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WAEI-FM
Broadcast areaPenobscot County, Maine
Frequency104.7 MHz
BrandingFox Sports Maine 104.7
Programming
FormatSports radio
AffiliationsFox Sports Radio, Black Bear Sports Network
Ownership
OwnerBlueberry Broadcasting
WAEI, WVOM, WBFB, WLKE, WKSQ
History
First air date
March 15, 1961
Former call signs
WABI-FM (1961–1973)
WBGW (1973–1986)
WYOU (1986)
WYOU-FM (1986–1995)
WWBX (1995–2008)
WAEI (2008–2009)
Call sign meaning
Similar to WEEI (former affiliation) and WABI
Technical information
Facility ID25411
ClassB
ERP10,000 watts
HAAT335 meters

WAEI-FM (104.7 FM; "Fox Sports Maine 104.7") is an American radio station licensed to, and with studios located in, Bangor, Maine. It is owned by Blueberry Broadcasting. The station's branding is similar to sister station Fox Sports Maine based out of Augusta.

History

The 97.1 frequency has a long history in Bangor, signing on March 15, 1961[1] as WABI-FM, owned by the Community Broadcasting Service along with WABI (now WAEI) and WABI-TV.[2] Initially a simulcast of WABI,[2] on March 1, 1973 the station became WBGW, a country station.[3][4]

Community Broadcasting Service merged with Journal Publications in 1971 to form Diversified Communications[5]; the company's broadcasting division retained the Community Broadcasting Service name until 1982, when WBGW was transferred to Diversified directly.[6] The call letters were changed to WYOU-FM in 1986.[7]

Diversified announced in 1993 that it would put most of its broadcasting properties, including WYOU and WABI, up for sale[8]; while it would retain WABI-TV following the collapse of a deal to sell it to Vision Communications,[9] the radio stations were sold to Bangor Radio Corporation.[8][10] Two years later, the station adopted a modern rock format under the WWBX calls. The station eventually changed to a hot adult contemporary format. WWBX and WABI were sold to Gopher Hill Broadcasting in 1997.[11]

WWBX was instrumental in storm coverage during the North American ice storm of 1998. It was Michael W. Hale who made the decision to suspend the music format and allow open phones and dialogue to help those with no power and to provide home-based entertainment. The station allowed listeners from all over central and eastern Maine to call in and share stories of prior storms, survival tips, and even just to let people know they were still waiting for power. Michael W. Hale (the morning host at the time) was so inundated with calls, the station effectively became a talk station for a time. The announcers, Les Newsome, Cindy Michaels (now at WVII-TV), Ted Wallace, Dave Glidden and Rob "On The Radio" Rosewall kept people all over eastern and central Maine informed. Inbound calls for help and assistance were so many, volunteers came to the station to take calls and nearby states. The station than returned to its regular format after the power was restored.

In September 1998, the format was again changed to top 40, with an on air slogan of "B97". The station was an overnight success, giving cross-town rival WBZN the competition needed to spice the small market. Although the ratings were often close, jocks from both stations demonstrated the skills to provide Bangor with large market sounds.

File:WAEIWABI.jpg
WAEI logo from September 1, 2008 to January 12, 2010, reflecting its affiliation with WEEI.

Clear Channel Communications signed a local marketing agreement with Gopher Hill in early 2001[12]; a few weeks later, it bought WWBX and WABI.[13] The company announced on November 16, 2006 that it would sell its Bangor stations after being bought by private equity firms,[14] resulting in a sale to Blueberry Broadcasting to 2008.[15] On September 1, 2008, WWBX dropped the top 40 format in favor of sports talk provided by Boston's WEEI, in a simulcast with WABI; the call letters were changed to WAEI.[16] The call letters were modified to WAEI-FM in February 2009[7] in order to install the WAEI call letters on WABI.[17] Though WAEI carried WEEI's talk shows, most game broadcasts were not aired on the station. Blueberry Broadcasting ended WAEI's affiliation with WEEI on January 11, 2010,[18][19] replacing it with Fox Sports Radio programming[19][20]; Blueberry cited a breach of contract.[19] On September 1st WBFB swapped frequencies with 97.1 WAEI.

Programming

Currently, WAEI's programming is largely sourced from Fox Sports Radio; it also carries Imus in the Morning[21] and The Jim Rome Show.[19] Beginning with the 2008 Maine Black Bears hockey season, WAEI became the flagship station for University of Maine sports[1].

WAEI logo (WAEI-FM's logo under previous 97.1 frequency)

References

  1. ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1981 (PDF). 1981. p. C-103. Retrieved March 13, 2010.
  2. ^ a b Broadcasting Yearbook 1963 (PDF). 1963. p. B-81. Retrieved March 13, 2010.
  3. ^ Broadcasting Yearbook 1974 (PDF). 1974. p. B-93. Retrieved March 13, 2010.
  4. ^ "Country-Western FM To Start March 1". Bangor Daily News. January 29, 1973. Retrieved June 7, 2010.
  5. ^ "Publication Firm, TV Unit Merge". Bangor Daily News. January 21, 1971. Retrieved June 3, 2010.
  6. ^ "Application Search Details (1)". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved June 7, 2010.
  7. ^ a b "(WAEI-FM) Call Sign History". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved February 24, 2009.
  8. ^ a b Kekacs, Andrew (December 15, 1993). "Upheaval in Bangor Radio, TV". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved June 3, 2010.
  9. ^ "Hildreth heirs to keep WABI-TV". Bangor Daily News. May 28, 1994. Retrieved June 3, 2010.
  10. ^ "Application Search Details (2)". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved March 13, 2010.
  11. ^ Fybush, Scott (July 10, 1997). "On and Off the Air". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved June 4, 2010.
  12. ^ Fybush, Scott (April 4, 2001). "Take Me Out to the Ban Game". New England RadioWatch. Retrieved June 4, 2010.
  13. ^ Fybush, Scott (April 16, 2001). "Clear Channel Buys Two in Maine". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved March 13, 2010.
  14. ^ Fybush, Scott (November 20, 2006). "Dark Days All Around". NorthEast Radio Watch. Retrieved June 3, 2010.
  15. ^ Fybush, Scott (May 5, 2008). "The Sales Market Heats Up". NorthEast Radio Watch. Retrieved March 13, 2010.
  16. ^ "WEEI Sports Radio Network Expands to Portland, Bangor & Keene" (PDF) (Press release). Entercom Communications. August 20, 2008. Retrieved August 20, 2008.
  17. ^ "(WAEI) Call Sign History". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved February 24, 2009.
  18. ^ Heslam, Jessica (January 14, 2010). "Lawrence pastor 'proud' of Conan O'Brien". Boston Herald. Retrieved January 14, 2010. "Unfortunately, our affiliate in Bangor chose to end its contract with us (Tuesday)," said WEEI program director Jason Wolfe.
  19. ^ a b c d Neff, Andrew (January 16, 2010). "Bangor stations drop WEEI". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved January 17, 2010.
  20. ^ "Bangor Affiliates Drop WEEI Programming". All Access. January 14, 2010. Retrieved January 14, 2010.
  21. ^ "Sports Round up". Radio-Info.com. February 1, 2010. Retrieved February 1, 2010.
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