WBLM

Last updated

WBLM
WBLM logo.png
Broadcast area
Frequency 102.9 MHz
Branding102.9 WBLM
Programming
Format Classic rock
Affiliations New England Patriots Radio Network
Ownership
Owner
WCYY, WHOM, WJBQ, WPKQ
History
First air date
February 1967 (1967-02)
Former call signs
  • WGAN-FM (1967–1987)
  • WTHT (1987–1989)
Call sign meaning
"Blimp"
Technical information [1]
Licensing authority
FCC
Facility ID 22878
Class C0
ERP 100,000 watts
HAAT 435 meters (1,427 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
43°55′30″N70°29′28″W / 43.925°N 70.491°W / 43.925; -70.491
Links
Public license information
Webcast Listen live
Website www.wblm.com

WBLM (102.9 FM) is a classic rock radio station licensed to Portland, Maine. The station has a studio in One City Center, along with co-owned Townsquare Media stations WJBQ, WCYY and WHOM. The station also serves as the Portland market affiliate for the New England Patriots Radio Network. WBLM is one of only a few FM Stations in New England licensed to operate at 100,000 watts, meaning that the station can be received from almost anywhere within a 90-mile radius of its transmitter. WBLM broadcasts from a tower near Route 121 in Raymond that is the second tallest man-made structure in Maine (second only to the tower for WMTW TV 8).

Contents

In the movie City Slickers , Billy Crystal's character claimed to have been a sales executive for the fictional station "WBLM Radio".

History

WBLM signed on the air on March 1, 1973, on 107.5 MHz. By day, it played beautiful music (also known as easy listening, mostly instrumental versions of Broadway, Hollywood, and popular hits) with free-form progressive rock airing from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. The station was licensed to Lewiston, Maine and its antenna was located in Litchfield, Maine, also the site of the original studio, which was a double-wide mobile home. Later that year, WBLM became a full-time progressive rocker. The station signed on the air at midnight, March 1, 1973, with a Bible reading from the Book of Genesis, done by Dave Doolittle. This was followed by the first rock song the station played on the air, "Procession" by the Moody Blues from their album "Every Good Boy Deserves Favour", chosen by blind DJ, Steve Hoad.

Given that the transmitter site was some 40 miles (64 km) away from Portland, the station's signal was somewhat spotty in Portland and beyond. In 1979, it modified its format to mainstream album-oriented rock, after being challenged in the ratings by what at the time was a new 3,000-watt album rock station, 100.9 WLOB-FM, known as "FM 101" and currently WYNZ. Air personality John Clark from FM-101 defected to WBLM in late 1981. On December 6, 1989, it switched frequencies with 102.9 WTHT. The 102.9 facility was previously WGAN-FM, co-owned with WGAN (560 AM), from its sign-on in February 1967 until 1987. WGAN-FM flipped from beautiful music to CHR in 1985. The 107.5 frequency is now WFNK, ironically a direct competitor to WBLM with a classic rock/classic hits format. The two stations are often at the top of the Portland ratings list.

WBLM has a colorful connection to rock acts Frank Zappa and Captain Beefheart. WBLM's nickname is "The Rock and Roll Blimp". The station's on-the-air catchphrase is: "It's The Blimp Frank, it's The Blimp!"; both refer to the Captain Beefheart track off the album Trout Mask Replica "The Blimp", which is where the catchphrase comes from (the catchphrase is a portion of the beginning of that song). It's The Blimp "Frank" is in reference to Frank Zappa as the portion of the song used for the catchphrase is a recording of a phone call made from Beefheart's recording session back to their record label owner Frank Zappa about their new song titled "The Blimp". The "Cosmic Muffin" astrological forecast, which was a daily report on WBLM for years also used as its theme song "Muffin Man" by Frank Zappa, specifically the vocal portion proclaiming "The man thought he was a man but he was a muffin."

The logo for WBLM was chosen among many entries in a listener contest in 1973. A large blimp, hand drawn in black India ink, was the unanimous choice of the staff as the logo. It measured about 4 feet wide. The Frank Zappa connection was not part of this original concept but added later.

On August 30, 2013, a deal was announced in which Townsquare Media would acquire 53 stations from Cumulus Media, including WBLM, for $238 million. The deal was part of Cumulus' acquisition of Dial Global; Townsquare and Dial Global were both controlled by Oaktree Capital Management. [2] [3] The sale to Townsquare was completed on November 14, 2013. [4]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WXLP</span> Radio station in Moline, Illinois

WXLP is a commercial radio station, licensed to Moline, Illinois, and serving the Quad Cities area of Illinois and Iowa. The station is owned by Townsquare Media and broadcasts a classic rock radio format. Its radio studios and offices are on North Brady Street in Davenport, Iowa.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WBXX (FM)</span> Radio station in Marshall, Michigan

WBXX is a radio station in Battle Creek, Michigan.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WSAK</span> Classic hits radio station in Hampton, New Hampshire

WSAK and WSHK are a pair of American radio stations broadcasting a classic hits music format to the Seacoast Region of New Hampshire, York County, Maine, and northeast Massachusetts. WSAK is licensed to serve Hampton, New Hampshire, and WSHK is licensed to serve Kittery, Maine; their broadcast studios are located in Dover. WSHK’s transmitter is located in South Eliot, Maine, while WSAK’s transmitter is in Seabrook, New Hampshire, adjacent to the Massachusetts border. A few specialty programs are carried: The House of Blues Radio Hour with Dan "Elwood Blues" Aykroyd, and "The Reporter's File", a public affairs program, both on Sundays. The Shark was previously the only New Hampshire stations to carry the syndicated Bob & Tom Show morning show. It no longer carries that program, instead using its own local DJs on The Shark Morning Show.

WRRV is a commercial radio station licensed to Middletown, New York and serving Orange County, including parts of the mid Hudson Valley and Catskills Mountains. The station is owned by Townsquare Media and broadcasts an alternative rock radio format. WRRV's programming is simulcast on 96.9 WRRB Arlington, New York which serves the Mid-Hudson Valley, north of WRRV's signal.

WOKQ is a radio station broadcasting a country music format. The station serves the Merrimack Valley, the New Hampshire Seacoast, and York County, Maine, including the cities of Manchester and Portsmouth.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WJBQ</span> Radio station in Maine, United States

WJBQ is a commercial radio station in Portland, Maine. It is owned by Townsquare Media and it airs a top 40 (CHR) format. The studios and offices are at One City Center in Downtown Portland.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WCYY</span> Radio station in Maine, United States

WCYY is a commercial radio station licensed to Biddeford, Maine, and serving the Portland metropolitan area. Its target audience are men between 18 and 44. The station airs an active/alternative rock radio format and is owned by Townsquare Media. WCYY studios are at One City Center in Portland.

KRNA (94.1 FM) is a classic rock-formatted radio station licensed to Iowa City, Iowa. The station is currently owned by Townsquare Media. KRNA's studios located in the Alliant Energy Building in Downtown Cedar Rapids, and their transmitter is located west of Oxford.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WGAN</span> News/talk radio station in Portland, Maine

WGAN is an commercial radio station licensed to Portland, Maine. The station is owned by Saga Communications and it airs a news/talk radio format. The station calls itself "Newsradio WGAN AM 560 and FM 98.5" The studios and offices are on Western Avenue in South Portland, Maine.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WRKI</span> Radio station in Brookfield–Danbury, Connecticut

WRKI is a commercial radio station licensed to Brookfield, Connecticut, serving Greater Danbury and Bridgeport-New Haven, Connecticut. The station is owned by Townsquare Media, and carries a classic rock radio format. Its studios and offices are located on Federal Road in Brookfield; the station's transmitter is on Carmen Hill Road, also in Brookfield.

WHOM is an American radio station which airs an adult contemporary radio format. WHOM is owned by Townsquare Media and transmits from atop Mount Washington, New Hampshire, its community of license.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WRKR</span> Radio station in Portage, Michigan

WRKR is a radio station broadcasting a classic rock format, consisting of classic album-oriented rock tracks from the late 1960s through the early 1990s. Licensed to Portage, Michigan, it first began broadcasting in 1988.

WINE is a commercial AM radio station broadcasting Brazilian Portuguese programming. Licensed to Brookfield, Connecticut, it serves the Danbury area. The station is owned by the International Church of the Grace of God as part of its "Nossa Radio" network.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WFNK</span> Classic hits radio station in Lewiston, Maine

WFNK – branded 107.5 Frank FM – is a commercial classic hits radio station licensed to serve Lewiston, Maine. Owned by Binnie Media, the station services the Portland metropolitan area. WFNK has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 100,000 watts, broadcasting from a transmitter in Poland, Maine, making it among the highest-powered FM stations in New England. Some WFNK programming is also heard on sister station WBQX in Thomaston, Maine, which also calls itself Frank FM.

WPDA is a radio station broadcasting a classic rock radio format, simulcasting WPDH 101.5 FM Poughkeepsie, New York. Licensed to Jeffersonville, New York, United States, the station is owned by Townsquare Media and features programming from AP Radio. Its studios are in Poughkeepsie, and its transmitter is located in Liberty, New York.

WPUT was a radio station licensed to Brewster, New York, United States. The station was owned and operated by Townsquare Media. The station operated on a Class D license and was in operation during daytime hours only, to protect Class-A clear-channel station WLAC in Nashville, Tennessee at night.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WJOD</span> Country radio station in Iowa

WJOD is a radio station broadcasting a country music format serving the community of Dubuque, Iowa, United States. The station is owned by Townsquare Media and licensed to Townsquare License, LLC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KXGE</span> Radio station in Dubuque, Iowa

KXGE is a radio station broadcasting a classic rock format serving the Dubuque, Iowa, United States, community. The station is owned by Townsquare Media and licensed to Townsquare License, LLC. The station at one time broadcast a country music format as KXKX. The station also broadcasts every home and away game for the Dubuque Fighting Saints of the United States Hockey League (USHL).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KQCL</span> Radio station in Faribault, Minnesota

KQCL is a radio station broadcasting a classic rock music format. Licensed to Faribault, Minnesota, United States, the station is currently owned by Townsquare Media.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KDOC-FM</span> Radio station in Eyota, Minnesota

KDOC-FM is a radio station broadcasting a classic hits format, simulcasting KFNL-FM in Spring Valley, Minnesota. KDOC-FM is licensed to Eyota, Minnesota, and serves the Rochester metropolitan area. The station is owned by Townsquare Media.

References

  1. "Facility Technical Data for WBLM". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. "Official: Cumulus Buys Dial Global, Spins Some Stations To Townsquare; Peak Stations Sold To Townsquare, Fresno Spun To Cumulus". All Access. August 30, 2013. Retrieved August 30, 2013.
  3. "Cumulus Makes Dial Global And Townsquare Deals Official". RadioInsight. August 30, 2013. Retrieved August 30, 2013.
  4. "Cumulus-Townsquare-Peak Deal Closes". All Access. November 15, 2013. Retrieved November 16, 2013.