WBWD (AM)

Last updated

WBWD
Simulcast with WXMC, Parsippany, New Jersey
Broadcast area Long Island
Frequency 540 kHz
BrandingRadio Zindagi
Programming
Language(s) English and Hindi
Format South Asian talk radio and Bollywood music
Ownership
OwnerOm Sai Broadcasting, LLC
History
First air date
October 16, 1959;65 years ago (1959-10-16)
Former call signs
  • WBIC (1959–1967)
  • WLIX (1967–1995)
  • WLUX (1995–2002)
  • WLIE (2002–2018) [1]
Call sign meaning
 Bollywood
Technical information [2]
Licensing authority
 FCC
Facility ID 37805
Class B
Power
  • 10,000 watts (day)
  • 220 watts (night)
Transmitter coordinates
 40°45′06″N73°12′50″W / 40.75167°N 73.21389°W / 40.75167; -73.21389
Repeater(s) 1310  WXMC (Parsippany-Troy Hills)
Links
Public license information
Webcast Listen live
Website radiozindagi.com/newyork/

WBWD (540 AM Radio Zindagi) is a commercial radio station licensed to Islip, New York, and serving Long Island. It is owned by Om Sai Broadcasting and airs a South Asian radio format. Programming is in English and Hindi, with Bollywood music and talk radio, simulcast with 1310 WXMC in Parsippany-Troy Hills, New Jersey. WBWD's studios are located in Edison, New Jersey, while its transmitter is in Islip.

Contents

History

WBIC (1959-1967)

The station, originally owned by South Shore Broadcasting, signed on the air on October 16, 1959, as WBIC, with studios on Main Street in Bay Shore. It was a daytimer station, powered at 250 watts. [3]

Since the station occupied a Canadian-Mexican clear-channel frequency, it was required to go off the air at sundown. Bob 'Bobaloo' Lewis, who would later gain fame as one of the "All American" disc jockeys on WABC 770 AM in New York City, was one of the original DJs on WBIC. [4]

WLIX (1967–1980s)

In June 1967, the station was purchased by Long Island Broadcasting Corporation. It was owned by former Mutual Broadcasting System chairman and political leader Malcolm E. Smith Jr. The call letters were changed to WLIX, effective June 26, 1967. [5] By the early 1970s, it broadcast an automated Beautiful Music format. On Sunday mornings, it had an Italian-American music program hosted by Joe Rotolo.

In the mid-1970s, it changed to brokered Christian talk and teaching programming, still as WLIX. In 1981, this station was featured on the NBC series Real People .

In 1983, authority was granted for nighttime operation at reduced power, using a directional antenna.

WLUX (1990s)

In the mid-1990s, the call sign switched to WLUX. It began playing an adult standards and soft oldies format. Some programming came from the "Music of Your Life" syndicated service.

The station was co-owned with a weekly Long Island newspaper and it had its studios in the newspaper's printing plant in East Farmingdale.

WLIE (2000s)

In September 2002, the station changed call letters to WLIE and flipped formats. It became a talk radio station. [6] [7] Most programming was locally produced.

Mornings were hosted by David Weiss, Tracy Burgess, and later with Weiss and Amanda Clarke; and Steve Reggie with Traffic. Ed Tyll hosted middays, and Mike Seigel hosted afternoon drive time with Matt Bartlett on Traffic. Evenings featured a rotating schedule of paid brokered programming. Overnights featured Jim Bohannon from Westwood One. Weekends featured Lynn Samuels. The Program Director of IslandTalk 540 was John McDermott, a long time producer at WOR.

Later the talk format was dropped for a business talk format. [8] The WLIE call letters referred to the Long Island Expressway. [9] Beginning in 2008, the station started airing Spanish language religious shows. It broadcast a variety format, including leased air-time and news/talk programs.

WBWD (2018–present)

On November 9, 2018, the station's call sign was changed to WBWD. [1] On December 3, 2018, WBWD changed its format to Bollywood music, branded as "Bolly 540 AM". [10] DJs were heard speaking a mix of English and Hindi.

In October 2020, the station was sold to Metro Mex USA LLC, and the station's format was changed to Spanish language Christian radio. [11] The sale was consummated on December 1, 2020, at a price of $700,000.

On December 10, 2020, the station was sold for $1.3 million to Yash Pandya's Om Sai Broadcasting. The station's format reverted to the previous Indian and South Asian format, Radio Zindagi. [12]

Related Research Articles

WNEW-FM is a hot adult contemporary-formatted radio station, licensed to New York, New York and owned by Audacy, Inc. The station's studios are located at the Audacy facility in the Hudson Square neighborhood of Manhattan, and its transmitter is located at the Empire State Building.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KLOS</span> Rock radio station in Los Angeles

KLOS is a commercial radio station that is licensed to Los Angeles, California, and serves the Greater Los Angeles area. The station is owned by Meruelo Media. KLOS airs a mainstream rock radio format and has broadcast rock music in some form since 1969. The studios are on West Olive Avenue in Burbank.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WRKO</span> Talk radio station in Boston, Massachusetts

WRKO is a commercial news/talk radio station licensed to Boston, Massachusetts, serving Greater Boston and much of surrounding New England. Owned by iHeartMedia, WRKO is a Class B AM station that provides secondary coverage to portions of Massachusetts, Connecticut, Rhode Island, New Hampshire and Maine during the day, but is highly directional at night to protect a number of clear-channel stations on adjacent frequencies. WRKO serves as the Boston affiliate for ABC News Radio, Coast to Coast AM and This Morning, America's First News with Gordon Deal; syndicated personalities Joe Pags, John Batchelor and Bill Cunningham; the flagship station of The Howie Carr Show, and the home of radio personality Jeff Kuhner. The WRKO studios are located in the Boston suburb of Medford, while the station transmitter resides in nearby Burlington. Besides its main analog transmission, WRKO simulcasts over the HD2 subchannel of sister station WZLX, and streams online via iHeartRadio.

WFME is a non-commercial AM radio station licensed to New York, New York. The station is owned by Family Radio, a Christian radio network based in Franklin, Tennessee.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KNX-FM</span> Radio station in Los Angeles, California

KNX-FM is a commercial radio station in Los Angeles, California, United States. The station is owned by Audacy, Inc. and airs an all-news radio format in a full-time simulcast with KNX. The station has studios at the intersection of Wilshire and Hauser Boulevards in the Miracle Mile district of Los Angeles, and the transmitter on Mount Wilson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WLIR-FM</span> Talk radio station in Hampton Bays, New York

WLIR-FM is a radio station licensed to Hampton Bays, New York, and serving eastern Long Island. The station's studios and offices are located on Third Avenue in Midtown Manhattan, with additional offices on Long Island in Bay Shore, and transmitting facilities located in Northampton in Suffolk County. The station is owned by businessman John Catsimatidis through his Red Apple Media company.

WWRL is a commercial radio station licensed to New York, New York, owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. The station airs an all-news radio format as an affiliate of the Black Information Network (BIN).

KZDG is a commercial radio station licensed to serve San Francisco, California, and services the San Francisco Bay Area. Owned by Satish Chandra, through licensee Factorial Broadcasting, LLC, the station broadcasts a South Asian format known as "Radio Zindagi". Its transmitter facilities are located in the nearby suburb of Belmont. In addition to a standard analog transmission, KZDG is available online.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WPTY</span> Radio station in Calverton–Roanoke, New York

WPTY is a rhythmic contemporary formatted radio station licensed to Calverton–Roanoke, New York, and serving eastern Long Island. The station is owned by JVC Media LLC with studios located in Ronkonkoma, New York, and transmitter located in Manorville, New York, United States.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WKOX (AM)</span> Radio station in Everett, Massachusetts

WKOX is a commercial AM radio station owned by the Delmarva Educational Association. It broadcasts a Spanish-language Christian radio format. The station is licensed to Everett, Massachusetts and targets Boston and its suburbs. It broadcasts from radio studios in Medford. The transmitter site is in Saugus.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KPTR (AM)</span> Talk radio station in Seattle

KPTR is a commercial AM radio station in Seattle, Washington. It airs a Conservative talk format and is owned by iHeartMedia. The studios and offices are in the Belltown neighborhood northwest of Downtown Seattle.

WKIS is a commercial radio station licensed to Boca Raton, Florida, and serving South Florida. It is owned by Audacy, Inc. and airs a country music radio format. Its studios are located in Audacy's Miami office on Northeast Second Avenue. The transmitter tower is off NW 210 Street in Miami Gardens, shared with WTVJ.

WWWF-FM is a country music radio station owned by Connoisseur Media and licensed to Bay Shore, New York. The station's studios are located at Airport Plaza in Farmingdale, New York, and its transmitter is located on Freeman Avenue in Islip, New York.

WGL is a radio station licensed to serve Fort Wayne, Indiana, and owned by Brian R. Walsh. The station broadcasts an All-news format, branded as "WGL Newsradio 1250 and 105.5". WGL is one of the oldest stations in the Fort Wayne metropolitan area.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WICC (AM)</span> Radio station in Connecticut, United States

WICC is a commercial AM radio station in Bridgeport, Connecticut, owned by Connoisseur Media. It airs as a news–talk radio format featuring local shows with Melissa Sheketoff, Lisa Wexler and Paul Pacelli. Nationally syndicated programs include Erick Erickson, Lars Larson, Dave Ramsey and Red Eye Radio. Weekends feature shows on safe money, music with the Oh Wow Oldies Show, featuring DJ Rob Ray. Most hours begin with world and national news from CBS News Radio. WICC was formerly a member of the New York Yankees Radio Network and formerly aired Sacred Heart University athletics.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WQDR (AM)</span> Radio station in North Carolina, United States

WQDR is a classic rock AM radio station, licensed to Raleigh, North Carolina, which serves the Research Triangle region. WQDR's studios are located in Raleigh, and its transmitter is co-located at the WPTF transmitter site in Cary.

WNYH is a radio station licensed to Huntington, New York, it serves the Long Island area and broadcasts brokered programming. The station is owned by Win Radio Broadcasting Corporation.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WGIG</span> Radio station in Brunswick, Georgia

WGIG is a radio station broadcasting a news/talk format. Licensed to Brunswick, Georgia, United States, the station serves the Brunswick area. The station is owned by iHeartMedia, Inc., through licensee iHM Licenses, LLC.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WJZ-FM</span> Radio station in Maryland, United States

WJZ-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to Catonsville, Maryland, and serving the Baltimore metropolitan area. The station is owned by Audacy, Inc. through licensee Audacy License, LLC, and it broadcasts a sports radio format. Local shows are heard on weekdays, with programming from the Infinity Sports Network airing nights and weekends. The station's studios and offices are located in Towson.

WLIE may refer to:

References

  1. 1 2 "Call Sign History". CDBS Public Access Database. FCC Media Bureau. Retrieved August 16, 2020.
  2. ↑ "Facility Technical Data for WBWD". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  3. ↑ "WBIC" (PDF). Broadcasting Yearbook. 1961–62. p. B-110. Retrieved January 12, 2024– via World Radio History.
  4. ↑ "Station WBIC Now On Air" (PDF). The Suffolk County News. Sayville New York. October 29, 1959. Retrieved October 7, 2015.
  5. ↑ "New Radio Station" (PDF). The Babylon Beacon. Babylon New York. June 29, 1967. Retrieved June 24, 2020.
  6. ↑ Hinckley, David (September 4, 2002). "Stern: Ousted Rivals Had It Coming". Daily News. New York.
  7. ↑ Hinckley, David (November 20, 2002). "WLIE Boosts Signal and Island Focus". Daily News. New York.
  8. ↑ Solnik, Claude (August 1, 2003). "Island Talk WLIE cuts staff to lower expenses". Long Island Business News. Archived from the original on May 22, 2011.
  9. ↑ "Call Letter Origins". Radio History on the Web. Retrieved April 8, 2013.
  10. ↑ Venta, Lance (December 5, 2018). "Bollywood Comes To Long Island". radioINSIGHT. Retrieved December 5, 2018.
  11. ↑ Venta, Lance (October 2, 2020). "Station Sales Week Of 10/2: Radio Zindagi Departs Long Island". radioINSIGHT. Retrieved October 3, 2020.
  12. ↑ Venta, Lance (December 15, 2020). "WBWD Sold For Second Time In Three Months Returning Radio Zindagi". radioinsight.com. Retrieved December 16, 2020.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.