WLTB: Difference between revisions

WLTB
Johnson City, New York;
Broadcast area	Greater Binghamton
Frequency	101.7 MHz
Branding	Magic 101.7 (FM/HD1); 102.5 The Vault (HD2)
Programming
Format	Adult hits
Subchannels	HD2: Classic hits
Ownership
Owner	GM Broadcasting
History
First air date	1972 (as WEBO-FM)
Former call signs	WEBO-FM (1972–1979); WWWT (1979–1985); WQWT (1985–1987); WQXT (1987–1992); WGRG (1992–1998)
Call sign meaning	LITe Binghamton
Technical information
Facility ID	71400
Class	A
ERP	580 watts
HAAT	312 meters (1,024 ft)
Translator(s)	HD2: 102.5 W273AB (Vestal)
Links
Webcast	Listen Live; HD2: Listen live
Website	magic1017fm.com; HD2: 1025thevault.com

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Revision as of 14:53, 24 March 2022

WLTB (101.7 FM, "Magic 101.7") is a radio station licensed to Johnson City, New York, and serving the Greater Binghamton market. Owned locally by GM Broadcasting, the station broadcasts an adult hits format. The studios are located in Endwell, with a transmitter on Ingraham Hill in Binghamton. A translator, W273AB (102.5 FM), programs a second format of classic hits music.

History

WEBO Radio, Inc., the owner of WEBO (1330 AM), applied for a construction permit to build a new FM radio station in Owego on September 23, 1971, and received a construction permit on January 17, 1972.^[1] WEBO-FM went on the air in September 1972 from a new tower in South Owego. It extended the service of WEBO, a daytime-only station, to nighttime hours.^[2] Operation remained much the same until March 1, 1979, when WEBO-FM became WWWT "3WT" and flipped to an all-disco format,^[3] except for morning drive when it continued to simulcast the AM.^[4] The disco format gave way within several months to a straight contemporary hit radio approach.^[5]

WWWT's hit radio gave way to adult contemporary in 1985 as WQWT "The Lite Q", aiming for an older demographic than it had under its previous format.^[6] The station returned to the hits, this time as WQXT "Q102", in 1987; two years later, the station activated a new tower and transmitter site on Bornt Hill, expanding its coverage area.^[7] By 1991, when the Aubol family retired and sold WEBO and WQXT to Steven Gilinsky, it had changed to an oldies format.^[8] The call letters were changed to WGRG in 1992, the same year that the station reverted to CHR known as Power 101,^[9] and W273AB (102.5 FM), a translator in Binghamton, was added the next year. By 1996, the format changed to alternative rock.^[10]

WGRG became WLTB "Lite 101.7", a soft adult contemporary station, in 1998. The call sign was retained in 2001 when the station shifted to hot adult contemporary as "Magic 101.7". Since that time, the station has changed formats twice while keeping the moniker, in 2016 by returning to CHR and again in 2021 by adopting an adult hits format. "The Vault" began in 2017, replacing the 102.5 rebroadcast of WLTB in Binghamton itself.^[11]

Gilinsky, who had previously sold 75 percent of WLTB to Thomas Mollen, repurchased his stake in the station in 2015.^[12]

References

^ FCC History Cards for WLTB
^ "New Tower Rises In Owego's Hills". The Evening Press. Binghamton, New York. July 22, 1972. p. Saturday 11. Archived from the original on January 14, 2022. Retrieved January 14, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ Grey, Gene (March 4, 1979). "Local stations muse: Is disco here to stay?". Press and Sun-Bulletin. Binghamton, New York. p. 16-C. Archived from the original on January 14, 2022. Retrieved January 14, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Owego radio station changes tune". Press and Sun-Bulletin. Binghamton, New York. February 28, 1979. p. 3A. Archived from the original on January 14, 2022. Retrieved January 14, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ DeGrasse, Diana (October 20, 1980). "The beat goes on". Press and Sun-Bulletin. Binghamton, New York. p. 1B. Archived from the original on January 14, 2022. Retrieved January 14, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Owego radio stations tune to changing audiences". Press and Sun-Bulletin. Binghamton, New York. September 25, 1985. p. 1B. Archived from the original on January 14, 2022. Retrieved January 14, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Owego station plants new tower". Press and Sun-Bulletin. Binghamton, New York. March 25, 1989. p. 1B. Archived from the original on January 14, 2022. Retrieved January 14, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ Karlson, Katherine (February 6, 1991). "Owego stations sold; WEBO to go country". Press and Sun-Bulletin. Binghamton, New York. p. 6B. Archived from the original on January 14, 2022. Retrieved January 14, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ "Format Changes and Updates" (PDF). M Street Journal. September 23, 1992. p. 1. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 30, 2021. Retrieved January 14, 2022.
^ Mastronardi, Michelle; Puttanniah, Suraj; Komarinetz, Michael (December 17, 1996). "Radio raves: Teen-agers tune in with frequency". Press and Sun-Bulletin. Binghamton, New York. p. 1C, 3C. Archived from the original on January 14, 2022. Retrieved January 14, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.
^ Venta, Lance (September 25, 2017). "Vault Opens In Binghamton". RadioInsight. Archived from the original on 2020-02-22. Retrieved 2022-01-14.
^ Venta, Lance (August 7, 2015). "Station Sales Week Of 8/7". RadioInsight. Archived from the original on 2022-01-14. Retrieved 2022-01-14.

External links

magic1017fm.com
1025thevault.com
Facility details for Facility ID WLTB ({{{2}}}) in the FCC Licensing and Management System
{{{2}}} in Nielsen Audio's FM station database
Template:FMQ
W273AB at FCCdata.org

42°03′22″N 75°56′38″W / 42.056°N 75.944°W / 42.056; -75.944

[hc-1] FCC History Cards for WLTB

[Pres720722-2] "New Tower Rises In Owego's Hills". The Evening Press. Binghamton, New York. July 22, 1972. p. Saturday 11. Archived from the original on January 14, 2022. Retrieved January 14, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.

[Pres790304-3] Grey, Gene (March 4, 1979). "Local stations muse: Is disco here to stay?". Press and Sun-Bulletin. Binghamton, New York. p. 16-C. Archived from the original on January 14, 2022. Retrieved January 14, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.

[Pres790228-4] "Owego radio station changes tune". Press and Sun-Bulletin. Binghamton, New York. February 28, 1979. p. 3A. Archived from the original on January 14, 2022. Retrieved January 14, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.

[Pres801020-5] DeGrasse, Diana (October 20, 1980). "The beat goes on". Press and Sun-Bulletin. Binghamton, New York. p. 1B. Archived from the original on January 14, 2022. Retrieved January 14, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.

[Pres850925-6] "Owego radio stations tune to changing audiences". Press and Sun-Bulletin. Binghamton, New York. September 25, 1985. p. 1B. Archived from the original on January 14, 2022. Retrieved January 14, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.

[Pres890325-7] "Owego station plants new tower". Press and Sun-Bulletin. Binghamton, New York. March 25, 1989. p. 1B. Archived from the original on January 14, 2022. Retrieved January 14, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.

[Pres910206-8] Karlson, Katherine (February 6, 1991). "Owego stations sold; WEBO to go country". Press and Sun-Bulletin. Binghamton, New York. p. 6B. Archived from the original on January 14, 2022. Retrieved January 14, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.

[9] "Format Changes and Updates" (PDF). M Street Journal. September 23, 1992. p. 1. Archived (PDF) from the original on September 30, 2021. Retrieved January 14, 2022.

[Pres961217-10] Mastronardi, Michelle; Puttanniah, Suraj; Komarinetz, Michael (December 17, 1996). "Radio raves: Teen-agers tune in with frequency". Press and Sun-Bulletin. Binghamton, New York. p. 1C, 3C. Archived from the original on January 14, 2022. Retrieved January 14, 2022 – via Newspapers.com.

[11] Venta, Lance (September 25, 2017). "Vault Opens In Binghamton". RadioInsight. Archived from the original on 2020-02-22. Retrieved 2022-01-14.

[12] Venta, Lance (August 7, 2015). "Station Sales Week Of 8/7". RadioInsight. Archived from the original on 2022-01-14. Retrieved 2022-01-14.

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@@ Line 28: / Line 28: @@
 WEBO Radio, Inc., the owner of [[WEBO]] (1330 AM), applied for a construction permit to build a new FM radio station in Owego on September 23, 1971, and received a construction permit on January 17, 1972.<ref name="hc">{{FCC letter|hcards=yes|callsign=WLTB|letterid=83723}}</ref> WEBO-FM went on the air in September 1972 from a new tower in South Owego. It extended the service of WEBO, a daytime-only station, to nighttime hours.<ref name="Pres720722">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92550780/new-tower-rises-in-owegos-hills/|date=July 22, 1972|page=Saturday 11|title=New Tower Rises In Owego's Hills|newspaper=The Evening Press|location=Binghamton, New York|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=January 14, 2022|archive-date=January 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220114062019/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92550780/new-tower-rises-in-owegos-hills/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sat --> Operation remained much the same until March 1, 1979, when WEBO-FM became WWWT "3WT" and flipped to an all-[[disco music|disco]] format,<ref name="Pres790304">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92550830/local-stations-muse-is-disco-here-to-st/|date=March 4, 1979|page=16-C|first=Gene|last=Grey|title=Local stations muse: Is disco here to stay?|newspaper=Press and Sun-Bulletin|location=Binghamton, New York|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=January 14, 2022|archive-date=January 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220114062019/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92550830/local-stations-muse-is-disco-here-to/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sun --> except for morning drive when it continued to simulcast the AM.<ref name="Pres790228">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92550878/owego-radio-station-changes-tune/|date=February 28, 1979|page=3A|title=Owego radio station changes tune|newspaper=Press and Sun-Bulletin|location=Binghamton, New York|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=January 14, 2022|archive-date=January 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220114062019/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92550878/owego-radio-station-changes-tune/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Wed --> The disco format gave way within several months to a straight [[contemporary hit radio]] approach.<ref name="Pres801020">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92550918/the-beat-goes-on/|date=October 20, 1980|page=1B|first=Diana|last=DeGrasse|title=The beat goes on|newspaper=Press and Sun-Bulletin|location=Binghamton, New York|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=January 14, 2022|archive-date=January 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220114062020/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92550918/the-beat-goes-on/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Mon -->
-WWWT's hit radio gave way to adult contemporary in 1985 as WQWT "The Lite Q", aiming for an older demographic than it had under its previous format.<ref name="Pres850925">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92550993/owego-radio-stations-tune-to-changing-au/|date=September 25, 1985|page=1B|title=Owego radio stations tune to changing audiences|newspaper=Press and Sun-Bulletin|location=Binghamton, New York|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=January 14, 2022|archive-date=January 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220114062020/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92550993/owego-radio-stations-tune-to-changing/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Wed --> The station returned to the hits, this time as WQXT "Q102", in 1987; two years later, the station activated a new tower and transmitter site on Bornt Hill, expanding its coverage area.<ref name="Pres890325">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92551079/owego-station-plants-new-tower/|date=March 25, 1989|page=1B|title=Owego station plants new tower|newspaper=Press and Sun-Bulletin|location=Binghamton, New York|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=January 14, 2022|archive-date=January 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220114062021/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92551079/owego-station-plants-new-tower/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sat --> By 1991, when the Aubol family retired and sold WEBO and WQXT to Steven Gilinsky, it had changed to an [[oldies]] format.<ref name="Pres910206">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92551152/owego-stations-sold-webo-to-go-country/|date=February 6, 1991|page=6B|first=Katherine|last=Karlson|title=Owego stations sold; WEBO to go country|newspaper=Press and Sun-Bulletin|location=Binghamton, New York|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=January 14, 2022|archive-date=January 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220114062024/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92551152/owego-stations-sold-webo-to-go-country/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Wed --> The call letters were changed to WGRG in 1992, the same year that the station reverted to CHR,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-M-Street/M-Street-Journal/M-Street-1992-09.pdf#page=23|work=M Street Journal|date=September 23, 1992|page=1|title=Format Changes and Updates|access-date=January 14, 2022|archive-date=September 30, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210930001734/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-M-Street/M-Street-Journal/M-Street-1992-09.pdf#page=23|url-status=live}}</ref> and W273AB (102.5 FM), a translator in Binghamton, was added the next year. By 1996, the format changed to [[alternative rock]].<ref name="Pres961217">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92551344/radio-raves-teen-agers-tune-in-with-fre/|date=December 17, 1996|page=1C, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92551335/teens-tune-in-to-radio-stations/ 3C]|title=Radio raves: Teen-agers tune in with frequency|newspaper=Press and Sun-Bulletin|location=Binghamton, New York|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=January 14, 2022|first1=Michelle|last1=Mastronardi|first2=Suraj|last2=Puttanniah|first3=Michael|last3=Komarinetz|archive-date=January 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220114062025/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92551344/radio-raves-teen-agers-tune-in-with/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Tue -->
+WWWT's hit radio gave way to adult contemporary in 1985 as WQWT "The Lite Q", aiming for an older demographic than it had under its previous format.<ref name="Pres850925">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92550993/owego-radio-stations-tune-to-changing-au/|date=September 25, 1985|page=1B|title=Owego radio stations tune to changing audiences|newspaper=Press and Sun-Bulletin|location=Binghamton, New York|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=January 14, 2022|archive-date=January 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220114062020/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92550993/owego-radio-stations-tune-to-changing/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Wed --> The station returned to the hits, this time as WQXT "Q102", in 1987; two years later, the station activated a new tower and transmitter site on Bornt Hill, expanding its coverage area.<ref name="Pres890325">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92551079/owego-station-plants-new-tower/|date=March 25, 1989|page=1B|title=Owego station plants new tower|newspaper=Press and Sun-Bulletin|location=Binghamton, New York|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=January 14, 2022|archive-date=January 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220114062021/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92551079/owego-station-plants-new-tower/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Sat --> By 1991, when the Aubol family retired and sold WEBO and WQXT to Steven Gilinsky, it had changed to an [[oldies]] format.<ref name="Pres910206">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92551152/owego-stations-sold-webo-to-go-country/|date=February 6, 1991|page=6B|first=Katherine|last=Karlson|title=Owego stations sold; WEBO to go country|newspaper=Press and Sun-Bulletin|location=Binghamton, New York|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=January 14, 2022|archive-date=January 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220114062024/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92551152/owego-stations-sold-webo-to-go-country/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Wed --> The call letters were changed to WGRG in 1992, the same year that the station reverted to CHR known as Power 101,<ref>{{Cite news|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-M-Street/M-Street-Journal/M-Street-1992-09.pdf#page=23|work=M Street Journal|date=September 23, 1992|page=1|title=Format Changes and Updates|access-date=January 14, 2022|archive-date=September 30, 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210930001734/https://worldradiohistory.com/Archive-M-Street/M-Street-Journal/M-Street-1992-09.pdf#page=23|url-status=live}}</ref> and W273AB (102.5 FM), a translator in Binghamton, was added the next year. By 1996, the format changed to [[alternative rock]].<ref name="Pres961217">{{Cite news|url=https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92551344/radio-raves-teen-agers-tune-in-with-fre/|date=December 17, 1996|page=1C, [https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92551335/teens-tune-in-to-radio-stations/ 3C]|title=Radio raves: Teen-agers tune in with frequency|newspaper=Press and Sun-Bulletin|location=Binghamton, New York|via=Newspapers.com|access-date=January 14, 2022|first1=Michelle|last1=Mastronardi|first2=Suraj|last2=Puttanniah|first3=Michael|last3=Komarinetz|archive-date=January 14, 2022|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20220114062025/https://www.newspapers.com/clip/92551344/radio-raves-teen-agers-tune-in-with/|url-status=live}}</ref><!-- Tue -->
 WGRG became WLTB "Lite 101.7", a [[soft adult contemporary]] station, in 1998. The call sign was retained in 2001 when the station shifted to [[hot adult contemporary]] as "Magic 101.7". Since that time, the station has changed formats twice while keeping the moniker, in 2016 by returning to CHR and again in 2021 by adopting an adult hits format. "The Vault" began in 2017, replacing the 102.5 rebroadcast of WLTB in Binghamton itself.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Venta |first=Lance |date=September 25, 2017 |title=Vault Opens In Binghamton |language=en-US |work=RadioInsight |url=https://radioinsight.com/headlines/119914/vault-opens-binghamton/ |access-date=2022-01-14 |archive-date=2020-02-22 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200222143037/http://radioinsight.com/headlines/119914/vault-opens-binghamton/ |url-status=live }}</ref>