WBYA

WBYA
City of license Islesboro, Maine
Broadcast area Bangor area
Branding 105.5 Frank FM
Slogan Maine's Classic Hits Station
Frequency 105.5 MHz
First air date February 1999
Format Classic hits
Audience share 1.4 (Fa'07, R&R[1])
ERP 25,000 watts
HAAT 93 meters
Class B1
Facility ID 41105
Transmitter coordinates 44°18′58″N 68°58′12″W / 44.31611°N 68.97000°W / 44.31611; -68.97000
Callsign meaning BYA = Bay (former branding)
Former callsigns WAYD (1999–2001)
Affiliations Red Sox Radio Network
Owner Binnie Media
(WBIN Media Co., Inc.)

WBYA (105.5 FM; "Frank FM") is a radio station broadcasting a Classic Hits format. Licensed to Islesboro, Maine, USA, the station serves the Bangor area. The station is currently owned by Binnie Media.[2]

History

The station went on the air as WAYD in February 1999,[3] programming an adult standards format branded as "The Bay."[4] It was owned by Gopher Hill Communications, who also owned WQSS in Camden and WABI and WWBX in Bangor; the station was based out of the WQSS studios in Camden.[4] On April 16, 2001, the station changed its call sign to the current WBYA, which had just been dropped by WFZX in Searsport.[5][6] Gopher Hill sold WBYA to Mariner Broadcasting in 2003;[7] this came after the other three Gopher Hill stations were sold to Clear Channel Communications.[8][9] Mariner kept the standards format, but dropped locally-produced programming in favor of the Music of Your Life service.[7] Nassau Broadcasting Partners acquired Mariner in 2004;[10] under Nassau, the station switched to the "Frank FM" classic hits format on April 1, 2005.

WBYA, along with 16 other Nassau stations in northern New England, was purchased at bankruptcy auction by WBIN Media Company, a company controlled by Bill Binnie, on May 22, 2012. Binnie already owns WBIN-TV in Derry, New Hampshire.[11][12] The deal was completed on November 30, 2012.[13]

WBYA simulcasts the morning show of Portland sister WFNK, and in addition to the Classic Hits format broadcasts local high school basketball games and Boston Red Sox baseball.

References

  1. ↑ "Ratings". Radio and Records. Retrieved 2008-02-20.
  2. ↑ "WBYA Facility Record". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  3. ↑ Fybush, Scott (February 26, 1999). "A Time For Farewells...". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved November 4, 2012.
  4. 1 2 Groening, Tom (December 31, 1998). "Camden station ready to debut". Bangor Daily News. Retrieved November 4, 2012.
  5. ↑ "WBYA Call Sign History". United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division.
  6. ↑ Fybush, Scott (April 30, 2001). "Quebec Tower Comes Down". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved November 4, 2012.
  7. 1 2 Fybush, Scott (January 13, 2003). "Citadel Gets "Hot" in Providence". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved November 4, 2012.
  8. ↑ Fybush, Scott (April 16, 2001). "Clear Channel Buys Two in Maine". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved November 4, 2012.
  9. ↑ Fybush, Scott (January 23, 2002). "Big Changes at WAVZ". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved November 4, 2012.
  10. ↑ "Stations sold". Sun Journal. Associated Press. December 12, 2003. Retrieved November 4, 2012.
  11. ↑ "Carlisle Capital Corp. Wins Bidding For Rest Of Nassau Stations". All Access. May 22, 2012. Retrieved May 22, 2012.
  12. ↑ "WBIN Media acquires 17 N.E. radio stations". New Hampshire Union Leader. May 23, 2012. Retrieved May 24, 2012.
  13. ↑ Kitch, Michael (December 1, 2012). "Binnie closes on purchase of WLNH". Laconia Daily Sun. Retrieved December 1, 2012.

External links


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