The sports radio station will still be available on 93.7 FM in Boston, and the company that owns it will find a new signal in the Rhode Island market.
WEEI will remain on 93.7 FM in the Boston market. Lane Turner/Boston Globe
Sports fans who listen to WEEI in Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts will soon have to find the channel on a new signal.
The sports radio station is currently broadcast on 103.7 FM in that area. But broadcasting company Audacy has agreed to sell 103.7 WVEI-FM Providence, a spokesperson for the company confirmed this week.
Ocean State Media, the organization that runs The Public’s Radio and Rhode Island PBS, has acquired the 103.7 FM frequency, the company announced.
Audacy will find a new home for WEEI in that market. WEEI will continue to be heard on 93.7 in Boston, the spokesperson said.
Ocean State Media has until this point relied on five different frequencies to serve Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts. Now, with a $4.9 million investment, the company is hoping to provide a better product for its listeners.
Pam Johnston, president and CEO of Ocean State Media, issued a statement about the transaction, which still needs to be approved by the Federal Communications Commission.
“With this move, listeners will no longer need to change channels to continue hearing Ocean State Media as they travel throughout Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts,” she said. “Once approved, audiences can tune to a single frequency for a clear, high-quality broadcast, advancing our commitment to delivering distinctly local news and information more effectively and efficiently across the region.”
Johnston told an Ocean State Media reporter this week that the process could take up to 90 days, and that the $4.9 million will be financed as the company sells off the frequencies it currently has.
Meanwhile, WEEI continues to lag behind its competitor, 98.5 The Sports Hub, in the Nielsen Audio Ratings.
Audacy filed for bankruptcy in 2024 with almost $2 billion in debt. It emerged from that process as a private company.
Ross CristantielloStaff Writer
Ross Cristantiello, a general assignment news reporter for Boston.com since 2022, covers local politics, crime, the environment, and more.
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