WHOM
Encyclopedia
WHOM is an American
radio station
which airs an adult contemporary format. It transmits from atop Mount Washington
in New Hampshire
and has a broadcast area of five states and Quebec. While the signal can be heard all over northern New England
, the station broadcasts from and considers itself part of the Portland
, Maine
radio market. It also claims on its website that it has the largest FM coverage area in the USA. The station also broadcasts their radio program over the internet from their official web page. It is owned by Cumulus Media
.
WHOM promotes its programming as "safe for the whole family."
(channel 8). The WMTW stations were sold to Jack Paar
of Tonight Show fame in 1963; Paar, in turn, sold them to Mid New York Broadcasting in 1967.
WMTW-FM was sold to Alpine Broadcasting in 1971; Mid New York retained WMTW-TV, and as a result the radio station changed its call letters first to WWMT, then to WMTQ in 1973, and then finally to the current WHOM in 1976 (previously used by New York City
radio stations 1480 AM; now WZRC
, and 92.3 FM; now WXRK).
The station offered a beautiful music
format consisting of instrumental versions of pop songs as well as several soft vocals per hour. This format continued through the 1980s. In January 1990, WHOM abruptly dropped the easy listening format for a soft adult contemporary format, though it continued to market as an easy listening station and retained its airstaff. In the mid 1990s, the station began adding softer songs by hot AC and CHR
artists and began playing current product. By 2000, WHOM was more of a mainstream adult contemporary station.
The station was sold to Fuller-Jeffrey Broadcasting by Barnstable Broadcasting in 1996; Fuller-Jeffrey then sold most of its stations, including WHOM, to Citadel Broadcasting
in 1999. Citadel merged with Cumulus Media
on September 16, 2011.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
radio station
Radio station
Radio broadcasting is a one-way wireless transmission over radio waves intended to reach a wide audience. Stations can be linked in radio networks to broadcast a common radio format, either in broadcast syndication or simulcast or both...
which airs an adult contemporary format. It transmits from atop Mount Washington
Mount Washington (New Hampshire)
Mount Washington is the highest peak in the Northeastern United States at , famous for dangerously erratic weather. For 76 years, a weather observatory on the summit held the record for the highest wind gust directly measured at the Earth's surface, , on the afternoon of April 12, 1934...
in New Hampshire
New Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
and has a broadcast area of five states and Quebec. While the signal can be heard all over northern New England
New England
New England is a region in the northeastern corner of the United States consisting of the six states of Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, and Connecticut...
, the station broadcasts from and considers itself part of the Portland
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
, Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
radio market. It also claims on its website that it has the largest FM coverage area in the USA. The station also broadcasts their radio program over the internet from their official web page. It is owned by Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media, Inc. is the second largest Owner and Operator of AM and FM radio stations in the United States, behind Clear Channel Communications, operating 570 stations in 150 markets as of September 16, 2011. The company also owns Cumulus Media Networks...
.
WHOM promotes its programming as "safe for the whole family."
History
WHOM signed on the air July 9, 1958 as WMTW-FM, owned by Mount Washington Television (an ownership group that included former Maine governor Horace Hildreth) along with WMTW-TVWMTW-TV
WMTW is the ABC-affiliated television station for Southern Maine and Northern New Hampshire licensed to Poland Spring, Maine. It broadcasts a high definition digital signal on VHF channel 8 from a transmitter in West Baldwin, Maine. The station can also be seen on Time Warner Cable and Comcast...
(channel 8). The WMTW stations were sold to Jack Paar
Jack Paar
Jack Harold Paar was an author, American radio and television comedian and talk show host, best known for his stint as host of The Tonight Show from 1957 to 1962...
of Tonight Show fame in 1963; Paar, in turn, sold them to Mid New York Broadcasting in 1967.
WMTW-FM was sold to Alpine Broadcasting in 1971; Mid New York retained WMTW-TV, and as a result the radio station changed its call letters first to WWMT, then to WMTQ in 1973, and then finally to the current WHOM in 1976 (previously used by 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...
radio stations 1480 AM; now WZRC
WZRC
WZRC, on 1480 kHz, is a radio station owned by Multicultural Radio Broadcasting, Inc. and serves the New York City area by running Cantonese program.-Formation and the early years:...
, and 92.3 FM; now WXRK).
The station offered a beautiful music
Beautiful music
Beautiful music is a mostly instrumental music format that was prominent in American radio from the 1960s through the 1980s...
format consisting of instrumental versions of pop songs as well as several soft vocals per hour. This format continued through the 1980s. In January 1990, WHOM abruptly dropped the easy listening format for a soft adult contemporary format, though it continued to market as an easy listening station and retained its airstaff. In the mid 1990s, the station began adding softer songs by hot AC and CHR
Contemporary hit radio
Contemporary hit radio is a radio format that is common in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada and Australia that focuses on playing current and recurrent popular music as determined by the Top 40 music charts...
artists and began playing current product. By 2000, WHOM was more of a mainstream adult contemporary station.
The station was sold to Fuller-Jeffrey Broadcasting by Barnstable Broadcasting in 1996; Fuller-Jeffrey then sold most of its stations, including WHOM, to Citadel Broadcasting
Citadel Broadcasting
Citadel Broadcasting Corporation was a Las Vegas, Nevada-based broadcast holding company. Citadel owned 243 radio stations across the United States and was the third-largest radio station owner in the country...
in 1999. Citadel merged with Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media
Cumulus Media, Inc. is the second largest Owner and Operator of AM and FM radio stations in the United States, behind Clear Channel Communications, operating 570 stations in 150 markets as of September 16, 2011. The company also owns Cumulus Media Networks...
on September 16, 2011.