WPOR

WPOR (101.9 FM) is a radio station in Portland, Maine that broadcasts a country music radio format. It is owned by Saga Communications.

WPOR
WPOR logo
Broadcast areaGreater Portland
Frequency101.9 MHz
BrandingWPOR 101.9
Programming
FormatCountry
AffiliationsWestwood One
Ownership
Owner
  • Saga Communications
  • (Saga Communications of New England, LLC)
WBAE, WCLZ, WGAN, WVAE, WMGX, WYNZ, WZAN
History
First air date
October 31, 1967
Former call signs
WPOR-FM (1967–2002)
Call sign meaning
Portland
Technical information
Facility ID49982
ClassB
ERP32,000 watts
HAAT186 meters (610 ft)
Transmitter coordinates
43.759°N 70.320°W / 43.759; -70.320
Links
WebcastListen Live
Websitewpor.com

History

WPOR has had the same format since it signed on as an FM simulcast of 1490 WPOR, now WBAE, on October 31, 1967. WPOR was owned by Hildreth Broadcasting Corporation at that time.[1] On March 2, 1971 WPOR and WPOR-FM were sold to Ocean Coast Properties.[2] 25 years later in March 1996 WPOR and WPOR-FM were sold again, this time to current owner Saga Communications for $10 million.[3][4]

Through most of its history, the AM and the FM stations either simulcast, or for some years, the AM station used a satellite-delivered country music service, while live local announcers continued on the FM station. In March 1999, 1490 AM changed its call letters to WBAE.[5] The reason for the new call letters was made clear on May 24, 1999 when it changed its format to adult standards and became known on air as The Bay.[6]

WPOR's Jon Shannon has hosted the POR Morning Crew since March 2001.

WPOR-FM had the greatest market share of any Maine radio station into the early 2000s, at which time it was still Portland's only country music station. For many years, WPOR-FM and album-oriented rock station 102.9 WBLM were consistently Portland's top two stations, with each vying for the lead in the ratings. The situation changed with the debut of WTHT in Portland, another country station.

References
  1. Broadcasting Yearbook 1969 (PDF). 1969. p. 77. Retrieved March 5, 2012.
  2. Broadcasting Yearbook 1972 (PDF). 1972. p. 94. Retrieved March 5, 2012.
  3. Broadcasting Yearbook 1998 (PDF). 1998. p. 199. Retrieved March 5, 2012.
  4. Fybush, Scott (March 14, 1996). "New England RadioWatch: March 14, 1996". New England RadioWatch. Retrieved March 5, 2012.
  5. "AM Query Results". FCC. Retrieved March 6, 2012.
  6. Fybush, Scott (June 4, 1999). "The End of CBL is Near". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved March 6, 2012.
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