After stunting with a loop of Drake’s “Hotline Bling” for a week on 1280 WJYE/100.3 W262DP Gardiner and 1400 WCYR Veazie/102.9 W275CQ Bangor, the two stations begun simulcasting Mainestream Media Rhythmic CHR “Hot 104.7” WHTP Kennebunkport/Portland at 7am this morning.
The stations are now branding as “Hot Radio Maine” promoting the fact that they can reach up to half of the population of the state with the additional signals in the Lewiston/Auburn and Bangor markets. The station is also the only Rhythmic CHR in the state.
WHTP debuted in September 2012 following Mainestream Media’s purchase of then Classical WBQW. MaineInvests LLC purchased WJYE last summer and had been operating the station as Oldies “Fun Oldies 106.3” until the translator moved to 100.3 last week to relieve an interference complaint from Binnie Media’s “106.3 The Bone” WHXR Scarborough/Portland. WCYR/W275CQ was recently sold from Port Broadcasting to MaineInvests and had been operating as Classic Country “The Country Road“.
Mainestream Media’s WHTP-Hot 104.7 has completed a full rebrand launching this morning at 7:00am as Hot Radio Maine. In addition to the new branding and broadcasting to Portland and southern Maine on 104.7, the station has now launched on 100.3 FM in Lewiston/Auburn and Brunswick and 102.9 FM in the Bangor/Brewer metro.
100.3 FM in Lewiston/Auburn and Brunswick and 102.9 FM in Bangor/Brewer spent the last six days playing one song, Drake’s “Hotline Bling” on repeat as 207 Hotline Bling Radio. The stunt which garnered both local and national news attention went viral on social media platforms as listeners spent the week both intrigued by the stunt and having fun interacting with the station.
The rebrand, launch of the new stations and the stunt were the design of Hot Radio Maine’s Program Director Ryan Deelon. Deelon said “Our team had a lot of fun while working tirelessly around the clock to both create a stunt station and launch the new, rebranded, Hot Radio Maine. With the new signals, we now have expanded our brand to include half of Maine’s statewide population. You can hear our brand from the New Hampshire border to north of Old Town, Maine. We have the potential to reach more Mainers than any other radio station in the state!”
Hot Radio Maine established a successful brand in southern Maine by coupling a strong musical format with successful concerts and community-based events. Hot Radio Maine has given out thousands of dollars to local Maine listeners as well as other prizes, concerts tickets and even thousands of turkeys during Thanksgiving. The station has brought successful major recording artists to Maine including the Grammy nominated Post Malone, Khalid, J Cole and dozens more including the annual sold out Hot Summer series. This also included DMX in the summer of 2019 who went on to spend several days in Maine and attracted national news by buying gifts for local residents.
Hot Radio Maine’s top 40 format includes core artists like Drake, Ariana Grande, Cardi B, Post Malone, Khalid and more. Through extensive research the brand developed a musical formula that fills a wide-open void in the local radio landscape. Nearly all of the titles heard on Hot Radio Maine are exclusive to the brand when compared to other Maine radio stations. The station compliments hit driven music with LIVE and LOCAL personalities based locally in Maine. “At a time when the stations in Maine are piping in more and more programming from out of town and running national contests, we’re focused on being local to Maine listeners who listen here, live here and win our prizes here.”
Original Report 1/9: Two Maine AM/translator pairs have begun stunting with a loop of Drake’s “Hotline Bling”.
Calling themselves “207 Hotline Bling Radio“, the stunt is currently airing on 1280 WJYE/100.3 W262DP Gardiner and 1400 WCYR Veazie/102.9 W275CQ Bangor. MaineInvests LLC purchased WJYE last summer and had been operating the station as Oldies “Fun Oldies 106.3” until the translator moved to 100.3 this week to relieve an interference complaint from Binnie Media’s “106.3 The Bone” WHXR Scarborough/Portland. WCYR/W275CQ was recently sold from Port Broadcasting to MaineInvests and had been operating as Classic Country “The Country Road“.
The stunt will continue until Monday, January 13 at 7:00am.
And no, WABI-TV. Playing a song on loop does not mean a hostage situation.
