WCRI (AM)

WCRI (1180 AM) is a radio station licensed to serve Hope Valley, Rhode Island. The station is owned by Judson Group, Inc. It airs a classical music format, simulcasting WCRI-FM.Providence Journal from September 20, 2011; retrieved September 20, 2011.
==History==
The station signed on October 5, 1985 as WJJF, a country music station. It was started by John J. Fuller, now owner of Red Wolf Broadcasting. The "JJF" in the call reflected Fuller's initials. WJJF's studio and transmitter were located on the Fuller Farm at 26 Woody Hill Road in Hope Valley. The transmitter still exists there.
Fuller sold WJJF to Charles River Broadcasting, owner of several classical music stations in New England (including WCRI, WCRB in Boston, and WFCC-FM on Cape Cod), in 2002. Charles River Broadcasting continued the country music format (making it the company's second non-classical station, after classic rock-formatted WKPE-FM on Cape Cod) until July 2004, when the call letters were changed to WCNX and the station temporarily left the air for tower replacement. Prior to being assigned in Rhode Island, the call letters were used by what is now WMRD in Middletown, Connecticut. WCNX returned that August with an all-news format provided by CNN Headline News; the Headline News simulcast was eventually phased out (as with most of the network's radio affiliates) in favor of talk shows.
Charles River Broadcasting announced on October 27, 2005 that it was exploring the sale of its properties, with Judson Group purchasing WCNX and WCRI in 2006. Judson continued the news/talk format until October 1, 2011, when it became WCRI, a simulcast of WCRI-FM.
==References==
*Providence Journal Almanac (1996)
==External links==
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*-scroll down to WJJF to hear a 1995 legal ID.
*A picture of the old studios in Westerly taken on May 29, 2004
*The WJJF/WCNX transmitter site & former studios as photographed on May 15, 2004
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CRI (AM)
Category:Classical music radio stations in the United States
Category:Hopkinton, Rhode Island