WHTP-FM

WHTP-FM began broadcasting December 1, 1994, as WQEZ, an easy listening/adult contemporary station owned by Vega Corporation, which also owned WBQQ (99.3 FM).{{cite web|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/essays/maine-hist|title=Maine Radio History, 1971–1996|last=Fybush|first=Scott|publisher=Archives @ BostonRadio.org|accessdate=September 14, 2012}} Vega sold the stations to Mariner Broadcasting on June 16, 1997.{{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|accessdate=September 14, 2012}} Mariner sold its stations to Nassau Broadcasting Partners in 2004.{{cite news|agency=Associated Press|title=Stations sold|url=http://www.sunjournal.com/node/251502|accessdate=September 14, 2012|newspaper=Sun Journal|date=December 12, 2003}} That April, Nassau relaunched the station as WHXQ, a classic rock station branded as The Bone and simulcasting with WHXR (106.7 FM, now WXTP).{{cite news|title=Stern's The "Maine Man" For Nassau|url=http://www.fmqb.com/article.asp?id=22810|accessdate=September 14, 2012|newspaper=FMQB|date=April 14, 2012}} During the summer of 2006, WHXQ/WHXR expanded their playlist and shifted to active rock. WHXQ and WHXR had planned to switch to sports talk provided by Boston's WEEI in January 2008,{{cite news |first=Randy |last=Whitehouse |title=Boston's WEEI coming to Maine |newspaper=Sun Journal |date=October 23, 2007 }} but the deal between Nassau and WEEI owner Entercom ended up collapsing.{{cite news |title=Entercom-Nassau Deal Falls Through |url=http://www.radioink.com/HeadlineEntry.asp?hid=140600&pt=todaysnews |work=Radio Ink |date=January 4, 2008 |accessdate=September 14, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120209192656/http://www.radioink.com/HeadlineEntry.asp?hid=140600&pt=todaysnews |archive-date=February 9, 2012 |url-status=dead }}

File:W-BACH logo.png

WHXQ swapped formats and call signs with WBQW (106.3 FM, now the current WHXR) on October 6, 2008, and began to carry WBACH's classical music programming (which had originated on WBQQ in 1991; concurrent with the WHXQ/WBQW swap, WBQQ became a simulcast of WTHT).{{cite news|url=http://www.fybush.com/NERW/2008/080825/nerw.html|title=Atlantic Coast, Nassau Shake Up Maine|date=August 25, 2008|accessdate=January 28, 2009}} Nassau Broadcasting entered bankruptcy in 2011, which culminated in an auction of its stations. Prior to the conclusion of the auction, the Maine Public Broadcasting Network expressed interest in running the WBACH stations.[http://www.downeast.com/media-mutt/2012/april/maine-broadcasting-commercial MPBN Going Commercial?] Al Diamon, Downeast.com, April 23, 2012 As part of the bankruptcy proceeding, WBQW was auctioned in May 2012 to local owner Mainestream Media for $150,000, while the other WBACH stations (WBQX in Thomaston and WBQI in Bar Harbor) went to Bill Binnie's WBIN Media Company.[http://www.downeast.com/media-mutt/2012/may/nassau-maine-stations Nassau’s Maine Stations Split Up] Al Diamon, Downeast.com, May 4, 2012{{cite news|last=Venta|first=Lance|title=Nassau Broadcasting Auction Results|url=http://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/57250/nassau-broadcasting-auction-results/|accessdate=September 14, 2012|newspaper=RadioInsight|date=May 22, 2012}} (updated May 23, 2012){{Cite web|url=https://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/70388/104-7-wbqw-portland-to-launch-new-format/|title=104.7 WBQW Portland to Launch New Format}}

Mainestream Media dropped WBACH's programming at 5 p.m. on September 13, 2012,{{cite web|title=104.7 Change of Ownership|url=http://www.wbachradio.com/104-7-Change-of-Ownership/14070043|work=wbachradio.com|accessdate=September 6, 2012}}{{cite news|title=Southern Maine radio station to stop airing classical music|url=http://www.pressherald.com/news/radio-station-to-stop-airing-classical-music_2012-09-07.html|accessdate=September 7, 2012|newspaper=Portland Press Herald|date=September 7, 2012}} and began stunting with Christmas music, making the claim of being the first station to switch to Christmas music in 2012, and promoting the "104 Days Of Christmas", saying they would give Portland special "gifts" through the holidays, with the first to come the following day at 5 p.m..{{cite news|title=Radio's first all-Christmas station arrives.|url=http://www.insideradio.com/article.asp?id=2532036&spid=32061#.UFKJ-xg2bQQ|accessdate=September 14, 2012|newspaper=Inside Radio|date=September 13, 2012}} At that time, the station adopted its permanent rhythmic top 40 format, branded as "Hot 104.7".{{Cite web|url=https://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/netgnomes/70469/september-means-christmas-in-maine/|title = Hot 104.7 Debuts in Southern Maine}}{{Cite web|url=http://formatchange.com/wbqw-becomes-hot-104-7/|title = WBQW Becomes Hot 104.7|date = September 14, 2012}} On October 1, WBQW's call letters were changed to WHTP, fitting the "Hot" branding. WHTP currently competes with longtime Top 40 station WJBQ, which has a more mainstream feel to it as compared to WHTP's Rhythmic approach (similar to the former WRED). In February 2013, WHTP was added to Mediabase's Rhythmic panel, reflecting its choice of musical direction.

WHTP began simulcasting on WJYE (1280 AM and 100.3 FM) in Gardiner and WCYR (1400 AM and 102.9 FM) in Veazie on January 13, 2020; to reflect its expanded reach, the station rebranded as "Hot Radio Maine". The station added the "-FM" suffix to its call sign on March 6, 2020.{{cite web |title=Call Sign History (WHTP-FM) |url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=69855&Callsign=WHTP-FM |website=CDBS Public Access |publisher=Federal Communications Commission |accessdate=March 15, 2020}}

{{Reflist}}

• {{Official website|https://hotradiomaine.com/}}
• {{FM station data|69855|WHTP-FM}}

{{Portland ME Radio}}

HTP-FM

Category:Radio stations established in 1995

Category:Rhythmic contemporary radio stations in the United States

Category:Kennebunkport, Maine

Category:1995 establishments in Maine