Spreading the word: With broadcast outlets dwindling, local musicians and fans look to revive Boston’s gospel scene

By Talia Whyte

Bay State Banner

Gospel music is alive in Boston.

Barely.

Since the demise of WILD, the genre’s listeners and performers have had to find innovative ways to keep joyful noises on local airwaves.

The scramble started in October 2005, when media corporation Radio One — owner of about 70 radio stations across the U.S., including Boston’s WILD-AM — decided to move the station’s popular format of largely R&B and soul music off of the AM dial and onto a stronger FM signal.

The switch opened up WILD’s 1090 AM signal, which Radio One decided to re-brand as an urban contemporary gospel music channel called “Praise 1090” and sought to emulate ratings successes enjoyed by other powerful gospel stations around the country.

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