Turn up the radio

Frank Truatt, the owner of Radio Station WTBQ (AM 1100/FM 93.5) based in Warwick, and Station Manager Taylor Sterling just announced the acquisition of another radio station, WGHT (AM 1500), based in nearby Pompton Lakes, New Jersey.
WGHT has a listening audience of 2.35 million ranging from North Jersey counties including Passaic, Essex, Bergen and others as well as New York City and the Metropolitan area.
And by a simulcast on both WTBQ and WGHT, the broadcast signal ranges from New York City to Pennsylvania as well as northern New Jersey and the lower Hudson Valley.
FM
The prior owner of WGHT was John Silliman, a DuPont heir who retired after a number of years and instead of selling the station, decided to gift it to the Borough of Pompton Lakes, with one caveat that the council could not sell it for three years.
"They were thrilled when Frank and I decided that we would do both the lease agreement and the purchase agreement at the same time," said Sterling. "And we also have an FM construction permit which translates to WGHT becoming FM within three months."
Simulcast for now
WGHT went back on the air on Tuesday, April 9, after being dark since December of 2017 save for a few weeks to abide by FCC regulations. And for now, the station will simulcast its broadcasting with WTBQ.
"The WGHT 1500 on your dial," said Sterling, "will become for North Jersey and New York City what WTBQ has been for 25 years for Orange County, Northern New Jersey, Pennsylvania and Sullivan County."
WGHT will also feature live call-in talk shows with local elected officials, business owners, personalities and other professionals hosting in a format similar to WTBQ.
Essentials
WGHT will also have access to WTBQ's more 6,000 Billboard Charted songs plus many of its specialty music shows listed on www.wtbq.com.
The new station's website at www.wghtamfm.com will also be up in about two weeks and will offer streaming worldwide.
For additional information call 986-7766 or email Taylor@wtbq.com.
- Roger Gavan