WGAN

Last updated

WGAN
Broadcast area Portland metropolitan area
Frequency 550 kHz
BrandingNewsradio WGAN
Programming
Format Talk radio
Network CBS News Radio
Affiliations
Ownership
Owner
  • Saga Communications
  • (Saga Communications of New England, LLC)
WBAE, WCLZ, WMGX, WPOR, WYNZ, WZAN
History
First air date
1938 (1938)
Call sign meaning
 Guy Gannett Publishing Company (previous owner)
Technical information [1]
Licensing authority
 FCC
Facility ID 58544
Class B
Power 5,000 watts
Transmitter coordinates
 43°41′24.29″N70°19′3.18″W / 43.6900806°N 70.3175500°W / 43.6900806; -70.3175500
Translator 98.5 W253DA (Portland)
Repeater 93.1  WMGX-HD2 (Portland)
Links
Public license information
Webcast Listen live
Website wgan.com

WGAN (560 AM) is a commercial radio station licensed to Portland, Maine, United States, featuring a talk format. Owned by Saga Communications, this station serves the Portland metropolitan area. The studios and offices are on Western Avenue in South Portland, Maine, while the transmitter is in Portland. In addition to a standard analog transmission, WGAN is heard on low-power translator W253D3 (98.5 FM ), is relayed over the second HD Radio of WMGX, and is available online. WGAN is also Maine's primary entry point station for the Emergency Alert System.

Contents

History

WGAN's logo from July 2002 until May 27, 2014 WGAN logo 2013.png
WGAN's logo from July 2002 until May 27, 2014

WGAN was founded in 1938 by Guy Gannett Publishing, a past owner of the Portland Press Herald daily newspaper. [2] It was Portland's second radio station after WCSH (now co-owned WZAN) which signed on in 1925. WGAN had its studios in the Columbia Hotel and originally broadcast on 640 kHz at 500 watts. It was a daytimer, required to go off the air at sunset in Los Angeles, because it shared AM 640 with Class I-A KFI, the dominant clear channel station.

WGAN was an affiliate of the CBS Radio Network, carrying its schedule of dramas, comedies, news, sports, soap operas, game shows and big band broadcasts during the "Golden Age of Radio". After the enactment of the North American Regional Broadcasting Agreement (NARBA) in 1941, WGAN moved to 560 kHz. [3] It got a power boost to 5,000 watts and could broadcast around the clock.

In 1954, WGAN gained a companion television station, WGAN-TV (channel 13), and in 1967, a co-owned FM station, WGAN-FM 102.9 (now WBLM). When network programming moved from radio to television, WGAN began airing a full service, middle of the road format of popular music, news and sports.

Until the early 1980s, Gannett's Portland operations owned the major daily newspaper, the CBS television station, WGAN-FM and WGAN, two of the city's top radio stations. Channel 13 was later renamed WGME-TV when WGAN-AM-FM were sold to Taylor Communications in 1983. In 1987, WGAN was sold by Taylor to Saga Communications, its present owner. Saga increased the talk programming and decreased the music shows, eventually evolving WGAN to a full time talk format.

On May 27, 2014, WGAN began simulcasting on FM translator W288CU 105.5 FM, via sister station WMGX's HD2 subchannel. [4]

On August 22, 2019, WGAN also began simulcasting on FM translator W253DA 98.5 FM. [5] With the new translator on 98.5, the 105.5 translator switched to an oldies format in the fall.

In March 2020, morning co-host Ken Altshuler was fired, followed in April with weekend morning host John McDonald's termination. Altshuler had been with WGAN for 18 years, and McDonald for 25.

Programming

Matthew Gagnon hosts WGAN's local morning show, while syndicated hosts make up the balance of the schedule. [6]

Translator

Broadcast translator for WGAN
Call sign Frequency City of license FID ERP (W) Class Transmitter coordinatesFCC info
W253DA98.5 FM Portland, Maine 201994250D 43°41′26.3″N70°19′3.2″W / 43.690639°N 70.317556°W / 43.690639; -70.317556 (W253DA) LMS

References

  1. ↑ "Facility Technical Data for WGAN". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ↑ Broadcasting Yearbook 1939 page 116
  3. ↑ Broadcasting Yearbook 1942 page 136
  4. ↑ WGAN Adds FM Signal
  5. ↑ WGAN Moves FM Signal to 98.5 Radioinsight - August 23, 2019
  6. ↑ WGAN.com/schedule
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