Radio Station WTBQ increases power on new FM frequency

Broadcast area now extends to all of Orange County, northern New Jersey and beyond WARWICK - WTBQ radio is now broadcasting on 93.5FM. And the move down the dial from 99.1 to 93.5 will dramatically increase the radio station’s reach with a 12 times more powerful signal. Listeners anywhere in Orange County as well as portions of the surrounding area should have excellent reception. “We have people listening and calling in from Poughkeepsie in Dutchess County and even as far as Monticello in the Catskills,” said Marketing and Sales Director Souzie Miller. “This increase in audience is a great benefit to our advertisers. It makes WTBQ a very cost effective way to advertise and reach thousands of new listeners who are interested in what’s happening in their local area.” WTBQ continues to broadcast on AM 1110 and also has a 24-hour Webcast on www.wtbq.com In 2008 when Orange County’s WTBQ Radio opened its new studio in Warwick, President and CEO Frank Truatt announced that the station had begun broadcasting on FM as well as AM 1110. It was good news for the station and its listeners since the AM (amplitude modulation) frequency assigned to WTBQ was only available from sunup to sundown. On FM (frequency modulation), the station could broadcast 24 hours a day. And during the day programs could also be simulcast on both AM and FM. New programs Since then local information about weather, traffic and news as well as music has been available to early risers and late listeners as well as commuters who leave early or come home late. And FM provided a much clearer signal for music programs that were designed for a general audience. Truatt recently announced the addition of John Tesh’s “Intelligence For Your Life” as its new afternoon drive-time program. “I am thrilled to have John Tesh, who is a top-notch musician and entertainer, added to our lineup,” said Truatt. He explained that he brought in Tesh’s show to replace Dr. Laura Schlessinger, who ended her syndicated program a few weeks ago. WTBQ will broadcast the Tesh program Monday through Saturday from 4 to 6 p.m. with extended hours on Wednesday night. In addition, the station will also feature “Intelligence For Your Health,” hosted by Tesh’s wife, Connie Sellecca. That show will air on Saturdays at 9 p.m. to bolster the station’s weekend programming. Tesh and Sellecca will join an on-air slate that includes the nationally known Neal Boortz and Clark Howard along with popular locally-produced offerings including “The Frank Truatt Show,” “The WTBQ Roundtable” and “Into the Weekend with Walt and Benzee.” History Warwick resident and media entrepreneur Ed Klein, who passed away in 2008, founded WTBQ. The station began broadcasting on July 29, 1969. At that time, Klein was also the publisher of The Warwick Advertiser. In the late 1970s he sold the station to “Polka King” Jimmy Sturr who, in turn, sold it to Goodtime Broadcasting. Sturr regained ownership in 1992. Advertisers and fans may not be aware that for almost two years, the popular local station shut down. But on July 1, 1994, current owner Frank Truatt, who had purchased the station from Jimmy Sturr, put WTBQ back on the air. “I wish Ed Klein was still around to see how far we’ve come,” said Miller. “He would have been very pleased.”