WIKE

{{About|a Vermont radio station||Wike (disambiguation){{!}}Wike}}

{{Infobox radio station

| name = WIKE

| above = Simulcasting WMTK Littleton, New Hampshire

| logo =

| logo_size =

| city = Newport, Vermont

| country = US

| area = Orleans County; Memphrémagog RCM

| branding = The Notch

| frequency = 1490 kHz C-QUAM AM stereo

| translator = {{Radio Relay|103.1|W276DK|Derby Center}}

| airdate = {{start date|1952|10|12}}

| format = Classic rock

| power = 1,000 watts unlimited

| class = C

| facility_id = 49400

| coordinates = {{Coord|44|56|28.00|N|72|13|35.00|W|region:US-VT_type:landmark|display=inline,title}}

| callsign_meaning =

| former_callsigns =

| affiliations = Boston Red Sox Radio Network

| operator = Green Mountain Broadcasters LLC

| owner = Vermont Broadcast Associates, Inc.

| licensee =

| sister_stations = WJJZ, WMOO, WMTK

| webcast =

| website = {{URL|http://notchfm.com/}}

| licensing_authority= FCC

}}

WIKE (1490 AM) is a commercial radio station located in Newport, Vermont. It is owned by Vermont Broadcast Associates, Inc. and it broadcasts a classic rock format, simulcast from 106.3 WMTK in Littleton, New Hampshire. Both stations call themselves "The Notch". WIKE's programming is also heard on translator station W276DK (103.1 FM) in Derby Center. Under a local marketing agreement, Russ Ingalls' Green Mountain Broadcasters LLC operates the stations pending a full acquisition.

WIKE went on the air in 1952. The station was a country music station in the 2000s, before switching to classic rock in the 2010s.

History

On October 12, 1952, WIKE first signed on.[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/1972/B-2%20YB%201972%20All-12.pdf Broadcasting Yearbook 1972 page B-216] It was owned by Memphremagog Broadcasting and was powered at 250 watts. In the 1960s, the daytime power was boosted to 1,000 watts and in the 1980s, it also increased its nighttime power to 1,000 watts.

In 1991, an FM station was added, 92.1 WMOO, which is licensed to nearby Derby Center. WMOO is programmed with a hot adult contemporary format. In 2001, both stations were acquired by Northstar Media, Inc for just over $1 million.[http://www.americanradiohistory.com/Archive-BC-YB/2005/Radio-NE-Ter-2005-BC-YB.pdf Broadcasting & Cable Yearbook 2005 page D-529]

During most of the early 2000s, WIKE was a country music station, switching to classic rock in the mid-2010s.

Image:WIKE logo.png

On May 22, 2012, WIKE, along with 29 other Nassau Broadcasting Partners stations in Northern New England, was purchased at a bankruptcy auction by Carlisle Capital Corporation, a company controlled by Bill Binnie (owner of WBIN-TV in Derry). WIKE, and 12 of the other stations, were then acquired by Vertical Capital Partners, controlled by Jeff Shapiro.{{cite news|title=Carlisle Capital Corp. Wins Bidding For Rest Of Nassau Stations|url=http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/106283/carlisle-capital-corp-wins-bidding-for-rest-of-nas|access-date=May 22, 2012|newspaper=All Access|date=May 22, 2012}}{{cite news|last=Venta|first=Lance|title=Nassau Broadcasting Auction Results|url=http://radioinsight.com/blog/headlines/57250/nassau-broadcasting-auction-results/|access-date=May 24, 2012|newspaper=RadioInsight|date=May 22, 2012}} (updated May 23, 2012)

Soon after taking over, Vertical resold WIKE and sister station 92.1 WMOO to Vermont Broadcast Associates.{{cite news|title=Georgia AM Trio Sold|url=http://www.allaccess.com/net-news/archive/story/112292/georgia-am-trio-sold|access-date=November 8, 2012|newspaper=All Access|date=November 7, 2012}}

The sale of WIKE and the other 12 stations was consummated on November 30, 2012, at a purchase price of $4.4 million.{{citation needed|date=January 2014}} The resale of WIKE and WMOO was consummated on January 1, 2013, at a purchase price of $760,000.{{citation needed|date=January 2019

}}

In February 2025, Bruce James agreed to sell the seven Vermont Broadcast Associates stations to Green Mountain Broadcasters, owned by Vermont state senator Russ Ingalls, for $996,000. Green Mountain then began managing the stations under a local marketing agreement.{{cite news |last1=Venta |first1=Lance |title=Vermont State Senator Acquires Vermont Broadcast Associates |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/294467/vermont-state-senator-acquires-vermont-broadcast-associates/ |access-date=February 8, 2025 |work=RadioInsight |date=February 7, 2025}}