Lock Haven’s WBPZ Now AM and FM

LOCK HAVEN—It took a while, but WBPZ-AM in Lock Haven is now WBPZ AM-FM.

Schlesinger Communications President Jeff Schlesinger said, “This has been a long time coming. We have been working with the FCC for about five years to make FM 96.9 a reality.”

FM 96.9 began broadcasting on August 15. FM 96.9 will be simulcasting the programming heard on AM 1230 WBPZ. Both WBPZ AM and FM will play classic hits and broadcast national and local news. WBPZ has been on the air since 1947. Schlesinger said the addition of FM 96.9 is the biggest milestone since WBPZ increased its power from 250 watts to 1,000 watts in the late 1960’s. Listeners will enjoy FM clarity from Bellefonte to Williamsport, he said.

The FCC earlier this decade had established a window for AM radio stations to file for a companion FM operation. Schlesinger Communications filed the necessary paperwork and was notified two years ago of FCC approval.

The FCC had authorized over 1,000 of the new designations across the country; other long established AM stations in the central part of the state to file for the upgrades included WPHB in Philipsburg and WTRN in Tyrone.

The new FM authorizations are at 250 watts which, according to Schlesinger, will because of the nature of the signal, actually provide WBPZ-FM with a greater coverage area than WBPZ-AM and its 1,000 watts