| City of license | Patchogue, New York |
|---|---|
| Broadcast area | Long Island |
| Branding | 106.1 BLI |
| Slogan | "Long Island's #1 Hit Music Station" |
| Frequency | 106.1 MHz |
| First air date | 1958 |
| Format | Top 40 (CHR) |
| ERP | 49,000 watts horiz 47,000 watts vert |
| HAAT | 152 meters |
| Class | B |
| Facility ID | 37235 |
| Callsign meaning | W Best on Long Island |
| Owner | Cox Radio |
| Webcast | Listen Live |
| Website | wbli.com |
WBLI (106.1 FM, "106.1 BLI") is a Top 40 (CHR) music formatted radio station which mainly serves Nassau and Suffolk Counties on Long Island. It can also be heard in the Hudson Valley, the South Shore of Connecticut, and the Jersey Shore. Its transmitter is located in Farmingville, New York.
A Latin music pirate station is also currently broadcasting from the South Bronx on 106.1 FM in the evening hours interfering with BLI's signal in Nassau County.
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WBLI, the station as a whole, first went on the air in 1958 as WPAC-FM, but gained fame in the 1970s. DJs from the 1970s & 1980s included Barry Neal, Randi Taylor, Bruce Michaels, Nick O'Neil, Chris Tyler, Bill Terry (was PD in the 1980s), Jeff Thomas (also the PD), Scott Taylor, Don Nelson, Rick Sommers, Keith Allen (now of B103 Long Island), Rob McLean, Mary Ann (aka J.J. Kennedy of WLTW/New York City),Carl Dayton, TK Townsend, Brooke Daniels, Larry Adams, Ken Rhodes (Ken Rosato, former WBLI news director and now WABC-TV/Channel 7 news anchor), Scott Miller and Kelly Hart. WBLI had a Saturday Night disco show called "Club 106" during the disco days, and a Sunday Night Oldies show known as "Only Gold" during the 1970s through the mid 1980s hosted by Don Nelson. Although technically a CHR/Top 40, WBLI had a more adult contemporary sound in certain dayparts and avoided such harder-rocking CHR hits as "I Love Rock & Roll" by Joan Jett & The Blackhearts during their initial chart runs.
Its most recent incarnation of CHR began in September 1996 when the station, under its then-owners Chancellor Broadcasting and PD Doc Medek flipped from Hot A/C, an evolution that had begun in May 1996. Under Doc Medek and Al Levine as M-D/night jock the station redeveloped it's CHR sound on Long Island, voiced by Billy Moore, and a new jingle package, playing the current records, and had night show features like the "Fresh 5 at 9", and the "New Music Challenge" return. By 1997 'BLI was one of the more rhythmic mainstream CHR's on the air featuring "Classic Dance Weekends". When Cox Radio took over 'BLI they evolved into a more mainstream CHR with less dance product (though still more than most other CHR's) and a tighter playlist voiced by Kurt Flood, Mark Driscoll, Jennifer Vaughn, and Brian James. On March 29, 2006 Beau Weaver took over as voice of 106.1 BLI, a new jingle package debuted at this time as well- the package that is still used today.
In September 1996 'BLI dropped the Syndicated weekend Program "Open House Party" on Saturday nights in favor of a disco show hosted by Party Marty Mitchell. Party Marty hosted the Arbitron #1 rated B-103 Disco Party for three years prior to 'BLI. Open House Party continued on Sunday nights until November of '96. Party Marty's show would continue until 1998 when Marty left to Co-host "Mary and Marty in the Morning" on LOVE 96.1, WLVG. "CLUB BLI" would begin, playing current club music. CLUB BLI is the current Saturday night show featuring occasional live broadcasts from popular Long Island clubs.
WBLI, which is currently owned by Cox Radio and licensed to Patchogue, New York, is programmed by Jeremy (J.J.) Rice who has been with the station since 1998. (Rice was formerly PD of WWHT (Hot 107.9) in Syracuse while the station was owned by Cox Radio. When ClearChannel purchased WWHT in 1998, Rice moved to Long Island and has since been the program director of WBLI and CHR format director for Cox Radio.) The APD is Al Levine "on the scene", who has been with 'BLI since February 5, 1995 and has done nights, afternoon drive, mid-days, and now once again afternoon drive.
The morning program, known as "BLI in the Morning" features Dana DiDonato, Jeffrey Jameson, Shawn "Puffy The Producer" Novatt, and Ted Lindner with news and traffic.
Recurring programs on BLI in the Morning:
-The Dirt Report at 6:20, 7:20, & 8:20 - Hollywood gossip
-To Catch a Cheater, Wednesdays at 7:40
-I Want You Back, Tuesdays at 7:40
-Remember The Time, Fridays at 8:40
-Dirt from Us Weekly, Thursdays at 8:20
-Hersday, Thursdays at 7:40
BLI in the Morning often poses questions or opinions to the listeners, both on the air and online. They have many people call in each day with their opinions, and even have some 'friends' who they know well and who call a lot, like "Loyal Listener Lucille" and more.
Steve Harper had hosted BLI in the AM for 25 years before being let go in the Summer of 2006, with Maria Garcia for about eight of them as "Steve and Maria in the Morning." Dana replaced Maria in 2005. Steve's last show was on July 19, 2006. Dana then assumed hosting duties along side "Big Gay" Randy Spears and Drew Applebaum. Randy and Drew exited the station on December 16, 2010.
On January 10, 2011, the radio station introduced the NEW BLI in the Morning, which featured Dana with new co-host Jeffrey Jameson, and the return of Shawn "Puffy the Producer" Novatt one month later, who was with BLI in a similar role from 2000-2004.
On Wednesday, February 27, 2008, Randy of the "BLI in the Morning" show offended a caller from the Mastic section of Long Island, NY, by insinuating that she lived in a trailer park.[1] After in the station received complaints regarding the remarks, and after Randy's refusal to apologize, he was suspended by station management.[2]
On Friday, February 29, 2008, radio announcers Opie and Anthony, vocal proponents for free speech in broadcasting, called for the firing of WBLI station manager John Shea for "not standing behind his guy."
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