View source for WPLR

{{short description|Mainstream rock radio station in New Haven, Connecticut}}
{{Infobox radio station
| city                = [[New Haven, Connecticut]]
| country             = US
| above               =
| name                = WPLR
| logo                = File:WPLR 99.1PLR logo.png
| logo_size           =
| logo_alt            =
| logo_caption        =
| area                = [[Greater New Haven]]; [[Hartford, Connecticut]]; [[North Shore (Long Island)]]
| frequency           = {{Frequency|99.1|MHz}} {{HD Radio}}
| rds                 =
| branding            = 99.1 PLR
| languages           = [[American English|English]]
| format              = [[Mainstream rock]]
| subchannels         = HD2: [[WICC (AM)|WICC]] [[simulcast]] ([[news/talk]])
| network             =
| affiliations        =
| owner               = [[Connoisseur Media]]
| licensee            = Connoisseur Media Licenses, LLC
| operator            =
| sister_stations     = {{hlist|[[WEBE]]|[[WEZN-FM]]|[[WFOX (FM)|WFOX]]|[[WICC (AM)|WICC]]|[[WYBC-FM]]}}
| founded             =
| airdate             = {{Start date and age|1948}}
| last_airdate        =
| former_callsigns    = WNHC-FM (1948–1971)
| former_names        =
| former_frequencies  =
| callsign_meaning    =
| licensing_authority = [[Federal Communications Commission|FCC]]
| facility_id         = 46968
| class               = B
| power               =
| erp                 = 15,000 [[watt]]s
| haat                = {{convert|276|m|ft|sp=us}}
| coordinates         = {{coord|41|25|22.3|N|72|57|4.4|W|type:landmark_region:US-CT_source:FCC|display=inline,title}}
| translators         =
| repeaters           =
| webcast             = {{listenlive|https://www.wplr.com}}
| website             = {{URL|https://www.wplr.com}}
}}

'''WPLR''' (99.1 [[Hertz|MHz]], also known as "99.1 PLR" or Connecticut's #1 Rock Station). licensed to [[New Haven, Connecticut]], is a [[mainstream rock]] station owned by [[Connoisseur Media]] as of May 10, 2013.<ref>[http://www.thehour.com/business/connoisseur-media-to-buy-cox-radio-s-connecticut-stations/article_c6ab91b7-cb3b-51c9-8702-7b0b993626d1.html Connoisseur Media to buy Cox Radio's Connecticut stations]</ref><ref>{{cite web |last=Venta |first=Lance |title=Cox Sells Stations In Six Markets To Two Groups |url=http://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/80882/cox-sells-stations-in-six-markets-to-two-groups/ |work=RadioInsight |access-date=May 28, 2013 |date=May 6, 2013}}</ref> The station's playlist includes rock music from the 1970s to the early 2000s. PLR is a traditional ratings powerhouse in [[Greater New Haven|Southern Connecticut]], though it provides city-grade coverage to most of the state, including Hartford. The station can also be received in some parts of the [[Pioneer Valley]], and the South shore of [[Long Island]]. 

The station, which first went on the air in 1948 as '''WNHC-FM''',<ref name="fcc-historycards">{{cite web |title=WPLR history cards |url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/getimportletter_exh.cgi?import_letter_id=82540 |website=CDBS Public Access |publisher=[[Federal Communications Commission]] |access-date=September 30, 2021 |format=PDF}}</ref> has a history as a pioneer in the [[Album-oriented rock|AOR]] format, with which it has closely identified since its inception in the early 1970s.

The physical location of the station has also changed as the studios are now co-located with other Connoisseur radio stations on Wheelers Farms Road in [[Milford, Connecticut|Milford]]. Previously, the studios were located on Dixwell Avenue in [[Hamden, Connecticut|Hamden]] and prior to that the offices and studios were located on Chapel Street in New Haven. The station's [[transmitter]] is on Madmare Mountain in Hamden near the [[WTNH]] transmitter site.

==WPLR-HD2==
On September 18, 2017, at 10:23&nbsp;a.m. WPLR launched an alternative rock format on its HD2 subchannel, branded as "Mod 102.3" (simulcast on translator W272DO 102.3 FM New Haven). The first song on Mod was "[[First (Cold War Kids song)|First]]" by [[Cold War Kids]].<ref>[https://radioinsight.com/headlines/119793/connoisseur-launching-mod-102-3-new-haven/ Connoisseur Launching Mod 102.3 New Haven] Radioinsight - September 17, 2017</ref><ref>[https://formatchange.com/mod-102-3-debuts/ Mod 102.3 Debuts] Format Change Archive - September 19, 2017</ref>

W272DO was sold to Red Wolf Broadcasting in January 2018. On January 15, it immediately ceased simulcasting "Mod" and began carrying Spanish CHR "Bomba" from [[WMRQ-FM#HD Radio|WMRQ-HD2]].<ref>{{cite web|last1=Venta|first1=Lance|title=Red Wolf Broadcasting Acquires Connoisseur Media's Hartford Properties|url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/122432/red-wolf-broadcasting-acquires-connoisseur-medias-hartford-properties/|website=RadioInsight|access-date=January 18, 2018|date=January 15, 2018}}</ref>

As of November 24, 2019, WPLR-HD2 is no longer broadcasting the "Mod" format and is now simulcasting [[WICC (AM)|WICC]] 600 AM Bridgeport.

==References==
{{Reflist}}

==External links==
* {{Official website|www.wplr.com|99.1 PLR official website}}
{{FM station data|46968|WPLR}}

{{New Haven Radio}}
{{Classic Rock Radio Stations in Connecticut}}
{{Connoisseur Media}}

[[Category:Mass media in New Haven, Connecticut]]
[[Category:Radio stations in Connecticut|PLR]]
[[Category:Album-oriented rock radio stations in the United States]]
[[Category:Connoisseur Media radio stations]]
[[Category:Radio stations established in 1948]]
[[Category:1948 establishments in Connecticut]]

{{Connecticut-radio-station-stub}}