Albany Medical Center is the only academic medical center serving northeastern New York and western New England. It is the anchor of the Albany Med Health System, a regionally governed, not-for-profit health system consisting of Albany Medical Center, Albany Medical College , Columbia Memorial Health, Glens Falls Hospital , Saratoga Hospital, and the Visiting Nurses. Albany Medical Center awards the Albany Medical Center Prize , the second-highest value prize in medicine and biomedical research in the United States, annually. Within Albany Medical Center is the Bernard & Millie Duker Children's Hospital that treats infants, children, teens, and young adults throughout the region.
31-499: In 1839, Dr. Alden March and Dr. James H. Armsby founded Albany Medical College in the former Lancaster School at the corner of Lancaster and Eagle Streets in the City of Albany. Albany Hospital was incorporated in 1849 and established two years later on the southwest corner of Dove Street and Lydius Street (now Madison Avenue). Physicians who taught in the medical school saw patients in the hospital, and students transitioned from lecture halls in
62-463: A 501c3 tax-exempt entity, WAMC, Inc., which had been set up by a group of five corporators, including Alan S. Chartock , who became longtime CEO and President, retiring in 2023. WAMC was initially affiliated with the State University of New York and New York State government . In the years since the transfer, the station has eliminated classical music, except for live BSO concerts. It has become
93-443: A beautiful thing, no matter what some outsiders might say." Under Chartock's leadership, WAMC grew into a network of 14 stations (all broadcasting identical programming) and a web-based platform serving portions of seven New England and Middle Atlantic states, bringing news, information and cultural programming to what station leaders claim is an audience of nearly 400,000 monthly listeners. The station's thrice-yearly fund drives have
124-635: A frequently heard voice on the station, presented politically-biased commentary. Chartock responded that WAMC's editorial neutrality is maintained by "including as many conservative commentators on the air as liberal ones". In 2005, WAMC's board of trustees established a "First Amendment Fund" to promote and preserve the First Amendment and the right of free speech by providing a source of funding "to support WAMC if special situations or needs should arise". The contributions in this "unrestricted, board designated" fund reported on WAMC's 2006 IRS tax forms
155-600: A goal of $ 1 million each as of 2013. In May 2023, the station announced that Chartock was retiring effective immediately. His departure was announced after the then-81-year-old had taken time off earlier in the week to consider ending his career and after his on-air time had been reduced, station officials told the Albany Times Union. Chartock's resignation came just months after convincing the station's board of trustees to boost his base salary by more than $ 100,000—a move that brought his base compensation to roughly $ 350,000
186-432: A man entered the hospital with both a BB gun and a shotgun. The man, Dino Savocca, 61, was visiting his mother when he barricaded himself in the hospital, triggering a code silver and ordering all patients and staff to shelter in place. Savocca was apprehended hours later and arraigned the next day on charges of criminal possession of a weapon, kidnapping and menacing. While there were no casualties, hospital staff criticized
217-439: A producer of information-based, non-music programming, providing a variety of interview-format programs to radio stations across the country via the station's in-house subsidiary, National Productions. ( WMHT-FM in nearby Schenectady and its network of repeater stations continues to program classical music in the region.) Listener contributions (often obtained during periodic pledge drives) and corporate contributions have helped
248-554: A translator station for the Albany NBC affiliate, WNYT (channel 13). On December 22, 2017, WAMC entered into an agreement to purchase the Mount Greylock WCDC transmitter and tower from the owner of WTEN/WCDC, Nexstar Media Group , for just above $ 1 million. WCDC-TV had gone permanently silent on November 19, 2017, two weeks ahead of a planned December 1 shutdown amid declining over-the-air viewership, following damage to
279-570: A variety of on-air roles at WAMC, including but not limited to hosting the Capitol Connection , Vox Pop , and Conversations with programs, sitting on panels for The Roundtable and The Media Project , serving as a political commentator, and filling a central role in the thrice-annual fund drives. He also writes a syndicated column on politics which appears in newspapers throughout New York state. Born in New York City , Chartock worked in
310-608: Is a non-commercial educational radio station licensed to Albany, New York , United States, featuring a public radio format. Owned by "WAMC Northeast Public Radio" with a legal name of "WAMC", WAMC-FM's primary signal encompasses the Capital District , along with parts of eastern New York, southern Vermont , Western Massachusetts and the Litchfield Hills region as the regional affiliate for National Public Radio (NPR), American Public Media , Public Radio Exchange and
341-545: Is a former president and chief executive officer of WAMC /Northeast Public Radio, a National Public Radio affiliate, from 1981 to 2023. He was professor of political science at SUNY New Paltz and is a professor emeritus of communications at the State University of New York (SUNY), and is executive publisher and project director for the Legislative Gazette , a weekly newspaper staffed by college intern reporters covering New York State government. Chartock served in
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#1733085968981372-566: Is a large tertiary-care hospital serving the upper Hudson Valley , and the medical school is one of the country's ACGME-accredited medical schools. The affiliation with Albany Medical College was the source of the call sign WAMC. In 1981, the station became an independent institution, no longer associated with the medical school. In its early days, WAMC had a mostly classical music radio format . The earliest years also included broadcasts of health information and lectures from visiting medical professors. Early on, part of WAMC's regular programming
403-821: Is dismayed by what he calls the proliferation of corporate-run radio stations, which he believes express extreme right-wing views without giving opposing viewpoints. He has called Pete Seeger "an American hero". According to Gadi Dechter of CityPaper.com, Chartock "publishes a blog on WAMC's web site that has featured sharp attacks on the Republican party , the Bush administration , and ' neocons ' in general." Stephen Yasko, manager of WTMD (89.7 FM), an NPR member station in Towson, Maryland which plays mostly adult-alternative music, contends that any quality-control challenges which might be created by NPR's decentralized nature are outweighed by
434-538: Is of European Jewish descent. Chartock participated in a broad swath of WAMC's radio programs, serving as host of the Capitol Connection , Legislative Gazette , and Congressional Corner ; appearing on the Media Project ; and being interviewed as the "political observer" at WAMC on a number of the on station, including as The Roundtable , Midday Magazine , and Northeast Report . Chartock also hosted morning portions of on-air fund drives. Chartock's presence on
465-643: Is the tallest mountain in Massachusetts. The transmitter had formerly been a tenant on the tower, which was built and maintained by the Albany ABC-TV affiliate WTEN (channel 10) for its satellite station for the Berkshire region and Pittsfield, WCDC. WCDC had broadcast on channel 19 but that signal was shut down in 2017. The tower also features a radio facility for the Massachusetts State Police and
496-715: The BBC World Service . The station's reach is extended into west-central Connecticut , northeastern Pennsylvania and the Monadnock Region , Champlain Valley , Skylands Region and North Country areas, along with portions of Quebec , via a network of twelve full-power repeaters and sixteen low-power translators . One of these satellite stations operates on the AM band , WAMC ( 1400 AM ) in Albany. Unlike many NPR stations around
527-505: The Beautiful ". The station's February 2017 fund drive raised over $ 1,000,000 in less than one day. The main 90.3 MHz signal has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 10,000 watts, which on paper is somewhat modest for a full NPR member on the FM band. However, its height above average terrain (HAAT) of 600 meters (2,000 ft) gives it one of the largest coverage areas of any NPR station in
558-853: The New York State Nurses Association for not seriously considering proposed safety measures. Albany Medical College (AMC) is a medical school located in Albany, New York , United States . It was founded in 1839 by Alden March and James H. Armsby and is one of the oldest medical schools in the nation. The college is part of Albany Medical Center, which includes the Albany Medical Center Hospital . [REDACTED] Media related to Albany Medical Center at Wikimedia Commons 42°39′12.42″N 73°46′31.54″W / 42.6534500°N 73.7754278°W / 42.6534500; -73.7754278 WAMC WAMC-FM (90.3 FM )
589-704: The Northeast. It provides at least grade B coverage to most of east-central New York (including the Capital District), southwestern Vermont, western Massachusetts, southwestern New Hampshire, and northwestern Connecticut. While WAMC-FM is based in Albany, its transmitter is actually in Massachusetts . WAMC-FM's antenna tower is atop Mount Greylock in Adams , in the Mount Greylock State Reservation . It
620-567: The U.S. which use mostly outside programming, much of WAMC's schedule is produced in-house. WAMC is a charitable, educational, non-commercial broadcaster meeting the requirements of Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code (26 U.S.C. §501(c)(3)) It had total annual revenues for the fiscal year 2010 of $ 6.36 million. The station operates The Linda, WAMC's Performing Arts Studio, near its Central Avenue studios in Albany. WAMC-FM's corporate officers include Dottie Reyonolds, chair of
651-512: The advantage of unique local programming. "Public radio stations reflect the values and texture of the communities they serve," says Yasko, who has also worked in the NPR member services department. "If NPR or any national organization had too much control or input into every station's local personality, then you would lose the very thing that makes us what we are. So if Alan Chartock is what Albany and upstate New York created and what works for them, that's
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#1733085968981682-467: The air if it had not purchased the facility. WAMC now owns the tower itself, but not the land beneath, which is under lease with the MDCR until 2025. NPR's official news policy says its affiliate stations should be "fair, unbiased, accurate, honest, and respectful of the people that are covered". A Washington-based NPR news producer, who requested anonymity, stated that Chartock, the station's then-president and
713-642: The air was increased after retiring from a full-time position teaching at SUNY Albany. Chartock's retirement was announced on May 25, 2023. Chartock has won numerous awards at SUNY, including the Chancellor's Award for Excellence in Teaching and the SUNY Council of University Affairs and Development Award for Educational achievement. He was one of the first recipients of the SUNY Award for Excellence. In 2007, Chartock
744-498: The board of trustees, and Alan S. Chartock , past president and chief executive officer. WAMC's current CEO and President is Sarah Gilbert, replacing Alan Chartock, who retired from the station in 2023. WAMC signed on the air in October 1958. Albert P. Fredette served as the first general manager. WAMC was put on the air by the local hospital and medical school, Albany Medical Center and Albany Medical College . Albany Medical Center
775-527: The medical school to “shadowing” assignments on the floors of the hospital. The hospital, alongside Albany Medical College, established a radio station that took on the call letters WAMC in 1958; citing financial burdens, the college/hospital sold the radio station in 1981 to an independent entity, and is the primary member station of NPR for the Albany area. In April 2018, the nursing staff voted to unionize and voted to be represented by NYSNA. On March 27, 2023, Albany Medical Center went into lockdown after
806-530: The original single station grow over the years into a network of 22 facilities with large primary service contours covering the Capital District , the Adirondacks section of New York, Western Massachusetts , Southern Vermont , and parts of New Hampshire , Connecticut , Pennsylvania and New Jersey . It has been a custom on WAMC to play two songs to mark the end of every fund drive: Kate Smith 's " God Bless America " and Ray Charles ' rendition of " America
837-723: The state legislature for Senator Manfred Ohrenstein . He attended the New Lincoln School , graduated from Rhodes High School. Chartock is a graduate of Hunter College , received a master of arts from American University , and a doctorate from New York University . He is married to Dr. Roselle K. Chartock, an author and professor of education at Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts in North Adams . They reside in Great Barrington, Massachusetts and have two grown children, Dr. Jonas S. Chartock and Dr. Sarah R. Chartock. Chartock
868-448: The station's transmission line in a storm. The TV station license was surrendered for cancellation on February 12, 2018, as a result of the FCC's 2016 spectrum auction for $ 34.5 million in compensation. Due to the tower sitting on Massachusetts Department of Conservation and Recreation land, as well as WTEN's lease on the land having expired two years prior, WAMC-FM could have been taken off
899-482: Was $ 482,577. Download coordinates as: WAMC-FM extends its signal throughout much of New York and portions of Pennsylvania , Connecticut , New Jersey , Vermont and Massachusetts , along with portions of Quebec , via the following network of full-power satellite stations and low-power analog translators: WAMC syndicates many of its shows to other public radio stations. These programs include Alan S. Chartock Alan Seth Chartock (born July 25, 1941)
930-542: Was chosen to receive the 2006 Alumni Association Award for Distinguished Teacher from the SUNY New Paltz Alumni Association. He is the recipient of an honorary doctorate for public service from the Sage Colleges and an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters from Western New England College and Westfield State College. Chartock says he is concerned about governmental restrictions on free speech. He
961-544: Was the broadcast of live concerts by the Boston Symphony Orchestra from Tanglewood and Boston. When the NPR network was founded in 1970, WAMC signed on as one of NPR's original 90 "charter" members. Around 1980, financial pressures caused the hospital and medical school to begin divesting the station. In 1981, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) license on 90.3 FM was transferred to