Albany, N.Y. gets more urban

["Gavin B. Burt" <prospect@email.msn.com>]

Last night, which was Wednesday, December 23, 1998, WPTR (96.3 FM
Voorheesville, N.Y.) changed formats from hot country to urban contemporary.
This move comes not even one week after WXLE (104.5 Mechanicville, N.Y.)
changed from hot AC to rhythmic oldies.  Ironically, WPTR is now going as
"Jams 96.3", while WXLE is going as "Jammin' Oldies 104.5-The Beat".

My two cents:  Good move.  WPTR didn't stand a chance against country
powerhouse WGNA (AM 1460/107.7 FM Albany, N.Y.).  They are thwarted in
power, as well as the fact that WGNA has almost 26 years under their belt
running country.  WPTR started as WCDA in the early '90's, and was AC as "CD
96.3".  They would go satellite hot country from Jones CD Country network on
April 5, 1993.  This would last until March 18 (I think), 1996, when new
owners (who still own it today) would make it "Country 96.3-WPTR", which ran
ABC/SMN Real Country, and a much older-based country format.  This would
later turn into an all older country format when the Jones Classic Country
network was picked up, and on Halloween weekend 1997, they stunted with
all-Halloween music, before going to hot country again as "Power Country
96.3" on November 3.  That leads us up to today.  Now, does anyone wonder
why 96.3 could never hold onto any listeners?  I wonder how long they will
keep the urban contemporary format, which by the way, is not run on any
other local station.

Gavin Burt
Albany, New York

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