WBEA
Encyclopedia
WBEA is a Top 40 Mainstream radio station licenced to Southold, New York
and serving the east end of Long Island
plus southern Connecticut
. The station is owned by Long Island Radio Broadcasting and broadcasts on 101.7 MHz with 6 kilowatts ERP
from a tower west of Hampton Bays
.
Unlike many stations on Long Island's East End, WBEA's signal is one of the less impeded as there is only one adjacent channel (WQCD
in New York City
) to hamper its coverage to the north and west. The station's signal to the north also gives it a rimshot status into the New Haven, Connecticut
area where it has shown in the ratings in the past.
It broadcasts from studios in Water Mill, New York
shared by WBAZ
, WHBE and WEHM
.
WBEA signed on in 1981 as WBAZ
, the second FM station on Long Island east of Riverhead. The station was founded by broadcasting consultant Joe Sullivan, Jr. doing business as Peconic Bay Broadcasting Company.
WBAZ would for many years feature an Adult Contemporary format known as Lighting up the Bays (or Z-Light on the Bays) which for most of its existence was satellite-fed through Transtar's (now Westwood One
) "Special Blend" format. Sullivan later sold WBAZ to Mel Kahn in the late 90's, along with then-sister station WLIE-FM.
When Kahn sold WBAZ and sister WBSQ to AAA Entertainment in 2000, the group would soon undergo a realignment given that AAA's WBEA and Kahn's WBSQ were competitors with different varieties of the Hot Adult Contemporary format. With WBEA, then at 104.7 MHz
, outperforming WBSQ with a poorer signal, the decision was made to move WBAZ to WBSQ's 102.5 MHz
location while moving WBEA to WBAZ's 101.7 MHz frequency. WBAZ and WBSQ would simulcast for most of May 2001 with the 101.7 frequency gaining the temporary WCSO calls in the process. After this period, the WBEA format was simulcasted on 101.7 and 104.7 with 101.7 gaining the WBEA calls and Beach Radio format that June. At that time, 104.7 would enter a deal with the Mohegan Sun
casino and become a cross-Sound rimshot into New London, Connecticut
.
After the frequency switch, WBEA would soon shift in more of a CHR direction, putting it in competition with the high-rated WBLI
and Connecticut rimshot WKCI. The station initially did well with its new approach, however a change in market dynamic after Arbitron
made the East End of Long Island a rated market doomed the surprisngly low-rated Beach Radio format. At the end of 2004, WBEA would flip to a Hip-hop format as Blaze 101.7, the first such station on Long Island. After AAA Entertainment sold their stations to Long Island Radio Broadcasting (a division of Cherry Creek Radio) took control of the stations later that year, the station would evolve to Rhythmic Contemporary
and would take on the new name The Beat, then reverting to "The Beach" during the summer of 2007.
On May 22, 2008, and after spending four years as a Rhythmic, WBEA returned to a Top 40/CHR direction, thus once again puts the station back in competition with WBLI and WKCI and as a result leaves WDRE as the market's lone Rhythmic outlet.
Southold, New York
Southold is one of ten towns in Suffolk County, New York, United States. It is located in the northeastern tip of the county, on the North Fork of Long Island. The population was 20,599 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...
plus southern 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 and broadcasts on 101.7 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 west of Hampton Bays
Hampton Bays, New York
Hampton Bays is a hamlet in Suffolk County, New York, United States. The population was 12,236 at the 2000 census.Hampton Bays is in the Town of Southampton.-Geography:...
.
Unlike many stations on Long Island's East End, WBEA's signal is one of the less impeded as there is only one adjacent channel (WQCD
WQCD
WEMP , known on-air as FM News 101.9, is an all-news radio station located in New York City. WEMP is owned by Merlin Media LLC, and has studios located in New York's West Village neighborhood. WEMP's transmitter is located at the Empire State Building...
in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
) to hamper its coverage to the north and west. The station's signal to the north also gives it a rimshot status into the New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven, Connecticut
New Haven is the second-largest city in Connecticut and the sixth-largest in New England. According to the 2010 Census, New Haven's population increased by 5.0% between 2000 and 2010, a rate higher than that of the State of Connecticut, and higher than that of the state's five largest cities, and...
area where it has shown in the ratings in the past.
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 WBAZ
WBAZ
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 and broadcasts on 102.5 MHz with 6 kilowatts ERP from a tower in Southampton...
, WHBE and 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...
.
WBEA signed on in 1981 as WBAZ
WBAZ
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 and broadcasts on 102.5 MHz with 6 kilowatts ERP from a tower in Southampton...
, the second FM station on Long Island east of Riverhead. The station was founded by broadcasting consultant Joe Sullivan, Jr. doing business as Peconic Bay Broadcasting Company.
WBAZ would for many years feature an Adult Contemporary format known as Lighting up the Bays (or Z-Light on the Bays) which for most of its existence was satellite-fed through Transtar's (now Westwood One
Westwood One
Westwood One was an American radio network and was based in New York City. At one time, it was managed by CBS Radio, the radio arm of CBS Corporation, and Viacom and was later purchased by the private equity firm The Gores Group...
) "Special Blend" format. Sullivan later sold WBAZ to Mel Kahn in the late 90's, along with then-sister station WLIE-FM.
When Kahn sold WBAZ and sister WBSQ to AAA Entertainment in 2000, the group would soon undergo a realignment given that AAA's WBEA and Kahn's WBSQ were competitors with different varieties of the Hot Adult Contemporary format. With WBEA, then 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...
, outperforming WBSQ with a poorer signal, the decision was made to move WBAZ to WBSQ's 102.5 MHz
WBAZ
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 and broadcasts on 102.5 MHz with 6 kilowatts ERP from a tower in Southampton...
location while moving WBEA to WBAZ's 101.7 MHz frequency. WBAZ and WBSQ would simulcast for most of May 2001 with the 101.7 frequency gaining the temporary WCSO calls in the process. After this period, the WBEA format was simulcasted on 101.7 and 104.7 with 101.7 gaining the WBEA calls and Beach Radio format that June. At that time, 104.7 would enter a deal with the Mohegan Sun
Mohegan Sun
Mohegan Sun, located in Uncasville, Connecticut, is the second largest casino in the United States with of gaming space. It is located on along the banks of the Thames River. It is at the heart of the scenic foothills of southeastern Connecticut, where 60 percent of the state's tourism is...
casino and become a cross-Sound rimshot into 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....
.
WBLI
WBLI is a Top 40 music formatted radio station which mainly serves Nassau and Suffolk Counties on Long Island. It can also be heard in the Hudson Valley, the South Shore of Connecticut, and the Jersey Shore...
and Connecticut rimshot WKCI. The station initially did well with its new approach, however a change in market dynamic after Arbitron
Arbitron
Arbitron is a consumer research company in the United States that collects listener data on radio audiences. It was founded as American Research Bureau by Jim Seiler in 1949 and became national by merging with L.A. based Coffin, Cooper and Clay in the early 1950s...
made the East End of Long Island a rated market doomed the surprisngly low-rated Beach Radio format. At the end of 2004, WBEA would flip to a Hip-hop format as Blaze 101.7, the first such station on Long Island. After AAA Entertainment sold their stations to Long Island Radio Broadcasting (a division of Cherry Creek Radio) took control of the stations later that year, the station would evolve to Rhythmic Contemporary
Rhythmic Contemporary
Rhythmic contemporary, also known as rhythmic top 40, rhythmic contemporary hit radio or rhythmic crossover, is a music radio format that includes a mix of EDM, upbeat rhythmic pop, hip-hop and R&B hits. Rhythmic contemporary rarely uses rock music or country music in its airplay, but it may...
and would take on the new name The Beat, then reverting to "The Beach" during the summer of 2007.
On May 22, 2008, and after spending four years as a Rhythmic, WBEA returned to a Top 40/CHR direction, thus once again puts the station back in competition with WBLI and WKCI and as a result leaves WDRE as the market's lone Rhythmic outlet.