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WBLM

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WBLM
WBLM logo.png
Broadcast areaMost of Maine and New Hampshire
Frequency102.9 MHz
Branding102.9 WBLM
Programming
FormatClassic rock
AffiliationsNew England Patriots Radio Network
Ownership
Owner
WCYY, WHOM, WJBQ, WPKQ
History
First air date
1973 (107.5)
1989 (102.9) see History below
Former call signs
WLOB-FM (?–1966)
WGAN-FM (1967–1987)
WTHT (1987–1989)
Call sign meaning
We Are The BLiMp!
Technical information
Facility ID22878
ClassC0
ERP100,000 watts
HAAT435 meters (1,427 ft)
Links
WebcastListen Live
Websitewblm.com

Coordinates: 43°55′30″N 70°29′28″W / 43.925°N 70.491°W / 43.925; -70.491

WBLM 102.9 FM is a Classic Rock radio station licensed to Portland, Maine. The station has a studio in One City Center, along with co-owned Townsquare Media stations WJBQ, WCYY, WHOM and WPKQ. The station also serves as the Portland market affiliate for the New England Patriots Radio Network. WBLM is one of only a few FM Stations in New England licensed to operate at 100,000 watts, meaning that the station can be received from almost anywhere within a 90-mile radius of its transmitter. WBLM broadcasts from a tower near Route 121 in Raymond that is the second tallest man-made structure in Maine (second only to the tower for WMTW TV 8).

In the movie City Slickers, Billy Crystal's character claimed to have been a sales executive for the fictional station "WBLM Radio".

Discover more about WBLM related topics

Geographic coordinate system

Geographic coordinate system

The geographic coordinate system (GCS) is a spherical or ellipsoidal coordinate system for measuring and communicating positions directly on the Earth as latitude and longitude. It is the simplest, oldest and most widely used of the various spatial reference systems that are in use, and forms the basis for most others. Although latitude and longitude form a coordinate tuple like a cartesian coordinate system, the geographic coordinate system is not cartesian because the measurements are angles and are not on a planar surface.

FM broadcasting

FM broadcasting

FM broadcasting is the method of radio broadcasting that uses frequency modulation (FM). Invented in 1933 by American engineer Edwin Armstrong, wide-band FM is used worldwide to transmit high-fidelity sound over broadcast radio. FM broadcasting offers higher fidelity—more accurate reproduction of the original program sound—than other broadcasting techniques, such as AM broadcasting. It is also less susceptible to common forms of interference, having less static and popping sounds than are often heard on AM. Therefore, FM is used for most broadcasts of music and general audio. FM radio stations use the very high frequency range of radio frequencies.

Portland, Maine

Portland, Maine

Portland is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maine and the seat of Cumberland County. Portland's population was 68,408 in April 2020. The Greater Portland metropolitan area is home to over half a million people, the 104th-largest metropolitan area in the United States. Portland's economy relies mostly on the service sector and tourism. The Old Port is known for its nightlife and 19th-century architecture. Marine industry plays an important role in the city's economy, with an active waterfront that supports fishing and commercial shipping. The Port of Portland is the second-largest tonnage seaport in New England.

One City Center (Portland)

One City Center (Portland)

One City Center is an office building located in the in Monument Square, Portland, Maine. It is considered an icon of the Maine financial market. The building serves as the northern New England offices for Bank of America, and a Bank of America logo is featured at the building's highest point. It consists of 13 floors and features a 5-story atrium with a full service food court inside the building. The building was opened in 1987.

Townsquare Media

Townsquare Media

Townsquare Media, Inc. is an American radio network and media company based in Purchase, New York. The company started in radio and expanded into digital media toward the end of the 2000s, starting with the acquisition of the MOG Music Network. As of 2019, Townsquare was the third-largest AM–FM operator in the country, owning over 321 radio stations in 67 markets.

WCYY

WCYY

WCYY is a commercial radio station licensed to Biddeford, Maine, and serving the Portland metropolitan area. Its target audience are men between 18 and 44. The station airs an active/alternative rock radio format and is owned by Townsquare Media. It carries the syndicated morning show Toucher and Rich from WBZ-FM Boston. WCYY studios are at One City Center in Portland.

New England Patriots Radio Network

New England Patriots Radio Network

The New England Patriots Radio Network is a radio network which carries live game broadcasts of the New England Patriots. The network's flagship station is WBZ-FM Boston. Bob Socci, who now does the play-by-play with former Patriots quarterback Scott Zolak providing the color commentary and former Patriots linebacker Matt Chatham and WBZ-TV/WSBK-TV sports reporter Steve Burton providing the sideline reports. Marc Bertrand and Boston Globe sports columnist Chris Gasper host the pregame, and the postgame show is hosted by Bertrand. Albert Breer and Patriots Football Weekly writers Paul Perillo and Andy Hart are regular guest analysts on the network's pre-game show.

New England

New England

New England is a region comprising six states in the Northeastern United States: Connecticut, Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, and Vermont. It is bordered by the state of New York to the west and by the Canadian provinces of New Brunswick to the northeast and Quebec to the north. The Atlantic Ocean is to the east and southeast, and Long Island Sound is to the southwest. Boston is New England's largest city, as well as the capital of Massachusetts. Greater Boston is the largest metropolitan area, with nearly a third of New England's population; this area includes Worcester, Massachusetts, Manchester, New Hampshire, and Providence, Rhode Island.

Transmitter

Transmitter

In electronics and telecommunications, a radio transmitter or just transmitter is an electronic device which produces radio waves with an antenna. The transmitter itself generates a radio frequency alternating current, which is applied to the antenna. When excited by this alternating current, the antenna radiates radio waves.

Raymond, Maine

Raymond, Maine

Raymond is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 4,536 at the 2020 census. It is a summer recreation area and is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford, Maine metropolitan statistical area. Raymond Neck is the landing for the ferry to the town of Frye Island in Sebago Lake. The Raymond school system is currently affiliated with the Windham school system in a district known as RSU 14.

City Slickers

City Slickers

City Slickers is a 1991 American comedy Western film directed by Ron Underwood and starring Billy Crystal, Daniel Stern, Bruno Kirby and Jack Palance, with supporting roles by Patricia Wettig, Helen Slater and Noble Willingham with Jake Gyllenhaal in his debut.

Billy Crystal

Billy Crystal

William Edward Crystal is an American actor, comedian, and filmmaker. He gained prominence in the 1970s and 1980s for television roles as Jodie Dallas on the ABC sitcom Soap and as a cast member and frequent host of Saturday Night Live. Crystal then became a Hollywood film star during the late 1980s and 1990s, appearing in Running Scared (1986), The Princess Bride (1987), Throw Momma from the Train (1987), Memories of Me (1988), When Harry Met Sally... (1989), City Slickers (1991), Mr. Saturday Night (1992), Hamlet (1996), Analyze This (1999), and Parental Guidance (2012). He provided the voice of Mike Wazowski in the Monsters, Inc. franchise. He also starred on the Broadway stage in 700 Sundays in 2004 and again in 2014 and in Mr. Saturday Night in 2022.

History

WBLM signed on the air on March 1, 1973, on 107.5 MHz. By day, it played beautiful music (also known as easy listening, mostly instrumental versions of Broadway, Hollywood, and popular hits) with free-form progressive rock airing from 6 p.m. to 6 a.m. The station was licensed to Lewiston, Maine and its antenna was located in Litchfield, Maine, also the site of the original studio, which was a double-wide mobile home. Later that year, WBLM became a full-time progressive rocker. The station signed on the air at midnight, March 1, 1973 with a Bible reading from the Book of Genesis, done by Dave Doolittle. This was followed by the first rock song the station played on the air, "Procession" by the Moody Blues from their album "Every Good Boy Deserves Favour", chosen by blind DJ, Steve Hoad.

Given that the transmitter site was some 40 miles (64 km) away from Portland, the station's signal was somewhat spotty in Portland and beyond. In 1979, it modified its format to mainstream album-oriented rock, after being challenged in the ratings by what at the time was a new 3,000-watt album rock station, 100.9 WLOB-FM, known as "FM 101" and currently WYNZ. Air personality John Clark from FM-101 defected to WBLM in late 1981. On December 6, 1989, it switched frequencies with 102.9 WTHT. 102.9 was previously beautiful music station WGAN-FM from its sign-on in February 1967 until 1987. Prior to 1966, 102.9 was WLOB-FM, but not related to today's AM 1310 WLOB. WGAN-FM flipped from beautiful music to CHR in 1985. The 107.5 frequency is now WFNK, ironically a direct competitor to WBLM with a classic rock/classic hits format. The two stations are often at the top of the Portland ratings list.

WBLM has a colorful connection to rock acts Frank Zappa and Captain Beefheart. WBLM's nickname is "The Rock and Roll Blimp". The station's on-the-air catchphrase is: "It's The Blimp Frank, it's The Blimp!"; both refer to the Captain Beefheart track off the album Trout Mask Replica "The Blimp", which is where the catchphrase comes from (the catchphrase is a portion of the beginning of that song). It's The Blimp "Frank" is in reference to Frank Zappa as the portion of the song used for the catchphrase is a recording of a phone call made from Beefheart's recording session back to their record label owner Frank Zappa about their new song titled "The Blimp". The "Cosmic Muffin" astrological forecast, which was a daily report on WBLM for years also used as its theme song "Muffin Man" by Frank Zappa, specifically the vocal portion proclaiming "The man thought he was a man but he was a muffin."

The logo for WBLM was chosen among many entries in a listener contest in 1973. A large blimp, hand drawn in black India ink, was the unanimous choice of the staff as the logo. It measured about 4 feet wide. The Frank Zappa connection was not part of this original concept but added later.

On August 30, 2013, a deal was announced in which Townsquare Media would acquire 53 stations from Cumulus Media, including WBLM, for $238 million. The deal is part of Cumulus' acquisition of Dial Global; Townsquare and Dial Global are both controlled by Oaktree Capital Management.[1][2] The sale to Townsquare was completed on November 14, 2013.[3]

Discover more about History related topics

Beautiful music

Beautiful music

Beautiful music is a mostly instrumental music format that was prominent in North American radio from the late 1950s through the 1980s. Easy listening, elevator music, light music, mood music, and Muzak are other terms that overlap with this format and the style of music that it featured. Beautiful music can also be regarded as a subset of the middle of the road radio format.

Progressive rock

Progressive rock

Progressive rock is a broad genre of rock music that developed in the United Kingdom and United States through the mid- to late 1960s, peaking in the early 1970s. Initially termed "progressive pop", the style was an outgrowth of psychedelic bands who abandoned standard pop traditions in favour of instrumentation and compositional techniques more frequently associated with jazz, folk, or classical music. Additional elements contributed to its "progressive" label: lyrics were more poetic, technology was harnessed for new sounds, music approached the condition of "art", and the studio, rather than the stage, became the focus of musical activity, which often involved creating music for listening rather than dancing.

Lewiston, Maine

Lewiston, Maine

Lewiston is the second largest city in the U.S. state of Maine and the most central city in Androscoggin County. The city lies halfway between Augusta, the state's capital, and Portland, the state's most populous city. It is one-half of the Lewiston-Auburn Metropolitan Statistical Area, commonly referred to as "L/A." or "L-A." Lewiston exerts a significant impact upon the diversity, religious variety, commerce, education, and economic power of Maine. It is known for an overall low cost of living, substantial access to medical care, and a low violent-crime rate. In recent years, the City of Lewiston has also seen a spike in economic and social growth. While the dominant language spoken in the city is English, it is home to a significant Somali population as well as the largest French-speaking population in the United States while it is second to St. Martin Parish, Louisiana, in percentage of speakers.

Litchfield, Maine

Litchfield, Maine

Litchfield is a town in Kennebec County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,586 at the 2020 census. Litchfield is included in the Augusta, Maine micropolitan New England City and Town Area.

Album-oriented rock

Album-oriented rock

Album-oriented rock is an FM radio format created in the United States in the 1970s that focuses on the full repertoire of rock albums and is currently associated with classic rock.

Contemporary hit radio

Contemporary hit radio

Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in many countries that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts. There are several subcategories, dominantly focusing on rock, pop, or urban music. Used alone, CHR most often refers to the CHR-pop format. The term contemporary hit radio was coined in the early 1980s by Radio & Records magazine to designate Top 40 stations which continued to play hits from all musical genres as pop music splintered into Adult contemporary, Urban contemporary, Contemporary Christian and other formats.

WFNK

WFNK

WFNK – branded Frank 107.5 – is a commercial classic hits radio station licensed to serve Lewiston, Maine. Owned by Binnie Media, the station services the Portland metropolitan area. WFNK has an effective radiated power (ERP) of 100,000 watts, broadcasting from a transmitter in Poland, Maine, making it among the highest-powered FM stations in New England. Some WFNK programming is also heard on sister station WBQX in Thomaston, Maine, which also calls itself Frank FM.

Frank Zappa

Frank Zappa

Frank Vincent Zappa was an American musician, composer, and bandleader. His work is characterized by nonconformity, free-form improvisation, sound experimentation, musical virtuosity and satire of American culture. In a career spanning more than 30 years, Zappa composed rock, pop, jazz, jazz fusion, orchestral and musique concrète works, and produced almost all of the 60-plus albums that he released with his band the Mothers of Invention and as a solo artist. Zappa also directed feature-length films and music videos, and designed album covers. He is considered one of the most innovative and stylistically diverse musicians of his generation.

Captain Beefheart

Captain Beefheart

Don Van Vliet was an American singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and visual artist best known by the stage name Captain Beefheart. Conducting a rotating ensemble known as The Magic Band, he recorded 13 studio albums between 1967 and 1982. His music blended elements of blues, free jazz, rock, and avant-garde composition with idiosyncratic rhythms, absurdist wordplay, a loud, gravelly voice, and his claimed wide vocal range, though reports of it have varied from three octaves to seven and a half. Known for his enigmatic persona, Beefheart frequently constructed myths about his life and was known to exercise an almost dictatorial control over his supporting musicians. Although he achieved little commercial success, he sustained a cult following as an influence on an array of experimental rock and punk-era artists.

Trout Mask Replica

Trout Mask Replica

Trout Mask Replica is the third studio album by the American band Captain Beefheart and his Magic Band, released as a double album on June 16, 1969, by Straight Records. The music was composed by Captain Beefheart and arranged by drummer John "Drumbo" French. Combining elements of R&B, garage rock, and blues with free jazz and avant-garde composition, the album is regarded as an important work of experimental rock. Its unconventional musical style, which includes polyrhythm, multi-octave vocals, and polytonality, has given the album a reputation as one of the most challenging recordings in the 20th century musical canon.

Cumulus Media

Cumulus Media

Cumulus Media, Inc. is an American broadcasting company and is the third largest owner and operator of AM and FM radio stations in the United States behind Audacy and iHeartMedia. As of June 2019, Cumulus lists ownership of 428 stations in 87 media markets. It also owns and operates Westwood One. Its headquarters are located in Atlanta, Georgia. Its subsidiaries include Cumulus Broadcasting LLC, Cumulus Licensing LLC and Broadcast Software International Inc.

Oaktree Capital Management

Oaktree Capital Management

Oaktree Capital Management is an American global asset management firm specializing in alternative investment strategies. As of March 31, 2022, the company managed $164 billion for its clientele.

Source: "WBLM", Wikipedia, Wikimedia Foundation, (2023, January 30th), https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/WBLM.

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References
  1. ^ "Official: Cumulus Buys Dial Global, Spins Some Stations To Townsquare; Peak Stations Sold To Townsquare, Fresno Spun To Cumulus". All Access. August 30, 2013. Retrieved August 30, 2013.
  2. ^ "Cumulus Makes Dial Global And Townsquare Deals Official". RadioInsight. August 30, 2013. Retrieved August 30, 2013.
  3. ^ "Cumulus-Townsquare-Peak Deal Closes". All Access. November 15, 2013. Retrieved November 16, 2013.
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