Class B Frequency 106.1 MHz Format Contemporary hit radio | First air date December 13, 1957 HAAT 152 meters (499 ft) Facility ID 37235 City of license Patchogue Branding 106.1 'BLI | |
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Slogan Long Island's #1 Hit Music Station | ||
Bea miller live at wbli radio station
WBLI (106.1 FM, "106.1 'BLI") is a Top 40 (CHR) music formatted radio station which mainly serves Nassau and Suffolk Counties on Long Island. It can also be heard in the Hudson Valley, Southern Connecticut, and the Jersey Shore. Its transmitter is located in Selden, New York, and studios are located at 555 Sunrise Highway (NY 27) in West Babylon, New York.
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Wbli fm ad 1981
History
The station went on the air on December 13, 1957 as WPAC-FM, but gained fame in the 1970s under their new call letters "The New 106 WBLI". BLI jocks from the 1970s & 1980s included Barry Neal, Randi Taylor, Bruce Michaels, Nick O'Neil, Chris Tyler, Bill Terry (was PD in the 1980s), Jeff Thomas (also the PD), Scott Taylor, Don Nelson, Rick Sommers, Keith Allen (who moved over to WBZO after BLI), Rob McLean, Mary "J.J. Kennedy" Ann of WPLJ and WLTW in New York City, Carl Dayton, TK Townsend, Brooke Daniels, Larry Adams, Ken Rhodes-Rosato former WBLI news director and now WABC-TV (channel 7) news anchor, Scott Miller and Kelly Hart. WBLI had a Saturday night dance show called Club 106 during the Disco era, hosted by Long Island club DJ Rory J. Thompson. On Sunday nights BLI aired an Oldies show known as Only Gold during the 1970s through the mid-1980s hosted by Bruce Michaels and later by Jerry St. James and then Don Nelson. Although technically a CHR/Top 40, WBLI had a more adult contemporary sound in certain dayparts and avoided such harder-rocking CHR hits such as "I Love Rock 'n' Roll" by Joan Jett & The Blackhearts during their initial chart runs.
By 1991 with CHR on the decline across the country, WBLI evolved into more of a Hot A/C radio station with Steve Harper and Ken Rosato (Rhodes) in mornings. The station ran various feature weekends such as the "Almost made it but didn't weekend", and "The Ladies of the 80's", etc. Musically the station was slightly hotter than New York City's WPLJ and Mix 105 WMXV. In February 1995 WBLI slowly began to move back to Top 40. Long time New England Top 40 jock Al Levine "on the scene" joined WBLI. The station also began to run a simulcasted music video countdown show on Friday nights called "SEGWAY" hosted by Steve Harper and simulcasted on TV 55. WBLI also picked up syndicated Saturday night show Open House Party - which had run on the station in the late 80's.
In July of 1996 WBLI was acquired by Chancellor Broadcasting - Ken Rosato exited mornings, Kelly Nash exited afternoons and the station began adding more R & B and Dance product especially at night.
In September 1996 Ken "Doc" Medek was hired to be Program Director after serving in that role in Northeast PA at 98.5 KRZ. Billy Moore became the voice of 'BLI and the station was once again full blown Top 40.
Under Doc Medek and Al Levine as MD and night jock, the station redeveloped its CHR sound on Long Island, voiced by Billy Moore, and a new jingle package by TM Century, playing the current records, and had night show features like the "Fresh 5 at 9", and the "New Music Challenge" return. By 1997 'BLI was one of the more rhythmic mainstream CHR's on the air featuring "Classic Dance Weekends".
When Cox Radio took over 'BLI they evolved into a more mainstream CHR with less dance product (though still more than most other CHR's) and a tighter playlist voiced by Kurt Flood, Mark Driscoll, with Jennifer Vaughn, and Brian James. On March 29, 2006 Beau Weaver took over as voice of 106.1 BLI, and a new jingle package debuted at that time, which is still used today.
WBLI, which is owned by Cox Radio and licensed to Patchogue, New York, is programmed by Jeremy "J.J." Rice who has been with the station since 1998. Rice was formerly PD of WWHT (Hot 107.9) in Syracuse while the station was owned by Cox Radio. When Clear Channel purchased WWHT in 1998, Rice moved to Long Island and has since been the program director of WBLI and CHR format director for Cox Radio. The APD is Alan "Al On The Scene" Levine, who has been with 'BLI since February 5, 1995 and has done nights, afternoon drive and now middays.
The Cooper Lawrence Show
On July 11, 2016 Cooper Lawrence formerly of WPLJ and Anthony Michaels who had previously co-hosted on the syndicated Cooper Lawrence Show, took over mornings 5:30 - 9am on the station.
Dana and Jayson in the Morning
On June 30, 2016 the station announced on its Facebook page that Dana and Jayson in the Morning had ended its run.
The morning program, which had begun as "BLI in the Morning," featured Dana DiDonato, Jayson Prim, John Mingione (John Online), Shawn "Puffy The Producer" Novatt, and Ted Lindner with news and traffic.
Recurring segments on BLI in the Morning:
Dana and Jayson in the Morning often posed questions or opinions to the listeners, both on the air and online. They had many people call in each day with their opinions, and even had some 'friends' who they know well and who called a lot, like "Loyal Listener Lucille," "Lighthouse Michelle (LHM)," "Millie Milz" and more.
Steve Harper had hosted BLI in the AM for 25 years before being let go in the Summer of 2006, with Maria Garcia for about eight of them as "Steve and Maria in the Morning." Dana replaced Maria in 2005. Steve's last show was on July 19, 2006. Dana then assumed hosting duties alongside "Big Gay" Randy Spears and Drew Applebaum. Randy and Drew exited the station on December 16, 2010.
On January 10, 2011, the radio station introduced the NEW BLI in the Morning, which featured Dana with new co-host Jeffrey Jameson, and the return of Shawn "Puffy the Producer" Novatt one month later, who was with BLI in a similar role from 2000–2004.
The show was syndicated to Cox sister-station "Hot 100.9" WHTI/Richmond, VA and renamed "Dana and Jeffrey in the Morning" on Monday, June 4, 2012. Syndication ended with WHTI was sold to another owner in June, 2013.
Jeffrey Jameson announced he was leaving in December, 2013 and Jayson Prim debuted on January 6, 2014.
Controversy
On Wednesday, February 27, 2008, Randy of the "BLI in the Morning" show offended a caller from Mastic Long Island, by insinuating that she lived in a trailer park. After the station received complaints regarding the remarks, and after Randy's refusal to apologize, he was suspended by station management.
On Friday, February 29, 2008, radio announcers Gregg Hughes and Anthony Cumia of Opie and Anthony, vocal proponents for free speech in broadcasting, called for the firing of WBLI station manager John Shea for "not standing behind his guy."