View source for The Point (radio network)

{{short description|Network of adult album alternative radio stations in Vermont}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox radio network
| name           = The Point
| logo           = The Point Independent Radio logo.png
| area           = Northern [[Vermont]]
| branding       = Independent Radio, The Point
| radio_stations = [[#Frequencies|See § Frequencies]]
| format         = [[Adult album alternative]]
| owner          = Northeast Broadcasting
| webcast        = {{listenlive|http://www.pointfm.com}}
| website        = {{URL|http://www.pointfm.com/}}
}}

'''The Point''' ("Independent Radio, The Point") is a [[radio network]] operating in the state of [[Vermont]]. The [[flagship station]] is '''WNCS''' (104.7 [[FM broadcasting|FM]]) in [[Montpelier, Vermont|Montpelier]], which signed on in 1977. It was started by [[Jeb Spaulding]] who later served as Chancellor of the [[Vermont State Colleges]], State Treasurer of Vermont, and Secretary of Administration under Vermont Governor [[Peter Shumlin]]. Although at that time there was no designated [[adult album alternative]] format, The Point's programming format has been solidly adult album alternative/[[Progressive rock (radio format)|progressive rock]] for its entire history.

The Point has won numerous national awards over the course of its history, including trade publication ''[[Radio and Records]]''{{'}} AAA Station of the Year (markets 101+) in 2005, 2006, 2007, and 2008, which was the publication's final year of operation. In 2008, The Point was inducted into the trade publication ''[[FMQB]]''{{'}}s Hall Of Fame for AAA Stations in markets 51 and smaller, and in 2013 The Point was named ''FMQB''{{'}}s AAA Station of the Year (markets 50+).

==Frequencies==
The Point broadcasts on five FM stations. They are:

{| class="wikitable sortable"
|-
! [[Call signs in North America|Call sign]]
! data-sort-type="number" | [[Frequency]]
! [[City of license]]
! data-sort-type="number" | [[Facility ID]]
! [[List of North American broadcast station classes|Class]]
! data-sort-type="number" | [[Effective radiated power|ERP]]<br />([[watt|W]])
! data-sort-type="number" | [[Height above average terrain|Height]]<br />([[Metre|m]] ([[Foot (unit)|ft]]))
! class="unsortable" | Transmitter coordinates
! class="unsortable" | First air date
! class="unsortable" | Broadcast area
! class="unsortable" | Former call signs
|-
| {{rh}} | [[WIFY]] || 93.7 FM || [[Addison, Vermont]] || {{FID|83867}} || C3 || 21,000 || {{Convert|108|m|ft|abbr=on}} || {{coord|44|13|15.2|N|73|24|35.5|W|region:US-VT_type:landmark|name=WIFY}} || [[2014 in radio|2014]]{{Efn|group="sta"|WIFY has operated since 1999, but carried other formats prior to joining The Point in 2014.}} || [[Addison, Vermont|Addison]]<br />[[Middlebury, Vermont|Middlebury]]<br /> [[Burlington, Vermont|Burlington]]|| {{ubl|{{nowrap|WWFY (1996–1999)}}|{{nowrap|WRRO (1999–2001)}}|{{nowrap|WXAL-FM (2001–2005)}}|{{nowrap|WUSX (2005–2010)}}}}
|-
| {{rh}} | WDOT || 95.7 FM || [[Danville, Vermont]] || {{FID|4001}} || A || 3,800 || {{Convert|75|m|ft|abbr=on}} || {{coord|44|24|58.2|N|72|3|30.3|W|region:US-VT_type:landmark|name=WDOT}} || [[1996 in radio|1996]]<ref name="mst-wshxstart">{{cite news |title=Format Changes |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-M-Street/M-Street-Journal/M-Street-1996-11.pdf#page=27 |access-date=March 12, 2023 |work=The M Street Journal |date=November 27, 1996 |page=1}}</ref> || [[Danville, Vermont|Danville]]<br />[[St. Johnsbury, Vermont|Saint Johnsbury]] || {{nowrap|WSHX (1989–1999)}}
|-
| {{rh}} | WNCS{{Efn|group="sta"|[[Flagship (broadcasting)|Flagship station]]}} || 104.7 FM || [[Montpelier, Vermont]] || {{FID|43655}} || C2 || 1,900 || {{Convert|634|m|ft|abbr=on}} || {{coord|44|25|14.1|N|72|49|40.4|W|region:US-VT_type:landmark|name=WNCS}} || [[1977 in radio|1977]] || [[Montpelier, Vermont|Montpelier]]<br />[[Burlington, Vermont|Burlington]] || {{sdash}}
|}

Notes:
{{Notelist|group="sta"}}

{{RadioTranslators
| callsign = WNCS
| width    =

| call1    = W227AQ
| freq1    = 93.3
| fid1     = 145050
| watts1   = 220
| haat1    = 0
| class1   = D
| city1    = Burlington, Vermont
| coord1   = {{coord|44|29|50.2|N|73|12|49.5|W|region:US-VT_type:landmark|name=W227AQ}}
| notes1   =  
| call2    = W262AA
| freq2    = 100.3
| fid2     = 43656
| watts2   = 100
| haat2    = 31.7
| class2   = D
| city2    = Montpelier, Vermont
| coord2   = {{coord|44|16|49.2|N|72|33|28.3|W|region:US-VT_type:landmark|name=W282AB}}
| notes2   =  
}}

All of the stations are owned by Montpelier Broadcasting Inc., which, in turn, is owned by Northeast Broadcasting, Inc., (based in [[Bedford, New Hampshire]]), which also owns [[WWMP]] (and formerly owned [[WCAT (Vermont)|WCAT]]) in [[Burlington, Vermont|Burlington]]; [[WSKI]] in [[Montpelier, Vermont|Montpelier]]; and other stations in [[Andover, Massachusetts]], and in Colorado, Idaho, and Wyoming.

===Former stations===
The Point was also carried by WRJT (103.1 FM) in [[Royalton, Vermont|Royalton]], serving the [[White River Junction, Vermont|White River Junction]]–[[Lebanon, New Hampshire|Lebanon]]–[[Hanover, New Hampshire|Hanover]] area,<ref name="nerw-wrjtpoint">{{cite news |last1=Fybush |first1=Scott |title=WROR is Back in Beantown |url=https://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-960822.html |access-date=March 12, 2023 |work=New England RadioWatch |date=August 22, 1996}}</ref> from its 1996 sign on<ref name="mst-wrjtstart">{{cite news |title=Format Changes |url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-M-Street/M-Street-Journal/M-Street-1996-08.pdf#page=17 |access-date=March 12, 2023 |work=The M Street Journal |date=August 21, 1996 |page=1}}</ref> until its sale to the [[Educational Media Foundation]] (EMF) in 2020;<ref name="ri-wrjtsale">{{cite news |last1=Venta |first1=Lance |title=EMF Acquires Four In Northern New England |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/196579/emf-acquires-four-in-northern-new-england/ |access-date=March 12, 2023 |work=RadioInsight |date=August 27, 2020}}</ref> it is now [[K-Love]] station [[WZKC]].<ref name="ir-wzkcklove">{{cite news |title=FCC: 19 Call Letter Changes During January. |url=https://www.insideradio.com/free/fcc-19-call-letter-changes-during-january/article_85dbedee-72fd-11eb-b0f5-c7b61086cf2c.html |access-date=March 12, 2023 |work=Inside Radio |date=February 19, 2021 |language=en}}</ref> WRJT also operated translator W299AM (107.7 FM) in Lebanon, New Hampshire;<ref name="ri-wrjtw299am">{{cite news |last1=Venta |first1=Lance |title=Station Sales Week Of 11/20: WJAS Heads To A Nursing Home Operator |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/201578/station-sales-week-of-11-20-wjas-heads-to-a-nursing-home-operator/ |access-date=March 12, 2023 |work=RadioInsight |date=November 20, 2020}}</ref> that facility was retained by Northeast Broadcasting, and began carrying separately-owned [[WFRD]] in 2011.<ref name="fcc-wfrdonw299am">{{cite web |last1=Flanagan |first1=Edward |title=Amendment to Renewal of License |url=https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/public/tv/draftCopy.html?displayType=html&appKey=25076ff37dda7617017e06e4d01e4863&id=25076ff37dda7617017e06e4d01e4863&goBack=N |website=Licensing and Management System |publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]] |access-date=March 12, 2023 |date=December 30, 2021}}</ref> W299AM was itself sold to EMF's successor, K-Love Inc., in 2025,<ref name="ri-w299amsale">{{cite news |last1=Venta |first1=Lance |title=Station Sales Week Of 1/17 |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/291970/station-sales-week-of-1-17-2/ |access-date=January 20, 2025 |work=RadioInsight |date=January 17, 2025}}</ref> and resumed carrying WZKC.<ref name="fcc-wzkconw299amagain">{{cite web |last1=Ishmael |first1=Aaron |title=FM Translator Primary Station Notification Application |url=https://enterpriseefiling.fcc.gov/dataentry/views/public/fmDraftCopy?displayType=html&appKey=25076ff394481c5d01944ce05747040c&id=25076ff394481c5d01944ce05747040c&goBack=N |website=Licensing and Management System |publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]] |access-date=January 22, 2025 |date=January 9, 2025}}</ref>

[[WFAD]] (1490 AM) and translator W266CU (101.1 FM) in Middlebury carried The Point in the early 2020s, prior to its 2022 sale to [[WGLY-FM|Christian Ministries]].<ref name="ri-wfadsale">{{cite news |last1=Venta |first1=Lance |title=Station Sales Week of 12/16 |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/246177/station-sales-week-of-12-16/ |access-date=March 12, 2023 |work=RadioInsight |date=December 16, 2022}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|http://www.pointfm.com/}}
{{FM station data|43655|WNCS}}
{{FM station data|4001|WDOT}}
{{FM station data|83867|WIFY}}

{{Montpelier-Barre-St. Johnsbury Radio}}
{{American broadcast radio}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Point (radio network)}}
[[Category:Radio stations in Vermont]]
[[Category:American radio networks]]
[[Category:Adult album alternative radio stations in the United States]]
[[Category:Radio stations established in 1977]]
[[Category:1977 establishments in Vermont]]