WLOB
Encyclopedia
WLOB is a news/talk
radio station in the Portland, Maine
area. The current owner is Atlantic Coast Radio
. In the 1960's McGavern/Guild Media NYC owned WLOB AM 1310/FM 98 as Atlantic States Industries Div. Also owning WTSA-Vt., WNVY-Fa., WRYT-Boston.
The station's programming includes Laura Ingraham
, Michael Savage
Sports programming includes University of Maine
Black Bear
football and ice hockey, Portland Pirates
ice hockey
and Boston Red Sox
baseball.
A portion of The Ray Richardson Show is simulcast on Portland's MyNetworkTV
affiliate, WPME
, as of September 2009; until March 2009, the entire program (as The Fox Morning News) was simulcast on Portland's Fox
affiliate, WPFO
.
The station uses the news services of Fox News Radio
and USA Radio Network
.
. By the early 1990s, WLOB had picked up a religious
format. In the late 1990s, it added a simulcast on 96.3 FM in Rumford, WLOB-FM. This was the third incarnation of WLOB-FM; previous versions included an AOR
-formatted incarnation on 100.9 (now occupied by WYNZ
) from 1978 to 1980, and an incarnation on 102.9 (now occupied by WBLM
) in the 1960s.
In 2000, WLOB and WLOB-FM were sold to Atlantic Coast Radio
by Carter Broadcasting. The stations subsequently dropped their religious programming and picked up the news-talk format heard today. In 2006, WLOB-FM relocated its transmitter from western Maine to South Paris
to provide a clearer signal to the Portland area. Following the transmitter move, in 2008 WLOB-FM changed its city of license from Rumford to Gray
.
On August 25, 2008, WLOB-FM was converted to a simulcast of WJJB (which WJAE had become by that time); resulting in WLOB's programming being heard only on the AM signal. This was part of a shuffle of Atlantic Coast Radio's FM stations as a result of the conversion of two of its stations, including WJJB-FM, on September 1, 2008 to simulcasts of WEEI
. Shortly after the completion of these format changes, 95.5's call letters were changed to WGEI (it had initially planned to use the WTEI call sign, and for a week in September 2008 used the WUEI call letters).
On April 1, 2009, WGEI converted to a simulcast of WLOB; it became WLOB-FM a few days later. In August 2001 WLOB-FM once again began airing programming from WEEI
leaving the talk programming only on the AM signal.
Talk radio
Talk radio is a radio format containing discussion about topical issues. Most shows are regularly hosted by a single individual, and often feature interviews with a number of different guests. Talk radio typically includes an element of listener participation, usually by broadcasting live...
radio station in the Portland, Maine
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
area. The current owner is Atlantic Coast Radio
Atlantic Coast Radio
Atlantic Coast Radio, LLC is a radio company located in the state of Maine, owned by longtime broadcaster J. J. Jeffrey. Prior to the current radio group, Jeffrey was a partner in Fuller-Jeffrey Broadcasting with Bob Fuller. Fuller-Jeffery's portfolio included WBLM and WOKQ but the company was...
. In the 1960's McGavern/Guild Media NYC owned WLOB AM 1310/FM 98 as Atlantic States Industries Div. Also owning WTSA-Vt., WNVY-Fa., WRYT-Boston.
The station's programming includes Laura Ingraham
Laura Ingraham
Laura Anne Ingraham is an American radio host, author, and conservative political commentator. Her nationally syndicated talk show, The Laura Ingraham Show, airs throughout the United States on Talk Radio Network...
, Michael Savage
Michael Savage (commentator)
Michael Savage is a conservative American radio host, author, and political commentator. He is the host of The Savage Nation, a nationally syndicated talk show that airs throughout the United States on Talk Radio Network...
Sports programming includes University of Maine
University of Maine
The University of Maine is a public research university located in Orono, Maine, United States. The university was established in 1865 as a land grant college and is referred to as the flagship university of the University of Maine System...
Black Bear
Maine Black Bears
The Maine Black Bears are the athletic teams which represent the University of Maine. They compete in NCAA Division I athletics, with the majority of the teams playing in the America East Conference...
football and ice hockey, Portland Pirates
Portland Pirates
The Portland Pirates is a minor professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League. They are the top affiliate of the Phoenix Coyotes of the National Hockey League. They play in the Cumberland County Civic Center in downtown Portland, Maine. The franchise was previously known as the...
ice hockey
Ice hockey
Ice hockey, often referred to as hockey, is a team sport played on ice, in which skaters use wooden or composite sticks to shoot a hard rubber puck into their opponent's net. The game is played between two teams of six players each. Five members of each team skate up and down the ice trying to take...
and Boston Red Sox
Boston Red Sox
The Boston Red Sox are a professional baseball team based in Boston, Massachusetts, and a member of Major League Baseball’s American League Eastern Division. Founded in as one of the American League's eight charter franchises, the Red Sox's home ballpark has been Fenway Park since . The "Red Sox"...
baseball.
A portion of The Ray Richardson Show is simulcast on Portland's MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV
MyNetworkTV is a television broadcast syndication service in the United States, owned by the Fox Entertainment Group, a division of News Corporation...
affiliate, WPME
WPME
WPME is the MyNetworkTV-affiliated television station for Southern Maine and Northern New Hampshire licensed to Lewiston, Maine. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 35 from a transmitter in South Gray along I-95/Maine Turnpike/Gold Star Memorial Highway. The station can...
, as of September 2009; until March 2009, the entire program (as The Fox Morning News) was simulcast on Portland's Fox
Fox Broadcasting Company
Fox Broadcasting Company, commonly referred to as Fox Network or simply Fox , is an American commercial broadcasting television network owned by Fox Entertainment Group, part of Rupert Murdoch's News Corporation. Launched on October 9, 1986, Fox was the highest-rated broadcast network in the...
affiliate, WPFO
WPFO
WPFO is the Fox-affiliated television station for Southern Maine and Northern New Hampshire that is licensed to Waterville, Maine. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 23 from a transmitter on Oak Hill in Litchfield near the Androscoggin and Kennebec County line...
.
The station uses the news services of Fox News Radio
Fox News Radio
Fox News Radio is an American radio network programmed by Fox News Channel.- History :In 2003, Fox News began syndicating one minute radio updates to radio stations via syndication service Westwood One. On June 1, 2005, Fox News Radio employed 60 people and provided five minute newscasts at the top...
and USA Radio Network
USA Radio Network
The USA Radio Network is a syndicator of talk radio programming established in 1985. It provides programming to approximately 1,100 radio stations around the world, plus the American Forces Network and XM Satellite Radio, and can be heard on the internet from USA Radio's website.On March 5, 2008,...
.
History
During the 1960s and early 1970s, WLOB was a popular Top 40 music station, competing with WJAB (1440) in nearby WestbrookWestbrook, Maine
Westbrook is a city in Cumberland County, Maine, United States and a suburb of Portland. The population was 17,494 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area.-History:...
. By the early 1990s, WLOB had picked up a religious
Religious broadcasting
Religious broadcasting refers to broadcasting by religious organizations, usually with a religious message. Many religious organizations have long recorded content such as sermons and lectures, and have moved into distributing content on their Internet websites.While this article emphasises...
format. In the late 1990s, it added a simulcast on 96.3 FM in Rumford, WLOB-FM. This was the third incarnation of WLOB-FM; previous versions included an AOR
Album-oriented rock
Album-oriented rock is an American FM radio format focusing on album tracks by rock artists.-Music played:Most radio formats are based on a select, tight rotation of hit singles...
-formatted incarnation on 100.9 (now occupied by WYNZ
WYNZ
WYNZ Big Hits Y100.9, is an FM radio station licensed to South Portland, Maine, and broadcasting at 100.9 MHz. Until 2007, the station was an oldies formatted radio station known as Oldies 100.9....
) from 1978 to 1980, and an incarnation on 102.9 (now occupied by WBLM
WBLM
WBLM 102.9 FM is a classic rock radio station servicing the southern Maine and southeastern New Hampshire listening areas from Portland, Maine. The station has a studio in One City Center, along with WJBQ and WHOM...
) in the 1960s.
In 2000, WLOB and WLOB-FM were sold to Atlantic Coast Radio
Atlantic Coast Radio
Atlantic Coast Radio, LLC is a radio company located in the state of Maine, owned by longtime broadcaster J. J. Jeffrey. Prior to the current radio group, Jeffrey was a partner in Fuller-Jeffrey Broadcasting with Bob Fuller. Fuller-Jeffery's portfolio included WBLM and WOKQ but the company was...
by Carter Broadcasting. The stations subsequently dropped their religious programming and picked up the news-talk format heard today. In 2006, WLOB-FM relocated its transmitter from western Maine to South Paris
South Paris, Maine
South Paris is a census-designated place located within the town of Paris in Oxford County, Maine, in the United States. The population was 2,237 at the 2000 census...
to provide a clearer signal to the Portland area. Following the transmitter move, in 2008 WLOB-FM changed its city of license from Rumford to Gray
Gray, Maine
Gray is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 6,820 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area. Gray is home to regional headquarters for the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and...
.
On August 25, 2008, WLOB-FM was converted to a simulcast of WJJB (which WJAE had become by that time); resulting in WLOB's programming being heard only on the AM signal. This was part of a shuffle of Atlantic Coast Radio's FM stations as a result of the conversion of two of its stations, including WJJB-FM, on September 1, 2008 to simulcasts of WEEI
WEEI
WEEI is a sports radio station in Boston, Massachusetts, that broadcasts on 850 kHz from a transmitter in Needham, Massachusetts, and is owned by Entercom Communications. The station is one of the top-rated sports talk radio stations in the nation. Studios are located in Brighton, Massachusetts...
. Shortly after the completion of these format changes, 95.5's call letters were changed to WGEI (it had initially planned to use the WTEI call sign, and for a week in September 2008 used the WUEI call letters).
On April 1, 2009, WGEI converted to a simulcast of WLOB; it became WLOB-FM a few days later. In August 2001 WLOB-FM once again began airing programming from WEEI
WEEI
WEEI is a sports radio station in Boston, Massachusetts, that broadcasts on 850 kHz from a transmitter in Needham, Massachusetts, and is owned by Entercom Communications. The station is one of the top-rated sports talk radio stations in the nation. Studios are located in Brighton, Massachusetts...
leaving the talk programming only on the AM signal.