WBUF
WBUF FM logo.png
Broadcast areaBuffalo–Niagara Falls metropolitan area
Frequency92.9 MHz (HD Radio)
Branding92.9 WBUF
Programming
FormatMainstream rock
SubchannelsHD2: Family Life Network
AffiliationsCompass Media Networks
Ownership
Owner
WBLK, WMSX, WYRK
History
First air date
1947 (1947)
Former call signs
  • WBNY-FM (1947–1959)
  • WBUF (1959–1980)
  • WFXZ (1980–1981)
  • WFXZ-FM (1981)
  • WBUF (1981–1995)
  • WSJZ (1995–1997)
  • WLCE (1997–1999)
Call sign meaning
"Buffalo"
Technical information
Facility ID53699
ClassB
ERP76,000 watts
HAAT195 meters (640 ft)
Translator(s)
Links
WebcastListen Live
Websitewbuf.com

WBUF (92.9 FM) is a commercial radio station licensed to Buffalo, New York. Its studios are located at the Rand Building in Downtown Buffalo, with its transmitter on Elmwood Avenue in North Buffalo. WBUF is owned by Townsquare Media and broadcasts a mainstream rock radio format known as "92.9 WBUF".

WBUF began streaming its programming on the Internet in mid-November 2006. The station has an HD 2 subchannel that airs religious programming from Family Life Network. WBUF also uses two FM translator stations: W291CN on 106.1 MHz in Buffalo and W239BA on 95.7 MHz in Niagara Falls, New York. Both those translators are owned by Family Life Network and carry its programming by way of the WBUF-HD2 signal.

Superpower status

WBUF is a grandfathered "Superpower" Class B FM radio station, operating at 76,000 watts. Buffalo has three other superpower FM stations: WNED-FM, WDCX-FM and WTSS. Under current U.S. Federal Communications Commission rules, Class B FM's are not allowed to exceed 50,000 watts ERP.[1] Because WBUF signed on in 1947,[2] it was not subject to those restrictions on power. In fact, it once was powered at 92,000 watts, but because it moved its antenna some years ago, it reduced its power.

History

WBUF began broadcasting in 1947, among the earliest FM stations in Buffalo.

Prior to 1975, WBUF was The Home of the Blended Sound Beautiful music, as part of The Empire State FM Network including WVOR-Rochester, WDDS-Syracuse, and WFLY-Albany/Troy. In 1975 the station flipped to a freeform/progressive format, which lasted five years. In 1980, veteran Buffalo media executive Donald Angelo rebranded the station as WFXZ, "Foxy 93." [1] The short-lived format ended in 1982, after which the station returned to the call sign WBUF. In the 1980s, the station featured a popular full service format of Adult Contemporary and Oldies music presented by several well known Western New York on-air personalities including Stan Roberts and Fred Klestine, with its own local news bureau and branded as FM 93.

From early 1991 to 2005, WBUF had a history of short-lived and rapidly changing formats (usually failed attempts to challenge other more dominant stations in the market or adopt fad formats popular in the radio industry for brief periods of time), with the station typically changing formats every two years:

Logo as Jack FM, 2005-2020
Logo as Jack FM, 2005-2020

References

  1. ^ "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2015-01-06. Retrieved 2015-01-19.((cite web)): CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
  2. ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1977 page C-139
  3. ^ https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1991/RR-1991-04-05.pdf[bare URL PDF]
  4. ^ http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1995/RR-1995-04-07.pdf[bare URL PDF]
  5. ^ http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1997/RR-1997-04-11.pdf[bare URL PDF]
  6. ^ http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/1990s/1999/RR-1999-07-02.pdf[bare URL PDF]
  7. ^ http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-RandR/2000s/2001/RR-2001-03-02.pdf[bare URL PDF]
  8. ^ 92.9 Jack-FM Buffalo Gives Way To Everything That Rocks
  9. ^ WBUF Becomes Buffalo's Real Rock Radioinsight - June 10, 2022

Coordinates: 42°57′14″N 78°52′34″W / 42.954°N 78.876°W / 42.954; -78.876