WABK-FM
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name = WABK-FM
| logo = WABK-FM & WBAK logo.png
| city = Gardiner, Maine
| country = US
| area = Augusta; Central Maine
| branding = Big 104 FM
| frequency = 104.3 MHz
| repeater = {{ubl|{{Radio Relay|104.7|WBAK|Belfast}}|{{Radio Relay|107.7|WBKA|Bar Harbor}}}}
| airdate = {{start date and age|1974|4|1}}{{cite book|title=Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 1999|year=1999|page=D-199|url=http://americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1999/D-Radio-AL-NE-BC-YB-1999..pdf|access-date=March 17, 2015}}
| format = Classic hits
| erp = 50,000 watts
| haat = {{convert|113|m|ft|sp=us}}
| class = B
| facility_id = 68297
| licensing_authority = FCC
| coordinates = {{coord|44.310|N|69.830|W|type:landmark_region:US-ME_source:FCC|display=inline,title}}
| callsign_meaning =
| former_callsigns = {{ubl|WKME (1974–1978)|WABK-FM (1978–2013)|WABK (2013–2016)}}
| affiliations =
| owner = Blueberry Broadcasting
| licensee = Blueberry Broadcasting, LLC
| sister_stations = WQSK, WTOS-FM, WVQM
| webcast = {{listen live|https://player.amperwave.net/7449}}
| website = {{URL|https://www.big104fm.com/}}
}}
WABK-FM (104.3 MHz) is a commercial FM radio station licensed to Gardiner, Maine, and serving Augusta and Central Maine. It airs a classic hits radio format. WABK-FM is part of a three-way simulcast with WBAK (104.7 FM) in Belfast and WBKA (107.7 FM) in Bar Harbor. They are owned by Blueberry Broadcasting with studios and offices on Target Industrial Circle in Bangor.[http://www.big104fm.com/contact-us/ Big104FM.com/contact-us]
WABK-FM has an effective radiated power of 50,000 watts. Its transmitter is off Winthrop Street in Hallowell.[https://radio-locator.com/info/WABK-FM?loc=44.20596%2C-69.79200&locn=Gardiner%2C%20Maine Radio-Locator.com/WABK-FM]
History
WABK first signed on as an AM station, in the fall of 1968.[https://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1969/B%201%20Radio%201969%20BC%20YB.pdf Broadcasting Yearbook 1969 page B-77] It aired an adult leaning Top 40 format on 1280 kHz (today WHTP). WABK-FM signed on during the summer of 1974 with the call letters WKME and featured Drake-Chenault's automated "Hit Parade" format. In February 1978, the original studios in Farmingdale were destroyed by fire.
As the stations rebuilt, WKME's call sign was changed to WABK-FM. Both the AM and FM stations began simulcasting an up-tempo full service adult contemporary format with an emphasis on local personalities, news and community involvement. The simulcast ended in 1983 when WABK (AM) changed its format to country music. It later tried oldies, then adult standards and finally in the late 1990s switched to sports radio with the call letters WFAU. In 1994, WABK-FM became "Oldies 104" but gradually shed the oldies image, playing more 1970s and 1980s music and billing itself as "Super Hits 104 WABK".
In January 2013, WABK-FM rebranded as "Big 104 FM", airing a classic hits format. It also began simulcasting on WBAK (104.7 FM) in Belfast and WBKA (107.7 FM) in Bar Harbor.{{Cite web|url=http://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/80358/blueberry-forms-maine-trimulcast/|title=Blueberry Forms Maine Trimulcast}} From August 30, 2013, to July 26, 2016, the call sign on 104.3 in Gardiner was modified to WABK, without the "-FM" suffix.{{cite web|title=Call Sign History (WABK-FM)|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=68297&Callsign=WABK-FM|website=CDBS Public Access|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|access-date=July 27, 2016}}
In 2014, the former WABI/WAEI at 910 AM in Bangor was added to the simulcast. In 2016, the AM's station's call letters were switched to WABK, and 104.3 WABK once again added the "-FM" suffix to its call sign. In January 2019, 910 AM dropped WABK-FM's programming and became WTOS, a simulcast of WTOS-FM.{{cite news |last1=Venta |first1=Lance |title=WTOS Expands Into Bangor |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/173689/wtos-expands-into-bangor/ |access-date=January 14, 2019 |work=RadioInsight |date=January 14, 2019}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|https://www.big104fm.com/}}
- {{FM station data|68297|WABK-FM}}
{{Augusta-Waterville Radio}}
{{Classic Hits Radio Stations in Maine}}
{{Blueberry Broadcasting}}
Category:Classic hits radio stations in the United States
Category:Radio stations established in 1974
Category:Mass media in Kennebec County, Maine