▁was ▁ham per ed ▁by ▁an ▁ice ▁storm ▁that ▁forced ▁the ▁station ▁off ▁the ▁air ▁just ▁twenty ▁minutes ▁into ▁its ▁first ▁broadcast . ▁ ▁The ▁station ▁was ▁owned ▁by ▁Qu in cy ▁Broadcast ing ▁Company , ▁which ▁was ▁purchased ▁by ▁a ▁partners hip ▁of ▁transmit ter ▁manufact urer ▁Parker ▁G ates ▁and ▁Qu in cy ▁New sp apers ▁a ▁few ▁months ▁later . ▁ ▁G ates ▁had ▁previously ▁attempted ▁to ▁enter ▁station ▁ownership ▁by ▁applying ▁for ▁a ▁new ▁station , ▁W F AR , ▁which ▁was ▁never ▁built ; ▁mean while , ▁W GE M ▁was ▁Qu in cy ▁New sp apers ' ▁second ▁broadcast ▁property , ▁as ▁the ▁company ▁had ▁launched ▁FM ▁radio ▁station ▁W Q DI ▁( 1 0 5 . 1 ▁FM ) ▁on ▁August ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 4 7 . ▁ ▁Qu in cy ▁New sp apers ▁would ▁assume ▁full ▁ownership ▁of ▁the ▁station ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 0 , ▁after ▁G ates ▁chose ▁to ▁sell ▁his ▁st ake ▁in ▁Qu in cy ▁Broadcast ing ▁to ▁focus ▁exclus ively ▁on ▁manufact uring . ▁ ▁( W Q DI ▁would ▁become ▁W GE M - FM ▁in ▁ 1 9 5 3 ▁to ▁match ▁the ▁AM ▁station ▁and ▁the ▁then - new ▁W GE M - TV ; ▁it ▁would ▁eventually ▁become ▁a ▁sim ul cast ▁of ▁W GE M .) ▁The ▁station ▁became ▁an ▁affili ate ▁of ▁the ▁ABC ▁Radio ▁Network ▁on ▁October ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 4 8 . ▁ ▁By ▁