WLVP
Encyclopedia
WLVP is a radio station broadcasting an Oldies
format. Licensed to Gorham, Maine
, USA, it serves southern Maine, including Portland
. The station is currently owned by Nassau Broadcasting
and is simulcasted with WLAM
(1470 AM).
). WJBQ moved to the 870 position in 1988; on this position, the station became WKZN on November 28, 1989, and then swapped call letters with WLAM on December 26, 1990; the two stations eventually began simulcasting a standards
format.
Wireless Talking Machine Company sold WLAM, 1470 (by then WZOU), and WLAM-FM (106.7 FM, which had launched in 1996 as an FM simulcast of the stations; it is now WXTP), along with 99.9 (by then WMWX) and WTHT (107.5 FM; now WFNK
) to Harron Communications, then-owner of WMTW-TV, in 1999. On May 7, 2001, Harron converted 870 and 106.7 to news/talk
as WMTW. The WLAM call letters were then returned to 1470, which initially retained the standards format; on November 26, the station was switched to a simulcast of WMTW; shortly afterwards, talk programming was removed from the stations in favor of an all-news
format, mainly from the Associated Press
's All-News Radio service.
After Harron sold its Maine radio stations to Nassau Broadcasting in 2004, Newsradio WMTW was discontinued. Nassau also introduced three separate formats to the stations. with WMTW switching to progressive talk
from Air America Radio under the call letters WLVP.
Nassau first attempted to convert WLVP to ESPN Radio
in September 2004; this sparked listener protest, prompting Nassau to initially postpone the format change to November 8 before canceling it entirely. However, after significant changes occurred at Air America (including the departure of Al Franken
), the station began airing ESPN Radio on June 1, 2007, resulting in WLVP and WLAM once again airing the same programming.
WLVP and WLAM dropped ESPN Radio on February 2, 2009 and switched to oldies
. In conjunction with the change, the stations began to simulcast WCSH
's morning and early evening newscasts, a move made to continue the newscasts' availability via radio even after the station's own 87.7 MHz audio is discontinued following the shutdown of analog television signals
.
Initially locally programmed, in early 2010 WLVP and WLAM became affiliates of The True Oldies Channel
. Additionally, on August 2, the station added The Jeff Santos Show from WWZN
in Boston
(marking a partial return to progressive talk programming); this in effect took WLVP's morning drive programming back to a news/talk format, as Santos' program immediately follows the simulcast of WCSH's morning newscast. The stations' format was modified once more on August 6, 2011, when sports talk
was readded to the weekend schedule via locally-produced shows from the Maine Sports Network (which previously provided some weekend programming to WJJB-FM).. The Maine Sports Network will also be broadcasting over 100 High School football and basketball games in the upcoming season on 1470 and 870.
Oldies
Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day....
format. Licensed to Gorham, Maine
Gorham, Maine
Gorham is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 16,381 at the 2010 census. In addition to an urban village center known as Gorham Village or simply "the Village," the town also encompasses a number of smaller, unincorporated villages and hamlets with distinct...
, USA, it serves southern Maine, including Portland
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...
. The station is currently owned by Nassau Broadcasting
Nassau Broadcasting Partners
Nassau Broadcasting Partners LP is a company based in Princeton, New Jersey that owns radio stations in New England and the Mid-Atlantic United States. Nassau's stations, which include both AM and FM frequencies, are located in Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New Jersey,...
and is simulcasted with WLAM
WLAM
WLAM is a radio station broadcasting an oldies, news and sports format. Licensed to Lewiston, Maine, USA, the station serves the Lewiston-Auburn area. The station is currently owned by Nassau Broadcasting and simulcasts with WLVP .-History:...
(1470 AM).
History
The station went on the air March 3, 1980 as WDCI on 1590. In the intervening years, the station would change its call letters to WASY and then WJBQ, the latter after coming into common ownership with WLAM and WKZS (99.9 FM; now WTHTWTHT
-External links:*...
). WJBQ moved to the 870 position in 1988; on this position, the station became WKZN on November 28, 1989, and then swapped call letters with WLAM on December 26, 1990; the two stations eventually began simulcasting a standards
Adult standards
Adult standards is a North American radio format heard primarily on AM or class A FM stations.Adult standards is aimed at "mature" adults, meaning mainly those persons over 50 years of age, but it is mostly targeted for senior citizens...
format.
Wireless Talking Machine Company sold WLAM, 1470 (by then WZOU), and WLAM-FM (106.7 FM, which had launched in 1996 as an FM simulcast of the stations; it is now WXTP), along with 99.9 (by then WMWX) and WTHT (107.5 FM; now WFNK
WFNK
WFNK is a radio station broadcasting a classic hits format, known on air as Frank FM. Licensed to Lewiston, Maine, USA, the station serves the Portland, Maine area. The station is currently owned by Nassau Broadcasting Partners....
) to Harron Communications, then-owner of WMTW-TV, in 1999. On May 7, 2001, Harron converted 870 and 106.7 to news/talk
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...
as WMTW. The WLAM call letters were then returned to 1470, which initially retained the standards format; on November 26, the station was switched to a simulcast of WMTW; shortly afterwards, talk programming was removed from the stations in favor of an all-news
All-news radio
All-news radio is a radio format devoted entirely to discussion and broadcast of news.All-news radio is available in both local and syndicated forms, and is carried in some form on both major US satellite radio networks...
format, mainly from the Associated Press
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
's All-News Radio service.
After Harron sold its Maine radio stations to Nassau Broadcasting in 2004, Newsradio WMTW was discontinued. Nassau also introduced three separate formats to the stations. with WMTW switching to progressive talk
Progressive talk radio
Progressive talk radio is a talk radio format devoted to expressing liberal or progressive viewpoints of issues, as opposed to conservative talk radio...
from Air America Radio under the call letters WLVP.
Nassau first attempted to convert WLVP to ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio
ESPN Radio is an American sports radio network. It was launched on January 1, 1992 under the original banner of "SportsRadio ESPN." ESPN Radio is located at ESPN headquarters in Bristol, Connecticut...
in September 2004; this sparked listener protest, prompting Nassau to initially postpone the format change to November 8 before canceling it entirely. However, after significant changes occurred at Air America (including the departure of Al Franken
Al Franken
Alan Stuart "Al" Franken is the junior United States Senator from Minnesota. He is a member of the Minnesota Democratic-Farmer-Labor Party, which affiliates with the national Democratic Party....
), the station began airing ESPN Radio on June 1, 2007, resulting in WLVP and WLAM once again airing the same programming.
WLVP and WLAM dropped ESPN Radio on February 2, 2009 and switched to oldies
Oldies
Oldies is a term commonly used to describe a radio format that concentrates on music from a period of about 15 to 55 years before the present day....
. In conjunction with the change, the stations began to simulcast WCSH
WCSH
WCSH is the NBC-affiliated television station for Southern Maine and Northern New Hampshire. Licensed to Portland, it broadcasts a high definition digital signal on UHF channel 44 from a transmitter on Winn Mountain in Sebago. The station can also be seen on Comcast and Time Warner Cable channel 6...
's morning and early evening newscasts, a move made to continue the newscasts' availability via radio even after the station's own 87.7 MHz audio is discontinued following the shutdown of analog television signals
DTV transition in the United States
The DTV transition in the United States was the switchover from analog to exclusively digital broadcasting of free over-the-air television programming...
.
Initially locally programmed, in early 2010 WLVP and WLAM became affiliates of The True Oldies Channel
The True Oldies Channel
The True Oldies Channel is a syndicated radio programming stream begun in the spring of 2004, hosted by American radio personality Scott Shannon...
. Additionally, on August 2, the station added The Jeff Santos Show from WWZN
WWZN
WWZN is an AM radio station licensed to serve the Boston media market. Its programming is a time-brokered mix between progressive talk radio during the daytime , sports talk and religious programming in the overnight hours...
in Boston
Boston
Boston is the capital of and largest city in Massachusetts, and is one of the oldest cities in the United States. The largest city in New England, Boston is regarded as the unofficial "Capital of New England" for its economic and cultural impact on the entire New England region. The city proper had...
(marking a partial return to progressive talk programming); this in effect took WLVP's morning drive programming back to a news/talk format, as Santos' program immediately follows the simulcast of WCSH's morning newscast. The stations' format was modified once more on August 6, 2011, when sports talk
Sports radio
Sports radio is a radio format devoted entirely to discussion and broadcasting of sporting events. A popular format with an almost exclusively male demographic in most areas, sports radio is characterized by an often-boisterous on-air style and extensive debate and analysis by both hosts and...
was readded to the weekend schedule via locally-produced shows from the Maine Sports Network (which previously provided some weekend programming to WJJB-FM).. The Maine Sports Network will also be broadcasting over 100 High School football and basketball games in the upcoming season on 1470 and 870.