WIGY (AM)

WIGY
Lewiston, Maine;
Broadcast area	Lewiston–Auburn
Frequency	1240 kHz
Branding	105.5 & 95.7 WIGY
Programming
Format	Classic hits
Ownership
Owner	Bennett Radio Group; (Bennett Radio Group, LLC);
Sister stations	WOXO-FM, WPNO, WIGY-FM, WEZR
History
First air date	August 21, 1938; 85 years ago (as WCOU)
Former call signs	WCOU (1938–1988); WXGL (1988–1991); WTME (1991–2001); WCNM (2001–2007); WEZR (2007–2020);
Technical information
Licensing authority	FCC
Facility ID	11031
Class	C
Power	1,000 watts day; 860 watts night;
Transmitter coordinates	44°6′55″N 70°14′55″W / 44.11528°N 70.24861°W
Translator(s)	95.7 W239ET (Lewiston); 105.5 W288CW (Lewiston);
Links
Public license information	Public file; LMS;
Webcast	Listen Live
Website	wigyradio.com

WIGY (1240 AM) is a radio station owned by Bennett Radio Group that is licensed to serve Lewiston, Maine. WIGY airs a classic hits radio format.^[4] Its programming is also heard on translator stations W239ET (95.7 FM) and W288CW (105.5 FM). In addition to music, WIGY broadcasts Lewiston–Auburn area high school sports.

History[edit]

Logo as "Maine's Big Z", used from 2016 until 2019

The station was assigned the WEZR call letters by the Federal Communications Commission on January 18, 2007.^[2] On March 31, 2014, WEZR began simulcasting on 105.5 FM, via translator W288CW, and rebranded as Z105.5. On August 1, 2016, the station began simulcasting on WEZR-FM (92.7, formerly WOXO-FM, whose country music format was transferred to 1450 AM and 96.9 FM), expanding the format's reach to the Oxford Hills area; as a result, the station rebranded to "Maine's Big Z".^[5]^[6] In April 2019, WEZR rebranded as "Z105.5 & 96.9", reflecting the move of its Oxford Hills simulcast from WEZR-FM to WOXO (now WPNO).^[7]

WEZR, along with its sister stations, went off the air March 29, 2020, citing financial considerations that included expected reduction in advertising revenue attributed to COVID-19.^[8] The stations had been up for sale following the death of owner Dick Gleason in February 2019.^[9] A sale of the Gleason Media Group stations to Bennett Radio Group was announced in May 2020.^[10]

Bennett Radio Group's purchase, at a price of $300,000, was consummated on August 5, 2020. On August 19, 2020, WEZR and WPNO returned to the air as they relaunched the hot AC format as "WIGY", while adding a simulcast on the former WTME (now WEZR).^[11] 1240 AM changed its callsign to WIGY on September 7, 2020.^[2]

Translator[edit]

Call sign	Frequency	City of license	FID	ERP (W)	HAAT	Class	Transmitter coordinates	FCC info
W239ET	95.7 FM	Lewiston, Maine	200149	250	0 m (0 ft)	D	44°12′16.8″N 70°33′9.2″W / 44.204667°N 70.552556°W / 44.204667; -70.552556 (W239ET)	LMS
W288CW	105.5 FM	Lewiston, Maine	152283	250	58.2 m (191 ft)	D	44°6′54″N 70°14′52″W / 44.11500°N 70.24778°W / 44.11500; -70.24778 (W288CW)	LMS

References[edit]

^ Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 1999 (PDF). 1999. p. D-199. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
^ ^a ^b ^c "Call Sign History". FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database.
^ "Facility Technical Data for WIGY". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
^ "Summer Station Information Profile". Nielsen Audio.
^ Crosby, Christopher (August 1, 2016). "Radio station WOXO changes frequencies". Sun Journal. Retrieved August 2, 2016.
^ Venta, Lance (July 29, 2016). "WEZR & WOXO Lewiston On The Move". RadioInsight. Retrieved August 27, 2016.
^ WOXO & WEZR Swap Frequencies Radioinsight - April 4, 2019
^ "WOXO says farewell to listeners; Gleason Radio Group to go silent after 45 years". Lewiston Sun Journal. March 25, 2020. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
^ Venta, Lance (March 25, 2020). "Gleason Media To Shut Down Cluster In Lewiston/Auburn". RadioInsight. Retrieved March 25, 2020.
^ Binnie VP/Programming Stan Bennett Acquires Silent Maine Cluster Lance Venta, Radio Insight, May 26, 2020.
^ WOXO returns WEZR to become WIGY Lance Veta, RadioInsight, August 19, 2020.

External links[edit]

FCC History Cards for WIGY
Lewiston-Auburn community radio expands into FM
WIGY in the FCC AM station database
WIGY in Nielsen Audio's AM station database

This article about a radio station in Maine is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.

[by1999-1] Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 1999 (PDF). 1999. p. D-199. Retrieved August 27, 2016.

[fcc1-2] "Call Sign History". FCC Media Bureau CDBS Public Access Database.

[3] "Facility Technical Data for WIGY". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.

[4] "Summer Station Information Profile". Nielsen Audio.

[sj-woxotowezr-5] Crosby, Christopher (August 1, 2016). "Radio station WOXO changes frequencies". Sun Journal. Retrieved August 2, 2016.

[ri-woxotowezr-6] Venta, Lance (July 29, 2016). "WEZR & WOXO Lewiston On The Move". RadioInsight. Retrieved August 27, 2016.

[7] WOXO & WEZR Swap Frequencies Radioinsight - April 4, 2019

[lsj-wezrclosing-8] "WOXO says farewell to listeners; Gleason Radio Group to go silent after 45 years". Lewiston Sun Journal. March 25, 2020. Retrieved March 25, 2020.

[ri-wezrclosing-9] Venta, Lance (March 25, 2020). "Gleason Media To Shut Down Cluster In Lewiston/Auburn". RadioInsight. Retrieved March 25, 2020.

[10] Binnie VP/Programming Stan Bennett Acquires Silent Maine Cluster Lance Venta, Radio Insight, May 26, 2020.

[11] WOXO returns WEZR to become WIGY Lance Veta, RadioInsight, August 19, 2020.

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v t e Radio stations in Lewiston–Auburn, Maine, metropolitan area and the Western Maine Mountains
By AM frequency	780 1240 1450 1470
By FM frequency	88.9 91.1 91.5 92.7 93.9 94.9¹ 96.3 99.9 100.3 100.7 102.9 103.7¹ 107.5
By call sign	WARX WBLM WEZR WFNK WHOM¹ WIGY WIGY-FM WJJB WLAM WMDR-FM WMPF-LP WPKQ¹ WOXO-FM WPNO WRBC WTHT
Nearby regions – U.S. Augusta-Waterville Mid Coast Maine North Conway/Fryeburg Portland Canada Sherbrooke/Estrie See also List of radio stations in Maine Notes 1. Transmits from Mount Washington in New Hampshire.

v t e Classic Hits radio stations in Maine
By frequency	1240 92.7 95.3 97.7 100.1 104.3 104.7 105.3 106.9 107.5 107.7
By callsign	WABK-FM WALZ WBAK WBKA WBQX WFNK WHOU-FM WIGY WNSX WQDY WSHK
By city	Bar Harbor Belfast/Bangor Calais Gardiner/Augusta Houlton Kittery (Portsmouth, NH) Lewiston/Portland (WFNK) Lewiston (WIGY) Machias Thomaston/Rockland Winter Harbor/Bar Harbor
See also adult contemporary classic hits college country news/talk NPR oldies religious rock sports top 40 urban other radio stations in Maine See also Oldies Classic Hits