WBAZ
Encyclopedia
WBAZ is the callsign of an adult contemporary radio station licensed to Bridgehampton, New York
and serving the east end of Long Island
and southeastern Connecticut
. The station is owned by Long Island Radio Broadcasting (a division of Cherry Creek Radio) and broadcasts on 102.5 MHz with 6 kilowatts ERP
from a tower in Southampton. It is not to be confused with long-defunct Top 40 WBAZ-AM 1550, which served the upstate city of Kingston during the 1950s from a tower on Sawkill Road.
It broadcasts from studios in Water Mill, New York
shared by WEHM
and WBEA
.
The 102.5 frequency first signed on in 1996 as WLIE (no relation to the current holder of the calls in Islip
), put on the air by WBAZ-owner Mel Kahn and his MAK Communications. At the outset, the new frequency went through some difficulties as a planned launch with AP All News Radio
went awry and the station instead signed on with a satellite-fed country music
format. Less than a year later, the country format would be replaced with classic rock
In early 1998, the 102.5 frequency changed again as it took on new calls, WBSQ, and a new Hot Adult Contemporary format (again satellite-fed) as Q-(Bright)102.5. Launched as a compliment to WBAZ and not much else, the station remained an afterthought in the scheme of East End radio.
When Kahn sold WBAZ and WBSQ to AAA Entertainment, owner of locally-run rival WBEA, in 2000, the future of WBSQ's Hot AC format was limited. Studies by AAA showed that the majority of WBAZ's listeners were concentrated in the Southampton/Bridgehampton area and that the slightly worse 102.5 MHz signal would be ideal for the station. In April 2001, WBSQ took the WCSO calls used by AAA as placeholders and would simulcast and assume WBAZ's format and calls that May. The 101.7 frequency would soon become home to WBEA whereas WBEA's former home at 104.7 MHz
would become home to a classic hits station targeted to New London, Connecticut
.
In 2005, WBAZ, WBEA, and sister stations WEHM and WHBE
would be purchased by Long Island Radio Broadcasting, a unit of Cherry Creek Radio.
Bridgehampton, New York
Bridgehampton is a hamlet in the South Fork of Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 1,381 at the 2000 census....
and serving the east end of Long Island
Long Island
Long Island is an island located in the southeast part of the U.S. state of New York, just east of Manhattan. Stretching northeast into the Atlantic Ocean, Long Island contains four counties, two of which are boroughs of New York City , and two of which are mainly suburban...
and southeastern Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
. The station is owned by Long Island Radio Broadcasting (a division of Cherry Creek Radio) and broadcasts on 102.5 MHz with 6 kilowatts ERP
Effective radiated power
In radio telecommunications, effective radiated power or equivalent radiated power is a standardized theoretical measurement of radio frequency energy using the SI unit watts, and is determined by subtracting system losses and adding system gains...
from a tower in Southampton. It is not to be confused with long-defunct Top 40 WBAZ-AM 1550, which served the upstate city of Kingston during the 1950s from a tower on Sawkill Road.
It broadcasts from studios in Water Mill, New York
Water Mill, New York
Water Mill is a census-designated place in Suffolk County, New York, USA, and a hamlet of the Town of Southampton. The population was 1,724 at the 2000 census. Water Mill is the correct name per local government and the United States Postal Service...
shared by WEHM
WEHM
WEHM is an Adult album alternative formatted radio station that is licensed to Manorville, New York and serves the eastern end of Long Island as well as the southeastern shore of Connecticut...
and WBEA
WBEA
WBEA is a Top 40 Mainstream radio station licenced to Southold, New York and serving the east end of Long Island plus southern Connecticut...
.
History
- (For information on WBAZ pre-2001, see the WBEAWBEAWBEA is a Top 40 Mainstream radio station licenced to Southold, New York and serving the east end of Long Island plus southern Connecticut...
article)
The 102.5 frequency first signed on in 1996 as WLIE (no relation to the current holder of the calls in Islip
WLIE
WLIE is a radio station licensed to serve Islip, New York. The station has had a long history on the bottom end of the AM dial. During its early years, it was a daytime-only station, with Christian programming, using the WLIX call letters. Starting in 1983, it was permitted to broadcast after...
), put on the air by WBAZ-owner Mel Kahn and his MAK Communications. At the outset, the new frequency went through some difficulties as a planned launch with AP All News Radio
Associated Press
The Associated Press is an American news agency. The AP is a cooperative owned by its contributing newspapers, radio and television stations in the United States, which both contribute stories to the AP and use material written by its staff journalists...
went awry and the station instead signed on with a satellite-fed country music
Country music
Country music is a popular American musical style that began in the rural Southern United States in the 1920s. It takes its roots from Western cowboy and folk music...
format. Less than a year later, the country format would be replaced with classic rock
Classic rock
Classic rock is a radio format which developed from the album-oriented rock format in the early 1980s. In the United States, the classic rock format features music ranging generally from the late 1960s to the late 1980s, primarily focusing on the hard rock genre that peaked in popularity in the...
In early 1998, the 102.5 frequency changed again as it took on new calls, WBSQ, and a new Hot Adult Contemporary format (again satellite-fed) as Q-(Bright)102.5. Launched as a compliment to WBAZ and not much else, the station remained an afterthought in the scheme of East End radio.
When Kahn sold WBAZ and WBSQ to AAA Entertainment, owner of locally-run rival WBEA, in 2000, the future of WBSQ's Hot AC format was limited. Studies by AAA showed that the majority of WBAZ's listeners were concentrated in the Southampton/Bridgehampton area and that the slightly worse 102.5 MHz signal would be ideal for the station. In April 2001, WBSQ took the WCSO calls used by AAA as placeholders and would simulcast and assume WBAZ's format and calls that May. The 101.7 frequency would soon become home to WBEA whereas WBEA's former home at 104.7 MHz
WMOS
WMOS is a classic rock radio station that targets the Connecticut shoreline even though it is licensed to Stonington, Connecticut. It broadcasts at 102.3 MHz with 3 kilowatts ERP from a tower located in Stonington. The station is owned and operated by Cumulus Media and is "powered by Mohegan...
would become home to a classic hits station targeted to New London, Connecticut
New London, Connecticut
New London is a seaport city and a port of entry on the northeast coast of the United States.It is located at the mouth of the Thames River in New London County, southeastern Connecticut....
.
WEHM
WEHM is an Adult album alternative formatted radio station that is licensed to Manorville, New York and serves the eastern end of Long Island as well as the southeastern shore of Connecticut...
would be purchased by Long Island Radio Broadcasting, a unit of Cherry Creek Radio.