WBQA

The station signed on April 1, 1984,{{cite book|title=Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 1999|year=1999|page=D-198|url=http://americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1999/D-Radio-AL-NE-BC-YB-1999..pdf|accessdate=November 13, 2017}} as WCME, an easy listening station{{cite web|last1=Fybush|first1=Scott|title=Maine Radio History, 1971-1996|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/essays/maine-hist|website=The Archives @ BostonRadio.org|accessdate=November 13, 2017}} owned by Bay Communications. WCME had news affiliations with the Associated Press{{cite book|title=Broadcasting/Cablecasting Yearbook 1987|year=1987|page=B-128|url=http://americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1987/B1-BC-YB-1987.pdf|accessdate=November 13, 2017}} and CNN.{{cite book|title=The Broadcasting Yearbook 1990|year=1990|page=B-140|url=http://americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1990/B-Radio-AL-MT-BC-YB-1990.pdf|accessdate=November 13, 2017}} In 1990, the station changed to a country music format and affiliated with the Satellite Music Network.{{cite book|title=The Broadcasting Yearbook 1991|year=1991|page=B-146|url=http://americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1991/B-Radio-AL-MT-1991-B&W.pdf|accessdate=November 13, 2017}} WCME began simulcasting with WPME (95.5 FM, now WPPI) in Topsham when it signed on in 1993; the following year, the stations changed to an oldies/classic rock format as "The Golden Eagle", with WPME becoming WXGL-FM.

After owner Robert Cole sold WXGL-FM to Great Eastern Media in 1996,{{cite news|last1=Fybush|first1=Scott|title=WEZE Moves to 590|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-961212.html|accessdate=November 13, 2017|work=New England RadioWatch|date=December 12, 1996}} WCME went silent for several weeks in March 1997 in what WXGL staff claimed was a permanent shutdown;{{cite news|last1=Fybush|first1=Scott|title=Thawing Out and Unpacking...|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-970328.html|accessdate=November 13, 2017|work=North East RadioWatch|date=March 28, 1997}} however, WCME returned to the air that April with a mornings-only schedule of adult contemporary music from the 1970s and 1980s{{cite news|last1=Fybush|first1=Scott|title=In the Zone|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-970417.html|accessdate=November 13, 2017|work=North East RadioWatch|date=April 17, 1997}}{{cite news|last1=Fybush|first1=Scott|title=Pump Up the KiloWatts|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-970424.html|accessdate=November 13, 2017|work=North East RadioWatch|date=April 24, 1997}} while Cole put the station up for sale.{{cite news|last1=Fybush|first1=Scott|title=Snow, Snow, and More Snow|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-970403.html|accessdate=November 13, 2017|work=North East RadioWatch|date=April 3, 1997}} Tryon-Seacoast Broadcasting announced its acquisition of the station shortly afterward;{{cite news|last1=Fybush|first1=Scott|title=Trouble for Brian Dodge|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-970501.html|accessdate=November 13, 2017|work=North East RadioWatch|date=May 1, 1997}} that June, WCME returned to full-time operation with an adult contemporary format.{{cite news|last1=Fybush|first1=Scott|title=Good Evening, Channel 50|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-970612.html|accessdate=November 13, 2017|work=North East RadioWatch|date=June 12, 1997}} Tryon-Seacoast took control of the station in July 1998 and changed it to a simulcast of country music station WKCG (101.3 FM) on July 27;{{cite news|last1=Fybush|first1=Scott|title=Sorrentino Out at WPRO|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-980730.html|accessdate=November 13, 2017|work=North East RadioWatch|date=July 30, 1998}} earlier that year, it had agreed to sell its Central Maine stations to Cumulus Media.{{cite news|last1=Fybush|first1=Scott|title=Sinclair Buys and Sells|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-980226.html|accessdate=November 13, 2017|work=North East RadioWatch|date=February 26, 1998}} Cumulus moved the country music format to WCTB (93.5 FM) on March 1, 1999, with "Kicks Country" continuing to simulcast on WCME.{{cite news|last1=Fybush|first1=Scott|title=A Time For Farewells...|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-990226.html|accessdate=November 13, 2017|work=North East RadioWatch|date=February 26, 1999}}{{cite news|last1=Fybush|first1=Scott|title=We Will Never Make Fun of Boston Weather Again...|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-990305.html|accessdate=November 13, 2017|work=North East RadioWatch|date=March 5, 1999}}

In August 2000, WCME and WCTB began simulcasting the "Score" sports programming of WSKW (1160 AM), as part of a five-station network that also included WIGY (97.5 FM, now WQSK) and WHQO (107.9 FM, now WFMX);{{cite news|last1=Fybush|first1=Scott|title=Moncton Radio Explodes!|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-000828.html|accessdate=November 13, 2017|work=North East RadioWatch|date=August 28, 2000}}{{cite news|last1=Fybush|first1=Scott|title=Hearst-Argyle Gets WMUR|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-000911.html|accessdate=November 13, 2017|work=North East RadioWatch|date=September 11, 2000}} shortly afterward, Cumulus agreed to sell its stations in the market to Clear Channel Communications. That October, WCME dropped "Score" programming for a simulcast of oldies station WABK-FM (104.3).{{cite news|last1=Fybush|first1=Scott|title=Clear Channel, Aurora Buy Clusters|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-001016.html|accessdate=November 13, 2017|work=North East RadioWatch|date=October 16, 2000}} By December 2001, WCME was carrying a news/talk format{{cite news|last1=Fybush|first1=Scott|title=Vinikoor Takes Tower Dispute to High Court|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-011203.html|accessdate=November 13, 2017|work=North East RadioWatch|date=December 3, 2001}} as part of Clear Channel's "Voice of Maine" network, along with WVOM in Bangor and WHQO in Skowhegan.{{cite news|last1=Fybush|first1=Scott|title=Peter Gzoski, 1934--2002|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-020130.html|accessdate=November 13, 2017|work=North East RadioWatch|date=January 30, 2002}} WHQO was dropped from the network in November 2003 after Clear Channel ended its local marketing agreement with its owner, Mountain Wireless.{{cite news|title=Christmas Keeps Getting Earlier...|url=http://www.fybush.com/nerw-031110.html|accessdate=November 13, 2017|work=NorthEast Radio Watch|date=November 10, 2003|archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629033038/http://www.fybush.com/nerw-031110.html|archivedate=June 29, 2011|url-status=dead}} In October 2005, WCME dropped WVOM's morning show in favor of that of WTOS-FM (105.1), filling a void in the mid-coast and Portland areas created when local jazz station WJZP-LP went on the air on the same frequency as WTOS.{{cite news|last1=Fybush|first1=Scott|title=A WILD Shift For Radio One/Boston|url=https://www.fybush.com/NERW/2005/051024/nerw.html|accessdate=November 13, 2017|work=NorthEast Radio Watch|date=October 24, 2005}} Other programs on WCME included The Wall Street Journal Morning Report, The War Room with Quinn and Rose, Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh, Dave Ramsey, Lars Larson, and Coast to Coast AM. WCME also carried University of Maine football and local sports, as well as Boston Red Sox baseball off and on throughout the early 2000s.

Clear Channel announced on November 16, 2006, that it would sell its Central Maine stations after being bought by private equity firms,{{cite news|url=http://www.fybush.com/NERW/2006/061120/nerw.html|title=Dark Days All Around|last=Fybush|first=Scott|date=November 20, 2006|work=NorthEast Radio Watch|accessdate=November 13, 2017}} resulting in a sale to Blueberry Broadcasting in 2008.{{cite news|url=http://www.fybush.com/NERW/2008/080505/nerw.html|title=The Sales Market Heats Up|last=Fybush|first=Scott|date=May 5, 2008|work=NorthEast Radio Watch|accessdate=November 13, 2017}} On January 5, 2009, WCME dropped its talk programming and took on the "Star" adult contemporary format vacated by co-owned WKCG when it became WVQM, a simulcast of WVOM.{{cite news|last1=Fybush|first1=Scott|title=Santos Exits Amidst WBZ Changes|url=https://www.fybush.com/NERW/2009/090112/nerw.html|accessdate=November 13, 2017|work=NorthEast Radio Watch|date=January 12, 2009}} The Star image and AC format was short lived, as in March of the same year, the station began simulcasting WTOS-FM.{{cite news|last1=Fybush|first1=Scott|title=CSB School of Broadcasting Folds|url=https://www.fybush.com/NERW/2009/090309/nerw.html|accessdate=November 13, 2017|work=NorthEast Radio Watch|date=March 9, 2009}} On May 4, 2009, WCME changed its call letters to WTQX.{{cite web|title=Call Sign History (WBQA)|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=4090&Callsign=WBQA|website=CDBS Public Access|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|accessdate=November 13, 2017}}

Maine Public purchased WTQX for $550,000 in 2017 with the intention of making it the sixth station in its Maine Public Classical network.{{cite news|last1=Routhier|first1=Ray|title=Maine Public will add a classical music radio station in the midcoast|url=http://www.pressherald.com/2017/08/08/maine-public-will-add-a-classical-music-radio-station-in-the-midcoast/|accessdate=November 13, 2017|work=Portland Press Herald|date=August 8, 2017}} The sale was completed on October 31, 2017;{{cite web|title=Consummation Notice|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1769856&Service=FM&Form_id=905&Facility_id=4090|website=CDBS Public Access|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|accessdate=November 13, 2017|date=November 1, 2017}} concurrently, the call letters changed to WBQA.

{{Reflist}}

• {{FM station data|4090|WBQA}}

{{Mid-Coast Maine Radio}}

BQA

Category:Lincoln County, Maine

Category:Radio stations established in 1984

Category:1984 establishments in Maine

Category:Classical music radio stations in the United States