WSTL (1220 AM, "La Mega 94.9") is a radio station licensed to serve Providence, Rhode Island. The station is owned by Nelson Diaz's Diaz Holdings, LLC, and broadcasts a Spanish tropical format programmed by Radio Sharon Foundation. Its programming is also heard on translator station W235CN (94.9 FM).

Known as WRIB from 1947 to July 7, 2006, the station changed its call sign to WSTL on July 7, 2006.

History The station was started in 1947 as a 250-watt daytimer, WRIB with studios at the old Narragansett Hotel.Boston Radio essays. Retrieved July 13, 2017. In 1952, WRIB increased its daytime power to the current 1 kilowatt.

For many years, WRIB had aired mostly brokered programming, serving as an outlet for primarily ethnic broadcasters. Faith Christian Center, an evangelical megachurch in nearby Seekonk, Massachusetts, bought WRIB in 2005. While the station's time brokers had expected to be forced to find new homes for their programming, Faith Christian took WRIB off the air at 12:30 on July 7, 2006, with no advance warning, angering many of WRIB's former time brokers. The church only gave the time brokers a few hours to get their equipment out of the studios or face charges for trespassing.All Access.com; July 11, 2006. Retrieved July 14, 2017. Some shows continue on other stations (e.g.: the Armenian Radio Hour is now on WARA) but others disappeared.

On the morning of Friday, June 23, 2017, the station reported to be going off the air soon; it then went silent.WSTL Radio Ministry's Facebook Pageradio-locator.comRemain silent authority request from the FCC's CDBS, filed June 30, 2017. Retrieved July 14, 2017.W229AN's request for silent authority, filed June 30, 2017. Retrieved July 14, 2017. On November 29, 2017, WSTL returned to the air with Spanish tropical, branded as "Mega 94.9" (simulcast on FM translator W235CN 94.9 FM Providence).Mega 94.9 Launches in Providence Radioinsight - November 29, 2017

Translators

WSTL previously operated a second translator, W229AN (93.7), which began carrying the station's programming in December 2008. While still owned by Diaz Holdings, in January 2025 W229AN began simulcasting the second HD Radio channel of WVEI-FM, which is programmed by The Juice Broadcasting Network.

References

External links

Boston Radio essay on Providence radio (incomplete) Armenian Radio Hour's take on the loss of WRIB Providence Journal story from September 9, 2006