WLAM

{{Infobox radio station

| name = WLAM

| logo =

| city = Lewiston, Maine

| country = US

| area = Lewiston–Auburn

| branding = 1470 & 97.3 The Memories Stations

| frequency = 1470 kHz

| translator = {{Radio Relay|97.3|W247DK|Lewiston}}

| airdate = {{start date and age|1947|9|4|p=y|br=yes}}

| format = Adult standards; oldies

| power = {{val|5000|u=watts|fmt=commas}} (unlimited)

| class = B

| facility_id = 64434

| licensing_authority = FCC

| coordinates = {{coord|44|3|47.27|N|70|14|58.2|W|region:US-ME_type:landmark|name=WLAM|display=inline,title}}

| callsign_meaning = Lewiston–Auburn, Maine

| former_callsigns = {{ubl|WLAM (1947–1990)|WKZN (1990–1993)|WZOU (1993–2001)}}

| affiliations =

| owner = Robert Bittner

| licensee = Blue Jey Broadcasting Co.

| sister_stations = {{hlist|WJTO|WLVP}}

| webcast =

| website =

}}

WLAM (1470 AM) is a radio station broadcasting an adult standards and oldies format. Licensed to Lewiston, Maine, United States, the station serves the Lewiston-Auburn area. Established in 1947, the station is owned by the estate of Robert Bittner through licensee Blue Jey Broadcasting Co. Its 5,000-watt signal can be heard at day throughout most of Southern Maine and portions of New Hampshire and Massachusetts, and at night throughout most of New England and portions of New York and Canada.

History

WLAM first went on the air September 4, 1947.{{cite book|title=Broadcasting/Cable Yearbook 1989|year=1989|page=B-133|url=http://www.davidgleason.com/Archive%20BC-YB/1989/B-1%20Radio%20Ala%20to%20Mont%201989-5.pdf|accessdate=May 16, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110410012914/http://www.davidgleason.com/Archive%20BC-YB/1989/B-1%20Radio%20Ala%20to%20Mont%201989-5.pdf|archive-date=April 10, 2011|url-status=dead}} The station initially aired various programs, including ABC Radio programming, music, and local sports coverage.{{cite news|url=http://www.sunjournal.com/story/257846-3/LewistonAuburn/LAs_radio_days_recalled/|title=L-A's radio days recalled|last=Sargent|first=Dave|date=March 25, 2008|work=Lewiston Sun Journal|accessdate=January 27, 2009}} {{Dead link|date=October 2010|bot=H3llBot}} An FM sister station on 100.1, WWAV (now WTHT on 99.9) was launched in 1977. The station became WKZN on December 26, 1990,{{cite web|url=http://fjallfoss.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/pubacc/prod/call_hist.pl?Facility_id=64434&Callsign=WLAM |title=WLAM Call Sign History |work=United States Federal Communications Commission, audio division }} swapping call letters with its sister station in Gorham on 870;{{cite web|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/essays/maine-hist|title=Maine Radio History, 1971–1996|last=Fybush|first=Scott|year=1996|work=The Archives @ BostonRadio.org|accessdate=January 27, 2009}} the two stations eventually began simulcasting a standards format.{{cite news|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-960618.html|title=Portland Consolidates|last=Fybush|first=Scott|date=June 18, 1996|work=New England RadioWatch|accessdate=January 27, 2009}} A third station, WJTO in Bath, was part of the simulcast under a local marketing agreement{{cite news |title=Format Changes |work=The M Street Journal |date=May 5, 1993 |page=1}} from April 2, 1993,{{cite news |title=WLAM adds third location on the dial |url=https://news.google.com/newspapers?id=eg4gAAAAIBAJ&sjid=EGYFAAAAIBAJ&pg=4025%2C2481643 |access-date=April 7, 2025 |work=Sun Journal |date=April 10, 1993 |page=14}} to August 1995.{{cite news |title=Format Changes & Updates |work=The M Street Journal |date=August 30, 1995 |page=2}} On July 19, 1993, WKZN changed its call sign to WZOU.

Wireless Talking Machine Company sold WZOU, WLAM, and WLAM-FM (106.7 FM, which had launched in 1996 as an FM simulcast of the stations; it is now WXTP), along with 99.9 (by then WMWX) and WTHT (107.5 FM; now WFNK) to Harron Communications, then-owner of WMTW-TV, in 1999.{{cite news|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-991119.html|title=TV Duopoly Arrives in N.Y.|last=Fybush|first=Scott|date=November 19, 1999|work=North East RadioWatch|accessdate=January 27, 2009}} On May 21, 2001, Harron restored the WLAM call letters to the station; two weeks prior to this, 870 and 106.7 were converted to news/talk as WMTW.{{cite news|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-010507.html|title=Farewell, Old CHUM|last=Fybush|first=Scott|date=May 7, 2001|work=North East RadioWatch|accessdate=January 27, 2009}} While WLAM initially retained the standards format, on November 26, the station was switched to a simulcast of WMTW;{{cite news|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-011119.html|title=Cumulus Buys Aurora|last=Fybush|first=Scott|date=November 11, 2001|work=North East RadioWatch|accessdate=January 27, 2009}} shortly afterwards, talk programming was removed from the stations in favor of an all-news format, mainly from the Associated Press's All-News Radio service.{{cite news|url=http://www.fybush.com/nerw-yir2001.html|title=2001: The Year in Review|last=Fybush|first=Scott|date=December 31, 2001|work=NorthEast Radio Watch|accessdate=January 27, 2009}}

After Harron sold its Maine radio stations to Nassau Broadcasting Partners in 2004, Newsradio WMTW was discontinued that April. Nassau also introduced three separate formats to the stations,{{cite news|url=http://www.fybush.com/NERW/2004/040412/nerw.html|title=Nassau Shakeup in Maine|last=Fybush|first=Scott|date=April 12, 2004|work=NorthEast Radio Watch|accessdate=January 27, 2009}} with WLAM reverting to standards.{{cite news|url=http://www.fybush.com/nerw-yir2004.html|title=2004: The Year in Review|last=Fybush|first=Scott|year=2004|work=NorthEast Radio Watch|accessdate=January 27, 2009}} This incarnation of the format would prove short-lived; in late 2005, the station switched to ESPN Radio.{{cite news|url=http://www.fybush.com/NERW/2005/051114/nerw.html|title=Newton Poised to Approve New Towers|date=November 14, 2005|work=NorthEast Radio Watch|accessdate=January 27, 2009}}

One of WLAM's personalities during its standards incarnations was Bud Sawyer, a longtime staple of Portland-area radio stations such as WPOR, who was the station's morning host from 1998{{cite news|url=http://www.bostonradio.org/nerw/nerw-980604.html|title=Tornado Topples WIVT|last=Fybush|first=Scott|date=June 4, 1998|work=North East RadioWatch|accessdate=January 27, 2009}} until the 2001 switch to news/talk, and again during the mid-2000s restoration of the standards format.

WLAM had planned to drop ESPN Radio in favor of programming from Boston's WEEI in January 2008,{{cite news |first=Randy |last=Whitehouse |title=Boston's WEEI coming to Maine |url=http://www.sunjournal.com/story/235226-3/LocalSports/Bostons_WEEI_coming_to_Maine/ |archive-url=https://archive.today/20071020003214/http://www.sunjournal.com/story/235226-3/LocalSports/Bostons_WEEI_coming_to_Maine/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=October 20, 2007 |work=Lewiston Sun Journal |date=October 23, 2007 |accessdate=October 27, 2007 }} but the deal between Nassau and 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=January 7, 2008 |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 }} The ESPN Radio format would remain until February 2, 2009, when WLAM and WLVP switched to an oldies format.{{cite news|url=http://news.mainetoday.com/updates/038883.html|title=Portland to get new oldies station|last=Routhier|first=Ray|date=January 27, 2009|work=Portland Press Herald|accessdate=January 28, 2009|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20090130000857/http://news.mainetoday.com/updates/038883.html|archive-date=January 30, 2009|url-status=dead}} In conjunction with the change, the stations began simulcasting WCSH's morning and early evening newscasts, a move made to continue the newscasts' availability via radio even after WCSH's own 87.7 MHz audio was discontinued following the shutdown of analog television signals.{{cite news|url=http://www.wcsh6.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=99602&catid=2|archive-url=https://archive.today/20130111115341/http://www.wcsh6.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=99602&catid=2|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 11, 2013|title=WCSH Strikes Deal To Simulcast Newscasts On Radio|last=O'Brien|first=Maureen|date=January 26, 2009|work=WCSH6.com|accessdate=January 26, 2009}}

Initially locally programmed, in early 2010 WLAM and WLVP became affiliates of The True Oldies Channel.{{cite news|url=http://www.fybush.com/NERW/2010/100308/nerw.html|title=It's Go Time for "Rush Radio 1200"|last=Fybush|first=Scott|date=March 8, 2010|work=NorthEast Radio Watch|accessdate=March 13, 2010}} Additionally, on August 2, the station added The Jeff Santos Show from WWZN in Boston.{{cite web|title=Jeff Santos Show expands again!|url=http://www.revolutionboston.com/news/jeff-santos-show-expands-again|publisher=Revolution Boston|accessdate=August 2, 2010|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100904030936/http://www.revolutionboston.com/news/jeff-santos-show-expands-again|archive-date=September 4, 2010|url-status=dead}} The stations' format was modified once more on August 6, 2011, when sports talk was re-added to the schedule via locally produced shows and high school football and basketball from the Maine Sports Network (which previously provided some weekend programming to WJJB-FM).{{cite news|last=Whitehouse|first=Randy|title=Local duo making sports talk splash|url=http://www.sunjournal.com/local-sports/story/1069392|accessdate=August 6, 2011|newspaper=Sun Journal|date=August 6, 2011}}

WLAM, along with 16 other Nassau stations in northern New England, was purchased at bankruptcy auction by WBIN Media Company, a company controlled by Bill Binnie, on May 22, 2012. Binnie already owned WBIN-TV in Derry, New Hampshire.{{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|accessdate=May 22, 2012|newspaper=All Access|date=May 22, 2012}}{{cite news|title=WBIN Media acquires 17 N.E. radio stations|url=http://www.unionleader.com/article/20120523/NEWS02/705249976|accessdate=May 24, 2012|newspaper=New Hampshire Union Leader|date=May 23, 2012}} The deal was completed on November 30, 2012.{{cite news|last=Kitch|first=Michael|title=Binnie closes on purchase of WLNH|url=http://www.laconiadailysun.com/index.php/newsx/local-news/64052-binnie-s-radio-franchise|accessdate=December 1, 2012|newspaper=Laconia Daily Sun|date=December 1, 2012}} In June 2014, WLAM and WLVP switched to Cumulus Media's Good Time Oldies service after Cumulus ended distribution of The True Oldies Channel.{{cite news |last1=Fybush |first1=Scott |title=NERW 6/30/2014: Cox, Fox Reshape Boston TV |url=https://www.fybush.com/nerw-20140630/ |access-date=April 5, 2025 |work=Fybush.com |date=June 30, 2014}}

On December 9, 2015, Binnie agreed to sell WLAM and WLVP to Blue Jey Broadcasting Company, controlled by Bob Bittner, for $135,000.{{cite web|title=APPLICATION FOR CONSENT TO ASSIGNMENT OF BROADCAST STATION CONSTRUCTION PERMIT OR LICENSE|url=http://licensing.fcc.gov/cgi-bin/ws.exe/prod/cdbs/forms/prod/prefill_and_display.pl?Application_id=1712134&Service=AM&Form_id=314&Facility_id=64434|website=CDBS Public Access|publisher=Federal Communications Commission|accessdate=December 16, 2015}} The sale to Blue Jey Broadcasting was consummated on February 17, 2016. Bittner evolved the stations' format to a playlist similar to (but separate from) his existing Maine property, WJTO in Bath;{{cite news |last1=Fybush |first1=Scott |title=NERW 2/22/2016: Behind TV’s Return to 1WTC |url=https://www.fybush.com/nerw-20160222/ |access-date=April 5, 2025 |work=Fybush.com |date=February 22, 2016}} by 2021, WLAM and WLVP had become separately programmed and automated from their transmitter sites, though continuing to feature a similar playlist of soft adult contemporary and standards to Bittner's flagship network of WJTO, WJIB in Cambridge, Massachusetts, and WBAS on Cape Cod.{{cite web |last1=Fybush |first1=Scott |title=Site of the Week 8/12/2022: Bob Bittner’s WJTO, Bath |url=https://www.fybush.com/site-20220812/ |website=Fybush.com |access-date=April 5, 2025 |date=August 12, 2022}}

Bittner passed away on May 26, 2023, and the station has been operated by Bob Perry on behalf of his estate since then. On March 31, 2025, Perry announced that WLAM and WJTO would cease broadcasting on April 13, 2025, because donations were not keeping pace with the cost of operating and maintaining the stations;[https://bobsmemorystation.com/Annual-Fundraising-Campaign/ | Special Announcment] Bob Perry, Bob's Memory Station, March 31, 2025 WLVP had already left the air in October 2024. Days before the scheduled shutdown, Perry announced that WLAM and WJTO would continue operating after April 13 during negotiations with potential buyers for the stations, saying that "it is better for us to keep them on the air for the immediate future".{{cite news |last1=Venta |first1=Lance |title=Bob’s Memories Station To Remain In Operation |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/298222/bobs-memories-station-to-cease-operations-in-maine/ |access-date=April 11, 2025 |work=RadioInsight |date=April 11, 2025}}