WBQX

WBQX
City Thomaston, Maine
Broadcast area Mid Coast
Branding 106.9 Frank FM
Slogan Mid Coast Maine's Classic Hits Station
Frequency 106.9 MHz
First air date May 29, 1992 (1992-05-29)
Format Classic hits
ERP 29,500 watts
HAAT 193 meters (633 ft)
Class B
Facility ID 49564
Transmitter coordinates 44°6′29.10″N 69°9′26.97″W / 44.1080833°N 69.1574917°W / 44.1080833; -69.1574917Coordinates: 44°6′29.10″N 69°9′26.97″W / 44.1080833°N 69.1574917°W / 44.1080833; -69.1574917
Callsign meaning BQ = Bach
(station formerly carried WBACH)
Former callsigns WAVX (1990–1998)
Owner Binnie Media
(WBIN Media Co., Inc.)
Sister stations WBYA

WBQX (106.9 FM, "Frank FM") is a radio station broadcasting a classic hits music format. Licensed to Thomaston, Maine, United States, it serves the Mid Coast region. It first began broadcasting in 1992 under the call sign WAVX. The station is owned by Binnie Media.

History

The station signed on May 29, 1992 as WAVX, a classical music station owned by Northern Lights Broadcasting[1] and branded as "The Classical Wave".[2] In 1996, the station began simulcasting on WBYA (101.7 FM, now WKVV) in Searsport, which brought its programming to the Bangor area.[3] Mariner Broadcasting bought WAVX in 1998[4] and made it a part of its WBACH network of classical stations under the call letters WBQX.[5] Nassau Broadcasting Partners acquired Mariner in 2004.[6]

Nassau Broadcasting entered bankruptcy in 2011, which culminated in an auction of its stations. Prior to the conclusion of the auction, the Maine Public Broadcasting Network expressed interest in running the WBACH stations.[7] As part of the bankruptcy proceeding, WBQX, along with 29 other Nassau-owned northern New England radio stations, went to a partnership of WBIN-TV owner Bill Binnie and Jeff Shapiro; 17 of the stations, including WBQX, were acquired by Binnie's WBIN Media Company.[8][9][10] The purchase was consummated on November 30, 2012, at a price of $12.5 million.

On August 7, 2012, WBQX was granted a construction permit to increase their ERP to 30,000 watts and to raise their height above sea level up to 232 meters (761 feet). The construction permit expired on August 7, 2015.

WBQX ended the classical music format on February 18, 2017; Binnie Media then transferred its classic hits format, branded "Frank FM", from WBYA (105.5 FM),[11] which changed to country music on February 24.[12][13] Much of the programming on WBQX is supplied by Portland sister station WFNK;[11] the station also began airing coverage of local high school basketball games, which had previously aired on WBYA.[12]

References

  1. ↑ Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 1993 (PDF). 1993. pp. B-161–2. Retrieved November 12, 2017.
  2. ↑ Fybush, Scott (June 28, 1999). "The 1998 Trip Revisited". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved November 13, 2017.
  3. ↑ Fybush, Scott (October 9, 1996). "Meet the New 'FNX..." New England RadioWatch. Retrieved November 13, 2017.
  4. ↑ Fybush, Scott (July 18, 1998). "Lobel Leaves BZ Radio". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved November 13, 2017.
  5. ↑ Fybush, Scott (October 9, 1998). "Clear Channel Gets Jacor". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved November 13, 2017.
  6. ↑ "Stations sold". Sun Journal. Associated Press. December 12, 2003. Retrieved November 4, 2012.
  7. ↑ MPBN Going Commercial? Al Diamon, Downeast.com, April 23, 2012
  8. ↑ Nassau’s Maine Stations Split Up Al Diamon, Downeast.com, May 4, 2012
  9. ↑ "Carlisle Capital Corp. Wins Bidding For Rest Of Nassau Stations". All Access. May 22, 2012. Retrieved May 22, 2012.
  10. ↑ Venta, Lance (May 22, 2012). "Nassau Broadcasting Auction Results". RadioInsight. Retrieved May 24, 2012. (updated May 23, 2012)
  11. 1 2 Venta, Lance (February 20, 2017). "W-Bach Signs Off In Maine". RadioInsight. Retrieved November 13, 2017.
  12. 1 2 Betts, Stephen (February 20, 2017). "Local classical music station shifts to classic hits". Courier-Gazette. Retrieved February 26, 2017.
  13. ↑ "Another Classical Station Comes To An End". Radio Ink. February 20, 2017. Retrieved November 12, 2017.
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