WCPE

WCPE is part of The Classical Station, a listener-supported classical music network. WCPE allows the public retransmission or relay of their signal without charge or royalty. A public non-profit classical music radio station that serves the Research Triangle region of North Carolina, United States. Licensed to Raleigh on 89.7 FM at 100,000 watts, the station went on the air July 17, 1978 and switched to a 24-hour classical music format in 1984. The "sister station", WZPE in Bath, North Carolina, had obtained a construction permit from the FCC for a power increase to 4,500 watts.[1][2] It is owned by the Educational Information Corporation, a nonprofit community organization.

WCPE
CityRaleigh, North Carolina
Broadcast areaRaleigh-Durham, North Carolina
Frequency89.7 MHz
BrandingThe Classical Station
Programming
FormatClassical
Ownership
OwnerEducational Information Corp.
History
First air date1978
Technical information
Facility ID18831
ClassC
ERP100,000 watts
HAAT359 meters (1,178 ft)
Transmitter coordinates35°56′25″N 78°28′45″W
Translator(s)See § Simulcasts and translators
Repeater(s)See § Simulcasts and translators
Links
WebcastListen Live
Websitetheclassicalstation.org

WCPE's studios are located just outside Wake Forest, North Carolina. Its main signal extends from the South Carolina state line to the suburbs of Richmond, Virginia, and some parts of Charlotte, North Carolina as well.

Overview

Despite its seeming connection to composer Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach, WCPE's call letters don't stand for anything in particular; the station simply did not have the money to petition the FCC for a specific set of call letters, but was happy with the result.

WCPE operates three full-power satellite stations in the Outer Banks of eastern North Carolina, as well as a network of low-powered translators across the state. It can also be heard on cable television systems, on free-to-air (open format) "small dish" home satellite systems via the AMC-1 satellites, and around the world via six streaming audio formats on the Internet, including mp3, Ogg Vorbis, QuickTime, RealAudio, iTunes, and WMA. The station also streams via IPv6. Listening options and instructions are at http://theclassicalstation.org/listen.shtml.

It also distributes its classical music format to affiliate stations in ten states as a service entitled Great Classical Music. It is made available to these stations via the communications methods listed above. Distribution rights and rebroadcast consent to cable systems, broadcast stations, private systems - any legal communications entity (even cruise ships at sea) - is free without cost or obligation. The consent letter is available on the WCPE website.

As of December, 2007 WCPE has lost access to its C-Band (Big dish) transponder.

WCPE was one of the first public radio station in the nation to broadcast its programming on the Internet and one of the few radio stations in the United States to broadcast a dedicated, non-commercial classical music format. WCPE is 100% run by voluntary donations; the greatest amount by far is from individuals making personal gifts, and in recent years an increasing number of small business owners are helping through their companies. The station does not receive any government financial subsidies and/or entitlements at all (donor preference overwhelmingly prefers this independence). Several government-owned groups do help the station when it benefits both. For instance, WCPE gives details of a city-owned orchestra's upcoming concert; the orchestra can then help WCPE with funds from increased ticket sales.

At first WCPE chose a sparsely populated, heavily wooded area in the Northeast part of Wake County, North Carolina. During the intervening years, the town of Wake Forest has grown around their studio and transmitter site. The 85-acre (340,000 m2) grounds once housed a dilapidated farmhouse. WCPE cleared pine trees on the property for the building of the station's facilities and tower. The full amount of land is needed to accommodate the guy wires for the 1,200-foot (370 m) transmitting tower.

Helms-Leahy Small Webcaster Settlement Act of 2002

In November, 2002 WCPE and its founder and General Manager, Deborah Proctor was recognized by Senator Jesse Helms for her contribution in the Helms-Leahy Small Webcaster Settlement Act of 2002.[3] This act helped settle a dispute regarding the amount of royalties webcasters must pay in order to perform sound recordings over the Internet bringing stability to the then emerging webcasting industry.

The North Carolina Award

On Saturday, November 6, 2019 founder and General Manager, Deborah Proctor was recognized by Governor Roy Cooper with North Carolina's highest civilian honor, the North Carolina Award.[4][5] Proctor was recognized for her efforts to promote and help small, independent and public broadcasters remain viable in the era of online broadcasting.

Simulcasts and translators
Call sign Frequency City of license Facility ID ERP
W		 Height
m (ft)		 Class Transmitter coordinates
WURI90.9 FMManteo, North Carolina918035,20057 m (187 ft)A35°54′28.0″N 75°40′26.0″W
WZPE90.1 FMBath, North Carolina937444,50039 m (128 ft)A35°28′32.0″N 76°48′44.0″W

WZPE is owned by the Educational Information Corporation, while WURI is owned by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and leased to WCPE.

Broadcast translators of WCPE
Call signFrequency
(MHz)		City of licenseFacility
ID		ERP
(W)		Height
(m (ft))		ClassFCC info
W202BQ88.3Aberdeen, North Carolina9356010157 m (515 ft)DFCC
W205CA88.9Foxfire, North Carolina935592744 m (144 ft)DFCC
W210BS89.9New Bern, North Carolina10658512037 m (121 ft)DFCC
W237CM95.3Fayetteville, North Carolina14520210190 m (620 ft)DFCC
W247BG97.3Frog Level, North Carolina14583910146 m (479 ft)DFCC
W275AW102.9Danville, Virginia1458823852 m (171 ft)DFCC
W292DF106.3Bassett Forks, Virginia14595110221 m (725 ft)DFCC
W216BE91.1Buxton, North Carolina89947509.8 m (32 ft)DFCC

In 2016, WCPE's programming in Buxton moved from high-power WBUX (90.5 FM) to W216BE. Both facilities are owned by WUNC, which WBUX now retransmits.

Affiliates

Portions of WCPE's programming can also be heard on these stations:

Kansas

Michigan

M-F, 2:30 p.m. - 7:30 a.m, (only when school is in session, and when teacher lets students broadcast) all day Saturday and Sunday

M-F - 9 p.m.-6:30 a.m, all day Saturday and Sunday, and during student vacations

Nevada

Ohio

M-F 12 p.m. - 3 p.m, and midnight - 3 a.m.

Oklahoma

11 p.m. - 6 a.m, daily.

11 p.m. - 6 a.m. daily

Texas

Mon-Sat, 11 p.m. - 6 a.m.

Mon-Sat, 11 p.m. - 6 a.m.

West Virginia

10:30 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Tue-Sat, 10 p.m. -6 a.m.

Virginia

Tue-Sat 10 p.m. - 6 a.m.

Tue-Sat 10 p.m. - 6 a.m.

References
  1. "WZPE Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  2. "WZPE Station Information Profile". Arbitron.
  3. https://www.congress.gov/congressional-record/2002/11/19/senate-section/article/S11548-1
  4. https://www.ncdcr.gov/news/press-releases/2019/10/07/six-receive-2019-north-carolina-award-state%E2%80%99s-highest-honor
  5. https://wakeweekly.com/stories/six-including-wf-woman-receive-states-highest-honor,195453

Other station data

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