Update 8/29: Starboard Media Foundation closed on its purchase of 1430 WNSW Newark/New York and launched its Catholic Preaching “Relevant Radio” network on the station at 12pm on Thursday.
Relevant Radio celebrated its first broadcast on Thursday, August 28, 2014, on WNSW 1430 AM out of Newark, New Jersey. The U.S. Federal Communications Commission approved the purchase of 1430 AM on June 19th, allowing Relevant Radio, the nation’s largest Catholic Radio Broadcasting Network, to reach an additional 16 million souls in Newark and the greater New York City metropolitan area. “We are thrilled to be in the nation’s #1 media market,” said Rev. Francis J. Hoffman, the Executive Director of Relevant Radio. “We are grateful to the Blessed Mother and St. Joseph for their powerful intercession, and especially to The Most Rev. John J. Myers, Archbishop of the Archdiocese of Newark and The Most Rev. Nicholas DiMarzio, Bishop of the Diocese of Brooklyn, for their active support in this endeavor. Nor could we have made this acquisition without the extraordinary generosity of our listeners and supporters.”
“We are pleased to welcome Relevant Radio into the Archdiocese of Newark and greater metropolitan area. We look forward to working closely with them to bring to all listeners the clear and consistent Catholic message and to share the Truth, Beauty and Goodness of our Faith,” said Archbishop John J. Myers. “As we continue to broaden our efforts in the New Evangelization to spread the good news of the Gospel, Relevant Radio will be of tremendous benefit not only to Catholic people but to people of all faiths to help them understand the Catholic faith more fully, and share it with others.” The Most Rev. David L. Ricken, Bishop of Green Bay, Wisconsin (the home diocese of Relevant Radio) and a member of the board of directors, said, “I am very excited to witness the growth of Relevant Radio into such a large metropolitan area and important media market. Radio has proven to be an extremely effective means to participate in the New Evangelization by bringing souls the hope found in the Truth and teachings of our Catholic faith and assisting them on their faith journey.”
With the acquisition of WNSW’s 10,000 watt signal, Relevant Radio will reach 16 million new listeners in Newark, New Jersey and the surrounding metropolitan areas including New York City and adjacent boroughs. The addition of WNSW will increase the Relevant Radio potential listener base from 32 million to 48.6 million people.
Relevant Radio 1430 AM will serve many Catholic dioceses, including the Dioceses/Archdioceses of Brooklyn, Metuchen, New York, Newark, Paterson, Rockville Centre, and Trenton. 1430 AM will join 35 other stations to reach 48.6 million people across the country. Relevant Radio also reaches souls across the globe through onlinestreaming, mobile applications, and a strong social-media presence.
“The invitation and support of Archbishop Myers and Bishop DiMarzio was essential in bringing Relevant Radio to this area,” said Tom Vorpahl, Chairman of Relevant Radio. “We are very grateful for their assistance and for the generous support of so many individuals who wished to further our mission to assist the Church in the New Evangelization. We are humbled to serve our bishops through the medium of radio and are most grateful for their encouragement and support.”
Relevant Radio is a not-for-profit radio network and produces 70 hours of original programming each week. Relevant Radio broadcasts 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and 365 days a year with award-winning hosts. Morning Air® and The Drew Mariani Show™ are the network’s drive-time talk shows that accompany listeners during their daily commutes with inspiring and informative conversation. The Relevant Radio mobile App has been downloaded over 50,000 times in all 50 states and 146 countries around the world. The Relevant Radio Facebook pages have an average viewership of 5MM persons weekly with over 500K people actively engaged in the social media conversation.
Original Report 4/25: Starboard Media Foundation has agreed to purchase Brokered 1430 WNSW Newark/New York City from Multicultural Broadcasting for $10.1 million.
Starboard operates the Catholic “Relevant Radio” network and owns stations in Austin, Chicago, Minneapolis, Providence, throughout Wisconsin, and acquired stations in Kansas City and Milwaukee from Disney last month.
WNSW is licensed to operate with 10kW daytime and 7kW nighttime with coverage of all five boroughs of New York.
Following the sale Multicultural Broadcasting will still own 930 WPAT Paterson, 1380 WKDM New York, 1480 WZRC New York, 1530 WJDM Elizabeth, and 1660 WWRU Jersey City in the New York market all of which are brokered out to different entities.
WNSW dropped the Voice of Russia last October and has been carrying Spanish evangelical religion as “Radio Cantico Nuevo”.
WWRU is now licensed to Jersey City.