WOLY (AM)

Last updated
WOLY
Broadcast area
Frequency 1450 kHz
BrandingBig Oly 107.1 & 105.5
Programming
Format Classic hits
Affiliations Compass Media Networks
Ownership
Owner
  • Seven Mountains Media
  • (Southern Belle, LLC)
WOEN, WPIG, WMXO, WQRS
History
First air date
  • 1929 (1929) (in Tupper Lake as WHDL)
  • December 11, 1934 (1934-12-11) (in Olean as WHDL) [1]
Former call signs
WHDL (1929–2019)
Call sign meaning
a play on the name of Olean
Technical information [2]
Licensing authority
 FCC
Facility ID 2863
Class C
Power 1,000 watts
Transmitter coordinates
 42°04′39″N78°28′32″W / 42.07750°N 78.47556°W / 42.07750; -78.47556
Translator(s) 105.5 W288EK (Olean)
107.1 W296DB (Olean)
Links
Public license information
Webcast Listen Live
Website bigolyradio.com

WOLY (1450 kHz) is an AM radio station licensed to Olean, New York. The station is owned by Seven Mountains Media. It currently runs a 1970s to 1990s classic hits format branded as "Big Oly 107.1 and 105.5," branding itself after its two FM translators.

Contents

The station was issued an initial construction permit, with the sequentially issued call letters WHDL, in December 1928 to George F. Bissell in Tupper Lake, New York. [3] In 1934 the station moved to Olean [4] as the oldest station in Cattaraugus County, signing on there on December 11, 1934. [1] It was affiliated with ABC since its days as the Blue Network through the early 2010s. Former congressman James F. Hastings managed WHDL from 1952 to 1966. The station was historically an oldies outlet known as "14 Karat Gold" since at least the 1980s, a format that was dropped in 2013 in favor of a 24-hour ESPN Radio feed, branded as "The Huddle" (a backronym of the station's long-established call sign).

On August 8, 2016, WHDL changed its format from ESPN sports to top 40/CHR, branded as "Hot 107.1" (simulcast on FM translator W296DB in Olean). The format change took advantage of FCC regulations allowing an AM station to be broadcast on FM translators far removed from their city of license (the translator was relocated from Elmira). [5]

On July 26, 2019, the station changed its call sign to WOLY, taking on a new call sign for the first time in its 90-year history. On July 29, 2019, WOLY changed its format from top 40/CHR to classic hits, branded as "Big Oly 107.1", returning the station to a format of older music. (The concept is loosely based on that of another Seven Mountains station, WLUI, which goes by "Big Lewie" in deference to its home city of Lewistown, Pennsylvania.) WPIG disc jockeys serve double duty for the new format (including Gary Nease, who served as morning host during the 14 Karat Gold era and briefly reprised that role in Big Oly's opening months), which is attempting to compete with the markets's predominant classic hits outlet WXMT, another classic hits newcomer that changed later in 2019 after a change in ownership; and indirectly with Buffalo classic hits outlet WHTT-FM, which also registered measurable listenership. [6] [7] WGWE eventually dropped out of the competition in 2021 after its owner (the Seneca Nation of Indians) withdrew its support for the station; in May 2022, Seven Mountains set up a translator for WOLY in Salamanca on 105.5, a short distance down the dial from WGWE's former frequency of 105.9. The 105.5 translator broadcasts from the tower of sister station WQRS.

Programming

WOLY shares much of its programming with sister stations WZHD, WPHD-FM, WLUI, WKYL and WOGA, including morning host Lee Richey, midday host Nancy Plum, and afternoon host Chris Randolph. Compass Media Networks' The Night Shift with Craig Allen airs in evenings.

Translators

WOLY simulcasts on these two FM translators:

Broadcast translators for WOLY
Call sign Frequency City of license FID ERP (W) Class FCC info
W288EK105.5 FM Salamanca, New York 139275250D LMS
W296DB107.1 FM Olean, New York 49419250D LMS

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WCBF (FM)</span> Radio station in Elmira, New York

WCBF is an FM radio station licensed to Elmira, New York. It is owned by Seven Mountains Media and airs a country music format.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KORL-FM</span> Radio station in Waianae–Honolulu, Hawaii

KORL-FM is a commercial radio station licensed to Waianae, Hawaii, and serving the Honolulu metropolitan area. The station broadcasts an classic rock radio format, concentrating on classic hits of the late 1960s through the early 1990s. It is owned by Hochman Hawaii-Three, Inc.. It also transmits on Oceanic Spectrum digital channel 883 for the entire state of Hawaii. Its radio studios are located in Downtown Honolulu.

WPIG is a radio station located in Olean, New York. Branded as "95.7 The Big Pig", the station operates a broad-based country music format. It is owned by Seven Mountains Media.

WQRS is a radio station in Salamanca, New York in the Olean, New York broadcasting area. The station broadcasts a classic rock format, with its license owned by Seven Mountains Media, the dominant commercial broadcaster in Cattaraugus County. The station's transmitter is based in Carrollton.

WMXO is a radio station licensed to and located in Olean, New York. The station broadcasts with a Top 40 format. The station is currently owned by Seven Mountains Media.

WRDE-FM is an American radio station in the Delmarva region of Maryland. The station is licensed to serve Berlin, Maryland, although its studios and main offices are located in the larger nearby city of Salisbury. WRDE-FM is owned by Draper Holdings Business Trust. The station, along with WCEM-FM (106.3) in Cambridge, broadcasts a country music format.

WCOR-FM is a radio station licensed to Lewis Run, Pennsylvania, and serving Olean, New York. It is owned by the Family Life Network but has been mothballed since September 2021, with its long-term future uncertain due to ownership limits and a consolidated media scene in the western Twin Tiers.

WTLY is a radio station in Tallahassee, Florida, licensed to and serving the Tallahassee area. The station is currently owned by iHeartMedia, Inc. Its studios are in the north side of Tallahassee, while the transmitter is located west of downtown.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WZID</span> Radio station in New Hampshire, United States

WZID is an American radio station with an adult contemporary format. WZID is located on Commercial Street in Manchester, New Hampshire. Its signal can be heard as far south as the Massachusetts Turnpike, as far east as southern Maine and as far west as Vermont. WZID also broadcasts in HD Radio.

WMPX is an AM radio station licensed to Midland, Michigan broadcasting a classic hits format, simulcasting WMRX-FM 97.7 Beaverton. The station is imaged as "Sunny 97.7107.7", with 107.7 being the frequency of translator W299CK Midland. Until January 2014, the station featured the America's Best Music format distributed by Westwood One.

KDZA is a radio station licensed to Pueblo, Colorado. The station is owned by Mountain Radio Group, through licensee Colorado Radio Marketing, LLC. KDZA broadcasts a classic hits format; it brands as "101.9 KDZA" in reflection of its FM translator, K270CM (101.9).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WQKS-FM</span> Radio station in Montgomery, Alabama

WQKS-FM, also known as Kiss-FM 96.1, is an adult contemporary formatted radio station that serves the Montgomery Metropolitan Area, licensed to Montgomery, Alabama. The station is locally owned and operated by Bluewater Broadcasting Company, LLC. The station's transmitter is located in Montgomery. The station's studios are located on Wall St. in Midtown Montgomery.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WQNT</span> Radio station in Charleston, South Carolina

WQNT is a commercial radio station in Charleston, South Carolina. It is owned by Kirkman Broadcasting and it airs a classic hits radio format, playing songs from the 1970s and 80s. The playlist leans toward classic rock, only playing a few pop, ballad and dance titles per hour. The studios are on Markfield Drive in the West Ashley neighborhood of Charleston.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KGAY (AM)</span> Radio station in Thousand Palms, California

KGAY is an AM radio station broadcasting to the LGBTQ community with a talk and dance hits radio format. Licensed to Thousand Palms, California, United States, it serves the Coachella Valley area and streams worldwide at KGAYPalmSprings.com. The station is owned by KGAY PSP, a California Benefit Corporation with Bradley Fuhr as CEO. Programming is simulcast on FM translator station 106.5 K293CL, also in Thousand Palms.

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

WGTN is a radio station broadcasting a classic country format, which is licensed to Georgetown, South Carolina, United States. The station was first licensed October 4, 1949. The station is owned by R.J. Stalvey. It previously featured programming from America's Radio News Network and CBS News Radio. It aired Fox Sports Radio on weekends.

KALE is a radio station licensed to Richland, Washington, United States, the station serves the Tri-Cities, Washington area. The station is owned by Stephens Media Group.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WLGZ-FM</span> Radio station in Webster, New York

WLGZ-FM is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Webster, New York, and serving the Rochester metropolitan area. It broadcasts an oldies/classic hits radio format and is owned by DJRO Broadcasting LLC. The radio studios and offices are in Rochester's east side.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WALV-FM</span> Radio station in Chattanooga, Tennessee, United States

WALV-FM is a radio station licensed to Ooltewah, Tennessee, United States, and serves the Chattanooga area. The station is currently owned by Radio Training Network and airs programming from their "The Joy FM" Christian adult contemporary network.

WCGS is a radio station licensed to Little Valley, New York. The station, with its tower on Kyler Hill near the border of Little Valley and Napoli, broadcasts at 5,500 watts, effective radiated power (ERP).

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WXKB</span> Contemporary hit radio station in Cape Coral, Florida

WXKB is a commercial radio station licensed to Cape Coral, Florida, and serving the Fort Myers-Naples radio market and Southwest Florida. WXKB is owned by the Beasley Broadcast Group and airs a Top 40/CHR radio format branded as "B-103.9 All the Hits", sometimes called "The Killer B." In afternoon drive time it carries On Air with Ryan Seacrest, syndicated by Premiere Networks.

References

  1. 1 2 The Buffalo Broadcast Pioneers – Buffalo Broadcasting Timeline
  2. ↑ "Facility Technical Data for WOLY". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  3. ↑ "New Stations", Radio Service Bulletin, December 31, 1928, page 3.
  4. ↑ "List of Broadcasting Stations: Changes to List", Radio Service Bulletin, December 15, 1934, page 45.
  5. ↑ WHDL Gets Hot For Olean Radioinsight - August 8, 2016
  6. ↑ Seven Mountains Serves Up a Big Oly in Olean Radioinsight - July 29, 2019
  7. ↑ "Nielsen Audio Ratings".
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.