City Lewiston, Maine Branding 107.5 Frank FM First air date March 1973 (as WBLM) | Broadcast area Portland, Maine Frequency 107.5 MHz | |
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Slogan "Maine's Classic Hits Station!" | ||
WFNK (107.5 FM) is a radio station broadcasting a classic hits format, known on air as Frank FM. Licensed to Lewiston, Maine, USA, the station serves the Portland, Maine area. The station is currently owned by Binnie Media. WFNK operates at 100,000 watts from a transmitter in Poland, Maine, making it among the highest powered FM stations in New England.
Contents
WFNK is classified as a Classic Hits station, but it leans more toward classic rock. Core artists played include The Eagles, The Rolling Stones, Fleetwood Mac and Bruce Springsteen, but the station avoids more pop-leaning artists such as Michael Jackson, Madonna and Prince. Once a year, WFNK has a 1,000 song countdown of the greatest Frank FM songs, ending with the #1 song on Memorial Day. The station also plays its classic hits library from A to Z every September. WFNK is also known for its long-running campaigns in support of Portland's Barbara Bush Children's Hospital and Maine's Make-a-Wish chapter.
History
In March 1973, 107.5 launched as rocker WBLM, and by 1989, switched calls and frequencies with 102.9 WTHT and became "Thunder 107", airing a Top 40/CHR format. WTHT's next format was oldies, and a few years later, went country, first as "New Country WTHT 107.5", and then "107-5 The Wolf." On April 6, 2004, WTHT began running a loop directing listeners to 99.9 FM, where "The Wolf" was relocated to. A week later, WTHT became current WFNK.
WFNK, along with 16 other stations in northern New England formerly owned by Nassau Broadcasting Partners, was purchased at bankruptcy auction by WBIN Media Company, a company controlled by Bill Binnie, on May 22, 2012. Binnie already owns WBIN-TV in Derry, New Hampshire. The deal was completed on November 30, 2012.
Personalities
WFNK began jockless and commercial-free in the spring of 2004. Personalities were added by fall, including longtime morning host Bill Fox, midday jock Chrissy Cavotta, and afternoon drive DJ Jim Kenton. Kenton was replaced by Leif Erickson in 2005, and Cavotta would depart for WFLY-FM in 2006. Heidi Knight became morning co-host in 2008, and Program Director Stan Bennett would replace Fox in the morning slot in 2010. Other morning co-hosts included market veterans Joe Lerman, Teddy McKay and Rick Johnson. The late Mike "Roberts" Tibbetts served as evening host for many years. Well-known local music blogger Holly Nunan joined on middays in 2015. WFNK ended a streak of 100% local programming with the debut of former WEEI sports host Mikey Adams via co-owned WFNQ in Nashua, NH in afternoons in late 2016, moving longtime host Erickson to evenings.