WTVL

Last updated
WTVL
WTVL1490.png
Broadcast area Kennebec County, Maine
Frequency 1490kHz
BrandingKool AM 1490
Programming
Format Defunct
(was Adult standards)
Ownership
Owner
WEBB, WJZN, WMME-FM
History
First air date
June 19, 1946;77 years ago (1946-06-19)
Last air date
January 2023
Former call signs
WODJ (2004)
Call sign meaning
Waterville
Technical information [1]
Licensing authority
 FCC
Facility ID 52607
Class C
Power 1,000 watts
Transmitter coordinates
 44°33′52″N69°36′39″W / 44.56444°N 69.61083°W / 44.56444; -69.61083
Links
Public license information
Webcast Listen live
Website koolam.com

WTVL (1490 kHz "Kool AM 1490") was a commercial AM radio station licensed to serve Waterville, Maine, and serving Kennebec County. The station was owned by Townsquare Media and until January 2023, it broadcast an adult standards radio format, playing softer hits from the 1950s, 60s, 70s and 80s. The station featured the music of Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Nat King Cole and Dionne Warwick in its playlist.

Contents

WTVL’s transmitter power output was 1,000 watts. The transmitter was off Benton Avenue in Winslow. [2] The studios and offices were on Western Avenue in Augusta. [3]

History

On June 19, 1946, WTVL first signed on as an ABC Network affiliate owned by Kennebec Broadcasting Company. [4] WTVL carried ABC's schedule of dramas, comedies, news, sports, soap operas, game shows and big band broadcasts during the "Golden Age of Radio."

An FM sister station went on the air March 26, 1968, at 98.3 FM, simulcasting WTVL's programming. [5] WTVL-AM-FM had a middle of the road format and carried news from the ABC Entertainment network. [6] In 1984, the station shifted to an adult contemporary format. [7]

The following year, WTVL changed to a nostalgia format programmed separately from the FM station, which had moved to 98.5 FM and had become adult contemporary station WDBX. [8] In 1987, WDBX returned to the WTVL-FM call sign, and the two stations resumed simulcasting with an oldies format. [9]

E.H. Close, owner of WPNH AM-FM in Plymouth, New Hampshire and WKNE AM-FM in Keene, New Hampshire, bought WTVL and WTVL-FM from Kennebec Broadcasting for $1.29 million in 1988. [10] By 1990, the stations had changed to a soft rock format. [11] In 1993, WTVL-FM became country music station WEBB; the simulcast on WTVL continued, even though the AM call sign was not changed. [12]

Pilot Communications bought WTVL and WEBB for $450,000 in 1994. [13] Pilot's radio stations were acquired by Citadel Broadcasting in 1999 as part of its purchase of parent company Broadcasting Partners Holdings. [14] In January 2003, Citadel ended WTVL's simulcast of WEBB and switched the station to an adult standards format, simulcast with sister station WEZW (1400 AM, now WJZN) in Waterville under the "Kool" branding. [15] The call sign was changed to WODJ on November 26, 2004; on December 8, the WTVL call sign returned. [16]

Citadel merged with Cumulus Media on September 16, 2011. [17] Townsquare Media acquired Cumulus' Augusta/Waterville stations in 2012. [18] The simulcast with WJZN ended on July 14, 2016, when that station changed to a classic rock format. [19]

In January 2023, WTVL went silent. [20] Townsquare Media surrendered the station's license to the Federal Communications Commission on December 29, 2023, who cancelled it on January 8, 2024. [21]

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WMME-FM</span> CHR radio station in Augusta, Maine

WMME-FM, known as "92 Moose", is a radio station located in Augusta, Maine. The station airs a Top 40 format. The station has an Effective Radiated Power of 50,000 watts, meaning that the station can be heard across much of Central, Western, and Mid-Coast Maine. WMME's transmitter is located on U.S. Route 202, about 6 Miles Northeast of Downtown Augusta. On weekday mornings, the station airs the "Moose Morning Show", a popular morning program in Central Maine. The station is owned by Townsquare Media. On air personalities include Renee Nelson, Cooper Fox, Brittany Rose, Kayla Thomas and Matt James.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WEBB</span> Radio station in Waterville, Maine

WEBB is a country formatted FM radio station licensed to Waterville, Maine. It is owned by Townsquare Media, and broadcasts on 98.5 FM. It used to be simulcast on AM 1490 WTVL. Its studios are located along with WMME-FM, WTVL, and WJZN in Augusta. The station's signal can also be received in parts of the Bangor market. On air personalities include Buzz and Brittany in the Morning, Buzz Bradley, Brittany Rose, Quinn Alexander, and Sam Alex.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WHTP (AM)</span> Radio station in Gardiner, Maine

WHTP is a commercial radio station licensed to Gardiner, Maine, United States. It serves the Lewiston-Auburn and Augusta metropolitan areas. The station is owned by MaineInvests LLC. It airs a rhythmic contemporary format, branded as Hot Radio Maine, simulcast with WHTP-FM (104.7) in Kennebunkport and WHZP in Veazie.

<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.

WBQA is a non-commercial FM classical music radio station located at 96.7, owned by Maine Public Broadcasting Corporation and licensed to Boothbay Harbor, Maine. The station serves Mid Coast Maine with studios in Portland, Lewiston and Bangor. WBQA operates as part of the Maine Public Classical network.

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.

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">WPKQ</span> Radio station in North Conway, New Hampshire

WPKQ is a commercial radio station licensed to North Conway, New Hampshire. It is owned by Townsquare Media and simulcasts the alternative rock format of 94.3 WCYY from the Portland, Maine, area. It is an affiliate of the New England Patriots Radio Network. In morning drive time, it carries the sports show Toucher and Rich from WBZ-FM in Boston. WPKQ shares its main studio with WCYY at One City Center in Portland, Maine, with its sales office and auxiliary studio located in North Conway.

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

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. It carries the syndicated morning show Toucher and Rich from WBZ-FM in Boston. WCYY studios are at One City Center in Portland.

WJZN was a radio station licensed to serve Augusta, Maine, United States. The station, established in 1932 as WRDO, was owned by Townsquare Media; it broadcast an alternative rock format simulcast from WCYY in Portland prior to going silent in May 2023. WJZN's programming was also heard on W240DH in Augusta.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WWWX</span> Radio station in Oshkosh, Wisconsin

WWWX is an alternative rock formatted radio station licensed to Oshkosh, Wisconsin, that serves the Appleton-Oshkosh area. The station is owned by Cumulus Media. The station shares a transmitter site with WNAM located along I-41.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">KIIM-FM</span> Radio station in Tucson, Arizona

KIIM-FM is a commercial radio station in Tucson, Arizona. It is owned by Cumulus Media and airs a country music radio format. Studios and offices are located on Oracle Road in North Tucson.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WAAL</span> Radio station in Binghamton, New York

WAAL is a commercial radio station licensed to Binghamton, New York. It airs a classic rock radio format and is owned by Townsquare Media. WAAL is the oldest FM radio station in the Binghamton metropolitan area. It is an affiliate of the New York Giants Radio Network.

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

WRKI is a commercial radio station licensed to Brookfield, Connecticut, serving Fairfield, Litchfield and New Haven Counties in Connecticut. From its tower at more than 1200 feet above sea level WRKI's 29,500-watt signal can be heard in such large Connecticut cities as Bridgeport, Danbury, Stamford and New Haven.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WHOM</span> Radio station in the United States

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 in New Hampshire, its community of license. Mount Washington is the tallest peak in the Northeast.

WJIM is a commercial AM radio station licensed to Lansing, Michigan. It is owned by Townsquare Media and broadcasts a talk radio format. It is also the flagship station of the Michigan Talk Network. Studios and offices are on Pinetree Road in Lansing.

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

WAQX-FM is an alternative rock-formatted radio station licensed to Manlius, New York, United States, serving the Syracuse, New York, market. WAQX-FM is owned and operated by Cumulus Media.

KXKC is a radio station licensed for New Iberia, Louisiana in the Lafayette, Louisiana metropolitan area. It airs a classic country music format, and is under ownership of Cumulus Media. Its studios are located on Galbert Road in Lafayette, and its transmitter is located north of St. Martinville, Louisiana.

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

WODZ-FM, branded as "The Eagle", is a radio station broadcasting a classic hits format. Licensed to Rome, New York, United States, the station serves the Utica-Rome market. The station is owned by Townsquare Media as part of a cluster with news-talk station WIBX, classic rock-formatted WOUR, hot AC-formatted WLZW, and country-formatted WFRG.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">WEZQ</span> Radio station in Bangor, Maine

WEZQ is a commercial FM radio station broadcasting a sports format. Licensed to Bangor, Maine, United States, the station signal extends to Bar Harbor and Belfast on the coast, to Howland to the north. The station is currently owned by Townsquare Media and features programming from ESPN Radio.

References

  1. ↑ "Facility Technical Data for WTVL". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
  2. ↑ "WTVL-AM 1490 kHz - Waterville, ME". radio-locator.com.
  3. ↑ "Contact Us". Kool AM.
  4. ↑ Broadcasting Yearbook 1947 (PDF). 1947. p. 122. Retrieved August 28, 2016.
  5. ↑ 1969 Broadcasting Yearbook (PDF). 1969. p. B-77. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  6. ↑ 1974 Broadcasting Yearbook (PDF). 1974. p. B-95. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  7. ↑ Broadcasting Cablecasting Yearbook 1985 (PDF). 1985. p. B-122. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  8. ↑ Broadcasting Cablecasting Yearbook 1986 (PDF). 1986. p. B-128. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  9. ↑ Broadcasting/Cablecasting Yearbook 1986 (PDF). 1986. p. B-129. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  10. ↑ "Changing Hands" (PDF). Broadcasting . October 3, 1988. p. 71. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  11. ↑ The Broadcasting Yearbook 1991 (PDF). 1991. p. B-148. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  12. ↑ Fybush, Scott. "Maine Radio History, 1971–1996". The Archives at BostonRadio.org. Retrieved August 28, 2016.
  13. ↑ "Changing Hands" (PDF). Broadcasting & Cable . April 18, 1994. p. 34. Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  14. ↑ Seavey, Deborah Turcotte (November 9, 1999). "8 Maine radio stations bought". Bangor Daily News . Retrieved August 28, 2016.
  15. ↑ Fybush, Scott (January 27, 2003). "KB Komes Back". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved August 28, 2016.
  16. ↑ "Call Sign History (WTVL)". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission . Retrieved January 9, 2024.
  17. ↑ "Cumulus now owns Citadel Broadcasting". Atlanta Business Journal. September 16, 2011. Retrieved August 28, 2016.
  18. ↑ "Cumulus sells radio stations in Bangor, Augusta, Presque Isle". Bangor Daily News . Associated Press. April 30, 2012. Retrieved August 28, 2016.
  19. ↑ Capital 95.9 Launches in Augusta, ME Radioinsight - July 14, 2016
  20. ↑ TOWNSQUARE MEDIA TURNS OFF TWO MORE NORTHEAST AMS Radioinsight - January 13, 2023
  21. ↑ "License Cancelled". Federal Communications Commission Licensing and Management System. January 8, 2024. Retrieved January 8, 2024.
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.