WMHT-FM
| City | Schenectady, New York |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Capital District |
| Frequency | 89.1 MHz (also on HD Radio) |
| First air date | 1972 |
| Format |
FM/HD1: Classical music HD2: Adult album alternative (WEXT simulcast) |
| ERP | 6,100 watts |
| HAAT | 361 meters |
| Class | B |
| Facility ID | 73266 |
| Callsign meaning | taken from WMHT (TV) |
| Affiliations | NPR |
| Owner | WMHT Educational Telecommunications |
| Sister stations | WMHT (TV) & WEXT |
| Webcast | WMHT Listen Online |
| Website | http://www.wmht.org/classical |
WMHT-FM is the callsign of a classical music and NPR radio station licensed to Schenectady, New York, broadcasting on 89.1 MHz with 6,100 watts ERP from the Helderberg Mountains antenna farm in New Scotland, New York. It is sister station to WMHT, the PBS member station for the Albany/Schenectady/Troy market.
WMHT-FM programming is also heard on a part-time basis on sister station WRHV-FM in Poughkeepsie, which is involved in one of the last timeshare arrangements in the United States alongside State University of New York at New Paltz-owned WFNP-FM. From October 2005 to March 2006, WMHT-FM programming was also heard on WBKK in Amsterdam prior to WMHT starting its own, younger-oriented classical music on that station.
History
WMHT-FM plays an all-classical music format, a format that dates to its signon in 1972. The plans for the format came into being in the wake of WFLY leaving the classical format in 1969 and an ensuing protest from prominent members of the community. Although a number of PBS stations were launching sister NPR stations, the presence of WAMC kept WMHT from such an opportunity. WMHT decided to go in a different direction by launching a classical station. After paying Siena College owned WVCR-FM to vacate their 89.1 frequency, WMHT-FM would soon sign on.
WMHT-FM's signature program is "Bach's Lunch," a program originally conceived by Pam Mittendorff and Chris Wienk of WSHU-FM. Wienk brought the program to WMHT-FM after it stopped airing on WSHU-FM in Fairfield.
In July 2007, WMHT launched Amsterdam-licensed WEXT (97.7), branded as "Exit 97.7", after the purchase of the commercial license for WBKK, which removed the station's main competitor in the market. WEXT runs a non-commercial AAA format, along with a focus on local Capital Region artists.
Original programming
- Bach's Lunch: A program of Baroque music airing on weekdays at noon. The host is Chris Wienk.
- WMHT Live: A full-length concert program featuring recordings of recent classical concerts in the Capital District.
- No Ticket Required: A program of concert excerpts featuring recordings of recent classical concerts in the Capital District.
- Serenade: A program of classical music featuring nocturnes, adagios and andantes produced by Wayne Henning.
RISE
WMHT also provides an information service for those who are blind and "print-disabled" known as RISE, which has been in operation since 1978. RISE programming is on the subcarriers of both WMHT-FM and WRHV-FM (even when WRHV-FM is not on the air).