fed programming. The station has referred to itself numerous times as 'The Wolf' with a few stints as 'Wolf Country.' The Wolf saw its biggest success around 2003 when the station adopted a full-service sound similar to that of its crosstown country competitor. On November 26, 2006, 95.3 The Wolf began carrying Waitt Radio Networks. This would be the second time the station carried the network throughout its run. In 2004 Artistic Media Partners swapped signals with co-owned Classic Rock WSHP, and in 2005 swapped back to its original signal at 95.3 placing Purdue Men's and Women's Basketball and Football on the station. Despite the rights to Purdue Men's and Women's Basketball and Football, WLFF was never able to unseat WKOA as the country leader in the market. On December 5, 2007, after 9 years in the country format, The Wolf began stunting with a music mix consisting of party hits and children's music. At noon on December 6, 2007, the format officially flipped to Adult hits as 95.3 Bob FM. On January 28, 2008, 95.3 changed its call letters to WBPE to better match its new on-air identity. Artistic Media Partners sold its Lafayette stations to Star City Broadcasting, owner of
WPBI-LD WPBI-LD (channel 16) is a low-power television station in Lafayette, Indiana, United States, affiliated with Fox and NBC. It is owned by Coastal Television Broadcasting Company LLC alongside ABC affiliate WPBY-LD (channel 35). Both stations s ...
(channel 16), in 2016. The transfer to Lafayette TV, LLC was completed on January 3, 2017.


Programming

95.3
Bob FM BOB FM is the on-air brand of a number of FM radio stations in the United States and formerly in Canada. The BOB FM format mostly concentrates on album rock, alternative rock and pop hits from the 1980s and 90s, especially those popular during t ...
, like other Bob FM formats across the US and Canada, features a mix of classic 1960s, 1970s, 1980s and 1990s hits with some current hot adult contemporary singles. WBPE is the home of Purdue Women's Basketball. WBPE is currently streaming live on its website.


References


External links


Official Website
* *http://www.indianabroadcasters.org/information/easstatepolicy.pdf {{coord, 40.547, N, 86.850, W, type:landmark_region:US_source:FCC, display=title BPE Adult hits radio stations in the United States Bob FM stations Radio stations established in 1985 1985 establishments in Indiana Waypoint Media