WRFK (FM)


WRFK is a radio station licensed to Barre and serving Central Vermont. Established in 1974, the station is owned by Jeffrey Shapiro's Great Eastern Radio. WRFK airs a classic rock format, also found on other FM stations in Northern New England, including WFNK in the Portland, Maine area and on WFNQ in the Manchester, New Hampshire area. The transmitter is located off Websterville Road and the studios and offices are on Jacques Street.
WRFK began simulcasting on 107.1 FM WPLA in Dannemora, New York which brings the stations format and branding into the Burlington, Vermont/Plattsburgh, New York/Champlain Valley area.

History

The station signed on August 5, 1974 as WORK. It was originally owned by Robert Kimel, who also owned WSNO in Barre and WWSR AM-FM in St. Albans, and programmed an automated Top 40/Hot AC format known as "Hit Parade." Kimel sold WORK and WSNO to Bull Moose Broadcasting in 1997; two years later, the stations were purchased by Vox Radio Group. Nassau Broadcasting Partners acquired most of Vox's northern New England radio stations in 2004, and changed WORK's format to classic hits on September 15, 2006.
WORK, along with 29 other Nassau stations in northern New England, was purchased at bankruptcy auction by Carlisle Capital Corporation, a company controlled by Bill Binnie, on May 22, 2012. The station, and 12 of the other stations, were then acquired by Vertical Capital Partners, controlled by Jeff Shapiro. On November 14, 2012, the call letters changed to WRFK. The deal was completed on November 30, 2012. The Vertical Capital Partners stations were transferred to Shapiro's existing Great Eastern Radio group on January 1, 2013.
On June 26, 2020, WRFK began simulcasting on soon to be acquired sister station, 107.1 FM WPLA in Dannemora, New York which brings the stations format and branding into the Burlington, Vermont/Plattsburgh, New York/Champlain Valley area.