WEII
{{short description|WEEI sports radio affiliate in Dennis, Massachusetts, U.S.}}
{{Distinguish|WEEI-FM{{!}}WEEI}}
{{Use mdy dates|date=January 2025}}
{{Infobox radio station
| name = WEII
| logo = WEII logo.png
| logo_size = 200px
| city = Dennis, Massachusetts
| country = US
| area = {{ubl|Hyannis, Massachusetts|Cape Cod}}
| branding = SportsRadio 96.3 WEEI Cape Cod
| frequency = {{Frequency|96.3|MHz}}
| translator =
| repeater =
| airdate = {{Start date and age|1981|6|15}}{{cite book|title=Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 1999|year=1999|page=D-211|url=http://americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1999/D-Radio-AL-NE-BC-YB-1999..pdf|accessdate=March 15, 2015}}
| last_airdate =
| format = Sports
| language =
| erp = 25,000 watts
| haat = {{convert|90.5|m|ft|sp=us}}
| class = B1
| licensing_authority = FCC
| facility_id = 54037
| coordinates = {{coord|41.729|N|70.167|W|type:landmark_region:US-MA_source:FCC|display=inline,title}}
| callsign_meaning = similar to WEEI
| former_callsigns = {{ubl|WGTF (1981–1984)|WXJY (1984–1988)|WNTX (1988–1993)|WRZE (1993–2009)}}
| former_frequencies = 93.5 MHz (1981–1982)
| affiliations = {{ubl|WEEI Sports Radio Network|ESPN Radio|Boston Celtics Radio Network|Boston Red Sox Radio Network|Cape Cod Baseball League}}
| owner = iHeartMedia
| licensee = iHM Licenses, LLC
| sister_stations = {{hlist|WCIB|WCOD-FM|WXTK}}
| webcast =
| website = {{URL|https://www.audacy.com/weei/network/weei-963fm-cape-cod|WEII site within WEEI-FM website}}
}}
WEII (96.3 FM, "SportsRadio 96.3") is a radio station in Dennis, Massachusetts. The station airs a sports radio format from Boston-based WEEI-FM. It is owned by iHeartMedia.
History
The station started life in 1981 under the call letters WGTF, operating on 93.5 FM. It moved to 96.3 in 1982{{cite news|title=For the Record|url=http://americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1982/BC-1982-06-14.pdf|accessdate=March 15, 2015|work=Broadcasting|date=June 14, 1982|page=70}} (the 93.5 frequency is now occupied by WFRQ) and changed its call letters to WXJY in 1984{{cite news|title=For the Record|url=http://americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC/BC-1984/BC-1984-06-25.pdf|accessdate=March 15, 2015|work=Broadcasting|date=June 25, 1984|page=78}}{{cite web|title=Call Sign History|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=54037&Callsign=WEII|website=CDBS Public Access|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|accessdate=March 15, 2015}} and WNTX in 1988. The station's format as WNTX was "Oldies 96", competing with the larger "Oldies 103" in Boston. The Makkay family, headed by Al Makkay, purchased the frequency in late 1992, and in January 1993, it flipped to a Top 40 (CHR) format as WRZE "96.3 The Rose". In 2003, Makkay Broadcasting sold WRZE, along with its sister stations WPXC and WCIB, to Qantum Communications for $32 million. In 2008, the station, which was originally licensed to Nantucket, was re-licensed to Dennis.{{cite news|last=Hale|first=Bill|title=FM News|url=http://www.wtfda.org/vud100s/2008/08-2008EVUD.pdf|accessdate=March 15, 2015|newspaper=VHF-UHF Digest|date=August 2008|page=12}}
On March 25, 2009 (though the changeover was originally announced for April 1{{cite news|url=http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20090219%2FBIZ%2F902190307%2F-1%2FNEWS|title=Sports radio boosted on Cape|last=Shemkus|first=Sarah|date=February 19, 2009|work=Cape Cod Times|accessdate=February 19, 2009|archive-date=February 22, 2012|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222045728/http://www.capecodonline.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=%2F20090219%2FBIZ%2F902190307%2F-1%2FNEWS|url-status=dead}}), WRZE flipped formats, becoming a simulcast of popular Boston sports radio station WEEI.
On May 15, 2014, Qantum Communications announced that it would sell its 29 stations, including WEII, to Clear Channel Communications (now iHeartMedia), in a transaction connected to Clear Channel's sale of WALK AM-FM in Patchogue, New York, to Connoisseur Media via Qantum.{{cite news|last=Venta|first=Lance|title=Qantum Sells To Clear Channel; Connoisseur Expands In Long Island|url=http://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/88656/qantum-sells-to-clear-channel-connoisseur-expands-in-long-island/|accessdate=May 15, 2014|newspaper=RadioInsight|date=May 15, 2014}} The transaction was consummated on September 9, 2014.
On November 28, 2023, iHeartMedia disclosed in a job posting that it would not renew WEII's contract to carry WEEI programming, with the costs to carry the WEEI network and Boston Red Sox baseball being diverted to hiring a locally-based sports talk host.{{cite news |last1=Vents |first1=Lance |title=WEEI To Lose Cape Cod Simulcast |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/261499/weei-to-lose-cape-cod-simulcast/ |access-date=November 28, 2023 |work=RadioInsight |date=November 28, 2023}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{official website|https://www.audacy.com/weei/network/weei-963fm-cape-cod}}
- {{FM station data|54037|WEII}}
{{Cape Cod Radio}}
{{Sports Radio Stations in Massachusetts}}
{{WEEI Sports Radio Network}}
{{ESPN Massachusetts}}
{{IHeartMedia}}
Category:Sports radio stations in the United States
Category:Dennis, Massachusetts
Category:IHeartMedia radio stations
Category:Radio stations established in 1981
Category:1981 establishments in Massachusetts
{{Massachusetts-radio-station-stub}}