WPPI (95.5 FM) is a sports radio station in the Portland, Maine, area. The station is owned by Atlantic Coast Radio.
| Simulcast of WPEI | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Broadcast area | Portland, Maine |
| Frequency | 95.5 MHz |
| Branding | 95.5 and 95.9 WPEI |
| Programming | |
| Format | Sports |
| Affiliations | |
| Ownership | |
| Owner | Atlantic Coast Radio |
| WJJB-FM, WLOB, WRED, WPEI | |
| History | |
First air date | 1993 (as WPME) |
Former call signs |
|
Call sign meaning | similar to WPEI |
| Technical information[1] | |
Licensing authority | FCC |
| Facility ID | 12160 |
| Class | A |
| Power | 3,000 watts |
| HAAT | 139 meters (456 ft) |
Transmitter coordinates | 43°54′12″N 70°2′13″W / 43.90333°N 70.03694°W |
| Links | |
Public license information | |
| Website | weei.com |
WPPI serves as a simulcast of WPEI (95.9 FM) in Saco. Both stations, in turn, mostly carry the same programs as WEEI-FM from Boston. Some local commercials take the place of Boston commercials, and some WEEI-FM game broadcasts are substituted with Fox Sports Radio. WPPI also carries University of Maine Black Bear football and ice hockey,[2] and Portland Pirates ice hockey.[3]
History edit
The 95.5 frequency began operations in 1993 as WPME, simulcasting a country music format with 96.7 WCME from Boothbay Harbor (now WBQA).[4] A year later, the station converted to an oldies format as WXGL-FM.[4] Atlantic Coast Radio purchased the station in 1999,[5] and in January 2000, the station switched to an adult album alternative format as WCLZ.[6] A few months later, WCLZ adopted a sports talk format, initially as a simulcast of WJAE;[7] the next year, the station took the call letters WJJB-FM.[8]
On August 25, 2008, 96.3 WLOB-FM was converted to a simulcast of WJJB (which WJAE had become by that time), resulting in WLOB's programming being heard only on the AM signal. This was part of a shuffle of Atlantic Coast Radio's FM stations as a result of the conversion of two of its stations, including WJJB-FM, on September 1, 2008 to simulcasts of WEEI.[9] Shortly after the completion of these format changes, 95.5's call letters were changed to WGEI (it had initially planned to use the WTEI call sign,[10] and for a week in September 2008 used the WUEI call letters[11]).
On April 1, 2009, WGEI converted to a simulcast of WLOB; it became WLOB-FM a few days later.[11] In August 2011, WLOB-FM returned to simulcasting WEEI. On September 7, 2011, WLOB-FM changed its call letters to WPPI.
References edit
- ^ "Facility Technical Data for WPPI". Licensing and Management System. Federal Communications Commission.
- ^ of Maine Official Athletic Site
- ^ Pirates Announce New Radio Home
- ^ a b Fybush, Scott. "Maine Radio History, 1971–1996". Archives @ BostonRadio.org. Retrieved September 11, 2008.
- ^ Fybush, Scott (August 27, 1999). "Maine Station Owner Dies in Plane Crash". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved September 11, 2008.
- ^ Fybush, Scott (January 28, 2000). "Welcome Back WMEX, and We Take On LPFM". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved September 11, 2008.
- ^ Fybush, Scott (October 10, 2000). "Spinning the Dial in Connecticut". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved September 11, 2008.
- ^ Fybush, Scott (September 3, 2001). "Labor Day Update". North East RadioWatch. Retrieved September 11, 2008.
- ^ Routhier, Ray (August 19, 2008). "WEEI to air in Maine Sept. 1". Portland Press Herald. Archived from the original on August 26, 2008. Retrieved August 19, 2008.
- ^ "WEEI Sports Radio Network Expands to Portland, Bangor & Keene" (PDF) (Press release). Entercom Communications. August 20, 2008. Retrieved August 20, 2008.
- ^ a b "Call Sign History". CDBS Public Access. Federal Communications Commission. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
External links edit
- WEEI official website
- WPPI in the FCC FM station database
- WPPI in Nielsen Audio's FM station database