Dennis Jackson’s Sun Signals has returned 102.9 WEXP (formerly WCLX) Westport NY/Burlington VT to operation with what he is calling an “experimental” mix of block programming.
Jackson said, “Radio used to be block programmed like television, with different shows at different times of the day and week. So we had the idea to work with well-known local radio personalities and experiment with ‘pop-up’ programming to offer kinds of music that aren’t available elsewhere. We’d like to get an idea of what might catch on with radio listeners looking for. Meanwhile, we’re having some fun with it.”
Silent since last December after its General Manager and Station Manager departed after they acquired what is now Americana “Mud Radio” WMUD Brandon/Rutland VT, WEXP will carry Russ Kinsley’s “The Album Station” free-form Album Rock programming on weekday mornings. Kinsley has been a staple in Burlington Rock radio for decades previously founding 106.7 WIZN and the stations that later became WXXX and WTNN as well as programming WKLZ, WCLX, and WZXP.
Middays and Sundays will give way to Country Oldies hosted by ‘Country Joe’ Loverro, who programmed Country 1390 WDOT in the 1980s. Loverro’s “Friday Night Gold” Oldies show on Jackson’s 97.9 WRIP Windham will also be simulcast on WEXP.
Afternoons will feature a mix of pop hits, Big Band, and Adult Standards hosted by RJ Potter and George Goldring featuring artists such as Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Tony Bennett, Diana Krall, Sarah Vaughan, Count Basie, Glenn Miller, and Michael Buble. It will be followed by Beautiful Music in evenings and Soma FM’s “Groove Salad” ambient beats.
Saturday daytime will be “The Squid” with a mix of Rhythmic Oldies, R&B and Soul with Modern Jazz on Saturday night.
The programming on WEXP is admittedly by Jackson an attempt to generate interest in finding a buyer for the signal. He said, “In the end, we hope to attract interest and find someone who would like to take over the radio station and make it their own so I can retire. You can’t touch a small home in Burlington for what it will sell for, so it’s ideal for a solo entrepreneur who wants to get into radio.” The station operates with 6kW/92m from a hilltop in Westport. Interested parties can reach Jackson at wwdj@mail.com.
